Title: my cake is yours to keep
Rated: K+
This is my first Black Butler fic! I hope you guys like. I really, really like this pairing for some reason so I was like, ok why not write a one shot about them. Kind of off and weird, but just wrote this down because it was an idea that was nagging me and I really wanted to incorporate cakes in it I have no idea why lol. Anyway, thanks to the people who read this rant. Love ya guys, thanks.
"I do not love her," the young master would often say about Elizabeth Midford. "I simply care about her."
"Come on, Ciel, this is an extremely easy..."
"1 cup unsalted butter and two cups of..."
"Where the devil is the flour?!"
The Phantomhive estate was awoken to a resounding crash that echoed throughout the halls. It was followed by a loud clanging of pots, and a pans. To a normal servant in the household, one wouldn't worry that much for it was probably just Baldroy lighting up bombs, heating up his flamethrower, and basically trying to cook again. However, to Mey-rin and Finnian's utter surprise, the cook was not at all in the kitchen, he ran out of his room holding up his blowtorch, narrowing his eyes for an intruder.
"W-what was that, y-you think?" Mey-rin stuttered as she tapped her glasses, "A ghost? A-"
"Shhhhhhh-" Bard cut her off, angling the blow torch towards the kitchen. "We might scare it off, where's Sebastian?"
The three slowly tip-toed through the halls, stopping when a small sound emerged. It was a quick 'ouch!' but it was a obvious claim that it was a person and not just any mythical being. They continued on, until the kitchen door was close enough for them to peek in and not get caught by the intruder.
Bard looked at the two behind him, nodded once, and took a step towards the closed door. One step and then-
"Young master, I would suggest using the baking soda on the left, not the baking powder you're holding right now," Sebastian's voice rang out.
The three sighed in relief, it was only Sebastian!
Wait, Sebastian?
And YOUNG MASTER?!
The three peeped their heads in, careful to not make a sound. The sight upon them was extremely shocking, though not mentally scaring.
The kitchen was entirely a mess. The pans and the pots were on the floor, cluttered to an unfortunate extent. Flour and other powdering covered surfaces, especially Ciel Phantomhive himself. The young Earl was a mess. A spot of batter was on his nose, and while Ciel looked like his hard at work, he didn't seemed so pleased at the bowl he was looking at. His blue hair, usually combed, and his night gown looked tired, as if he had no butler at all. Speaking of Sebastian, the butler stood behind him. He, amazingly, stood contrast against the room as his suit was pristine and clean. He observed the master's mixing with normal interest, though his eyes sparked as if he was waiting for the master to speak his command.
"Having a hard time, master?" Sebastian questioned, amused.
Ciel stopped to wiped his forehead, finishing an eye roll. "No," he snapped. "I can do this myself." He subsequently grabbed a another bowl to crack eggs in.
Sebastian eyed him warily now, and made a small step towards him. "Master, if I may-"
"No!" Ciel abruptly faced his butler. "I can do this myself, Sebastian. As I said, just stay there and don't move."
A silence came, then soon a reply. "As you wish, young master."
When Ciel turned around to continue his work, Sebastian mulled over the pursuit of the Earl for baking a cake. Well... Sebastian's eyes wandered over to the side, where some cakes stood in all sorts of shapes. These were all made by his young master through out the night, however he had bid them imperfect. The perfect cake.
A small sigh came from his lips as he continued watching the thirteen-year-old boy, who manically mixing again. There was a stiffness in his arms, his hands gripping the spatula too hard.
"Why is the master baking and not Sebastian?" Finnian breathed out in wonder as they watched the scene before them. Mey-rin and Bard hushed him.
"Young master, forgive me for intruding, but is tomorrow really such an important day for you to skip a night's rest?"
"Yes," Ciel answered in his normal, nonchalant tone. "My fiance wants the perfect birthday. And her one desire is to taste a cake baked with my hands. If this is what she wants, then so be it."
Sebastian sighed again, pressing his fingers up to his temple. "If that is so, then why don't you just let me just do the cake-"
"It would taste too delicious."
"-Then of course I lower it down a notch. What kind of a butler would I be if I couldn't make a normal-tasting cake for my young master's fiance."
Ciel paused, the offer was tempting. Looking at the clock, he could already feel the overlapping tiredness in his body. It was willing to collapse, as he was not used to not sleeping at all.
But no.
Lady Elizabeth was his duty. It had to come from him, or else Lizzie would find out and she would start crying.
She wouldn't be smiling.
Ciel wanted her to smile. To smile for a life-time, to preserve her innocence and naivety. Her happiness was his to keep, to remember, to obtain. Her smile was a burst of sunlight, a light that transpired within the dreary and silent Phantomhive estate. He would go lengths for Elizabeth Midford, just to keep her safe and happy, until his last-dying breath.
But of course, he would never confess this. Showing weakness is foolish.
Gripping the spatula tighter, he grabbed hold of the bowl and started again.
Sebastian took this as a "no" for an answer.
Elizabeth was having a grand day! It was her birthday after all.
When she arrived to the Phantomhive estate, the outside looked dreary and normal. However, the inside made her squeal with joy.
"Oh Ciel!" Her hands clapped together in a prayer formation, "everything's magnificent! How wonderful. Paula take a look! It's all so cute. I love it."
Paula grinned after her Lady, "indeed it is, Lady Elizabeth."
"I'm glad everything is to your liking, Lazy Elizabeth." Sebastian smoothly bowed. Elizabeth threw herself in Ciel's arms in happiness. "Ciel, everything is sooooooo cute. Thank you so much, this is my best birthday so far."
Wait? Ciel, why do you look so tired?" She titled her head, much like a puppy.
The Earl's face slightly shifted. "It's nothing."
The Earl of Phantomhive paused for a moment, thinking of another reply. Instead, he prolonged the hug. You know, just for today. "Sebastian could have done better, but this would do," he said boredly. "Now come, my Lady. Let us feast on your favorite confectionary."
This made her squeal even harder.
A guest room was converted to what looked like a child's sweet dreamland. There were mountains of candy, marshmallows, chocolate fondues, and several other confectionary that rang throughout the streets of London. The quick renovation was done by Sebastian in a minute. Quite late, but good enough.
"Ciel! Eat these sweeties with me, it's really good." She popped them in her mouth, letting the lemony taste wash over her tongue.
"Indeed, that is Funton's new line of fruit-based sweets." Elizabeth waited for the taste to melt before handing one to the Earl to try.
Ciel, sitting on one of the chairs in one of the Phantomhive's many rooms, shrugged off the gesture. "I do not eat candy in my past time. I am not one for childish food, Lady Elizabeth."
"It's Lizzie!" She made a face, "but Ciel! It's my birthday. Can't you at least try one of them little things?"
The Earl took a look of the yellow wrapper, then looked down. He sighed, "Fine, I'll try one." He plucked the wrapper off and popped it in his mouth. Candy, in his mouth. Oh splendid.
Shit. It was sour. He hated sour things.
"OH CIEL! You're absolutely the cutest when you do that face!"
Oh, the things he would do for her.
At last, dinner was served. As usual, Sebastian did everything to perfection. Down to every last bone. Obviously, Lizzie's birthday party was successful if she had not cried one tear.
But.
It was time.
"The cake will now be served," Sebastian's voice spoke.
Ciel could feel the demon's eyes burning at the back of his head. His shoulders were tense, as if some silly cake could destroy the world.
But maybe it could.
His world, the girl.
Now, this was the centerpiece. Hopefully, Lady Elizabeth would find the cake cute enough to snack upon.
Elizabeth clapped her hands, "yay!"
Sebastian trod over to them, holding a plate with a dome. Just open it already, Ciel glowered. "This was made my young master, I hope you enjoy it, Lady Elizabeth."
"I bet you worked so hard on it, Ciel." Lizzie smiled dreamily.
Ciel rolled his eyes, "it only took an hour of my time, it wasn't a bother." Wrong, it took the whole night.
For you. Just for you.
The three servants looked at each other knowingly with a small smile.
And there it stood on the table. All round and gooey. Brown caramel frosting all over the the three-tiered chocolate-orange cake. It was one of the hardest things he had ever worked on. A single candle topped the cake, in the middle, with a small flame burning.
"...Ciel."
Ciel could feel his ears burning, but he forced his face to remain stoic. "Is it to your liking, Lizzie?"
"Yes! THANK YOU! It's beautiful, I didn't know you could make such a wonderful cake, my darling Ciel..."
Lady Elizabeth ended up staying the night, as apparently there was a storm brewing in the area. She ended up having one of the guest rooms near Ciel.
It was nearly nine o'clock, Ciel came out of the study with Sebastian in tow when the butler informed him that Lady Elizabeth will be sleeping soon.
"Will you bid her goodnight?"
Ciel mused for a moment, and decided he will. Just a quick one. "I'll be back quickly," he said to his butler.
Knocking on the door, a voice yelled out. "Come in."
It was Lizzie already under her covers.
Blushing, Ciel quickly uttered a 'I just came here to say goodnight. Good night, Lazy Elizabeth' and began shutting the door. But Elizabeth stopped him. "Ciel?"
He paused, then pushed open the door again.
A lighting flashed through the window, which made Lizzie visibly tensed.
Is she afraid of a little lighting? How childish.
"Yes?"
"W-would you... Would you kindly close the curtains? Paula is with the servants and I couldn't call for her now."
Ciel looked at her, then nodded with respect. "Yes, my Lady."
He walked over to the window and quickly shut the curtains. No lighting for the Lady now.
The Earl was about to leave when her voice piped up. "Ciel?"
"Yes?"
"Can you please stay with me? Please? Until I fall asleep?"
He looked at her
He sighed, "Fine."
Later on, as Sebastian wondered why his master was taking so long, he took the liberty in entering Lady Elizabeth's room, only to discover the Earl asleep in the chair, his head face down on the side of Lizzie's bed, her hand in his hand.
The butler sighed, "Young master, if this is caring, what is love?"
Review, favorite and follow please! :)