Hello again! One more week at its end, one more chapter is up! Not much to say other than... Please, enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or its characters. I entirely own only my OCs, arcs and ideas/themes not mentioned in any form of the franchise (manga, anime, games, movies or musicals).

Chapter 9: The Tutor, Given a Second Chance

The end of May was very close now and the Phantomhive manor's staff was working in quite a frenzy. In a few days the 4th of June would come and that meant they would travel to Weston school to watch their master participate, for the first time in his life, in a team sports event; the school's annual cricket tournament. Everyone was excited for young master's success and that made them even more careless than usual, making it really difficult for Selina to keep them in order and do their job, so that they would leave the manor in a good state, and for the master to be satisfied in case he returned home soon after the tournament.

Lady Lizzie was also very excited and had informed them she would watch the tournament with them, instead of her parents, because she wanted to cheer up Ciel… to her brother's dismay. Therefore, the picnic the household had decided to have while watching had to be more elegant, presentable and… cute for her sake. Mey-Rin informed Selina that Mr. Sebastian had stored some blankets of higher quality in an air tight closet in the cellar, but the maid did not seem willing to go down there and so Selina had to do that too.

She went down the winding stairs thinking it was quite natural for the young maid to be afraid of the cellar. Not long ago there were some dead bodies in there; one of them the "murdered" Sebastian, who "miraculously resurrected" shortly after his burial, as Mey-Rin had told her one night – while sewing and patching some clothes – during the narration of the horrible murders that had occurred in the manor after a party. Selina smiled at this memory, since she could not tell her why the butler had been resurrected and had to act as surprised and amazed. She was really fond of the red-headed maid and did not want to ruin her crush on the so amazing demon butler.

She was told the closet was in the often chilly corridor outside the cellar, so she found it easily. There were actually two closets, one across the other, but the key Mey-Rin had pointed to fitted in the keyhole of only one closet, the newer one. The key turned with some difficulty and then Selina grabbed the handle and pulled lightly, the door did not even budge. She tried again, and again, and again with no results. With every try she put more strength and effort, but still nothing.

In the end she pulled really hard and finally the door unstuck and opened suddenly. Selina tried to keep her balance but it was in vain since her momentum was quite strong and she crashed her back on the older closet. The rotten door immediately gave in and Selina found herself on the ground with things tumbling over her. When she managed to open her eyes and lower the hands she had lifted as a shield, she saw… guns. Many guns, heavy guns, very few rifles, more machine guns and lots and lots of dynamite scattered around her.

"What the hell? What are these doing here?" She managed to get on her knees and looked inside the closet; there was still a flamethrower leaning on the closet wall… she immediately knew. "Baldroy!"

She knew the chef was weird – who exactly was not weird in this household and she was the last one to speak – but nothing had prepared her for this. When she had first seen Bard with a flamethrower, she supposed he used to be a worker that had something to do with that stuff and was difficult for him to let it go, or that he could not get used to the new lifestyle of a patient chef. But this situation here was beyond what she had ever imagined. She had to have a serious talk with Bard. A talk that Sebastian had not done? That was really unusual for the demon.

She got up and started towards the stair but then remembered the reason why she came down here. She went to the second closet, looked through the blankets and chose the pinkest she could find, knowing it would please the young lady, even if she did not sit on it. As she took the blanket in her arms a sweet aroma wafted around her making her breath deeply to fill her lungs. It was lavender along with other flowery scents in a perfect combination, like the best bouquet of flowers she could think of.

"Oh goodness! It's awesome. And the blanket is perfectly preserved with no hint of dampness even though it's down here. Amazing!" She praised breathing deeply.

She closed and locked the closet with some difficulty and then went upstairs with her nose buried in the fragranced clothing. She went to the laundry room where she found Mey-Rin preparing a laundry.

"Oh, you found the perfect blanket for Lady Elizabeth, she will be very happy." Mey-Rin said clapping happily her hands.

"I'm sure she will, but I have a problem." She went closer to Mey-Rin and the maid immediately caught the scent exclaiming "oh my!". "My point exactly. Do we wash it? The scent will be lost and the one of just soap is not that charming and pleasant. I mean, you did an excellent job, Mey-Rin, I don't want us to ruin it."

"Oh no, I did not do it, no. Mr. Sebastian tidied up the things in that closet. They are all blankets and clothes that young master cannot stand at all. He says they are too girly or childish for him, therefore Mr. Sebastian put them away."

Selina lowered her eyelids and sighed knowingly. "Of course, who else would have done it…?" She stayed silent for a while and then a pained expression appeared on her face as she smelled the blanket once again. "Men… of every nature! Could it be somewhat different?"

"What is wrong, Selina? I thought you liked the scent Mr. Sebastian chose." The maid looked at her confused.

"I do, I like it a lot. Actually, it's perfect."

"Yes, because he is perfect, he is! A little scary sometimes but he is perfect." Mey-Rin's cheeks were on fire and her hazel eyes shining happy.

"Yes, and that's the problem… he is too perfect in everything!" The pain still visible on Selina's face.

"Oh, I know." Mey-Rin cried in a while. "You have started to like him very, very much, since he is so gorgeous and amazing of course, and you are worried because he is always so indifferent in these matters. Do not worry, you will get used to his eyes' coldness and you will find it beautiful too." She had the look of a mentor.

Selina was dumbfounded from the young woman's conclusion and was looking at her with eyes and mouth open. Then, she suddenly put the blanket on Mey-Rin's head, making the maid trying to balance it, and playfully pinched her already red cheeks.

"Sebastian may be a really gorgeous man and amazing at his job, but seriously, not every woman in the universe is in love with him, my little love-struck, air-headed, shy and clumsy, beautiful friend." She said smiling, making Mey-Rin laugh happily. "Besides, I could never get interested in a man my friend likes and who also has clearly stated he is not interested in that kind of activities." She lifted the blanket from Mey-Rin's head and turned towards the door.

"Oh, if it is you, I really do not mind. Every time I see the two of you together, doing some chore, I think that you look so beautiful together and you really fit each other. I mean, you are the only one talking to him like an equal, you tease him, like master does sometimes, and he seems to accept it as you accept his teasing, irony and everything. Plus, he smiles and chuckles more often since you came here. You seem to know him very well and with that you help us too not to displease him." She finished smiling.

"Um… I think you exaggerate. I am not perfect like him and he laughs at me because he thinks I am inferior in every way. I don't know him, I just… guess right most of the times, and of course I want to help you all; sometimes he is too harsh on you. But, don't worry; I am not interested in him in that way… no way." Selina was quick to state although her cheeks were competing with those of Mey-Rin's. "Anyway, I will hang the blanket outside to get some fresh air, just to be sure, and I think we should decide to wash it or not after that." The maid agreed and so Selina left her to continue her job.

Her mind replayed everything Mey-Rin said and blushed even more as she was walking in the corridor. Yes, Sebastian was really handsome, actually one of the handsomest men she had ever seen, and his skills were amazing whether he was killing or cleaning. He was careful and extremely tidy in the house chores; what every woman dreams in every era in order to have a helping hand from her husband, partner, boyfriend… If he was real he would really be a catch… but without the demon thing. On the other hand, that demon thing made him how he was, even how he acts the role of the perfect human butler. Moreover, for once again in her life, he was the type of man it was impossible for her to be with.

She suddenly slapped her cheek and then pinched it hard enough to cause pain. "Ouch! What the hell is the matter with you? You are not some little, poor housewife thinking that kind of things… especially for a demon! Seriously girl! He is a facade as much as you are. And you are so done with relationships and stuff; why would you even do that kind of thoughts? Pull yourself together!" She scolded herself and when she was satisfied with it and felt back to her normal self, she breathed deeply and continued on her way.

{~}

When she was done with hanging the blanket, she approached Bard, who was lying under the shade of a tree, smoking his cigarette and enjoying the warm summer sun, such a rare sight in England even this season.

"Can I sit?" She asked him and he nodded that she need not ask. "Thanks. You know… I went down to the cellar to take a blanket for our picnic during master's tournament, one that lady Elizabeth would love…" She observed the blond man's rough face changing from relaxed to pretending to be relaxed. "The closet door was stuck but after a while I opened it; however, I lost my balance and fell on the old one right across… The one with the guns..."

Bard in a flash sat up. "Look, I can explain since it seems Mr. Sebastian hasn't told ya." His face looked quite scared and anxious to clear the matter up.

"He knows about that? And allows it?" She could not believe her ears. "Bard, it's too dangerous! I mean, I found the flamethrower thing weird, but I thought it was just you not being patient and having difficulty to get away from your previous occupation, but this… this is too much."

"I know, trust me, I know it. But I'm not a psycho or a pyromaniac."

"Then what are you, because I feel really confused, I don't know what to think! Help me." Selina pleaded to him.

"I'm an ex-soldier, all right? That's why young master and Mr. Sebastian took me in. I was at the war… but at some military operation… everything went to hell, literally. My superiors didn't listen to me when I suggested a different maneuver and therefore…" He sighed. He brought his knees closer, hugged them and with his thumb scratched his lowered forehead. "Everyone died… the enemy raked us with bullets and we had no cover. I was the only one left alive, just because I never stopped shooting, not until there was no one left alive, so I had no reason to keep fighting, I had no one to protect. I was alive but no one else was, because I couldn't save anyone else… I couldn't." The usually tough, loud-mouthed man was now reduced to tears; tears that most probably were kept inside for some time. Selina, not being able to say anything, just reached and touched the man's shoulder with compassion.

"I'm sorry. Indeed I did not know a thing. Sorry for forcing you to remember."

"No, it's okay. It's in the past either way, it just… I wasn't prepared." He said after a while in a calmer voice. "Anyway, Mr. Sebastian found me right there, in the middle of all the dead bodies, holding one of my comrades… one of my friends, who had just left his last breath. I thought that finally I would die too, that the nightmare would end for good…" Now he smiled at the memory. "Well, in a way it did. I lifted my head and there he was, Sebastian. All black, all neat. He told me he had a job to offer me, a job where I could still satisfy my obsession with weapons, but I would not have to kill or watch my comrades get killed needlessly. I had nothing left so I took the offer and he brought me here; I met the young master and he told me I was to be a chef and responsible for the house's weaponry, having to make sure we were always fully armed in case of attack. I thought the kid was crazy about making me a chef… I didn't even know how to fry an egg, for God's sake! But he was serious about everything and I soon realized I really enjoyed this kind of life and the company of Finny and Mey-Rin… we were all the same; carrying inside our memories, our pains and struggling to lock them up. Now I know, if I am asked to fight I will do it gladly, because I have something, someone to protect and because I don't want to lose this kind of life."

He seemed so determined for that, he had the same look with Finny when some days ago he was saying almost the same thing. Selina smiled at him and then stayed silent for a while. She dug in her own past, her school years, and tried to understand which war Bard was referring to. Her first thought was the American Civil War but the dates did not match, since Ciel was not even born when that war ended in 1865. That left her only with the Indian wars that, if she remembered correctly, they would end in two to three years.

"So… that closet is your stash? And you have Sebastian's and master's approval?" She finally asked very curious.

"Not exactly. Young master usually buys me new weapons in order to check them, their efficiency and stuff, and tell him if they are worthy investments for him… and of course for the defence of the manor. Sebastian on the other hand… he seems he doesn't really care about them unless I needlessly destroy the kitchen or the food. In that case… he confiscates everything he finds." Bitter memories of that passed right in front of his eyes.

Selina could not control herself and suddenly, burst out laughing. "You mean that all these in the closet were…"

"Confiscated, yes. I honestly don't know what's getting into that man when he sees me with a gun in the kitchen; I don't want to imagine what'll happen if he finds out that my stash is indeed inside the kitchen."

Selina was laughing harder. "Seriously? Your stash is inside the kitchen and Sebastian hasn't found out yet?" The chef nodded with a childish, naughty smile on his lips and she kept laughing. "Oh my, that was good!" She said when she managed to stop and take a breath.

"Will you say anything to him?" Bard asked now with some fear on his face.

"No, you don't have to worry. I won't say a word, it's not my job snitching on my co-workers. Anyway, I think it's time to start preparations for our dinner. Will you please start trying cooking without all these guns and dynamite, or else I'll start confiscating too?" She warned him with a friendly smile to which Bard answered accordingly and the issue was resolved for the time being.

{~}

Later that night Selina was checking the protection she had placed all over the manor to prevent any stranger, human or otherwise, enter it while everyone was asleep, although they were trying to sleep with shifts so that someone was always up on guard... with the exception of the football match day. However, Selina felt safer to protect everyone in her own way that kept everyone and everything away, except the household demon.

As she was wandering in the house, she found Snake sitting at a chair in front of a window, supposedly being on shift, but he was actually dozing off, head dropping backwards and two snakes wrapped around his shoulders also sleeping deeply.

"Hey! Snake, wake up." She called gently, lightly poking his arm with no effect and then repeated it on his cheek; that surely brought results as he jumped up licking his lips from any saliva that had trickled down while sleeping. Selina smiled. "Just go to bed, man."

He was ready to talk but then saw that his snakes were sleeping and closed his mouth nodding that he could not leave his post.

"Yes, you can. I'll take over. And… just for once I would really like to hear Snake talking, not Emily, Oscar or anyone else."

That greatly surprised the young man that looked at her with wide open eyes. "Why?"

"Why not? People talk, you know."

"People yes. Not me."

"And why is that? Are you not human, a person?" Selina asked a little ironically as she crossed her arms on her chest and leaned on the wall framing the window.

Snake remained silent for quite a while, but the woman could see emotions parading on his face. Surprise, awkwardness, rejection, pain, relief, agony and so many more. She thought she did not want to push him.

"Okay, you don't have to speak if you don't want to, but please keep in mind that… yes, you have the cool gift of understanding snakes and giving them your voice… but that does not mean they have to be your voice, as you are theirs, at all times. You can speak for yourself whenever you feel like it, all right? I'm sure the others will also be thrilled to hear Snake speaking for Snake. Now, go to bed because I don't think I can carry a grown man." She finished as she saw Snake's smile turn to a glorious yawn.

Snake took off towards the servants' corridor and Selina drew closed the window's curtains and then continued her patrol, thinking how curious and interesting was everyone in this manor.

When she was assigned to this mission, she really thought the most complicated person was young master himself, with everything he had gone through in such a young, tender age and how he was forced to change. But she was wrong, the demon was also a very complex character. Although every of his actions was a show and every emotion that rarely seemed to appear on his features was fake, he was confusing her on what was his true ambition about the boy; corrupt the child enough for his soul to be the best meal, as he himself was claiming, or create a strong and dominant young man that could hold the fate of England in his hand by controlling its underbelly? But why wanting that, what was his real motive? Could it be he had grown fond of the kid and decided to help him live the life he normally would not? Selina shook her head. No way, he was a demon without feelings, other than those of destruction and mayhem.

Anyway, she would eventually discover it; that was not her initial thought right now. Besides master and butler, the rest of the staff seemed to have their own painful background stories; they were quite complicated too, they all agreed that their life here was heavenly compared to their previous ones and they really liked their master and his strange butler. Selina could not help but wonder how they would feel if they ever found out Sebastian's true nature and that of his commitment to young master. She then thought she already knew Mr. Tanaka's and Snake's backgrounds, at least the events concerning Ciel and Sebastian, and she had just learned about Finny and Bard. Did Mey-Rin also have a so painful life behind her?

Before completing her thought, she realised her footsteps had brought her outside the maid's room. For a moment she stood wondering why she was there and what she should do, but then heard a strange sound from inside the room. It was like metal parts clicking together and then some scrape and the sound of rubbing metal with something else. Selina got really curious and decided to enter the room with the excuse of coming to spend some time with the maid. It was something they sometimes did a little before going to bed. She finally knocked and entered as soon as the maid answered.

The sight she saw took her completely by surprise as it was something that really did not expect from Mey-Rin. The red-headed maid was sitting at a chair and on the table in front of her was a dismantled riffle that she was thoroughly cleaning with a soft piece of cloth and a thin metal rod for the barrel. More riffles were standing leaning on the wall beside her and the maid's face showed clear professionalism.

"Oh my God! I am sorry, so sorry. I forgot you did not know." She sprang up and started to collect the pieces of the riffle with the intention of putting it away. Her cheeks turned red from embarrassment.

"No, no! Mey-Rin, it's okay, really." Selina rushed to stop her. "Finish your work, I don't mind, but I can go if you feel uncomfortable." The maid shook her head and smiled shyly; they finally sat down and she began cleaning the riffle once again. "Really, it's not your fault… it's Sebastian's actually. I asked him to tell me your… real abilities and usefulness; I don't mean you are useless as a maid…" She hastily said in an effort not to hurt her friend. "But you know what I mean… Anyway, he decided to let me found out on my own. I guess it would be fun for him."

Mey-Rin smiled and seemed really confident now. "I know. Do not worry, I know that I am actually useless as a maid, but at least I try, and even if Mr. Sebastian does not acknowledge it, I think I have gotten better than before. A great success for me considering that killing people is what I do best most of my life."

"Come again?" Selina asked, her eyebrows reaching her hairline from surprise.

Mey-Rin laughed a little and removed her glasses. She blinked a few times and when she looked Selina again her eyes were so different. They were still that beautiful hazel colour like always, but now the pupil seemed a little bigger and… deeper, giving Mey-Rin the aura of a very strong, maybe even ruthless, woman. Selina felt for a second like she was looking at a mirror, since the Mey-Rin in front of her was more like a stone cold killer like herself.

"I was born with far-sightedness. I can easily see in a great distance but blurry in a close one; if we were outside now, I would be able to see close to the main gate of the property. For that, people always thought of me as weird, a freak. I was an orphan and soon I was discovered by a mafia group. They took me in, trained me and then used me since I was their best shooter to take out their rivals and targets." She sighed as she kept rubbing the gun barrel. "I… do not remember how many people I have killed through the years. Thankfully, I have forgotten most of their faces the time I am here."

"I see… And how did you end up here?" Selina asked, not knowing what to say.

Mey-Rin smiled again. "Well… I reached a point where I could not stand killing just because I was told to. I was on a mission, hesitating to pull the trigger… Then I heard a deep voice behind me, saying that if I wanted I could change my life, as long as I pledged obedience to young master. I turned and, of course, there was Mr. Sebastian standing, one with the shadows, smiling at me." For a moment she seemed lost and happy in her memory. "I told him that if that young master was also ordering me to kill it held no difference or interest to me, but he answered that his master had need of a simple maid to care and protect, if needed, his manor and himself. I had nothing to lose…"

"And so you accepted. It sounds reasonable." Selina commented when Mey-Rin nodded.

"Soon I realized that I was chosen again for my shooting skills and my sight, but when master gave me these glasses I thought he must be different, that he indeed needs my skills but only when there would be an actual need; I was indeed to live simply as a maid and treated as a human and I liked that change. When I also met Finny and Bard and…" She stopped in fear of exposing details that her friends did not want to be known, but Selina's eyes showed she already knew. "And found out I was not the only one here just because I was a freak of some short with extreme abilities, I was not the only one given a second chance, I felt so good, so happy that I took an oath to myself to willingly fight and kill if it was to protect this manor, young master and the life he gave all of us. It would finally be my own choice."

Selina kept staring at a really proud Mey-Rin, thinking the words she heard. Similar to what the other two said; they were all more than willing to do anything to protect Ciel since he was the only one who gave them a really peaceful life, where they could be their real selves and were not forced to reveal their worst side. The young Earl Phantomhive, the seemingly cruel, heartless brat that had doomed himself to become a demon's meal in exchange for quenching his thirst for power and revenge, was often reaching out and saving others who still had a chance for a new life, a chance he did not have any more.

"Selina, why are you staring at me like that? It is like you are calculating something in your mind… just like Mr. Sebastian did when we first met." The maid said back in her usual trembling voice and put her glasses back on, trying to hide her red cheeks.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I know that look and I would never want to mimic it. I was just thinking that maybe our master is not as heartless as he wants to appear, and that now I get what Bard meant when I first came here; that my equipment completed the set. This manor has excellent firearm and ranged protection through you, lots of explosives and heavy firearm through Bard, brute force and close combat through Finny, Sebastian and me. We make one hell of a household team of freaks! Trust me, it's not bad to be a freak, it's much more interesting than a simple, boring human."

The two women laughed wholeheartedly and went on chattering about other more trivial matters. Selina tried to assist Mey-Rin in cleaning the rifles, but soon was convinced that her hands were a total disaster in handling that kind of weapons, it would be better for everyone if she limited herself to her swords.

Selina was in for quite a few surprises in these two chapters, right? Considering she comes from the future, I could have her know more about the servants, but I liked the idea of knowing only what is necessary and mainly all that consider Ciel and Sebastian, since they are her mission's focus. Plus, having the trio sharing their background stories with Selina created a nice opportunity for some bonding between them and Selina, right? What do you, guys, think?

Also, while writing this part the manga had not reached Mey-Rin's and Bard's background stories, so I took what we were shown in the anime and threw in some ideas of mine, not far from what we knew or eventually shown in the manga.

That's all for now, see you next week with... some big surprise for all of you, I hope! :D

Till next time! Bye!