A/N: This is an extra, just to build a little suspense. An idea of what everyone does in their free time.
Chapter 26: The Butler's Pantry
There was a place in the mansion that Ciel, nor Kurt, nor the other servants besides Tanaka, had dared to enter.
A place so tantalizingly mysterious, yet obviously dangerous, that it made Kurt's mouth water like Niagara Falls and Ciel roll his eyes and scoff, despite the distinct twinkle in his eyes. Bard didn't really seem to care, although he did linger by 'that' door every time he had to pass it. Finny and Mayrene asked every once in a while about the room, but even that was rare.
Tanaka was in there once in a while whenever Felix asked for a bit of help, but anyone who told Sebastian about the small assistance would find themselves with extra chores for a week.
The place was the Butler's Pantry, also known as the Butler's Kitchen.
It's where Sebastian and Felix pulled out the pristine china used to serve the young masters and special guests such as Lau and currently the Prince. It seemed Agni preferred to work in the main kitchen with everyone else though, so he didn't usually go into the Phantomhive Butler Pantry.
Nobody knew what went on in there, only that once in a while Felix's indignant voice almost yelled at Sebastian in a way people wondered how he got away with and that everything that came out of those doors was delicious.
Of course, Kurt couldn't keep his curiosity at bay for long.
They were doing their usual thing, Ciel and him somehow had escaped from the noisy Soma and were working hard in the parlor, a chessboard left untouched for the moment as Kurt spouted out drawings and ideas that Ciel would review and put in the economics of it all. It was a good system, like the moon and the sun working together to keep the tides and winds moving correctly. Out of nowhere Kurt stood up, making Ciel jolt slightly as their system was broken.
"What? It's far too early for you to take a break." Ciel sighed and continued writing whatever it is he scribbled into the parchment.
"Sebastian left Felix in charge of the manor until he came back from town. From what Ive calculated that demon will return in a half hour or less, but no less than eight minutes...unless you're like...I don't know, dying or something."
Ciel raised an eyebrow curiously at his friend, silently asking Kurt if he'd considered a psychological exam before, though he supposed in truth they all needed one.
"These calculations are positively pointless." Ciel scoffed.
It seemed the more Kurt watched Ciel's mannerisms, the easier it was to predict his next moves and get inside his head to see what he REALLY thought.
"But interesting, anyway, Felix is in the kitchen right now and wont be coming out anytime soon considering those three other servants." Kurt smirked and walked over to the door, "That annoying prat is looking around all of the rooms right now, and I think Lau is keeping him busy before lunch."
Ciel looked up in slight surprise, "When did Lau get in?"
Kurt was silent as he thought that over for a moment, "Huh, I dont know."
He shrugged before opening the door.
"And where do you think you're going?" Ciel asked, even though he too had risen from his chair, it seemed he was acting more and more differently around Kurt, a dangerous thought.
Kurt's smiled grew wide and Ciel's eye twitched as the boy pulled out an infamous green bandana and tied it back behind his brown locks.
"The Butler's Kitchen..."
That familiar sparkle entered Ciel's eyes as he rolled them in feigned exasperation, "You're joking."
"Think about it, have YOU ever been in there?"
Ciel scoffed and pulled up his newspaper, a sure sign of insecurity, "Of course not, it'd be a waste of time."
Kurt pouted a little and Ciel sighed.
"If I follow you and you see that there's nothing of importance will you stop bothering me about it?"
"Eh, maybe." Kurt laughed and tugged a knot into his horrid head wear before disappearing through the doorway, Ciel following behind.
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"Sebastian has a locked cabinet in the servant's quarters where he keeps the keys, and the key to THAT is in his breast pocket 24/7." Ciel smirked a little at the thought of Kurt not getting his way.
"Ha." Kurt smirked at the challenge Ciel had implied onto him, "Never mind then, no key needed."
"What are you going on about?"
"You'll see why Lau calls me the Prince of Theives." Kurt smirked as he tiptoed past the kitchen and down the hall.
It was a bit scary to think he was getting rather used to that title though, perhaps one day he'd be crowned the King of Thieves.
Kurt saw the cabinet, it was hard to miss after all; filled with a hundred or so keys, each one unmarked. Kurt could remember Felix complaining about this their first week at the manor.
"If he's trying to piss me off he's doin a bloody well good job of it!" He'd said.
"You plan to pick a lock made by Sebastian?" Ciel leaned back against the wall and waited curiously.
"Hey! Don't pick on me, im concentrating." Kurt's tongue stuck out as Ciel heard fumbles and clunks.
"I highly doubt someone like you could-"
"Got it, take that ya pratty earl." Kurt laughed a bit darkly and Ciel chose to ignore it.
"Not bad for a commoner in disguise." the cobalt haired boy sniffed as Kurt fumbled through the keys, only now realizing with dismay that he didn't know which one it was.
Ciel sighed and pointed to a old one with rusted silver edges, it wasn't the biggest nor the smallest, nobody would guess what secrets it held.
"That looks to be it. Let's get this over with."
"So even the Queen's Watchdog gets curious." Kurt smirked.
Ciel turned to look behind him with a glare, though there was some teasing behind it, "And The Prince of Thieves has to climb into the Watchdog's bed every now and then because of a little nightmare?"
That one stung a little, and Kurt's face dropped into that slightly mature-gaze Ciel could see hidden beneath the boy's flamboyant happiness. He felt a pain in his chest, something he could barely recognize; guilt.
But the Earl Phantomhive did not apologize, not directly at least, not even to his one and only friend.
Ciel stopped once they finally reached the pantry, the only place in the manor Ciel hadn't seen, excluding Mayrene's space; that would be wrong.
Kurt had become uncomfortably quiet since Ciel had snapped at him a bit, even though the Earl enjoyed silence from time to time with Kurt it seemed to be unnatural.
He tossed his friend the key, watching and secretly sighing in relief as some light returned to Kurt's eyes. He looked up at Ciel expectantly.
Ciel rolled his eyes, "It's not going to open up by your gawking..."
Kurt smiled again, and it was like the room instantly brightened and the air in the hallway cleared and was brought in fresh from whatever place religious people thought to be heaven.
"...Sorry...for earlier."
Kurt turned to him with a slightly puzzled expression as he turned the door knob.
"Sorry, I didnt hear what you said?"
Ciel would've smiled if he could, so he settled with a slight curve to his lips.
"It wasnt anything important, now hurry up."
Kurt shook with excitement as he opened the door.
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It wasn't what they'd expected. Perhaps this is what it would've felt like for a child to open the biggest present on Christmas, expecting the key to the universe (42) to be inside waiting, and then finding out it's just a huge collection of small toys and trinkets packed together.
The room was particularly white. White counters, white floors, clean white walls, and crisp white curtains billowing out from a small open window. To be honest with himself, Kurt would have to say it was a bit of a let down.
"See? What did I tell you-!" Ciel cut himself off as he heard footsteps coming towards the room. He paled slightly.
How would people think of him after this? How would anyone take a curious boy seriously?
"Come on!" Kurt pushed him into the cupboard underneath the sink, climbing in with him just in the nick of time as they heard muttering outside of the doors.
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"A reason to stay...a damn good reason to stay..." Felix grumbled as he fished out some of the glassware for lunch.
"That bastard's a bad influence?" the publisher considered Ciel as his reason.
Then he remembered the vision where him and Sebastian were lip locked on the staircase. If anyone would be a bad influence it was probably Felix.
He blushed slightly and set the plate down carefully, as not to break it. Why was he acting like such a girl?
"I-It's all that bastard's fault!" Felix hissed.
"What's all my fault darling?"
Kurt's guardian wasn't even surprised that Sebastian had showed up out of nowhere. Right behind him like a shadow, except this one manifested into a physical and mental cage that trapped you in itself before you even realized the danger.
"Every time I think of a reason to stay, you become my reason to go..." Felix sighed honestly in exasperation.
Sebastian was silent for a moment before grabbing Felix's arms, holding the man in place with supernatural strength; once it had been so terrifying that it almost brought Felix to tears, but the more he lingered in those crimson eyes the more he found the strength compelling...
"Let me go Sebastian."
Sebastian didnt respond, but instead moved closer, his eyes flickering in flames of demonic violet now. Felix couldnt look away, couldnt move, couldnt breathe. But Sebastian could.
"Do you really want me to?" Sebastian whispered persuasively.
Then it stopped, Sebastian pulled away and gave Felix a coat from the rack. The redhead caught it mostly on instinct, as his thoughts returned he became confused.
"What is this for?"
"We're going out for a moment."
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As soon as Kurt heard the door click shut he pressed against the cupboard door with his back, trying to get out.
"Gr. It's bloody stuck!"
Ciel let out a slow exhale of breath as Kurt fruitlessly continued trying to get out. His eyes moved to the latch between the two doors, holding it firmly tight. He rolled his eyes and flicked it open.
"Wah!" Kurt grabbed Ciel's collar as he fell onto his back with a painful thud, the jerking motion propelling Ciel to fall on top of his friend.
The young earl's eyes were shut for a moment and they widened in surprise as he realized that his hands were on Kurt's hips rather suggestively. He blushed for a rare moment.
"What's up?" Kurt asked in confusion.
He tried to sit up before he realized their position. He copied Ciel's red expression and they both darted away.
The silence in the pantry was a bit stifling. Of course Kurt was the one to break it.
"Well that was interesting afterall wasnt it?" Kurt asked.
Ciel snapped his shocked gaze to Kurt, "What was interesting?"
"The fact that you're butler just hit on Felix." Kurt stated bluntly.
"Oh, O-Of course that wasnt the case." Ciel cleared his throat, "Sebastian was merely showing Felix who had the higher position, afterall your butler has been rather bold lately."
"So Sebastian on top of Felix, refusing to let go and then suggesting that he liked it is completely normal butler-ish behavior?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.
Ciel frowned and stood up, heading out the door, "I refuse to discuss this matter further."
Kurt winced as the door slammed shut, his friend walking out on him again, leaving him in the dust.
A/N: Now the kids know Sebastian!