The Devil's Bride *Sebastian Love*

Her Butler, Takes Flight

  "Now if we can just search the first stringers tents, we can go home." Decides Ciel. Selima covers Alette's eyes as Sebastian redresses Ciel.
"I thought we would quietly work our way up the ladder." Asks Alette
"That will take years and my sanity is silently slipping away as it is." Points out Ciel.
"Personally I'd find brute force easier than infiltration." Offers Sebastian
"But that reaper keeps you from moving freely at night." Reminds Selima. Woe was her. He had been stunting the growth of their physical relationship. Every time they tried to sneak out he would be at the ready, scolding Sebastian, saying something like two of them was bad enough, he didn't need any baby demons running around,
"A reapers presence does not prove them guilty. Behave yourself." Selima slips her arms around his waist, and rests her chin on his shoulder. She gives his ear lobe, one of his sensitive spots, a slight nip of affection.
"That means you too." Points out Alette, slightly disgusted by their display of affection. Selima frowns and pulls away.
"Very good."
"The time to strike is during the show."
"They'll all be too occupied to notice a small stage hand missing."
"Exactly. First I need a way to slip free of that freckled chap who tails me everywhere." Alette looks at him in confusion. Chap?
"If I can't go, there's no point. Alette and Selima will be one of the main acts. I want to get home and eat something sweet." Ciel sighs as the nostalgia of the Phantomhive manor hits.
"I'll prepare you some hot tea as well."
* * *
That night the four ran about wildly, preparing and helping others prepare. Selima and Alette sat outside tents away from prying eyes and practiced.
"Anyone seen my headpiece?"
"Here it is." Delivered Sebastian
"Oi there aren't enough knives! Where are the spares?" called Dagger.
"Here!" replied Ciel, rushing over with a box half his size.
"It's almost show time, so look lively!" Ciel sat down hard breathing heavily;
"Too much for you?"
"The question is whether I'll collapse from exhaustion before I check the tents." He almost smiles, more like half a smirk but Alette accepts it. He notices their opportunity, and runs up to Sebastian.
"Sebastian! Freckles isn't watching. Let's check the tents now."
"If you move quickly you can finish in ten minutes." Alette departs as the show is about the begin. Just as the other two were about the take off, they are spotted.
"Black! We've got trouble! Old Wendy twisted 'er ankle! The show is already on so I need 'ee to take her place!"
"But surely I'm not a fit substitute..." protests a modest Sebastian.
"Fit and ready me 'ansome. We'll count on 'ee. Plus you'll get to work with that pretty lady of yours." He runs past them still toting an injured Wendy. Ciel falters, his plan has gone to waste, "'ee haven't much time so be quick!"
"Nothing for it, I'm afraid. We'll have to find another chance, young master." Apologizes Sebastian. "Young master?"
"We don't know when the next chance will come. This may be the only time he isn't with me." Sebastian smirks a little. If he couldn't realize that Freckles was a girl on his own, what was there to be done? "You may be in the show, but I have some time. The only trouble is the snakes...right, some with me, Sebastian"
"At once." Despite the fact they were short on time, they ran to the man named Snake's tent. Sebastian had them all tied up in knots and out of the way at once. Ciel silently thanked the cursed heavens that it was his own butler here and not Selima, for she would certainly steal all the snakes. Hell, if even Alette were given the task she'd faint. "This is all of them."
"According to the program, your act ends at 7:50 and the encore begins at 8:00. SO you have about a ten minute window."
"To do what?"
"As soon as your act ends, release all the snakes and go back for the encore. I'll look through the tents."
"Will you be alright by yourself?" Ciel shudders, genuine concern forms a demon? No, it was concern for his soul.
"Fine. Now get back to the show tent- they'll be suspicious if you're late."
"Very good, my lord" bows Sebastian. When he enters the tent, he is meant with the pleasant sight of Selima adjusting her stockings. His view is then blocked by the reaper.
"I thought Miss Wendy was the only one injured?" Sebastian snottily asks, raising his nose at the reaper.
"Right, but old Peter obviously can't hold your weight!" Damn, he was right. He was a 6'1 man and Peter was just a boy.
"I don't see why I should have to pair with you." Condescends Will.
"I don't like it either, but It can't be helped." Sighed Sebastian, sucking it up and deciding to be the mature one.
"Honestly I can't believe I have to collaborate with such vermin." Selima and Sebastian both glare at the ignorant reaper. Sebastian pops open his pocket watch.
"Half seven..." he mutters. He looks up to see Selima swinging back and forth with another man who he did not recognize. This was a mundane task for her, her hair flew back and forth as she swung upside down. The man leapt from his position on one of the swings, for Selima to catch him. Midair, he makes squeezing motions toward her breasts. She frowns, snatches him up, and flips him over so they switch positions. The crowd stares in awe. When it is Sebastian's and Will's turn, things go less smoothly.
"What are you doing?"
"I'd sooner die than take the hands of a vermin like you."
"That hardly makes for a good show!"
"Hmph!"
"What are those two doing?" huffed Beast. She knew this show would be a disaster if they put him in there. It was then her strings snapped.
"Miss please go change!" insisted Dagger.
"I suppose I'd better."
"Oh dear." Sighed Sebastian "Stop this nonsense and put out your hands!" yelled Sebastian.
"I told you, never!" He protested, threatening to use his death scythe if necessary. "My fingers would rot!"
"Very well." Replied Sebastian "Then you'll have no objections to this!" Sebastian then grabbed his death scythe and flipped Will the Reaper over. The entire crowd gasped, clearly horrified and concerned for his safety.
"Unhand my death scythe!" he called, dangling.
"I'm afraid not."
"Let go!" Will demanded, hurdling toward Sebastian.
"All right." Conceded Sebastian. Both flipped backwards and landed on their original spots. Everyone starts to clap and yell, Selima included. As if that reaper could outsmart a demon!
***
Later that night, Ciel relayed everything he had found out in the tent, including his own name, how he had accidentally touched Freckles breast, and how he was now apparently a thief. A heat rose to her cheeks for some odd reason she could not identify. She was usually so composed but something about his story made her...jealous?
"Words are tawdry. Let her prove she won't say anything first." Advised Alette. She then realized how heavily Ciel was breathing, the flush of his cheeks and the frequent coughs he emitted.
"The sender used the name Tom, the Piper's son." Revealed Ciel, still struggling to breathe.
"A Mother Goose character?" Alette remembered them, her mother would read them to her when she was well.
"Yes, though I don't know why. And the sealing wax showed a crest with a horse and the initial K . Anything come to mind?" he sputtered. Alette wracked her brain but he could not think of any where both criteria were met.
"None, but are you sure you're okay? You look a little pale..." It was as if she gave him permission to fall, for as he did so he collapsed into a coughing fit. He fell to his hands and knees, salvia dripping from his usually soft lips.
"Ciel!" cried Alette, and then Sebastian was there scooping him up. He then lost consciousness, the edges of his vision becoming blurry and then, sleep seemed so nice, so very nice.
Alette sat by his bedside the whole night and when he stirred, she hopped up, but it was only a nightmare. She was surprised he had never told her about his asthma, after the year they spent together, but he was very secretive and even Sebastian did not know of his affliction. And after he gave the order, Sebastian made haste and exited the tent, where Selima sat, waiting. She remained perfectly still as Sebastian dodged the strikes dealt suddenly by Will.
"You again? Well this won't do." Sighed Sebastian.
"And where are you off to? I believe I told you not to wander about without your masters."
"I'm afraid our masters are rather busy at the moment. As always, we have dirty work to do." She smiles, exposing sharp teeth that are almost feline in nature.
"Return to your separate tents at once. I cannot allow a demon, let alone two, slip through my fingers." He extends his death scythe, Sebastian ducks while Selima jumps. He should have known better, one reaper cannot occupy two demons at one, no matter how skilled. Selima strikes at him, which Will dodges with ease.
"Small mistakes can lead to extreme overtime, you see."
"I apologize for the inconvenience, but really we have duties as servants. You will not interrupt our masters." Affirmed Selima.
"And you really don't want to cause a scene here, do you?" pointed out Sebastian. "Why don't you and I make a deal? If you give us one hour of freedom, we swear to never eat another soul on your territory again." Selima looked outraged at this notion, she had not agreed to this, but his look had silenced her. He was working on something here.
"No, thank you. Seducing your prey into darkness with sweet words is a demonic cliché."
"I was afraid you'd say no. Oh well, I suppose I'll explore other means then." Selima smirks as he licks the blood from her hand, from grabbing the death scythe, incredibly attracted to him.