Don't tell Sebastian…

Aug. 24th; the day before Elizabeth's birthday

Time had finally ran out for the young Earl and his decision making. Word came that Lady Elizabeth's sickness was letting up and that she would be by tomorrow. He was nervous and he couldn't come up with anything. He wanted everything to be special for his young betrothed for her special day. Perhaps a picnic, something that simple includes the two of them. She may like that the most. He can surprise her with her gift at the end of their day, and send her on her way home. But what if that isn't enough? The sun shined high in the sky as the Earl completed the day's paperwork. His butler had been downstairs preparing the afternoon tea and dinner selections and hadn't been up near him to make sure everything was alright. "I'm tired of calling on that demon for advice and action," Ciel thought. He twirled the end of the pencil in his mouth, thinking hard and long on what to do. "I am the Earl of Phantomhive. I am too old to be asking for help from a butler all time. Especially for something as delicate as a birthday."

So instead, he called on the other four servants to help him with decision making. They were less intelligent, helpful and at times, utterly useless compared to his demon companion, yet they were human and he wouldn't feel half as ridiculous asking them. "Lady Elizabeth's birthday is tomorrow?" Finny asked, as he and the other three Phantomhive servants stood in front of the young master, "That's wonderful." "Yes, I suppose so," Ciel spoke, leaning back in his chair, "Yet, I have no idea what to do for her birthday. She is sure to come here tomorrow and though I've gotten her a gift, we must do something for her and show her this day is important." They stood there, puzzled, wondering how they would be of any assistance. Personally, they expected him to demand them to be on their best behavior, though that was Sebastian's line of command. "That's why I need the help of you three," Ciel said, looking at them, "I need you to brainstorm and think of something we could do here for Lady Elizabeth. I would like each of you to at least have one idea by the end of the day." They were shocked. The young master, asking them for help in planning this joyous occasion? They were extremely honored. "Why, young master…" MeyRin blurted out. "We would love to help!" Baldroy added, as the rest agreed. "Good," Ciel commented, "Oh and…don't tell Sebastian." "Why not, young master?" His visible eye enflames. The four of them shake with fear that they'll be put into the tea. "I don't need a reason." Their teeth chatter, and try to hold each other, while also using each other as a shield. "Now, go!" The three rush out in an instant, with Tanaka's "ho ho ho" following them all the way out.

They circled themselves outside in the garden, surrounded by the trees so that Sebastian wouldn't see what they had been doing. "I'm so excited!" MeyRin exclaimed, "We never get personal request from the young master." "Yea…" Finny agreed. "And that's why, we shall do our best to help him please Lady Elizabeth!" The three yelled in unison, and then, there was silence. They sat rubbing their invisible chin hairs, hoping that something would come to mind. They did not want to disappoint him. "Anyone got an idea?" Baldroy asked. "No," the other two exhaled, feeling defeated before they even began. "The problem is we don't even know what the Lady likes." They remained sitting there thinking. As the time passed, they began to get weird feelings. "Have you ever felt like…." "You're being watched?" Baldroy interrupted. "That's because you are…" The three slowly turned to see Sebastian standing behind the four of them. His eyes screamed anger and frustration. "What are you three doing out here?" he asked. "We were doing something for…" Before Finny could finish, Baldroy and Mey Rin covered his mouth. "We were just talking about our feelings about…puppies..." Mey Rin fibbed. Sebastian stuck his face as close to them as he could get while standing. "Why are you sitting here talking about those repulsive creatures when you should be doing what I asked of you?" They had once again forgotten the daily chores. "You three should be cleaning the kitchen, polishing the silverware and bathing the horses!" They could see themselves being set on fire in his mind. "W-We're sorry, Sebastian. We're get right to it," Baldroy commented as the four of them headed back into the manor, still holding Finny's mouth shut, only leaving behind a dusty trail.

The four of them arrived in the kitchen. "Tanaka, you stay by the door and remain look out if Sebastian is coming," Baldroy insisted as they sat Finny in the chair and he agreed. "That was close," Finny commented as the other two looked at him. "Are you crazy or something?!" Mey Rin asked, "The young master told us to keep it a secret from Sebastian." Finny smiled a convicting smile and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh yea," he giggled, "I'm sorry." They began cleaning and polishing, while all thinking of the task they were given. "What about a puppy?" Mey Rin suggested. "He said he already got her a gift," Baldroy commented while putting the polished silverware away. Finny sat there, thinking of things the young master could do. "Well, if we hosted a party for Lady Elizabeth, we could dress up all cute for her and make her happy…" His two other companions stopped in their tracks and turned to Finny. "What did you say?" Mey Rin asked, getting closer. "You know, a party," Finny rephrased, "When Lady Elizabeth is here, everything is decorated the way she likes it. If we decorate the manor and ourselves without her help and bake a cake, she should be most pleased." Baldroy jumped from his seat. "That's it!" "We can host a party for the Milady!" Mey Rin exclaimed, with her excitement reaching its peak. She jumped and with her landing, all the plates came down and crashed to the ground. "Oh no, not again…" Tanaka got up from his seat and waved his arms as fast as he could, trying his best to signal them. The three of them, not paying attention to him, hurried to the floor to assist Mey Rin in the clean-up. "Sebastian is going to have my head, yes he will." "He won't if he doesn't come," Baldroy spoke, "We just gotta clean up this mess, finish our chores and hurry to tell the young master." "Tell him what?" The three turned around to see Tanaka with his hands up and Sebastian standing behind him. "Uh…we…uh…" "Why must you cause so much trouble throughout the day?" he spoke, entering the kitchen, "I shall get the spare plates from the cellar. The three of you, please go and attend to the horses. You've done enough here." The three hurried to the stable with Tanaka quickly following behind.

As Sebastian headed to the cellar, he wondered what those three had been hiding. Out in the garden, and again in the kitchen…something was going on and it was more than broken saucers. While heading down the steps of the cellar, he had also wondered why the young master hadn't called for him. He was able to get all his duties done without a single interruption. "It is odd in a way…" the butler thought to himself, "As much as I enjoy getting the daily chores done without trouble, I always seem to get beckoned at least once." For a moment, he missed having his named called. He longed to be needed, to have him demand something from him, no matter how ridiculous. The dreams he had at night, when able to sleep, did not stop. He longed for the warm touch of the master, knowing it would never come. He leaned his back against the cabinet in the cellar that held the plates and ran his fingers through his hair. The warmth in his waist spread throughout his body as he felt the sweat cover his hand. "I can't help myself," he spoke aloud, as he stuck his hand in his pocket. "Ciel…why won't you embrace me?" His heart longed for this body heat to be matched by another. To have his name whispered in his ear; to be loved once again. He shook off this desire and attended to his recently added business. "He will never look at me in that way," he thought as he continued back up the stairs with the plates. "I am nothing but a butler…a demon at that…"

"A party?" Ciel said, while his four servants stood in front him with smiles on their faces. "Yes, sir," Baldroy spoke, "It's perfect. It's her favorite." "Personally, I was trying to avoid having a party here at the manor," Ciel said, rubbing his temples. The three of their smiles slowly disappeared. They felt defeated; the only assignment that was actually important to the young lord that they were given, they had failed. The Earl exhaled and looked up at them. "Alright then," he spoke as they looked at his face. He rang the bell to the kitchen and in a few moments, Sebastian walked into the study. "You rang, my lord?" he spoke, puzzled on why the other four were there. "Sebastian, get the manor prepared and decorated," he stated, "We're having a party." The servants' faces lit up, with them cheering and dancing with accomplishment. They had made him happy and enjoyed this feeling. "Shall I bake a cake?" "Yes," he said, "And make the manor 'cute'. Make it seem as if Lady Elizabeth lives here herself." Sebastian bowed, speaking, "Yes, my lord" and backing out of the door. The thought that she would be coming here hadn't worried him; it isn't as if she hadn't come here before or as if she hadn't been around before his time. He simply loved the sound of his name being called by his master again. "Sebastian…" It echoed through his mind as he imagined holding him in his arms, and having his name whispered in his ear. He wondered how it would feel to touch him the way Elizabeth touched him. As he continued to the kitchen to finish the dinner preparations, he smiled. His one true desire sat in front him, reaching out its hand which he had yet to grab. The warmth returned in his hips, sailing downward as he bit his lip. "Sebastian…" "Not yet," he spoke, "I mustn't delay his dinner. I must hold on a little while longer."