Children's Games (a Sebaciel Fanfic)

Part 60

Hours had passed and the moon hung high in the sky when Sebastian returned, walking casually up the path towards the front door, straightening his tie as he approached. Tanaka, Bard, Finny and Mey-Rin lay asleep on the stairs, leaning against one another in a ridiculous display. Sebastian raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat, waking Mey-Rin first. She sat up, yawning, and when she laid eyes on Sebastian, she nearly shrieked. Popping up off the steps and nearly tumbling over the others, she caused all of them to wake, startled and initially grumpy.

"Mister Sebastian!!" She threw her arms around him, then stepped back, her cheeks turning bright red with embarrassment at her outburst. She shuffled her feet and looked down at them, her crush on Sebastian never waning, regardless of the knowledge of his affair with their Master.

"Mey-Rin, what are you all doing out here in the middle of the night?" He motioned towards the rest of them, struggling to stand, wiping sleep from their eyes, grumbling to themselves at the rude awakening as Mey-Rin explained their situation.

"Oh, Mister Sebastian, it's awful! The young Master kicked us out... after you left, he got so upset, he did! He made us all leave... Tanaka tried to go in, but Master wasn't havin' it... He's just layin' in the main hall..." Sebastian listened intently and looked up the stairs towards the door. "Tanaka tried to check on him... he wasn't havin' it and threw him out, he did! I tried too..." She lowered her voice so as not to let Finny overhear and upset him further. "There's blood where he's layin', but he won't let us near 'im... He's been bawlin' and cryin' for hours... we been checkin' on him when he goes quiet... when he stops callin' for you." With a quiet sigh, Sebastian placed a hand gently on Mey-Rin's shoulder.

"Thank you, Mey-Rin. You've served your Master well." She curtseyed, blushing and Sebastian looked to the others. "You all have. You have my gratitude. Now, you're excused. All of you." 4 sets of eyes widened, and they all started to speak at once before Sebastian raised a hand to silence them so he could continue. "Go into town, get yourselves rooms at the inn." He reached into his trouser pocket and retrieved a modest handful of gold coins, offering them to Mey-Rin. "You'll be staying a while. I'll send word when you may return. Think of it as a vacation."

"Yes, Mister Sebastian... but..." She looked down at the coins in her hand, then back up to the butler, her eyes wide behind thick, cracked lenses. "Will he be okay? We been so worried, we 'ave..."

"I'm certain he'll be just fine. Let me take care of things here, and I will call you back as soon as I can." Sebastian ascended the stairs and slipped silently through the manor door.

________________________________

Sebastian opened the door to the manor and slipped inside, closing, and locking it behind him. Ciel lay on his side, curled loosely in the fetal position, hands beside his face, arms wrapped around Sebastian's tailcoat. A small pool of blood was drying on the floor beneath his head where his amethyst eye had wept, presenting a rather ghastly scene. The demon stood silently beside the door, looking down at his little Master and sighed as he approached and knelt before Ciel as he slept on the cold, tile floor.

"Young Master?" he leaned close and whispered quietly to him. When Ciel didn't stir he sat back on his heel, taking a moment to look at him. The young Lord must have cried for hours, his cheeks pink even in his sleep, eyes swollen and dried tears, both clear and gruesome deep red, plastered his cheeks. His breathing hitched as he slept and he whimpered quietly, curling his fingers into Sebastian's stained tailcoat. The butler felt a pang of guilt and shook his head, leaning close once more and blowing gently on his cheek to wake him in leu of touching him, so as not to risk startling him. Ciel made a little sound and his mismatched eyes fluttered open quickly, looking at his butler kneeling before him. Sebastian offered a polite smile and offered a hand. "Whatever are you doing sleeping on the floor when I've gone through all the trouble of having your new bed installed? Come. Let me take you upstairs." Ciel just stared at the offered hand and sniffled quietly, his eyes welling with tears at the sight of his butler smiling kindly at him. He had been so convinced his loyal butler was gone, never to return, and the sight of him brought such a wave of relief he couldn't stop the tears from coming.

"You came back." Ciel whispered, tears beginning to slip down his cheeks.

"Of course I came back."The young Lord clutched Sebastian's tailcoat tightly in his delicate hands ashe lay there, unwilling or unable to move, he wasn't sure which. "Come, littlekitten." Before he knew it, he wascradled gently in Sebastian's arms. For a brief moment he thought to struggleaway, still hurt and angry, but the tenderness with which his butler handledhim was comforting, and he laid his head against his shoulder, still clutchingthe tailcoat. Sebastian took a moment to hold him there, feeling Ciel's scantweight in his arms. He sighed quietly and the young Earl looked up at him,sniffling, fresh tears staining his cheeks. The sight of his precious Master,brokenhearted and disgraced brought up that uncomfortable pain in the demon'schest and he gazed apologetically down at him. Kissing his forehead lightly, Sebastian carried him back to his room insilence.