Gambit
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of Kuroshitsuji, nor am I clever enough to have thought of them on my own. This story contains male/male relationships between an adult and a child—if that offends you, please stop reading now. This story is dedicated to my amazing "husbandou," Dahlia. Without her brilliant ideas, it wouldn't exist!
Chapter 9
His Butler, Resolute
"Young master," an exasperated Sebastian sighed as he loomed over the little Earl still sleeping in his bed. He'd thrown open the curtains and even tried pulling the child's covers away, but Ciel had yanked them back and was now curled up on his side with his face pressed into the pillows, clinging to his blankets. One bare foot peaked out from beneath them, and a knobby little knee from the other side. Sebastian smirked at the shameful sight and shook his head quietly. There was truly nothing refined about the way that boy slept.
"…just a bit longer," that little voice finally uttered in a groggy, whispered tone. The Phantomhive rolled onto his stomach with a sigh and pulled a pillow over his head. The pillow was quickly snatched from him, however, and he actually growled softly in annoyance. He sat up and turned to look at Sebastian, first seeing the pillow held under the man's arm in the crook of his elbow, rested against his hip. He reached for it, but Sebastian turned his body to keep the pillow away from the boy.
"Your tea, Young Master," he insisted pointedly, looking at the boy with feigned irritation. In truth, he was more amused than anything. His little master's childish stubbornness was just too charming for him not to be. He held the cup and saucer out to the boy with his free hand and looked at him quietly, waiting for him to take the tea and finally start behaving.
Ciel did neither, though. He looked up at Sebastian's and within seconds, all the blood in his tiny body seemed to rush to his cheeks and warm them, turning the beautiful boy's face red. He turned his face away from Sebastian then and exhaled shakily. "G-get out," he said quickly.
Sebastian actually looked surprised. He stood up straight and lowered the tea a little. "My Lord?" he asked softly.
"I said get out," Ciel said, this time his voice just a bit stronger, though that telling blush lingered on his cheeks. He kept his face turned away from the demon, and his eyes lowered. "I'm not feeling well, I want to sleep longer." He glanced to Sebastian, and took advantage of the man's surprised look, leaning forward quickly to snatch his pillow away from him. He hugged it to his body and looked down again.
Sebastian smirked a little and tilted his head just a little as he looked at the boy. "If that's the case, Young Master, then a cup of tea will certainly help you to feel better."
"No," Ciel insisted firmly. "I want to sleep."
Sebastian actually chuckled then. He set the tea down and slid one knee onto the boy's mattress, leaning forward. "Allow me to check for a fever, my Lord," he purred, reaching out for the boy.
His fingers grazed the young Earl's shoulders, but before he could get a hold of him, Ciel jerked back defiantly. "I-I won't say it again!" the boy snapped, reaching out to slap away one of Sebastian's hands.
The butler leaned back with another expression of surprise washing over his elegant face. He smiled a little and slid his knee off the bed, stepping back a little. "You are acting strange, my Lord," he pointed out quietly, touching his chin and laying another hand on his hip coyly. "Did you not sleep well last night? Perhaps I had better call for a doctor."
Ciel looked away from Sebastian with an endearing pout on his face. Did he not sleep well? Was Sebastian daft or just playing dumb? "No, stupid," he muttered childishly. "I don't need a doctor, I just want—"
"If that's the case then please drink your tea, Young Master, and come out of your bed. It's nearly eleven already and you have an important meeting with a new investor after lunch," Sebastian said—boldly daring to interrupt his master.
The Earl looked aghast at the butler's audacity, then narrowed his mismatched eyes quickly and forced his full lips into another sweet pout. He hugged his pillow even tighter to his chest as he stared calculatingly at his waiting butler. Maybe he had dreamed it all…just as he had dreamed about the Viscount. He lowered his eyes and sighed. Whatever drug Druitt had given him must have been a strong one for it to still be affecting his dreams even now…
The boy finally relented and scooted forward on the large bed, letting his legs dangle off the side of it before he slid down until bare feet touched the cool hardwood floor. He shivered and set the pillow aside reluctantly, then pushed his nightshirt down to cover himself.
The corner of Sebastian's mouth turned up into a triumphant little smirk as he lifted the boy's tea saucer once more and offered it to him. When the stubborn boy finally took his tea, Sebastian turned swiftly on his heels and walked over to the large wardrobe across the room. He opened the doors and selected a blue and black pinstriped ensemble to dress his little master in, then glanced back at the child with a little grin.
Checkmate.
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The sun was high and hot in the sky as an elegant black carriage made its way along the rutted cobblestone path to Phantomhive Manor. Cat-like green eyes stared out quietly from beneath firm, dark brows. The gentleman wore a black silk top hat, with a burgundy suit that had a black silk lapel. His fingers strummed impatiently against the knobbed top of his fancy walking cane.
After a moment, he sat back and gave a low sigh. He looked down at the thick envelope in his hand and a smirk slid across his lips. "Ciel Phantomhive…" he muttered quietly. As the carriage slowed down in front of the manor, the man tucked that envelope into his jacket pocket and stood to climb out. The infamous butler of the Earl Phantomhive was already standing in wait for him by the carriage. He stepped onto the cobblestone and nodded his head in a quiet acknowledgement, then looked up to see the pretty young Earl standing at the top of the stone staircase, looking unimpressed with a hand on his hip and his head canted slightly to the side.
He looked more like a life-size doll than an Earl. Everything about him was perfect and refined, and beautiful. His skin was porcelain and his eye, his one good eye was such an alluring shade of blue. The clothes he was dressed in were almost amusing—flawless little replicas of the elegance of adult clothing, with a childish air lingering about them; miniature clothes. He lifted a brow as he eyed the boy's pinstriped shorts. He nearly chuckled at the sight of them, but the boy's expression was enough to stop him dead in his tracks.
"Earl Phantomhive," he said in his deep voice, bowing respectfully. "I am—"
"Isaac Bleu," the child drawled unenthusiastically with a sigh. He leaned against his little walking cane and watched his guest like a cat might watch a bug squirm on the ground after being swatted, and just before gobbling it up. "I may be a child, but I can read," he stated, holding up the envelope that contained a letter announcing his arrival.
Isaac narrowed his green eyes briefly, before forcing a false smile and giving a polite, social laugh. "Of course, Earl; forgive me. The letter must have slipped my mind."
The Phantomhive was less than amused. He pocketed the letter with a sigh and lifted his cane. "Che. Come, my butler has arranged tea for us in the garden." The boy nodded to his butler, then turned to follow the handsome man around the house.
Isaac Bleu moved quickly to follow, making sure to keep at least one step behind the Earl as they walked. He glanced down at the boy's perfect, leather dress shoes and wondered with some amusement whether he wore such elegant heels to make himself seem taller. How very like a child.
Before long they were seated at a fancy bistro table beneath a weeping willow, and served tea and a small array of fancy desserts. He watched the Earl bite into a small petite four with the refinement of royalty, the hardened chocolate shell breaking perfectly against his lips, and melting into his warm little mouth in such a way that he actually had to turn his eyes away to distract himself.
"You said in your letter that you're interested in investing some money in my company," the child-Earl said, licking some chocolate from his lips and lifting his tea cup.
Isaac glanced up at the house as he watched the boy's butler disappear into the servant's quarters, and nodded his head quietly. "I am," he said, looking back at the boy in front of him. "The Funtom Company is famous for its success." And so it began—the phony investor's dance accompanied by social laughs and empty flattery.
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"Kindly remove your filthy fingers from my master's dessert, Grell Sutcliffe," Sebastian uttered warningly from the kitchen doorway as he stared across the room at the red haired Death God as he was dipping his finger into the decadent chocolate ganache he had set on the counter just before their guest had arrived. He sighed and touched his temple with gloved fingertips, closing his eyes as he shook his head with irritation. "What are you doing here again?"
Grell stepped back and smiled guiltily up at his beloved Sebastian as he licked the sweet glaze from his fingertip. "Ooh, Sebby~! This is delicious," he purred. He took a step back when the irritated demon approached him, and swatted him away from the bowl.
"I've told you, you aren't welcome here," Sebastian said calmly as he moved the bowl away from the death god and turned to retrieve a platter for the pastries he was making. "Leave."
"Don't be so mean, Sebby," Grell said, hoisting himself up onto the counter top and crossing his long legs with a flirtatious smile. "Let me have a pastry. They look yummy."
"Touch them, and you'll die," Sebastian promised him as he began to glaze the perfect little desserts carefully.
"I just want one!" Grell said, pouting. "That little brat doesn't need so many, he can learn to share." Sebastian looked up at the Death God with a venomous look in his ruby eyes. It was enough to make poor Grell gasp and lean back a little. "What's with that look?" he said, sliding off the counter. He sulked and moved around Sebastian slowly, before his hand darted forward.
Sebastian caught his wrist just before his fingers grazed one of the delicious-looking pastries. There was a brief moment in time where Grell could have sworn he felt the warm icing on his fingertips, before his arm was twisted behind him and he cried out loudly.
"I warned you," Sebastian said simply, un-phased by the Death God's dreadful scream as a disgusting pop echoed in the room. He released the redhead's wrist and turned away as he crumbled to the floor with a pained little sob. "Now get out," the demon insisted coldly, lifting the silver platter of pastries, and walking out of the kitchen.
He walked gracefully back out to the garden with the tray balanced perfectly on one gloved hand. The heels of his shoes clicked quietly on the stone walkway as he came around the soft bend slowly, and stopped short.
The table he had set up so perfectly was knocked onto its side, and his Ciel's favorite china set was smashed on the ground, surrounded by pieces of desserts; some smooshed into the ground where they had been stepped on. His master's chair was on its back in the flower bed, beside a single leather shoe—and the little Earl and their guest were nowhere to be seen.
"Really, young master," he whispered with a sigh, shaking his head a bit. "So… it's to be a game of Fetch once more…"
Whew! Chapter nine is done! Of course, Ciel was kidnapped again. Sebastian's right when he says that's the only thing the kid's any good at!
How did you like it? I was surprised I didn't get more reviews on the last chapter about Sebastian finally making his move! Was it not to your liking? Things didn't get very heated in this chapter, but I have some exciting plans in store!
Anyone want to take a wild guess as to who Isaac Bleu is and what he's up to? ^_^
I've been thinking about doing a series of drabble stories based on prompt words/phrases you guys give me! What do you think? They would have nothing to do with this story, but still be Kuroshitsuji-based and would have random pairings in them. I'm not sure how I want to do it… Maybe you guys can leave prompt suggestions in your reviews and I can choose the one that inspires me? I don't know—would that be too easy for me? I could have Dahlia pick the prompt! That way I wouldn't be cheating… Lol… anyone have any suggestions?
Go ahead and leave a prompt word or phrase at the end of your review! By the next update I'll have figured out a way to select a prompt and I'll let you know how I'll be doing it, then at the end of every chapter, I'll post which prompt I will be using, and you can expect to see a short story based on it soon after!
Sound like a plan? Please review and tell me what you think of everything! Do you like Isaac so far? Is he creep-tastic enough for you? Did you like the scene with Grell? How about Ciel's reaction in the morning to Sebastian? Did you like the title? Let me know in your REVIEWs!
Lo