He Shall Never Smile Again
Chapter four. I wrote this late at night, actually right before I had to go to bed but I just felt like I wanted to write and the words just kept flowing. You know when that happens? I just hate it when it happens when I want to go to sleep. =.=
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji. I just own this fanfic.
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"Hold on, my lord. Are you saying you're a demon?" Lau asked, puzzling his chin. Ciel's vein popped.
"Are you saying you didn't know?" He asked incredulously. Lau chuckled to himself.
"Well, I assumed something was askew about you, milord, but I wouldn't have ever guessed that you were a demon. Now I fear for my soul, hehe," Lau teased. The young master blushed in embarrassment and merely scratched his head in frustration.
"Honestly..." He muttered. Sebastian bent over to whisper in his master's ear discreetly so as not to let Lau listen in.
"Young master, do you think it's wise to let Lau-sama know about your situation?" He asked.
"It's kind of late for that, don't you think?" Ciel pointed out, smoothing out his coat sleeve. Sebastian's eyes flashed bright for a moment before returning to their dark, dull red.
"I could always fix that for you, young master," He said. Ciel turned quickly to glare at Sebastian before brushing him off.
"Lau, are you still in the import business or have you moved to something less shady?" He asked. Lau smiled before taking a tart off of the pastry stand in the middle of the table.
"Of course, milord. I have yet to usurp all interest London as to offer," He replied.
"Then I have a task I want you to do."
"Hmm? A mission, milord?"
"Think of it as insurance that I won't kill you for your betrayal from before if you do it," Ciel said. Lau bit into his lemon tart and chewed thoughtfully. Ran Mao took the last bit of it and shoved it in her mouth, openly chewing and spewing crumbs all over her lap. The master crinkled his lip at the lack of manners but chose to ignore it.
"That certainly makes it difficult to resist. Ah, working for a demon lord, I kind of like the sound of that," He chimed. Ciel rolled his eyes mentally before smiling.
"I would also appreciate it if you wouldn't speak of this to anyone. And trust me, if you don't comply with this order, rest assured you won't have enough time to think it over," He warned.
"Ooh, spooky," The China man teased. Ciel chose to ignore it because if he didn't, he would surely knock this man up the side of his head.
"I want you to use your contacts and spread the word about my company. I know you're good for at least that," He ordered.
"Just that, my lord?"
"Yes, Sebastian will handle the rest," He replied. Lau looked at Sebastian and smiled.
"My, you look so forlorn these days, Mr. Butler. I wonder if my lord swindled you out of your prize-"
"Lau!" All attention had landed on Ciel, his left eye shining a bright red. "Do not tempt me." Lau eased back in his chair, trying to discreetly wipe away the sweat on his hands.
"I wouldn't dream of it, milord." The room had fallen into silence for a while, with the exception of Ran Mao munching on the snacks that were in the middle of the table. Sebastian glanced at his master and could see the struggle he was enduring to keep calm. It had been merely a week since he had turned into a demon and he hasn't had any real sustenance ever since. As a newly bred demon, he is expected to be more unmanageable and uncontrollable, to be highly prone to follow his instinctive, primitive urges than his pride. However, Ciel had refused to even touch a human soul, much to Sebastian's suggestions. The butler found it useless and utterly degrading watching his master force down human food and expected to be quelled by it. Not only was he leaving more and more food on his plate, which annoyed him deeply, his self-control was starting to slip. He could see the way he eyed Lau more as food than as a pawn in this game the master was playing. Sebastian sighed at the helplessness of the situation, however, he didn't have the energy to argue with the young master. Instead, he believed that when he was ready, he would accept the fact that he is not human—and never will be again.
"If you'll excuse me, I shall start making preparations for lunch," Sebastian announced.
"Ooh! A lunch prepared by the infamous butler! Ah, I haven't had your lunches in over two years. I must stay to delight in it once more," Lau exclaimed. Ciel rolled his eyes at the praise his butler was receiving. He's just Sebastian, He thought.
"Do whatever you want," Ciel muttered. "Sebastian, before you go, bring out the chess board."
"Very good, my lord," He said before he left the drawing room. Silence overcame them once more, one because Lau was busy playing with his sister and didn't feel like starting a conversation and two because Ciel was uncomfortable starting any type of conversation.
"So, Ciel, how are things?" Lau asked. Ciel almost spit out his tea.
"What are you saying?" He asked.
"Well, minus the fact that you're no longer human, things have changed in this house," Lau pointed out.
"If you mean the decor, you can stop-"
"I mean your butler," He said. Just then, Sebastian walked in with the chessboard and placed it on the table.
"Did you call me?" He asked.
"No, we didn't so go fix up lunch," Ciel ordered, too embarrassed to look anywhere but at the chessboard. Lau chuckled at his humiliation but was silenced by the glare he received from the young master.
"Of course, sir." With that, Sebastian left once again.
"Hohoho, I believe I have unearthed something secret, hmm?" Lau teased.
"Mind your tongue," Ciel said as he began to set up the chest game. His heart was still unsteady from Sebastian's sudden entrance. He didn't think that Sebastian heard however, knowing his butler, he would probably bring it up at the worst part of conversation, knowing it would unsettle the young master. "What did you mean?" He asked, curiosity overturning his pride. Lau smiled devilishly.
"Oh, what are you referring to, milord?" He taunted. Ciel's eyes twitched in anger. If anyone should've been a demon, it should've been you, He thought.
"Don't play dumb," He spat. "It's your move." Lau moved his pawn to E4 and waited for Ciel's move. The young master moved his own pawn to E5 and waited for his turn again.
"Well, I simply pointed out that your butler seemed to lose his 'flare'," Lau commented, moving his pawn to F4. Ciel immediately moved his pawn to F4, taking Lau's pawn.
"Explain," Ciel ordered. Lau moved his bishop to C4 before speaking up again.
"Well, it's hard to explain. It's more of a feeling, I guess. Surely, there's no way that you wouldn't have noticed yourself, my lord." The young master moved his queen to H4, putting the China man in check before placing his head on his right hand.
"I have," He muttered. And it bothers me, He thought.
"Does it bother you, milord?" Lau asked, a playful smile teasing his lips as he moved his king to F1. Ciel moved his pawn to B5 before answering.
"He still performs his duties accordingly so I chose not to ask him about it. If his issues show in his work, then I will reprimand him for it." Lau 'tsked' before taking his pawn with his bishop.
"You should be more honest with yourself, milord. Why don't you just admit that seeing your butler struggling bothers you just a bit," He said.
"Because he is just a butler! I shouldn't be bothered by his actions!" Ciel spat. He caught himself and then cursed at his capriciousness. "Besides, I already know why he's so sullen. To be honest, I just think he's sulking." He said as he moved his knight to F6. Lau moved his own knight to F3 before speaking.
"Why do you say that, milord," He asked. Ciel sighed as he placed his queen at H6.
"In order to answer that, I'd have to tell you everything that happened," He said. The China man moved his pawn to D3.
"Well, we have until lunch and my ears are always open for a good story."
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"Okay, so let me see if I understand this..." Lau began.
"Uh huh..." Ciel moved his knight to H5.
"Sebastian is also a demon?" The young master slapped his hand on his forehead in exasperation.
"Out of all of that, the only thing you got was the fact that Sebastian was also a demon?" Am I just surrounded by dense people? He thought.
"Well, you'd have to understand that it's quite a shock! I mean, how could anyone believe that a demon is capable of making such delicious sweets, right, Ran Mao?" He asked. Ran Mao nodded her head as she bit into another said sweet that the butler had prepared.
"Besides that, Lau, Sebastian is merely throwing a tantrum because he can no longer have my soul," Ciel said.
"And that would be because?" The young master's vein popped.
"Would you please listen to people when they talk?" Just then, the most talked about butler knocked on the door, informing them that lunch was now ready.
"Would you like to have it here or in the dining hall, young master?" He asked.
"Here is fine," Ciel replied.
"Very good, my lord." With that, Sebastian left to go and prepare the meal cart.
"Well, here's my question, milord: what made you notice this change in Sebastian?" Lau asked. Ciel was hesitant to answer because he himself didn't know what it was. The only thing he could say for sure was that the aura around his butler had gotten dull. Back when he was human, Sebastian was more coltish in his actions, always deriving his pleasure from the young master's misfortune. Actually, he especially derived pleasure from the young master's mistakes. His sadistic butler would intentionally make sure to save his master at the last possible moment and then blame Ciel for his lack of care, saying, "You really like being the victim, young master." Thinking back on it just made Ciel angrier and he felt stupid for even thinking that he empathized for his butler.
"Never mind, I don't want to talk about this anymore," He said, moving his knight to F6. "Checkmate."
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And the plot thickens! We see a little insight into what Ciel is thinking about Sebby-chan and Sebastian is feeling a little sorry for his master. And Lau is being what he is: useless. Please Review! Reviews are your best friends!