Author's note: Hey! I am so sorry that I ended up neglecting this story for so long! (That was one long asthma attack, poor Ciel.) But it's back now, and the good news is I plan on at least pushing through the next two manga arcs before I let myself take anymore breaks—Yay! I'd like to give everyone who is still reading this story and has been waiting for the continuation a big THANK YOU and a basketful of cookies! I hope I don't disappoint you, so pleas, enjoy!

I own nothing but my OC.


That Butler, Parleying 2


≤speech in Indian language≥

'thoughts'

"speech"

{setting/stage directions?}

SOUND EFFECTS

An entire sentence like this, without quotes, is narration for dreams or stuff like written letters.

=†=†=†=†= scene shift/time shift

—^—^—^— change of perspective/area of action within one specific time frame/location


Previously:

"What is it?" Sebastian asked, concerned, as he carefully lifted the weak, wheezing, and now barely conscious boy into his arms to carry him. "You hardly ever curse. Is it really that bad…?" Chêne bit her lip nervously and glanced up at her demon husband as they quickly but carefully made their way to Ciel's tent together.

"I don't know… I'm pretty sure Ciel is having an asthma attack, but… I don't know how they treat that here, in this era." She admitted hesitantly, afraid for her adopted brother's life. She clenched her fists. "But we'll think of something!" She stated determinedly. "I don't care if we have to blow our cover to do it. We're gonna save him. You hear me, Ciel? So don't even think about trying to die on us—not tonight!"


"He's got asthma." Doc informed them, glancing up from his notes, confirming Chêne's suspicions. Ciel was still unconscious, and his breaths were still a little wheezy, but the worst seemed to have passed. Doc had had them move him to the medical tent for his convenience, since that's where all of the medical equipment and medicine was kept.

Chêne let out a heavy sigh as she collapsed onto a chair. Words could not begin to describe how relieved she was that the doctor had been able to calm Ciel's attack so effectively, despite the lack of modern inhalers and medications from her world. Even in the future, asthma attacks could be very dangerous. After all, it was how her paternal grandfather had died. She had been so afraid she might have to watch another person she cared about die like that, that now all the tension had gone, she was suddenly feeling exhausted. Ciel was going to give her grey hair if he kept this up!

"Asthma… you say?" Sebastian asked, glancing at Chêne. It seemed her suspicions had been correct, but... "In the three years we have been with him, this is our first time seeing him in this state."

"If he hadn't had an attack in three years, I'd think the asthma was just about cured, but—that being said, being exposed to sudden cold or stress… or catching a cold could trigger a recurrence." Doc explained patiently.

"He's caught a cold once or twice before, but he's never had an attack like this…" Chêne said thoughtfully, still trying to figure out how she could have missed that Ciel had such a serious condition. He might not look it, but the young earl was actually quite tough. "Shouldn't we have been able to see signs of his asthma before?" she asked, furrowing her brow slightly in confusion and concern. She knew that sometimes asthma might seem to develop out of nowhere in some people, and if Ciel's asthma had been dormant for so long, then he probably only had a more mild, intermittent form, but… for all of her background knowledge and experience with knowing someone who had this condition, she had never felt so helpless before.

"I would say the buildup of many factors must've caused this." Doc told her. "First off, I hear he bathed in the open air with our resident meatheads? Of course he'd catch a cold." He huffed, furrowing his brow slightly in disapproval.

"Yeah, well—ah! He's awake!" Chêne exclaimed excitedly when Ciel gasped softly and slowly opened his eyes again, immediately moving closer to his bedside in case he needed her. "Can you hear me? Are you alright?" She asked calmly but urgently. "Can I get you anything?"

"Wonderful! You've come back to us!" Doc said brightly, smiling as he watched his patient regain consciousness. Normally he would have told Chêne to keep her distance and give the boy space, but she seemed to know what she was doing, so he decided to let her be for now.

"… Water…" Ciel gasped a little pitifully, causing Chêne to flinch slightly at his raspy voice and Sebastian to perk up and step into action.

"Here you are." The demon butler said with a ghost of a smirk as he approached his bedridden master and offered him a small, glass kettle full of warm water, to soothe his throat, so he could take a sip from the spout without having to sit up or spill any on himself. Chêne smiled softly as she replaced the cold compress on Ciel's forehead with a fresh one, relieved.

"I'm so glad you're alright." She told her adopted younger brother with genuine affection, but then her expression hardened slightly, and she frowned in disapproval as she gave him a flick to the forehead. Ciel was too weak to do anything other than scrunch up his brow and frown back at her in annoyance and confusion. "You scared the life out of me! Don't you ever do that to me again, you hear!?" She scolded the young boy sternly, crossing her arms as she huffed in irritation. He should have mentioned this years ago, back when she had asked him background questions about his health to make sure they didn't accidentally serve him something he might be allergic to! Did Ciel have a death wish or something? Chêne glanced at husband. Actually, it most likely had to do with the fact that Ciel probably just hadn't wanted the demon to know he ever had such a weakness…

"Yes, that will do, Cat. I understand how you feel, but he's still recovering right now. Smile." Doc said, getting the feverish boy's attention by addressing him directly. "Didn't you have terrible asthma when you were little? It can be fatal, so you must be careful even if you think you've recovered from it." Doc told him, furrowing his brow while Chêne and Freckles watched him with equal amounts of concern in their eyes.

The manner in which the doctor spoke to him reminded Ciel so much of Madam Red, that for a moment reality was replaced by the familiar scene of his aunt, mother, and Lizzie sitting and standing in his room back at the manor instead of Doc, Chêne, and Freckles in that tent. How nostalgic... Ciel had to stop himself from calling out to them in his feverish state. Dazedly, Ciel realized the doctor was still talking.

"You stay in bed until your fever and cough are gone! Got it!?" Doc instructed the bedridden boy before turning to the rest of the tents occupants. "Now, as for you, out! Back to your tents!" He didn't need anyone superfluous crowding around and making a fuss about the patient and taking up space in the medical tent. It was supposed to be a place for the sick and injured.

"Isn't there anything I can do to help, Doc?" Chêne asked, flashing her irresistible sad puppy/kitten eyes at the doctor. She didn't want to leave him alone in a strange place in such a vulnerable and weakened state. "My mother was a nurse, so she taught me a little of what she knew."

"Well… Oh, all right, fine!" Doc agreed, caving in at the sight. Resistance was futile. "You can stay and look after him until he falls asleep, but then you need to get to bed yourself and give him some peace, got it?"

"Don't worry, Freckles." Chêne told the girl, giving her a reassuring smile when she noticed how hesitant she was to leave. "Smile's tougher than he looks. I'm sure he'll be up and about in no time." She added, winking.

Freckles smiled and nodded, feeling a littler better after hearing her say so, but she snuck one last look at Ciel before finally heading back to their tent.

"I'll see you later." Chêne told Sebastian, standing on her tippy-toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek, before seeing him off.

=†=†=†=†=

"—What!?" Joker shouted incredulously, shocked and appalled. He, Peter, and Jumbo had just sat down to play a game of cards in his tent when Snake came in to inform them about what his snakes had seen earlier that evening. "Black 'n' Smile 'n' Cat snuck in? What for?" And they had seemed like such a nice little family… Jeez, you couldn't trust anyone these days!

"Dunno… I couldn't tell you that much. —Says Wordsworth." Snake interpreted for them calmly as the snake on his shoulder hissed.

"Say, can ye really talk wiv 'em snakes?" Peter asked somewhat dubiously, sweat-dropping.

"How dare you doubt me, you dunce!! —Says Wordsworth." Snake replied, quoting the angry Wordsworth verbatim.

"Why didn't you tell me right off, hm?" Joker asked, sweat-dropping.

"…" Snake said, fidgeting.

"Haaah… Ohh, never ye mind." Joker said eventually, sighing. Snake was a shy lad of few words, who knew what was going on in that funny little head of his. "Ye've done well. Off with ye now."

"Good niiight. —Says Wordsworth." Snake told them as he turned to leave, and the snake waved its tail at them, as if to bid them farewell.

"… Maybe they've found us out…" Joker continued more seriously once he was gone, furrowing his brow. "Darn that Doll." She was a good kid, but sometimes she could be too naïve.

"Doll's too much of a nipper yet!" Peter exclaimed, irritated. "That's why I didn't wanna take 'er wiv us. How's about we deal wiv it quick and get rid of 'em tonight?"

"Please wait." Jumbo cut in calmly before they could get too carried away.

"You're right. If those two are connected to the Yard, killing them would cause us no end of grief." Joker agreed, resigning himself. He knew what he had to do. "This calls for… a discussion with Father." He stated gravely.

"…" Jumbo and Peter said, exchanging an uneasy glance.

"… Tch!"

=†=†=†=†=

{In the Medical Tent…}

"Hack! Koff!" Ciel coughed wretchedly in his sleep, waking himself up. "Koff! …n." He groaned softly, and the cold compress on his forehead slipped as he opened his eyes. Why did his body feel so sluggish and heav…

Upon fully opening his eyes, Ciel found himself staring directly into Freckle's ridiculous sleeping face.

SNOOOORE…

"!?" Ciel gasped, turning blue with shock. "!!?" What!? What was she doing!? Why was she in bed with him!? "…" Ciel decided to roll over, put his back to her, and try to forget about the strange girl that was practically lying on top of him. It was too strange. 'No wonder I couldn't sleep well…' He thought, chagrined. He was too tired to deal with it properly and kick her out at the moment. Besides being incredibly awkward, Freckles was a lot heavier than she looked… Ciel blinked. Now he found himself staring at an even more familiar face. "…?" He said, sweat-dropping. Apparently, Chêne had somehow managed to fall asleep kneeling beside his bed while caring for him, because she was still kneeling beside his bed and currently resting her head on it beside his pillow. Well, at least she wasn't practically smothering him in his sleep like his annoying roommate/stalker… "… Come, Sebastian." He whispered, knowing the demon would answer his call no matter what, thanks to the hidden contract in his eye.

SWF.

"You called?" Sebastian asked calmly, appearing as swiftly and silently in the tent as if he had simply stepped out of the shadows. 'Oh, my…' He thought to himself, smiling wryly, when he saw the position Chêne had fallen asleep in. She did it again… She must have worn herself out worrying over the sick earl. She was going to catch a cold if she continued to sleep there, sitting on the cold ground with only that coat to keep her warm.

Ciel motioned for the demon to come closer to the bedside, so he did. But it was not so Sebastian could retrieve his petite wife. Ciel tapped the palm of one of his hands, indicating he wanted to try to communicate through touch so as not to wake his unwanted bedmate. Freckles appeared to be sound asleep, judging by the snoring, but he still didn't want to risk her overhearing them. Sebastian knelt down beside the sleeping Chêne and obediently held his hand out to the boy so he could begin spelling out words on the demon's gloved palm using his finger.

Sebastian.
I command you.
Go to the heraldry office and identify the man with that signet ring.
London has the 'College of Arms' or 'Herald's College'.
Edinburg has the 'Court of the Lord Lyon'.
I don't want to wake this one up and raise a fuss. I will leave tomorrow morning once I've stripped Freckle Face off of my person.
So come get me.

Sebastian closed his hand and waited for Ciel to turn his palm up so he could reply.

Yes… My Lord. He responded dutifully, gracefully tracing the letters into Ciel's small and feverish hand, bowing slightly, before scooping Chêne up so he could deposit her on the empty bed beside his young master's, making certain to tuck her in snugly to ensure that she would be safe and warm for the rest of the night while he carried out his errands. He smiled affectionately at her when she shivered mewled like a protesting kitten when he first laid the cold sheets over her, but she soon relaxed as they grew warmer and snuggled her head against the pillow. "… Ah, yes." Sebastian whispered as he turned back around and leaned over to smooth Ciel's blankets and adjust his pillow for him, while he was at it. "I shall not tell Lady Elizabeth that you shared a bed with another woman, so please rest easily." The demon butler teased him softly with a broad shit-eating grin.

"!!" Ciel gasped in alarm. He hadn't even thought of that! Wait a minute… An idiot hair popper out on his head. "You knew from the very beginning…!!!" Ciel whisper-yelled incredulously at the fiendish butler as he exited the tent, vein mark throbbing on his forehead. How dare that demon laugh at his expense!!

=†=†=†=†=

"Well then…" Sebastian thought aloud to himself once he was outside the medical tent. "First to London—Ha!" Sebastian gasped suddenly in alarm when a surprise attack came out of nowhere, and he had to instinctively dodge a certain gardening tool before it could skewer him.

CLANG! TMP!

The sharp clippers slammed into the dirt as Sebastian quickly back-flipped out of harms way, sliding a couple more feet away from the attacking reaper as he landed.

"And where do you think you're going?" William T. Spears demanded sternly, readjusting his glasses. For some reason, the strict reaper was still wearing his striped pajamas despite having gone to the trouble of putting on shoes and gloves and combing his hair. He must have been in quite a hurry upon realizing Sebastian had already snuck out of their tent. "I have told you not to wander around without your owner."

"Unfortunately, my master is confined to his bed, so I am running an errand in his stead." Sebastian informed him, smirking.

"I will not allow any exceptions. Return to the tent at once." Will insisted stubbornly. "I cannot have you acting independently until my judgment is complete. The most seemingly insignificant error can lead to lengthy overtime!" He shouted as he launched another swift attack.

JAB!

"!?" Will said, surprised when, instead of simply dodging as he had before, Sebastian instead chose to allow the sharp clippers to hit his right hand, so he could catch it and prevent it from getting past him.

"I beg your pardon. However, I too have my duties as a butler, and as a husband, to see to." Sebastian stated calmly as crimson blood flowed from his injured hand, dripping down the Death Scythe. His face was cast partially in shadow, and his brow was furrowed slightly with irritation. His crimson eyes glowed dangerously as he continued to speak. "I cannot allow you to disturb my wife's nor master's sleep." Sebastian was making a point. Had he dodged, it surely would have it the medical tent, which was just behind him, and he simply could not allow such a dangerous weapon anywhere near that tent while Chêne and Ciel were both resting so defensively inside of it. "And you do not really wish to make a scene here. What do you say… we make a deal?"

The reaper's brow twitched.

"If you let me free for just one hour, I shall vow never to devour a single soul in the district you supervise hereafter." The demon butler continued, his deep, velvety voice taking on a hypnotic quality, resonating in time with the steady drip, drip, drip of his dark red blood as it fell to the ground. "I am only asking for one hour. How about it?"

"I refuse!" Will rejected the tempting offer bluntly, determined not to fall for any of his tricks.

SLIP.

"You sway your prey with sweet words, all while dragging them into the darkness." The reaper stated coldly. The pruner's clippers slipped from Sebastian's hand as he finally retracted his scythe.

SWING.

"You devils are so good at it, that it's practically a cliché!" He huffed, disgruntled, as he gave the scythe a sharp swing to shake the blood off. "Good grief!"

"So, you refuse me in the end. Very well." Sebastian said, sighing, as he removed his ruined glove. There was a brief flash of fang as he licked the blood from his hand. "I shall have to think of something else, then."