PP12: Final chappie guys! Now I might answer to some reviews...
To IggyLikesToExplode: REALLY sorry for torturing you with cliffhangers, but I think you'll be glad to hear this chapter won't have any (well duh, it's the last chapter obviously)
To Kangal Lover: Thanks for the virtual hug! (hugs you back)
To Paxloria: Well think about it, since the forest was kinda haunted it might have affected the twig to curl faster...I dunno. I just needed something to slow Ciel down.
AND THAT WILL DO FOR NOW! Now I give you the very last chapter of Drunken Butler!
Lying on the forest floor was no longer the fear-provoking demon with skin the shade of black and pointed heels. Instead Ciel saw his butler, the version who served him for two years. The earl looked up and gazed at the aura that slowly dimmed and disappeared into nothing. When he noticed Sebastian wasn't moving, he immediately ran to his side calling his name.
"Sebastian!"
He approached the quiet butler who didn't respond when Ciel nudged his shoulder. Sebastian had his eyes closed and his porcelain skin felt cold.
"Sebastian?" Ciel whispered, nudging harder. Panic rose within him and Ciel started to shake his arm, screaming at him. "Wake up!" he pleaded.
Not even at that order did Sebastian awake and remained still.
No...no! He can't be….
Desperately Ciel yanked the eye-patch from his right eye. He didn't realise it, but the revealed contract seal shone a powerful glow even when he didn't give out his order. Sebastian had to wake up, he just had to. As much as the rock hard Ciel Phantomhive wouldn't confess it, he was nowhere without his demon butler.
"Sebastian, I command you…." Ciel ordered hearing his voice tremble as he did, "Awake."
There was silence.
Suddenly fingers began to twitch. A pair of crimson eyes fluttered open and a groan escaped his lips. The first thing, or person, Sebastian saw was Ciel, looking down on him with a mixed expression of worry and relief.
"M…Master….?" Sebastian mumbled.
Ciel felt as if a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders. It was over, all finally over.
"What happened?" Sebastian muttered as he hauled himself up and rubbed his head, "And why are we here?"
"I'll explain later," Ciel sighed, "Just take me home."
"My Lord….you look shaken. Is something troubling you?" Sebastian asked, picking up the boy and cradling him in his arms. Ciel burrowed for warmth which surprised Sebastian.
"I told you, we'll talk about it later," he said closing his eyes.
Sebastian smirked and held him tightly as he bounded for the treetops. He jumped from branch to branch in a matter of seconds until in one graceful leap they were standing before the manor underneath the starry evening sky. Sebastian set Ciel down, letting his feet touch the grass before kneeling and looking worryingly at him.
"Is there something you would like to tell me?" Sebastian inquired.
Should I tell him? Ciel wondered, and after thinking about it he nodded his head, sighing. He needs to know what I've put up with….
Sebastian listened as Ciel went over the things that happened throughout the week. He began with the time he ordered him to drink the tequila, which Sebastian implied he remembered, and talked about the moments he acted like a drunken nuisance, sometimes in front of the three stooges. Ciel mentioned the moment in the study which made Sebastian's eyes widen in shock.
"Have I really done that, Master?" he asked.
"There's more," Ciel said honestly.
Finally he described the terrifying near-death experience in the forest, how Sebastian transformed into his demon form and almost killed his master. As he did, a tear formed in his eye and he turned his head away attempting to hide it, but Sebastian already noticed and frowned.
"My Lord," he spoke softly, "Have I ruined your impression of me?"
Ciel stopped and shook his head, still looking away from him. "It doesn't matter now," he responded. Sebastian forcefully but gently lifted his chin so he could see his eyes. They were both leaking tears and for once Ciel didn't move away when Sebastian wiped them and said soothingly,
"It does matter, and you know that. I put you through so much unhappiness and even worse I tried to kill you. I, your own butler, committed all that, and it was highly unacceptable of me. You should have no shame in being upset about this."
Suddenly something really surprising happened. Ciel felt the arms of his butler constrict around him and pulling him to his chest. Ciel went stiff for a moment.
"S-Sebastian?"
The butler held tighter. "But please understand that I would never do that," Sebastian reassured as he rubbed the younger's back gently, "Because you are my master and I could never forgive myself if I were to witness a strong person with such a strong soul shatter because of me."
More tears seeped from Ciel's eyes, but they were more from joy than misery. His butler was back to protect him, not the drunken lunatic who slurred all the time, or the hung-over pain in the ass who showed his inner angry demon. His true butler was the one holding him like he was comforting a child, and that was all Ciel needed and wanted with his heart. He rested his head on Sebastian's shoulder letting his tears soak on the fabric. His breath became ragged and soon it was obvious Ciel was sobbing. Sebastian rocked him softly and Ciel's sobbing subsided to a couple of tears.
"I am terribly sorry for the suffering I caused you," Sebastian whispered whilst patting Ciel's back to ease the crying. "It's alright now, I'm here. I'll always be here, I promise."
Ciel pulled away from him and wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks. "Don't be," he sniffled, "It was me who put myself in this mess."
"So I suppose it would be fair if I said I told you so?" Sebastian teased with a smirk before receiving a firm push from Ciel.
"Shut up," the earl threw back. A smile curled on the butler's lips and he led Ciel towards the estate.
"I shall run a bath for you, my Lord, and after that I'll prepare the finest Earl Grey immediately," Sebastian said walking up the stone steps, "Now let's get you inside before you catch a cold."
"MASTER!" the three stooges cried when Sebastian opened the door. Almost instantly Ciel was tackled by Mey-Rin and Finny causing him to fall to the ground. Bard remained where he stood but a beaming smile still spread to his cheeks. Tanaka looked happy as well with a delighted 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' escaping his mouth.
"Get off me!" Ciel demanded.
Jeez, I might as well call them Elizabeth!
"We're sorry sir," Finny said standing up and lowering his head in shame.
"But we were just worried sick, yes we were!" Mey-Rin exclaimed.
"Worried?" Ciel questioned. The servants nodded in unison and he looked up at Sebastian who gave him a petite smirk.
"Perhaps they felt a bit lost without your company, sir," Sebastian smiled.
"Hmph," Ciel remarked as he headed for the staircase before turning around to glance at the servants. "Don't be ridiculous, it's not like it was the end of the world or anything."
At this Sebastian smirked wider and followed his master while the servants gathered together and eyed the butler suspiciously.
"He's been really weird over the week, hasn't he?" Bard said.
"Yeah, but I wonder, was he really actually sick?" Finny pondered scratching his chin.
"Shh!" Mey-Rin shushed putting her index finger against her lips, "We're not supposed to talk about Sebastian that way, no we're not!"
"Well one thing is certain," Tanaka's voice spoke when he reformed to his real self, "That whatever condition it was, there's no disagreeing that the young master now seems happier than ever."
"How can you tell Tanaka?" Finny asked.
"He's old, Finny, he knows a lot. And if the young master's happy, then we're happy too!" Bard declared happily throwing his arms in the air. Mey-Rin and Finny smiled in agreement and cheered with him. Tanaka gazed at the boy and butler slowly walking up the stairs, smiled, and in a puff of smoke changed back into his signature version.
Meanwhile Ciel walked down the hallway with Sebastian shadowing behind him. He almost felt he didn't want to look at another corridor after losing his butler so many times, but he removed the thought realising he didn't have to worry about it anymore. He stopped and faced Sebastian.
"I have an order for you, Sebastian, a very simple one," Ciel said.
"Yes?" Sebastian replied.
"Never, under any circumstances, drink alcohol ever again. Am I clear?"
Sebastian grinned and went on his knee, bowing respectively before the boy.
"Indeed, my young Lord," he said.
Ciel turned away and continued heading down the corridor until he approached the door to the bathroom. "Good," he responded, and as he entered the bathroom, Sebastian gave his fingers a click and on timing a muffled smash sounded from downstairs.
"What was that?" Ciel asked.
The butler smirked. "Nothing to be concerned about, sir," he answered before walking in the bathroom and shutting the door.
Out of Ciel's notice however, downstairs within the storage room, every bottle of alcohol along the rows of shelves have been shattered to pieces, unable to be used for a long time.
PP12: The End~! A thousand thank yous to everyone who reviewed this story and who favorited and followed as well :) I really enjoyed writing Drunken Butler and I'm glad to hear people liked it, and I'm planning to write more fanfictions. Honestly I didn't think I would actually finish this, but hey, what do you know?
PP12 out! SEE YA PEEPS! XD