Curiosity Killed the Cat

The next day came around much too soon, though the night still managed to become a blur among the worn muscles that adorned both demon and his contractor. Ciel had decided it was better to tend to Nate's and his own wounds and get some rest to recover a little before he would address any of the present situations. Although it pained him to keep his mouth shut, once Ciel had decided on something, he was not going to change his mind.

Slumped on the couch, still in his bloodied rags of what was left of his pyjamas from the late night reunion with the death god, his bruises and cuts still weren't tended to. Ciel would give anything for a nice steaming bath accompanied by his array of bath salts and oils, followed by a nice hot cup of tea in his king size bed. He allowed his mind to drift back to his days as a human this time, it wouldn't hurt to imagine life back then and it seemed to be helping him relax.

Though, nothing lasts forever and it sure as hell never did for the ex-Earl of Phantomhive!

Nate slowly staggered out from his room and into the lounge, routine becoming apparent as Ciel automatically moved his legs for him just in time. Nate really didn't look too well today and his attitude was not something Ciel even wanted to dare touch on! So, deciding to be a good little demon-friend, Ciel pulled himself up and wandered into the bathroom, running the tap on a cloth through heated water. Returning as quickly as he could, Ciel handed the warm flannel to Nate and asked him if he needed anything.

A smug reply, "Feeling a little guilty for last night, are we?"

Ciel didn't know how to answer to that. If he answered like he usually would, there was no doubt they'd end up in another fight, but he certainly didn't agree with Nate's statement. So, he simply chose to ignore the question, which earned him an annoyed huff and a rolling of his eyes.

A light thud echoed against the door, making Ciel spin on his heel lightning quick. Nate gripped his head more, almost growling at the sudden noise that disturbed his already pounding headache. Looking between Nate and the door, the demon-child was hesitant to distance himself from Nate again, just in case he were to be ambushed by that insane redhead

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to get me my morning paper?" It didn't sound like Ciel had much of a choice, unless he didn't mind doing some more chores or something worse as a punishment.

Nodding as a reply, Ciel scurried over to the door, opening it and finding the rolled up paper to be several feet from the door. He looked around outside suspiciously, once he deemed it safe, Ciel sighed and stepped out, walking towards the paper. The sun shone bright and hot against his battered shell, the heat kissing the pain away a little. Bending down and retrieving the paper, he slowly got back up and turned back to the door. Just as he got there though, he suddenly stopped. His nose started to tingle and itch, a horrid feeling which nothing could relieve except...

"A-a-a-achoo!"

A sneeze.

Another few violent convulsions and sputtering as the cause played on his nasal and ocular senses. His eyes were already a mess of tears and a puffy redness. Confused, Ciel spun around, noticing a sleek black cat looking back at him, its head tilted to the side in what appeared to be concern. It began meowing and purring, stretching it's back and taking a few steps closer before jumping up onto the windowsill and dangling it's tail, moving it back and forth playfully at Ciel's reactions to him. The boy jumped back a little with every sneeze and as he was about to shoo the feline away, he was nearly bowled over by Nate appearing behind him.

Throwing the damp cloth at the cat and just skimming his left ear, grimacing in complete revulsion and telling the animal to get out of here. Nate appeared to be disgusted by its presence alone. The cat had screeched and hissed at Nate before it rounded the corner at full speed. Nate's face remained twisted in disgust, as he then turned Ciel to face him, his mien softening quickly. He analysed the boy a little before letting a breath out and handing Ciel a balled up tissue from his pocket. It was clean and unused, though that didn't help make it appealing.

"Not a fan of cats, I see," a soft smirk while he continued to look down at Ciel.

Sniffling to help clear his nose and reluctantly using the tissue, "I'm sure it would be different if I weren't allergic to the damn fur-balls!"

"Such annoying creatures, I've truly come to despise them sometimes," Nate looked back to where he threw the cloth and then back at Ciel.

"I see you're not a fan of cats either," Ciel tried to joke, but resulted in a firm look. "Perhaps you and Sebastian wouldn't get a long then..."

"Who exactly is this 'Sebastian', you speak of? And how much does he mean to you?" Ciel wasn't going to answer that, until... "Answer me."

"H-he is my butler and..." an attempt at answering without actually answering. "And we have been through a lot together."

Nate's hand grazed lightly over the material of the eye-patch, though Ciel's hand flew to stop him. "Did he do this to you?" Ciel slowly dropped his hand, knowing Nate was going to find out.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

Ciel nodded in response as Nate continued, "You don't have any intention of showing me what's beneath this, do you?"

Without needing an answer, the older male ripped the accessory off. Ciel's veiled eye was closed, though right before he was about to open it to show Nate what it was he hid from everyone he could, Nate spoke some more.

"I'm sure you mean the world to him," a soft ruffle through the dark grey locks, "Because he sure as hell means the world to you. It seems like you'd do anything to protect him, even though he would so hideously defile such a nice face."

Ciel knitted his eyebrows, trying to grasp where Nate was going with this.

"It'd be a shame if something were to go awry when our contract is over and nothing ever returned to the way it was between you and Sebastian... the butler. Wouldn't want anything to happen to your other half, now would we?"

Gulping, Ciel shook his head. The tone Nate was now speaking in was actually rather frightening. Clearing his throat, he stood up straight, tossing back the eye-patch back and requested Ciel get the wash cloth, clean it accordingly and to change into something clean before bringing it back to him.

"Don't go forgetting about our contract now, will you?"

Ciel let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He wondered where that had even come from. 'Was he that petty and possessive before?' Blinking rapidly, he replaced his eye-patch and then did as he was told quickly. Rushing back to the lounge room, he noticed Nate on the couch with his feet up and holding his head, eyes shut. Ciel was hesitant to go over just in case he was asleep and he'd wake him.

'But if I don't go and he's not asleep or wakes and realises I didn't give him the cloth, who knows what he'll do?' Worry was etched into Ciel's expression, the lines making slight red dents in his face. 'He's clearly not all right in the head. He almost sounded like he was alluding to killing Sebastian. Not that he could stand a chance, but still, the thought of it is unnerving...'

Edging closer, he whispered the older male's name, though when he got no reply, he tried again a little louder and took another step closer. Still, he got no reply, so he edged a little closer.

Apparently Nate wasn't asleep, seeing as he sat up, yelling a loud "Boo!" which startled Ciel and made him tread backwards and trip on Nate's repositioned leg that he'd kicked out for effect. Mid way falling, Nate's hand shot out to his and held tight, pulling him back forward. While time seemed to slow down, Ciel noticed the change in expression on Nate's face from amused and happy with his successful scare to worry and anguish as he had reached out and pulled him back forward to stop his tumble.

"Nice catch," Ciel awkwardly laughed off the shock.

"I am, aren't I?" Nate smirked before getting comfortable again, taking the cloth back and closing his eyes. "We really should talk more about how amazing I am."

Ciel rolled his eyes and just before he was about to give Nate some payback by pushing his legs out of the way to make room on the couch, he heard a rattling sound coming from the back. Curious, he went to check it out. Once the door was opened and he cautiously exited toward the noise, he noticed it was the cat playing with a loose hinge on the bathroom window. Instantly feeling the need to sneeze, he remembered how crazy Nate got after seeing the cat, so instead of leaving, he decided to shoo it away himself.

The cat purred and just looked at Ciel condescendingly from its high perch upon the windowsill. Trying once again, he managed to get it to jump down–though only after he'd sneezed, which was more likely the reason it got scared. It then ran between his legs and around the other side of the house. Following it to make sure it had left, once rounding the corner, Ciel ran right into a hard wall, knocking him back.

Grumbling, Ciel turned onto his side and, instead of being met with clay bricks, he was met with pressed pants, polished black shoes and, as he looked up, the face of a very familiar butler of his. Shaking his head to clear it, Sebastian helped him back up and apologised profusely for not catching him in time. Ciel was about to ask him what he was doing here until he remembered the cat which, coincidentally, Sebastian pulled him up on.

"Might I ask what's got you so worked up, my Lord?"

"There was a cat, he ran right past here!"

"You were chasing a cat? Whatever for? It surely isn't healthy for you to do so." That smug tone, annoying yet addicting. "Shooing cats and throwing things at them is such a horrible and inhuman thing to do."

"That was Nate who threw the cloth, but he was making me sneeze and just then was making a distracting noise. Nate doesn't like cats, so I might as well scare it away before he goes and bloody skins it alive!"

A stern look from Sebastian, his eyes deepening to a bloody red, "There's no cat over here, you're wasting your time."

"No cat? What are you talking about? It ran right past here, that's why I ran into yo–" Ciel paused, thinking momentarily before looking up to see a grinning Sebastian. "Don't tell me you can turn into a cat?" Horror struck Ciel, his whole body dropping in temperature, though the cheshire smile adorning his butler's face grew. "It was you earlier then too–why, if you know of my allergies, did you bother showing up like that? Actually, don't tell me. I don't want to know the answer in case it's something weird."

"It's not weird," Sebastian muttered. "Though you look a little flushed, aside from your injuries I heard Grell inflicted, are you alright? Nate hasn't been picking on you, has he?" Sebastian asked, concerned.

Though the look on Ciel's face held no amusement.

"Nate's as confident in himself as ever," Ciel rolled his eyes but Sebastian pressed for a straight answer as he pulled a cloth and bandages from his coat and began cleaning his masters wounds. Ciel, of course, finding it hard to say no to him, he answered, "I do wish our contract were a little less... visible. The eye patch really evokes questions which are hard to lie about."

"I like the placement." Sebastian huffed. "And what did you say about the eye patch?"

"I didn't actually say anything, but I suppose he got the impression that you've hurt me."

Sebastian's smile hardened. He stood and turned for the back door. Ciel quickly stepped in his way, confused as to what he was doing, he demanded to know.

Answering in a sweet and all too cheery tone, "To prove that I would never harm you... until our contract has ended, of course."

"You're going to–" suddenly wide-eyed, Ciel placed his hands upon Sebastian's chest, trying to push him back. "No, I don't want you seeing Nate. I don't know what will happen if you and him were to meet. What if he ordered me to kill you? I think... I think he thinks you hit me or something, which is the reason for my eye-patch."

"But I am the reason for your eye-patch..."

"Yeah, but not for that reason!" Ciel nearly yelled. Panicking Nate may have heard, he turned, expecting Nate to walk out and start something with Sebastian. "Just, please don't go inside while Nate's in. He's very unpredictable" Ciel shook his head.

"For you, anything." Sebastian bowed slightly.

"I know and thank you, for always being there for me. I appreciate it." Ciel sighed. "I should probably get back to Nate, don't want him coming out here and finding any more cats, now would we?" Ciel cocked an eyebrow at his loyal and acute butler.

Sebastian replied with a light chuckle and a devilish smile. He opened the door for his master and ushered for him to enter.

"Maybe you should surprise Nate with a nice cup of tea to relax. I always find chamomile with a hint of mint and honey to be rather soothing. Though I'm sure whatever you have in the cupboard will do."

Ciel nodded before walking back into the house and closing the door behind him, he took a breath and thought that tea was a grand idea. He could have sworn he'd had the exact thought earlier too, but it was no surprise Sebastian could nearly read his mind. As he walked by the window, he saw the cat in the tree and stopped; for the first time ever, he smiled at the black feline, thinking about how his demon had such an unhealthy liking to cats.

The cat meowed before jumping down from the tree.

"What kind of butler would I be if I couldn't even pull this off?" He chuckled, catching the feline before it fell to the ground and petting it lovingly. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you."