The Phantomhive Cafe (Sebastian Michaelis x GN!reader)

The Warm Return

Finally after a month of healing you were able to return to the cafe! You took an extra couple of weeks to get back on your feet and move around a bit more, the toll of staying in bed for days having quite the effect on your body. After all that work, you were ready to return to your job!

You put on your uniform, said your goodbyes to Huxley, locked him in the bathroom so he wouldn't get hurt (with his litterbox, food, water, and a few toys of course), and went on your way. It had begun to snow outside, the light flecks of cold landing on your jacket and sticking to the cloth. You felt a shiver run down your spine, it had gotten much colder since you were first stuck in bed.

After a quick stop to grab a donut from the bakery, you made the trek to the cafe, watching kids throw snowballs at each other in the local school's yard and people holding cups of hot chocolate close. It was moments like these that made everything feel peaceful. You'd almost forgotten that you were stabbed just a month prior!

As you approached the cafe you noticed a banner hanging out in front, 'Welcome Back, (Name)!' written in bold colorful letters. You smile warmly, wondering how much convincing this took for Ciel to allow the bright banner to be hung out front. It certainly stood out from the gothic building, but either way you appreciated it.

You stepped through the front door to find the cafe... empty. You furrowed your brows, removing your coat. Sebastian and Tanaka were usually cleaning the dining area before guests arrived. You peered into the kitchen where Mei-rin would be preparing dishes and Bard would be prepping ingredients. Nobody was there either.

You looked around for a while, confusion written all over your face. Finally there was one spot left, the backyard. Finnian would typically be playing with Pluto to tire him out before guests arrived. You opened the backdoor only to be greeted by confetti popping.

"Welcome back, (Name)!" Came the voices of Mei-rin, Finny, and Bard.

After taking a moment to process you managed to take in the scene. Sebastian and Ciel stood to the right, your boss looking rather bored. Tanaka stood behind a table that held a little cake, holding a knife. He was in his bigger form, a warm smile on his face. Your other three coworkers stood to the right of the table, Pluto behind them. The three of them held party poppers, bright smiles on their faces.

You stared at them in disbelief for a moment before smiling, "You guys, you didn't have to." You said, approaching them.

Mei-rin gave you a quick hug, "But we wanted to! We missed ya tons, we did!"

"Yeah, you deserved a proper welcome after all you went through!" Finny said, joining in on the hug.

You laughed and gave them both a squeeze back, unable to keep from smiling. It felt good knowing that they all really cared about you. You stood in the hug for a moment before pulling back. You looked down at Ciel and raised a brow.

"How much convincing did this take?" You asked him, noticing Sebastian's amused grin.

Ciel sighed, "Enough. They wouldn't hush about making this perfect. Elizabeth even got in on it."

You tilted your head, "Awe, I guess she couldn't make it, huh?"

Sebastian chuckled, "Well, actually she-"

He was cut off by the back door slamming open. Elizabeth dashed into the backyard, holding her dress up so she wouldn't trip over it.

"I'm here!" She exclaimed, her eyes glimmering. Immediately she took your hands in hers, "Oh, (Name), Ciel told me all about it! I can't believe you were attacked like that, you poor dear!" Her maid walked out behind her, holding a few small gift boxes.