Anime One-Shots

Help - Sebastian Michaelis

       Agni and Soma had visited the manor the day before, and Sebastian was quite miffed.  His perfect face couldn't hide his many shortcomings.  He was not a born leader.  Delegating tasks was not in his wheelhouse of talents.  He often relied on his inhuman prowess to complete tasks on his own, rather than seek help.  Even when he was required to utilize others, he would assign them menial tasks while he undertook the meaningful ones.  Agni had successfully led the other seemingly useless servants in creating a beautiful meal.  Sebastian was shocked.

       Everything he did was riddled with frustration.  Instead of gracefully drawing the curtains open, he nearly ripped them apart.  Instead of gently setting the table, he slammed the silverware down into place.  His desserts were flawless as always, but even the decorations looked angry.

       The very idea that a human could be better at any one thing bothered him.

       You offered to assist him with a few of his chores, but he insisted that you just stand to the side and look pretty.  You informed him that his charms wouldn't work on you.  You lied.  They worked the way they did on every other woman.  Adjusting to his utter perfection certainly took time, but now you could fake indifference, at the very least.

       Still, you were insistent on doing your job.  The Earl of Phantomhive didn't need any more protection, but he absolutely needed someone to keep Mey-rin from using shoe polish on the banisters and to keep Finnian from cutting the bulbs off of all of the roses.  Bard was to be kept away from the kitchen.

       You spotted him cleaning the windows at human speed -- slower, even.  He appeared to be in deep thought.  You sidled up next to him to see if he would notice.  He didn't respond, so you firmly placed your hand on his shoulder.

       "I'll clean the windows.  Aren't there more important things you should be doing?"  

       He faltered but a second before putting on that same unreadable smile.  "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that.  You could get yourself into trouble."  He handed the washcloth to you, letting his hand linger there as his piercing gaze shot right through you.  This was, quite recognizably, one of his many seduction tricks.

       Your heart was already beating out of your chest.  "You know that won't work."  

       "Is that so?"  He leaned in close to your face and tilted your chin up with his index finger.

       Crash!

       Mey-rin scrambled to pick up the pieces of a vase she had knocked over while spying on the two of you.  You rushed in to help her but sliced your finger in the process.  You nearly broke a vase when he took your hand and licked off the blood.

       The sun was setting, and it was almost time for the young master's dinner with a business partner.  You had treated your finger and made your way into the kitchen.  Bardroy, Mey-rin, and Finnian all stood to the side and watched Sebastian's precise preparatory performance in amazement.  You reluctantly joined the three other servants on the side.   Your eyes traveled the room, looking for an opportunity to do something.  You were a Phantomhive servant too.

       "Are we just going to stand here?" you whispered to Bardroy.

       "What can we do?" he sighed.

       Late in the night, everyone had retired to their rooms.  The young master, Mey-rin, Finnian, Bardroy, and Tanaka were all fast asleep, as far as you knew.  You lay awake in the middle of the night, attempting to count sheep, but your heart was pounding.  The image of Sebastian's face so close to yours was etched into your retinas.  A gust of wind or creak of a door alerted you to some sort of stirring in the mansion.  It was an excuse to get out of bed.

       You followed a scratching sound into the kitchen, where Sebastian was washing dishes.  The moment you stepped into the room, he whipped around to face you.  Always on the alert, he was.

       "Is there something you need?" he asked.

       You shook your head.  You approached his side and rolled up your sleeves, taking a wash cloth to dry the dishes with.  The two of you cleaned like clockwork.  He would soap and scrub the dishes, then you would rinse and dry them, one by one.  Every now and then, you glanced over at him.  His eyelashes were long.  You snapped from your trance to remember his behavior today.

       "Sebastian, you don't have to take care of everything in the house.  You can ask the rest of us to take care of important tasks, too," you offered.

       "Not at all," he replied, "a Phantomhive butler who can't do this much isn't worth his salt."

       You narrowed your eyes at him.  "Then I take it the rest of us aren't worth our salt?"

       He gaped at you, stunned.  You resumed drying the remaining dishes in silence, then turned to leave before he grabbed your wrist.  He gently brought your hand to his lips, then proceeded to pull you into his body, pressing you against his chest.  His cheek brushed against yours as he nipped your ear.  Your knees buckled at the sensation, and the slightest whimper escaped your lips, earning a sinister chuckle from Sebastian.

       "If I need anything, I'll be sure to --"  He pulled away.  "-- ask."

       You returned to your room and resumed your session of staying awake.