The Queen's New Pet (A Black Butler Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty Two

Maria exited her room the next morning, determined to show Ciel and Sebastian that Castizel wasn't bothering her even if he was. She had tied her curlyish hair into a ponytail and dressed in a simple, comfortable dress.

She barged into Ciel's office without knocking, her catty attitude of I-do-what-I-want shining through like the sun on a clear day.

"Maria?" Ciel said in a questionable tone, obviously surprised to see her back to normal. He couldn't see through the facade. However, Sebastian would be harder to trick.

The demon studied the fallen angel from the corner of the room as he prepared tea for Ciel.

"Morning!" She chirped, walking over to Ciel's desk before jumping up a little so she could sit on it. Ciel was still staring at her in slight shock. She waited until he had recovered and started speaking.

"What do you want to do today?"

"Well, I'm definitely going to get my wings back out somehow and," she cast a quick glance over at Sebastian to see him not reacting yet, "I want to start discovering my-"

"The tea is ready, young Master." Sebastian smoothly interrupted, knowing what she was going to say. She wanted to discover her powers already.

Ciel was not distracted by this. He waited for Maria to finish. In this time, Maria had decided that she would change her words.

"I want to find out how to fly." She finally said. Ciel nodded, looking back down at his papers for a moment before taking a sip of his tea.

"Well, first you need to spread your wings fully again, and that will be quite painful the first time." Sebastian warned.

"I can't just leave them in... wherever they are forever. Might as well try now." Sebastian simply nodded, but she could see the look in his eye that said he was against it. Oh well. He wasn't going to stop her from advancing.

"Are you going to try now?" Ciel asked, forgetting his work entirely.

Maria nodded. "I just need to change my dress quick."

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Maria reentered the study, this time wearing a dress that had an open back.

"Ready?" Ciel asked. Sebastian watched stoically from beside him.

Maria nodded. "Just give me a moment to think about how I'm going to do this."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly as she closed her eyes and relaxed her body. She might be "meditating", but Sebastian suspected that she was actually talking to that filthy Fallen King.

Cas?

Yes, Maria? He sounded sort of tense, or snappish.

Everything okay? She thought it before she could stop it.

Yes, dear. I'm just in the middle of something. What do you need?

Well, I was going to ask you how to get my wings back out so I could learn how to fly...

That's great! He enthusiastically supported her unlike Sebastian, she noticed. His mood changed instantly.

Anyway, in order to bring out your wings you need to sort of reverse what you did the first time. It's all about what you think and imagine. Just flex your muscles again and imaging them coming back out again.

Sounds easy enough. Thanks, King.

No, thank you Maria. You give me courage to be the King. Was he serious? He sounded serious. She decided that it was time to wrap up the conversation, before he got more lovey dovey. She was being pretty nice to him too, without realizing it.

Okay I'm going to go try it now...

Be careful. It's going to hurt the first few times.

I will.

She reopened her eyes to see Ciel staring at her sort of confusedly, while Sebastian half-glared.

"What?"

"You're sort of... glowing?" Ciel looked at Sebastian, trying to find the right word. Maria blinked, looking at Sebastian. That was new.

"I don't see it." Sebastian said sharply, yet politely at the same time. How does he do that?

"A-Alright, I'm going to try now." She said, to distract Ciel's attention before Sebastian could get into the whole mate-communication thing.

She exhaled slowly, focusing her thoughts on her light gray wings. She imagined them emerging quickly, effortlessly, and painlessly, but it didn't quite work out like that.

The pain shot between her shoulderblades like a bullet, forcing her to lean forward and grit her teeth as a small whimper escaped her lips.

"Relax, Maria." Sebastian's low voice murmered into her ear suddenly, his angrily polite tone replaced by... concern?

She squeezed her eyes shut as another contraction spread through her upper back. She felt the skin physically break as the wings started to emerge. "Easier said than done." She groaned. Was the skin supposed to break like that? It hadn't when she pulled them in.

A tense chuckle resonated from the demon. She looked up at Ciel, who was clenching his fists worridly.

"Can't you do something Sebastian?" The Earl asked. His shoulders fell slightly in defeat when Sebastian shook his head no.

Focus, Maria! The Fallen girl told herself, pushing them harder to get out.

"Halfway there." Sebastian encouraged as she released a cry of pain. It was like her very spinal cord was being squeezed between the roots of her wings. She shuddered as a shiver rippled down her spine.

All of a sudden the wings emerged with a shlick sound. She could feel the blood dripping off of them.

"The first time is always the hardest, but from now on at least they won't be covered in blood." Sebastian spoke from behind her.

She was too tired to respond as she staggered on her feet.

"Did the wings get bigger?" Ciel asked, getting up from behind the desk and moving around it to stand by them.

"Yes." Sebastian replied curtly, placing a hand on Maria's shoulder to steady her. He continued, "If you will excuse us, I'm going to clean her off a little."

Ciel nodded, and Sebastian scooped her up despite her mewls of protest.

"Hush. I'm trying to help." He whispered, too low for Ciel to hear as he carried her out of the room, no doubt taking her to the bathroom to clean off her wings like he said he was.

She nodded quietly and remained silent all the way to the bath. She waited as he drew hot water, and compliantly leaned back as he dipped her wings in the water. The water soaked in and she felt the weight of the blood being replaced by the water.

Sebastian gently scrubbed until all the blood was off. Picking up Maria again, for was so exhausted that she was barely awake, he carried her back to her room and tucked her in.

The demon sped back to the bathroom to clean up after Maria's bath. He watched as the now cold, pink water swirled around the drain, deep in thought.

I have to be able to do something. I can't by and watch her leave.

Aaaand Castia's (right?) bond is getting stronger! Sebastian wants to do something, but what? Vote if you liked! Updates may be coming a lttle slower because I want to work on my D Gray Man fanfic as well (Lotus Blooming)!

Okay so Ship Names?:

Sebastian × Maria: Sebaria? Others?

Castizel × Maria: Castia? Marizel?

Helppp! :D