I probably will not get this up until tomorrow. I had to finish an application for college today and, though it only took about twenty minutes of my time, avoiding it took all day.
Chapter One
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Ciel glanced up at the sound of light knocking on his study door. A week had passed since he had returned home, and already he had begun to take over his father's responsibilities. Unfortunately for him, the majority of the work was signing papers and was very boring. He had been in the room all morning and almost welcomed the interruption.
"Come in, Sebastian." After a brief pause, the door opened and the butler entered, pushing a small cart carrying Ciel's afternoon tea. The boy studied the demon, crossing his fingers under his chin. After their initial meeting they had not had much contact-- Sebastian was always busying himself with caring for the townhouse and Ciel was, after the initial few days of recovery, shut up in either his study or the library with work. He had to admit to himself that he was impressed. Sebastian had managed to turn a virtually uninhabitable townhouse into something that resembled a home. The white sheets that had covered the furniture when they had arrived had all been removed, and the entire townhouse was spotless. Though it was certainly nothing compared to the late Phantomhive mansion, the townhouse was still rather large. It would have been impossible for a man to clean it in a week. Sebastian had done it in one night.
"Today's afternoon tea is Earl Grey with scones. I hope it will appeal to the young master's tastes." Ciel did not reply, watching his butler prepare his tea. He had been looking forward to this all morning-- Sebastian's tea was the best he had ever had. Everything was always prepared perfectly, from the strength of the tea to the number of sugar cubes. When his butler had finished, Ciel picked up the cup and brought it to his lips. He breathed in the scent of the tea and slowly let the breath out, closing his eyes. However, the presence of the demon kept him from fully enjoying the moment. Though the contract had been thoroughly explained to him, he found it impossible to relax around him. At night he could not even close his eyes until the sound of his butler's footsteps had faded from the hallway. He opened his eyes again, scowling slightly.
"You may go, Sebastian."
"Yes, young master." The demon bowed and placed his hands on the cart, beginning to push it out of the room. Ciel sighed, placing the teacup back on it's saucer.
"Wait." Sebastian stopped walking and turned his head back, his mechanical smile still on his lips. An awkward silence filled the air between them as the butler waited for his master to speak. The silence became thicker with each passing moment, and finally a spark of irritation made it's way to Sebastian's expression.
"Is there something else you would like?" Ciel cleared his throat before answering. He reached into a drawer of his desk and pulled something out, motioning with his hand for Sebastian to come over, which he did obediently. Once Sebastian was close enough, he held the object out to him. Sebastian obediently extended his hand and Ciel dropped the object into his hand. It was a silver pocket watch.
"I do not like to be made to wait. Use this, you will have no excuse for tardiness now."
Ciel had expected the demon to smile his smarmy smile and bow, thanking him in the insufferably polite tone he always used. However, the he did not. The demon stared at the pocket watch, his expression blank. Ciel almost grew angry at his apathetic reaction and planned to make a smart remark until he saw the look in the demon's eyes. A million emotions were showing through Sebastian's eyes, but the most clear were confusion and something that looked like anger... or was it?
"And why," the demon finally asked, his tone almost accusatory. "Is the young master giving this to me?"
Ciel frowned deeply at the demon, utterly confused by this unprecedented reaction. "I told you, I do not like to be made to wait. Were you not listening to me?"
"I cannot accept this." Sebastian placed the watch on the desk, quickly moving his hand away from the object. "It is improper for a servant to receive gifts from his master."
"What is wrong with you, Sebastian?" Ciel snapped. "You act like you have never been given anything before. Stop this, it annoys me." He picked up the watch and put it into his butler's hand, not letting him drop it. Ciel never would have thought that the words he spoke were the truth. Sebastian stared at him before nodding and slipping the watch into his pocket, quickly bowing and leaving his master. Ciel listened to the sound of the cart grow fainter and, when it had disappeared completely, slumped down onto his desk.
I really don't understand him, he thought. Though, maybe that is a good thing.
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Sebastian walked to the servant's quarters. He had not used them once since the two of them had arrived, but now he had reason to. He closed the door and reached his hand into his pocket, pulling out the silver pocket watch. He lightly traced his gloved fingertips along the emblem, studying it carefully. Not once had a human he served done anything but take from him and use him as a means to an end-- and this he was perfectly fine with. In the end he received his due compensation. But this new master-- this child-- was throwing things out of balance. After years and years of serving the same exact type of human... this was something new. A small smile made it's way to his lips as he slipped the watch back into his pocket.
"What an interesting young master."
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The day dragged on for Ciel. After Sebastian had interrupted to bring him his tea he had lost any enthusiasm he had and had begun to pick at his nails for lack of a more interesting thing to do. After a few more minutes of this, he sighed heavily and stood up. He knew there was a small garden behind the townhouse that he and his cousin Elizabeth had played in while on one of the trips to London and, while he knew the air would be thick with the smell of smoke, he decided that a change of scenery would be nice. Besides, the garden held only pleasant memories for him. He would like to return to it.
Ciel snuck out of the room quietly, shutting the door securely behind him. He slipped through the halls, wanting desperately to avoid his butler. After their interaction before, he had had enough of the butler for a good long time. The demon gave him the shivers every time he was in his presence and today was no different. Though, he supposed, he held no real hate for the demon. After all, if it had not been for Sebastian, he would still be in that cage-- or worse. Sebastian had saved him, but the price Ciel would have to pay... was it worth it? Ciel shook his head, forcing the thoughts from his mind. It did not matter now. The contract had been made and his fate was set in stone. One day he would die, and the demon would take his soul.
Ciel had come to the end of the long hallway and pushed open the mahogany door, stepping outside into the light rain that had begun to fall. At first, he thought he was in the wrong place-- this was not the garden that he had remembered. There were a few barren trees, but the rose bushes and lush greenery were all gone. The garden had been replaced by a cold collection of stones. Though they were arranged in a decorative pattern, the new garden was not beautiful in Ciel's eyes. The new garden seemed cold, businesslike. The warm, flowering garden he had played in before was gone, replaced by unfeeling stones.
"The young master should not be here." Ciel turned around to face the speaker, eyes wide with surprise.
"What are you doing here?" He had been so caught up in his own thoughts that he had not heard the demon walk up behind him.
"When I went to collect the young masters cup, I realized he was not there. Naturally, I went looking for you in a place where a child was most likely to go." Ciel scoffed at his remark.
"I am not a child, Sebastian."
"And yet, here you are." Ciel had nothing to say to that and glared at the demon for a moment before returning his gaze to the rocks. Sebastian smiled and moved to stand beside him.
"This garden," Ciel spoke at length. "Is not how I remember it. It was once beautiful, there was a purity about it. Not that you could understand purity, could you demon?" Sebastian's smile did not waver at the remark.
"All things change, young master." Ciel did not reply to this, turning around to face the door. "Would you like me to remove it?"
"No. Leave it be." Ciel walked back into the townhouse. "Come, Sebastian. I will need to see a tailor, make an appointment for four this afternoon. If they give you any trouble, mention my name." Ciel could feel the demon's smile looking through him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood but he showed no weakness in his tone of voice.
"Of course, young master."
Sebastian followed his master and shut the mahogany door behind them, securely locking the garden out of view.
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"Sebastian, what are you doing now?"
"I am sorry, young master, but this has to be done. Please hold still."
"You are going to ruin it, just leave it be. It is fine, no one will notice.
"No, young master, I noticed and if someone does notice then the young master will be shamed and never be able to show his face in public again."
Ciel sighed at the demon's hyperbole and raised his arms above his head for what felt like the thousandth time. After returning from the tailor, Sebastian had noticed one minute detail out of line and offered to fix it, an offer Ciel was foolish enough to accept. Fixing a loose button had led to redoing a ruffle, to taking out half the stitching on Ciel's trousers and sewing it up himself. The part that bothered Ciel was that Sebastian actually seemed to enjoy the handiwork.
"If you insist on tearing my clothes apart, must I really stand here while you do it?"
"Yes." Ciel scowled at his demon, who paid him no mind. "Do not worry, I will be finished soon. If your arms are tired, please rest them on my shoulders."
The boy scoffed at the offer but, after a few more minutes of the growing ache in his arms, he hesitantly rested his hands on his butler's shoulders and watched him work. The demon had a small smile on his lips as he worked quickly with the needle and thread. Ciel had not taken the time before to truly look at the demon's face before. Now he realized the unearthly beauty of it. The deep crimson eyes, though they did not meet his, seemed to pull Ciel in. He quickly jumped back when he noticed this and was pricked by the needle.
"Ouch!" he gasped. "Sebastian, you fool, you pricked me!"
"That, young master," said the demon, looking up into his eyes. "Is because you moved."
"Because you--" He what? Ciel could not exactly tell him that he was entranced by his eyes.
"Just trust me, young master." Ciel made a soft sound in his throat at those words, about to rebuke the demon but hesitating. He sighed after a moment and tightened his grip on his shoulders, allowing him to continue. This time he did not look into his eyes. Sebastian looked down and started his sewing again, finishing soon after. "We are finished, young master."
Ciel took a quick step back, forgetting he was on a stool. He gasped, unable to cry out and squeezed his eyes as he fell, waiting for the impact. But it never came. He opened his eyes after a moment and was greeted with the smirking face of his butler. Sebastian was beneath him, arms wrapped loosely around his back. He had broken his fall and Ciel was now laying on Sebastian's chest. A moment of silence ensued in which Sebastian's smirk grew wider and wider.
"Let me go!" Ciel pushed himself up quickly, scrambling to get away from the demon. Sebastian slowly sat up, a low chuckle coming from the back of his throat.
"What is wrong, young master?"
"Why-- why did you catch me? I was not in any danger!" Ciel was very confused and rather angry. His mind told him he should not be, but the demon had caught him off guard-- something he absolutely hated.
"I will always be there to catch you," the demon said. "I will not allow my master to fall."
Ciel could find no words to reply with and quickly pushed himself to his feet, running from the room. Why am I acting like such a child? he demanded of himself as he ran to his room. Why am I acting like a such a fool?
But Ciel had no answer. He ran to his room and slammed the door shut, pressing his back against it and sliding down as he panted harshly.
Just trust me, young master.
Could he? Could he trust a demon? The answer was no, he could not. But why... why did he feel such weight to those supposedly empty words? Why did he feel, though every bone in his body screamed out in protest, that he could trust this demon?
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OCD Sebastian brings the lulz. Gah, I proofread the first half, then I lost my wind on the second one... I'm too lazy for that crap. Maybe I'll get someone to do that, but first I need to find a roleplay buddy. Gawd, I'm such a loser.
Thanks for reading, tell me what you think.