Hello, peoples! *bows* Thank you for reading this but I can't take all the credit. Carrie2Sky fixes this up just brilliantly, so go and thank her! Now read and review, my lovelies!
Ciel mouth parted slightly. All this time I was that close! He scowled and clung to Sebastian without him noticing and waited for his butler to open the door. When he did, he looked at window to see that it was broken.
He immediately felt Sebastian tense his muscles and looked at the wet footprints on his carpet and followed them. They led to a figure that was lying on his desk that he knew all too well.
It was Charles Grey along with Charles Phillip who was leaning against the desk with his arms crossed under his chest. Together they were known as the Double Charles, butlers for the queen.
Ciel was momentarily shocked before he tried to clamor down Sebastian to escape their view but it was a minute too late- they saw him and were gazing at him with questioning looks.
Sebastian felt a flash of annoyance as he saw the wet footprints and the broken window. More work. Honestly, is it that hard to go through the door?
He placed Ciel on his feet and walked forward a few feet before bowing. "Lord Grey and Lord Phipps, what brings you to the manor?" He asked before straightening back up.
Grey ignored Sebastian and walked forward towards Ciel and came to a stop in front of him, making Sebastian tense but Grey merely scrutinized Ciel before looking back at Sebastian. "Who's the kid? He looks like the Earl."
Ciel panicked but Sebastian smoothly cut in. "He is my ne-" A sharp tug on his cuff made him look down at Ciel who was glaring at him before he turned his gaze to Grey and said in his childishly but haughty voice,
"He's my Uncle and who are you?" Ciel really enjoyed toying with Sebastian and considered it a game.
Both Charles perked up at this and Phillips came to stand by Grey, both now scrutinizing Sebastian and Ciel, trying to match up their looks.
"He looks exactly like the Earl. He's your nephew you say?" Phillips questioned.
"Yes. His mother died in childbirth, leaving him in my care since I am the only living family member," Sebastian answered before looking at Ciel. "Go to your room and I'll be there in a bit." He eyed him.
The blue haired child glared briefly, but adopted a false smile that brightened his face. "OK, Uncle." He walked with a slight jump to his step, still an act, and reached for the door before he had to look back for Sebastian to get the message. Open the door.
He was still getting smaller; how was he going to solve the case if he steadily shrunk to a infant? Sebastian chuckled and walked back towards the door and opened it, letting Ciel out as one would do for a caged animal. (In his case, a caged cat)
Before Ciel turned the corner of the door frame, he glanced back to see both Charles gazing at him as if they figured it out. He hoped that wasn't the case.
When Ciel was gone, Sebastian offered his guests tea to which they declined. "We only came to deliver the Queen's message. It is taking longer than usual for the Earl to solve this case," Phillips stated.
"Where is the Earl?" Grey questioned. Sebastian's brow twitched in annoyance. Why all the questions? Humans curiosity really is unquenchable.
"The Young Master is currently in town with one of the servants taking care of business regarding the case," Sebastian answered smoothly in his low baritone voice while not blinking.
All the occupants in the room were merely looking at the butler who was smiling with a daft look on his face to cover up the blatant lie, leaving the Double Charles in a stupor.
"For that kid being your nephew, he looks nothing like you," Grey pointed out. His questioning was starting to agitate the demon.
"My sister was from a foreign land and her looks were fairly common." Sebastian doubted that they had ever been across the ocean so it was a safe explanation to use.
Grey pursed his lips while Phillips gave up in questioning the butler. Grey never gave up a chance to outdo the butler or anyone else for that matter. He thought of another question before he was interrupted by Sebastian.
"If that is all, I will show you both to the door. I will pass on the message to the Young Master." Sebastian walked towards the door to open it and gestured with his hand, but his efforts were ignored.
"We'll show ourselves out." Sebastian bowed and bid them both a safe trip. When they left, he let out a huff of breath before he pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. Twelve o'clock.
Again he was behind schedule; he had yet to prepare his Master's lunch. Sighing, he left the room contemplating on what to prepare.
It was around twelve thirty when Sebastian finally prepared his young master's lunch. He knocked on Ciel's bedroom waiting for the soft voice to allow him to enter.
...
"Young Master?" He went into the room and saw that Ciel was asleep. He was on his side facing away from Sebastian on top of the sheets, curled up. He had the look of a child on his parent's bed.
The butler sighed with an annoyed look before he schooled it to a mask of indifference and walked towards the bed before he came to a stop in front of Ciel and looked down his nose at him before he bent down and placed a hand on Ciel's shoulder. "Young Master, it is time to wake up. Lunch is served."
He retracted his hand and straightened his back and waited for Ciel to stir.
He didn't which made Sebastian's narrow his eyes. He normally wakes up at the slightest sound. "Young Master." He let his hand wander towards Ciel's form again but stopped when Ciel finally sat up with a look of annoyance.
"What?" Ciel was thoroughly annoyed- he was having a peaceful sleep, but his irritating butler interrupted it. After he was told to go to his room, which made him scowl, he went in and lay down on his bed and waited for Sebastian to hurry up and enter.
In waiting however, he had fallen asleep, much to his chagrin. Ciel would have gone and checked what was taking so long but it would have jeopardized their little act, so he stayed put. After a few minutes, he started feeling tired so he closed his eyes and the next thing he knew he was being woken up from his dreamless state.
"Young Master, I have to come to announce that lunch is prepared." He glared at Sebastian, but got up and stretched nonetheless and listened absentmindedly to his butler as he listed his lunch.
Ciel waited for Sebastian to finish when he did, he gestured to the door and walked to it to open it and wait for Ciel to exit so he could follow behind at the respectable distance.
Ciel placed a foot on the floor outside his door and yanked it back as if stung. It was cold. He looked up at Sebastian expectantly and waited for him to get the message.
Sebastian placed a teasing smile on his face. "It would seem that we need to purchase some new shoes for the Young Master for his childish size."
"Be quiet and pick me up." Ciel raised his arms up and waited for Sebastian to bend over, and once he did, Ciel immediately latched his arms around his butler's neck- the only thing he could get a good hold on and waited for him to shift him into a secure spot.
He looked at Sebastian. "Well?" He then felt Sebastian start to walk, after a few moments he felt the sleep creeping in again. Ciel tried to shake it off. How can I become tired this quick? The dining room is not that far. His head was drifting down towards Sebastian's shoulder but he kept it up stubbornly. I will not fall asleep.
After a few shakes of his head, they made it to the dining room. The servants were present and once Finny saw him and Ciel he walked forward with Mey-rin on his heels and looked up at Sebastian with awe in their eyes. "The Young Master is so high up."
Ciel turned red and snapped at Sebastian. "Put me down!"
Sebastian placed Ciel down on the books as before, to which Ciel sneered at with disdain. He shifted uncomfortably on them- the hard edges hurting his bottom.
Sebastian turned to the servants and scolded them.
Ciel was ignoring everyone and was paying attention to his stomach as it voiced its hunger with a small rumble and he looked at Sebastian pointedly to hurry it up and serve him.
After his plate was placed in front of him, he starting eating, giving in to the urge to hastily eat and forgo his manners.
After eating to stop his stomach from digesting itself, he waited for his butler to take away his plates. "Sebastian, after this, take me to my bedroom. I wish to sleep."
Sebastian stopped his actions, and looked at Ciel with momentary surprise before he hid it. "Young Master, it is only one o'clock. It is too early to retire. You still have work-"
"You know I can't do it anyway. In fact, you will have to do the paperwork, until this reverses. Anyway, I want to sleep. I suppose it is from this new change. After all, children," Ciel threw Sebastian a smirk, "need more sleep than usual."
His butler saw the smirk and narrowed his eyes before he bowed, hiding his irritated expression. "Very well, my lord." He then placed the plates on the trays and turned to Bard and Finny. "Go and place these in the kitchen. I will be back soon." Both of them saluted before hurrying to get the order done.
Sebastian then turned to Mey-rin. "The banister still needs polishing." Turning back to Ciel, Sebastian saw him blinking the sleep that was creeping up.
"Well then, Young Master." Sebastian picked him up under the arms and held him against his body making Ciel shift at being so close to his butler before he settled in a comfortable position.
Time passed quickly that day and soon it was a new day. The sun was shining brightly the next morning through the open curtains and tea was poured as usual. Sebastian dressed him, after fixing the clothes and picked Ciel up to carry him to the dining room for his breakfast.
This day a visitor came, which had made Ciel worried.
Nina Hopkins was an extremely loud and dramatic person who had a knack for fashion.
But even that visit was somewhat of the norm for Ciel. The only thing different was that she fawned over Ciel and his 'cuteness'. After taking the measurements and ignoring Sebastian's remarks, she shooed them out to do her work.
Outside the room, Ciel and Sebastian stood in the hallway, waiting.
..
It was not long after that the door bust open with an excited Nina holding up papers with the designs. "This would look just fabulous on him. With the cuffs made like this-" The rest Ciel tuned out. His attention was preoccupied with the window that was inside the room Nina had just come out of. A little bright yellow bird was flying outside in the distance.
He went inside, ignoring the way Nina's speech was abruptly cut off and made his way to the window. The bright sun streamed in, beaming on Ciel's head, highlighting the light blue tint. Ciel looked closer at the bird. It was flitting around a nest that was situated in the high branches of a tree.
A small black figure caught his eye and he trained his vision to see a small black cat making its way to the nest where baby birds were chirping.
Somehow he still felt sympathetic for the birds, who barely had a chance to live and their lives would be snatched up into the cat's paw.
"Does the Young Master feel sympathetic for the birds?" Sebastian voiced by his ear.
Ciel turned and tilted his head up to face his butler who was leaning down. "No, I do not. I am simply wondering since when did we acquire a cat?"
Sebastian stood up and bowed. "Forgive me Young Master, just the other day I found her and saw her eyes and she followed me home."
Ciel scowled. "How so? What is so unique about its eyes that you would ignore the fact that I am allergic to cats?"
The butler smiled falsely and leaned down to whisper, being mindful of Nina's listening ears, "It has mismatched eyes." He straightened up and turned to walk back towards Nina to finish things up.
"Sebastian, I want that cat gone when you're done." Sebastian paused in his steps and turned before he bowed. "Yes, my lord."
After that small incident, they walked Nina to the door and saw her off, listening to her rambles. "And so the Earl's clothes will be ready in a week."
With those final words, she left leaving Ciel to exhale in relief.
Ciel turned for the stairs, intending to go to his drawing room to read only to be stopped by Sebastian.
"Young Master, this morning a letter came from the Queen." Ciel whirled around to face Sebastian who had a serious look.
Seems he could not unwind just yet. "Bring me the letter along with a cup of tea to my study." With that he continued up the stairs, making sure to hang on to the banister as to not to slip and disappeared out of the butler's sight.
The butler clad in black let out a puff of breath before he journeyed to the kitchen.
The walk to the kitchen was uneventful, as was the task of making tea. It was all a routine and it seemed ever since the Young Master changed gradually into a child, it was getting more boring than he had thought.
With Ciel never journeying out of the mansion, there was no need for fights with supernaturals.
He sighed inwardly and carried the tray with both the letter and the tea balanced on one hand until he reached the door to enter the study. He knocked twice and waited to hear Ciel's clear and slightly high voice grant him permission. "Enter."
Sebastian easily balanced the tray on one hand before he opened the door with ease and strolled in, in his usual elegant manner- something most people would be envious of.
He placed the tray on the desk, being mindful of the papers Ciel must of thrown in a fit of anger of not being able to read, and plucked the letter from the tray and handed it to Ciel.
Sebastian then busied himself pouring tea, it sounding the steady trickle as it was poured into the cup and once he finished pouring the tea he placed the cup in front of Ciel who was once again sitting on top of something. This time is was cushions.
Sebastian brow twitched slightly at the thought of having to put them all back where they belonged before he smoothed his brow out and looked at Ciel as he made an effort to read the letter.
And judging from his flush that was coming over his face, Sebastian knew he would have to read it to him. He plucked the letter from his grasp, ignoring his shout of anger and began scanning it and was finished in a minute.
He gave the letter back to Ciel to placate him as one does to a toddler, giving it toy to stop it from crying.
Ciel tried to read it once more as to not to be shown up by his butler before he threw in on the desk in a fit of anger and snapped his head to glare at Sebastian. "Well?"
"Yes, Young Master?" Sebastian underlying tease was doing a thorough job of annoying Ciel, judging by the way Ciel was clenching his tiny fists on top of the desk.
"What did the letter say?" Ciel almost shouted but calmed himself. Don't play into the demon's hands.
Sebastian smiled falsely. "Your Queen wished to know if something is wrong with you, since it is taking you a bit longer than usual and more people are being murdered."
Ciel looked at his butler's face. "Take off that fake smile." To which Sebastian complied and adopted a serious look.
Ciel then reached for his cup of tea, his blue ring glinting in the sunlight that was peaking over his chair and hitting his desk. He took a few quick sips as to not to burn his tongue and had a somber look on his face as he thought over the news. New killings.
He turned to look at Sebastian who was studying him. "Did she give a place where the last murder took place?" He asked while crossing legs.
"In a small town outside of London."
"That really narrows it down," Ciel stated in a sarcastic voice laced with boredom before he finished the tea and placed it on the plate.
Sebastian merely regarded him with a curious look before he took Ciel's finished tea and placed it on the tray before he picked it up and started to walk away, but he was stopped by Ciel.
"Sebastian, prepare the carriage. We are to leave for London, but before that prepare me something sweet to eat."
The butler turned to see Ciel leaning against the desk with an arm on it and hand tucked under his chin.
"Yes, my lord." That being said, he bowed before he strolled out the room with his tail coat fluttering slightly from his brisk pace.
After Sebastian got to the lower levels of the mansion to reach the kitchen, he placed the tray on the counter and took off his jacket to place it on the hook and rolled up his sleeves-putting on a waist apron, he got started on making a cake for Ciel.
He was stopped by a loud crash from outside and sighed knowing he had more work to do.
...
After the allotted time for the cake to finish he worked on decorating it with fanciful swirls of toppings and after a few more decorations, it was done.
Ciel was busy stacking up cards in a pyramid shape (he was NOT playing) when Sebastian knocked and entered. "Excuse me."
But the blue haired earl was too busy to notice that Sebastian was in there and was focusing on putting the last few cards together with his tongue sticking out slightly- a habit he had as a child when focusing hard on something.
When Sebastian placed the plate in front of him, Ciel was startled and ended up knocking down the pyramid of cards. Ciel looked at the ruined creation he had worked so hard to create and felt his frustration from all his patience go to waste, well up in the corner of his eyes. He would NOT cry though.
Ciel turned to look at Sebastian who had an amused look on his face from his Young Master's antics. "You stupid demon!"
The young Earl then turned and eyed the cake and all traces of displeasure was wiped clean from his face. Of course, sweets always appealed to young children.
Ciel immediately placed all thoughts of his fallen pyramid and ate the cake at a quick speed from giving in to his childish urges and forgoing his manners to eat as quickly as possible.
...
After he ate his slice and his sweet tooth was gone, he felt anticipation bubble up in his belly and snapped his head up to order his butler. "Prepare the carriage, Sebastian. We leave as soon as the horses are ready." With that being said, he climbed down from his pile of cushions and walked to the window, turning his back as Sebastian bowed.
"Yes, my Lord."
Ciel heard the quiet click from the door being shut, but ignored it and instead gazed down at Finny who was running outside with Pluto.
That looks fun. Ciel quickly shook those thoughts from his head and gazed elsewhere. He stopped his line of vision when he saw the bird's nest from earlier only to see it empty.
He scowled at remembering the cat. Stupid cat. He looked down into the gardens, the one Sebastian's tended to and the one not destroyed by Finny to see the same cat chasing after a butterfly. I thought I told Sebastian to get rid of it.
He sighed and smoothed his features and turned away from the window and walked towards the door and stopped in front of the doorknob.
It was pretty high up for him; he wondered if he could reach it. Ciel reached a short arm up only to come up short as his fingertips just barely grazed the knob.
Ciel looked around as if someone could be watching (which who could, but in his childish mind he had to check) and then jumped and reached his hand out to grab the knob only for gravity to then take over and the sudden weight on his arm caused pain to shoot up his arm, causing him to let go and cry out in pain.
He felt tears well up in the corner of his eyes and when he moved his arm, he felt pain shoot through his arm as he gritted his teeth making the tears tickle their way down his cheeks.
Ciel backed away from the door and went to his desk, angrily throwing the cushions on the floor and climbed up the chair to plop down on it and waited for Sebastian to come back.
He looked around the room to notice how lonely it looked as he curled his small body up, ignoring the dull ache in his arm and closed his eyes.
Minutes later, he was woken up by Sebastian calling him. "Young Master."
The childish earl yawned and opened his doe like eyes only to rub the sleep from them. When he was done, he saw Sebastian dressed in his disguise, so just then he pieced together the fact that he would be made to wear one. He smirked at the trouble he can cause for Sebastian today.
The butler clad in black saw this smirk and knew that Ciel was going to find a way to cause trouble. He gestured for Ciel to leave the room and when he climbed down from his seat (throne) and left only then did Sebastian exit behind him.
Ciel was once again forced to wear something similar to what he wore last time making him wonder where Sebastian got all these less than decent clothing.
Once again, Sebastian was made to make adjustments and dressed Ciel quickly. It would be nice when Nina got Ciel some clothes that fit him so he wouldn't have to waste his time adjusting them himself. When he got to his shoes, he then took into account for the fact that he would have to carry Ciel again. Judging from the devious smile Ciel had, he knew he had figured it out.
"Since we are going into town, we can stop on our way to purchase you some shoes along with socks."
Ciel nodded and picked up his arms to wrap them around Sebastian's neck, who was already bent down on one knee due to the fact that he had to button his shorts.
When Sebastian stood, Ciel had to hang on tight briefly before arms came up and supported his lower body.
"Let's go, Sebastian."
"Yes, my lord."
The ride to London was quick to Ciel who slept through most of it and was awakened from his dreamless state from Sebastian who had got off from the seat after putting the reins down.
"Young Master, we're here." Ciel had to shield his eyes from the sun and glare at Sebastian who woke him up.
The young Earl stood up in the carriage and since he was shoeless not to mention sock-less he once again felt Sebastian pick him up.
"Shall we go to one of the stores to purchase your footwear first?" Ciel shook his head no at this and was instead paying attention to his surroundings. He saw a few people glance his way before they decided it was nothing interesting and looked away.
"Sebastian, take me to the latest murder scene."
Sebastian tilted his head down at him. "I do not know where to find it."
"I know you can smell the blood and the people's anxiety." Ciel coolly stated before he looked forward and looked at a few people who were hurrying by.
He scanned the crowd once more and in the far sight of his vision he saw a crowd gathered. "Sebastian-" But Sebastian had already seen it and began walking towards it.
The Scotland Yard was already there looking for any clues. "Sebastian, let's go and pay a certain man a visit." Ciel stated while giving the scene a once over.
"Certainly." They started walking off but were stopped by a woman.
"Sir! Excuse me. Sir!" Sebastian being the polite butler turned much to Ciel's annoyance to appease the young woman.
"Hello, Sir. Do you remember me, it is Maria." And much to Ciel's displeasure it was the same woman from before. She was clad in the same type of clothing as last time but this time it was in white. Her hair was different; instead of being piled up high it was tied back loosely with a blue ribbon.
"Ah, yes I do remember you. How could I forget?" Sebastian answered with fake glee.
When she came to a stop only then did she notice Ciel. "Oh. Hey..." She did not even remember his name. The nerve of this woman.
"Ciel. His name is Ciel and he is shy at the moment." Sebastian shifted him to his side and continued talking to the woman.
Ciel tuned them out while he felt something akin to jealously burn in his belly. He is my butler!
"So Mr. Sebastian, my place is not too far from here, are you still up for it? Isn't it a comic thing that we keep meeting up like this?" She burst out into peals of laughter making Ciel glower at her.
"Ah, yes it is indeed." Ciel then brought himself to attention when he sniffled making them both look at him. Sebastian with false concern and her with dislike as if he was beneath her. Ciel scoffed inwardly.
"Papa~ I'm hungry." He made sure to look at Maria at the end before he looked towards Sebastian's red eyes urging him to go along. Oh how he did love toying with Sebastian! So the mouse turns into the cat.
"I'm sure you can wait until I'm done talking to this lady," was Sebastian's reply before he returned to the conversation with the woman making Ciel drop his facade momentarily.
Ciel growled under his breath when Marie threw a look of gloat at him, making Sebastian squeeze him, letting him know he was heard.
Ciel tugged on Sebastian's hair harshly making the grip tighten, but even then he was ignored and his hand was pushed down. He was getting annoyed so he turned to childish ways- he pinched Sebastian, but that didn't move him at all. It seemed Sebastian was bent on ignoring him.
He tuned in to their conversation. "So after that night, I didn't see anything else." And that ended the important stuff as they began talking about the weather.
Ciel was idly watching the kids play, some even beckoning him to play but he shook his head no and returned to watching the people. From Sebastian's height he could see a far way off and he could make out the sign to the Undertaker, all he needed was for Sebastian to hurry it up.
He was broke out of his musing when Sebastian started to walk forward with the woman making him question Sebastian. "Where are we going?"
Both the woman and Sebastian stopped walking and turned to look at Ciel who was clutching Sebastian neck cuff. "You are going to stay with Maria's sister who lives beside her and Maria and I will be talking business." Maria threw a sly look at Ciel's direction to which Ciel puffed up at. (Figuratively speaking)
"But Papa, I don't want to go." Ciel was thoroughly annoyed and let some of it seep through his act.
"Ciel you will behave for her sister, am I understood?" Sebastian turned his chin to look at him after he turned his head away.
Oh, Sebastian was having a fun time toying with his master.
Ciel nodded and they continued walking. When Maria's back was turned, Ciel leaned up to Sebastian's ear and hissed into it. "I won't stand for this Sebastian. You're mine."
Sebastian's eyes widened briefly at Ciel's possessive tone before he continued. "I order you to decline your previous choice and let us leave. Come up with any excuse."
My Young Master really is greedy despite his young age.
He turned to Ciel who had lifted his medical bandage up briefly to let his contract show.
"Yes, my lord." Sebastian saw his own eyes flashing their normal color for him in Ciel's eyes.
Sebastian then turned to Maria and stopped. "Maria, I am sorry to say but I have forgotten I have business to take care. I do apologize."
Maria turned and had a sad look on her face before she nodded. "Oh alright then. Perhaps we will meet again. What is your business, if I may ask?"
Sebastian answered, "Oh, just meeting with some people." He sent Ciel a mocking look before he let his vision meet Maria's. "And it seems Ciel needs to use the bathroom." With that he turned.
He looked down to see Ciel's appalled look. "Why did you tell her that?"
"You did say any excuse, Young Master." Ciel immediately went quiet for the remainder of the small trip to the Undertaker.
Hehe, how many of you all thought it was going to be Grell? I won't lie, it was going to be him but since a lot of people suspected that, I had to change that.
Bahaha, now REVIEW~!