"Sebastian!" Ciel Phantomhive's voice rang out in his study, irritation clear to hear as he turned his one-eyed gaze to the study door as it opened swiftly. "I want something sweet now." He demanded, glaring at his demon butler.
"Apologies young master but it is too late in the evening for sweets now, your supper will be served soon enough." Sebastian rebutted, glancing at the young teenager who was now glaring at him with anger and childish hatred. A beautifully enticing concoction Sebastian thought, pleased that he had nabbed such a rare soul in the form of Ciel Phantomhive.
"I don't care. I want something with sugar in it right now." Ciel demanded, throwing a hand up in frustration as he observed his butler preparing whatever tea blend the demon had decided he should 'sample' today. Honestly, he didn't even want the bloody tea, he wanted sweets!
"My lord." Sebastian paused in his movements, hand holding a fine bone china tea cup aloft as he stared at Ciel. "It is most undignified for you to behave in such a manner."
Before Ciel could so much as think of ordering his butler to bring him some confectionary, Sebastian continued speaking, describing the tea he'd chosen for his young master.
"Ceylon white tea, from the island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean." Sebastian said as he expertly poured the hot beverage into the tea cup he still held, watching as the dark liquid sloshed and swirled. He glanced up at Ciel who was staring at him indignantly, face red with rage, and he smirked as he brought the silver tray bearing the cup, honey and cream to his young master's desk. "A highly prized blend with a golden coppery infusion with hints of pine and honey. It is most certainly fit for my young master."
"Not as fit as chocolate is." Ciel snarked, levelling Sebastian with a truly impressive glare for a 13 year old. It made the demon's smirk grow as he laughed internally at his master's irritation. Truly, his young master really did show his age when he was frustrated with his butler, it amused Sebastian to see how often he could frustrate the young Earl. Thus far he had irritated Ciel three times today already and was counting on irritating him further before the young master retired for the evening.
"If you are truly desperate for something master I can begin preparing your supper immediately, though you will retire with an empty stomach?" Sebastian asked, his polite tone masking the intense amusement that sparked in his eyes.
Ciel glared up haughtily at the tall demon, fuming internally at how smug the butler looked as he stared down at him. "Damn it to hell Sebastian! I demand you give me something sweet now! That is an order!"
Simultaneously the seals hidden by the eye-patch Ciel wore and the one beneath Sebastian's glove on his right hand glowed, marking the issuing of an order that Sebastian had to follow lest the contract be rendered null.
As he bowed deeply, Sebastian's voice lowered, becoming a soft purr. "Of course my lord."
Ciel let out a quiet snort at how subservient Sebastian became upon receiving an order. 'If only the demon could behave like that all the time!' Ciel thought. 'It'd make my life considerably easier.' Watching as his butler turned sharply on his heel and left the study, presumably to go and fulfil the order he'd been given, Ciel pondered why exactly Sebastian seemed to enjoy annoying him.
'Of course, he's a demon. That's what demons do!' He thought but somehow he doubted that. 'He can do a lot more than just annoy me and he knows it. So why doesn't he?' Ciel frowned as he stared into his cup. 'Why do I even care? He's just a means to an end. The only thing he truly desires is my soul and the only thing I desire is revenge. What else is there?'
Moving swiftly, Sebastian crossed the large expanse that was the Phantomhive manor unnaturally fast. But of course, he was a demon and so such a feat was not at all unnatural for him. The kitchen was, thankfully, empty as it seemed that Bardroy, Finny and Mey-Rin had not yet returned from their visit to the Middleford estate.
Earlier in the day Sebastian had sent the three of them off with a gift for the Lady Elizabeth from the young master, detailing that, under no circumstances, they were permitted to look in the box or cause it any damage during the trip to the Middleford estate. Sebastian has happily informed them with a smile on his face and menace in his voice that he would personally eviscerate them if any harm was to come to the package.
Looking about the kitchen Sebastian pondered what precisely could constitute as 'sweet' according to his young master. Not that it truly mattered to Sebastian beyond the simple fact that he had been given a direct order...
'Ah but the young master was not specific enough.' Sebastian mused, lips quirking into a dark smile. 'Perhaps it would be prudent to teach him such vagueness is not a wise thing when demons are involved...'
Smile still affixed to his face, Sebastian efficiently collected several items before deciding to return to his young master to give him his treat.
Sat in his study, internally cursing his blasted butler, Ciel tried to continue on with the pile of paperwork he had to sort through. There was the usual humdrum that came with being the owner of an elite business, queries about toy designs, wages, cost of production... but then there were the correspondence only one who traversed the treacherous underworld received. Invitations to private events, offers to parties where more than just idle chatter was exchanged. It was dreary, time-consuming work and Ciel wished nothing more than to sweep the paperwork off his desk with a dramatic flourish but, alas, such an act was not proper for the head of the Phantomhives. Even if he really wanted to be childish and do so anyway he would be reprimanded by his blasted butler and he'd had enough of Sebastian's commentary on his behaviour for today.
'All he had to do was give me some chocolate or something and instead he decides to "pretend" to care by denying me what I am entitled to!' Ciel fumed, glaring at the letter he was in the process of attempting to start. It was a simple response to one of the factory managers who had asked whether he was permitted to increase the worker's pay. Personally Ciel cared not at all about how much the manager paid the workers so long as they had enough money to not starve and live with relative comfort. 'I don't understand why he does this! He wants my soul. Does he refuse me because he wants to "season" his meal or does he do it simply because he can?'
Letting out a disgusted snort, Ciel pushed the letter away from him giving up on the thing entirely. 'What does it matter? He is my servant so long as the contract remains and he must do whatever I order him. If I must order that he is to bring me sweets daily then I shall!'
Mind set and anger subsiding, Ciel refused to look at the door when the sharp rap of Sebastian's knock echoed in the study. Already aware that the demon would enter regardless of whether Ciel told him to or not, the young Earl chose to ignore the sound and tried to busy himself with one of the many letters on his desk.
"Master." Sebastian's smooth baritone voice was quiet yet loud enough for the Earl to hear through the closed door as the demon butler promptly opened the door and noted that Ciel was ignoring him. 'How very like the child he pretends not to be.' Sebastian mused wryly as he moved swiftly and silently across the room, closing the door behind him as was standard, and placing the silver tray he held aloft with one hand on the desk, the other hand having moved aside several documents to make space for the tray.
"I have prepared something sweet for you young master." Sebastian explained, standing calmly beside the desk, staring down intently at the young Earl who was still pretending to ignore him. 'Your pride is strong young master but I am stronger.' Smirking slightly as the boy still refused to acknowledge him, Sebastian continued. "Though I must ask that you exercise patience as is to be expected of the head of the Phantomhives."
"I am well aware of what is expected of me Sebastian, must you constantly go on about it?" Ciel snarled, his single eye burning with renewed anger at the demon's words. 'How dare he!' Taking a deep breath in a fruitless bid to control his rising temper, Ciel quickly turned his attention from the demon who was still smirking at him to the silver tray deposited on his desk.
"W-what is this!" Ciel exclaimed staring at the tray in disbelief.
Sebastian's eyes darkened with cruel mirth as he promptly responded to the young Earl's exclamation. "Precisely what my lord ordered. Something 'sweet'."
"T-that is not sweet!" Ciel barked, glowering at the tray and his butler in equal measure. "What do you think you're playing at Sebastian? I gave you an order!"
'How dare he do this! How dare he disobey an order from me! Does he want this contract to be rendered void?' Ciel's thoughts were a mixture of disbelief, anger and worry over losing his weapon in his hunt for those who had wronged him.
"My lord." Sebastian's voice was delicately smooth and level but Ciel could hear the dark amusement that the demon so skilfully obscured. "Not all sweet things can be categorised as confectionary. I presumed you knew this."
'Oh no you didn't you bastard!' Ciel growled, turning his head away from the sight of the butler and the tray. "Forget it! Go and prepare my bath!"
Bowing low Sebastian's voice continued to not betray the intense amusement Ciel just knew the demon was feeling at his annoyance. "Of course my young master."
With barely a sound the demon butler disappeared from the study, the tray remaining, leaving Ciel to his paperwork and thoughts.
"Bastard." The young Earl muttered in disgust as he eyed the tray one last time before focusing his attention on the letters he had to write. Forcefully pushing all thoughts of Sebastian and his tricks from his mind, the young Earl Phantomhive worked dutifully until his butler returned and declared his bath ready.