The curtains are opened and light streamed into the room through the large glass window in the master's bedroom. The young boy squirmed at the sudden brightness in his room. He turned over covering his navy blue head with his duvet. The demon sighed.
"Every morning." He muttered, walking over to his master from the curtains. Slowly he took the duvet between his fingers and pulled it out of his masters grip. "Young master, it is time to wake up."
"Leave me be, Sebastian." Ciel said into his pillow.
"Master, the Lady Elizabeth is arriving in 3 hours, you must awake and attend your lessons earlier than usual so you can greet her. Today you have a dance-" Sebastian heard little snores coming from his master, he sighed again. He reached forward and tapped his master's bare shoulder, squeezing it a little. The boy felt his heart rate increase under his butler's touch, but he shook off the feeling as he does every time that feeling arises. He knew what it meant but he didn't like it.
"My lord, you do not seem to be listening to what I am saying. You must get up, master." Ciel groaned, sat up and swung his legs out of bed, perching on his mattress. The navy-haired boy rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Have we got any further with the case?" the boy asked, sleepily.
"Well last nights murder proves that the Viscount Druitt is not Jack the Ripper, but he is with police now for his history with human-trafficking, they took him into custody last night."the butler replied.
"Oh yes, last night.." Ciel put his face in his hands. "I was trying to forget about that." The boy glanced over to the dress and wig hanging over the back of a chair, along with that corset.. that dreaded, dreaded corset. Ciel shuddered slightly at the sight of it, remembering all those lessons on how to be a girl, all for nothing.
"What would you like me to do next, master?" Sebastian said as he got a white towel and a dressing gown out of his master's closet.
"Carry on with my previous order, find Jack the Ripper and arrest him." Ciel said.
"Maybe you could ask the Lady Elizabeth what she thinks." Sebastian suggested.
"No, she sees everything too black and white, and she's willing to do everything I want, she won't be helpful at all." Ciel said.
"I understand, my lord. Now, your bath has been run, my lord, please make your way to the bathroom?" The demon said. Ciel stood up and straightened his night dress as the butler draped the dressing gown over the boy's shoulders.
They walked down the corridor, Sebastian a few paces behind, to the bathroom. Sebastian opened the door for his master revealing a tin bath, in the middle of a large, black and white, tiled floor, filled almost to the brim with water and steam rising from it. Ciel removed his dressing gown and night dress, he dipped his toes into the bath to determine the temperature and, deciding the temperature was okay, submerged himself, up to his neck, in the hot, steaming water. Sebastian watched the boy, he tried to look away and gather the soaps for Ciel but he couldn't take his eyes way from his master. Ciel turned around to see his butler staring.
"Sebastian, will you hurry up with that." Ciel ordered. At the sound of his voice Sebastian looked away and apologised, bringing the soaps to his master. The demon began to wash his master with soap an a cloth, he made sure he didn't miss any spots, as he does almost everyday but this time it was different. He needed to shake off this feeling, it was wrong. Sebastian cleared his throat removing his hands from the boy.
"So, my lord, you don't seem very enthusiastic about seeing your fiance?" Sebastian asked. Ciel turned to the butler, back to his usual, confident and emotionless self.
"What do you mean? I'm over the moon, is that not obvious?" Ciel said with no enthusiasm in his voice.
"Do you love her?" the demon asked.
"Sebastian, it isn't any of your concern" Ciel replied coldly. The butler apologised. "Why do you care about love? I doubt you even know the concept about being in love."
"I wouldn't know, I've never experienced it." Sebastian said, although he thought he was telling the truth he couldn't help but feel he was lying to himself.
"Would a demon ever have the capability to love something?"
"I don't know, master."
"Have you ever kissed someone before?" Ciel said, not realising what he had said until the words left his mouth, he was almost sure that demons couldn't show affection like that.
"Well, yes, actually, quite a few." Sebastian replied almost proudly. Ciel felt his heartbeat speed up again.
"If you loved someone, would you ever let them know?"
"How?"
"I don't know, by a kiss or something of the sort." Sebastian raised his eyebrows at the boy, how could someone show love by kissing? That was one concept the demon would never understand.
What was happening to the Earl? He was usually so strong and confident. He was usually so calm when his butler bathed him, it was normal. Why was he asking these questions, suggesting these things, he couldn't understand it.
The butler squirted some shampoo on to his hands and massaged it into Ciel's hair, he was really quite surprised at the topic the master had picked for this conversation, it wasn't like him at all.
Ciel couldn't hold it anymore, why was this happening? With Sebastian of all people. Ciel turned to face him, his multi-coloured eyes staring into his butler's red ones.
"Sebastian.." Ciel said. "If the world was about to end, if this was the very last day, w-would you kiss me?"
The demon said nothing, he was too surprised. He felt himself involuntarily lean in to meet the lips of the young boy. Ciel closed his eyes leaning in until their lips were millimetres apart.
"Master! I'm very sorry to disturb your bath!" Mey Rin shouted, knocking on the door, in her annoying, squeaky voice.
"Too late.." Ciel said. "Yes! What do you want Mey Rin?"
"Again, I'm very sorry to disturb you but your dance teacher has arrived because she has to leave early, she requests that you come quickly!" Mey Rin replied.
"Thank-you." the boy replied. He stood up in his bath, his butler wrapper a towel round him and the boy stepped out of the bath. He dried himself quickly and put his dressing gown back on.
"Well, uh, Sebastian, I'll dress m-myself this morning, th-thank-you." Ciel said as he rushed out of the bathroom.
"Y-yes, my lord." the demon said bowing his head slightly, his eyes wide still in astonishment.
Ciel emerged from his dance lesson to be greeted by Sebastian saying that the Lady Elizabeth had just come through the front gate. Ciel sighed slightly because after an hour of dancing, and getting yelled at, he had to deal with the over excited Elizabeth for the next 3 days. The boy and his butler walked through the grand door into the position so they could greet Elizabeth. Ciel stayed at least two feet away from Sebastian, still feeling awkward and embarrassed about their "incident" earlier. He looked at the demon only to be met by a pair of red eyes staring right back at him, the boy blushed and turned away to watch the approaching carriage. It stopped in front of them and the door opened.
"Good afternoon, Eliz-" Ciel started, unable to finish his sentence as Lizzie rugby tackled him screaming his name at the top of her voice. After a minute of struggling, Ciel stood up to greet his guests properly. He stood up to face a young girl, around the age of 18 he guessed.
"As I was saying, good afternoon Elizabeth, welcome to the Phantomhive manor." Ciel said grandly, he turned to the girl, "May I ask your name?"
"Catherine, m-my name is Catherine." The girl replied bowing her head.
"Welcome, Catherine, I am Ciel, Earl of Phantomhive, and this is my butler, Sebastian Michaelis." Ciel gestured to his awaiting butler.
"Welcome, my Lady Elizabeth, let me help you with your bags." Sebastian said. He nidded toward Catherine, "Welcome to you too, Miss Catherine." He smiled, but he was aware that he was sensing something about her, something inhuman.
Author's Note
Thank-you for reading, I hope you liked it!
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