It was early morning with a muted blue sky of lightening dawn as a shadow gracefully moved through an elaborately lavished bedroom. In a flash two gloved hands part the heavy velvet curtains, gray predawn sunlight highlighting a sleeping form of a young boy in bed, and causing his framed hair to become a halo around his face. A half grin tugs at the corner of a very eccentric face belonging to one Sebastian Michaelis. Whom is the esteemed butler of the Phantomhive household and confidant of the sleeping figure.
In a swift fleetingly graceful motion Sebastian is at his Master's bedside, his tall frame leaning over it, hair fluttering past his cheek with the motion, "Master, I do believe that it is time to wake up,"
Ciel Phantomhive, sole head of the Phantomhive estate, swam into consciousness, opening his eyes. It was already morning? Pulling himself up into a sitting position, he stretched, then rubbed an eye. He hadn't slept well the night before-nightmares of his past, of his parent's death and his torture, plagued his dreams as they did on occasion, and he was tempted to demand some extra time to sleep.
However, that was something that only a child would do, and he certainly wasn't a child anymore-at least as far as he was concerned. The boy ignored the heaviness of his body caused by the added fatigue as he moved to the edge of his bed, where his (demon) butler stood.
As he spoke, he wondered if his exhaustion showed. "Sebastian. What is the schedule for today?" He also reached out an expecting hand for his morning tea.
Sebastian fluidly picks up a steaming china cup off of a silver service tray and delicately hands it to Ciel. "I thought that today you could enjoy a nice raspberry chai." Another half grin on his face as he stares at his master intently. It wasn't too long ago that he had made a pact with him. Then he was a helpless, broken aristocratic child.
Now though he wasn't much older, Ciel had started to come into some more defining and mature looks while keeping his unfounded boyish features. Sebastian careful not to linger too long a gaze curved his attention to a letter on the silver service tray. A set of gloved fingers gingerly picking it up and holding it before Ciel courteously. "An agent of Scotland Yard brought this along earlier. While delivering it his face seemed a tad pale as if he had been vomiting..."
Ciel sips the tea for a few moments. It's delicious, as usual, but he isn't about to say so. He couldn't afford to let more attachment than was necessary show toward Sebastian. (Besides, even if he let anything beyond a simple master/butler relationship show, Sebastian was likely to find it more amusing than anything, perhaps even petty, and Ciel's pride was too great to risk that).
Emptying the cup, he returns it to his butler, then finally addresses the letter with Queen Victoria's signature seal on its backside. He wasn't particularly looking forward to a case from Her Majesty, thanks to his exhaustion, and actually found himself hesitating for a slight moment before opening the envelope and reading the parchment it contained.
"Her Majesty has been told of a rather strange incident. Apparently, an agent of Scotland Yard was visiting an eastern district of London to investigate a series of disappearances of what seems to be random citizens. He stopped to eat at a local pie shop that is well known for its meat pies.
Afterward, he became ill and went to see a doctor. Apparently, examination of his vomit indicated an unknown source of the meat-they don't know what animal it came from. That's... Disturbing."
He continued to read.
"It could mean nothing, or it could mean something, and Her Majesty would feel most comfortable if I looked into the event to be sure what may or may not be happening."
His multicolored eyes rose to meet his butler's crimson ones. "Sebastian. Have my appointments today cancelled. May as well get this one over with as quickly as possible."
Sebastian bows with an arm winding behind his back and his other arm against his chest.
"I will do so my beloved Master."
Sebastian's head snaps up and his eyes narrow as there is a resounding crashing sound in the foyer. The sound is followed by Mey-Rin's hysterical shrieks as per usual. A knot of annoyance forming between Sebastian's brows.
He reassumes his board straight posture, "Master please excuse me. I will most definitely clear your agenda and have Tanaka ready the carriage."
Mey-Rin looks at the mess in dismay.
"Oh no. I have gun an'dun it again! Yes I have."
Mey-Rin had been trying to dutifully dust a curio cabinet in an off room parlor when the ladder slipped out from under her. Which in turn caused her to grab onto the cabinet and disproportion it's weight.
Her small, doe like face turning to see Sebastian striding towards her making a 'Tsking' sound.
"Mey-Rin why don't you be a darling and help Ciel to dress while I handle this." He beamed a sweet smile at her. As she quickly curtsied and trampled up the stairs from which he had just descended.
There was a light knock on Ciel's door, "Master may I com'in? Sebastian has sent me to aid you."
What? Where was Sebastian?
A quick decision had to be made-whether or not to let Mei-Rin help him dress.
"Erm... Yes. Come in." The Earl stood next to his bed still in his nightshirt. He was uncomfortable, but tried not to let it show on his face. Sebastian had always been the one to dress him...
As she entered the room her eyes shamefully dropped to the ground as she approached Ciel. Mei-Rin couldn't quite meet his gaze, at times she felt like a complete burden, and utter failure to him. Though he had never once voiced this to her or Sebastian to her either. But why wouldn't she? She was always breaking things and causing her Earl so much grief. It was a wonder that he ever kept her around..much less paid her.
Mei-Rin's fingers quickly and to her surprise diligently unfastened the buttons on Ciel's night shirt. As she removed his pants and began placing on him gray wool shorts. Her mind began to drift and wander to things she had kept quietly to her self.
Stolen and sometimes emotionally obscure glances between the Earl Phantomhive and his butler Sebastian. The way that Sebastian carried himself for and around Ciel. The complete gentleness and grace in the way he did these things. They almost had the chemistry of unwitting lovers. Which surprised Mei-Rin Ciel was not one to be oblivious and Sebastian was not one to be taken as naive.
As Mei-Rin straightened out Ciel's bow which was the finishing touch before brushing his hair.
"Master...as your servant..ere'are things I must know in order to adequately serve an protect you." She slowly began. "It isn't much of me business, but are'you and Mister Sebastian lovers...sir?"
Sebastian was just about to knock on the door when he over heard the conversation coming from inside the room. He dropped his arm to his side and continued to listen intently. There are not many times that he could be taken aback, but this was apparently one of them.
If Ciel were to ever ask him how he truly felt about his young master...if he ever asked if he ever thought of him in unsightly, and passionate ways. There was no way he could lie to him and Ciel could simply 'command' it out of him. Mei-Rin just opened up a slippery slope and is blindingly unaware of it.
Ciel's single exposed eye widened and an unidentifiable sound escaped his lips. What in the ever loving...? Where could this have come from all of a sudden? And how was he supposed to answer that?
No. He knew exactly how he was supposed to answer this question. No one could suspect any sort of relationship between the two that was any more than a master/servant one. Still, he couldn't find the correct words to use. As the awkward silence drew on, he only felt worse because the longer he waited to say something, the easier it would be for someone to suspect that something was between the two gentlemen.
Calm down, Ciel. There's nothing to suspect. At least, that is what he told himself.
"That's hardly an appropriate question to ask, Mei-Rin. However, if you must know, the answer is that the only one I am currently bound to is Elizabeth... Not that I "love" her, so to say, but she is my fiance. That's as far as that goes."
Mei-Rin's face flushed and felt hot, but she quickly cooled it.
"Yes master. Please forgive me outburst, sir. I meant no offense, I did."
The silver hairbrush smoothly running through his hair as her other hand ran fingers where she had brushed. She felt his posture slowly but surely relax and heard him let out a content sigh.
Though he had calmed down considerably, Ciel waited for his maid to take her leave before fully relaxing. He took a few deep breaths, then grabbed the newspaper he hadn't yet read to distract himself and get his mind on other things. Interestingly enough, there was an article on the disappearances, albeit a small one. So it wasn't yet major news-either that or the Yard was trying to downplay the incidents in order to prevent panic. His suspicion was correct, he noted, as at the end of the brief article, it was mentioned that there was no suspected danger to citizens, as Scotland Yard was investigating and security was tight. There was no mention of the mysterious pies, either.
His eyelids lowered a bit as he scanned other articles, waiting for Sebastian to return to escort him out. He even found himself sitting on the bed, half-tempted to just curl up in a ball and hide under the covers. Honestly, he was ashamed to have been kept up all night from the repetitive nightmares, but what could he do?
Resist, Ciel. People have gone on with less sleep, he mentally urged himself.
As Mei-Rin exited the room Sebastian entered the room permeating nonchalance. Sebastian's eyes quickly looked over the paper before swiftly taking it from Ciel and neatly folding it.
"Tanaka awaits us young master. Shall I escort you to the carriage?" A frown slightly forming on his face as he notices the state that his liege is in. "Perhaps on the way we can stop by one of those exquisite coffee shops?"
The boy couldn't be sure how he felt about Sebastian noticing his fatigue-although he certainly couldn't be surprised. Perhaps embarrassed was the right term? Still, there was no doubt that coffee might help him, so while he normally might have come up with some snide comment toward his servant, instead he nodded his agreement.
"That would be fine." CIel grabbed his walking stick. "Let's go, Sebastian."
The winds outside were blowing harshly against the carriage as the wheels jumped over small pebbles and twig like thoroughfare. The color of the sky not changing much from it's predawn color and the air carrying with it bits of metallic smells.
"Luckily. I thought to bring umbrellas." Sebastian beamed brightly. As soon as he spoke his words a loud cracking sound filled the sky and droplets of water pounded the carriage like bullets.
The demon butler noticing his master's eyes were trained on him. As if he were trying to pry inside his head. A few fleeting thoughts from earlier about Mei-Rin's inquiry fluttering through his dark mind.
"What is it my dear earl? You seem very contemplative." An amused lilt to his voice.
Oh so lovely! A shining straight blade ripped through the air like a falling star as it tore through soft flesh. A man's voice broodingly humming as he kicked at a lever knocking back a chair, and causing a limp figure to fall into a dark pit. The trap door squeaking as it shut closed making the floor regain it's wholeness. The hands that were slick with sticky blood quickly doused themselves in a basin of water before drying themselves on a shaving towel. The shadowed figure placing a hat ontop it's head before heading out the door and softly murmuring in a sing song voice, "there was a barber and his wife...and she was beautiful~"
"It's nothing." Ciel looked away, out the window at the countryside rolling by. Damn that demon noticed everything. What if...?
What if Sebastian had heard the conversation between Mei-Rin and himself? Ciel wanted to know what Sebastian might think about the incident, as one of the key agreements in the contract was that Sebastian was not to lie to his young lord. However, if the demon's opinion of their relationship, or what should be their relationship, differed from his own, there would be no turning back the hands of time to keep the questions from being asked, and Sebastian would probably never let him live such a thing down. It was a huge risk, and Ciel wasn't quite sure of whether or not he would yet take it.
Just what could Sebastian be thinking?
He felt his eyelids growing heavy again. He couldn't look out the window. The scenery and the rocking would put him to sleep. But he couldn't look at Sebastian, either. And he hadn't brought an interesting book, nor had the reached a coffee shop yet. Damn. What was he supposed to do.
He bit his tongue for the sensation.
Perhaps it would be good to keep conversation going with Sebastian. At least then he'd have something to keep his mind focused on.
As he opened his mouth to speak, the carriage moved over a defect in the road and the whole thing lurched forward, hard, causing Ciel to fly off of his seat.
"A-Aah!" Ciel cried out.
Sebastian quickly caught Ciel and flipped midair where Ciel was now sitting where Sebastian just was. Sebastian's chest pressed against his, his head bowed, hair brushing Ciel's cheeks, and eyes locked on his master's.
"I will definitely have that spot fixed...it's a cause for tricky situations." Sebastian smiled like a cheshire cat while still intently looking into Ciel's eye.
Ciel appeared surprised for a moment-a break from his typical somber attitude, even though he certainly shouldn't have been surprised at all by Sebastian's quick actions. Still, the demon was so close, he could feel the body heat radiating from the man. It was all Ciel could do to keep his face a proper shade due to the demon's closeness. Yet still, he realized then he'd involuntarily clung to his butler during the catch, his hands gripping Sebastian's upper arms.
He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and relaxed.
"Yes. You should definitely take care of that." His eyes wandered back out to the countryside.
Sebastian slightly pulled away from Ciel putting a small amount of space between them but still enough to still hover over him. One of his gloved hands reaches out and gently grabs Ciel's face, his palm cupping his chin, fingertips grazing his neck, and his forefinger casually resting against his lips.
"Oh my. It seems you nipped your lip when you were projected." Sebastian said in a husky tone.
Did his heart skip a beat? Felt like it, but he wasn't going to show it.
"Tch." Ciel brushed his hand away, then placed a finger against his lip, realizing that he had, in fact, bitten it. Whatever. He'd deal with it. At least he was flustered enough after all of that to stay awake for the rest of the ride.
The carriage moved steadily for the rest of the trip, and stopped in front of a church. Her Majesty had said the pie shop was nearby, but Ciel figured they might be able to get some information about the disappearances or the pie shop here first maybe. There was no sense in not trying. At first he was a bit confused, though. Something bothered him.
Once he realized what it was, he fumed. They hadn't stopped for coffee. But then he saw a small coffee shop down the street and let out an ex exasperated sigh.
"Coffee first. Then the church." The young lord nearly barked. The exhaustion was causing him not only to be on edge, but to become irritated faster.
It was such a smooth day as the man continued to hum his dark hat that he donned pulled down over his eyes, the collar of his coat turned fully up around his face. This was a ritual he frequently performed, roving the streets for wealthy men with little family to miss them, their soft skin under his streamlined blade...No. He quickly shook the thoughts from his head. In his haste to clear his mind, he didn't pay attention to the tall man, and his young protege who followed beside him.
Sebastian quickly caught and righted the man before he landed into his earl carrying a steaming cup of coffee. That just would not have done. The man went stiff and rigid under his touch and backed away quickly, politely nodding a 'thanks' before bounding off.
"What a very strange sort of fellow. Did he think me a mugger?" Sebastian mused.
Ciel smirked as he drank the coffee. "As if you look like one. If anything, you look like a nobleman. Maybe you'll be the next victim. You haven't any family." A snide quip, but he meant it more as a joke, though he wasn't sure if Sebastian would realize that.
He blinked as his focus wavered and stopped walking, waiting for his eyes to refocus. Great. He frowned, impatient for the caffeine to start kicking in.
Sebastian's head cocked to the side. "My young master. I do believe you stumbled upon a very intriguing piece of information." The look on Ciel's face drove him on to finish, "I did a bit of sleuthing myself earlier. Most of the victims were very reputable men, with little to no family or heirs to carry on their fortunes."
Not only did he run his barbershop, but the man ran an insurance policy business under a false name. Every man that he killed, he drafted up fake paperwork and cashed in their legacies under various aliases so they won't be traced back to him. Yet none of their riches went to him. They went to the love of his life...
Ciel was just about done with the day, self-loathing over his overestimating his ability to combat the exhaustion. Once his eyes refocused, he decided he'd at least sit down for a moment. Knowing the church wasn't too far away, and recalling that he needed to ask those in the church about the pie shop.
"We're going to the church, Sebastian. Maybe they can provide us with some information." He had a hard time hiding the irritation in his voice.
At leas the would have to stay close o his butler thanks to the rain. He wasn't concerned about falling. He was more concerned about bruising his ego in the circumstance that he couldn't walk, and gripped his walking stick as hard as he could as a result of those thoughts.
"Well, what do we have here?" A very smooth yet casually indifferent voice calls. A man in a very high quality and very expensive kimono approaches them and with barely a deft motion injects Ciel with a small dose of adrenaline. "Sorry. Sebastian requested it. Don't take my actions too harshly."
"Lau!? What are *you* doing here?!" Ciel turned his attention to his butler. "And what are *you* trying to pull? I was doing fine!" The adrenaline was definitely effective, and somewhere deep down, the young master probably appreciated Sebastian's help, but he sure as hell wasn't about to admit it, especially when he felt that his servant had gone behind his back. Still, he could appreciate that no one else would notice either, but even that didn't compare to Ciel's disdain that he required help.
Lau nonchalantly shrugs, "Sebastian sent Tanaka to relay a message about the adrenaline. Which by the way I enjoyed the payment quite nicely." Lau puts a hand over his mouth in mock horror. "Oops...I don't believe I was meant to divulge that. Anyways..I have better things to do than to play detective. Chao."
Ciel was going to demand that the man wait, but Lau was gone just as quickly as he'd come. All the boy could do was be stunned. After a few moments, he calmed enough to continue on his original mission to the church. As they approached, a thought hit him and he looked at Sebastian, wondering if he should ask about whether or not a demon could enter a church, or if God Himself (or something) would strike him down.
"Don't worry master. I do adore churches especially the ones with black lustered souls dwelling within." Sebastian gave Ciel a sarcastic smirk. They proceeded to enter the church and were met by the head Father LaCroix. Whom had a small girl about Ciel's age following behind him.
"Hello. I am Father LaCroix and this is my niece Johanna."
The man who we shall identify now as Sweeney Todd quietly finished the last of his transactions. Before looking at an aged photographed of a beautiful woman with a baby girl in her lap.
"It won't be long now Lucy...Johanna."
Mr. Todd humming to himself as he filed the paperwork away, "a barber and his wife...". Then quickly straightened his desk making sure it was tidy. This was a compulsion of his-neatness, perfection, and the lines of cleanliness. Things were much better when not messy. Except for blood. Sweet. Intoxicating blood. He could almost smell it's metallic perfume in the air. Sweeney reached for his black leather gloves and quickly placed them on his hands.
Unlike his other demonic counterparts whom have a Faustian mark on their hands his was on his left shoulder blade. Sweeney use to live a fast and luxurious life of Faustian contracts until he met her..he met his Lucy. Lucy was dying from consumption that she had contracted after an infected man had raped her. Lucy had been to the brink of being consumed completely.
Tired of praying to a silent God. She lowered her head and fervently prayed to whoever would deem to listen. Sweeney had been walking past her bedroom which faced the street when he heard her. That was when he manifested in her chambers and promised her he would take the pain away and help her seek her revenge...
Lucy had been oh so hesitant at first and Sweeney much to eager to seal the deal with her. It wasn't long after their pact that things took a physically intimate turn and Lucy was soon with child. So to keep up with appearances and to keep Lucy's societal integrity he married her. A few months after his Johanna was born a man stole his beloved Lucy and him sent away to America.
A nun in the church rushes over to Johanna and begins to try and pull her away as if the child were a dog sitting on the furniture in front of guests. "Let me go. I don't want to go." The girl protested. The nun pulling her arm with one hand and her other hand holding the girls.
Johanna let out a shriek as the cloth of her dress tore, revealing a mark similar to Sebastian's on her left shoulder. Father LaCroix quickly escorting them to his office to avoid the scene. He began offering apologies for the outburst as Ciel and Sebastian toom their seats. "I am trying my best to save Johanna's soul."
" About a year ago she started to display signs of demonic prowess when that mark appeared. Her poor distraught step father brought her to us." Father LaCroix offered an awkward smile. "Would you like tea as we speak?"
Sebastian listened and observed the situation intently, but he was actually stunned over Johanna. Twice in one day he was hit with dumb foundedness. It was not impossible for demon to conceive halfling children, but only full blooded demons such as himself only carried a mark. This was beyond perplexing. What made matters worse was this child. This anomaly. This enigma was at the hands of the church. This just did not sit right with him.
Who is her father? Her mother? A scream tore through the building a child like scream filled with pain and utter despair. Father LaCroix was sweating and quite uncomfortable at this juncture, "Please dont be concerned. Johanna is my prized pupil here. Its just sometimes her bizarre tendencies from the oppression she's under causes us to take measures." He immediately composed himself and looked at the two, "What would you like to know?"
CIel was beyond confused. Had he just seen a faustian mark on her? Could she have been a demon? Or perhaps merely in contract with one? He couldn't be sure. But that might be relevant to the case. If there was a demon involved in the disappearances, that could explain why the Yard had been having such a difficult time with this case. A human merely wouldn't want to be caught. A demon would have abilities that would allow it to do far more than a human could ever hope to do.
But that still didn't add up as far as motivation went. What could a demon's motivation here be? Unless they were in a contract with another human? If there was another demon involved, he was certain Sebastian would be able to sense them. They would just have to search the area-starting with that pie shop.
So was the questioning of this priest really necessary at this point? He wasn't sure, but he supposed that it couldn't hurt-and besides, he didn't want to appear rude for asking for the man's presence.
He cleared his throat.
"I would just appreciate whatever information you could give me on the local disappearances. Is any place particularly unsafe to wander here?"