I'm thrilled that you guys are interested in reading this piece, honestly! Feel free to review and the playlist is/will be (depending on when you read this chapter) posted to my profile very soon. The YouTube playlist contains the pieces which inspired me to write this piece, they are all labeled. Some scenes use multiple pieces so read the notes carefully.

I would love to thank the following people for adding this piece to their Alerts Subscription: Blackkitten13, Ringo Juisu

For adding this piece to their favorites: Vafreek, Blackkitten13

For adding me to their favorite author's list: Varfeek

promocat: Yeah, Ciel's a little evil in his, I honestly couldn't resist. He's not the nicest in the Manga either when you really sit down and think about it.

Ringo Juisu: Wow! I love long reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying, I love pastries and to be honest have a serious sweet tooth. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoy the adjustments to characters in this version and find the technical end to be refreshing, as well as the use of french terms. Feel free to correct me when I make a mistake. (LOL I know the PM was longer, I'm paraphrasing.)

Varfreek: I'm glad that you like the fact that Sebastian has an interesting past as well, something to spice things up. I'm glad you are enjoying my little story and I plan to continue it until the end.

Thank you to all of you who have been reading and weren't mentioned above. You guys are amazing and I hope you enjoy the complicatons to come.

Now on with the Chapter!

Chapter 6: Dessert 4: Pats de Nonne

Alois groaned as he slowly sat up in bed and looked at his partner from the night before, another nameless man who wasn't that great of a lay. Light poured through the open window as he stretched and popped his back. That evening he hooked up with a handsome gentleman who had just divorced his wife and wanted a little fun. He sighed as he slipped out of bed and picked up his mobile. He ran a hand through his messy blond hair as he turned it on and took a look at the text. He hummed before looking at the man who was laying face down on his bed, snoring like a wood chipper. Alois had always joked about getting Claude to screw him, he didn't think Ciel would encourage it. The thing which bothered him though was the fact that Alois wanted to hurt Sebastian. It honestly didn't feel right, it was Sebastian's whimsical comment which made a number of people chuckle and had flooded Twitter. He expected Ciel to be busier than ever tonight because of it, a number of the guests were pleased to see a whimsical chef who enjoyed his craft.

Alois sighed as he got out of bed and walked over to his bathroom, Claude would never agree to sleeping with him, he knew that. Yet, Ciel wanted him to, there had to be something else to it, Ciel didn't simply play games without knowing even card. That was how he was, he wasn't a player he was the master of the game and Alois had to decide if this was really worth it. If he could get Claude to fall into his arms, he would get a case of tequila and the handsome Head Chef himself. He ran a comb through his hair and returned to his bedroom, either way he had to get that man out of his bed, "Rise and shine," said Alois seductively as he leaned in the doorway with nothing on. Alois' lay woke up and looked at him, "Get out, I have to work," said Alois nastily. He had put on an angelic act the night before so he had a feeling that the gentleman in his bed was going to be confused. Sure enough he was and stammered, "What?" Alois sighed as he threw the man's pants at him and commented, "Sorry buddy, but you just weren't good enough," he stated before wrapping himself in a bright red silk Yukata and disappearing from the room.

He smiled as he heard the man curse at him and leave in a hurry. He picked up his mobile again and typed his reply to an ever so eager Ciel. "Okay then, I'll play. If that means I can get closer to you," he commented.

Alois Trancy:

Sounds like a plan.

He tapped the phone to his chin after hitting send. Perhaps he could get this to work in his favor. Even if it was just another game for Ciel, this could be a way for him to express what he had been thinking.

~~xXx~~

The sun was out again as Sebastian slowly walked through the Smithfield market in Central London. He enjoyed roaming around these markets, each of them had a wonderful selection of the freshest breads, cheeses, vegetables and meats. The only thing was you have to know both how to bargain and what you were looking at. He was greeted by the smell of fresh bread and the color of the produce, "Something light," he commented as he slowly wandered through the colorful streets, looking at each stand. "This is heaven," he breathed happily as he walked down the street and disappeared into the bustle of young men and women purchasing their goods.

In truth he simply wanted to run away, the night before Claude had gotten too close. He wasn't interested in the Head Chef knowing more about him, it made him nervous. He knew he was buried in debt and had a tainted background, he didn't want Claude to know. He could be fired by the petty owner for simply having the wrong background. Regardless of his qualifications. It was bad enough Ciel seemed displeased that night at dinner, it was clear that he didn't expect Sebastian to be prepared for just about anything. The ironic part was he failed to noticed it wasn't Sebastian's coat. All of Sebastian's chef's jackets had his name embroidered on them, this one it was missing. He had borrowed a blank from Claude, it was slightly too large, and he had to roll up the sleeves. Claude was much larger than he was, yet they managed to get it to work. He had no idea how broad the head chef's shoulders were until he tried on the coat. It practically swam on him, yet Ciel didn't noticed this. He hummed as he remembered how those sapphire eyes narrowed when he asked Sebastian why he wasn't covered in flour. They honestly looked irritated that his chef was presentable. "Such a difficult person," he mumbled as he continued to look around.

The murmur of individuals as he walked through the restaurant was still in his head. All of them admiring both his looks and skills. That night they had sold more dessert than even the head waiter could handle. Ronald was running to and fro with a tray of sweets and making quite a bit in tips. "It's rather bitter," Claude's voice was still buzzing, and he paused. Sebastian knew they were bitter, it was intentional, or at least that's what he thought. He sighed and shook his head, until the scent of rosemary and thyme bread caught him. His feet came to a halt outside of the stall and he quickly picked up a piece, "How much?" he asked quickly as he looked over the bread.

~~xXx~~

Claude sighed and looked at his watch, the noise of people bargaining and arguing over the quality of the produce echoed in his ears. In all honesty he wanted to spend his time admiring succulent pieces of beef, golden brown loaves of bread and succulent tomatoes just ripe enough to cook with. "Where is he?" he groaned as he looked around for the blond who had called him out that morning. He couldn't believe that he was assisting Alois in shopping, it honestly amazed him that he would get a phone call so early asking for assistance. "Claude!" cried a familiar voice which made the Head Chef jump, as always he was loud. A pair of scrawny arms wrapped around him, "Ah, it's so good to see you!" he squealed with glee. Claude rolled his eyes as he wrenched Alois away from him.

"What's this dire need to go shopping with me?" he asked sternly, he didn't need Alois slowing him down. He wanted to get to admiring produce and select the best before it was gone. It was no secret this market was here, and chefs from every restaurant in the area, as well as the locals, used it. "Wow, something smells delicious!" chimed Alois before he bounded off. For once he was in jeans and a tee with a light jacket, he wasn't wearing the tight shorts or boots. At least today Claude could be seen with him and didn't look like he had an escort hanging off of him, "Perhaps I will survive this," he muttered as he went after Alois. He was standing by a stand which sold warm scones, "Oh I want the chocolate one!" he gushed. Claude sighed, of course he wanted the sweetest one available. Alois was as bad as Ciel in this aspect, he had a serious sweet tooth and was always at risk for cavities. He honestly thought that the pair consumed more sugar than Sebastian cooked with in an evening. Sebastian could probably make a scone which wasn't as sweet, Claude paused when he realized he was thinking about the burgundy eyed, raven haired chef. He shook his head and looked down at Alois who was handing the baker a few pence.

Claude crossed his arms and hummed only to catch a familiar profile, a mess of black hair, pale skin, high cheekbones, and burgundy red eyes. His lips quirked up as he watched Sebastian look over the bread and argue a price. He was impressed that he wasn't slipping into french for this. The baker was animated as he attempted to make his case, only for Sebastian to do a rapid calculation in his head, and point out he was over priced when both time and materials as well as fuel were added in. The baker gaped at the Pậtissier and finally let him have the bread for the price he argued, regrettably. Claude chuckled as he watched Sebastian hand him the money and move on. "Claude, what are you looking at?" asked Alois curiously as he tugged on Claude's shirt. He was so amused by Sebastian's actions, he had forgotten about Alois, which impressed him. It was nearly impossible to forget about the boisterous blond beside him.

Claude wanted to know more about Sebastian, even if the man wouldn't open up to him, he paused and hummed. If he followed Sebastian he would learn not only his particular taste but also his personality. "I was," he paused and chuckled, "Admiring a rather beautiful blackbird." Cerulean eyes looked up at the Head Chef and narrowed before shrugging and prancing off, thankfully it was in the same direction Sebastian had gone. It was as though he were playing a real life game of "Where's Waldo." The thrill and excitement drove the chef to look and see where the bird had flown. "Oh look Claude, what are those?" he asked as he pointed. Claude followed his finger and looked at the stand, there was an assortment of smoked meats as well as sausages. Claude followed the blond as he asked the butcher about each item. "It's chicken sausage," responded the butcher. The blonde stared at him as though he were an alien. "Huh?" asked the blond in confusion as he looked at him, "Chicken."

Alois looked at Claude and asked, "They make sausages out of chickens?" The head chef groaned and rubbed his forehead with his fingers, "Yes, they can use chicken to make sausages, they also use seafood and turkey," he remarked. Alois' eyes widened with wonder as he pointed at the pail white links. It was apparent his mind was blown and he remembered he was talking to someone who didn't look at what he was eating, he just stuck it in his mouth to see if it tasted good. "How?" he asked after a moment and Claude looked at him. He started to wonder if he actually worked in a 4 star french restaurant. "Like they make normal sausage," he responded. Alois looked at the sausage and hummed, Claude grit his teeth, he honestly looked like he was going to kill Alois. "Does it taste good?" he asked after a moment.

Claude stared at him as though he were an alien from another planet, "I don't mind it, it's really up to the person eating it," he commented. Suddenly he was aching for Sebastian to come and save him from the blond bimbo. He hummed again and crossed his arms as he tapped his chin with his index finger, Claude began to get impatient and mutter, "Oh for the love of, I want 8 links of the Chicken Sausage, wrapped in paper and put on ice," he called. The butcher nodded and was quick to carry out Claude's order. "You know what, it's too weird, I'll stick with sausage from pigs," he commented before walking away. Claude turned red with frustration and glared at the obnoxious blond before he skipped off, "Boyfriend?" asked the butcher as he handed Claude the package, there was a hint of pity in his voice as he asked. Claude sighed and pulled his wallet to pay the man, obviously he was eating chicken sausage for the next few days, "No, thankfully," he stated as he handed the man a few folded bills and placed the package with an ice pack in his bag.

He searched the crowded street for where Alois had run to, "Claude, Claude, look!" he cried and waved his arms as though he were flagging down a ship. Claude tilted his head to the side as he imagined the amount of chaos which would surround the blond as he directed ships in the harbor and sent signals. There wouldn't be a single vessel afloat once he was finished, "Claude, it's so cute!" he cried. Claude trudge along, he noticed how Alois' cerulean eyes were glowing with curiosity, and he groaned. Fearing this would be like the chicken sausage, which he hadn't planned on buying. He could smell the grease and his stomach churned, he honestly didn't want to eat something greasy. He stopped before a stand of Elephant ears and looked at them, he had a feeling Sebastian's would never be that greasy. "They look wonderful!" he chirped, "1 Please!" Claude blanched and looked away, his stomach was doing backflips looking at it.

He was about to comment when he caught a glimpse of that beautifully tousled hair. "I would like A carton of strawberries please," he heard that beautiful voice say behind him. He sighed as he watched long fingers examine each one and he nodded, "I'll take them, and throw in some blackberries as well," he stated as he pointed to the lush dark blue fruit. Claude couldn't tear his eyes away from the berries, he hummed after remembering how gentle he was with the fruit when he had first arrived and made the Mille Feuille. Part of him began to wonder what the chef intended to do with the succulent fruit, what sort of divine treats he was planning on making with them. He felt a sharp pain in his backside, and he turned around to see Alois grinning shamelessly, he had just been pinched in the ass by the bartender. "Ouch, what the hell was that for?" asked Claude as he rubbed the sore spot without thinking. Golden eyes probed the flirtatious blond's face for an answer. "Well I called your name like five times, and you didn't respond!" he stated as he crossed his arms.

"I mean honestly do you have ADD or something, that's not good for a chef, you'll get burnt," stated Alois as he tapped his toe. Claude noticed Sebastian move out of the corner of his eye, and looked up, "I mean seriously it's annoying, you can't possibly be looking at another black bird," he stated. Claude was resisting the urge of running up to Sebastian and begging for assistance, this was far more irritating than he imagined. His eyes lit up as he watched Sebastian turn down a familiar little ally to a wine distributor, "I was thinking about what wine to pair with the mean I had planned," he replied smoothly. He was going into that shop to see what Sebastian would pick. He couldn't lose him now, not when he was learning so much about him. Alois looked at him and grinned, "Oh, why didn't you say so! You'll cook for me?" he asked with large puppy dog eyes. Claude felt a pair of slender arms wrap around his arm as he walked, "Yes," said Claude quickly. Anything to get closer to the mysterious chef.

They turned down the alley to the familiar wine shop he knew and he opened the door, "Oh wow, what a nice place!" chirped the blond before he began to walk down the rows of bottles. It was one of the first shops Claude had been to when he first came back to England after spending some time in Paris, it was still one of his favorites. They had a beautiful selection of rare wines, all of which Spears knew by heart. He walked down the length of the store and noticed Sebastian holding two bottles in his hands, he would recognize them a mile away. One of them was his personal favorites, a dry white wine from New York called Simi and the other was a bottle of Rozay with a French label. He paused and looked at them, he wanted to know which Sebastian would choose. He returned the Rozay to the shelf and called over the resident Sommelier. "I'm looking for something a little nutty and not as sweet," he commented.

The Sommelier looked at both bottles and asked, "Drinking or cooking?" Sebastian shifted on his feet and replied without hesitation, "Cooking." Claude's eyes couldn't leave the pair as they chatted about the body of both and the Sommelier stated, "That bottle of Simi isn't as good, go with the one from 2003, it's a better year and slightly more mature." Sebastian handed the bottle to the rather short Sommelier and nodded as he followed. "I'll take the Simi then," he replied politely. Claude was dancing on the inside, the man was willing to use the wine he preferred to cook. "Claude! I want to know the difference between these," said Alois as he sauntered over. Sebastian was at the counter handing him a few bills and disappeared. He groaned in frustration and looked at Alois, he had to ditch him somehow. Internally he was screaming for Sebastian to come back and save him.

~~xXx~~

After arguing with Alois for thirty minutes on wine, the blond bought both bottles, ignoring Claude's suggestions. "Wine should be enjoyed not used to drown yourself," commented Claude. Alois looked at him as though he had several heads, "I'm not drowning myself," he replied and crossed his arms as he carried the bag with wine in it. Claude sighed and rolled his eyes, "Says the one who wanted to pour tequila on his Cheerios," he muttered. Alois jumped and looked at him wide eyed, he looked as though Claude had just told him the secret of making gold from other metals, "I totally forgot about that! I so want to try that," he cried. The head chef groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose as he mentally kicked himself to reminding the blond. They walked down the street, and Alois' phone rang, Claude crossed his fingers that he would finally get rid of the blond.

"What do you mean that they didn't have it?" he asked with an irritated tone. Alois was the Head Bartender which, meant he was in trouble if the right liquors weren't in the case. "No I said a case of Bombay Sapphire, completely different," he commented and groaned. The only thing which Alois both seemed to care about and know was bartending, it honestly amused him how the blond was able to run the bar with ease and an air or authority. "Alright, I'll come down, yeah tell Soma I'm coming. No it's not his fault, it's those idiots running the place," he grumbled before hanging up and looking at Claude with a pout. "I have to go to work," he said with sad eyes. Claude was internally cheering fate was finally on his side. "Pity," said Claude with little emotion as he contained his joy. Alois sighed and looked at him, "I'll see you around, Claudy-Bear," he said before blowing him a kiss and vanishing.

Claude slumped against a wall and sighed with relief, the storm had finally looked at his bags and decided it wouldn't hurt to look around just a little longer. He continued to wander until he saw a familiar slender figure smiling, he was carrying a paper bag and his red eyes seemed to dance. As Claude got closer he was overwhelmed by the smell of maple sugar, butter and vanilla. It was a familiar smell that he simply couldn't place. Sebastian's lips were curved in a small smile as he watched a young woman work, on wrapping an order. Before Claude realized it he was standing beside Sebastian and he finally knew what had amused his patissier. Resting on a silver tray lined with parchment were small swirled pastries. Golden eyes slowly widened as he looked at them, they were simple, a piece of puff pastry coiled with a maple sugar filling with a touch of cinnamon. A peasant dish, Sebastian had made pastries far more elegant and complex. Yet he was looking at these small round pastries as though they were the greatest thing he had ever tasted.

The Head Chef stared at Sebastian in confusion, "What are they?" he asked after a moment, he couldn't find a tag and began to wonder if there was some secret to them that only a Patissier would know. The slender pastry chef jumped and glanced over at Claude. A look of shock appeared on his face, naturally he didn't think Claude used the same market or hadn't expected to see him there. "The pastries, I don't recognize them," said Claude after a moment as he glanced back down at the tray. The raven haired chef relaxed a little and responded, "Pets de Nonne," he chuckled after saying it. Claude was even more confused at the response, he couldn't understand why Sebastian was laughing. "What's so funny?" the Head Chef asked after a moment as he attempted to put some meaning to the words. He was at a total loss and looked over at the chuckling chef.

Sebastian hummed with delight as he shook his head and looked at the baker, "Duex Pets de Nonne, s'il vous plait," he said swiftly. A young man looked up from the register as the woman glanced at him in utter confusion. "I've got this," said the man as he walked over and picked up the two pastries and wrapped them in paper, "Here you are," he said as he handed them to Sebastian. The young pastry chef handed the man a few pounds, and the baker looked at him in confusion, "Sir, you've given me too much," he commented. Sebastian shook his head and replied, "That is for a child looking for something sweet." There was a nostalgic smile on his face and the man smiled, "I see, I'll set this aside and slip it in once he has come," responded the baker with a smile. The woman looked even more confused than before, Claude could tell there was something unspoken between the owner and Sebastian, a mutual understanding which he wanted to know about.

"Thank you for your patronage," said the owner with a nod and Sebastian held out one of the round pastries to Claude. The Head Chef looked at him hesitantly, he had never heard of the dish, he didn't even understand what the name meant and yet he was going to eat it. "Try it, it's really good," said Sebastian with a smile as he folded back a corner of the parchment and took a bite. His lips wrapped around the pastry, and he purred with joy as he tasted it. A faint blush covered his cheeks as he closed his eyes and savored the sweet treat.

The Head Chef slowly took a bite and tasted the buttery flaky crust, which seemed to fall apart in his mouth. It wasn't nearly as good as Sebastian's rough pastry that he had made in haste to complete the Mille Feuille. However, it was fairly close, the maple played on his tongue and surprisingly it wasn't too sweet, it was nutty and had a nip of cinnamon on the end. He looked up to see Sebastian watching him intently, it was clear he was trying to see if Claude liked it. The Head Chef licked his thumb and nodded in approval, "Very tasty," he hummed as he licked the sugar off of his thumb.

"Pets de Nonne was a traditional French treat that was created in Paris, young children would buy it on the streets or in bakeries with coin. Originally they were made with a type of puff pastry which was used in cream puffs and was often fried, called Choux Puff," Sebastian explained. Claude looked at the pastry in confusion, it wasn't heavy enough for that, "However, when the French brought it to Canada the recipe was altered. Bakers found it a hassle to make puff pastry just for the treat, so it was changed to pastry scraps," he explained. There was a glint of joy in his eyes as he spoke of the small wheel in his hand.

Claude stared at the man as he spoke, his passion for pastries exceeded most chef's for their craft. There was something romantic about watching the young man speak of the pastry in his hands. Something which Claude himself had forgotten, the love of the craft. To make food which served a purpose and warmed people. "Is it normal for French people to leave extra money for a child?" asked Claude after a moment. He had lived in Paris for a long time and had never seen anyone tell a baker to give a treat to a child and pay them for it in advance. Burgundy orbs shifted from their dancing form to one of sadness and pain. His smile vanished from his lips as he looked at the pastry in his hand, "Claude do you know what makes a pastry, or any dish, special?" he asked after a moment.

The question itself startled Claude, no one had ever asked him that, he had never actually thought about what it meant to be a chef. It seemed far too philosophical for his taste, and yet here Sebastian was asking the very question he dreaded. "I've never given that aspect much thought," he replied honestly. Sebastian scoffed and shook his head, his eyes were filled with that sadness he had seen when Amalie wasn't doing well. He hummed as he looked at the treat, it was as though he were creating a recipe for another treat while gazing at it.

"Every pastry is a memory, crafted by a chef to inspire new ones when enjoyed. They bring sweetness to the bitter days and the pain that comes with them, and they make memories better. As a chef I can only hope that someone out there finds happiness when they eat my pastries," he said after a moment. He paused and looked at Claude, "It's not the food which is important, but the memories crafted as people eat the food, that's what is important. We like to think it's our skill and palate which makes us special," he said slowly, and Claude felt as though he were finally looking into this man's soul. A place of loneliness, pain and sadness. He felt his heart wrench in his chest as Sebastian spoke, "However, in the end a pastry is just a pastry, meaningless without the chef's memories and those which people craft as they eat them," he finished.

Sebastian's sad smile was replaced with a warm one, it was beautiful, "When I was six, my mother died and we left for Paris from London. My father was an investment broker at the time," said Sebastian after a moment. Claude froze, he had an eerie feeling about what Sebastian was about to tell him. He hadn't expected the chef to tell him, he was so guarded that it was difficult to understand why he was doing this. "My father abandoned me at an orphanage outside of Paris when I was 9," he continued. Claude froze, he knew Sebastian had it rough but to be abandoned by his own father, was not something he expected. "They were strict at the orphanage and often told us that the devil would take our souls if we weren't good. There was one garden we weren't allowed in, it was Father Francis' private garden," said Sebastian slowly.

"We were all curious as to what he grew in it, naturally because it was forbidden many of us tried to get in, only for the nuns to catch us and punish us," he commented with a chuckle, "We would get them so angry." The sound of Sebastian's laughter was just as sweet as the sugar he used to bake with. Heart warming and a sound which made Claude smile. He could imagine a young raven haired boy causing mischief and pestering the nuns. "Anyway, I managed to sneak over the large brick wall and take a look. Unforchantly Father Francis spotted me," he said slowly. The joy was gone from his voice as he spoke. It was slightly painful, he could tell that what followed wasn't as happy. "He managed to catch me," there was a pause, Sebastian shuddered, and Claude could tell this wasn't a friendly memory. It looked as though Sebastian were editing something out, "He punished me," he said slowly. He looked like a small child, afraid of being hurt again, which made Claude wonder just what the man's punishment was.

"That evening, I managed to sneak out, I knew I would be punished by the nun's later, but I didn't care," he said slowly as he looked at the pastry in his hand. Claude stared at Sebastian only to realize that this man had been tortured for years of his life. That Ciel was mild compared to everything else he had been through. "It was closing time, and the bakery in town, which had chased us away with a broom, was throwing out day old pastries," he said with a warm smile, "the baker saw me and took pity on me. Father Francis' punishment was obvious to the baker and the man who we all feared would beat us with the rolling pin, gave me a treat," he said after a moment. Burgundy eyes were warm and filled with a kindness, "He was kind to me, when all others weren't. My father had brought me treats before, but that pastry was the best I had ever tasted," he whispered. Claude froze when he realized that this was why Sebastian was a Pậtissier. He slowly looked up at the Head Chef, "He offered me a chance to learn how to make pastries, to escape. I gladly accepted it," he finished.

Claude had a feeling that this wasn't all of the story, however he wasn't about to press for more. "Is he the one who taught you how to bake?" asked Claude after a moment, he wondered what the name of the Pậtissier was and if the owner was still around. "Yes, he taught me how to make these," he commented as he held of the pastry. Sebastian's smile came back again, it was apparent he respected his first teacher. Not many chefs respected their first of many teachers and masters which they learned from. Many were far too arrogant, himself included, to give them credit where it belonged. Yet there was something which was still bugging him, what the pastry's name meant, "What does it mean, the name of the pastry," asked Claude finally.

He was hoping Sebastian's tale would give something away, Sebastian simply chuckled and looked at him with a smirk of glee. "Pets de Nonne is a rather nasty name for such a wonderful pastry," he began after finishing the small wheel and dropping the paper in a nearby rubbish bin. "It means Nun's sighs, or as children say, Nun's farts," he responded with a giggle. Claude stared wide eyed at the chef before him, he looked at the pastry and commented, "You can't be serious." Sebastian hummed as he cradled the bag in his arm and replied, "I am, that's what it means. If you don't believe me, look it up," he commented with a teasing grin.

Thank you Manake and Collene once again for reading and helping me out, I know I'm a bit zanny but you guys keep me sane. Thanks guys! 3