Chapter Six: Shigure Meets the Butler

Shigure Sohma had been in his office, supposedly working on his latest manuscript. He figured he only had a few more days of free time before his editor came after him for the finished masterpiece, which, of course, he would playfully tell her wasn't done yet, even though he had secretly finished it the night before. His head perked up at the sound of Tohru's sweet voice calling out that she'd returned home.

He stretched, yawning a bit as he stood. He glanced at the clock. She was a bit later than usual. Perhaps she'd stopped at the store on her way home? And then he heard her call out something about having brought over a few friends. He inwardly cringed. Was it Arisa and Saki? He had nothing against those two, but they were strange and had come, upon occasion, too close to discovering what was going on with them for comfort.

He let out a sigh. Well, there was nothing for it. After all, he was the one who'd told her that her friends were just as welcome there as she was. Perhaps it had been too big of a concession on his part, not that he didn't like her friends, but he did want her to feel at home in every sense of the word, for Kyo and Yuki's sake, but mostly for his own. After all, if he could get her to somehow figure out how to break the curse….

He stopped in surprise, halfway into the front entryway. "Um… hello." He blinked a few times. "Who do we have here?" It only took him a moment to mask over his confusion as he put a hand up to scratch the back of his neck. "Ha ha ha! Hello! You must be Tohru's friends! Come in! Come in! We don't stand on ceremony here! But please excuse the mess! We haven't had time to clean up today." He looked guiltily at the mass of papers in the main room that he'd left there after lunch. He'd meant to have them picked some time ago.

Ciel blinked at this rather interesting adult who was wearing a loose looking robe over some other garment he couldn't name. It was similar to Lau's usual attire, but just as dissimilar at the same time. He looked like a rather untidy sort of person, and rather an idiot. But he refrained from voicing these opinions. After all, it was this man's house he was visiting, and not his own. He had to be cordial. "Thank you."

Tohru popped out from behind a wall, where she'd disappeared for a moment. "I'm going upstairs for a bit to put my things away and get the laundry started, but I'll be right back!" She glanced at Shigure. "Um, Shigure, do you think you could entertain them for a minute while I'm gone?"

Shigure was about to offer a protest, after all he was busy pretending to procrastinate in his den, but he changed his mind. "Why not? Go on up! We'll be down here when you get back!"

Ciel exchanged a glance with his butler as their strange host ushered them into the sitting room. "Tohru does the laundry here?" He was going to ask if they didn't keep a servant but stopped himself. Was Tohru a maid then, and not a personage of wealth and importance, or an adoptive family member?

Shigure shrugged with a smile as he led them to a few low chairs and cushions. "Have a seat," he offered and moved to sit cross-legged on a cushion. "Actually, Tohru does most of the household chores here. I guess she doesn't tell many people about that. She keeps house for room and board, you see. Besides, she's an excellent cook!"

Ciel had to blink rapidly at this development. But if she was only a servant, than why did she go to school with Kyo, who was part of the main family? And why did she behave more politely than even his own servants? But then, wasn't it a servant's job to be like that? "You mean you use her as a maid?" It came out before he could think about what he was saying and he felt a slight nudge from Sebastian, who had seated himself to his left.

Shigure looked up in surprise. "A maid? Heaven's no! We consider Tohru an equal member of the household! It's just that I'm usually so busy, and Yuki doesn't have a clue which end of a mop is the end. And Kyo, well, he's a decent cook but he's not much help when it comes to the usual chores." He laughed. "Though he is a better cook than Yuki is."

Ciel's face ran a gambit of emotions as he tried to process this new information. Were they common, after all? But then, this was a different time period, he had to remind himself. It was very likely that things were done differently here.

Shigure was stilling laughing. "Though Aya did once make her a maid outfit," he mused. "She did look fairly cute in it, though Yuki and Kyo both protested. I can't imagine why though! It was a nice little dress, about as long as her school uniform, and with that little apron! It was too cute!"

Sebastian was a bit taken aback by this strange adult. His lifestyle was definitely more carefree than the young master's was. The difference in culture, so far, was quite shocking. But he was storing up tidbits of information for later consultation with his master.

Ciel was rather shocked by everything Shigure was saying. Was this man a pervert as well? He wouldn't put it past him. His manners were so much more lax than Tohru's. He was inclined to think that, despite what he'd just learned about Tohru's role, she was the more well brought up of the two.

Sebastian decided to move them to a slightly different track of conversation. "I believe I heard miss Tohru mention beginning the chore of laundry?" It wasn't strictly a deviation, but it did lead them back to the original conversation.

Shigure was just about to answer that when Tohru reappeared, a smile on her face as she clapped her hands. "Well, that takes care of that for now! I'll have to disappear again when the washer's finished, to hang up the laundry to dry, but, if you like, I can start on dinner now."

Shigure grinned at her. "That sounds like a good idea. What are we having tonight?" He didn't strictly care, so long as it was edible, which was guaranteed with Tohru cooking. "Oh, and I wouldn't mind learning who your friends are."

Tohru suddenly went still, her face a bit drawn as her hands went up to her mouth. "Oh no! I forgot to introduce everyone!" She quickly gave an apologetic bow. "Um, Shigure, this is Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis." She hoped she'd remembered the butler's last name correctly. "Ciel, Mr. Sebastian, this is Shigure Sohma. He's the one who owns this house."

Ciel inclined his head while Sebastian stood up and bowed slightly to Shigure, who bowed back, an amused expression on his face. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Ciel managed to say before sinking back into his cushion.

Shigure also sank back down, finally noticing their guests' attire. "Say, you two wouldn't happen to know Ayame Sohma would you? I usually just call him Aya, but all that aside, your clothes do look like something he might have made, though he usually makes more feminine clothes than Sebastian is wearing. You might say it's a hobby of his."

Before Ciel could answer, Sebastian stepped up. "A Miss Nina made both our clothes. You see," he continued, seeing Shigure trying to recall the name, "we are actually not very familiar with this area. We very recently arrived from England."

Shigure's eyes lit up with understanding. "Ah! You speak very good Japanese for a Brit! You both must have been studying hard! I assume you are Ciel's uncle? Or an older brother, perhaps?"

Ciel was shocked by the very notion that he was somehow related to Sebastian, but he quieted himself so that he might answer civilly. After all, the impertinent man didn't know his companion was a demon. "Of course not! Sebastian is my butler."

"Ah." Shigure nodded sagely. "That does make sense. Forgive me I'm being rude, though, why are you wearing something like that? After all, most people will think you're dressed in cosplay or for that American holiday, Halloween. It's actually quite popular around here. Thought I thought it ended at midnight. I suppose I could be wrong about that…."

Tohru made to speak up at this point. "Um, Shigure, that's actually, I mean…" She paused as everyone turned to look at her. "That's the usual fashion for someone like Ciel. He's an earl over in England, you see."

Shigure's eyes went wide but he nodded. "So, you're like British Royalty! Isn't that something! How did you and Tohru meet! I mean, if you only just recently got here, there's no way you could have met in person before now."

Ciel's mouth opened like a fish out of water. He had not been prepared to give an answer to that type of question. And he was usually fairly good at coming up with things on the spot, but this time seemed to be an exception. Perhaps it was because he was still not feeling so well.

"It was through correspondence, right?" Tohru sat up a bit as she spoke. "It was a little experiment I thought up. Kyo and I both decided it would be interesting to learn about a new place, so when we talked about England in school, we decided to start a correspondence with someone over there."

Sebastian smoothly picked up on the lie she was telling. "I must admit, when the first letter arrived from Japan, I was rather surprised, but the young master was intrigued, isn't that right, young master?" He gave Ciel a slightly pointed look.

Ciel's expression smoothed over to a slightly cocky smile. "That's right. We wrote infrequently back and forth. I became intrigued by your country and wanted to visit it so I learned Japanese," he lied smoothly, now that he knew what track to use. "I also wanted to surprise miss Tohru and so had Sebastian come along with me, to keep me company. We actually just arrived today."

Shigure's face was lined with surprise at this whole admission. Something about it smelled a bit off, but he would let it go, for now. After all, despite generally acting like an idiot and fool, he was actually quite shrewd. He'd figure things out eventually. And if they truly were friends of Tohru, and apparently Kyo, it would come out eventually. But considering how familiar Tohru was with them, it didn't leave much room for doubt, on that point at least. He didn't recall any letters in the mail from England though. But he'd let this sleeping dog lie, for now.

"That was very nice of you," he said. "And I guess Tohru ran into you without even realizing you were here. That must have been amusing to see!" He actually kind of wished he'd been there to see it. Tohru was quite cute when flustered, after all. He was about to continue on this line of talk when a strange noise suddenly filled the quiet air. He blinked a few times. "What was that?"

Ciel tried not to blush as he stomach announced that it was pretty much empty. He looked down at the ground, hands clasped in his lap.

Tohru jumped up. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I forgot that you hadn't eaten in a while! You should have reminded me! I'll get right to making dinner! Please just be patient a bit longer!" She headed towards the kitchen in a hurry, and then stopped for a moment. "Um, would you like something while you wait? Some tea maybe?"

Ciel smiled up at her and shook his head slightly. At least she still had manners, even if her, dare he call him, guardian, did not. "No. I'm fine. Thank you."

Sebastian gave him a slightly stern look. He knew his master was not completely fine. After all, he'd almost had an asthma attack and was still, apparently, suffering from the remains of food poisoning. He would have to keep a closer eye on him. Apparently either Japan, or time travel, did not quite agree with him. Either that, or he truly had overexerted himself, which was also highly possible.

Tohru wasn't sure if she believed him either, not after seeing his almost asthma attack out front, but she shrugged it off. "Okay! I'll try to have dinner ready in a jiffy!" She ducked back into the kitchen, where the sound of pots and pans became evident as she started making the night's meal.

Sebastian glanced idly at their host, wondering if Ciel would mind if he asked a few questions, but his young master was too busy pretending to be fine to notice. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions," he asked the other adult.

Shigure looked up from the papers he'd gathered, his writing notes. "A few questions? I don't see why not." He tapped the papers down to one stack and set them aside.

Sebastian hesitated a moment, deciding on what to ask. "I don't mean to be rude, but I understand that miss Tohru was not originally connected with your family. I was wondering what you could tell me about her." He decided he might as well find out if she was of noble birth or not right there and then. It had been much debated, at least in mind, though it had been, at least temporarily, accepted that she was well connected.

Shigure blinked. "Tohru?" He glanced idly towards the kitchen, the sound of cooking overshadowing the possibility of her overhearing anything. "I guess you want to know because you're still gathering information on her?"

Sebastian was slightly taken aback by that but allowed a slight nod. "I'm sure you understand, as you are someone of no ill fame yourself. One in my position must be careful, for the sake of my employer." He indicated Ciel, who was apparently lost in thought, though he was listening intently.

Shigure nodded. "Of course. I understand. Actually, there's not really much to tell. Tohru's an orphan. Her mom died a year or two ago in a traffic accident. I think her father died when she was just really small, complications from a cold, I think she said, so it was mostly just her and her mother for a long time."

The butler nodded. They'd already known about her mother. "And what occupation did her father hold?" He wasn't sure if it was customary for women to hold an occupation now or not so he refrained for hinting at it. After all, despite Ciel's aunt having been a doctor, not many women of their point in England were employed, unless one were straight off the streets or a commoner, and usually they worked such jobs as maids, or other unmentionable things, pending on their circumstances in life.

Shigure popped his neck. "Excuse me." He gave a funny twist to make his neck pop once more. "I think her father was a teacher, though I'm not sure about that. But I do know her mother had some type of day job. Don't know what, exactly, maybe retail. Before that, she was actually a member of a gang, or so I'm told." He smiled a secretive smile, rubbing his chin.

Ciel chose that moment to come out of his wondering thoughts and looked up in surprise. "Tohru's mother was in a gang?" He tried to picture anyone of the female sex being in such a circumstance and found it a little hard to believe, particularly of anyone connected to Tohru.

The writer nodded. "I'm told they called her the Red Butterfly. She was the leader of the gang, but, when she married and Tohru was born, she broke free from them to live a more quiet life. One of Tohru's friends, Arisa, was a member of a similar gang, until she met them. Not that you'd know she wasn't still in one by the way she acts!" He laughed. The girl had given him a scare or two in the past, especially when they'd first met. There was just something a bit menacing about a girl wielding a lead pipe, someone who looked like they knew how to use it.

Ciel's eyes went wide in astonishment. What kind of company did Tohru keep? The picture being painted for him was very much nothing like what he'd envisioned over the past few months. A gangster mother and close friend. What an interesting little pawn she was, even if she didn't belong on his chessboard. "Are all of her friends like that? Former gang members and the like?"

Shigure snorted and waved his hands. "Oh no! Her other best friend is a psychic!" He leaned back, arms folded in satisfaction at their reaction to this. After all, a writer did love a good scandal to play with. "She always wears black, and I believe many of her classmates consider her something of a witch. But Tohru gets along well with the both of them, and they are quite protective of her."

Sebastian mused on this new information. He could well believe it of Kyo, but Tohru? That was another matter entirely. Her soul was too pure to be involved in anything of either nature. Perhaps she was something similar to their god, just as Prince Soma was Agni's.

Ciel had to take a moment to digest this new information about his friend. It totally did not fit his picture of her at all. "She never mentioned her friends," he had to admit. "I'm almost hesitant to meet them."

Shigure laughed at this. "So was I, at first, but they're really not bad people, just very interesting. Maybe I'll make a character or two based off of them sometime. Now wouldn't that be amusing!"