Chapter 26 *** A Xmas Eve Special ***
Estella couldn't understand how Sebastian like any ordinary human could get them out of SIGMA by leaping out of their building without having them plummeting down to their deaths. The question in her mind was quickly forgotten because they were sailing through the cold winter air towards the snowy ground below, at a very fast speed.
The wind was rushing at her, clawing her skin with its very cold nails as it blew past. Her arms tightened around Sebastian. It was freezing. She couldn't see as her eyes were tightly shut due to the stinging, no thanks to the wind.
All thought was wiped out of her mind except for one that managed to stay firmly in her mind: Sebastian was not human or at least not an ordinary one.
...
The great doors of the Phantomhive Manor were wide opened when they reached. The golden light shining from the inside looked warm and brilliant as though it was there to welcome them back from the chilly winter.
Sebastian bend down to let the two adolescents down. His eyes locked on the doors as he straightened up again once they were on their feet.
"Why is the doors left open?" Ciel scowled, voicing out the same question Sebastian had in mind.
Estella, however, didn't care to ponder with them."Who cares about that? Let's get our asses in, it's freaking cold!" She snarled in irritably at Ciel, shaking like mad.
The howling wind, as if to support her statement, blew harder.
"Go in then!" Ciel snapped, pulling his coat tighter around him.
Estella nodded. She glanced over at Sebastian who looked completely unaffected by the cold. Her eyes narrowed instantaneously. "Don't you feel cold, Sebastian?" She questioned through chattering teeth.
"No, I'm fine." She quickly wiped the suspicious look off her face just as he turned to her.
Estella glanced at the two who started walking and shook her head. "Alright! Suit yourselves!" She charged towards the doors. "Continue taking your time and you two will freeze to death!" She threw over her shoulder before turning back to make a final dash to the manor.
She slowed down to a stop at the doors.
Her mouth opened to yell. "Alright, who left the stupid doors open-"
But before she knew, she was tackled down by a flash of blond and red. It yelled something that sounded akin to 'Ciel~' as they went down.
Estella winced at the throbs at her back of her head and butt, opening her eyes only to find herself staring at a pair of big round green eyes. They blinked in confusion and so did she.
"Lady Elizabeth?" She realized who it was the moment it drew away. Estella pushed herself up to rest on her forearms and stared curiously at the girl who was sitting on her.
Blinking a few times at her, Elizabeth mouthed an 'O'. "Estella? Oops, I thought you were Ciel." She shot Estella a sheepish smile before getting off.
"Here." Elizabeth offered a hand which Estella obligingly took.
"What are you doing here, Elizabeth?" Estella who was done brushing the snow off her hair and rear, turned around to the voice to see Ciel stroll in with a frown.
But instead, the girl made a squeal and flew towards him. His protests were cut off the moment she tumbled onto him to hug him.
Sebastian who quietly followed behind his master raised a brow at the three servants who suddenly appeared beside him.
"You're back, Sebastian!"
"What's going on, you three?" He stared at them expectantly for the answer.
They looked like they were trying to force themselves to be serious. In the end, excited grins broke out anyway. "Prince Soma and Mr Agni are here!"
Ciel who finally made Elizabeth release him, had an exasperated look on his face. "They invited themselves here again?" He growled in annoyance, slapping his forehead. He glanced up, eying at them with a sigh. "For what this time?" He asked tiredly, massaging his temples.
Finny spoke up from the trio with a smile. "They said to celebrate your birthday and Christmas Eve."
Estella who was about to open her mouth to say something, gave a little shriek when she felt two hands clamped onto her shoulders. "Heh...Who's this pretty lady here, Ciel?" A playful voice which sounded so awfully close to her left ear asked her master.
All heads turned to it and so did hers.
A young Indian man with long semi tied-up purple hair looking about the age of sixteen to eighteen winked at her the moment their eyes met.
"Prince Soma!" Ciel snarled irritably, completely ignoring his earlier question."How many times did I say about barging into my manor?"
His golden eyes flicked away and over to the boy. A pout came to his face as the 'Prince Soma' guy whined. "Ciel, you're so mean!"
"Welcome back, Master Ciel and Mr Sebastian." Another voice came. However, this time, it sounded much more mature and serious.
Estella turned to the voice to find a very tall Indian man standing by her. His head of short spiky white hair was wrapped with a turban and beads that adorned the braids that rested across a shoulder. Seeing him bow to her master with a bandaged hand reminded her of Sebastian almost immediately.
A smile broke across his serious face. "I hope you don't mind. Prince Soma is here because he wants to celebrate your birthday and Christmas Eve with you."
The purple-haired one behind her nodded quickly in agreement.
"I do mind." Ciel, ignoring Prince Soma, glanced over at the man with his arms folded across his chest. "There's no need to celebrate for pointless things like these. Plus, it's late already." He said grumpily.
"C'mon, Ciel! Don't be like this!" Elizabeth whined.
Ciel eyed her boredly. "You promised. No celebrate of any sort."
"B-Bu-But..." She pouted. "It was their idea, not mine. So I didn't actually break my promise, you know?"
Ciel looked at her for a while before sighing. "Fine, do whatever you guys want. Just leave me out of this."
"Ahhh...Young Master is so anti-social." Sebastian mused, instantly earning himself a nasty glare from his master.
"Ciel, please! C'mon!" Ciel turned to Soma with a scowl.
"Ciel~" He turned to Elizabeth with a 'No' face.
Unfortunately for him, more came after.
"Young Master!"
"Master!"
"Master Ciel!"
"Just do it, Phantomhive."
"Ciel~"
"C'mon, Ciel!"
"Ho. Ho. Ho."
A brow on Ciel's face twitched as pleas, whines and 'Ho. Ho. Ho's continued coming from around him.
"Master!"
"C'mon, Ciel, don't be like this~"
"Master Ciel!"
"Goddamn it, Phantomhive! Will you just agree? It's getting rather noisy here!"
"Young Master!"
"Ho. Ho. Ho."
"Master-"
That was his last straw. "FINE, I'LL JOIN IN TOO! SO SHUT UPPP!"
Everyone quietened immediately at that. A 'thank god' breathed heavily out from the tiny crowd who suspiciously sounded like his red-haired servant.
And that was exact the two words which crossed his mind as he sighed. "Alright, celebrate as much as you guys want." Ciel massaged his temples wearily. "Just stop shouting or talking so loud. You guys are giving me a headache..." He grumbled, strolling forward.
Much to his annoyance, the quiet tiny crowd around him broke out into cheers the moment he said that.
"QUIET!"
...
The party could only be described with one word: Crazy.
The entrance hall had pillows, stuff toys, badly burnt unknown articles, three toilet rolls, puddles of purple liquid, a smashed cakes and mostly slumbering humans all over it. Amongst the slumbering humans, only four haven't surrendered to sleep yet. Two of the four were on the verge of doing so though.
One of the sleepy one, Ciel, glanced around his manor sleepily. The scene before him was horrifying. "The hell...Shouldn't have agreed." He grimaced at the objects scattered around him. But he was too tired to bother about the mess right now so he simply turned away and started climbing up the stairs.
The two completely awake one who was none other than Sebastian and Agni watched the master climb.
"Good night, Young Master."
"Master Ciel, rest well!"
Ciel let out a yawn in return. "Carry the guests and the servants to the rooms. Clean the place too." He ordered tiredly.
"Yes, my lord." Sebastian immediately went to work and quickly exited the entrance hall with the first batch which were the trio, piled up in his arms.
"I'll help too, Mr Sebastian!" Agni called after the leaving butler and went to gather up snoozing Prince Soma and Elizabeth.
Ciel didn't wait for the two to clear the room of the sleeping ones.
"Hey, Blancbaston." Ciel paused in front of the said girl who sat on a few steps away from him.
Estella was nodding off, the need for sleep was apparent. "Hmm...?" She raised her head up sleepily. "What?" She drawled with an irritated look the moment when she saw it was Ciel.
"Get to your room to sleep, not here."
Estella had no energy to argue so she just did what he said by standing up. She started climbing, holding the railing to support her sleepy self.
Watching the girl lifelessly climbed up with calculated patience, he rolled his eye and let out a heavy sigh. "Honestly..."
He made his way round the girl and stopped in front of her causing her to bump into him. "Don't block my way..." She glared weakly at him.
Ciel merely turned away from her and crouched down. "Climb on."
"Huh? Climb on? Climb on what?"
"My back!" He hissed impatiently.
"Why...?"
Ciel sighed and rolled his eye the second time. "Quiet, stop asking questions. At this rate, you probably won't be able to make it to your bed even before sunrise."
Estella blinked at him, watching him gesture at her with an impatient look.
"Get on already!" He snapped.
Her mind was too tired to think clearly so she simply leaned forward and draped her arms over his shoulders. The male sighed, murmuring something akin to 'Finally' under his breath and stood up, holding onto her legs to support so that she wouldn't slide off before starting to climb.
Estella stared ahead half-awake, watching them reach the top of the steps.
...
Her eyes were wide in realization. "Why are you carrying me?" Shock was evident in her voice.
"Huh?" Ciel threw a confused look over his shoulder at the panicking girl.
Estella looked around the hallway they were moving along before turning back to him. "Uhh...What's going on?"
"Nothing. I'm just sending you back to your room.
"Oh..." Pink dusted on her cheeks. "Where are the others?"
"Asleep."
"Aha."
Silence fell between them as they made their way down the hallway.
"Am I heavy?"
"...No."
Staring at the back of his head, she leaned forward to rest her chin lightly on his shoulder.
She sighed contently. The warmth radiating off him reminded her of the hug they had in SIGMA, familiar and comforting. She sighed the second time as she watched his earring twinkled blue at her and gave a soft chuckle.
She was grateful, grateful that he was there to go through the horrors with her. Somewhere deep down, she knew that this hard-headed and proud guy would be there to catch her if she falls.
"Thank you, Phantomhive, thank you..."
A feeling she couldn't describe was bubbling inside her when she was whispering her gratitude to him. Whatever that was, she knew it was something good.
The tiny words invading his right ear made him stop.
However, the girl has already fallen asleep on his shoulder to realise that or let alone see the small smile on his face.
Welcome and...Merry Christmas, Blancbaston.