Smoke, smoke was everywhere.
A small child sat curled in the corner of her room sobbing, she didn't understand what was going on. Was there a fire, where were her parents?
It was getting harder to breathe, she had to get out, but where would she go?
"Lillian! Lillian, baby where are you!?" Lillian gasped and looked up, she recognized the voice and began to cry harder, begging for the woman to come for her.
"Lillian, we have to go now!" Lillian felt herself being picked up and cradled, she clung to the woman as they made their way through the house, she could hear the wooden beams creaking before falling onto the ground with a thud, cinders flying all over the place.
She didn't know what happened after that, all she knew was that she was being pulled away from the woman who truly loved her.
"No! Stop, Mama! We have to go back for Mama... Mama!"
Sebastian set the knife he was holding and made his way out of the kitchen.
"Bardroy, take over dinner and don't screw up anything." Bard was leaning against the wall, cigarette hanging from his lips as he watched the demon whiz by in a hurry. Before he could say anything, the head butler had already disappeared down the hall.
Ciel held Lily as she hit against his chest, kicking and screaming. She had seemed perfectly fine after Elizabeth left wanting to take a short nap, Lily had fallen asleep on the plush couch. Ciel's head snapped towards the door when he heard it open, really revealing it to be Sebastian.
"I'll take it from here young master." Sebastian removed the crying child from Ciel and used one arm to support Lily and the other placed on her head, soothingly stroking the raven locks.
"There, there. We're right here Lily, it's going to be okay." Ciel straightened his suit and looked to see the demon comforting the child, Lily had seemed to calm down some. The young earl couldn't help but be amazed are how well Sebastian handled the situation, maybe they were just both full of surprises. But then again, Sebastian has been around longer than him so of course he could handle a child better than him.
"I-I w-want, Mama." Lily sniffled and hiccuped, hands balled into a fist.
"Mama? There's only two of us in this room." Ciel's eyes widened before narrowing his eyes and glared smiling demon, he was not going to play whatever game Sebastian was getting at. Lily looked to the earl and moved away from the demon, and pointed.
"Oh, then who's the father?" Lily pointed to Sebastian and the demon's smile widened before returning to a simple smirk, he heard the young master growl low in his throat.
"Well, then here you are... Mama." Ciel clenched his fist and clenched his teeth, oh there was going to be hell to pay later on. Sebastian placed Lily back on Ciel's lap and she immediately curled up to him, the teen looked away with a scowl, blushing. Sebastian was about to say something but when a loud boom cut him off, the demon crossed one arm over his chest, his elbow resting on his palm and fingers pressed to his forehead in an exasperated sigh.
"Pardon me, but I must tend to matters downstairs."
"Can I come, father?" Lily's eyes lit up, and Ciel couldn't believe what he was hearing, just a second ago she wanted to go back to him, and now wants to leave with Sebastian.
"I don't see why not." Sebastian extended his hand out to Lily and she took it, hopping off of Ciel's lap, the young earl watched the two walk out of the room. Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, this was going to be proven difficult, one: whoever said he'd be the girl of the relationship, and two: ...
"What the bloody hell am I saying!? There's no way I'd think about that wretched demon like that... ever!" Ciel threw a book at the now closed door and flopped back onto the couch, his cheeks burning. What was Lily even thinking, calling him "Mama" when he was obviously a boy?
~Meanwhile~
"Is Mama going to be okay father?" Lily looked back to the now distant study and looked up the demon, worried yet curious blue eyes meeting reassuring red orbs.
"Mama is going to be, just fine." With a smile, the two continued their way down to the kitchen.
Ciel sighed as he slid into the large tub, and closed his eyes enjoying the feeling of just the right temperature of water on his skin. The young earl looked down to see the mark the cult had placed on him, and felt his stomach churn. The mere thought of it all, your family dying right before your eyes, and being branded like an animal did things to you, unspeakable things.
"Young Master, is there something wrong?" The earl lazily popped an eye open to see Sebastian standing there, towel resting on his forearm.
"I'm fine, just bathe me already. I'm tired." The earl snapped, but the truth is, he wanted to put his plan into motion.
"Yes, young lord." Sebastian set towel down, walking over to the toiletries cart, he grabbed a wash cloth, the soap and shampoo. Rolling up his sleeves, Sebastian dipped the cloth into the steaming water and began to wash the young earl's body.
Ciel had one arm out of the tub as he felt sleep beginning to take over, this was the most he's ever been busy in his entire life. Caring for a child was the most unexpected thing, and it turned his life upside down. Sebastian lifted the thin leg and began to rub the soap onto the wet leg, he looked to see the young master was beginning to doze off and a sudden idea hatched into his mind.
Sebastian gripped Ciel's ankle lightly and pulled it up higher, water splashed out of the tub and landed onto the tile floor as the teen grippe the edges of the tub and pulled himself up, in a coughing fit as he tried to wipe water from his face.
"Are you alright Young Master, it seems you have slipped?" Sebastian brought the damp rag to the earls face and wiped it.
"Are you fucking insane you wretched demon! I could have drowned!" Ciel slapped the demon's hand away from his face and scowled looking away, but deep down he had to admit it was a bit funny.
"Tsk, language Young Master. Remember we have a child." Ciel snapped his head towards the demon and narrowed his eyes, that reminded him.
"Sebastian, come closer." Ciel taunted the demon, and did as he was told, a small hand grabbed the tie and pulled the demon in closer. Ciel smirked and pulled Sebastian into the tub, the now warm water splashed out creating an even bigger mess on the bathroom floor. Ciel looked to see Sebastian had his both arms out of the tub, water dripping from his raven hair as his clothes were completely soaked.
The young earl brought his hand up to cover his mouth a small giggle escaping, Sebastian's eyes widened at the realization, that his young had actually laughed, laughed because of their tomfoolery, and it brought a smile to his face to hear such a thing.
After drying off, Sebastian had found a pair of fitting pyjama bottoms and button down shirt, and quickly rid of his soiled clothing. Ciel sat on the bed as he towel dried his hair, he had never really seem Sebastian shirtless up until now, and for some reason it made him flustered and nervous. Now, he wasn't oblivious to the feeling of lust, but... this was different, it made him felt like he was going to throw up, so many emotions rolled into one, he didn't understand.
"Young master, young master? Are you alright, you're spacing out?" Sebastian placed his hand on the navy haired teen's forehead who seemed to respond to this and a pink tint dusted his pale cheeks.
"I'm fine, jus-" a timid knock stopped the Earl from speaking and he watched as Sebastian walked over to the door and opened it.
"Ah, what may we help you with Lily?" Ciel set the towel aside and stood, Sebastian stepped aside to let the girl in and saw she was carrying the same book from the first night, and quickly reduced Cinderella being her favorite book. The small girl looked away shyly, playing with her feet.
"Can I sleep with you and Mama tonight, I'm scared?" Ciel sighed as he pulled the crisp linen sheets back on both sides, he was becoming soft and all for a child he rescued off of the street.
"Come on." Patting the side of the bed next to him, Ciel folded his legs to the side and watched as Lily's eyes lit up like a puppy. Lily quickly made her way over to the bed and places the book onto it. Gripping the covers, the raven haired child tried to pull herself up but failed the first attempt, Sebastian watched in amusement and closed the door.
"Almost got it..." lifting her leg up, Lily steadied it on the bed and tries once more, her small tongue poking out the corner of her mouth. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, seeming really determined to do this on her own. Lily gasped in success when she finally got onto the bed.
"Eureka!" She cried out and crawled over to Ciel, dragging the book with her.
"And where did you learn such a word?" Both felt the weight of the bed shift, and Ciel looked to see Sebastian joining them in the bed, with Lily in the middle.
"I read it in a book." Lily smiled, giggling all the while and moved her feet under the covers playfully.
"I see, such a smart little girl you are." Sebastian ruffled her hair earning a pout from the girl, and immediately flipped open the book excitement. Ciel shifted so he was a bit closer to Lily as Sebastian did also.
"I want father to read tonight!" Lily placed the book in Sebastian's lap, smiling brightly.
"Very well then. Here we go. Once Upon a time, there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that ever was seen. She had, by a former husband, two daughters of her own, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world."
" What they said was very true; for a few days later, the king's son had it proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry her whose foot this slipper would just fit. They began to try it on the princesses, then the duchesses and all the court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to force their foot into the slipper, but they did not succeed." Sebastian looked over to see the two were already asleep and sighed, dog earring the page, Sebastian set the book aside and began to slide out of bed quietly.
"Sebastian, stay for the night." It seemed the young master wasn't entirely asleep, and the demon did as he was told and climbed back into bed. Leaning over the two, the raven haired demon blew out the burning candles and brushed a few strands of hair out of their face.
"Good night, my young master and Lily."