That Butler: Caring?

Chapter 21.

Three days. Three days since Sebastian had been so badly wounded and Ciel had been confined to bed due to his asthma.

*****

Ciel awoke with a wide yawn as the golden glow washed over his face, his eyes flickering open to see the curtains pushed back.

"Good morning, My Lord. You slept well?"

The familiar voice brought a small smile to the Earl's lips.

"Sebastian. I see you've returned to work."

The demon chuckled and laid out his master's clothes, looking at the boy from where he stood.

"Yes. My wounds are healed and I am in good health once again, Master. I trust you are feeling better as well?"

"Yes, thank you."

Then a thought struck Ciel and he groaned, pushing himself upright and moving to the edge of the bed.

"How much work have I got to catch up on, Sebastian?"

"None, My Lord."

The boy's reluctant expression quickly changed to a puzzled one.

"What do you mean, none? I haven't done any paperwork for three days and I must have something to catch up with, surely."

"No, Master. I took care of all of your paperwork early this morning, and the lessons you missed were hardly imperative. There were no important meetings cancelled, so for now at least your day is free."

Ciel's face brightened up at the sound of a day to himself, and he smiled softly as the butler began to dress him.

"In that case, thank you Sebastian. I'll have to try and find something to do."

As the demon buttoned up his master's shirt, he couldn't help but stare up into those beautiful eyes of his. He was so distracted, in fact, that when he returned to the task at hand Sebastian realised he had accidentally placed a few of the buttons through the wrong holes, so the shirt was askew with uneven gaps. Ciel had already noticed but decided not to say anything just for his own amusement. A light blush crept across Sebastian's face, a first for him.

"Oh my... I'm terribly sorry, Master. I seem to have accidentally buttoned up your shirt wrong."

His words and the way in which he said them with an apologetic and embarrassed tone amused the Earl to no end. It began as a smirk, then a quiet chuckle, but soon enough the boy was leant back on the bed, his shoulders shaking with full blown laughter as he sat there in nothing but his shorts and a terribly messy shirt.

"M-My Lord?"

Sebastian's blush deepened a little, but soon enough a warm smile split his face. He had never heard his master laugh before... At least not like this. A genuinely happy laugh that stemmed from a warm feeling neither of them could trace, a laugh that sounded like cerulean flowers being brushed by a midsummer's breeze as the birds sang in the sky. It was a truly beautiful sound and the raven haired male felt as if he could listen to it for all eternity.

Eventually Ciel was able to regain some control, his laughter subsiding into occasional fits of chuckles as Sebastian continued to dress him.

"Sebastian... You know, you do look quite cute when you blush like that. I've never seen that expression on your face before."

The Earl said with yet another chuckle, looking down at his butler.

"And I have never heard you laugh that way, My Lord... What is it, may I ask, that has you in such high spirits this morning?"