A quiet hum of a familiar tune flew about the room, the somewhat happy tone of the Hatter lifting the spirits of the Red Queen’s Dressing Room. It was filled with hats by this point. Bows, Ribbons, veils and feathers dotted the tables, as well as the floor. Though due to that butler ascetic that was tightly clutched to, they were soon neatly aliened on the table, set out for use.
Ciel shoved open the door, glancing around the round room that was packed with colourful hats in a range of forms. How like him. The boy closed the door quietly behind him, spotting the demon amongst the mountain of head wear. Well, someone was having a grand old time.
The butler glanced over his shoulder at him, for a moment, that same respectful gaze he held for his young master appearing, before slipping away into that smile of a madman. Before Ciel could even say a word, a hat was propped onto his head. He merely stared back at the demon, an unamused gaze being held. Though it had little effect, the Hatter keeping that smile while his own head was accompanied with a hat.
“Ah, It’s good to be working at my trade again~” he commented with a smile, a slight pose being made with the hat.
Ridiculous.
“It’s a pity you had to make them for her” Ciel responded, lowering the cheerful mood as he tugged the hat off his own head and tossed it aside with little care.
Realization flickered in the demons eyes, his more cheerful being having disappeared, his very clothes that he wore slumping to match his sad smile.
“..What’s the hatter with me?”
Many things.
“…Mmmm. Mmmm, matter.”
This proves so even more.
Suddenly a spark raised within him, the scissors that were clutched within his hand finding themselves within the hat he worse, tearing it to shreds with murderous fabric lust. The demonic colour swirled in his eyes, the head wear around him flying into the air in tears and shreds of multi-coloured felt and fabric.
“Stop at once!” Ciel ordered, his eyes fixed in a glare as he ignored the flailing scissors, his hand finding itself against the others cheek, a clatter of palm against skin. “Sebastian!”
The demon was quiet, his eyes returned to their dull crimson colour, the scissors falling from his hand. His pathetic form remained still, the red of his stinging cheek bringing him back to what little sanity he had in this world.
“…Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?” he asked, his sad and frightened gaze meeting the boys, for once having to be the smaller of the two.
“…I’m frightened, Ciel.”
Such words had been ones the younger had never expected to hear from Sebastian, of all people. If at any point he was given the chance to see how this demon would break down into pieces, be beaten and fail, like the earl had wished to see for so long, this was it.
“I don’t like it in here. It’s terribly crowded.” Even with this, there was that same sad smile, his blood coloured gaze afraid and wavering. “Have I gone mad?”
A sudden memory came to the boy, this exact conversation. With this exact person. Well, some form of him anyway. His hand moved towards the butler, grazing across his forehead.
“I’m afraid so” he replied, holding his gaze, his own eyes emotionless. “You’re entirely bonkers.” The truth was a harsh one. But life was cruel and unkind to everyone. He himself knew that.
“But I'll tell you a secret...All the best people are.”
Where that even came from, he didn't know. It was an insane thought. From an insane mind.
The boys hand slides away, trailing down the side of his once-butler’s face where he’d been slapped mere moments ago. Though he suddenly caught himself, returning to his stern stance and denying the slight weakness that he’d allowed to seep through.
This was Sebastian after all, it wasn't like this demon would ever understand. Though from what the elder himself was like, his own posture seemed of little importance, to him at least.
Yet the demon merely smiled, his happier stance returning, his shoulders straightening with pride. His very clothes seem to puff up with glee.
Ciel’s eyes fall to the hat he himself had attained, having kept it away from demon eyes, before picking it up and moving back to the Hatter.
The strangest of things happened. As the boy placed the hat in its rightful place upon the Hatter’s head, there was a gust of emotion, pure human feeling within the stare of Sebastian Michaelis. It was a picture in itself. A demon, with such concentrated feeling. Something Ciel never thought, or even wished to have seen. Though the moment in itself was one he would never forget, dream, or not.
“…You look yourself again…” He managed to say, staring into the demons eyes.
What occurred after that was something that would only ever happen in his own mind. Why it even occurred there was unthinkable. He was truly going mad. Insane even. But for some reason, dream or not, he found it impossible to believe that it had little if now meaning.
What kind of beautiful nightmare had he come to?
Sebastian was too overwhelmed to speak. He took off his hat and smiled down at Ciel, gently pressing his lips to his with an expression full of gratitude. Just as he went to deepen their kiss, they were suddenly interrupted by a piercing sound of the Red Queen's voice.
"Hat man!!! She shrieked from the next room. "Where are my hats?!!! I am not patient monarch!!!"
The Hatter seemed to come to. He seized Ciel's hand intensely, keeping his voice low.
"I'm told she keeps the Vorpal sword hidden in the castle. Find it, Bocchan. Take it to the White Queen."
Ciel glanced down at the long, thick chain binding the demons ankle to the wall. He still wasn't sure about slaying the Jabberwocky, but he could think of something else he'd like to do with that sword.
"We'll go to the White Queen together." he said, taking his other hand. They looked into each others eyes for a long moment, and Ciel found himself wishing he weren't quite so absurdly huge.
Sebastian grinned ruefully, evidently having the same thought. "Why is it, you're always too small or too tall?"
