Sebastian watched in amazement as Ciel and Finny placed the old top hat on their snowman. Ciel seemed to have mixed feelings about the activity. The demon shook his head. The snowman, though nicely decorated with one of Ciel's scarves, and the traditional carrot nose, the twigs which served as its arms were largely uneven and as the demon noted. The head was also very large. Sebastian chuckled at the sight.
"It looks really bad doesn't it young master?" Finny sighed.
"Not bad for the first one. Sebastian, you've no right to laugh." Ciel scolded.
"My apologies to you both, I have never witnessed such a snowman in all my years."
"No one asked for your opinion." Ciel shot back, snowmen it seemed were a sensitive subject for the boy.
"Come now, surely you do not-" the demon was cut off when a snowball made contact with his face.
"Alright, I deserved that, I shall admit it." He said wiping the remaining snow from his uniform. It was Finny's turn to laugh. Sebastian shot the gardener a stern look, ending the giggling.
"I would advise against a second assault, you see, that would have... consequences." He warned.
"You don't scare me." Ciel declared.
"I could change that if you like." Another snowball hit him. The demon nodded.
"Very well, if that is what you want. I warn you, I am quite capable of-" a third flew at him, this time however it missed.
"You will have to do better than that young Master. I can play this game as well." Sebastian bent down and collected some snow, packing it carefully.
"You wouldn't dare." Ciel challenged.
"Are you certain?"
"You can't throw things at the young Master, he-he's good to us." Finny said, a tone of surprise was present in his voice.
"He was warned. The rules have changed. We are alone, with no guests, that means that at the present moment, I am not the butler." A grin formed on the demon's face. With no more warning, Sebastian threw it, Ciel was prepared and was able to dodge it.
"You utter loon. How dare you throw anything at me." The young Earl would not simply allow this behavior.
A second snowball came at him hitting his arm. Ciel looked at his butler in shock.
"Are you going to allow me to get away with this?"
"You're going to regret that." Ciel said, he was already in the process of making another one. Finny on the other hand had no idea how to react. He stood there watching the two. Moments later, Finny felt the cold impact on his chest. He looked over at Ciel.
"Don't let him get away with that. You have my permission to throw them back."
"Won't he get angry?" A second ball collided with his body.
"How very disappointing, I would expect more of an effort from you both, it is almost as if you are just going to allow yourselves to be beaten." Sebastian taunted. "Surrender now, I shall be merciful."
Ciel and Finny glanced at each other, Sebastian seemed to be waiting for their decision.
"What should we do young Master?"
"Well, we have two choices, one, we form a team and show Sebastian that he can't get away with this, or two, we concede defeat but I'm not one to back down." Finny nodded.
"I'm with you young master, til the end."
"Good, I could use your help." The gardener smiled.
"Are you ready to surrender?"
"Never." They said in unison as the battle continued.
"Mr. Sebastian, how could you do such a-" Mey-Rin began, Bard and Tanaka ducked as a barrage of snowballs flew in every direction.
"Looks like an all out snowball fight, haven't had one since I was a kid." Bard said.
"Do you think the young master needs us?" Mey-Rin asked.
"Looks like it." Bard said.
"Were you not hired to help protect the young master, it seems to me that you are not performing your duties in an acceptable fashion." Sebastian called. The cook and maid were stunned.
"Are you just going to stand there and let Sebastian hit me with things?" Mey-Rin smiled.
"Of course not young master, we're coming to help, yes we are. Come on Bard."
"Right behind you." The servants rushed to Ciel's side. Tanaka however shook his head.
"You have recreated the family that has been lost to the young Master, and in such a short time, well done Sebastian. It does my heart good to see you all happy. I must remember to thank you later." Tanaka thought out loud.
Later that evening Sebastian turned down Ciel's bed and helped him into it.
"Sebastian?"
"Yes my lord?"
"Am I a bad son?"
"Of course not. Why would you feel that way?" The demon knelt beside the bed, pulling the covers across the boy.
"I used to do those things with my parents, snowmen, and snowball fights, I enjoyed what happened today. Even if it did start out as an attempt to get back at you for laughing at our snowman. Have I betrayed them?"
"No. You had fun, in all honesty, I did as well, to see you smile was a gift, not only to me, to the servants and to your parents. You allowed yourself to be a child. If they could be with you now, is that not what they would want?"
"I suppose. Now that it's over, I feel like I shouldn't have enjoyed it because that was something we did together."
"You did nothing wrong. I promise. If they were half the parents you claim them to be, they would have loved to see you happy. Nothing more would have mattered." Sebastian said quietly. He stroked the boy's hair.
"You even learned something today."
"Did I?"
"Indeed you did, you learned to be open to others when you helped Finny build the snowman. You shared a little of yourself with the staff today in engaging in the things you said were family activities, you helped them experience as well. Your mother and father would be very proud."
"How would you know?"
"Because as a second father to you, I am very proud of you. You must rest now, you have a full schedule ahead of you. "
"Sebastian?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you, for today."
"It was my pleasure."
"Sebastian?"
"Yes?" Ciel sat up, wrapping his arms around the butler's neck.
"You're a- a good father." Sebastian returned the hug.
"Thank you. I am pleased to hear it." He carefully leaned Ciel back onto the pillow.
"Sleep now. It would not be wise to fall asleep during your lessons, you are difficult to wake in the morning as it is." Ciel yawned and drifted into a peaceful sleep almost instantly. Sebastian stood up and took hold of the candle, once in the doorway he turned back.
"Good night Ciel, may you have the most pleasant of dreams.