…

WISDOM TOOTH

…

Chapter 4: Piece of Cake

…

I realize I have not posted any new chapter in a while; I blame the exhausting interim assessments. Ah, untouched lessons, impending deadlines, lengthy papers with oft-confusing questions….that's studies for you.

As a reward for the patient wait, this chapter is extra-long and hopefully extra-funny! In fact it was so long that I had to split it into two chapters, ….so maybe it isn't extra-long after all….oops!

The next chapter will be quicker, I promise.

A little notice for my earnest readers: I have recently posted a SebastianxOC fanfic named 'The Devil's Apprentice', a little side project, which I intend to turn into a decent-sized romance. I realize that this sort of pairing is sadly lacking in popularity, and the first chapter isn't really up to my standards, but please do read. I welcome any SebastianxOC story recommendations, please PM me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji, nor do I own any of the characters.

…

…

Ciel reasoned that after the breakfast debacle, his day could not possibly get worse. Oh, how wrong he was.

"Ciel! Heeey Cieeeel! Where are you hiding, brat?" Prince Soma's cheery voice carried to every room in the townhouse, and pervaded the earl's sensitive ears, dampening his already rock-bottom spirits till he almost sank to the floor in exhaustion.

It did not help that he was also starving. Chocolate gives instant energy, Ciel noted distractedly. Maybe he could try that argument the next time Sebastian-

"Oi, Ciel! There you are! I was looking all over for you!" The Prince waylaid the Earl at the staircase, foiling the younger boy's attempt to sneak away to his study for a few hours of relative peace. "Hey Ciel, you want to fence with me today? I've been practicing!"

".."

No, you fool! I am dying of starvation, I cannot be bothered with any more physical exertion that absolutely necessary! Ciel was tempted to scream, but was even that proved too much exertion to bother with.

Not waiting for a reply, the dark-skinned prince proceeded to drag the unwilling youth (well, they were both youths, but Ciel was younger) to the practice hall, all the while prattling about his recent studies. "Your English language is really complicated, and your customs and etiquette are a nightmare. Soup-spoon, teaspoon, tablespoon…. in India, we simply eat with our hands."

"…"

Eating with bare hands, how uncouth, Ciel mused. Though if, at this moment, Soma demanded that Ciel eat chocolate cake barehanded, Ciel suspected that, not only would he gladly agree, but he probably would also lick his fingers clean like a starving animal.

"I have started taking piano classes as well, but I do not enjoy your English music…" Soma pouted childishly. "Nothing beats the enchanting melody of my native land!"

"…"

Not the way you play it, the Earl was tempted to point out, but tiredly desisted from starting an argument with the disagreeable (in Ciel's opinion, at least) prince.

Ciel blocked out the boisterous voice, focusing instead on escaping the Indian's vice-like grip. A silent plea to Sebastian went unheeded; the demon was too busy exchanging pleasantries with his white-haired counterpart. Ciel was pretty sure the black-clad butler noticed his begging eyes, but remained impassive, most likely to prolong his master's suffering. Well, at least he wasn't having that infuriating smirk on his face. Not yet, at least.

"I practiced fencing in order to avenge my previous defeat to you! I have improved tremendously; this time you stand no chance, midget! Why, I even beat Agni once!" Soma burst out triumphantly, and Ciel was too drained to point out that the doting butler had probably lost on purpose to boost the Prince's morale. Well, it wasn't likely that Soma would believe it anyway.

To Ciel's relief, the ever-finicky Sebastian interrupted Soma's grand proclamations with a sharp reminder of their hectic schedule. "I'm afraid the young master is very busy at the moment; your fencing match will have to wait for another time." The butler's face darkened, and he assumed a menacing air; one that sent Soma cowering behind Agni in fear.

"Another time, no problem, no problem at all!" the dark-skinned boy exclaimed shrilly, refusing to meet the demon's eyes.

Soma breathed a sigh of relief when the tension dissipated, Sebastian beaming a victorious smile and ushering the Earl to his study.

How odd, Ciel mused. It wasn't like Sebastian to come to his rescue without any order or command. The demon had willfully saved him from the clutches of the hyper-active fool, rather than throw him to the lions (Ciel had learned that there were quite a few of those beasts in India, maybe that's where Soma got his traits from?). Sitting back and watching Ciel suffer happened to be a favorite pastime of the sadistic demon, second only to feeding his beloved felines. Ciel shuddered. What kind of 'amusement' did Sebastian have planned for the day that beat even Soma's detestable antics?

…

Suddenly recalling an important question, Soma yelled out as the duo turned their backs to him. "Hey Ciel, why are you in London, anyway?"

Ciel winced. Truthfully, he had no desire to disclose to the hyper-active prince the reason for his unexpected trip to London; but he also knew that Soma was not the type to let matters rest. He would probably nag Ciel till he conceded defeat and admitted his embarrassing predicament. In fact, Ciel's reluctance would only further his insufferable curiosity.

Ciel also knew that, if the Indian was informed of his unfortunate dental circumstances, Soma would have a hearty laugh at his expense.

As if concurring with his mental train of thought, Sebastian leaned closer and whispered, "I believe it is best to come clean with your friend, lest he interrupt our schedule for the rest of the day. We might be allowed some peace if you spill the beans now…"

"…"

Ciel was tempted to point out that Soma was by no means his friend; in fact, he was nothing more than an over-imposing acquaintance (Ah, denial). However, the butler's last sentence gave him pause.

Ciel was baffled. Spill the beans? Since when did Sebastian use such colloquialisms? He pondered this uncharacteristic behavior for a moment; however, the Earl's sharp mind quickly shifted from the butler's strange statement to the words themselves.

Beans…how he would have enjoyed baked beans for breakfast, instead of that outrageous poor man's bread. Simple, but wholesome, and definitely much more satisfying. Yes, baked beans, with buttered toast, now that was a proper breakfast….with perhaps a muffin or a scone to go along with it-

"Are you listening, young master?"

"Eh?"

Startled, Ciel realized that he had completely zoned out, mind taking a tangent at the mere mention of food. He had no idea how long he had been day-dreaming, but judging from the curious faces of Soma and Agni, they had been trying to awaken him for quite a while.

"Is something wrong, young master? It appears you haven't been paying any attention. We were getting quite worried about you."

Glaring at the demon's infuriating smirk, Ciel realized, It was his plan all along! The bastard! Sebastian had purposefully used those distracting words to rub salt into Ciel's wounds, and he had succeeded magnificently. Not only was Ciel even hungrier than before, but he had also made a fool of himself in front of Soma and Agni.

"Tch, I am fine. No need to get worked up over nothing." Ciel shook the matter off with a disparaging shake of his head. He had already been humiliated enough.

…

…

Ciel's inconsequential protests over his meager breakfast had unfortunately upset the Earl's packed schedule, meaning that he had to be extra-productive during his learning hours to make up for the delay. However, this was easier said than done.

The extra workload was made more unbearable by Sebastian's unwillingness to drop the subject. As a butler, Sebastian couldn't simply scold or punish the master for neglecting his studies, so the demon opted for sly comments instead.

"Since the young master was in no mood to study after running away from the doctor with his tail between his legs-"

Ciel huffed, "I did not run; I made a dignified exit on a pointless discussion. Besides, the man was a lunatic."

Sebastian shook his head in mock-disapproval. "The dentist is a very well-reputed man in the medical profession. His thesis and research papers on the subject are highly acclaimed, so people tend to tolerate his …idiosyncrasies."

"Hmmph. If I had my way, I would revoke his license and burn down his clinic. Crazy people like that should not be relied on to treat the unwell."

"Or indeed to treat petulant children who refuse to accept what is good for them; and also have the power to bring pain to those who defy them." Sebastian murmured. Indeed, Ciel could bring the eccentric dentist down if he wanted to; one simple order and Sebastian would kill the teeth-worshipping medic. But that would only provide the demon with more ammunition about being unable to control his temper.

"No" Ciel refused, albeit a little wistfully.

…

…

The Math lesson was a Disaster.

"Now that you have understood the concept, please attempt question ten next."

Ciel looked up from the textbook with a start. "You expect me to solve such a difficult problem? This question is clearly of a more advanced level compared to the ones Ms. Bright (the tutor) gives me."

"I am aware, young master….however I feel that you are capable of dealing with this level of problem." The demon gave a cajoling smile, trying to encourage the uncooperative Earl. "Come, young master, don't claim it impossible without giving it a try, …..or do you have no faith in your talents?"

"Hmmph. If you make it a challenge, there's no way I can say no, is there?" A dry chuckle, and Ciel set himself unto the question determinedly.

Seeing the Earl attacking the question with quiet enthusiasm, Sebastian decided it was the best time to disrupt his concentration. "I have monitored the progress of the young master's studies, and I can say with certainty that this problem will prove to be a piece of cake for you."

The fountain-pen broke in half, sending ink splaying across the desk, ruining Ciel's hard work of the past three hours. Angry couldn't even begin to describe the Earl's emotions at the moment. He was quite willing to forego his revenge and order this heartless, cruel, vile, demon monster to kill himself as painfully as possible.

How dare the evil hell-spawn mention the sacred food at such an inopportune moment! He was doing so well with that question, and now his efforts were for naught. Growling in anger, Ciel threw the heavy textbook at the grinning demon, but his strength and aim failed him, and the hardbound volume came to an anti-climatic and sorry end at the butler's feet.

Sebastian merely chuckled at the childish out-burst, and asked, "I think the young master has had enough of studies for one day, have you not?"

A frustrated hiss was his only reply.

…

….

However, the end of the teaching did not signal the end of Ciel's misery; indeed it was only the beginning.

Sebastian continued to torment the Earl by arbitrarily deciding that they would handle regular Funtom business matters next, meaning that most of the discussions pertained to toys and, of course, sweets. The reports from the chocolate factory were a sweet poison.

"The new flavor of chocolate…"

Ciel groaned and rested his head on his polished desk, trying to block out the demon's smooth and cultured voice. I can't take much more of this, he realized. His stomach was already making the most humiliating of noises, and his mind was hazy and clouded by hunger.

"The taste was improved by increasing the milk content to 25% and decreasing the cocoa…"

Milk and cocoa….makes chocolate milk. An invigorating drink which could be consumed at any time. It would restore his energy after the grueling lessons and torturous business discussions. Ciel sat up, considering the matter further. It could do no harm, since it was basically just milk. In fact, it should actually be very high on the doctor's approved list; isn't milk a rich source of calcium? Yes, chocolate milk, with whipped cream on top-

"Ahem. Young master?"

Disregarding the current topic of debate (Ciel hadn't been paying the slightest attention), the boy demanded "I want chocolate milk."

"At this time, young master?" The butler's tone was mocking, but Ciel couldn't care less.

"Yes. Immediately. Now." In case he wasn't clear enough, he waved the butler towards the door. "At once."

Ignoring the dismissal, Sebastian shook his head. "Chocolate milk is out of the question, but I could serve you plain milk if you like."

Ciel shrugged. "Fine" he agreed. Mistake.

Moments later, the butler was back with the demanded beverage, pouring it out into a delicate china cup.

Ciel took one sip of the liquid, and wrinkled his nose in disgust, tempted to spit out the foul liquid. It was a repeat of breakfast all over again!

Comprehending the boy's questioning glance, Sebastian explained, "Plain milk, with no honey."

"This is going way too far, Sebastian." There was a warning note in the Earl's voice.

The warning went unheeded, in fact, it only encouraged the demon to refine his goading techniques. "I am merely looking out for the young master's welfare."

Ciel sighed. He was doomed. Even milk had lost its appeal, since Sebastian no longer laced it with liberal amounts of honey.

…

…

The good thing about the mental agony was that it kept Ciel from brooding over the physical pain. No doubt about it, his new wisdom tooth was a gift from Hell.

Much to his dismay, Soma barged right into Ciel's study and slammed his hands on the desk. "Ciel, is it true that you have toothache?"

Ciel did not honor the prince with a response; instead, he glared accusingly at the smirking black-clad demon. "I might have mentioned it to Mister Agni while preparing your milk." Sebastian admitted slyly.

So this was his way of getting payback, huh. Well, the damage was done, and Ciel would punish Sebastian for it later.

Turning back to the concerned prince, confirmed the matter with a resigned sigh. "I grew a wisdom tooth, which is causing severe dental pain. The dentist has imposed a new diet, and I should be all right in a few days. The matter is of no consequence."

Short and to the point. Ciel waited with his eyes closed for the inevitable teasing, but nothing happened.

Opening his eyes, The Earl was startled to see tears pouring out of the Indian's eyes, creating wet splotches on Ciel's important documents.

Oh great. The brat is in an emotional mood. Ciel did not know what was worse, the prince's arrogant, unintentionally demeaning, overly-cheery exuberance; or his sudden teary, compassionate and emotional moments.

"Oh Ciel, I didn't know! I wouldn't have bothered you in the morning if I knew you were hurting!" Soma wailed, hugging the unwilling Earl forcefully, crying even harder. "Of course you cant fence if you are suffering from pain!"

Ciel was tempted to point out that it was an ache, not an injury, but the prince was difficult to interrupt when on a tirade. Responding would be too troublesome.

"In India, Clove Oil is used as herbal remedy for toothaches. It works instantaneously; Agni gave it to me once when I ate too many sweets. He's making some for you right now!"

Taken aback by the thoughtfulness, Ciel followed Soma to the kitchen and politely accepted the native cure from a sympathetic Agni. Tipping the rancid liquid into his mouth, he forced down a shiver as it burned his throat. Surprisingly, it brought instant relief to his aching gums.

Handing the glass back to an anxious Agni, Ciel nodded in approval. "It was effective. Thank you, Soma."

Ciel strode purposefully back to work, leaving a gawking Soma in his wake. The Earl suppressed a grin at the older boy's bafflement. What else could Ciel had said? He was touched.

…

Sebastian murmured his thanks to the ecstatic Indians before following his master. A temporary reprieve, he promised himself. He would resume his taunts and brain-addling once they got back to work.

At the study, Ciel paused thoughtfully at the doorway. "Sebastian, I can handle the reports myself. I want you to collect data regarding the customers' response to the new games we launched last month. I want you to visit every customer's house and request feedback on the new products."

Sebastian contemplated silently for a moment, clearly unhappy. "But young master, the information we have…"

"The current data is insufficient to form any concrete conclusions." A blatant lie, but useful nonetheless. "I want you to personally find out what the people think."

"…Every customer?"

"Yes, every customer in every corner of London, and in the suburbs beyond. Oh, and be back before lunch, we don't want to disrupt the schedule, do we?" Smirking, Ciel slammed the door shut on the butler's face.

Oh, payback is sweeter than the tastiest cake.

…

...

…

I researched food idioms for this chapter, hope my efforts paid off. Sebastian isn't nearly done, though! Poor Ciel…) that's why I gave his a small victory at the end.

The latest chapter of the manga prompted me to add in the line about milk with honey, since it appears to be his favorite.

I was reading some Naruto fics recently; guess where the 'too troublesome' bit came from?

Nearly 3000 words; wow, this chapter is long after all!