A/N: Guess which idiot fell down the stairs and twisted her ankle? This one! Yep, I messed up my leg, and all because of the man-made torture device called pumps. ANYWAY, I really want to start updating more regularly, so bear with me! Special thanks to all those who followed and/or favourited! Those being: Feline Predator, Okkbye, HeartlessVampireGirl, elpsykongroo, xthedarksunx, ejkallas, ohjaehyun2000, Thornthief27, AcRulesUni, Winterherox2Summervillan, Someone SomewhereWaiting, Lavynya, Chaos'sBride, aaaaaand Bookaholic78.
SKJFSADKLJFQWJKFWFSADKFHWLAJKEFHQLEJHQLWJEFHLQ. What is this? Honestly, you guys are the best! Snickerdoodles for all of you!
Disclaimer: I, Black'n'ivorykeys do not own the plot of Kuroshitsuji nor any of its characters, they all belong to the wonderful Yana Toboso! I own all original characters and my plotline. Also, the last line was inspired by Mary Shelley.
As always, read and review if you feel it's merited and I really appreciate feedback and constructive criticism! It's so very helpful, so don't be shy. You make me happy, unlike the sadistic, black blob that is Sebastian...
Chapter VIII: That Rabbit, Pensive.
"Please forgive me if I don't talk much at times. It's loud enough in my head." - Anonymous
Sybil sat on her window-sill. It was the very first space that belonged to her –a place she could simply think and be, without having to worry about her tiny master or his tyrant of a butler. Her chemise pooled around her thighs as her fingers combed through dark fur. The kit snuggled against her neck, seeking heat. Domino had imprinted on her -much to her embarrassed surprise. It was something quite new to her; to be relied on by a younger, more vulnerable creature. What she could recall from her own childhood were days of warmth and innocent bliss. A child's untarnished imagination running wild as the world's doors lay wide open to endless possibilities. Cerise lips pursed, everything had been so simple then. She pressed her cheek against the cool glass, smiling bitterly. Yes, those were the only years of her life that held value; the rest were a blur of death, agony, and fear. "How many years has it been since...?" She spoke to her reflection like it would give her the answer.
Nothing.
Leaning her head against the window, Sybil closed her eyes. Even here, she could still smell that distinctive aroma of smoke that clung to the whole manor. It was no doubt a way to ward off other creatures from encroaching on his territory. Michaelis was no doubt up and about, doing whatever creepy things he did while there was no one awake to witness his true nature. Opening her eyes a crack, she let them wander about her tiny, cupboard of a room -not that she minded the size. Anything bigger would be too...empty. She had a little dresser with a basin and a pitcher of water, a full-length mirror, a bed, and down the hall was the restroom. What she liked best of all, was the window above her bed. The window-sill was wide enough for her to sit on, and it was no trouble getting up there. Sybil smiled as she watched tiny snowflakes flutter down from the night sky.
"What are those Papa?"
"Those are the moon's tears, darling."
"Why is she crying?"
"Old Man Winter allows the moon to stay longer, for she is lonely, but she is forced to watch the flowers wilt, the animals pass, and man suffer...and she can do nothing, but watch."
"Can't she help them?"
"No, she is beautiful, but cold. She cannot offer warmth, nor life. All she can offer is her silent presence amidst the darkness."
Silver eyes looked up at the moon. Her throat felt tight and her heart ached -it had been something she hadn't felt in a long time. She tilted her head back, shutting her eyes tightly until she was enveloped in darkness. She would allow herself three seconds. Only three.
One. Two. Three.
There was a loud exhale, and she opened her eyes. Sybil closed her window, and jumped down from her perch, landing on her bed. Her fingers curled around Domino and pulled him away from her person. "I'll see you later today, all right? Be good and don't wander, there's a raven around here." She rubbed his head for the last time, and placed him in his box. So far, neither master nor butler had enquired about the garden, the tea-set, or the ruined dinner from Madam Midford's visit. Though mildly irritated, she brushed it off. Oh well. They were both quite the arrogant males. Brushing her hair, slipping on her uniform, and making her bed- Sybil had her morning routine down pat. Huh, a routine...Her lips quirked in amusement. She stood before the mirror, and took in her appearance -the headdress, the apron, the ribbons. At least this time she wasn't an in-between maid.
The maid stole a glance at the clock on her wall, before stretching her back lazily. It was three in the morning. Sybil shrugged, at least her boss couldn't nag her for being tardy.
• • • •
Unsure of what to do for three hours, Sybil had simply done whatever came to mind. This turned out to be opening the curtains, sweeping and dusting the halls, scrubbing the drawing-room floor, and cleaning the window-sills. Though considerable time had passed, she could remember seeing the parlour maid do it enough times to learn through careful observation and practice. To think she'd use such information again -the irony. Just when she'd wiped down the last window-sill, her nose abruptly recognized the stench of burning food. Her head drooped like a wilting flower. Bard was awake, and probably preparing the servants' morning meal. The thought of charred toast and eggs wasn't exactly appetizing, and it just wasn't fair if only the master ate well. Humans all had equal status, despite the ridiculous social ranks they so loved to invent.
The dark-haired maid carefully entered the blackened kitchen. "Good morning, Bardroy." Instead of getting a cheerful reply, what she got was a surprised shout and a spatula coming at her. Sybil caught his wrist swiftly, but the cook still had the jitters. "Christ! Don't do that! I thought you were Sebastian, nearly gave me a heart-attack." Bard shuddered. The smaller of the two shuffled her feet. She would have to be noisier around them, so as to not frighten them. It would most likely cause more explosions and accidents, those which she wouldn't be too eager to fix.
"Sorry." She was tempted to smile along with her apology, but Sybil felt she might snicker at him if she so much as blinked. His blond tresses had been transformed into what resembled burnt broccoli.
"It's fine, just give a warnin' next time. You make as much noise as a mouse." He scratched the back of his neck with a small chuckle. Getting scared by such a small thing, really how embarrassing. The new maid had a tendency to drift from one place to the other, unlike the rest of the staff who always knew how to make an entrance.
Her head bobbed gently in a silent nod. The girl had always been annoyed by her hair, wanting nothing more than to shave it all off when she was in a particularly foul mood. The tangles, the inability to do anything with it, or the prodigious talent it had for getting caught on everything. She'd already had some painful reminders with the buttons at the back of her uniform.
She made the error of taking a deep breath and broke out in a harsh coughing fit. Her eyes stung -the smell that filled the area amplified by her sensitive nose. It was similar to the smog she had to deal with in London before as a stray. Sniffling, she turned to leave if only to get the horrid scent out of her system before she went green. Her right hand rubbed at her eye in a failed attempt to relieve her discomfort.
"Bard are you all ri-" Maylene had just joined them when her eyes fell on the teary-eyed servant. Her temper flared as she rushed to wrap her arms around her tiny friend like a mother hen pulling a chick under its wing. "Why is Miss Sybil crying?! What did you do to make her so upset?" the normally sheepish woman glared daggers at the American, who assumed a stance of defeat. "What? I didn't do anything!", he exclaimed. The two continued their bickering, which would surely end in a certain butler coming to 'pacify' things.
Meanwhile, Sybil found herself awkwardly squished against the taller maid's frame. It was unexpected to be coddled like a toddler, she may have been the smallest of the staff, but she was certainly no child. If Michaelis were to see her in such a position it would kill her. She paled and her jaw clenched. As endearing as Maylene's kindness was, their squabbling was rather pointless -at least in this momentary misunderstanding. The maid preferred to avoid any unnecessary conflict this early in the morning. Her stomach growled and she looked down at where her stomach was. There was that too. If they kept this up they'd go over their time-limit to eat (she'd quickly learned that Mister Michaelis had a sense of punctuality that verged on being just plain obsessive), and Sybil really didn't want to put up with the swallow-tailed pest on an empty stomach.
"Miss Maylene."
"E-Eh?"
"The Chef did nothing wrong, I just couldn't stand the smell." Her head peeked up at the taller maid.
Bard's jaw dropped in shock, "Ch-Chef?!" His ears went pink as his posture straightened like he was in his days as a soldier. It was a rare treat to be referred to so respectfully. Tears of utter joy pricked at the war-veteran's eyes.
"Really?" Maylene looked dubious.
"Yes, I have a very sensitive sense of smell, so I wanted a little fresh air." The maroon-haired flushed and her arms unwound themselves from Sybil's form. The three servants stood in a circle, driving the pale-eyed maid mad. How could they stand about so calmly with the kitchen blown up and their breakfast-time ticking away?! Clapping her hands together, she grabbed a broom and a mop, handing each one to the others.
"Can you two please tidy up while I make us something to eat?"
Her fellow maid nodded with a smile, but Bard opened his mouth to protest. Sybil cut him off.
"Chef, I would like to cook my new co-workers breakfast. Is that all right with you?" Adding a smile didn't hurt either. Her leg wanted to tap on the floor impatiently. Oh please, please say yes. She needed to eat and disappear before Michaelis could harp at her. She swallowed.
As if once wasn't enough, he'd been called 'Chef' twice in one day! His chest puffed up with pride, and he took a celebratory drag from his cigarette. Now if only Sebastian would call him that...
"Here", he turned to Maylene, "I'll take this side, you take that one. Finny can help us move the heavier stuff when he gets here." Sybil washed her hands and pulled out the ingredients. Heating the frying pan, she cracked open the eggs and let them plop down onto the sizzling surface. Next came the rolls, the coffee, and last but not least the bacon.
• • • •
Later that day, Sybil found herself in a placid mood; something rare at Phantomhive manor. The days moved quiet sluggishly, despite the days since she'd first arrived. The peaceful ambience provided by the garden helped her relax -somewhat. However, she could only stand silence for so long, and after a while, she was humming a tune. Breakfast had gone perfectly, and she had to admit, it felt nice to see them eat so happily. They did try, and they certainly weren't loafers. Were they impossibly clumsy? Yes. Scatterbrained? Yes. Impulsive? Yes. But, she shrugged, each person has their quirks -they're not perfect so why stress about it. Furthermore, if they were working for the Queen's Watchdog, she knew their talents lay outside domestic chores. Far more interesting in her opinion.
Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she cut a yellow pansy from the garden. The maid chose brightly coloured flowers to form bouquets that would hopefully brighten up the dreary manor. Ha, as if. It would take far more than pretty flora to diminish the dour air that subtly inhabited the Earl's mansion. As for the master, Sybil could not help but be curious about the past of the child who brooded like Shakespeare's Hamlet. Her brow furrowed. Her face returned to its neutral expression. It was best not to meditate on the subject as it would only fan the flames of the urge to snoop. She'd learn such information one way or another, but getting on her keeper's bad side would be a foolish move.
Cutting another flower, she placed it in her basket.
This is rather dull. Now that they've been picked from the garden, they'll wither and die in no time. She blinked, looking up in thought. Huh. Flowers are praised for their beauty, and people devote their time to helping the delicate plants grow. Too much water or too little, too much sun or too little, animals, lack of nutrients, competition- they depended on so many factors to thrive. And in the end, the person who helped them grow, would be the one to cut them from the roots. Weeds on the other hand, her fingers touched the soft yellow petals of a dandelion, are doused in pesticides and forcefully ripped out, yet they survive...even if no one wants them.
Dusting her skirts, the maid raised herself from the grass. She had enough flowers for the parlour, and it was time to head inside. Sybil made her way past the garden, walking toward the back entrance. Her thoughts drifted back to the dandelion. It was silly, how easily flowers could become weeds -all it took was someone deciding they were a nuisance. A problem.
Her lips quirked and a ghost of a smile touched her lips.
She had been labelled a weed.
But they had not uprooted her. One learned from experience, and this weed had grown a few thorns.
• • • •
Sebastian was at his wits end. Maylene had nearly set the dining table on fire, Finny had been running through the manor and had knocked into a pillar in the entrance hall, and Bard had blown apart the oven. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed to refrain from slowly choking each one of them until their air supply ran out. In all his years, the demon had never found his patience to be tried as much as it had been during this particular contract. His master was a brat of a child and the servants were as inept as humans could be.
The only reason he could breathe easily at the moment was that he had everything prepared for tomorrow. Ciel watched his butler from his bed. The candelabra he held cast shadows across the bedroom and made his crimson eyes glow in a way not common to the human race. It was like the smouldering remnants of wood in his fireplace when there was nothing left to consume.
"Is there something on your mind, Sebastian?"
"I am simply amazed at the startling gift the servants possess for mass destruction." His voice oozed false cheer.
How the child hated it. It was interesting to see how far he could push this being from hell. Sebastian's composure could not be more pristine, and to tell the truth, Ciel loved a good game. Recalling a peculiar bit of information he'd acquired earlier from Finny, he smirked on the inside. With Sybil under his roof now, he had a foreign game-piece at his fingertips. In more ways than one.
"You do have some help, the new maid appears to be quite competent in her duties." The young Englishman's eyes narrowed slyly, "The servants told me how well she handled things during Aunt Frances' visit...They said she was just as efficient as you are when handling problems."
Ciel snickered at the demon's reaction. His expression grew rigid and that ever elusive eyebrow twitch surfaced. "Indeed." The raven-haired male could hardly fathom why the bumbling idiots would compare him to prey. "She displays potential as a servant."
"She will be my parlour maid."
"I beg your pardon, my lord?"
"You heard me, I'm placing her under your tutelage. We need a decent parlour maid, and I want her to fill the role, am I understood?" Ciel smirked at him. "Unless, of course it lies outside your...abilities. I doubt she'd listen, seeing as she can't stand the very thought of you." He leaned back into his pillow and turned onto his side.
"If I could not train a simple maid, then I would not be worth my salt." The words felt different than they usually did.
"Good night, young master." Sebastian bowed and left. The room went dark.
Ciel grinned.
...
In the hall, the demon's eyes flashed. As if he didn't have enough on his plate with the staff in the first place. The brat wanted to drive him mad. Exhaling, he blew out the candles. His eyes narrowed when he caught a whiff of...blood? It originated from the servants' quarters -specifically his bedroom. A second later, he heard a rattling sound as well. With a swirl of his coattails, he was off to investigate.
• • • •
Sybil could smell him heading her way. Oh blast it! Why did she sneak into the soul-sucker's room in the first place?! Her and her damn curiosity! He'd bake her into the Earl's next dessert if found her and feed her to him, or worse. Oh Lord. Looking around the plain room, she searched for a place to hide or better yet -a way to escape. Her skin crawled when the scent got more and more pungent. Just when she heard the click of the handle her eyes landed on the window.
...
Sebastian entered his room silently, surveying the state of his surroundings. He hadn't heard anything after the scuffling, but the aroma of blood continued to taint the air. If there were mice in the manor again then it would only be another opportunity for unnecessary chaos among his subordinates. If they had wandered in here, then they might have been eaten by the cats. His face was blank while he closed the door behind him, and turned on the gas lamp. There did not appear to be anything out of order, except for the window and the faint smell of peppermint. Hmmm. Something or someone had been snooping. Red eyes whipped over to the wardrobe.
Opening it, his eyes widened in surprise and glee. The charming Birman he'd picked up in the rain the other day had given birth to a healthy litter of kittens. That explained the smell. The demon smiled at the fluffy little jelly beans tucked against their mother's side. He could hear them feeding -ah, such greedy little things, newborns. Carefully, Sebastian lifted the box they were in, and placed it upon his bed.
"My what lovely little things." He removed his gloves and coat, laying them on the chair at his desk. When he returned, he found the mother purring as she bathed one of its kittens. It was slightly larger than the others and had licorice fur. It squirmed incessantly under the Birman's affection. Curious as he recalled newborns were born deaf and blind.
All of a sudden, one of its ears popped up. One fluffy, oval-shaped ear.
That is not a cat, the demon deadpanned. Somehow, the tiny creature slipped away from the larger animal and hopped out of the box -and right into the butler's awaiting palm. Now, Sebastian did not have much experience with rabbits, but they were prey animals and as such they were quite the skittish things. This one, however, was not. It was a Netherland Dwarf from what he knew, and female. He eyed the lilliputian ball of fuzz, before encasing it in both of his hands and bringing it up to his cheek -nuzzling it.
"What a charming little kit." he cooed.
I am going to die.
She wanted to bolt for the door, but the utter madness of what she was being subjected to had her paralysed. Was this thing on some sort of drug from Hell? What were they doing in the nine circles during their free-time? The butler's hand rubbed her belly and she squirmed.
"You do not have paw pads, but such wonderfully fluffy ears." he complimented, and she nearly bristled when he got too close to her face. He rubbed one of her ears between his fingertips. Stop touching me so freely you pointy-nosed hobgoblin!, she hissed internally. The urge to take out one of his eyes with her claws was getting hard to resist. Sybil did not like being touched, especially by handsy animal molesters like Sebastian bloody Michaelis. What had she done to deserve this? What? The black rabbit attempted to silently will herself to spontaneously burst into flames. Please please please make him stop, I promise I'll never swipe a book from the library again! He cooed at her and scratched her under the chin, to which she purred, if only to keep up the act.
Her pink nose twitched nervously, and all of a sudden he grinned. What now?
"Such an adorable little thing you are..." his chest rumbled, "though a ball of fur won't be of any use if your goal is to strike fear in the enemy, Miss Sybil."
"Get your ugly face away from me, you beak-faced lunatic." She found herself dangling by the scruff of her neck right in front of the demon's face. Her tiny paws pushed against his nose, doing her best to keep him at a safe distance.
"And here I thought you enjoyed our cuddling."
"Put me down."
"I fancy you like this -small, doe-eyed, helpless." His voice dripped with mirth at the situation. To think such a hostile girl shape-shifted into a rabbit no bigger then his open palm. Sebastian's tongue could still taste the eccentric taste of her blood despite the time that had passed. His gaze darkened.
"'Ti's a pity that I am only one of those things."
Her hind-legs shot out, kicking him in the face with enough force to snap his head back a fraction. She used the opportunity to shed -slipping out of his grip. Sybil landed on the bed, to see a scowling demon staring down at her with a taut expression. The rabbit was ready to flee, but to their surprise, the mother cat's fur bristled as she hissed aggressively at the man.
He rose an eyebrow. Ah. Considering the recent birth of her kittens, the hormones awoke a maternal instinct for her kittens...as well as anything small and fluffy -in this case it meant Miss Sybil. The butler did not approach them, fully aware that the Birman would no doubt lunge at him to protect her 'kitten'.
In that moment, Sybil hopped of the bed and shifted. She wore nothing but her chemise, stockings, and a small frown.
"Don't get your feathers in a ruffle, you knew it was me from the start and had no qualms with molesting me." She folded her arms, apparently not affected by her state of dress. "You deserved it, Pinocchio." Her cheeks were flushed, and it brought a little more life to her wraith-like colouring.
He scoffed, "I was not the one snooping about where I was not welcome."
"I wasn't snooping." she argued.
"Then what, pray, were you doing in my bedroom instead of sleeping in your own?" He looked bored.
She snorted, "I was washing the last of the dishes when I heard something coming from here. I could smell blood as well, so I came to check. I thought-" abruptly, she fell silent. Her eyes focused on anything but him.
"You thought?"
"Nothing, it was nothing." The shorter of the two waved it away as she grasped the doorknob. "I apologize for trespassing in your evil lair, Mister Michaelis. I shall take my leave-" The door would not open, and she hung her head. If he was the cause then there was no way out now. Against her better judgement, she raised her gaze to meet his own. Sebastian was still sitting on his bed with all the arrogance of Lucifer himself.
"Yes? I do believe you were about to elaborate."
Swallowing, she sighed.
"Fine." She massaged her temples. "I thought you might have been injured. Content? Good, I shall retire for the night." Sybil tried to leave once more, but was stopped by her superior.
"I did not take you for a bleeding heart." he smirked, "Worry? For a demon like myself?" Surely there was no being that stupid in this dimension.
Her demeanour changed instantly -it could be compared to pulling an elastic band so far until it snapped back. Those grey eyes watched him clinically, and her mouth was set in a somber line. "Let me clarify something, crow demon." she spoke coldly and she held his gaze. "You do not know me in the slightest. And while this may seem like some delightful little distraction for you while you wait for your meal to finish cooking, I do not find this even half as amusing as you do." The air between the man and woman felt heavy and grim. Both auras crammed in the same space, curling, winding, pulsing like sentient beings of their own. Sybil knew they would find her, and a new hunter had been introduced in her game of life and death. This demon was crucial in her victory.
"You are simply a stepping stone, and I cannot have you weakening more than you already are with the way you starve yourself." Her chemise hung loosely on her slender shoulders, sliding off of one. "I may not be as powerful, old, or clever as you,"
She turned her back to him, reached for the handle, and this time, it opened without a problem.
Sybil looked back at him over her shoulder,
"but I am fearless, and thus powerful, and I too can destroy."
And she was gone in a flutter of her skirt.
...
The prey voices a warning.
A/N: I need sleep. Why do I do this to myself? *Hides under covers and goes into coma* Please forgive any spelling errors.
To RoseSlayer77: Oh trust me, I'm giggling along with you. I shall take a B happily! Hope you liked the chapter, and thanks for the review:)
To remmy94: *Gush* I missed your reviews;) Well, good to know I'm handling their interactions well so far XD Yes, I was worried the 'kind of kiss' was too early on, but I couldn't help myself. Perfect bickering material. Lmao, I think the last thing she would have wanted was going anymore contact with his tongueX) Well, Kuro has a lot of black comedy, so I love to incorporate that as well, it's a blast to write too. The squirrel was a last minute thing and I give credit to the one that haunts my attic. Heehee yes I love a good chapter ending;)Thanks for the stellar feedback!:D And I can't thank you enough for your help! This chapter is out because of you;)
PS: Oh it is;]
To Wavywavy: Awww thanks! I'm flattered! I hope this met your expectations;) Thanks for the feedback:3
To Your1Fan (Guest): Good to know! Gahhhh I'm so happy. Hope you liked this chapter's content! Thanks for the feedback!;D
To darkangelynn5: I updatedddddd. Glad you like it! Thanks for the feedback;)
To Thornthief27 (Guest): It's a secret;) Muahahahahaha. Yayyyyyy, it's fantastic that you think so! Hope you liked the chapter:) Thanks for the feedback!
To NightDreamerNeko: Hope you liked it:) Thanks for the feedback!
