The One || Sebastian Michaelis x Reader

➙ Chapter Two

You pulled on your clothes for the day--men's clothes nonetheless, but you never did care about conforming to society's stereotypes. You had a walking stick to match your outfit and strutted through your estate, making it clear that you were the head of the household no matter who questioned it.

Why aren't you married? Some would ask when they got nosey. You answered that you believed marriage was an irrelevant factor in your life since you were already taken care of for years to come. All nobles married other nobles and did it at the age of eighteen and that was something you most definitely weren't going to do. Additionally, you already missed the age mark by a few years.

How are you so smart for a woman? Stupid inquisition. You scoffed at people--men and women alike--who would question your intelligence simply because you were taking over a male-dominated field. You were essentially a doctor, yet your era didn't allow females to do something so prestigious.

Alas, you faced more criticism than anyone, especially when you dressed against normal protocol, but you never cared what others perceived you to be. You weren't afraid to stand up and be the leader the people needed and you sure as hell weren't going to take anyone's taunting because of your gender and position.

You boarded your personal carriage and proceeded to the Phantomhive Manor on your own early in the morning hours. Usually a servant would accompany you, but Ruth was getting older and more fragile and your butler was off running errands for you, making this journey a solo one.

You arrived in roughly fifteen minutes and begrudgingly sat through the carriage constantly rocking from side to side because of the dirt road. When it finally stopped, you instinctively went to open the door yourself because you hated when someone did it for you, but it swung open before you could even grip the handle.

A gloved hand was offered, although you couldn't see the person it belonged to. You ignored it and climbed out of the carriage, startling whoever was trying to do their formal duty. Instead of acting like your actions were anything but normal, you flicked your hair behind you and went to address the servant.

When you looked up, you froze in your spot. A tall, gorgeous man was peering down at you in interest, but the reason you halted your movements wasn't because of his blinding good-looks, it was because of his eyes; they were as red as blood and held a predatory gleam that you detected immediately.

Demon, you thought boredly and let yourself relax. The only reason you were surprised was because you weren't expecting Ciel Phantomhive to have a demon butler. It wouldn't be your first encounter with one of the underworld creatures.

"Hello, Lady (L/N). My master and I welcome you," the butler greeted, but you could see the apprehension in the way he stood because of your own appearance.

You began walking toward the manor with a light, smug smile. "There's a speck of dirt on the back of your left ankle. I would think a Phantomhive servant to be more observant and pristine," you commented.

You heard the man make an intelligible, almost disbelieving noise and you glanced over your shoulder in time to see him looking down at where you said the dirt was, but of course, he was seeing nothing.

"Made you look," you teased, continuing toward the estate with an aura of confidence.

You couldn't resist messing with a demon when the opportunity presented itself. You weren't even impressed or shocked when the butler made it to the door ahead of you and opened it before you could even scale the steps.

You knew he was probably perplexed about your attitude, but that's how you liked it--people always guessing what you would do or say next. You didn't like being predictable or normal in your adventures.

"Thank you, good sir," you said, entering the foyer.

Ciel was waiting with his own walking stick by his side. He was younger and shorter than you believed him to be, but you couldn't help but to see him as one of the unfortunate children in the orphanage, because like you, he was without parents.

"Lady (L/N)," he said monotonously as he examined your figure, "the rumors appear to be true."

You ignored his blatant attention to the whispers about you because they were irrelevant for your reason for coming all the here when you had an appointment in less than two hours that was much more important than any of this nonsense you were forced into.

"Please, call me (Y/N). Formalities are so trivial and boring," you responded politely.

"If that is what you wish," Ciel conceded before addressing the butler. "Sebastian, bring tea to my study."

"Yes, My Lord," you heard the deep voice mere feet away from you answer, then he was gone into the adjacent door.

"Please, follow me."

You trailed Ciel up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway with paintings lining the walls until arriving at his study where you went inside and sat across from him at his desk to begin discussing the case.

Meanwhile, the demon butler, Sebastian, was taking his time in making two delicate cups of tea as he pondered who you, (Y/N) (L/N), were. There was something almost, dare he say, demonic about you but also gentle and flowery. Sebastian had never had this dilemma with a human where he couldn't pinpoint their motives and personality efficiently.

You knew something, he understood, but he wasn't sure what. Maybe you knew many different things that you carefully didn't let on. He sensed the dark and light in your soul almost instantly, but they mingled and danced together like professional ballerinas performing a show--something that was exceedingly rare and odd.

Sebastian would be sure to keep an eye on you at all times incase you posed any threat toward his Master. You were too... puzzling to simply push aside and not worry about. To him, you were an enemy until he could clear your innocence, which he wasn't sure existed at this point.