I own nothing but my OC.


That Butler, Nurturing


≤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:

"Now then." Will said as he flipped through his binder of soul collection lists. "First of all, I came here to clean up after my coworker, who botched his job. Furthermore, for a member of management, like myself, this kind of work falls outside of my purview. On top of that, cruelly forcing a public servant into harsh night duty for more than a month is just… Ugh, for crying out loud." He muttered, snapping the binder shut and tucking it under his arm so he could adjust his glasses. "However… It all comes to an end tomorrow."


"Tom, he was a piper's son," Joker sang as he dressed himself for the day in Baron Kelvin's, Father's, mansion. But there was no joy in his voice. "He learnt to play when he was young, And all the tune that he could play, Was over the hills and far away… Over the hills and a great way off, the wind shall blow my top-knot off." He stopped singing as he glanced at the photo sitting out on the night table. It was a much more recent picture of himself and Father, but the glare from the sunlight streaming in through the window was hitting it in such a way that the older man's face was blocked by the shiny reflection of light. "Over the hills and far away… eh?" Joker said, furrowing his brow.

=Flashback=

{Not long ago, during the dark, early hours between the end of night and beginning of morning…}

BANG.

The great double doors of the main hall burst open when Joker gave them a great shove. The main part of the mansion was still just as dark and gloomy as ever.

"Father." Joker called out, letting the doors slam shut behind him, as he stepped into the hall and made his way towards the stairs. "I've just now returned. Father, may I come in?" He asked, knocking on the door. He received no reply, but entered regardless. "I apologize for my late arrival." Joker said politely, excusing himself, as he joined Father in his room. "The thing is, I've had word that…"

"Ooh! Ooh… Welcome back, Joker. What a good lad you are, returning so early." Father greeted him from the other side of the room. Even though very few of the candles in this particular room had been lit, there was enough moonlight streaming in through the windows for Joker to make out that the older man was lounging on the settee with two beautiful children who had dull, half-dead eyes, still in his dressing gown. "Well? What about him?" Father prompted. "He is with you too, isn't he?"

"Nay, we've yet to…" Joker replied a bit hesitantly.

"Oh." Father said, clearly disappointed. "That makes you a bad boy." He told Joker, causing a bead of cold, nervous sweat rolled down the side of the younger man's face. Father was not a man you wanted to disappoint.

"Forgive me," Joker said, kneeling humbly before him, "but about that matter… we fear the Yard might have its eyes on us."

"Let's hear the whole story." Father said, signaling for the little girl on his lap to feed him his tea, while the young boy next to him filed his nails.

"It seems the newcomers who joined the troupe a few days ago snuck into our tents. It is possible they saw your letter, Father." Joker informed him. "If they are with the Yard, we cannot do away with them heedlessly. Doing so would amount to admitting our guilt outright. That trio did strike me as odd from the start… that page…"

SHATTER!

"A page, you say?" Father asked trembling, so startled that he accidently knocked his teacup to the floor, breaking it.

"Father?" Joker asked, confused by this sudden change in the man's behavior.

"Was it a child?" Father asked, shaking, as he struggled to stand, placing one of his hands on top of the little boy's head to brace himself. "A child and his butler!!"

"Now that you mention it… one of the other ones was a former butler…" Joker said, furrowing his brow as his eyes widened slightly. "… and the girl with them was a former maid…"

"A small maid with green eyes!? I'm sure of it! Yes! It's them!" Father exclaimed excitedly, shooting to his feet. "We've done it!! It is he! Earl Ciel Phantomhive!!" He declared, illuminated by the pale moonlight, as his face twisted into a mad grin of ecstasy beneath the many bandages covering his old and tired face. His exposed eye widened as he shivered with delight at the very thought.

"Smile, did you say!?" Joker asked, alarmed. "He did not strike me as such, but…"

"I have been dreaming of him ever since that day." Father continued on, not hearing him. "He'll be along soon. We must show him the greatest hospitality! Joker! Hurry and prepare a most sumptuous feast!"

"Please wait!!" Joker said anxiously. He knew all too well what it would mean for his friends if the Queen's Watchdog was after them. "If that is, Noah's Ark—the others, are in serious danger. I must send word right away… And—"

"Joker. You dare talk back to me?" Father demanded sternly with a crazed look in his eye that chilled Joker's blood to the bone. "From the moment you lot were born, you were forsaken by everything, yet I took you in and raised you… and gave you working arms and legs. Despite that, you still dare to talk back to your father?"

"That was not—" Joker hastily tried to apologize, terrified that he may have accidentally pushed Father too far this time.

"No, of course not. You grew up to be a very good lad." Father stated as he sat himself back down, returning to the shadows. "You want the siblings you left behind at the workhouse to grow into fine adults as well, don't you?" He asked cruelly. "My good little Joker… will listen to his father, won't he?"

"—Yes. I will, Father…" Joker replied despondently, knowing he really had no choice in the matter.

"Having such a devoted son makes me happy indeed!" Father said considerably more lightly upon receiving a more favorable reply. "Come here. It has been a while, so let's you and I take a photograph together. A photograph of the devoted son and his happy father." He said, taking Joker by the hand as he signaled for the two children to get the camera ready. "Give us a smile now!" He told the reluctant Joker, pulling him close to pose for their picture together.

=End Flashback=

"—I…" Joker said sadly, staring down at the developed photograph.

=†=†=†=†=

{Meanwhile, at Noah's Ark Circus…}

"Ye still haven't finished packin' up yet?" Wendy asked when she entered Beast's tent to find her kneeling in front of an open trunk, staring at the old photograph of everyone from back when they were still children in the workhouse.

"Ah… sorry." Beast said, putting it away. She knew she shouldn't be spacing out at time like this, but... "… Sister Wendy. Shouldn't we wait for Joker after all?" She asked, turning around to face the petite trapeze artist. "I don't like this. I'm worried about him…" He told her they could no longer turn back after everything they'd done, but she couldn't stand seeing his pained expression anymore, and now the Yard was after them…

"All'd be lost if we tarried 'ere only to be snatched by the coppers. Joker'll be fine. 'E can handle 'imself." Wendy said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don'tcha fret. You'll get to see 'im tomorrow."

—^—^—^—

"Are you going out again? —Says Emily." Snake asked Dagger curiously, wondering why he, Jumbo, and Peter had called him out.

"Sis 'n' I've got our private affairs, like. Y'know, like a date wiv Sis 'n'… a date wiv Sis 'n'—" Dagger replied dreamily, floating off into his own little fantasy world. They could practically see hearts flying around the blushing knife thrower.

"We are simply going to inspect the next town we will be calling at." Jumbo deadpanned, letting out a sigh at his friend's ridiculous behavior.

"C'mon! A bloke can dream!" Dagger retorted, rounding on him for shattering his delusions of romance.

"Which means we're outta tonight's show, but…" Peter said, taking over. "… I'll do for you if'n you make a mess of things!"

"That concerns me, but I shall do my best. —Says Emily." Snake replied, feeling somewhat reluctant to take on such a huge responsibility all of a sudden.

"Well… We'll be right back 'ere tomorrow mornin'!" Dagger reassured him, noticing his unease.

"…" Snake said as he exchanged a glance with Emily, who was perched on his shoulder. "It'll be lonely without you, so please come back quick, 'kay~? I'll be waiting for you with the bed all nice and warm~! —Says Emily." He told Dagger for her.

"Oh! There you go, Dagger! Looks like yer turn to be a hit wiv the lasses is here!" Peter teased, grinning impishly.

"Bein' a catch to snakes don't make me one bit 'appy!" Dagger cried, chagrined to discover he had such an odd and unwanted admirer. "And a cold blooded beast can't warm a bed!!!"

=†=†=†=†=

{The Phantomhive Townhouse}

"His fever seems to have gone down." Sebastian noted quietly as he checked on Ciel, not wanting to wake his young master, or Chêne and Soma, who had fallen asleep after having exhausted themselves fussing over the younger boy. Poor Chêne just couldn't seem to stay awake. Well, she had only managed to get a total of three hours of sleep before, so it was somewhat understandable that she might still need more…

"His breathing has returned to normal, and his color looks much better than it did yesterday." Chêne added, also whispering. Great-grandma Hazel's tea, works like charm every time.

"We, too, can now breathe easy." Agni whispered. The three of them smiled, satisfied with the results of their hard work.

"I have heard it said that the best medicine for human recovery is sleep…" Sebastian whispered, glancing at Chêne, who raised and eyebrow at him, knowing very well that she was his source for this helpful piece of information. "… So let us not wake them."

Sebastian helped Agni position Soma so that the Khansama could carrying the prince back to his room on his back, taking special care not to wake the slumbering prince, before leading them out of the room. Chêne made sure to carefully shut the door behind them as quietly as possible.

"Erm… Mister Sebastian." Agni said a bit nervously once they were out in the hall. "I apologize for flying into a rage and raising my voice yesterday. I could not restrain myself." He apologized a rather bashfully. He regretted yelling at his friend, even if it had been for a good cause.

"No. Your words were of great interest to me and provided me with much food for thought." Sebastian assured him. Personally, he did not think Agni had anything to apologize for.

Chêne just smiled, glad everyone was getting along. Personally, she was grateful to Agni for setting Sebastian straight for her, from one skilled butler to another. She was glad Sebastian had managed to make a friend who could be such a good influence on him.

"Oh no, I did not say anything so great as all that! Mister Sebastian is a far more perfect ≤khansama≥ than one such as I!" Agni replied humbly, smiling brightly after receiving such praise.

"But you're not nice enough."

"Eh?" Sebastian, Chêne, and Agni all said in unison, taken aback. What was that an extra voice they heard tacked on at the end?

"My prince, were you awak—" Agni asked, flinching in surprise, as tried to glance over his shoulder at the boy on his back.

"I'm asleep!!" Soma insisted nervously, flinching guiltily, as he clung tighter to Agni and kept his face buried, refusing to give up the act. "The one speaking now is Agni!!" He continued in a deeper voice, trying to imitate his faithful ≤khansama≥. "Now move your move!!" He whispered urgently in Agni's ear.

"Eeh!?" Agni exclaimed, bewildered by his prince's odd behavior, not understanding his reason for hiding.

"…" Chêne said, exchanging a glance with her husband, knowing full well why the prince was afraid to show his face. It was perfectly understandable, given what had happened the last time he spoke rudely to the demon butler... It would appear there was still some psychological scarring left there…

Agni was confused, but he did as Soma requested of him anyway.

"Compared to me, you are not nice to your master at all." Soma lip-synched.

"Not nice… you say?" Sebastian asked somewhat dubiously, raising an eyebrow. Chêne tilted her head slightly as she held her chin.

'Hmm… this prince is sharper than I gave him credit for…' She thought. Not many people actually picked up the subtle tension existing between the demon and his young master. They even seemed to enjoy antagonizing each other at times, as evidenced during the curry contest.

"Yes." Soma continued. "Ciel's still a child! He's of an age where he ought to be allowed to idle in bed all day if he has a cold and have his parents spoil him. But he doesn't have his parents to do that for him. Well, I didn't exactly have my parents around either, but…" He said a little sadly. "… Instead, I had a grandpa and Mina, who dotted on me with all their might and treated me most kindly. So…" He said, finally raising his head and peeking out from behind Agni, speaking completely in his own voice. "… You and Miss Chêne should do the same for him… dote on him and spoil him silly. Got it!? Be nice to him!!" Soma shouted as he jumped down and made a mad dash for it. "You'd better do as I say!"

"My priiiince, what a kind soul you possess!!! Hauaaah~!!" Agni cried in admiration, deeply touched.

"…" Sebastian said as he watched him go. That spoiled prince certainly had gotten braver since the last time they met, to lecture him in such a way.

"Pfft…!" Chêne laughed, unable to hold it back. It looked like Prince Soma was a pretty interesting kid, after all.

"?" Sebastian said, raising an eyebrow as he glanced curiously at her.

"Ha-ha, sorry, sorry." She told him, her smile radiating happiness. "It's nothing… I was just thinking how nice it was that you managed to make such good friends, you and Ciel both."

"Is that so…?" Sebastian asked, smiling at her with wry affection. It was amazing how even the simplest of things could make her light up like that… And to think, just hours ago, she had been crying over the loss of a family she never even knew. She hadn't forgotten, that much he knew. The threat it could also mean to her was still present and lingering in the back of her mind, as it was in his. But for the moment, she was allowing herself to be truly happy, and seeing that was enough to make the demon smile, too.

"Oh!" Chêne gasped excitedly, her eyes widening as she was suddenly overcome by the most remarkable epiphany. "I just remembered something really important my grandpa once told me!! Back when he was a kid, before they started using inhaled corticosteroids to treat asthma, they used to have to give him epinephrine shots whenever he had an attack! And then I was like, duh! I can't believe how slow I've been! Epinephrine is just adrenaline! And If I can figure out how to make an EpiPen, a kind of auto-injector—probably something spring-loaded—then we'll really be set, because we'll have something that we can carry around with us all the time in case Ciel has another attack!!" She rattled on excitedly, barely pausing to take a breath. She was speaking so fast that even Sebastian had a bit of trouble keeping up with her. "So, that being said, I'm off to see a man about a sheep! Take good care of the boys while I'm gone! Love you!" She concluded, giving her husband a quick peck on the cheek before rushing off on her quest.

"…" Sebastian and Agni said as they stared a little blankly after her.

"Mister Sebastian… What just happened?" Agni asked, still a little stunned after being caught up in Chêne's whirlwind of a monologue. And what was the significance of the sheep…?

"I believe my wife has just had a stroke of genius…" Sebastian stated calmly. "It has been known to happen from time to time." He was fairly certain he hadn't understood half of what she had just said to him, but the gist of it seemed to be that she was onto something important regarding their young master's asthma, and she would be out for awhile…