HELPING HAND

It was late autumn, and an uncharacteristically optimistic sun spread its rays out over the Phantomhive estate. The friendly light falling through the large window behind Ciel was at odds with the frigid atmosphere within the spacious office. With an annoyed jerk of his wrist, Ciel sliced open an envelope with his letter opener, glaring all the while at the butler before him.

'Don't be preposterous, Sebastian. Sir Dunston isn't even arriving for another six hours.' Ciel didn't bother reading the newly-opened letter, merely placing it aside before starting to open the next piece of correspondence. He sought to occupy his hands in a way that wasn't strangling the obstinate butler until he stopped smiling that obscenely pleasant smile.

'If you'll permit me saying, young master, it takes time to adequately prepare the hospitality that high society has come to expect from the Phantomhive household.' Even with the sunlight bathing the butler's features in an incandescent light, Ciel thought those eyes remained impossibly dark. The dual orbs absorbed the gentle glow, reflecting none of its warmth back at the earl.

'So? Prepare. Isn't that why I have you, Sebastian?' Ciel's condescending smile was lopsided, only one corner of his mouth curling up as he leaned his other cheek on his fist. Amusement stirred in the often-stoic child at the notion of his butler toiling away while he enjoyed his merriment. 'While you do so, I can indulge in a brief outing into town, in order to clear my mind before tonight's meeting.'

'With all due respect, young master, you cannot.' The curt answer, intoned matter-of-factly, clearly conveyed just how much respect Sebastian deemed his master's idea to be due.

Smile slipping from his face, Ciel straightened in his chair to level his butler a hard look. 'Why not, pray tell? The last time I looked, I was still the master of this house!' Subconsciously, he traced the outline of the overly large ring encircling his thumb, ensuring the gem had not slipped sideways to dangle from his finger, unseen.

'And so you are, young master,' the words were spoken with a cheeriness usually reserved for encouraging a puppy during house training. 'However, I'm afraid my urgent duties prevent me from escorting you into town today.'

'As much as you enjoy treating me like a child, I don't need your presence for the mere act of setting foot outside my mansion, butler,' Ciel said lowly, tone carrying the icy command that clearly bespoke of his noble lineage.

Stooping into a shallow bow, Sebastian directed his smiling question at the carpet. 'If may be so bold as to inquire: how will you get there?'

'How?' Ciel snorted at the apparent stupidity of the query. 'By carriage, of course.'

'Ah.' The obvious fact that Sebastian had already known Ciel's answer made his sound of comprehension all the more condescending. He cocked his head with a bounce of raven bangs as he sweetly inquired: 'Driven by whom?'

'Well...'

This gave Ciel pause. None of his other servants would have Sebastian's audacity to refuse him, but did he trust any of them to safely navigate him through crowded town streets? Meirein's near blindness. Finnian's inability to control his freakish strength. Bard's temper, explosive in more than one sense of the word. None of these traits meshed well with horses, and a carriage that could easily crush the bones of unsuspecting pedestrians.

Far too eagerly, Sebastian listed out loud what Ciel had already decided against in his mind. 'Do you wish me to call Bard, or Finnian? Meirein, perhaps?' He paused only to sugar his tone with more faux sincerity as he continued: 'Or would my young master prefer I summon Tanaka-san?'

For a moment, the resolution seemed straightforward, and Ciel already opened his mouth to simply order Sebastian to take him – duties be damned.

I don't need your presence for the mere act of setting foot outside my mansion, butler. There was a dry snap of teeth as Ciel abruptly closed his mouth again, fingers curling into the expensive leather of his chair's arm rests.

That damn Sebastian-! Even when seemingly offering him choices, providing Ciel with other servants, the demon ensured that there was only one that the earl could rely on. One that he was dependent on completely.

From the other side of the desk, Sebastian was studying him intently. The silence lasted, stretched, and still Ciel had no command to give. With a narrowing of his gleaming eyes, Sebastian's smile turned superior.

Ciel was very much aware how his narrowed eye twitched with his frustration. Forcing himself to slither an intake of air into his lungs, Ciel said in a voice of ill-concealed anger: 'Why are they my servants if I cannot call upon them to serve me?'

'If you will forgive me for reminding you: they were all selected personally by yours truly. They are most capable, albeit in need of clear instructions. Please, you mustn't blame yourself, young master,' Sebastian was far too zealous to thickly honey his words with saccharine understanding, nodding sagely, 'Please allow time for one as young as yourself to grow into... real leadership.'

Ciel was sure the sound of his teeth gnashing together was audible through the room. Oh, Sebastian so loved his jibes at Ciel's age, and how it supposedly left him inherently incapable of coping without his butler.

In a weak attempt to hide the infuriated blush on his face, Ciel snatched up one of the letters from his desk, holding the paper up to obscure his features. 'Why are you loitering here if you're too busy to actually do as you're told? Get back to work!' he snapped.

Even the rustle of Sebastian's clothing sounded smug as he gave a bow that the earl could not see. It was when he glanced past the page he held, Sebastian's footsteps retreating, that Ciel spotted the letter opener again. He didn't hesitate, didn't bother contemplating the action before he gripped the ivory handle. The metal blade was barely sharpened, and it did not cut deep when Ciel stabbed the tip down into the palm of his hand.

Sebastian instantly whipped around in the door frame, eyes rounded. 'Young master!' he sounded appalled.

As the first drops of blood began to tickle a trail between Ciel's fingers, he did not miss the flash of inhuman colour that briefly lit up the demon's eyes. Neatly shined shoes whispered their urgency against the carpet, Sebastian making to rush to Ciel's side.

'Don't, Sebastian,' Ciel ordered in a bored drawl, ignoring the stinging sensation as he lifted his hand, examining the wound with a passive expression. 'You're far too busy. I wouldn't want to take up your valuable time.'

'Please allow me to assist, young master. It should not be allowed to go unattended. We don't want the wound to fester from the dirtied metal, endangering your health, or risking unsightly scars.' As he spoke, Sebastian's gaze kept moving between Ciel's face, and the scarlet that was already darkening to maroon on his pale skin.

Ciel's smile was grim but victorious. Wouldn't want his flawless skin to scar, hm? Suddenly, the throbbing of his hand felt less painful, sweetened by the knowledge that it was a source of displeasure for Sebastian.

'Right you are, Sebastian. I can't leave it unattended.'

The swift nod Sebastian gave in answer seemed eager to Ciel, the butler withdrawing his handkerchief, rounding the desk. Just before Sebastian's gloved hand reached for Ciel's bleeding one, the earl pulled it back. He didn't care about the drops of blood that pattered onto the carpet as he moved the appendage from the butler's reach. 'Call Meirein.'

Sebastian's face was perfectly blank. 'I beg your pardon?'

'I told you, Sebastian,' Ciel's tone turned empirical, 'I have no intention of keeping my butler from his many onerous duties, and risk besmirching the impeccable reputation of my family. Bard can assist me. Or Meirein, perhaps. Maybe you should summon Tanaka-san.' Vindictive mirth pulled Ciel's mouth into a crooked grin, paraphrasing his butler's words back to him.

It took longer than usual for Sebastian to come up with a retort. In their ceaseless games of wit and rhetoric, those few beats of silence, however short, were the exulted trumpets heralding a rare victory for Ciel over his demon butler.

'I fear that would be unwise, young master,' was Sebastian's only defence. Pitiable, really.

With a pensive hum, the young lord's smile stretched. 'You're right. No doubt you require Tanaka-san's assistance today, as well as Meirein's. Sir Dunston will arrive and depart after nightfall, so I dare say he won't be taking in the gardens. Send Finnian up to me instead.'

Abhorrence flitted across Sebastian's features at the notion of Finnian and his monstrous strength tending the delicate task of cleaning injuries. The same disquiet sickly bubbled to life in the pit of Ciel's stomach, but there was no going back. It was all or nothing, as with everything in their twisted co-dependence.

Sebastian's soft-spoken voice was a terse murmur, 'He's only a gardener.'

The smile that twisted Ciel's mouth was one far beyond his years. 'No more quarrelling. You have your tasks and orders. Call Finny. After all, you said yourself that you selected him personally to be one of my own, Sebastian. Surely he must be one hell of a gardener.'

FIN

Author's Note: Thank you very much for your time! And with thanks to my girlfriend for beta work. Comments are always very welcome.