Perks of a Butler

"I'll be back in a week, Elizabeth. I've left everything to George and Paula," Ciel informed quickly. "I'll bring you something back from London," he added upon seeing Elizabeth's face drop sadly.

Hugging Ciel close, Elizabeth gave him a smile. He had learned early on that she still retained the habit of not wanting to leave his side on occasion. "You don't need to get me anything," she said, "I just want you back home as soon as possible, you hear?"

"Of course," Ciel answered, just wanting to get a move on. He hated dawdling like this when he should be on the road. "Hopefully the business with father won't take too long."

Letting out a short laugh, Elizabeth pecked him on the cheek before finally releasing him. "Take care, Ciel. I'll miss you."

Giving her a wry smile, Ciel nodded. "Until then." He turned and got into the carriage, Sebastian following silently behind. Through the window, he gave a small wave back to Elizabeth before the footman snapped the reins, starting them on their long day and a half journey. When their manor was finally out of sight, he relaxed in his seat with a sigh.

"Is everything alright, my lord?" Sebastian inquired with a small smile.

Giving the man a hard glare, Ciel retorted, "I'm getting sick and tired of that question. Quit asking."

"My apologies."

Ciel recounted Elizabeth's inquiry about taking Sebastian with him on such a small trip. He had thankfully been able to come up with the excuse of having Sebastian help old Tanaka with his duties once they reached the Phantomhive estate, which was partially true. His main reason he kept to himself: Ciel was used to having Sebastian with him before any of this happened, and even though he was older here, he still felt like the fifteen year old that he really was. It only seemed natural to have Sebastian with him, and he honestly could care less about what others thought.

The moving carriage created a nice rhythm with all its small jostling and Ciel let his thoughts drift for a while. He thought about his parents and Sebastian and the three missing servants. He scared himself when he realized he was thinking that he'd be better off without the latter. Guilt badgered him for a while, and he turned his thoughts to this current reality.

He knew it wasn't real. He knew that this Sebastian wasn't real and neither were his parents or Elizabeth and their marriage. Over the past two weeks, he had come to the conclusion that this was either a really prolonged dream or Sebastian had done something terrible. Ciel wouldn't be surprised to find everything gone when they reached the Phantomhive manor and out of his reach, him awake and shaken in his room. He'd certainly be heartbroken, but at least he was preparing himself for it. If anything, he was eager to wake up from whatever this was.

Conversely, during the times that he didn't think of it that way, Ciel found himself acting as if everything were normal. He enjoyed the work and relationship he had with a more mature Elizabeth despite being a little spooked about the marriage. Sebastian had proven to still be a good partner as he learned that it was okay to bicker with him over the small things, as well as learn to read between the lines when Ciel requested something. He was cunning and sophisticated, even when they weren't acting as the Queen's watchdog.

Sebastian had also proven to be human. After one dinner with some of Elizabeth's friends, he had accidentally dropped some of the cutlery, shattering three plates and creating a mess on the carpet. Staying true to his character, though, he acted as if it weren't a big deal and made quick work of cleaning up the mess. However, Ciel was left reeling with shock through dessert at the unexpected incident that proved that Sebastian wasn't a seamless daemon.

Propping his head into his hand and hoping that it covered his flushing cheeks, Ciel turned his attention to the passing countryside. Peeking at Sebastian from the corner of his eye, he saw that his butler was doing the same.

He wasn't perfect. He was human. Humans made mistakes, and Sebastian had proved capable of making blunders, as well as being caught making one. Daemons never slipped, daemons were perfect when in disguise as humans. Sebastian couldn't run or jump long distances, he didn't clean or cook at a speed that was impossible. His eyes didn't glow with hunger when he was being devilish, nor did the room grow dark with those he grew irritated with. Sebastian was human.

His blue eyes drifted up Sebastian's sitting frame inadvertently. He was dressed in the same suit Ciel was accustomed to seeing him in, but this time he hadn't been the one to provide it, and it annoyed him. He had done as told and didn't comb his hair back anymore, letting it hang in the fashion Ciel preferred. Sebastian didn't seem to have a problem with it, and Ciel had the idea that that was how he wore it before he became a butler.

"Do you require something, my lord?" Sebastian asked suddenly, jerking Ciel out of his staring and causing him to blush as he realized what he had been doing. He smiled in a knowing way as Ciel scrambled to answer.

"No," Ciel replied, his tone a little clipped. "I was just thinking."

Sebastian smiled more. "About how much paperwork will pile up while you're gone, my lord?"

"Yes," Ciel lied, and he could see right through the butler's innocent smile. He turned his head in hopes of hiding his ever growing blush. Sebastian had caught him staring.

What was wrong with him? He had never, never done that before.

Sebastian was a pawn to him. He used him for leverage in difficult situations, and their relationship never stretched outside the boundaries of master and servant. Ciel was careful to keep the daemon under his thumb as much as possible, though sometimes something would get out of hand and he'd have to rely on Sebastian in a way that would be slightly humiliating to him. They teased one another, yes, but Ciel had never thought of it other than simple entertainment to break up a boring day.

Scowling at his reflection in the window, Ciel wondered if it was because Sebastian was human in this reality. Was grasping the fact that Sebastian could make a mistake more appealing to him rather than him being the flawless butler? Ciel recalled recruiting Bard, Maylene and Finny to set up certain scenarios in hopes of catching Sebastian slip up on various occasions. Unfortunately, those had all backfired, and Sebastian proved to be impeccable. So was that it?

Or was it simply because he was older here? 'Why should it matter if I'm older?' Ciel wondered. Even at the age of fifteen, he knew that he was going through puberty, and it had raised many questions he didn't know the answers to. Sometimes it was embarrassing, but since he was so used to Sebastian, it really hadn't been an issue when it concerned the butler.

Somehow the thought of being uncomfortable with Elizabeth on an intimate level didn't really help him. What was that supposed to show?

Getting frustrated with himself, Ciel shifted in his seat, noticing when Sebastian glanced at him. He crossed his legs and folded his arms over his chest with a huff. This ride was going to be excruciatingly long, wasn't it?

"A room for…one or two, my lord?" Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at Ciel, asking his preference in rooms.

Before he really thought about it, Ciel let the word "two" fly out of his mouth. He instantly regretted it when Sebastian's lips curved.

"A room for two, sir," Sebastian told the man over the counter. They were staying at the same inn that he and Elizabeth had spent the night at a couple weeks ago. Ciel tried to remind himself that Sebastian was human here, and therefore needed to sleep. The thought of the butler having his own room never crossed his mind as Sebastian turned to pick up their luggage.

The innkeeper led them through the whitewashed hallways and up some flights of stairs. The shiny hardwood floor gleamed under their shoes and waning afternoon sunlight lit the way. The portly man unlocked their room and left them to their own devices.

The room was similar to the last one, except there were two beds this time. The space was large enough for two people and clean. Sebastian pulled the curtains back halfway to let some light into the room while Ciel took to stripping himself of his coat and top hat.

"I'll go see about dinner, my lord," Sebastian announced once he had settled himself. Ciel gave him a curt nod and he left without another word.

It suddenly felt weird to be unlacing his own shoes, now that Sebastian was here. Shaking the feeling, Ciel shucked off his shoes without difficulty and untied his necktie. He took a seat looking out the window and waited for Sebastian to return.

Sebastian didn't take long to return with hot dinners and they ate in relative silence. The sun set and Ciel switched on the lamps before changing into his nightclothes and grabbing a book, settling on his bed to read.

Ciel found that he couldn't concentrate on the book. Sebastian had changed into his nightclothes as well and was sitting in the seat by the window, watching the moon rise. Why hadn't he ordered separate rooms, he sulked.

"It's getting late, my lord," Sebastian said suddenly, rising from his seat and closing the drapes. He sat down on his bed, and noticed Ciel watching him. "Is there anything you need?"

His eyes had caught the bit of skin exposed where Sebastian hadn't buttoned his shirt. Cursing himself, Ciel looked away sharply. "No."

"If you don't mind me asking, my lord, is something the matter? You've been very…how do I say, on edge today," Sebastian remarked boldly, gaining Ciel's attention back easily.

Ciel drew the blanket over his lap, feeling his heart accelerate when he caught the last traces of a deviant smile. He had ditched his book at the end of the bed, and wanted desperately to click off the lamp so that Sebastian wouldn't see his reddening face. What the hell was wrong with him?

"It's none of your business," Ciel snapped when he didn't mean to. He shifted his legs and held in a groan when the pressure in between them flared. Sebastian's gaze was starting to become unbearable. He accidentally let out a pent up breath with a whoosh.

"My lord?" Sebastian moved to his bed and sat on the edge. Ciel felt his skin prickle and suddenly felt uncomfortably hot. "Do you need help with anything?" he asked, and to Ciel's horror, knowingly.

Sebastian wouldn't do this; Sebastian wouldn't even think to do this! They were both under contract, Ciel was the master. A human Sebastian wouldn't dare to breech his loyalty to Ciel here; this was all a bad dream. When was he going to wake up?

Ciel's mind was muddled and he didn't realize that Sebastian had pulled back the blanket, revealing the embarrassing bulge between his legs. A normal looking hand sidled up his clothed leg leisurely, making Ciel's breath hitch.

His mind warred in confusion. As a daemon, Sebastian had never really displayed any interest in this type of thing. Even through all the times he held him, there was nothing. Sebastian was loyal to the contract and was only there to retrieve Ciel's soul when the deeds were done. That was their relationship.

Perhaps Ciel shouldn't have had acted so familiar to this Sebastian. The man had easily warmed up to him and his demands, and apparently he thought he was obligated to –

"Nngh – Seb-Sebast-ian-!"

Gripping the sheets beneath him as Sebastian leaned over his helpless body, Ciel tried to wonder why he wasn't acting negatively. Was this what Sebastian would be like if he were human, when he wasn't a contracted daemon? Was Sebastian just as low as any human when it came to such dirty and sinful things? Something dangerously close to desire spiked through Ciel at the thought and he threw back his head with a ragged moan.

Sebastian was just like the rest of them. All doubts fled his mind.

Arching with a groan as Sebastian finished him off, Ciel felt boneless as he basked in bliss. His breaths were labored and he fought to regain rational thinking. All he could think of was how good it had felt and why, but specific answers never made themselves known. Ciel could feel his eyes grow heavy and Sebastian clicked the lamps off after he pulled the blanket over his master.

"Sleep well, my lord."

Nothing seemed to have changed the next morning. Sebastian brought him breakfast and let him have his privacy to change. Ciel knew that he should've reprimanded Sebastian, but for some odd reason he couldn't bring himself to do so. However, he did order the butler to sit with the footman outside for the rest of their journey.

As the sun was just starting to set, they arrived at the Phantomhive estate, much to Ciel's relief. Tanaka met them out front and took Ciel by his elbow to lead him in while Sebastian was left to carry in their luggage. For a moment Ciel thought that Tanaka would lose his balance as he observed his aged hands and face. Consequently, his posture was still perfectly straight and his eyes were alert as he led him into the foyer where his parents stood expectantly.

His mother was the first to embrace him, and that surreal feeling enveloped Ciel once more. He hugged back nonetheless and noticed how real she still seemed. His father's handshake was firm and loving, undoubtedly real.

"How are you two?" he asked, a note of pure happiness slipping through. Nothing so far had changed about them except for the clothes they wore.

"Other than the fact that it seems like it's been ages since we've seen you, we've been fine, Ciel," his mother replied with a laugh, her eyes bright and happy. "Come, the Easter holiday didn't last as long as I would've hoped, it still seems like we haven't seen you since last summer."

Last summer? Why would he stay away from his parents that long, Ciel thought with a pang of guilt and hurt. Was he really just some son that abandoned family ties or something? No, he tried to reassure himself, perhaps he just had too much business to visit, or he did that whole holiday switching thing Elizabeth mentioned.

Ciel didn't let himself dwell much on the subject when his father motioned for Tanaka to prepare some tea. Stopping before his mother could lead him away, he said, "I've actually brought our new butler, Sebastian Michaelis, on this trip. I thought he could help Tanaka with some of the duties for the next couple days." Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw the old butler smile.

"How very thoughtful of you," his father remarked, turning his attention on the thus far silent Sebastian. "Tanaka will show you which rooms are yours and Ciel's and then you can assist him."

"Of course, Lord Phantomhive," Sebastian replied smoothly, causing Ciel to gently take his mother's arm for a distraction. "Thank you for your hospitality." He quickly followed Tanaka out.

His mother was leading the way to the sitting room. "Tanaka's such a good man. He's been with us all these years and even when your father was your age if not younger. I'm surprised he's still able to do more than half of the tasks he's responsible for at his age."

"We've been looking for someone a little younger to replace him for a while now," his father put in, sitting in one of the large plush chairs as Ciel pulled one out for his mother before taking a seat for himself. "We're actually thinking about sending him away for a vacation for a couple weeks for all the service he's done for us."

Ciel thought of the retired Tanaka he knew. He didn't do too much laborious work and seemed rather comfortable most of the time. Ciel knew that the old man enjoyed the manor's company, and had a feeling that he wouldn't want to be sent away, even if it were just a short vacation. For most of his life, Tanaka had lived for the Phantomhive family.

"I think he'd like that," Ciel said after a moment, falling into comfortable and easy conversation with his parents until dinnertime.

The large clock chimed ten o'clock and Ciel's father yawned.

"Don't tell me you're retiring this early," Ciel accused good-naturedly, not caring that it was a dramatic change of how he really acted around others.

His father gave out a short laugh, chalking the end of his cue. "Do most people go to bed at dawn nowadays?" he asked before shooting at one of the billiards.

"Even I'm not that senseless," Ciel countered, lining his shot up. "I'm just not used to having my parents calling it a day before I do." As he said this, he suddenly felt very lonely. Brushing the melancholy feeling away, he concentrated on the game at hand.

Ciel huffed as his father got a lucky shot and then proceeded to hit the eight ball in, winning the game. "Age will do that to you, Ciel. Just you wait."

"You're not that old," Ciel murmured a little sadly as he pictured his father's youth perfectly. If anything, his mother and father were just hitting forty. His father draped an arm over his shoulder, taking his cue for him.

"That's something you should say to your mother," he commented with a laugh, letting his son go to hang up the cues while Ciel nudged the other billiards back into the pockets. "I'm sure you've learned through Elizabeth how much women tend to care about their appearances!"

"Too much," Ciel remarked, trying hard not to fall into a loop of despair when his father wasn't dead, but alive and well. He smiled and opened the door for his father, and they proceeded down the hallway together.

Stretching as they walked, his father turned to other, more serious matters, but his content smile stayed in place. "Tomorrow we'll have that discussion about the company and which shares might be best to invest in. Lord Campbell has had much success in this type of business, and I invited him over to give you some other outlooks, if you don't mind."

In other words, guidance. Ciel never really had a need for such a thing, as he usually knew what was and wasn't good for his company. But here, he knew that it was different, and he gave an appreciative nod.

Suddenly something pounded on the inside of his skull and Ciel feared that it was an oncoming headache. He rubbed his temples and it went away, oddly enough.

"And I'd like to discuss some underground work with you, Ciel," his father continued, lowering his voice considerably. "I want you more involved with this type of work, even though I really don't want you to have anything to do with it." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Unfortunately it has to fall to someone; I just wish it weren't you."

"Don't worry about it, father. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it," Ciel said with a dismissive air, trying to appear ignorant of what the job really entailed. His headache started to creep back to the forefront of his head, just between his eyes. He'd have to call Sebastian to bring him some herbal tea later.

His father looked like he was going to comment, but he appeared to change his mind. Ciel could tell that this work took its toll on his father; so much that it even stressed him out to even talk about it with him. Ciel suddenly felt bad for thinking of some of his cases as mere games, as serious as they were.

Snapping his hand to his side when his father stopped in front of his bedroom, Ciel bid his father goodnight. He walked down the familiar halls to his old room, but headed toward the kitchen where he managed to flag down Sebastian, who was helping the staff with cleaning. Ciel told him to bring up some tea and with a curt bow from Sebastian, Ciel left.

He changed and sat on the edge of his bed, noticing that everything was the same. The colors of the walls, the bed sheets, even the full-view mirror. He wondered about that for a while until he heard a knock on his door. Sebastian came in and he took the offered tea, taking small sips as his headache started to subside.

"I'm surprised the Lord and Lady have kept Mr. Tanaka as long as they have," Sebastian commented.

"Mm. I've known him my whole life, he's an excellent butler," Ciel replied, handing back the half empty cup, feeling full. His headache was gone. "I'm sure you can learn a thing or two from him these next couple days," he continued, looking meaningfully at Sebastian, who merely smiled at him.

"I'm sure I could," Sebastian said. "It just doesn't help that my master acts so familiarly around me. I couldn't help myself."

Ciel could feel his face heating up again and in his defense, he nearly barked, "I already told you who you are to me. None of it included…that type of thing."

A thoughtful, almost mocking finger rested on Sebastian's lip for a moment. "Yes, you've claimed that I'm a daemon butler and that we share a contract of sorts. If anything, I should think that I'm serving under a madman, my lord."

'I might as well be a madman here,' Ciel thought exasperatedly, not wanting to drive himself into another crazy tirade, for he was sick of everyone worrying over him. "And yet, you've decided not to resign?"

"Oh no, my lord. I don't think I could find another master as interesting as you."

A/N: So here's the next chapter! Things should start moving and becoming more interesting now. Thanks for all the comments/favs/alerts, and please feel free to review!