Chapter Text
Ciel woke up in a cold sweat, again. Third time this month. He sat on the bed waiting. Waiting for Sebastian to come in with warm milk and honey, at least something to calm him. But he didn’t. Ciel watched the clock on the wall move. Two minutes… 120 seconds and no sign of his butler. So, Ciel got out of bed. He walked through the corridors to the kitchen. The manor was quiet. No sign of Sebastian.
‘What could he possibly be doing at night…’ the thought crossed his mind. ‘He doesn’t sleep… or does he?’
Ciel went over to Sebastian's room to investigate. To his surprise, Sebastian was in bed. He walked closer to him and poked his cheek.
“What are you doing?” Ciel asked.
Sebastian didn’t open his eyes and turned away. “What are you doing out of bed?” he asked back.
Ciel scoffed. “Looking for you. I was hurt, and you didn’t come to my rescue,” he smirked.
Sebastian turned around to face the child. “Get in,” he said before closing his eyes again.
Ciel choked. “No—why should I?” He crossed his arms.
“So I can protect you like you asked. Get. In.” Sebastian didn’t seem impressed by the resistance of his young master.
“You… won’t do anything… will you?” Ciel asked as he walked to the other side of the bed. The butler opened his eyes and sighed, “No.” He reached out a hand. “I would never hurt any child in that way.” Ciel reluctantly got into the bed.
“Well, I wasn’t worried about that, but thank you for the reassurance.” Sebastian cocked his head.
“Oh? Then what were you worried about?”
“You eating me. I’m sure your patience is wearing thin, after so many years…”
Sebastian laughed. “I wouldn’t do anything to breach our contract. I’m very, very patient.”
Ciel turned to face Sebastian. “I have a question.”
The butler smirked. “So do I. Shouldn’t you be asleep by now?” The young boy scoffed.
“Fine,” he said and turned away. “Nigh’.”
“Goodnight, young master.” He petted his head gently, and Ciel hummed happily.
*** ***
At breakfast, Ciel couldn’t tear his eyes off his butler.
“I want to ask my question, if you’re paying attention.”
The butler looked at his master calmly, yet his sinister eyes resembled deeply embedded irritation. “Of course I am.”
“Why this form?” The boy leaned in his chair.
“Your question needs to be more direct, young mas—”
“Why do you look like my father? Why did you choose to resemble him so much? Why?” Ciel interrupted Sebastian’s rambling impatiently, leaving the butler surprised, both by the behavior and the question of his young master.
“Very well, it’s simple. I chose a form which would make it easy for you to trust me.”
Ciel’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Is something wrong, young master?”
The boy looked down.
“The tea has gotten too cold for my taste.”
Of course it has, he hasn’t touched it once since it was placed in front of him.
“I shall make you another,” the butler said and left. Ciel felt blood boiling in him. Weirdly, he wasn’t mad that Sebastian had chosen a form to make him easily manipulated; he was mad for how it made him feel. He didn’t feel hatred, he felt safety, though he understood that being the whole manipulative point. But as the butler walked in...
“Daddy?” The butler almost tripped as he choked back a gag, the tea set almost falling on the floor.
“Please, young master, stop that.” That wretched boy was smiling. Oh, how he regretted this whole contract now.
“But I thought that’s what you wanted? To be my daddy. Am I wrong, daddy?” Ciel laughed.
“I’d much prefer being called your ‘dog’ than ‘daddy’.”
“You let me crawl into your bed. I thought that’s what you wanted, daddy?”
Sebastian placed down the tea set. “I quit.”
He started leaving the room. Ciel laughed, until he heard the front door open.
“Wait, Sebastian, you can’t go! I was joking! Please come back!” He ran after him.