Title: Deal of a Life Time
Pairings: SebastianxOC
Rated: M
Disclaimer: Any and all characters belonging the the original Kuroshitsuji series belong to Yana Toboso
A/N: Oh dear god, I am so sorry it took this long to update, for those who are still reading anyway. I've been busy with...well life ^^; anyway, the arc is almost done, the we can get started on the curry competition! Also, amg drama alert-
"Exquisite," the man said, a small smirk on his face, "your dance was as lovely as a robin taking wing, young lady. And you, such ferocity, like a tiger," he praised, his smirk changing into a polite smile. To think that he would approach us first…I thought, my expression serious.
"Ah, umm…" Ciel mumbled before putting a smile on his face, curtsying lightly, "I am most honored by your compliment," he stammered out. I gently placed a hand on his shoulder before bowing my head in respect to the Viscount.
"I am honored as well, Viscount," I said smoothly, putting on my best smile. If it made demons melt, it was bound to work on this man. And from the way his eyes gleamed at me, it worked like a charm.
The blonde male took a step towards us and clasped one of our hands in each of his, placing a delicate kiss on the back of each, "Pray tell, with whom did you come this evening, Miss Robin and Tiger?" he asked. I could see goosebumps rising all over Ciel's exposed skin, and I couldn't help but smirk. I was used to this sort of behavior.
"A-auntie Angelina brought me here," the "young lady" stammered as he wiped his hand off on his skirt. I covered my mouth to conceal my laughter.
"I am one of the young lady's tutors, and the wife of one of her others," I answered, bowing my head politely, "if you would excuse me, the miss desired something to drink," with that, I left the two alone and went to locate Sebastian. It took a bit, and I had had to vacate the ballroom to do so, but I was able to find him in one of the other rooms of the manor setting up…something. I stared at him with a blank expression, a brow rising soon in question at his actions.
"What are you doing…?" I questioned as I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorway, keeping my eyes on him. He glanced up at me when I spoke, a grin spreading across his face as he walked over and tugged me close, making my eyes go wide in shock.
"Tell me, how well can you dance milonga?" he asked, his hand sliding slowly down my back and causing shivers to run down it.
"What are you playing at, Sebastian…?" I growled, narrowing my eyes dangerously on him. He chuckled, leaning forward and kissing my neck lightly.
"Distraction my dear. The young master needs to get the information," he purred in my ear. I felt my dress slide off before something else came back on my body to cover me, and I pulled away immediately to see a different black dress on; the sleeves were lace and extended completely down to my wrists in a snug fit, the dress itself containing a less constrictive bodice and a long but very loose skirt that I was sure would show my legs up to my hip when I spun, even more so with the gaping hole in the back. Oh, this would definitely turn out to be interesting. I smirked, smoothing my hands down over the satin like material. Looking up, I saw Sebastian holding a similar expression as he devoured me with his eyes. He quickly looked away, almost forcing himself to, and handed over an intricately designed mask, of which I placed over my face as we left the room, and just in time, as Ciel was to be cornered by Lizzie at any moment. Sebastian grinned before snapping his fingers, all of the lights going out in an instant. Shouts were heard from the party goers from the confusion, though the lights came back on almost immediately, Sebastian standing behind me with a hand pressed flat to my stomach, my own covering it as we waited for the music to begin. All it took was a glance to the musicians for them to begin playing, the music a fast tempo, though containing a small hint of a waltz as we took the first steps. No one in the room seemed to recognize us as we danced, even though it appeared Madam Red and Lau did, and woman's eyes wide in awe as she watched. It was easy to tell from the way the male demon moved he was holding himself back, and I had to keep reminding myself to do the same.
"I do not recall requesting performers…?" The Viscount mumbled, a look of confusion crossing over his features before Ciel swooped in to get him away from the crowd and obtain all the evidence we needed to close the case. It helped certainly that we had managed to distract Lizzie, who was also watching the two of us in amazement, her eyes sparkling brightly. I could already hear her gushing over how "romantic the dancing pair at the party was" the next time she saw Ciel.
A small smirk spread along my face as an evil idea came into my head. The next spin Sebastian made I twirled away from him and into the arms of another man, giving the human a seductive grin before winking. I could practically feel the jealously and possessiveness of demon I was dancing with as he pulled me back, the man I briefly flirted with blushing and holding a hand over his heart to calm it. I couldn't help my grin from spreading wider when I saw the look in the demon's eyes; I would certainly be paying for my actions later on, and the idea sort of…thrilled me.
A few more steps, a few more turns, and the dance was over, and I end up dipped with one leg hitched around his waist, his hands placed on my mid-back and on the underside of my knee. Both of us were panting softly as the crowd applauded our performance rather loudly, the black clad man standing me up straight so we could both bow to the audience.
"That was wonderful, Sebastian and Cassandra!" Madam Red gushed as she walked up to us, a pleased grin on her face.
"Cassandra, I had no idea you could dance to such a degree," Lau chimed in. I had to attempt from smacking him from the look he was giving me.
"I was taught well," I merely answered, bowing my head, "my father used to teach himself, so he taught everything he learned." It was necessarily a lie; I did really learn from my father, though it wasn't just him who taught me how to dance. Basic steps yes, but style and flare belonged solely to another tutor.
"Well, Cassandra, shall we locate our young lady and bring her home? I am sure she must be exhausted," Sebastian mused, a polite smile plastered onto his face. The look in his eyes was frightening though. I would most definitely be paying for my little stunt later…
Letting out a sigh, I waved the issue off as an answer, letting Madam Red and Lau leave before we both took off to find Ciel. The demon butler soon flinched, a scowl settling onto his features.
"It would appear our master has gotten himself into a bit of trouble again," he sighed, pushing his hair away from his face as we continued to look for the room. It took little time at all, as Ciel had activated their contract and shown where he was being held hostage. Again. The candles about the room flickered and went out as we appeared inside, shouts and hollers sounding as the people began to scatter in fright.
"What is going on?!" a voice shouted. I recognized it immediately to be the Viscount's. Smirking, I lunged forward and slammed him clean across the jaw, knocking him out cold immediately. It took only a few seconds for everyone to be out cold on the floor, and the candles flickered back to life at the snap of my fingers. Sebastian stood in the center of the room, patting off his hands with a bit of a pout on his face.
"My, my," he sighed, glancing about the room slightly, "you really possess no talents. Save for being captured, sir. Do you not think you are too careless because you trust we shall come when you call?" he asked, walking towards the stairs leading up to the stage. Rolling my eyes, I strolled over along with him, merely jumping up onto the stage.
"So long as I carry the covenant, you will come for me whether I call you or not," Ciel glowered back, slight venom seeping into his voice as he was practically bristling from the butler's comment. Sebastian stared blankly at him for a moment before a smirk spread along his face, leaning forward and gripping the bars holding the boy captive.
"Of course…" he answered simply, wrenching the bars apart.
The "covenant" is a "mark" a devil imprints upon the one who enters into its agreement—its prey—so as not to lose sight of it. The more obvious the location of this "mark", the greater the power of the covenant. However…nevermore shall there be any hope of escape from the devil's grasp.
"I shall accompany you wherever you may go…until the very end," the butler said, kneeling before the "lady" and placing a hand over his heart in respect, "though this body may perish, I shall never leave your side. I shall escort you to the farthest reaches of Hell. I do not speak falsely, as humans do," he explained further, flicking out his finger to sever the ropes around his hands and ankles.
"…That's just as well," Ciel huffed, crossing his arm as he glared at his servant, "don't you ever lie to me. Not ever!" he ordered, his eyes narrowing before his gaze flickered to me, "that goes double for you, Cassandra." Sebastian and I both grinned before bowing before the boy.
"Yes, my lord," we echoed, smirks on our faces. I stood straight after, glancing about the room and grinning further when seeing the swell appearing on the Viscount's face, a sense of accomplishment washing through me.
"Well," I started, patting my hands together, "we have already contacted the Yard, so they will be arriving at any moment."
"Then let's not dawdle," Ciel huffed, resting a hand on his hip, "the chaps at the Yard will be none too pleased to find us here."
"Yes, especially with that appearance of yours…'my lady'," Sebastian smirked, covering his mouth a bit as he tried to hold back his laughter. The blue haired boy gasped, suddenly remembering what exactly he was wearing.
"A-anyway..!" Ciel coughed, his brows furrowing in slight annoyance, "with this, the case of Jack the Ripper is closed!" he declared, glancing over at the Viscount, "but it was over all too soon…" he mumbled. Sebastian smiled, knowingly, and I couldn't help grinning along with him; I knew it wasn't over and that I was still missing a few pieces, but Sebastian was apparently thinking the same. We would most likely discuss it later. Shouts suddenly sounded, and were steadily drawing near, making Ciel whip his head around with slight fear on his face.
"In any case, it would appear that the Yard has arrived," I grumbled, glancing around the room again as Sebastian pulled Ciel close and hefted him up into the air, "about time we made our exit."
"Agreed," Sebastian echoed, both of us vanishing from the room seconds before the Yard burst into it, finding all of the blacked out black market members.
I let out a weary sigh as I flopped onto my temporary bed, arms spread along the length of the mattress with my feet still planted onto the floor.
"Just how long do you think he won't even notice," I grumbled out, my eyes staring up at the ceiling with a slight scowl on my face. Sebastian merely chuckled as he pulled off the tie around his neck, tossing the white cloth aside. His coat was already gone, lying across the back of the chair on the far side of the room, and when the tie was gone he moved down to unbutton his vest. I was still wearing the dress he had put me in for our little performance of distraction, and was making no motions to remove it anytime soon.
"I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually," Sebastian mused, tossing the suit vest aside and moving to unbutton his shirt. I let out a groan, rolling onto my stomach and hiding my face in the covers.
"I'm appalled he hasn't found out about the truth of the matter yet…" I growled. My eyes widened briefly before I propped myself on my elbows to see Sebastian holding one of my ankles, undoing the laces of my shoe and pulling it off with ease. A small frown tugged on my face as I watched him, even if I was blushing along with it.
"He is still only a child. It may take some time for him to understand," the demon male chuckled, repeating the actions on my other shoe and pulling that off as well, "now…as to your stunt earlier…" he growled, looking up at my face with a small glint of mischief in his eyes. I flinched, attempting to yank my ankle out of his grip and failing miserably, as he didn't even loosen his hold, and instead swiftly moved up over me, his hand gliding from my ankle to the edge of my gown and pushing it all the way to my hip. My heart was hammering against my chest as I watched him with weary eyes, a shiver running down my spine at the light caress. I shivered again as I locked gazes with him, his eyes fiercely possessive and lustful, though held a small amount of anger in them. What I had done during out performance had definitely made Sebastian jealous, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't affected by the power in his gaze.
His lips pressed roughly against mine as he gripped my hip, my eyes squeezing shut as I was pressed into the mattress. His frame was already cradled between my thighs, and his hand moved from my hip to glide along my thigh and up to my knee, hitching my leg around his waist. I could feel his arousal pressing against me already, even through out clothes, and for some reason that had me squirming with me own desire. I knew he was possessive, but only now was it starting to affect me; and I was enjoying it.
I had to break the kiss moments later to take in gulps of air, one of my hands slapping over my mouth to hold back moans at the feel of his teeth on my neck and jaw, more so at his claws on my spine. It was like his hands were everywhere at once, and it was growing harder to resist his advances; but the fact that there were still other people in the house was still entirely relevant. Finally managing to push him off, I let out a shaky sigh, trying to calm my nerves before we did anything that would draw attention. I flinched back as a deep growl vibrated through his chest, letting out a yelp after as he grabbed my hands and pinned them over my head.
"How long is it going to take until you realize that you belong solely to me?" Sebastian growled out, gaze fixed onto my face. I was completely frozen. He wasn't lying; I had made a deal to be his mate…and we mated for life. Biting my lip, I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my head away from his. His hold suddenly loosened as he inhaled sharply, and I felt him draw away before finally opening my eyes. I hadn't even realized I had started crying…
Pushing myself up, I refused to even look at the male, slapping his hand away when he made a grab for me, and he flinched back further as I gave him the coldest glare I could muster.
"Goodnight, Sebastian. I will retire elsewhere for the evening…" I said softly, turning away from him as I stood up from the bed and walked towards the door. I didn't even look back as he called for me, making another grab just as the door closed. I paused outside the door, standing stock still for a moment before moving a hand up to clench my heart. I was the one who rejected him; so why did it hurt so much…? Sighing, I walked away from the door and down the hall, taking residence in one of the other rooms. I didn't bother changing out of my dress as I curled onto the bed. It was no different than the one Sebastian and I shared, yet it felt so much colder. It was useless to deny it, I was his, but it felt useless to go back to him now, especially with how I left things. Wiping my eyes to remove any lasting tears, I curled onto my side and attempted sleep.
"Jack the Ripper appears once more! The victim is Annie Chapman. A prostitute is sacrificed again!"
That was the headliner on the following morning's newspaper. Clearly the young master was in shock, what with his reaction of slamming his hands onto the table and jumping up from his seat.
"How could this be?! The Viscount didn't go anywhere last night!" The child shouted, a cold glare focused upon the paper set on the hardwood surface. I stood in silence at one end of the room, a solemn expression upon my features. I had gained next to nothing concerning sleep the previous night, and I was still feeling dreadful about my behavior towards Sebastian. The male stood at the opposite end of the room, expression unreadable. I could barely bring myself to look at him, fearing of how he would react.
"If it becomes seemingly impossible for our lone suspect to have committed the murder," Lau continued, his usual smirk on his face and his eyes still remaining closed, "then it does beg the question of a possible copycat…no, or even of there having been multiple culprits from the very start."
"In other words, we were off the mark in suspecting the Viscount?" Madam Red questioned, her attentions directed at her nephew.
"We're back to square one…" Ciel sighed, once more pushing himself up from his desk and turning his gaze towards his butler, "I'll narrow down the suspects again. Sebastian, the list," he continued, the male placing a hand over his heart and answering properly. The rest of the grouping evacuated the room shortly after to let Ciel do his job properly, myself included; my brain was a flustered mess. I knew I wouldn't be of much help in that sort of situation. Hell, I was so focused on my own thoughts I barely caught myself from tripping over my own two feet as the other red haired female pulled me aside. I could barely even muster out a proper protest before she started speaking.
"Trouble in paradise, Cassie?" the woman asked. My eyes went wide in shock, and I could only open and close my mouth like a fish out of water as I tried to find a suitable response, clamping my mouth shut again as the human female laughed at my actions.
"Oh please. He may not think anyone else is noticing, but I've seen the way that butler looks at you," she snickered, starting to walk slowly down the hall and towards the room she was staying in, "you two may have only been in my nephew's life for two years, but I know a couple when I see one. So, tell me why you're avoiding him?" she pressed, her gaze shifting back to my face. I could only stare at her, completely speechless before my solemn expression returned, and I let out a weary sigh, bowing my head and looking away from her.
"Sebastian is…well, my husband, of sorts…" I started, still grappling for words, "I've flaunted before men before, but he's the only one I've ever actually been with. Half the time I'm not even sure what to do when I'm with him…" I admitted, one of my hands moving to start fiddling with my hair, "I'm not even sure of how I feel about him, yet when I argued with him last night I felt like I was suffocating…" I sighed, my hand moving to my chest again and clenching my hand around the material of my dress over my heart, the organ beginning to hurt again at the memory of what I had done. I heard An sigh before she placed a hand on my back, the gesture meant to comfort, but I still couldn't help but tense slightly.
"I would talk with him the next time you're alone. It's not healthy to let the issue sit forever," she explained, though it sounded more like a mother scolding a child. I knew she was right, but I just couldn't bring up the gumption to do it, no matter how hard I tried. I had no idea what I would even say, never mind do.
"Anyway," she continued, her hand dropping from my back to cross her arms stubbornly over her chest, "it sounds to me like you're in love with him. You just have yet to realize it," she snorted, her expression becoming a bit deadpanned. A blush spread across my face like wildfire across my face at the words, and I was starting to look like a fish out of water again. My mouth closed after a moment, brow scrunching together. Maybe she was right? Was I…really in love with him? Shaking off such notions, I let out another weary sigh and paused in my walking, bowing y head in apology as I took my leave to do a proper job for my role. I was still lost in my thoughts as I went about the home, taking care of anything that needed to be done, and yet I was still left with too much time on my hands. It was barely time to prepare tea, but the last thing I wanted to do was be alone with my own thoughts. I might as well start on the preparations at the very least. It would hopefully give me something to do to distract myself.
Letting out a sigh, I pushed open the kitchen doors only to be met with the sounds of loud crashing. Eyes widening in shock, I whipped my head around to find Grelle sitting on the ground and rubbing his head in pain, glasses sitting crooked on his face and the tea pot and tray, as well as the now destroyed cups, in a mess on the floor. I could only stare, completely dumbfounded before letting out an annoyed sigh and walking over to the failure of a butler, coming to a stop two feet in front of him and crossing my arms over my chest.
"Pray tell, just what were you trying to attempt?" I asked, a brow rising as I glared down at the man. He only blinked up at me in answer, mimicking my earlier fish out of water actions. Groaning, I reached down and pulled him up to his feet, brushing him off, and ignoring his interjections of how that was unnecessary.
"Unless you enjoy getting scolded by the Madam, I suggest you start— good lord what the hell are you staring at?!" I started, only to be interrupted in my train of thought as I caught the male staring at me. He let out a gasp as he realized he was caught, and he began to grow flustered again as he scrambled for an explanation.
"D-d-do forgive m-me, b-but…your hair…is quite lovely…" he answered, and odd look entering his gaze as his eyes drifted back to my hair. For some reason that sent a bit of a warning signal in my head, and took a slight step back from him.
"…Alright…anyway…just don't make anymore messes," I sighed, the man snapping back to attention again before clambering to clean up the mess. I turned to leave the kitchen afterwards, coming to a halt when I saw Sebastian in the doorway. His eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed…and he looked away. That one action felt like a dagger in my heart, and I had to swallow back the building lump in my throat before turning away from him and exiting the room, quickly making my way back to Ciel.
The boy glanced up as I entered, looking back down at the list after seeing who it was, and I quickly made my way over to the boy's side, at the ready should he need something, and we remained in an almost painful silence until he set down the paper with a sigh and turned his gaze towards me.
"You seem different today. I have yet to hear any snide remarks towards my servant," he mused idly, his expression deadpanned as he looked back over to his work, "if there's a bit of a spat going on between you two I suggest you handle it. I will not tolerate my servants to be distracted from their jobs," he continued, his eyes narrowing on me for a moment. I could only stare at him before smiling softly and bowing my head in answer. He may have only been a child, but he was more of an adult than anyone else here. I was impressed he had even noticed my change in attitude. Walking over to him, I picked up one of the other pages, flipping through them and feeling a frown tug onto my features.
"We both went through this list and visited each individually. We can only assume someone was at least lying about something…" I mumbled, my eyes flickering from one name to the next.
"But then there's the issue of those who really had an alibi," Ciel sighed, setting down his own papers with a bit of annoyance. He knew something was very off about it, but he needed to find the answer on his own. We both glanced up at the knock at the door, my shoulders tensing for a moment when I recognized who it was before the door even opened, and I quickly turned my back to it before I could meet Sebastian's gaze. He was still furious with me; I didn't have to look at him to know it.
"Today's tea is a simple Earl Grey with milk," the butler announced as he poured a cup for the Earl, placing the drink on the desk, both of us refraining from making eye contact. Sighing softly, I turned my gaze out the window, a small frown pulling on my face as I saw the storm clouds begin to roll in. This may be a long evening…
The storm was well under way, even in the late hours, the thunder clapping continuously through the sky. Ciel, Sebastian, and myself, still continued to work on the list of suspects, once more attempting to narrow down the list to find the real Jack the Ripper, and end the Queen's woes. The young master had already been dressed for bed, but he still had much work to do, and we remained in his office to help him.
"The population of London is 4.5 million alone," the boy huffed, lightly smacking the papers in his grip in his exhaustion, "and that swells further during the season. By simply relaxing the conditions, the number of suspects increases," he sighed. His weariness was becoming evident. We needed to solve this before another murder occurred…
"Still at it, are you?" a voice called, all of us turning our attention towards the door to see Madam Red holding up a chess board and dressed in a robe and nightclothes, her own butler standing behind her.
"Madam Red…" the boy answered softly, watching her for a moment.
"All work and no play makes Ciel a dull boy!" she chirped, patting the case in her hands as she beamed at her nephew, "what say you take a break for a round of this?"
"The chess set, eh…? That takes me back," Ciel mused, his attention turning back to the papers in his grip.
"Doesn't it just?" An chirped, still beaming at the boy, "I got it out of the storeroom because Ciel was coming," she went one, walking over the table and setting the set onto the hard surface, "now, break time, break time!" she chirped, pushing all of the papers resting on the table right onto the floor, making Ciel gasp in shock, and for me to dread having to reorganize all our work, "Grelle, see to the tea!" she ordered after, the male mumbling out a response before doing as she asked. Ciel let out an annoyed huff as he relaxed back in his seat, propping his head up by his hand as he waited. Letting out my own huff, I stooped down and picked up the fallen papers, shifting through them and once more setting them in the right order. Grelle returned moments later, holding a tray with a teapot and two cups resting on the metal.
"As it is evening…I have prepared an herbal tea of rosehips," he explained as he poured the tea, setting the cups in front of Madam Red and Ciel. Both took only one sip before an odd look entered their features, though An was the first to openly object about the flavor.
"BLEEEEECH!" she exclaimed, the drink splashing in her cup as she turned on her butler, "How can herbal tea be salty?! And you call yourself a butler!" she shouted, now shaking her fist in threat.
"Salt…?" Ciel mumbled, staring down at his drink in question. Sebastian gave an odd look, as though remembering something, and I couldn't help a small snicker escape. Old man Tanaka had given salty lemonade to Ciel when they had that martial arts bet, and the boy had made Sebastian drink it; in one gulp.
"Eeeeyes'm!" the male exclaimed in answer, tears once more brimming in his eyes, "even so I am still a butler, for suuure! Pardon meee!" he cried as he dashed from the room. Madam Red sat back down in her seat with a huff, her expression turning exhausted. Sebastian returned to his work afterwards, and I stood close by, reviewing what he had written down and handed to me to see if anything needed changes, or if he had forgotten something entirely.
"Really…!" An sighed, her gaze turning towards the two of us as she held her head up with her hand, "by contrast, your butler and maid are really rather competent, or should I say hard working, or…?" she mused, her gaze flitting back to the young Earl as he began to set up the pieces.
"Not particularly? Certainly not to that extent," he answered, all his attention focused on the game.
"If they're that able, you may as well even leave the investigation on the Viscount's residence and all the rest to them," the woman mused, waving her hand slightly before making her first move. Ciel's gaze turned serious, picking up his knight and making his retort.
"Cassandra is only bound to my orders through Sebastian. He is my 'might', she my 'hands and feet'. They are nothing but my 'chessmen'," he started, moving his knight to retrieve her pawn, "and only I, the 'horseman', can move the 'horse'. If I were to defeat my opponent with an 'automaton of a chessman', the achievement could not be considered 'my own'."
"Hrm…he's taken it…" the woman mumbled, her gaze scrutinizing the board as she tried to find her next move.
"I always give the orders," Ciel continued, a small smirk spreading to his face, "and without them, they have been disciplined to move not so much as a muscle. However," he paused, once more picking up his knight piece, "you might say the sole difference between those two and this 'knight', is…that they are pieces that can move to any square in one fell swoop. Like this," he concluded, reaching over and using the chess piece to knock over An's king, making her gasp in shock.
"Really!" she grumbled, picking the piece back up and placing it back in its proper place, "but that's against the rules!"
"Indeed," Ciel started, a smirk stretching to his features again, "that is, if we are playing a 'game' of 'chess'. But this world is no chess game," he continued on, his expression growing serious again as he once more picked up his knight and held it in front of his face, "where one cannot win if not playing by the rules. Without fail, players will break the rules…and chessmen will betray the players. And if I'm to play games with their like on equal footing," he explained, gaze drifting back to the chessboard, "On this chessboard of Great Britain that we call our home, letting one's guard down immediately amounts to…" he paused, his knight moving once more and making a harsh clack as he finally made a proper move, "checkmate."
"…Surely there must've been…another way for you to live, one that didn't involve you becoming the Underworld's Watchdog…" the female answered, her expression looking a bit…pained, "I'm certain my elder sister—your mother—would've wished for it too," she continued, her hand rising to grip the sleeve of her robe as she glanced away from her nephew, "despite that, here you are…have you returned, after all, to the Underworld…because you wish to avenge my murdered sister and her husband?" She finally asked, making Ciel freeze entirely. A heavy silence hung about the room, even with the thunder continuing to roll through the sky and the heavy rain sliding over the home. I had been only half listening as they spoke, but that question made me pause in my work.
"Neither my sister and brother-in-law…now Lizzie and I would want that," Madam Red concluded, her hands settling onto the table as she once again looked at the boy seated across from her.
"I…have never once thought to avenge my parents or anything of the sort," Ciel started, his expression growing serious again, "were I to avenge them, the dead still would not come back to life…much less be able to enjoy the sweet taste of revenge. Calling it 'vengeance' or a 'battle for revenge' is just glossing over the truth. Such utterances amount to nothing more than the selfishness of the survivors, after all…a luxury of the living, wouldn't you say?" he paused again, eyes glancing briefly over the chess pieces. Even Sebastian had now paused in his work, and I quickly focused back onto it, attempting to properly distract myself.
"I…did not return to Phantomhive for the sake of the previous head. I returned for myself," he finally declared, gaze once more focused on his aunt, and I couldn't help but smirk at the words, "all I want is to give those who betrayed and defiled the name of Phantomhive…a taste of the humiliation…and pain…that I suffered…checkmate," he concluded, placing his piece onto a different square and declaring the game over, the win belonging to the young Earl. An let out a heavy sigh, a look of slight disappointment on her face as she slumped in her seat.
"Aw, gosh! That makes forty-six losses in a row for me," she groaned, rubbing the back of her head and ruffling out her blood red hair, "you've always been good at this kind of thing, and I've been losing to you since way back then…fu-fu!" she chuckled, a small smile spreading onto her features as she began to reminisce, "I still remember the day you were born as if it were yesterday. I'd just started out as a nurse…and I didn't know what to do during the delivery. As a newborn, you were tiny and precious…and I felt I had to protect you," she near rambled, a sad look entering her gaze as she pushed herself up from her seat, "though, in the end, I couldn't bear any children of my own…" she admitted, her smile fading as she moved closer to her nephew and rested a hand on his head, "to me, you're like my real son. And as a mother to her son, I want you to wash your hands of the Underworld," she stated, her hand smoothing over his hair. Ciel's look was its usual hardness before pushing her hand away his showing eyes closing for a moment as he did.
"I'm here now because I wished for it. I made the choice. So…" the boy retorted, his cerulean orb settling on the woman once more, "I have no regrets, and…I do not wish to depend…on anyone." He answered. The small clat of papers hitting the window sill sounded as I straightened everything out, retrieving the last of the papers from Sebastian, but flinching and nearly dropping everything when my hand merely brushed his. I really needed to get this issue solved; before it escalated anymore and caused serious problems…
"Now, if you will excuse me," the young master said, pushing himself to his feet and leaning over to peck Madam Red's cheek, "it's been fun, Madam."
"I won't lose next time…Ciel," she answered, a small smirk spreading to her face as she winked at the child. He chuckled in response as he bowed his head, moving away from the table to exit the room and retreat to his own quarters.
"Goodnight," he stated simply. Grelle appeared in the door seconds before the child could leave, and the Earl ended up having to move around him.
"I made some more tea—awah?!" The butler exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock as he watched the young master leave the room. Sighing, I once more fixed the papers, sifting through them again to make sure they were in proper order.
"…Why does he…" the madam started with a small sigh, leaning onto the table and weaving her fingers together, her chin resting on her hands, "why must that child…shoulder something so heartbreaking and painful?" she asked, mostly to herself, but I nonetheless answered.
"Out master always carries out his word," I huffed, retrieving more papers from Sebastian, "even if the path he must walk as a result is long, dark…and cold…" I said softly, finishing the work and handing the last of it to Sebastian.
"It is for those reasons that we vowed to stay and serve by his side," the male continued, his eyes closing for a moment as he spoke, the papers still held in his grasp.
"I suppose he'll keep going even if I try to stop him…" Angelina mumbled, her eyes sliding shut, "I couldn't be there for him when he was suffering most," she sighed, the comment more of a spoken passing thought than a pure statement. Staying silent, I began to turn and leave the room to tend to Ciel, until the woman in red spoke once more.
"Sebastian. Cassandra," she called, both of us turning our gaze towards her, "I know I shouldn't ask this of you two when we barely know each other…but please don't ever leave his side…" she asked, her eyes still closed, "so he doesn't stray off his path and wander alone." The woman was sounding like she could be close to tears; it didn't help that she now had her head bowed and her hands clasped tightly in front of her face. We glanced at one another briefly before a polite smile spread to the butler's face, and he bent onto one knee, his hand falling over his heart, and he bowed his head in respect.
"I can speak for Cassandra and my self when I say we shall stand by his side and protect him until the very end," the male vowed, pushing himself to his feet after and exiting the room. I followed in silence, my expression once more solemn as I was consumed once more with my inner turmoil. A quick huff left me as I reached Ciel's room, Sebastian knocking on his door and entering only upon the allowance. We found the boy curled on his side, expression holding its usual boredom as he watched us enter. I began moving about the room, picking up anything lying about and sifting through his clothes to pick out what he would wear the following day.
"…Well? How about it?" he asked, his gaze shifting to his butler. He was commenting on the list of suspects.
"Cassandra and I have both simulated the events more than we can count, and only the Viscount could have been involved in this string of murders," he answered, holding up the papers and sorting through them, once again reviewing the names. I stopped when everything was prepared for the following day, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed and merely waiting for what needed to be said.
"So we heave to alter out search conditions?" The boy asked, letting out a weary sigh as he pushed himself up into a seated position and ran a hand through his hair, "the Viscount couldn't have been involved in yesterday's killing!" he grumbled. Clearly this was nagging on his brain; he didn't have all the facts, and it was making him crazy.
"True," I answered, leaning back on my hands and crossing my legs, my foot swaying in the air slightly, "it would have been impossible for any of the persons who were at the Viscount's residence," I explained, struggling to hide the smirk trying to spread along my face. Sighing again, Ciel slumped back against his pillows, his showing eye closing as he ran his hand through his hair again, pushing the blue-grey locks from his face.
"Anyway, tomorrow we'll—" he started, his movements suddenly halting as his eyes snapped wide open, shock apparent on his features as he turned towards us, "…Sebastian…Cassandra…" he started, pushing himself up again into a more proper sitting position, "you don't mean…" he whispered, eyes still wide and unblinking. My smirk finally pulled over my face, and the looked was a perfect match the black clad butler's, his hands moving behind his back.
"I have told you many times that we do not lie," he purred, stepping closer to his master and extending his hand towards the boy's face, yet not making contact with it, "we, your 'chessmen', are your 'might', your 'hands and feet'. You alone will decide…you yourself will choose…and for that, we shall become your 'might'. You said as much 'that day'," He said, repeating the very words the boy had said to his aunt moments ago.
"We are merely a 'butler' and 'maid', and we will not cross that line," I continued, pushing myself to my feet and moving to stand beside the male, "we only faithfully execute what the master orders, and answer what the master asks of us," I explained, placing a hand over my heart and bowing my head as Sebastian once more bent to his respectful crouch.
"So it was impossible for a person who was there?" Ciel asked, sending a glare cold enough to kill at both of us.
"Yes. Exactly," I answered, my grin spreading wider.
"Now I see…you bastards…" the boy hissed out, his jaw clenching. Appeared he was finally beginning to put all the pieces together. Sebastian chuckled softly as he stood up, tossing the papers in his hands and letting the fragments flutter through the air about the room.
"By your order, we, your 'chessmen', shall become your 'sword'," he started, once more standing up straight, "now then…let us move into check…master."
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