Chapter 2

His Butler, Flustered - A Shinobi, Resigned

Ciel stood at the doorway to his unexpected guest's room and watched as his butler tended to the man's many wounds. Sebastian methodically worked his way from the scratches along the man's jawline, to the gaping wound across his midriff, and ending with the handful of stab wounds and cuts that were scattered along his arms and legs. By the time it was finished, the man could have passed for a mummy with the amount of clean, white bandages covering his pale skin. And through it all, the stranger hadn't stirred from his unconscious state.

But that was not to say that the man was sleeping soundly. No. It was clear from the way his brow was creased, and the occasional clenching of his fist, that he was experiencing a rather unpleasant dream. It seemed as though this was one more thing that he may have in common with the man, and that made him eager to learn more about him.

"He will live, my Lord."

Ciel glanced to the side, where Sebastian stood unrolling his shirt sleeves before returning his tailcoat to its rightful place. He returned his attention back toward the injured man and chuckled. At that very moment, the barely conscious man was systematically undoing every bandage he could get his shaky fingers onto.

"Are you so sure, Sebastian? By the looks of it, the man seems determined to prove you wrong."

The look on his butler's face when he saw what Ciel had seen was priceless. It was rare that he would ever see the man so flustered. A moment later and Sebastian was pinning the man's wrists down with one hand while he pulled a fresh stretch of bandage from the basket next to the bed. He watched as the clean cotton was looped around the stranger's wrists, and then fastened to the headboard, ending the man's attempts to remove any more of the bandages with his fingers. But his struggles continued, as though he was desperate to undo all of Sebastian's hard work. This made no sense. Why try to keep someone from helping? He wanted the answer to that question, so he moved to the side of the bed as a new bandage was being prepared by a sulking Sebastian.

Just as the butler was about to place ointment onto it, Ciel placed a hand on his wrist, halting his movements. "Is his skin supposed to look like that?"

He watched another frown form on Sebastian's lips as the man leaned over to inspect the injury site that stretched across the silver-haired man's chest and stomach. Everywhere that the bandages had been removed revealed angry red welts covering the areas.

"It most certainly should not look like that, my Lord. It appears that our guest's immune system does not appreciate the salve that was painstakingly prepared to bring forth a quicker healing time. How unfortunate."

Ciel smirked. "Perhaps you prepared it incorrectly."

Now the frown actually grew on his butler's lips for a brief second. "I am quite certain that the steps were followed precisely. In fact, this is the very same preparation that was used on your own injury earlier in the week when you failed to dodge your sword instructor's advance. After all, what kind of a butler would I be if I couldn't concoct a simple healing ointment?"

Ciel rolled his eyes. "What kind indeed."

The frown deepened once more. "I do apologize, my Young Lord, for not taking into account the unknown allergies of the recipient. If you will excuse me, Master, I will need to rethink the treatment plan at once."

Ciel placed a schooled look of boredom on his face, unwilling to let the man know how amused he was at the moment. He turned toward the door and waved over his shoulder at his butler. "Do what you must, Sebastian. I'll be in my study waiting for the next imbecile who wants my family's money. Oh yes, and I'm thinking that I'd like something different for afternoon tea. Perhaps one of those French pastries that Elizabeth was going on about during her last visit."

He heard the soft sigh leave the butler's lips as he stepped out of the room, followed bu those familiar words. "As you wish, my Young Lord."

.

Once his master had left the room, Sebastian pulled his pocket watch out. He groaned when he realized that the morning was already half gone, and that the pastries which Ciel was craving would take far longer to prepare than the original lite fair which he had been planning. But at least the young man was keeping his betrothed in mind with this request, which meant that he had remembered that he was scheduled to have tea with Lady Elizabeth this afternoon. And with the mess that had been left behind in the woods by the arrival of the man tied to the bed, he now also had to find a new location for their meeting. After all, with the change in menu from the Earl, he simply wasn't going to be able to spend the needed time to prepare his original spot for the tea.

Placing the watch back into his pocket, he removed his tailcoat, and rolled up his sleeves once more. He considered assigning the cleanup by the pond to Finnian, but all that it would result in was even more work for him in the long run. That boy had a habit of destroying everything he touched, no matter how well made it was. Ah, well...there was no sense in fretting about it now. He'd just need to move the location closer to the manor so that he'd have the time to do it all. But for now, he needed to concentrate on fixing the mess lying before him.

Sebastian moved back over to the bed. It was obvious that he was being watched by his patient, and the wary look in the man's half-lidded eyes spoke volumes about what he likely thought of his treatment. He knelt next to the bed and proceeded to remove the remaining bandages which the shinobi hadn't been able to reach. The irritated skin beneath the wrappings made it clear that, indeed, the salve was the cause, which left him wondering what he might be able to use in its place. He dipped a clean cloth into a basin of water and fastidiously wiped off the cause of the man's discomfort.

"I do apologize for the misunderstanding in your medical treatment. Although I do feel that I should note that you are the first human that I've ever treated that has reacted in such a way to this salve."

"Should I feel honored?"

He smiled at the man's response. It was rare for someone to know his true nature without him revealing it. And rarer still for a person who did know to respond so casually to him. This man was more intriguing by the moment.

"I doubt that 'honored' is the word that should be used, Sir. However, I would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to tell me of any other allergies which you might have. It would be unfortunate if you had another setback so soon in your treatment."

The man's eyes closed, and it was clear that he was debating with himself over giving out such vital information. Considering his apparent line of employment, it was completely understandable. No one would ever fault a shinobi for keeping such weaknesses to themselves, but in this case, not sharing such information might delay, if not negate, his healing. When a single dark eye opened to stare up at Sebastian, it was obvious that a decision was made.

"Avoid using linseed oil with your herbs."

He raised an eyebrow at the declaration. He hadn't told the man just what he'd used in the ointment, but he had stated with certainty one of the components. Perhaps this was his only allergy. Still, he was all the more curious now.

"I see. So is it the oil that you react to? Or the combination of it with specific herbs?"

"You do not need to know that."

Sebastian sighed. "I had forgotten how paranoid Fire Country shinobi can be."

He nearly chuckled at the startled look, brief as it was, in the man's eye. "Is it really so surprising that someone who speaks your language may also have knowledge of your dialect? Although I must admit that I can not quite place which village you belong to. There are smatterings of Lightning in your speech patterns, and a touch of Waterfall as well, which is strange, considering the two were enemies the last time that I was there...and Lightning wasn't actually a part of Fire Country. But it has been decades since then, so there are sure to be other villages in play by now, and I'm certain that new alliances have formed as well."

Throughout his casual conversation Sebastian prepared a strictly herbal version of his ointment, choosing to use honey as the binder instead of linseed oil. The amber syrup was known to hold healing properties of its own, and he was reasonably sure that his patient would not react to such a natural ingredient. Still, it wouldn't do if the man had a second reaction so soon after the first one. He'd never live it down.

"I'll be placing new bandages on your wounds using a honey-based formula. I trust that you have no allergies to the product of domestic honey-bees?"

"When were you last there?"

Sebastian sighed, and decided that the change in conversation must mean that the man had no issues with his use of the honey. And knowing that a willingly compliant patient is much easier to deal with in the long run, he decided to answer the man's question. Of course, he continued tending to his injuries as he spoke in a soothing voice.

"Oh my. It has been quite some time. Let me see...the year was 1837, I believe. Yes. I had been sent to Lightning Country to discuss a misunderstanding between my Master at the time and the Raikage."

"Why would you lie about this?"

Sebastian paused in his ministrations to look up at the narrowed eye that was focused on him. "My current Master has commanded me not to lie, Sir. As such, every word that I've spoken to you has been the truth. To do otherwise would be to break the contract with my young Lord, which I would never do."

Silence reigned in the room while he finished tending to the remaining wounds. It was clear that something he had said was deemed false by the shinobi. But he simply couldn't think of what that might be. As he'd explained to the young man, he simply wasn't allowed to lie while in the service of Ciel Phantomhive.

"What year is this?"

After he had tied the final strip of bandage in place, Sebastian leaned back and placed his hands on his knees. "The current year is 1888. But I would have thought that you would have known this already, Sir."

He watched the dark eye close and barely heard the words pushed through the man's clenched teeth. "Damn it, Obito. What have you done to me?"

Whoever this 'Obito' was, it was quite obvious to Sebastian that this man was in his current state because of them. But he was curious about just why the man seemed so startled by the year. Unless...could it be that this Obito had somehow moved the man through time? It wasn't unheard of. There were several demons in existence that boasted of having such powers. But even he had never met a human that could do so. Perhaps this Obito character was one of his brethren? He'd need to find a way to brooch the subject at some point, but for now, perhaps he could start with a safer subject.

"It appears that your care will take quite a bit longer than I had originally planned for. As such, you will be expected to interact with my Master from time to time. He prefers to know who it is that he is sharing his hospitality with, so, if it wouldn't be too much trouble for you, would you supply your name so that I might introduce you properly to the Earl?"

A deep sigh released through the shinobi's lips, and with it Sebastian could sense that the man had made a decision that he didn't particularly want to make, but that he knew needed to occur if he meant to survive. Just the one eye opened once more, and within it's dark depths he saw an intelligence that was sure to make the days to come quite entertaining.

"Kakashi."

A smirk pulled at Sebastian's lips at the fact the he, a crow by nature, was mending a man named after a scarecrow. Still, he would need a bit more information before he could introduce the man to Ciel. "I assume that this is your given name, Sir. But in the polite society of England, it is an absolute must to supply one's surname as well,"

The dark eye narrowed. "You claim to have been to Fire Country, so you should already know that the person asking for such information should offer their own name first."

Sebastian chuckled as he ran his fingers under his bangs to rub at his forehead. He'd forgotten how uniquely backward the Elemental Nations could be. "Forgive me. It has been quite some time since my last visit to your lands." He stood in one fluid movement before bowing deeply toward the man on the bed. "The name that my Master has given me is Sebastian Michaelis. I am most pleased to make your acquaintance."

He stood straight once more and smiled down at the bound man expectantly. Eventually, after a bit longer than most civilized men would consider polite, another sigh proceeded the words he'd been waiting for.

"I am Kakashi Hatake. Now then, will you be releasing my wrists, or are you afraid that someone in my current condition might take flight?"

.

Kakashi tugged his wrists to emphasize his question, but one look at the face of his caretaker made it clear that the man hadn't noticed his movement. Sebastian's eyes had gone wide, and his lips parted it what looked to be shock. The state of shock only lasted a moment more before the man spoke.

"Forgive me, Sir. But I could have sworn that you had used the name Hatake."

He narrowed his eyes at the demon, unsure of where this was going. "You asked me for my name, and that is what I gave you. Now let me loose."

Again, he tugged at his wrists. This time, however, instead of ignoring his actions, Sebastian moved toward the headboard and deftly removed the bindings. As Kakashi lowered his arms, trying to ignore the pain caused by the movement, he watched the other carefully. Something in the creature's demeanor was different now. There was a glimmer in the demon's eyes that he couldn't quite place, but when the tip of its tongue ran along its lower lip, it was clear that something had definitely pleased the man. Whatever it may have been that had caused such a change in demeanor, it meant that Kakashi would need to be on guard all the more.

But he hadn't been kidding when he'd told Sebastian that he was in no shape to run away. By the feel of the injuries, even before he'd reacted to that first salve, he knew that he was in for a tediously long recovery period. Especially considering that he was borderline chakra-exhausted. There would be no boost to his healing through jutsu, and that meant that he'd be stuck here indefinitely. Add to that the fact that, if it truly was 1888, he still needed to figure out a way to leverage his Mangekyo sharingan to place him back into the Elemental Countries at the proper time period. In short, he was at the mercy of the demon and his diminutive master until he could recover enough to leave.

He moved to sit up and barely held in the gasp of pain when the wound across his chest pulled uncomfortably. But before he could abort his attempt, he felt Sebastian's arm slide behind his back to support and guide him into a position that allowed him to sit against the backboard without making it feel like his stomach might rip open.

"I am pleased to see that you are eager to do more than just lie on your back. However, Mister Hatake, I would like to caution you against moving about too quickly and reversing the care you've received up to now."

Before Kakashi could respond to the comments, he watched Sebastian begin rolling down his sleeves and reaching for his coat. Looking more butler than demon for the moment, the man turned toward him with a smile on his face. "I will be back later with tea and something for you to eat."

"How long will you be keeping me here?"

The look on the man's face was something between shock and confusion, but he recovered himself quickly and smiled down at him. "I believe it's still far too early for you to worry about leaving us, Mister Hatake. Please take this time to recuperate and relax."

Kakashi leveled his best neutral expression at the man. "You've misunderstood what I was asking. I simply want to know if you expect my recovery to take long enough that I should be bothered with learning your Master's language."

He watched as Sebastian's pale brow furrowed, and a faint frown crossed the demon's lips. "Do you not trust my translations?"

"Unless you intend to be with me every second of every day, I would prefer being able to make my own way."

"I see." A pocket watch was fished out of his vest and flipped open. "I'm afraid that today's schedule is already stretched too thin. However, I may be able to free up some time to school you tomorrow morning. Will that suffice?"

"Are there no books available in the meantime?"

"Books? Ah, yes. I'm certain that I will find something of use to you. I will send one of the servants up with them at once."

Kakashi watched the man leave the room, pulling the door firmly shut behind him. Once he was certain that the demon was gone, he took a closer look at his surroundings. There was no sign of his uniform, vest or pouches anywhere. He was in a well dressed room that was nearly double the size of his apartment back home. He frowned as he recognized the real possibility that his apartment complex probably didn't exist any longer. For that matter, most of Konoha was probably gone as well. But even that would be more tolerable than if Madara and Obito were successful with their desire to rewrite the world with their insane genjutsu. And there was absolutely nothing he could do about it, considering he had been removed from the battle altogether. For all he knew, everyone that he held precious had been destroyed by now.

A soft knock on the door brought him back from the downward spiral of his thoughts. He turned toward where a tall, gray-haired man let himself into the room. He smiled at Kakashi and then crossed to the side of his bed before bowing at the waist and greeting him in something close to his our language.

"I am Tanaka, one of Lord Phantomhive's servants. The Butler asked that I bring these books to you." He stood once more and presented Kakashi with a small stack of books that had obviously been well-used. "They helped me greatly when I first learned this language. I trust that they will help you as well."

He moved to grab the books from the man and he couldn't keep the pain-filled groan from escaping his lips, or stop his arms from falling gracelessly to his sides. Tanaka, for his part, made no comment about his failure, choosing instead to place the books on Kakashi's lap without a word. He then went about opening the large windows that flanked either side of the bed, providing him with more than adequate light to read by. The older man than reached behind the headboard and pulled a thin cord around until he could place it near the pillows.

"Should you require anything...anything at all, please pull on the cord and one of us will see to your needs."

He bowed once more and left him alone. Although it was obvious that this man had never been to his homeland, at least he was understandable, which meant that the books that were on Kakashi's lap may just be enough to start him on the road to learning the language of his keepers. Moving slower this time, he managed to pick up the first thick tome and flip the book open. He frowned when he didn't find the title page, as he had expected. Instead, it seemed to be the last page of an index. He flipped to what should have been the end of the book and, sure enough, found that it was the beginning of the book.

"Well, this should make things a bit more challenging."

With that, he settled back into the pillows and spent the next several minutes familiarizing himself with the mechanics of the book's format. Once he had solved it, he immersed himself into tackling what appeared to be one of the more difficult languages that he'd had to learn over the span of his lifetime. And even if it took him awhile to learn this manner of speech, at least it kept him too occupied to dwell on his injuries.

By the time Sebastian had returned, carrying a tray laden with a tea set and a small covered bowl, Kakashi was ready for a break. Although he'd managed to finish reading two out of the five books that Tanaka had brought him, it had left him with more than a bit of a headache. He set the books to the side just as the butler set the tray on the bedside table.

"I see that Tanaka managed to locate the books that you had requested. I do hope that they aren't too difficult to understand."

"I'll manage."

A smirk stretched across the man's lips. "I'm certain that you will. Now then, let's take a moment to check your bandages, shall we?"

Kakashi was tempted to tell him to go away, but a quick glance at his own chest made it clear that he was already bleeding through the wrappings. He sat forward, with the help of the demon, and remained still as a statue as the bloody cloth was removed and a fresh dressing was applied. Fortunately, that seemed to be the only wound that needed to be tended to, so it wasn't long before he was guided back against the pillows. Next, a bed tray tray was placed over his lap containing an empty tea cup and the covered porcelain bowl. A moment later and the familiar aroma of green tea wafted toward him as the hot liquid was poured unerringly from a pot held high above him.

"I have prepared for you a soothing brew of the finest green teas available outside of the Elemental Countries. It has been left unsweetened, as I recalled that Fire Country in particular preferred to savor the liquid in its pure form."

Next the man lifted the cover off of the small bowl with a flourish. "To counter your hunger while taking into account your numerous injuries I have prepared a simple broth of local vegetables paired with traditional white rice."

Kakashi looked down at the meal and the paranoid side of his mind cautioned him not to eat anything the demon might have had a hand in preparing. But the logical side of his mind argued that he would never heal properly without sustenance. The inner argument would likely have continued a bit longer if his rebellious stomach hadn't chosen that very moment to growl with impatience. A low chuckle from Sebastian was almost enough for him to want to refuse the meal anyhow, but the butler simply gathered up the soiled bandages and moved to leave the room. He paused at the doorway and turned back to face Kakashi.

"Once you are finished, please use the cord to let the servants know that they can retrieve the dishes. Oh, and do try to get some rest, Mister Hatake. We will start your schooling early tomorrow morning."

Kakashi remained silent and waited for the door to shut once more before he tucked into the meal. As much as he wanted to find fault with it, he had to admit that it was exactly what he needed at that very moment. The tea was prepared perfectly, with the strong earthy tones that only a premium green tea held. The broth and rice held just a hint of salt within it, and it was enough to satisfy his hunger while not taxing his digestive system. If it weren't for the fact that it had been prepared and served by a demon, it would have been a perfect meal.

Once he had finished, he reached for the cord near his head and pulled on it. Barely three minutes later, and Tanaka entered the room to remove the tray. But before he left again, the older man took the time to help him settle more comfortably into the bed, and close the heavy drapes once more. And, although Kakashi had planned to read a bit more before attempting to sleep, the combination of a full stomach, a soft bed, and a dark room, was enough to convince him otherwise. He had barely heard the elder servant close the room's door before he slipped into a deep sleep.