Hello everyone, chapter three is finally here. I apologize for the long wait, unfortunately I don't actually have an excuse (awkward laughter). I will do my best to update consistently. But for now, please enjoy this chapter.

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Ciel brushed the man's hair away from his face. Gently, as if he might break. That was the least he could do. He caught sight of Sebastian's exhausted facial expression and for the first time in a long time, he felt genuinely worried about someone. Never in his life had he seen something like that. The image of Sebastian bent over, retching up black bile remained in the back of his mind.

"And you call this the common cold." Ciel's lips turned up ever so slightly at the corners into a bitter smile as his fingertips remained in Sebastian's hair. The butler smiled, his master never changed.

"We can continue this conversation later, for now just rest." Ciel withdrew his hand from Sebastian's hair, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't realized he had left it there for so long. He suddenly felt tension in the room and had the urge to leave. He walked towards the door and just as he placed his hand on the knob he realized something. He probably should ask if Sebastian needed anything. People always did that when they were sick, right? Somehow, he felt his pride tugging him away from doing so. He didn't want to be like a housewife, eager to please her husband at his every whim or need. Common sense came over pride, so asked anyway.

"Do you... need anything?" He mumbled, facing the door.

Sebastian's head rose as a grin spread across his face. Was his master being... kind? It certainly was out of character for his Young Master to ask if his butler needed anything. Even when Sebastian was sick, he wasn't sure if Ciel had it in him to overcome his huge amount of pride. "Why, Young Master. How kind of you to ask."

Ciel's grip tightened on the knob, ready to shoot out of the room if Sebastian made any snide comments.

"Actually, my throat is quite dry. I believe a glass of water would do me good," Sebastian said, about to fold his hands in his lap before his remember the sheets had become quite dirty. He let them rest at his sides for the time being.

"Okay... I'll be back in a couple minutes." Ciel gave him one last glance before darting out of the room to head to the kitchen. Even if Ciel was never in the kitchen, he knew where it was. He knew where everything in the mansion was. It was his mansion, after all. On top of that, Ciel had memorized the route from the times he had snuck in to taste whatever it was Sebastian was making. Or in some cases, bring it to his room himself and eat it. Ciel could feel a laugh bubbling in his throat when he remembered Sebastian's face when the butler discovered what the Young Master had done. It was surprised and annoyed and very frustrated at the same time. Oh, how Ciel loved to push the demon's buttons. However, now was not the time to play games.

The boy focused on his task of getting a glass of water once he stepped into the kitchen. He wasn't sure where water glasses were kept, but he knew they would be somewhere in the cabinets with the other glasses. He walked around the entire kitchen, opening each cabinet and briefly peering in, eyes scanning it for a glass but to no avail. Just as he opened the last cabinet, the one adjacent to the cabinet he had started with, he discovered two shelves full of tall glasses. 'Of course, the last one I check has what I'm looking for. That's so typical of my luck,' Ciel thought with disdain as he removed the glass closest to him. The icebox which contained all the drinking water was located in a room attached to the kitchen. Ciel wrapped his jacket around him before entering the chilly room. He grabbed the handle and swung the door of the icebox open, freezing air spilling out of it and creating a mist all round the boy. He shivered and looked for the nearest pitcher. There were endless containers of cold water, all full to the brim except for the one in the left corner. Ciel took that one and poured it into the glass until the water lapped at the rim of the cup. He proceeded to put the pitcher back and close the icebox before exciting the room. He sighed with relief as he stepped back into the warm kitchen, muscles immediately relaxing at the pleasant change of temperature.

Ciel glanced up at the clock and noticed only five minutes had passed. He silently congratulated himself for finishing his task so quickly and returned to the hallway. The sun was high in the sky, casting its white winter light through the frosty clouds and onto the earth below. A thick blanket of snow covered everything surrounding the estate, sparkling in the midday sunshine. Ciel could feel the freezing air seeping through the window as he approached it. He figured he could spare a few minutes since he had gotten the water so quickly and he didn't want Sebastian to think he was too eager to help him. The young earl sat on the window sill, letting his senses relax as he looked out into the still, white wonderland.

Just as he began to feel himself slip off into sleep, he jumped from his spot and shook his head quickly as if to wake himself up. He grabbed the glass of water and walked back to Sebastian's room.

When he opened the door, his eyes were greeted with somethings that caught him somewhat by surprise. There was Sebastian, laying on the bed, head turned slightly to the side, chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. His lips were slightly parted, dark eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks as the soft light from the lamp sculpted his handsome features. Ciel's breath was taken away and he didn't know why. The demon, for once, looked completely serene and harmless.

The young earl set down the drink and walked slowly to the side of Sebastian's bed. He wasn't sure if he should wake him. He knew water would be good for him but at the same time he couldn't bare to wake the man and destroy the peaceful image before him. Instead, he opted to take his seat next to the bed and relax for a while. Ciel took the moment to fix his somewhat disheveled hair and remove his eyepatch. He felt the eyepatch had been tied on too tight and had been giving him a headache all day. Once he untied it, the pressure immediately released and he couldn't keep a relieved sigh from escaping his lips. Ciel looked around the room, taking in the rather plain decor. He noticed a small notebook on Sebastian's desk with a cat on the cover. Of course there was a cat on it. That cat obsessed weirdo. Ciel chuckled as he shook his head. He concluded it must have been a journal. Sebastian's journal. What a human thing to do. Keep a journal. He didn't dare go through it though. Even if he was a curious child, he had enough respect for other's privacy and common sense not to look at it.

He noted the plain beige walls and small bookshelf in the corner. The pretty cherry wood nightstand with two drawers and the pale wooden bed frame. All in all, the room was plain, color palette consisting mostly of shades of beige. Ciel thought maybe it was time to give the servants' rooms a makeover. The thick air with the gentle, warm scent of musk and something sweet he couldn't quite place his finger on was penetrating his brain and lulling him into sleep.

He let his eyes flutter close and before he knew it, his mind was on the journey to dreamland.

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Awkward chapter ending is awkward. I wasn't sure how to close the chapter and I was just so eager to update. Thank you to the person who told me typos is spelled typos. Haha. I am currently debating in my mind two ideas of where this is all going. Would you want something more dramatic and suspenseful or something more cute and sweet? Of course, both would be romantic (le wink wink). Your choice would help me a lot with faster updates!

Bye for now.