Sebastian climbed the grand staircase and moved through the second-floor corridor.
The demon paused at the third door, peering inside.
Ciel had settled himself in the window seat with a stack of paper and a pen.
The young demon glanced at the outside world before returning to his pages.
Sebastian raised a clawed hand, knocking on the door.
Ciel turned to him, placing the items on the seat next to him.
"Am I interrupting?"Sebastian inquired. Ciel shook his head.
"Not really."He replied as the looming figure entered the room.
"May I join you?" Sebastian requested.
"If you like." The former Earl said, giving Sebastian his full attention. The older demon moved to stand in front of Ciel before lowering himself to the floor.
"What are you writing?" He questioned curiously.
"Nothing important, just keeping busy," Ciel replied. The older demon nodded.
"I see. I was hoping for a moment of your time if you can spare it. There's something I'd like to discuss with you." The former butler said.
"I suppose I'm at a good stopping point. Is everything all right?"
"Everything is fine. I wanted you to know that I received a message earlier today. It's from an old friend I haven't seen in many years. He and his mate have been away and have just returned home. I invited them to spend this evening with us. A mutual friend and his mates will also be joining us." Sebastian explained.
"Mates? You can have more than one?" Ciel questioned.
"Officially, no." Sebastian answered, "You may marry one at a time, but there are no rules regarding how many partners one can bring into a relationship. Larger families also come at a cost. Each demon you add to the group makes it increasingly difficult to meet everyone's needs. You must figure out the feeding schedule. Mates may refuse to participate, thus making meals stressful, and personalities don't mesh well with others. Before you get any ideas, I have no interest in anyone else." Ciel raised an eyebrow.
"Because it's too much for you, or-"
"Because I know what I want, and you're right here," Sebastian replied.
"You'd almost have to say something like that, wouldn't you?" Ciel teased.
"I would never lie to you, Ciel," Sebastian said.
"It wouldn't do either of us any good to do so. Use tonight as an opportunity to practice your lessons. It wouldn't hurt to attempt to make a few friends."
"Sebastian-"
"I know you would rather not. I think it would be good for you. As precious as you are to me, and as much as I may try, having been born a demon, I cannot hope to see the world through the eyes of a mortal. I can't relate to many of your experiences, and as I'm all you have here, you may want to connect with others who can offer you what I can't."
"That's a very thoughtful gesture, Sebastian," Ciel sighed. "But there's a reason I don't like being around others."
"Will you explain it to me?" Sebastian pulled Ciel closer.
"I'm an oddity to them, something to be whispered about and scoffed at. They all stop and stare when I'm with you. " Sebastian offered a soft smile.
"Ciel, They stare because you are a rarity in the best sense of the word. The young ones have not yet made the journey to the mortal world. You may very well be their first glimpse of what awaits them. A demon who appears mortal isn't an everyday sight., especially in the company of someone such as myself. They pause out of respect for who I am. I understand that it can be a bit uncomfortable. In time, they'll get used to your presence. Besides, they wouldn't dare scoff at you. Should I ever catch them doing so, it won't end well for them." Ciel remained silent, avoiding his mate's gaze.
Sebastian placed a clawed hand under Ciel's chin, tilting the young man's face upward to meet his gaze.
"I would never put you in a situation you can't handle." He continued, "When I requested that Velic and Draegon allow their mates to join us, I did so because I want more for you. I promised you freedoms beyond what is considered normal for a mate. I want you to do so much more than simply exist in this world, Ciel. I wish to see you thrive. I will give you everything I can to see you rise above it."
"I know you will," Ciel responded. "You treat me much better than I deserve. You always have. Can I ask something?"
"Always."
"Do mates need special permission for visits and going out"Ciel questioned.
"It depends," Sebastian began to explain. "You and I have spoken about the dominant mate before. Most demons in this role require permission to be given for everything. It's common among the elder demons, such as my father's generation, to have as much control over their home, property, and family as possible. We are possessive creatures by nature. Most of us prefer our mates to remain hidden from the world. Some are happy to comply. You'll find that Velic and Draegon are lenient but still maintain control. I explained our situation, and there shouldn't be a problem. After all, Merritt and Della had to learn as well."
"Did they change?" Ciel asked, "The way I did?"
"The circumstances were a bit different, but yes. As I recall, both struggled for some time. To choose a relationship of this nature is also choosing patience and understanding that such a significant change takes time to adjust." Sebastian said, "I know I didn't give you much warning, but I would appreciate it if you would join me in greeting our guests." Ciel thought for a moment.
"I suppose you did go through the trouble of trying to include me. It wouldn't be fair to refuse. When are you expecting them?"
"My dear Ciel, it was no trouble at all. You are part of my life now, and as such, I will always want you with me. Expect them within the next few hours." Sebastian answered.
"As this is your first meeting, I wanted to be there for moral support. You will soon see that a demon gathering differs from what you're accustomed to. Normally, it would be Draegon, Velic, and myself in a separate room while our mates speak in another. It's a gesture of trust between mates. One that I am more than happy to offer you when you feel comfortable." Ciel nodded.
"It may help you to know that You outrank all of our guests via your association with me, which puts you in the position to control your interactions with them. As always, should you need me for any reason, all you need to do is call for me, and I will be there instantly."
"I suppose I should get ready then," Ciel said as Sebastian stood up.
"I have one or two tasks downstairs to see to. Would you like me to help you with anything before I go?" Ciel shook his head.
"If I need you, I'll call for you." He slid off of his window seat, gathering his things. Sebastian softly brushed a hand through Ciel's short hair affectionately.
"I'll see you shortly then," He said, turning and exiting. Ciel sighed, placing his work on the antique writing desk and setting to work.
Sometime later, Sebastian finished placing the chairs in their groups and moved a small table to the center of Ciel's chairs before standing back to admire his work. The former butler glanced over at the clock. He sighed, contemplating making his way back to Ciel to check-in.
As if reading Sebastian's mind, Ciel entered the sitting room, dressed in his long sleeve white shirt, his black jacket draped over his arm.
"There you are," The older demon greeted. "I was just on my way to see how things were coming along."
"I'm not completely helpless, you know," Ciel replied, stopping in front of his former butler.
"You think so, "Sebastian teased, folding his arms over his chest.
"I'm sure of it. You still haven't noticed what's different," Sebastian smirked.
"If you mean your slightly increased height-" Ciel scoffed.
"I wasn't referring to that," Ciel looked down at the new pair of shoes Sebastian had given him as a belated birthday gift. "I noticed the heel was a bit bigger than the last ones, thank you."
"I'd hoped they would raise your confidence. They look good on you, Ciel."
"It's not the shoes, try again." Ciel encouraged. Sebastian looked at his mate, staring in surprise as his future mate placed the jacket on the back of the chair. He pointed a slender, clawed finger at the white shirt.
"You've finally done it," He said. "Your shirt is perfectly buttoned." Ciel nodded.
"I've something to tell you because I want us to start out on the right foot. I've been keeping something from you." Sebastian tilted his head curiously.
"Have you?" He asked.
"I have. I've been able to button my shirt for months without you. I worked on it for a while." Sebastian stared at Ciel for a long moment.
"Why would you keep something like that from me?" He asked gently.
"Because I remembered the first time I helped you with something. You had this look in your eyes, an odd mix of being proud of me and not liking that I figured out how to do things myself. I didn't like that you were upset, so I stopped."
"I wasn't upset that you were doing things on your own," Sebastian explained. "I was proud of you, but the realization that one day soon, you would no longer have use for me and could walk away never looking back-"
"Are you daft?" Ciel interrupted. "I don't go out there with you, what makes you think I'll go without you?"
"I suppose if you use that tone, anything sounds ridiculous," Sebastian replied.
"Or it sounds ridiculous because it is." The young demon pointed out.
"I'll have you know-" Sebastian began, only to be interrupted by the arrival of their guests. Ciel slipped on his jacket, looking up at his mate.
"It will be alright, Ciel." Sebastian soothed. "Just remember your lessons, but also, know that this is only practice. If you miss a step here or there, I-"
"You'll be there to catch me," Ciel said.
"Right. Are you ready?"
"No." Sebastian lifted Ciel into his arms, making his way slowly toward the door.
"I wholeheartedly believe you have everything you need to succeed. You've worked hard for this. You've never been this nervous." Ciel turned his gaze from the demon.
"I don't want to embarrass you, I mean, it was kind of fun before, but now that we've changed and I know that your family must be-"
"As long as you're being yourself, what anyone else thinks shouldn't matter to you. The only opinions that should are yours and mine. I, as I've told you before, am proud of who you are, as you should be. You'll be fine." Ciel gave a short nod, allowing Sebastian to lower him onto his feet. He watched as the older demon reached out to open the door.
The former earl straightened himself up, standing at Sebastian's side. He felt the clawed hand again comb through his hair, lovingly. He turned to look at his mate, who leaned down, kissing his head.
"You can do this," Sebastian encouraged as he stood, and opened the door. Ciel hoped he was right.