WISDOM TOOTH
…
Chapter 3: Black Tea and Brown Bread
…
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji, nor do I own any of the characters.
…
…
At first glance, it was an ordinary morning for Earl Phantomhive. The sprawling townhouse was infused with bright sunlight, heralding the start of a glorious day (not so glorious for Ciel, but he doesn't know that yet). The dutiful butler Sebastian silently opened the pale curtains, flooding the master's bedroom with refreshing warmth, before pushing a well-laden food cart towards the grumbling boy.
The demon flashed a bright smile towards the sullen youth, choosing to overlook the master's not-so-sunny disposition. "Good morning, young master. I trust you had a wonderful rest."
Ciel glowered at the overly-cheerful butler and fumed silently. Cunning bastard. He knew I couldn't sleep a wink because of nightmares! That monster of a dentist, it's all his fault!
Ah yes, how could he forget? That psychopath of a doctor who insisted on testing his limited patience and raising his blood pressure by forcing him to adhere to a tiny list of 'healthy' food items, most of which Ciel did not consider to be food at all. He could barely tolerate carrot and spinach as part of curry or some fancy dish; there was no way he would nibble raw carrot like a rabbit. He was by no means a peasant, after all, so he was frankly offended by the frugality of his proposed diet.
The deranged medic would definitely pay. Ciel Phantomhive was a man of his word (figuratively speaking, since from his looks one would have a hard time believing he was even an adolescent); he had sworn to ruin the dentist, and he would achieve that goal, no matter what it took. Ciel was obsessed with revenge, going so far as to form a contract with a demon to avenge his parents; he knew and understood payback better than anyone. But destroying the dentist's life would have to wait. There were more pressing matters to deal with.
Besides, he needed some time to satisfactorily plan out the doctor's torture. Even the most excruciatingly painful humiliation would not suffice to compensate for the torture Ciel was to undergo on the doctor's behalf.
…
Ciel was recalled from his dark and increasingly violent thoughts by Sebastian's cultured voice.
"Today's tea is Earl Grey, accompanied by bread slices." Pouring the liquid carefully into a delicate cup, Sebastian continued, "As the young master was too exhausted to return to the manor yesterday, we are forced to recuperate in the townhouse, at least until his body becomes strong enough to handle light travel."
"…"
The boy did not acknowledge the jibe; his only response was an apathetic hand extending to accept the fragile china. Ciel was not in the best of moods, and it showed clearly.
Undaunted, Sebastian continued, "This means that, in the absence of your usual tutors, I shall endeavor to broaden your knowledge and understanding of language and politics, as well as medieval history. Theology and music shall have to wait until we return to the manor; I am sadly unequipped to deal with the former, and my teaching policy regarding the latter has proven far too strenuous for the young master…"
"…"
The butler paused to observe the silent boy; it was rare for the proud and impudent Earl to pass over so many thinly-veiled insults without comment. The brat may hold his tongue in the face of one or two sly words, but to maintain his peace despite repeated blows to his ladylike physique and non-existent stamina was quite unusual.
The 'brat' in question was glaring at his teacup with a disapproving frown. Hesitantly, he took a tiny cautious sip before spitting out the sappy mixture in pure disgust.
"Ugh, what is this? It tastes disgusting! This is definitely not earl grey." The child's expression grew stormy, and he bit out, "In fact, I highly doubt if it is tea at all; the flavor and constitution hint at nothing more than murky water."
The butler smirked, as if he possessed some secret knowledge his master did not. "On the contrary, young master. This is the finest earl grey tea procured from the reputed Twinings shop in London. It is the same tea that has always been served to you, the only difference being that I refrained from adding any sugar to the blend."
Ciel scoffed. "Tea without sugar? How ridiculous. How is one supposed to enjoy the fine tea if you forgo one of the basic ingredients?"
The butler shook his head, bowing low to hide his grin. Oh, how he enjoyed riling his master up.
"With due respect, young master, sugar is not a compulsory ingredient in the mixture, it is only an additive to enhance the taste. Sugar is completely unnecessary in the preparation of tea, and in most cases, it is actually a detriment to the health of the drinker. The therapeutic effects of black tea are loudly extolled by those proficient on the subject. I'm sure you are aware that excess of glucose can lead to diabetics."
The boy looked ready to wring the demon's neck, though the black-clad hell-spawn was not likely to die from the assault. Controlling his temper with much difficulty, Ciel replied, his voice acidic, "I am not diabetic in the least, so kindly refrain from regurgitating your medical knowledge on that matter; nor do I have an interest in the nutritious properties of black tea, so do not attempt to serve me any, lest I throw the hot liquid at your face."
Fueled by anger, the boy continued in a louder voice, "As I have emphasized repeatedly, I am perfectly healthy, and I resent such major changes to the basic elements of my sustenance. Tea is a staple beverage, which I often consume more than twice a day; I refuse to accept this pathetic excuse for earl grey. You are making things difficult needlessly."
The butler sighed, and looked appropriately remorseful, all the while trying to hide his chuckles. "I apologize, young master… but I cannot do that. This is a necessary evil which must be endured so that your toothache subsides and your frail body gains some degree of immunity."
Ciel grimaced, but restrained himself in time. Arguing over the dentist's dietary regimen would lead them nowhere. Necessary evil, huh? It's difficult to decide whether the diet or Sebastian is the necessary evil. It was worthless to protest the matter as Sebastian showed no signs of letting up.
That being said, it wasn't like Ciel to meekly accept his gross mistreatment. For the sake of a squabble rather than a serious attempt at an altercation, he complained, "I find it hard to believe that only the sugar was changed. This …concoction you have prepared tastes nothing like the earl grey I am familiar with."
"That is because previously I had always enriched the young master's tea with liberal amounts of sugar, often going so far as to add maple syrup, caramel, or sweetener whenever appropriate, in order to enhance the flavor. It is no surprise that, in absence of such supplements, your tea must taste quite bland." The look the demon gave could only be described as sympathetic, yet Ciel could sense the glee behind his sparkling smile.
"Che."
Forgoing the insipid brew masquerading as tea, Ciel diverted his attention to the other item of his morning meal. It was not the normal variety of bread, he could tell clearly. The slices were darker than usual, and lacked the sweet aroma of freshly-baked loaves; and they were plain rectangles, not dainty curved shapes like the buns and scones he was accustomed to. Yet the snack seemed innocent enough. Ciel had heard of brown bread; he presumed this new serving was something of that nature.
However, the dismal excuse for tea had heightened Ciel's caution, and he spent many moments observing the wheatish slice from all angles. Opening his mouth, he gently bit the very edge of the bread.
His eyes widened, and he nearly choked. "Bleh. This tastes like sawdust!"
"Sawdust, young master? How rude. I'll have you know that rusk is highly recommended for strengthening teeth. Also, I am quite sure the young master has never actually tasted sawdust, so your description is rather unfair."
Damn this bastard! Ciel could feel his blood boiling, and knew he was moments from a temper tantrum.
"…"
It took him more than a few minutes to restrain his murderous urges, and to finally inquire, "Rusk?"
"Indeed. Regular bread lacks the fibrous content required to strengthen your teeth, so the dentist recommended replacing your daily bread with wheat rusk. It is not only more nutritious, but also served to reduce your daily sugar intake."
"I have never heard of this ….rusk. Surely this cattle-fodder is not one of the regular provisions. Does it even classify as fit for human consumption?"
"Of course it is safe for consumption, young master; though I must admit rusk is not a popular element of the typical English gentleman's high tea. It is more favored by the working classes who cannot afford soft bread."
Ciel drank in the new information, and bristled indignantly. "You honestly expect me to eat this…this pauper's food?"
Not giving the butler a chance to respond, he began to enumerate the many faults of the rusk. "It is coarse, it has no taste to speak of, it is flaky, and has littered my dress shirt with bread crumbs…"
The demon allowed the boy to blow off some steam, standing silently till the child had run out of insults. Which was quite a while. The butler stayed silent, enjoying the little drama playing out.
…
...
Ciel gathered from Sebastian's silence that the butler would not be moved on the subject. If he desisted, the butler would simply stand there till Ciel finally gave in. and that means that no work would get done.
"Fine. I shall eat it if I must. And pray, what goes with this fibrous food?"
"Pardon?" The demon tilted his head to the side as if confused, though he understood perfectly what the boy was saying.
Ciel snapped impatiently, "Well, what do you eat this cardboard with? Do I spread butter or jam on top of it? Or is it like biscuits which are dipped in tea?"
"Of course not, young master; such an accompaniment would ruin the beneficial effects of the rusk. The slices are meant to be eaten plain."
Ciel blanched, then closely inspected the Sebastian's poker face for signs of deceit. Finding none, he repeated dubiously, "…Plain?"
"Yes, young master; it is to be eaten plain."
Ciel shuddered in horror, and threw the demon a beseeching look, the likes of which Sebastian had never seen before. "Are you sure? Absolutely sure?"
Sebastian didn't say anything; his brilliant, sparkly smile was answer enough.
Ciel groaned. It was going to be a very long day.
...
...
This is kind of like a filler bit, thus explaining the shortness. The chapter was getting long, so I decided to publish the breakfast bit as a separate chapter. At this stage, I think Wisdom Tooth shall have a total of five chapters. The story will officially end with the next chapter, and then there will be a little omake.
Please read and review, and also recommend this to your friends. Even though this story has been out for nearly a month, only around 300 people have read it. Are non-yaoi stories that unpopular, or does my writing suck?
For those of you who have read this; thanks a lot, and please drop me a line if you can!