"Alois. Alois."
nononono
Aloi's eyes shot open.
This wasn't his bed at Trancy Manor. The texture of the sheets, though soft and pleasant, felt wrong beneath his fingertips, like a familiar tune sung jarringly off-key. Much the same could be said of the wallpaper, and the voice-that-wasn't-Claude's…
"Sebastian," he mumbled, and his head flopped to the side as he stared at the demon.
How long would it take to get used to this? Did he want to get used to this?
"It is I. I trust you had a restful nap?"
"Mmmhmm," he hummed noncommittally.
Alois's nose twitched as the comforting aroma of chicken soup wafted toward his nostrils, and his stomach growled.
"Hankering after luncheon, I take it," Sebastian chuckled. Alois's only response was to pout and give a curt nod. Accepting food from Ciel's kitchen was yet another reminder that he was at someone else's beck and call-and that the hand that gave could just as swiftly take away.
He shouldn't think about that too hard.
He balled his hands into fists and pressed down on the mattress as he struggled to rise. The boy was rewarded with a faint twinge of pain, and an involuntary whimper passed his lips.
Sebastian's brow furrowed.
"Please, allow me," he insisted.
The butler placed a couple of fluffy goosefeather pillows behind Alois, reached beneath his arms, and carefully hoisted him up into a sitting position. The boy instinctively flinched, but Sebastian's hands were gentle, supporting him without causing discomfort or unease.
"There you go," the butler smiled. He hesitated for a moment, as if deliberating his next move in a game of chess, before tentatively petting Alois's hair. There was a certain stiffness to the gesture, like Sebastian was an automaton calibrated to mimic the mechanics of human behavior without capturing the warmth behind them. But beggars couldn't be choosers. You ate whatever scraps came your way when you were starving. Frankly, Alois didn't care that the affection was an obvious sham. It would feel like the real thing if he pretended hard enough. Like watching Luka bow and say "Yes, Your Highness" nearly convinced Alois he was king and not a ragged, orphaned outcast.
So he closed his eyes and leaned into the demon's touch.
Sebastian straightened, picked up the tray with soup from the trolley, and set it across Alois's lap. The butler also tucked a long napkin into his nightshirt.
"We wouldn't want your clothes to get soiled."
If he'd been back home at the Trancy estate (as much as he could call that place home), Alois might have splashed the soup on purpose, and ordered Claude to clean it up. That would have meant care and attention...but he daren't act so boldly here. What if they punished him?
And the soup smelled delicious, better than anything Claude could whip up, and his stomach ached from hunger…
He cautiously sampled a spoonful. The soup was delicious. No wonder this Sebastian fellow called himself 'one hell of a butler.'
The demon stood silent as a shadow while Alois polished off his lunch.
"I'm glad to see you have a hearty appetite. Proper nutrition will facilitate your recovery," Sebastian remarked when he was done, taking a moment to dab at Alois's mouth with the napkin. "On that subject...how are you feeling at present? Any worsening of the pain?"
Alois shook his head. "It's come back a little, but not as bad as yesterday...mainly I'm just tired," he replied.
"Only natural. Your body has quite a bit of recuperating to do."
Sebastian placed a hand on his forehead.
"You don't appear to be running a fever, nor do I smell an infection. And I'll continue to change and dress your wounds regularly."
Alois relaxed as his shoulders released tension he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Since you seem to be progressing as you ought, and as long as your condition remains stable, my young master kindly requests the honor of dining with you this evening."
"Ciel's not kind. He's the Queen's Guard Dog," Alois snorted.
Sebastian's lip quirked upward slightly.
"He's quite the vicious creature at times, I must admit, but he is a gentleman for all that. Or to put it more precisely...I have attempted to mold him into one. Obstinate pups are not always amenable to learning tricks."
Sebastian sighed wearily and shrugged, like Ciel really was a disobedient puppy instead of a Villainous Noble. Alois snickered, though another sharp ache from his side quickly stifled his laughter.
"I guess I don't have much choice, do I?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.
"That's not for me to say," Sebastian replied, but he arched his eyebrows knowingly.
Alois held back a snort.
The butler removed the dining tray and placed it back on the trolley. "Is there anything else you require of me?"
Alois nervously chewed his lip while he considered how best to answer. Asking for medicine could be risky- there were doubtless all sorts of poisons lurking in the Phantomhives' cupboard which this demon could easily slip into a tincture-but he wanted to rest. That need outweighed his fear.
"C-could I have something to help me get to sleep? Proper sleep, I mean. No dreams."
"Ah." Sebastian tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Dinner is in approximately three hours… Would you be willing to try laudanum? I'd have to give you a small amount; the young master would be displeased if I made you drowsy at suppertime. But it should be enough to achieve the desired effect."
Laudanum. Alois knew laudanum. Cl- no, Sebastian- laudanum would be nice.
"My young master usually takes his in a cup of hot chocolate or warm milk," Sebastian added kindly. "Would either option appeal to you?"
Alois nodded slowly. "Milk, please."
Sebastian bowed. "Very good."
He was back within minutes, pushing the ubiquitous tea-cart. "Do you take honey?"
Alois's eyes brightened.
"'Course I do!"
Really. What kind of dimwit would turn down sweets, even if it was only honey?
The demon poured a generous dollop into the mug, which he then handed to Alois after mixing the liquid briskly for a moment.
Alois sipped the milk cautiously. Neither too hot nor too cold-just right, like Goldilocks's porridge. If he concentrated, he could still taste the bitterness lurking beneath the milk's warmth and the pure, golden flavor of the honey. But since it was faint enough for him to ignore, he did just that, and drank every last drop.
Licking his lips for the last trace of sweetness, Alois handed back his empty teacup and snuggled down into the slowly-becoming-familiar sheets so Sebstian could tuck him in again.
"I'll wake you an hour or so before dinner to give you a bath," the demon said as Alois nestled against the cloud-soft pillow.
"O...kay…" he mumbled. The world was going fuzzy around the edges, and his mind sank into oblivion like a stone descending to the bottom of a pond.
The last thing he heard (or thought he did) from Sebastian was a quiet, "Sleep well."
Unlike most times Alois closed his eyes, no nightmares emerged from the dark recesses of his soul to torture him, and he was insensible to the world until a voice called his name.
"Alois."
"Mmm...go 'wayyyy," the boy grumbled, stubbornly burying himself deeper beneath the covers.
"Now, now, I can't do that. It's time for your bath," the voice-Sebastian-said. Alois groggily opened his eyes to see the butler standing over him.
"Really, you're acting just as petulant as my little lord when I have to get him up in the morning. Is that a common feature among human children?" Sebastian continued, raising an eyebrow.
Alois's brain was still too hazy for him to think of a quick comeback. In the meantime, Sebastian pulled back the bedsheets and, before the boy had time to realize what was happening, gathered him into his arms.
"Wh-what are you doing?!" Alois squeaked, kicking his legs.
"Taking you to get a bath, as I said. It's unadvisable for you to walk that far on your own," Sebastian replied. "And what did I tell you about not thrashing around? You're bound to reopen your wound if you wriggle like a fish."
"So long as you promise not to drop me," Alois sniffed.
The demon laughed.
"You're in capable hands, I assure you."
Although Sebastian's grip was secure, Alois latched onto his jacket front and hung on for dear life. He hated hated hated not being able to run and skip around like he was used to.
Being held was… nice, though. The boy abruptly recalled that this was the same way Sebastian toted Ciel around, and smiled. It gave him the illusion of being cared for that softened the grim reality of his situation, like honey masking the taste of laudanum.
The bathroom sparkled pristinely white, the air steamy and warm. Sebastian shrugged out of his swallowtail coat, neatly slipped the nightshirt over Alois's head, stripped away the bandages, and lowered the boy slowly into the bath.
A tiny gasp escaped Alois's lips at the sudden embrace of hot, scented water. Bubbles rose up around his body, making him giggle before he realized Sebastian watching him with a tiny smile playing across his mouth.
"I do wonder what it is with small people and bubbles. You don't mind the strawberry-scent, I hope?"
"No, 's fine." Alois cautiously poked a gleaming orb with his finger and giggled again as it popped.
Sebastian lathered up a washcloth and began scrubbing Alois gently while the boy played with the bubbles. Twice he threw a handful at the butler, giggling uncontrollably as Sebastian ducked or simply intercepted the suds with a raised hand. Finally, at the third time, Sebastian simply plopped his handful of froth onto Alois's head.
"Hey!" Alois squeaked. Sebastian merely raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly.
"Do excuse me. I merely wished to return your generous favors. Besides, I need to wash your hair now anyway. If you would close your eyes, please…"
Alois obediently shut his eyes and felt a soft deluge of warm water flow down over his head, soaking his hair. It smelled nice; like strawberries. He felt a washcloth wiping gently at his face, wicking the water away from his eyes so he could open them again.
"Does… does Ciel… also need your help before dinner?"
He did, he must, of course Ciel would need Sebastian's attention as well… but Sebastian was working the shampoo through his, Alois's, hair and it felt so good and it was all Alois could do to keep from purring like a contented cat… he closed his eyes, not wanting those deft fingers to stop, wanting the attention and care to last forever.
"My my." He could hear Sebastian's smile. "My young master is so very dog-like in his habits… but you remind me rather more of a cat. As to your question, I have left him in the study and he was engaged in paperwork when I left."
Alois felt his face grow warm at the comparison.
"Well, which's better? Cats or dogs?"
Claude had-used to have- a knack for contorting the snidest insults til they seemed like compliments to the inattentive ear; it wouldn't surprise him if this demon was the same.
Please please don't be making fun of me.
That was the one kind of attention he couldn't abide.
Sebastian's hands paused for a moment.
"Oh, I much prefer cats. They're noble, graceful creatures, fey and infinitely unpredictable. None of the bothersome yapping one must put up with from canines. But the young master's allergies preclude the possibility of my keeping any in the manor."
Alois's face relaxed into a broad grin. Imagine an ancient devil fussing over cats like a little old lady!
"I like 'em, too."
Their claws hurt something fierce if you petted them without asking, but their fur was softer than heaven.
Sebastian chuckled, and quietly resumed washing his hair. Then, Alois let out a startled yelp when the demon gently pulled at the locks on either side of his head.
"Wh-what are you-?"
The butler rose to fetch a handheld mirror and then knelt back down to show Alois his reflection.
"My young master merely became cross and shouted at me when I attempted this with his hair, but I thought you might appreciate a bit of impromptu styling..."
The boy took one look and guffawed. Sebastian had used the shampoo to make "kitty ears" out of Alois's hair! He hooked his fingers into claws and let out a dramatic, "MEOW!" before breaking into a fit of laughter.
"Y-you're too m-much...cat ears...that's brilliant!" he wheezed. Who'd have guessed that dour Ciel Phantomhive had a butler with a sense of humor?
Sebastian smiled as well, chuckling softly. "My my. You're quite the silly one, aren't you?"
"You're silly! You made me the kitty ears!"
"Why, so I did."
Then Sebastian was all business as he resumed scrubbing Alois's hair, and carefully rinsed it to avoid getting suds in his eyes. The demon was equally conscientious while bathing him, cleaning the area around his wound without causing unnecessary pain. Alois wouldn't have expected such consideration from Claude. Faustus had been cold and remote as the moon when helping Alois with his daily routine. Like an automaton. Despite the warm, steaming bath, the boy shuddered when he recalled those unnervingly flat, tawny eyes, like a caged lion's. Blank, except for an overwhelming hunger. But Sebastian acted more...well, human, even though he was anything but. Earlier, the demon had proudly mentioned his "butler's aesthetic"; maybe he was like an actor who truly wanted to become his role, at least until the curtain fell.
Hmm...if Alois's and Ciel's souls were like navy and midnight blue, as the Phantomhive butler claimed, then Claude and Sebastian were two distinct shades of black.
Alois idly played with the dwindling supply of bubbles while he pondered this matter. But then Sebastian laid a hand on his shoulder, and his head whipped up as he instinctively stiffened at the unexpected contact.
"I didn't mean to startle you. However, it's about time to dry you off and prepare for dinner. Hold onto me, and I'll help get you out...and mind the floor, of course. It's a bit slippery."
In a trice, Sebastian had wrapped Alois in a pristine, fluffy white towel, bundled him up, and carried the boy to his bedroom to get changed.