His Butler, Faithful

Just A Little Perfect

“Another maid?” Mey-Rin inquired, peeking out from behind Baldo.

The chef, on the other hand, was grinning ear-to-ear at April, the cigarette between his teeth threatening to fall to the floor. “Welcome to the Phantom’ive Estate!” he said cheerily, waving one of his meaty hands at the girl.

“Oh, I know we’re gonna have so much fun!” the ever flamboyant Finny hollered, clapping his hands like a seal ready for a rewarding fish.

Tanaka merely sipped his tea, laughing softly.

Sebastian inwardly sighed at the inanity of the staff. He and the girl had arrived late last night, so he let her have some rest and thought to introduce her to everyone the next morning after young master’s tea. He suspected that in no time at all, April would become one of them: slap happy, clumsy, and imbecilic. 

The girl at his side curtseyed them, bowing her head in respect. Yet, her dispassionate expression failed to falter in the slightest. “Pleasure to meet you all,” she said.

Sebastian smirked. Maybe she was a bit more promising.

“Mey-Rin,” the butler barked, startling the maid into a frenzy of jumbled words. “Help Miss April unpack her things. She didn’t have a chance when we arrived last night. I will clean up after young master’s tea. Shortly thereafter, I will give our new help a tour of the estate and fill her in on her duties.” 

“Oh! Uh- this way, Miss April,” Mey-Rin stammered, turning around sharply and scurrying down the corridor. April followed after her, but not before frowning at Sebastian. The butler, in turn, smiled brightly at her before leaving to attend to the Earl Phantomhive.

“Mister Sebastian!” came Finny’s cry as the boy burst into Ciel’s study. 

Sebastian sighed, setting down the empty tea cup on the cart. Did she mess something up already? He already began hoping they could get this case solved soon. He didn’t want to deal with one more mess maker in the household. “What’s happened, Finny?”

Finny took a deep breath before widening his eyes. “It was simply amazing! Miss April was just like you! As Mey-Rin was showing Miss April the kitchen, she knocked over the silver you’d just polished- and, and- she caught everything! In between her fingers! She was just like you!”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. “Just like me?”

Finny nodded profusely. “Just like you!”

Sebastian turned around to look at Ciel’s reaction. The boy was tickled. “Sebastian,” he said. “I think I’d like April to bathe me this evening. It would be a good opportunity for a chat. To get to know her.”

Sebastian bowed. “Certainly, young master. Shall I retrieve her now, so that you may formally meet her?”

“Yes,” Ciel replied, “I’d like that very much.”

Sebastian left with Finny and the cart of Ciel’s morning tea remnants, sighing at the boy’s bouncing about. “Now we don’t have to rely on you so much, Mister Sebastian!” Finny sang.

The butler put on his fake smile, nodding. “Yes, it would be nice, indeed!” When he was out of Finny’s line of vision, he frowned deeply.

Just… like me? he thought. Oh, how dreadful.