Benny and Lucas watched as the butler left down the hallway before turning a corner and disappearing from sight. They then looked over at each other, the video camera still rolling after all that.
"Holy shit." Benny breathed out in awe as they walked into Lucas's room for the night.
"Yeah, really. I'm kinda getting the feeling that we're in way over our heads with this one." Lucas replied with a nod as they sat down on the soft bed. They turned off the camera for the time being, though kept it close, just in case.
"So, do you still not believe in ghosts?" Benny asked teasingly, smiling over at his friend, earning himself a bit of a shove.
"Yeah, yeah, you were right. Ghosts are real. You happy?"
"Ecstatic."
Lucas laughed with his friend and sighed a bit as he just relaxed with his best friend.
"So, Mr. Butler said not to let anything slip to Ciel. I kinda wanna get changed and explore the place a bit more." He said to his friend, looking over at the armoire in the room.
"We've seen pretty much everything, though. And I'm pretty sure Mr. Butler would tear out our throats if we got in his way." Benny said with a frown.
"Yeah, but he can't do anything to us. 'Phantomhive Hospitality', remember? He has to treat us well otherwise his master's gonna make him pay."
Benny stopped and thought at that one. The young lord Phantomhive did seem like a no-nonsense sort of man. He sighed before finally nodding. "Fine, alright. Let me go get changed."
Lucas smiled and nodded, moving to his own armoire to change into a Victorian suit. He met his friend back in the hallway when they were both dressed in the different clothes.
"Wow, you look weird in a suit." He commented with a smile.
"Hey, don't be an asshole." Benny shot back before moving to walk with his friend down the hallway, turning the corner they saw the butler turn a bit beforehand.
They walked through the house, looking at everything in a new light now that they knew it wasn't abandoned and forced to stay in its original state. The overall air of the place seemed to be rather overcast. Benny couldn't help but get the feeling that they'd be staying in the home for longer than a single night.
They wandered around, finding the butler at work in the kitchen. They peeked in through the door, finding the tall man working diligently on dinner, his face focused and in total control. It didn't take too long to realize that he was singing softly to himself as he worked. The words were hard to make out, though, and they soon found out that the song was in Latin.
The teenagers watched as the man prepared the ham before sticking it into an old-fashioned oven and going back to his work in the kitchen. The man's movements were so entrancing with how smooth and fluid they were. He was so sure of himself with everything he did, only ever taking a break to crouch down and coddle one of the cats rubbing against his leg as he worked.
They slipped away from sight, though, when the butler caught them watching, the cat cradled in his arms like a mother holding her baby.
Sebastian sighed softly and walked over to the door, pushing it open all the way. "May I ask what you two are doing?"
The teenagers once again found themselves at a loss for words, looking up at the young man with the mewing cat in his arms.
"Um, we were just watching you, sir. Sorry, we can leave you be." Benny piped up after a bit of having those red eyes staring down at them, no hints of emotion in them.
"Dinner will be ready in about half an hour, so do try to calm your appetites. I will tell you when it's finished." Sebastian replied before shutting the door and slipping back into the kitchen.
Lucas looked over at Benny and sighed. "You know, part of me thinks he doesn't like us all that much."
"Oh, really? What gave you that hint?" Benny replied to him as they walked away together.
"Literally everything." Lucas replied. "I still can't believe I touched his balls."
Benny smiled and laughed a bit at that. "It was like a competitive swimsuit, though. You really couldn't see that much through it."
"Or maybe he tucked like drag queens do." Lucas replied with a smile and a laugh with his best friend. They both laughed as they walked together to the manor's library to kill time before dinner.
"Good God, now you've got me picturing him in a dress."
Lucas laughed some more as they got to the room full of books, collapsing in one of the armchairs in the center. "Well, we've already seen the guy in heels. I think that's half the battle."
They laughed together at that, grinning happily at each other and continuing to make jokes about the butler until they heard the door open, the man walking inside and over to them.
"Dinner is served, sirs." Sebastian said to the two teenagers before walking out and holding the door for them. They walked out and followed the butler down to the dining room where Ciel was already seated at the table.
Sebastian pulled their chairs out for them before setting their plates down in front of them. "Please, enjoy." He said to them, pouring wine into the three glasses at the table before stepping back to become part of the background as they ate their dinner.
Ciel ate his food easily, watching as their guests ate as well. "I do hope you enjoy the food. Sebastian makes the most wonderful food I've ever tasted." He said with pride.
The teenagers looked over at the spirit and nodded as they ate the ham that was cooked to perfection.
"It's amazing, yes." Benny replied to Ciel with a nod as they ate the food happily. He couldn't help but wonder how the butler had gotten the ham to taste so amazing, though he figured some people just had that talent.
"Just wait until dessert. Sebastian makes the best sweets I've ever tasted. Nothing can compare to them." Ciel boasted pleasantly as they all ate together.
"I'm looking forward to it." Lucas replied politely, smiling to the spirit of the earl.
"So, where are you two from, then? What do you do for a living?" Ciel asked them curiously as he ate, wanting to make polite conversation with his guests and make them feel welcome.
"We live over in Canterbury. It's about a hundred kilometers from here." Benny replied to him honestly after swallowing his food.
"We work as journalists." Lucas added, lying smoothly.
Ciel nodded to them as he ate. "Ah, journalists. Please tell me you're not the sleazy kind who will take anything you say and twist it to turn it against you."
Lucas blinked at that before shaking his head. "No, no, of course not. We hate those kinds." He replied to the earl.
Ciel smiled softly to him and nodded, finishing his plate of food with the other two teenagers. "Sebastian, what's for dessert?"
"Gateau au chocolat, young master." Sebastian replied, clearing away the used dishes and refilling the wine glasses easily.
Ciel smiled at that and nodded, waving his butler away to take care of the dishes and get the cake.
"Sebastian is great at making sweets, but I think cakes are his specialty." Ciel said to his guests proudly, looking over at his butler when he came back in with the cake and a knife, slicing the cake easily and serving equal slices to the three men at the table.
Ciel smiled as he and the two guests all ate their cake together happily. The chocolate cake was rich and absolutely perfect. Powdered sugar had been sprinkled over the top easily and evenly.
"So, has my butler been treating you two well since earlier today?" Ciel asked the two teenagers easily.
Lucas glanced over at Benny before nodding with him to Ciel. "Oh, yeah, he's been great." He replied to the young earl.
Ciel nodded and smiled softly. "Good. Oi, Sebastian, cancel my plans for tomorrow. I feel like getting out of the house for a while."
"I'm afraid that's impossible, young master." Sebastian replied smoothly.
Lucas and Benny both got the feeling that this couldn't lead to anywhere good.
"What the hell do you mean 'that's impossible'," Ciel asked with a frown, making his voice a bit lower to imitate his butler's. "No one's coming over and these two said they'd be leaving tomorrow."
"It's just not possible, young master. You have your paperwork to finish and-" Sebastian replied evenly, despite the mocking.
"Sebastian who's the master of this house?"
"I don't see how that has to do with anything, sir."
"Answer the question, Sebastian."
"You're the master of the house, my lord."
"And who's my dog?"
Sebastian frowned at that one, looking down at Ciel, the anger showing in his eyes. "I am, sir."
"So, being my dog, if I ask you to jump, what do you reply?"
"'How high,' my lord."
"Good job, you're not as dense as you look. Now, make arrangements for a carriage for tomorrow."
"It's still not possible, young master." Sebastian replied to Ciel with a frown and a shake of his head.
Benny and Lucas's eyes went wide when Ciel beckoned Sebastian down to get at eye level with him, then gave his butler a harsh slap across the face. A part of them was telling them that it would be a pretty long night.
