"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Finny cried out in pain, breaking Bo's train of thought. The poor boy had just been struck by a dart by Ciel and he wasn't taking it well. "What was that for, Master?" he demanded. "What did I do?"
"Nothing," Ciel answered calmly. He took a sip of his tea without looking at the older boy. "I don't need to justify my actions."
Bo rolled her eyes. She had been at the Phantomhive manor for less than a year, and yet that answer had become predictable whenever the young lord did something unusually cruel to one of the servants. He wasn't doing it to be particularly cruel, she knew; he was just bored.
After Ciel and Sebastian had saved her from Mr. Brown almost a year ago, Bo had been working for the Earl Phantomhive as one of his servants. Unlike the others, however, he had developed something akin to fondness for Bo, which meant she was usually by his side. Bo also had the unique skill of pacifying the others due to their similar backgrounds, which Ciel was also grateful for as it brought him some peace and quiet.
"Now, now, Finny," the black-haired woman said soothingly as she went over to the young blond boy. Bo looked at the back of his head, which had already healed. Bo didn't know much about the other servants' pasts, but she knew that Finny had had a hard life and he was different from the others, so she wasn't all that surprised. "Look, you're all fine now. I'll see to it that Sebastian gives you a piece of the dessert tonight if you like, all right?"
Finny looked up at her, his blue eyes wide and teary. "Really, Miss Isabo?" She nodded and he wrapped his arms around the woman in a tight hug.
Bo laughed and returned the hug. "Finny," she choked slightly. "Too tight." He released her quickly and stammered out an apology. "It's alright," she laughed. "Anyway, I told you to call me Bo."
Finny nodded, but before he could reply, the door burst open to reveal the head butler, Sebastian. "There you are!" he exclaimed, glaring at the other three servants. "Have you finished weeding the courtyard, Finny? Mey-Rin, have you washed all the bedding? Baldroy, shouldn't you be preparing for tonight's dinner?" The servants began to stammer out explanations, but Sebastian ignored them. "Tanaka... well, I suppose you're alright as you are," he said. Bo scoffed. Nothing new there. She half suspected that Sebastian had a sort of respect for the old head butler, but of course Bo would never voice her suspicions. "Now all of you, we have no time for thumb-twiddling this morning. So get to work!" Bo hid her smirk as the other raced out the door. "Simply hopeless," said Sebastian, shaking his head.
"Perhaps you should try some positive reinforcement?" Bo offered, turning to hand Ciel the dart he had thrown at Finny.
Sebastian glanced at her in amusement. "Perhaps I shall consider it, Miss Stuart." Bo fought the urge to glare at him. Sebastian Michaelis had taken an inexplicable interest in her ever since the day she'd joined the Phantomhive household. He seemed amused by everything Bo did, and it irritated her to no end.
"If you two are done," Ciel said, interrupting the stare down that had begun between Sebastian and Bo. "I will be in the study." The young boy stood and Bo nodded, moving to follow him.
The day passed boringly. Ciel worked, then they played a few games together. Bo thought he enjoyed playing with her best when Sebastian wasn't around, because he always seemed more relaxed away from the butler. In fact, she realized, he seemed more relaxed away from other people in general. Bo couldn't say that she didn't agree. Eventually, however, Ciel decided to call Sebastian for a snack. Bo smirked; she could just picture the annoyance on the butler's face at being interrupted on such a busy day.
If Sebastian was upset at being called, he didn't show it when he entered the room. Without looking up, Ciel gave the order, "I'm a bit hungry. I'd like something sweet to eat."
"You shouldn't eat now, Master," Sebastian argued lightly. "You don't want to spoil your appetite for dinner with your guest this evening." Bo glared at him from her place behind Ciel. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed as she studied the butler.
Ciel looked up at Sebastian, his annoyance obvious in his blue eye. "I don't care about that," he said. "Make me a parfait."
Sebastian refused to change his mind. "I'm sorry, sir." Bo raised an eyebrow. Not that she didn't agree with his reasoning, but Bo always found it particularly annoying when Sebastian disobeyed. Perhaps Bo was spoiling the boy; perhaps that was fine with her.
"Fine then," Ciel scoffed and stood, turning to face the window. He shot Bo a small glance and she nodded imperceptibly in return. I really do spoil him, Bo thought as she made her way out of the study, ignoring Sebastian as she went. The young lord's next words, however, made her stop once she reached the doorway. "About the portrait in the hallway."
"Yes?" prompted Sebastian.
"Take it down." Bo held in a gasp. "I am Ciel Phantomhive, son of Vincent, and I am the head of the house now." She turned to look at the young boy, who had his back turned to them. "Consider it done, my lord," Sebastian said after a moment. Bo looked at him. Is he... smiling? Bo could predict the actions and thoughts of almost every member of the Phantomhive household, including the young master himself. She had grown to understand them and consider each of them her own family. And yet, there was still one person whose thoughts always eluded Bo, whose next move was as unpredictable and volatile as the ocean. His bright red eyes seemed to hold some unknowable secret, some hidden thought Bo could never hope to grasp at. To be certain, Sebastian Michaelis was an enigma Bo could not solve, and that too – as with everything else involving the head butler – irritated her to no end.
However, Bo knew better than to call Sebastian out in front of the young master. So, instead she kept her mouth shut and made her way down to the kitchen as quickly as possible before Sebastian realized what she was doing. Bo dug through the ice box for the cake that she knew Sebastian kept stored at all times. He usually kept it for moments when Ciel had a sweet tooth, which was almost always, but Bo was usually able to sneak a slice or two without the butler noticing.
Bo cut a piece of cake and placed it on a small plate. After a moment of consideration, she cut a second, smaller piece for Finny, whom Bo had promised a slice to. Just as she finished putting away the rest of the dessert and placing spoons on the plates, an all-too familiar voice from behind Bo made her jump.
"Now what do you think you're doing?" asked Sebastian. Bo looked up at the butler, who was watching her with an amused expression.
", uh," Bo stammered, wracking her brain for an excuse. "I was just getting some cake for Finny. I promised him some this morning after the master hit him with that dart. It was the only way I could calm him down." It wasn't a total lie; Bo had promised Finny a slice, she just hadn't planned on giving it to him until later.
Sebastian's smirk widened. "Oh really?" he said. "Then who's the second slice for?"
Bollocks. "Pardon?" Bo asked, stalling for time.
The butler's expression darkened almost instantly. He scowled at Bo and stalked forward, taking another step with each word. "Who. Is. The. Second. Slice. For." He stopped right in front of Bo so that his chest was nearly touching hers.
Bo looked up at his bright red eyes. Don't let him get to you. "I wasn't aware it was a crime to have some for myself," she answered evenly. "If you have a problem with that, I suggest you take it up with the young lord. I'm sure he'd love to hear all about why Finny won't stop crying because you refused to let him have a simple slice of cake."
For a moment, he was silent. Bo remained stock still as his bright red eyes bored into her green ones. She half-expected him to call her bluff, but luckily that didn't happen. "Very well," acquiesced Sebastian as he stepped away from her. Bo released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She nodded and picked up both plates to carry them out of the kitchen, but Sebastian grabbed Bo's arm as she passed him, effectively holding her back. Bo tried to pull away, but he held on tightly and leaned in closer so that his lips were inches from her ear. "For your sake, Miss Stuart," he whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "I hope that neither of those plates finds its way to the young master, or I will be very upset with you."
Bo inhaled sharply but remained still. "If you think for one second that I am even remotely afraid of you, Mr. Michaelis," she began, my voice even. Bo looked up at him, her jade eyes blazing fiercely as they met his cool crimson ones once more. "You are very wrong." She watched with satisfaction as his eyes widened with surprise. Taking advantage of his vulnerability, Bo wrenched her arm out of his grip, careful not to disturb the plate it held, and strode out of the kitchen angrily.
She passed Finny on the way back to Ciel's study and handed him a slice of cake. Ignoring his questions about her stormy expression, Bo picked up her skirts and practically ran to the study. When she arrived, Ciel was sitting at his desk once more. He looked up at Bo questioningly, surprised by her breathlessness.
"Your butler is an arse," she said simply. Normally, she would hold her tongue in front of the young master, but Bo was in no mood to be polite or delicate – Sebastian Michaelis had made certain of that. Ciel chuckled – a strange thing for the usually stoic boy – and merely returned to his work. Placing the plate in front of him, Bo continued. "You should eat quickly. I've no doubt the others will keep him busy for quite a while, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Ciel nodded and proceeded to take a bite out of his cake. Bo knew that, despite her warning, the boy would take his time enjoying the dessert, which would be fine as long as the others acted predictably. Bo sighed and excused herself before making her way out of the study. Her last showdown with Sebastian had left Bo inexplicably drained and she wanted to rest a bit before the guest arrived.
Unfortunately, Bo didn't get the chance. Almost immediately after her head had landed on her pillow, someone knocked impatiently at the door. Bo groaned, knowing exactly who it was. "Coming!" Bo called as she stood reluctantly. As Bo pulled the door open, she allowed some of her annoyance to show. "Yes, Sebastian?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at the head butler in irritation.
His expression was even darker than before andBo felt her heart skip a beat. "Staff meeting. Now," he barked. Bo didn't get achance to respond, because Sebastian grabbed her by the wrist and promptlybegan dragging her down the long narrow hallway. In that moment, Bo could havesworn she'd seen his eyes glow bright red.