Chapter 4: Gryphon

That night, after dinner had come and gone, Ciel was sitting in the library staring into the fire. He was feeling rather upset with himself for acting as he had with Oz. His face crumbled a little as he thought of his older brother. He didn't cry (he felt he had already used up all the tears allocated for that day, maybe even for the whole year) but he sure came close to it. In fact, if Sebastian hadn't come in just then to escort him to his room he might have anyway.

"My lord, it's getting rather late. Would you like to go to bed now?" The black clothed butler bowed politely. He was hiding a smirk as he addressed his master. The Chain found it highly amusing that his 'oh-so-stoic' little snac-oops…I mean, master, had gotten so worked up over the return of some boy.

Ciel sighed and closed his eyes, "Sebastian."

The butler looked up and saw that the earl was slouching in his seat and looking depressed. He blinked twice and said, "Yes, Young Master? What's wrong?" Sebastian took a few steps closer to the sad young boy and placed a light hand on his shoulder, "Are you all right?" He was a little worried now. He had never seen Ciel act like this. Ever.

"What should I do?" Ciel leaned back in his chair, eyes still closed, and made no attempt to brush his cheeky butler away.

Sebastian smirked again at the boy's lack of response, slowly removed his hand and knelt at his master's feet. "About what, Young Master? Oz?"

"Yes."

Sebastian thought for a moment before answering, "Why don't you treat him the way you treat your pawns? I would recommend being a bit…um…kinder with him than you tend to be with others. But I feel that both of you would benefit from such a relationship." His smirk softened a little as he gently lifted his master out of his chair and began carrying him to the Victoria Room where the child's bedroom was located.

Ciel opened his eyes slightly, so as not to fall asleep like a baby (although, simply being carried was childish enough, but that's just my own opinion), and said, "I suppose…but," he paused and attempted to hold back a yawn (attempted being the key word in this case; he failed miserably), "What does 'kinder' mean in this case? Should I call him 'Nii-chan,' like I used to? Would it be rude to call him Oz? What would be the easiest way to interact with him? What would cause the least amount of pain?"

He took a breath and was about to ask another question, but Sebastian interrupted before he could, "Calm down, Young Master," he sighed in exasperation (earning a glare and a Gibbs*); "You are tired and need to rest. It has been a long day, and you should get some sleep." He stopped when he arrived at his master's door. Sebastian shifted Ciel from being carried bridal style to being tucked carefully into one arm. He used his newly freed arm to open the door and close it again once he entered carrying his little master. He strode over to the king-sized bed and gently placed Ciel on it. He then walked over to the closet and got out the boy's nightshirt. As he was changing Ciel, he noticed that the earl was unusually silent. When he looked up, he let out a quiet chuckle.

Ciel was nearly asleep. His eyes were drooping and his head was beginning to sag. Sebastian could count on one hand the times Ciel had been this relaxed in front of him. He quickly finished changing the tired boy and picked him up again. Sebastian moved to the other side of the bed and laid Ciel down. He then tucked his master in and gave his head a slight pat. He whispered, "Good night, Young Master. Sleep well."

Ϙ-Ϙ-Ϙ

The next morning (at the unholy hour of three o'clock) Ciel was rudely jolted from his peaceful slumber when Oz leapt onto his bed and attempted to cuddle with his precious baby brother. Ciel thanked him by shoving the barrel of his hidden pistol into the face of the blonde. Oz yelped and ducked down out of range. When Ciel noticed who was 'attacking' him, he swore violently and shouted, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, OZ?!"

Sebastian ran into his master's room in concern (he had been serenely cleaning his trusty silverware when he heard a noise coming from Ciel's room; he wasn't too worried because he hadn't felt the presence of any intruders but seeing as how Ciel has a record of waking up from nightmares in a panic, he came just in case something was wrong), "Young Master, are you all right?!"

Ciel turned his head toward Sebastian and growled, "This is an order! Get Oz back to his own room and don't wake me up until I ring for you. Is that clear?" His purple hued eye glowed ominously as he pushed his brother to the floor, shoved his pistol back under his pillow and lay back down with a thwump, covering his head with his blanket in a huff.

Sebastian bowed slightly and whispered, "Yes, my lord." He then hoisted a very confused Oz off the floor and carried him out the door. In the hall, he placed the blonde back on the ground and took hold of one of his arms.

The butler practically had to drag Oz back to his guest room. The blonde was hissing and spitting like an angry cat, "Lemme go! I wanna talk to Ciel!"

Sebastian growled at him in annoyance, "Well you can't! Not at three in the morning at least! What on earth were you thinking?!"

Oz ripped his arm out of the butler's grasp and turned toward him, a fire burning in his eyes, "Actually, I was thinking that if I startled Ciel he would call for you and we would finally be able to talk." Sebastian stopped dead in his tracks. Oz-sama planned the whole thing? Sebastian blinked in surprise, Interesting. Maybe there is more to this brat than meets the eye.

The Chain grinned (mimicking a certain cat-like friend of his almost perfectly) and leaned down to look the blonde in the eye, "Is that so, little one."

A chill crept down Oz's spine, but the boy didn't show his discomfort. Instead, he replied with, "Yes. I want you to tell me what happened. Why wasn't Ciel able to form a legal contract with you and why does he keep hiding things from me?"

Sebastian chuckled and righted himself. "Don't you think those are questions you should be asking him?"

"I already tried to. He basically told me it was none of my business." Oz huffed and crossed his arms.

Again, Sebastian laughed but this time he said, "Well then, are you sure you want to know? Young Master's past isn't exactly what you would call happy." The blonde nodded quickly, so the black clothed butler smirked and began to tell Ciel's story.

Ϙ-Ϙ-Ϙ

I met him three years ago. He was still a tiny little thing then and it amused me to no end to see such a child look so desperate. He was the victim of a cultist group of nobles who wanted to use my powers to give them more of what they already possessed. He had summoned me quite by accident and I knew immediately that the frightened, quivering young child in front of me was the only one worthy enough to hold me as his trump card. I found it amazing that he was able to captivate my attention so fully. I smiled at him and said, You have sacrificed more than enough. Now it is up to you to decide if you are willing to make a contract with me and gain all the power in the world.

Ciel took a shuddering breath and stretched his hand out to me, shouting, "I want power! I want the power to achieve revenge against the Baskerville clan! I WANT REVENGE FOR MY FAMILY! I'll make a contract with you!"

So you are willing to abandon the path of light for darkness…fine. Well then, let us mark our bodies with the contract seal. Where would you like it to be? Normally it is on the heart, but if you like I could-

"I don't care," he snapped, hurriedl. "Anywhere is fine."

This bout of bravery made me want to mock him, so I said, All right then, I shall put the seal in one of your beautiful eyes. As I said that, I took hold of his face and completed the contract. He screamed in pain but never once faltered in his conviction.

Once everything was completed I out-stretched one of my hands and, when he grasped it in return, I asked him, What is your name?

"My name is Ciel. Ciel Phantomhive. I am the one who will inherit the house of the Earl Phantomhive." I laughed as he said that. His confidence and stubbornness was incredibly amusing.

I see. In that case, I suppose I should take a form suitable to be in the service of an earl. After I said that, I slowly walked toward him and changed my body and clothes to look the way they do at the moment. Then I said, in a more human sounding voice, "Well then. Give me any order, my little lord."

Ciel gave me three permanent directives. The first was that I protect and never betray him until he completes his revenge. The second was that I obey him unconditionally, and the third was that I never lie. He then gave me the name 'Sebastian' and I brought him back to this mansion. We went through a bit of a rocky start but, eventually, we grew to understand and respect one another. A month after Ciel returned to England's social world, Gilbert showed up and was hired as a footman. Finnian and Bardroy were hired as gardener and cook, respectively, not long after that. I believe that's all there is to it. Have I satisfied your curiosity, Oz-sama?

Ϙ-Ϙ-Ϙ

During his story, Sebastian had escorted Oz to his room and was standing in the doorway, arms crossed. Oz had seated himself on his bed and listened quietly. When Sebastian finished, the blonde was silent for a few moments. He tilted his head to the side and said, "I suppose you have, Sebastian. Or would you rather I call you by your real name, Gryphon?" Oz's bright green eyes met Sebastian's ominously glowing red ones with bravado.

In all honesty, Sebastian was very surprised. It had been many, many centuries since anyone had called him by that name, "How do you know something like that, Oz?" The ancient Chain leaned over and looked Oz in the eyes, "Not even Ciel knows that name."

"I'm no idiot, regardless of how much I may act like one," Oz smirked as he got off the bed and approached the butler. He wrapped his hand around Sebastian's tie once he was close enough and pulled him down to his level, "While I was in the Abyss I did everything in my power to analyze it in its entirety. For ten years I researched, scrounged and figured out anything that had to do with it and all its residents. I know exactly who and what you are, and if you aren't careful, I will tell Ciel."

Sebastian laughed as dark, shadowy tendrils began to creep up around him and the air surrounding his body wavered, revealing his true form. He looked like a large raven bird with humanistic arms and legs. In addition, he had glowing red eyes and sharp pointy teeth. Oz shuddered slightly and pushed the Chain away. Sebastian (well, I suppose he should be called Gryphon at the moment) chuckled at his reaction and said, You may say that you know everything there is to know about the abyss, but you have barely even scratched the surface, little one. I have been living in the abyss for centuries and I still don't know all there is to know about that place. The Chain ruffled his obsidian feathers and purred, As for telling ciel, what would you say? And why would you believe you? Anything you could possibly tell him about the place wouldn't be of any use to hi-

"I met Undertaker."

Sebastian's eyes widened and he took a step back with a short hiss, He lives here in the human world! How could you have?!

Oz smiled. He finally had an advantage over the butler and he was going to take it for all it was worth. "My father introduced him to me when I turned thirteen. He heard about what happened to my family and came to see me. He acquainted me with some Chains and gave me some information on the more influential Chains, such as yourself," the blonde paused and took a breath, "Although he wasn't able to get me out of the Abyss he made things much easier and I was more equipped to deal with what went on down there. He told me a lot about you. About how you-"

Enough, growled Sebastian. He snarled and changed back into his human form, "I've heard enough. I understand. The only thing I don't understand is how you are planning on using me. So little one, enlighten me." Sebastian glared at the boy and gave a mock polite bow.

"First of all, my name is Oz. And I expect you to call me that," Sebastian's eyebrow twitched, but he nodded his acquiescence. Oz smirked and continued, "Second, I want you to make sure to let Ciel off his contract when you have carried out his revenge."

Sebastian started, "What?"

"Did you not hear me?"

"I heard you. And I understood what, and why, you said it. But I don't know how you can expect me to accomplish that. It's impossible. Even you should know that." Sebastian frowned and crossed his arms.

Oz followed suit and responded with, "I don't care if it's impossible. Figure something out, else Ciel will know everything."

The butler grimaced. "Fine. I'll do what I can."

Ciel's brother chuckled and sneered at the Chain, "You'd better."

*NCIS. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up. I can guarantee you will be pleased with the results.

Finished with chapter four and on to chapter five! Oh and just to clarify, Gryphon is a name from Pandora Hearts. If anyone remembers which character used it, please tell me so I can make sure to work around that. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review! J