Kuro Kishi : Akuma no Joō - Dark Knight: Dark Queen (A Fruits Basket x Kuroshitsuji Crossover)

Chapter Twenty: Bottle of Ink

Shigure sighed as he took off his shoes at the door. No leads, aside from finding Kyo's friendship bracelet at that one place. But at least they had a bit more time to figure things out before Akito was brought into the matter, which, although he loved her dearly, he wasn't sure if he wanted.

He stopped pondering at the smell of Tohru's cooking. He sniffed the air with a hint of a smile on his face. At least she was home safe and sound. It would not do to have their little flower trampled. And if she was home, her friend and his butler were also probably back as well. Maybe there was the chance of some good news as well.

He walked towards the kitchen, just to see if Kyo had somehow managed to slip past everyone and return, but he only saw Tohru and Yuki, who was helping get plates ready to set the table. "Hello," he greeted them both. "How was your day?"

Tohru looked up from stirring something in a pan, wiping some moisture from her forehead from the steaming vegetables inside some kind of sauce. "Oh, hello Shigure! We had a lot of fun helping Ciel find some new clothes, and then we went to a movie about little people. It was really fun!"

Shigure had to smile at her enthusiasm, even if he knew it wasn't quite as upbeat as usual. He had to give her points, though, for looking at the bright side. "And how is Ciel doing?"

"My master is a bit on the tired side tonight," Sebastian said from behind Shigure, causing the mortal man to jump ever so slightly. "I came down to see if there was anything I could do to help in the meal preparations."

Tohru smiled at the offer. She knew he was very efficient, but she needed to keep busy and wasn't sure if she'd be able to do that if he stepped in and helped. Instead, she checked a pot. "The soup for Ciel is almost ready," she answered. "Maybe you could get one of those small crocks?" She indicated the ceramic containers on the china shelf.

Sebastian moved smoothly past the writer and retrieved the item in question, placing it near Tohru so that she could access it with ease. "Is there anything else that I might be of assistance with?"

She shook her head, indicating that Yuki was already setting the table. "I'm almost done," she admitted as she filled the crock. "Do you want to eat with us or with Ciel?"

"I will take my meal after I am sure the young master has eaten and is resting," the butler replied.

She nodded, not surprised by his response. "Shigure, could you please get out the soy sauce?"

The writer came unglued from the doorframe and went to help get the condiment requested. "I wonder if anyone's had a chance to read the newspaper besides myself," he mused. "I noticed a report of two people found dead in the area earlier this morning. No foul play was reported, but it is a bit uncanny that nothing seems to have been wrong with them when they died."

Tohru shivered a bit at this news and resisted the urge to glance towards Sebastian.

The butler gazed intently at the writer for a fraction of a second, filing away this new little tidbit. It sounded like demon doing and he would have to investigate it as soon as possible, without raising the suspicions of those in the household who did not know his true nature. But, also for Tohru's delicate state, he would keep this even from her, though he rather thought that she would make her own guesses as to what had happened to the two poor deceased.

Tohru placed the last item on Ciel's tray. "It's ready," she said and moved to bring the tray over to Sebastian, but he smoothly intercepted her before she'd gone more than a step and took the tray from her.

"I'll take this to the young master, and, perhaps, I will join you downstairs once he is comfortable," he intoned, more curious about this reported event, though he was also eager to report it to the boy earl as well. But even if it was not sanctioned by his master, he would investigate it thoroughly just to make sure it was not somehow connected to their current case.