A/N: Ah, we see where Sebastian takes Felix.
Chapter 27: Getting Closer
The streets glittered with fresh snow as the two butlers approached a meek cafe. Small and quaint, not much to show for itself besides genuinely good service and decent meals. A small little waitress stood telling everyone that passed by about daily specials. He recognized it immediately.
This is where it had all began.
No...perhaps fate had been dining with Felix for far longer than that. He looked away.
"Why are we here?"
Sebastian turned to Felix with an almost wise look to his gaze.
"When I arrived here under my master's orders, I did not expect the boy to be with a responsible adult. It changed the plan, I would've gotten rid of you first; probably by asking for a helping hand and temporarily knocking you unconscious. The boy would take up my offer to go to the manor to allow you to rest. I'd get the information out of him. Case closed."
Felix smirked a little at having been a problem within the demon's schedule. Sebastian continued.
"But...you recognized me almost instantly."
Felix froze and he faced Sebastian again, "That's not true-"
"Lying doesn't suit you Mr. Summet, it's such a vulgar trait." Sebastian didn't smirk for a second, "There's no denying it. You fled from the restaurant knowing with some bizarre recognition that I was the Demon Sebastian Michaelis."
Felix opened his mouth to protest, but found he could not. He shut his mouth and his fists clenched.
"What do you want from me Sebastian?"
"The truth."
Felix looked up and for once Sebastian could see that Cain and the man in front of him were really one in the same. There was no shade covering up one or the other, only a difference in information. That fire in his eyes, those tired and weak golden eyes, burned brighter than anything Sebastian had ever seen on Earth.
"I cannot give you the truth."
"And you?"
Felix growled, "What about me?"
Sebastian faced him face to face. The voice he replied with rang like a church bell during a funeral, so final and sure that one couldn't deny it's presence or meaning.
"Can you give yourself the truth that you keep hidden from people? You think only of reasons for leaving because you secretly don't want to know more. You know that staying here makes you face your problems, and that's what terrifies you." Sebastian stared, "I may be a demon, but I am far from your worst fear. THAT fear is your reason to go."
Sebastian sidestepped him.
"Now find your reason to stay."
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Felix sighed as he leaned against the door. Soon he was sliding down until he was a somewhat crumpled heap on the floor.
"What's gotten you so down?" A warm voice chuckled.
Felix looked up and saw Hespera in front of him, had it been any other guest his goose would've been cooked.
"Sebastian has told me that he is not my greatest fear, and that what I fear the most is my reason for leaving. Then he told me to find my reason for staying!" Felix growled, "What am I supposed to do?"
Hespera sighed and crouched down beside the man she called her brother. Smiling again she ruffled his hair, loving to see the red tresses run through her fingers like she was filtering wine.
"I still remember the day Luna brought you into our estate. We were shocked, why would she bring a young man covered in filth into our pretty house?" Hespera asked.
"Because of my gifts, and because I needed help even though at the time I just wanted to curl up and die..." Felix murmured.
She grinned wider, "Just twist that statement a bit and you've got your reason to stay."
Hespera patted his head and walked away as Felix mulled her words over.
"Wait, what?"
"You're smart Brother!" She called, "Im sure you can figure it out!"
Felix shook his head as he fumed, resisting the urge to scream inhumanities because Michael wasn't there to shut him up.
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Felix decided to just go to the kitchen, as far as he knew those three were probably making a big enough mess to disturb the guests in the other rooms.
"Felix!" Kurt ran up to his guardian with arms spread.
It was so unexpected when Felix was hugged from behind and folded out from Kurt's crushing hold.
He smiled in a second before turning around and wrapping his arms tightly around Kurt as well. It was a connection that had never been severed between them. Both could feel each other's insecurities and fears. Felix hugged a bit harder and Kurt let his guardian hide his pained face in his charge's fluffy brown hair. He didn't mention the fact Kurt was wearing a bandanna, and Kurt didn't mention the small amount of tears that fell through his hair like rain.
"Have you been having a good day kid?" Felix asked calmly.
"Ciel and I had a small tiff this morning...Ive been avoiding him for now." Kurt admitted.
Felix chuckled a bit, "Im sure it's nothing that can't be fixed."
Kurt looked up, "Um Felix, this morning we were...um..."
"What is it? You can tell me." Felix smiled and brushed some tendrils out of Kurt's face, "I promise I wont get mad."
Kurt grimaced a bit, "I convinced Ciel to join me and this morning we snuck into your pantry..."
Felix's breath caught for a second and his grip got a bit tighter with irritation. Kurt closed his eyes to prepare for the oncoming onslaught of yelling and discipline.
"Okay..." Felix sighed out and relaxed his grip, his teeth were clenched, "I wont get mad...now, how much did you see?"
Kurt scratched the back of his head, a light blush coating his cheeks, "We didn't really SEE anything, but we heard all of it."
Felix groaned and released Kurt, running a hand through his hair. How would he explain...this sort of...thing...to Kurt? Was his charge even aware of homosexuality?
Oh no...Ciel Felix gulped.
"Hey Felix, I was just curious...but...if it's alright for me to ask..."
Felix smiled at Kurt, "Ask away."
"Why aren't YOU on top?"
You could hear the crack inside the room go off, Felix's smile permanently in place. It was terrifying to say the least and Kurt turned to run. It was too late.
"HOW MANY BLOODY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU TO RESPECT YOUR ELDERS?"
Kurt laughed a little, because in truth it was kind of funny to see Felix out of the shell of a butler, "You're not that old! Oh my gosh though, think about it, how old is Sebastian?"
Felix flushed and he choked on his own breath before grinding his knuckles into Kurt's head.
"Ow ow ow ow ow! Sorry! Im sorry!" Kurt quickly apologized as a rather large bump began to form on his skull, "I was just curious! Come on!"
Felix chuckled darkly, "Bad children must be given discipline so that they don't get spoiled!"
Felix left Kurt's skull alone and started tickling his sides.
"No! Hahahaha! Come on Felix-HA!" Kurt laughed with tears in his eyes as his sides began to hurt from laughing.
Felix smirked and pulled away in satisfaction. Kurt dropped to the ground in a tired heap, he looked up at Felix and pointed at him.
"You sir...are despicable."
Felix laughed at this and the air was cleared between them. No more secrets than usual was what they usually liked to do. It cleared the air between them.
Felix grabbed Kurt's hand and led him towards the kitchen.
"Let's go check on Agni shall we?"
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Felix was surprised to say the least. Who would've expected the troublesome trio to actually do their jobs right for once?
"Mr. Felix! Look! I mashed the potatoes without breaking anything!" Finny stated happily as he rushed up and shoved the bowl into the publisher's face, "See? See?"
"And I chopped up all the onions and am preparing the side vegetables!" Bard stated a bit cockily, "For I am the chef supervisor!"
Felix didn't comment on how ridiculous that title was and how bizarre the 'chef-supervisor' looked with his hand on his chin like he'd just invented the best thing since sliced bread.
"That's very good Baldroy-"
"Oh me too! Ive prepared all the cutlery, yes I have!" Mayrene smiled proudly as she clanged a spoon against the glass gently to emphasize her feat.
Kurt looked up in surprise, "Wow, without breaking any? That's amazing Mayrene!"
Mayrene nodded, happily making a high chiming sound by knocking the spoon against the glass more readily, "Oh thank you young master, I am quite proud-"
*crack*
The glass crumbled into small little shards after being treated so harshly by the spoon. Felix sighed and put a hand to his head in exasperation. Something had to go wrong didn't it always?
"Oh dear...Ive done it again." Mayrene pouted in disappointment.
"It's fine Mayrene, just quickly grab another one and clean up the glass before anyone cuts their finger on it." Felix fixed the situation readily.
Agni smiled proudly at the feats of the servants. (excusing Mayrene's broken glass) He was happy to have been able to become helpful to the household that was letting them stay as guests.
"Thanks to everybody we'll be having an extremely delicious meal tonight!" Agni grinned.
Felix just stared before walking over by Agni. Kurt went over by the other servants, trying to sneak a taste only to have Mayrene bring out the milk bottle and telling the young boy to drink up. Agni blinked at Felix in slight confusion at the red- haired man's awed gaze.
"Mr. Felix?"
"It's nothing, but really Im amazed you got them to help."
Agni chuckled a little but it was hidden beneath his breath, "All good people work hard."
"Oh, I didn't mean they were BAD..." Felix quickly defended.
"Everyone is born with different abilities and purposes in life, with our calling and life being guided by God." Agni said calmly, "Us human's need to just abide by God's will naturally and slowly, in order to complete what we have to do."
"That sounds like destiny." Felix said, "You are really a wise person Agni."
"Oh no." Agni shook his head, "Before I met the prince I was what you could call a hopeless idiot. I can never repay him what I owe in this lifetime."
Felix listened carefully, knowing that Agni was about to go in depth with his past.
"My family and I were Brahmans, and in the Caste system we belonged to the highest possible caste that is said to be able to serve God." The indian butler looked downcast, "However things are not always as they seem, and the me who grew up seeing my father surrounded by materials and desires... had no faith in God."
Felix waited patiently. The story was touching him in some places; the fact that Agni had no faith in the past was similar to his own faithlessness. Before he became a publisher, sitting on that street corner...he shivered. He still had nightmares, dreams where he longed for the day his soul would be reaped by some death god who was just doing his job before moving onto the next useless being. Now...
His eyes drifted to Kurt and his thoughts turned happier. He had something to live for. Agni continued.
"I took advantage of my social status and committed sins everyday. I kept hurting people and going against God, that was the me whose sins and crimes piled up. Finally the day when I had to pay for my crimes came."
Felix's eyes widened, Agni seemed to grow more emotional as the story reached it's end.
"In front of the me who had no lingering affections for the world, the me who had zero faith in God, in front of the me who already had decided to throw everything I had...God appeared. It was my prince. He allowed me to realize that God did exist inside of him. That day I definitely saw a god emitting holy light within my prince's body!"
Felix shut off the stove quickly so that the pot didn't boil, he listened intrigued to Agni.
"I've served the prince ever since that day. The prince is my king and my god! Even if it costs me my life I will do anything to protect and serve the prince who gave me a new lease on life. I hope to fulfill his wishes in anyway that I can!"
Felix's thoughts drifted back to Ciel and how the boy had contracted with what had to be a rather highly classed demon. The fact that the demon was trying to seduce him. And also the fact that the demon was a sadistic bastard who brought misery wherever he 's face dropped.
"But the Gods in reality are all useless in a sense..." Felix murmured as he walked over to the icebox and pulled out the mackerel he'd bought to go with the cottage pie.
Agni cocked his head, "Did you say something?"
Felix smiled and shook his head no, "Must've been the wind."
A/N: Originally all of these new chapters were going to be just one long one. But then I realized...who the heck would want to read so much? XD
Now that Im looking at the title again my mind went straight to the gutter! Gah!