82. Bathroom
For those next few days, Ciel stays in bed like when a child sulks, refusing food and water left outside the door and the polite knocks that follow. He only obeys one bodily craving, the need of going to the bathroom. That is what the chamber pot was for, after all.
If only for a moment, he just wants to act like a normal mourning boy, and forget about his new resolve of revenge.
Finally, the polite raps stop. His new butler barges his way in on the fifth day, empty handed and immediately covers his sensitive nose with a handkerchief when the smell of stale air and excretion hits him.
"Honestly," he sighs, noise faint but enough to rouse Ciel from his inanimate gaze upwards from the four poster. Sebastian flicks the cotton handkerchief back into his sleeve as he is addressed, brows delicately pulling inwards as he takes in the room and his master.
"I didn't say you could come in," the child grates out, voice surprising strong for being bedridden and silent for so long.
". . my humble apologies, young Master," hand on his chest, Sebastian curtly bows until his black hair sweeps out from being tucked behind his ears. "But I fear it's time for you to get on with your duties again. The amount of paper work that's been stacking up is atrocious."
There is no concern for his health, or state of mind-tch, was he expecting it- Ciel closes his eyes, willing the butler to leave him in peace.
No sooner has he snubbed him, he makes his presence known again. Ciel starts when he feels the strangely human normal breath on his face as Sebastian bears down on him. He isn't sure what to find, maybe the breath being overly hot, perhaps smelling like sulphur and brimstone like works of fiction state Hell to smell like.
"Get up."
"The valet ordering the master?" Ciel opens both eyes angrily, pentagram glowing an angry white, faces a flinch away, both silently discovering the do's and don't's of the contract as they tiptoe around their second meeting. Ciel isn't particularly frightened of knowing a demon inhabits the human shell above him. It is actually quite fascinating.
"I simply have your best interests at heart, young Master. Please get up," Sebastian corrects himself, bobbing his head and Ciel is just as surprised to find his night black hair is equally boring smelling. Ciel then realises how childish his assumptions have been.
"Do it yourself," Ciel simpers cheekily, turning his face away and resting his cheek against the silken pillows, slate grey strains curling around his face. He misses the annoyed look fluttering over his butlers face, eyes not quite brown, but not quite red either, narrowing.
His face seems to ask is that an order, Sire?
Clearly the demon has never dealt with delinquent ten year old boys before.
Quick as a viper, Sebastian whips down the covers, trapped body heat almost physically sighing in relief as it is granted escape. Ciel only gets as far as muttering an annoyed exclamation before Sebastian hoists him up under the arms and hefts him smoothly out of the bed. "Really now. Look at the state you're in," Sebastian clucks his tongue, sounding genuinely frustrated as Ciel glares poison from under his oily, ruffled up hair. ". . I think it's high time you had a bath, young master."
"What?" Ciel growls, getting no further again as Sebastian sweeps one arm under his knees and holds him bridal style. Every movement the Phantomhive butler executes is nothing short of graceful and full of purpose- and when he moves it's almost as if he glides with the poise of some exotic feline.
Before the order of put me down right now can get passed those chapped lips, Sebastian marches them both quickly into the en suite, Ciel noticing the bath tub is full and realising Sebastian must have planned this to happen.
Briefly his bare feet touch the cold tiles and he is released out of Sebastian's arms. The butler kneels before him, gloved fingers touching the buttons on his night gown in the act of unpopping them. "H-hey!" Ciel's hands clamp down on the intrusive fingers, cheeks heating up at making the comparison of his mother-a sudden twinge of pain at this- having to bathe him as a child- he isn't a child.
"I believe the young Master's orders were quite clear," Sebastian raises a patronising eyebrow. Ciel has no answer for that. Craftily, the demon's lips curve up into a wicked smile, leaning his face in close until his hair grazes over Ciel's cheekbones. Gently, he pulls his hands from the Earl's slack grip, brushing his thumb once over the top pearl button before slipping it free. "You're like a doll, that needs to be dressed and looked after," he murmurs into his charge's ear, undoing the second, third and fourth button. "And shown a great amount of attention too. Until you can stand back on your own two feet and realise your purpose once again, let me do this," Sebastian continues, words sweet as wind chimes as he pushes the loosened material over Ciel's thin shoulders and lets it fall to the ground.
Ciel is swept back up, and now lowered slowly into the uncomfortably hot water. As Sebastian scopes up the liquid in a flat basin and showers it over his reddening skin and damp hair, it feels like the demon as performing an unholy baptism over his body.