Cuts and Cake (Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler fanfic) (Ciel x Sebastian)(Sebaciel)

Pink Bows and Rabbits

Cuts and Cake:

Chapter 4

"A contract? You will help me in return for a price and I can't escape it?"

"Yes."

"I... need to think about it."

Ciel replayed their conversation in his head as he walked back to his form room after school to obtain Sebastian's school record off Mr Wordsmith. Sebastian's proposition would be convenient, but he had had a glimmer in his eye that he didn't trust one bit. He would have to think about it carefully before agreeing to anything if they made an official contract, then he would have to abide by all the terms and wouldn't be able to get out of it.

Besides, what was Sebastian planning to get out of it? He couldn't think of anything likely.

Coming out of his reverie, he knocked on the open door of his form room, entered and closed the door behind him. Ciel could hear the sound of vacuum cleaners at the end of the corridor so he knew that he didn't have much time before the cleaners came in.

"Hello Ciel. I found his file and photocopied it," Mr Wordsmith said hurriedly, also aware that they didn't have very long. He passed a plain blue folder to Ciel who placed it in his bag.

"Do you have any other additional details to add?" Ciel asked whilst he zipped up his coat, ready for the rain outside.

His form tutor gestured him to come closer and shot worried glances at the door.

"Last year he was suspended from school for a month," he whispered. "I don't know the exact reason as I'm new this year and none of the teachers seem willing to talk about him for some reason, but I the lady in the records office had heard it was because he induced a girl to commit suicide."

Ciel flinched and his eye widened. Was that the price he was going to claim? Either way, continuing his acquaintanceship with Sebastian was not going to be beneficial to his already fragile health.

The teacher saw the look on Ciel's face and hastened to dispel his uneasiness. "It's just a rumour- it might not be true."

"You have a point," he said absently as he turned to leave. "Thank you for the information."

Sebastian's school record was disappointing for Ciel. It had useful information like his address and the names of his parents, but it was devoid of anything personal. He scanned the attendance figures amusedly. For 4 years running he had had 50% attendance which was a pretty low figure, but his attendance had been good in the month leading up to his suspension which was suspicious.

The record of the suspension itself was very uninformative. It just said 'suspended' and listed the date- it didn't state the reason.

Frustrated, Ciel began to tap his fingers on the kitchen table. He needed more information from a reliable source about what had happened involving Sebastian the previous year. A teacher would not do- he had only been able to get information out of Mr Wordsmith because he had blackmailed him. He needed to ask someone that would tell him without spreading rumours or asking anything in return. A girl would be bound to know the gossip.

Then it came to him. He would ask his cousin Elizabeth. She would be willing to gossip with him without wondering why he was asking. He slid his phone out his pocket and dialled her number.

She picked up after the first ring.

"Ciel!" she screamed down the phone. "You've finally called me!"

Ciel held the phone away from his ear slightly in case she screamed again.

"Can I ask you something? It's school related."

"You can ask me anything, I know everything! On your behalf I cleared up misunderstandings about your gender. You're so cute; they all thought you were a girl!"

He rolled his eye. "Thank you Elizabeth. Back to the original subject, why was Sebastian Michaelis suspended from school last year?"

There was a brief silence and then Elizabeth screamed loudly. Ciel winced and held the phone further away from his ear.

"Ciel! Don't get involved with him! I'll explain further at school tomorrow," she said in a panicked tone. "Meet me in the canteen at lunchtime."

Ciel groaned. He had spotted her in the canteen on his first day; she had been surrounded by a bunch of girls, talking about how cute everything was, which was his idea of a nightmare. On the other hand, she obviously had the information that he needed so he would have to agree.

"I will, but could we sit alone, away from your friends? I don't want people to hear," he asked and added a bait, "It would be like a date." He knew she would like that.

"Yes! I'll see you tomorrow Ciel!" She squealed as he hung up.

What had Sebastian done?

* * *

At lunchtime Ciel navigated his way through the packed canteen to search for his informant. After being almost trampled on by some taller students that hadn't seen him, he spotted Elizabeth. As promised she was sitting by herself at a table next to the wall.

Her blonde curly hair was split into two bunches, tied off with pale pink ribbons in her hair and there was also a giant pink bow in her hair. As he approached he saw that her earrings were pink rabbits. She hadn't changed a bit since he had last seen her, he reflected.

Throughout formtime and his morning lessons he had ignored Sebastian's reminders about making a contract with him. Eventually Sebastian had stopped pestering him about it. To get to the canteen alone he had climbed out the bathroom window with some difficulty whilst Sebastian was waiting outside the door and then he had run the outside way to the canteen.

"Ciel!" Elizabeth greeted him happily as he pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down.

"Hello Elizabeth," he replied, surreptitiously checking that his wrists weren't showing.

"Lizzie," she said threateningly, or as threateningly as someone could with a giant pink bow in their hair.

"Lizzie. Can you answer last night's question about Sebastian Michaelis?" Ciel asked, getting straight to the point."

"Answer my question first: do you like him?" she retaliated, leaning closer to hear his answer. "He's the only person you've hung out with so far."

"I don't," he answered immediately, a little too quickly. "He just started sticking to me and I can't get rid of him."

Lizzie's eyes widened. "Oh dear," she murmured worriedly. "You must be his next target."

Ciel stiffened. "What?"

"Do you see that girl over there?" she pointed.

Ciel followed her finger, noting that her fingernail was painted bright pink. In the corner of the canteen at a small table a girl was sitting alone, staring into space. She had large round lens glasses and red hair.

"I do," he replied, unsure of what she getting at.

"That is Mey-Rin. She attempted to commit suicide last year. Sebastian told her to."

"W-What?" Ciel stuttered. Was Sebastian intent on making him to the same? He had certainly been happy to observe that he cut himself.

Lizzie nodded seriously. "Luckily for her she was discovered and resuscitated. She told the Police everything. Sebastian told her how to do it and helped her make the noose."