The Indignity of Mortality (Sebasclaude)

7. Sebastian

9th November, Wednesday, the Phantomhive Manor, two o'clock exactly

I heard a sharp rapping at the door at bang on two o'clock, and knew it would have to be Faustus and his insufferable young master, no one else turned up the exact minute when they were supposed to.
I opened the door, and ducked into a small bow, as Earl Trancy and Faustus entered, before I shut the door behind them. Thankfully, Earl Trancy looked a little more subdued now, in fact, I think we all did. I silently begged that Faustus wouldn't have dug up anything supporting the possibility of the murderer being an angel. "Good afternoon," I greeted, as Ciel made his appearance.
"Let's not waist time, there's a lot that requires discussing. Sebastian, bring me and Earl Trancy some tea." I bowed, uttering the usual 'yes my Lord,' before making my way to the kitchen, where I already had some Earl Grey brewing in advance, since Ciel liked it so strong. I loaded cups, saucers, and so forth onto the tea trolley, before wheeling it towards the room Ciel and Earl Trancy had been in last week.
Sure enough, Faustus was standing outside that exact room like a lost soul, and I wheeled the tea trolley past him without a word, willing myself to stop with the snarky comments in favour of avoiding an argument. I silently doled out tea, as Ciel and Earl Trancy talked, and none of the things they were discussing reassured me, in fact, if anything, they confirmed my worries. Just before I left, Earl Trancy produced a feather from a small bag, and as I put the tea pot down on the table, Ciel and I exchanged glances - that pearlescent sheen was one we were all too familiar with.
As I walked out, Faustus locked eyes with me. "Was I correct? Is it an angel feather?"
"No, it's a pigeon feather, Faustus," I replied sarcastically.
"You needn't be so sarcastic." I glared at him, and went to put the tea trolley back.

I glanced over at Faustus, and noticed he was still staring at me, it was the fifth time now I'd caught him looking at me with this mournful face, and he didn't even attempt to look away, or apologise, he just carried on. "Faustus, will you stop staring at me." He gave me a brief look of confusion, and it took every ounce of my will power to not initiate another fight. "It's considered rude, if you didn't know, since most people grow uncomfortable when someone stares them for an extended period of time," I snapped, and Faustus finally looked away. "You also usually apologise."
"Why should I apologise to you, Michaelis?"
"Because you were being rude, Faustus. Why were you even staring at me in the first place?" I pried, this time locking eyes with him, and this or what I'd asked him certainly made him uncomfortable - I caught him pushing his glasses up his nose.
"You don't look terribly worried by the feather, as well other things I shan't tell the likes of you even over my own dead body."
"Oh, you have dignity now? Well isn't this ever change. Mind you, I suppose that little shred of dignity is the reason you chose to cry in the men's bathrooms instead of in front of everyone else," I snarled, and Faustus's eyes flickered with fuchsia. Despite this, I could still remember Ciel's warnings.
"Haven't you learnt from when I half-blinded you?"
"Haven't you learnt you'll never win from when I got you to throw up?" Then there were was a knife against my neck, as Faustus' eyes burned, glowing and pink, and his top lip was partly pulled up. "Touchy subject? Come one now Faustus, surely you wouldn't want to anger that brat who you bow before?" Now I was pushing it, and I damn well knew it, but I, among many others, get a certain rush from treading on thin ice and irking others to the point of violence.
"You're hardly one to speak. You kneel on bended knee before Earl Phantomhive, you're his lapdog, does it make you feel powerful? Does it please you knowing you can again have friends in high places, do you get a rush from licking the boots of someone high up? Is it almost like the real thing?" I rallied up my restraint, and painfully forced myself not to react - it was losing my calm that had let Faustus briefly get the edge last time.
Faustus's behavior had changed completely, his aura of boredom and placidity had crumbled, giving way to unruly, aimless anger that he didn't know what to do with. He never did know what to do with emotions, so they usually came out as foolish, ill thought-out, impulsive actions. The minute he felt something he acted on instinct, just like a savage beast - it disgusted me. I dug my knife under Faustus's chin, watching blood dribble down the blade, as I grew closer, knowing just how much he hated having people that close. He could hardly stand a single touch, I used to wind him up about it all the time.
He was silent now, his teeth bared, his back against the wall and I could hear his heart pounding, as I pushed my leg between both of his, purely for the sake of provoking him. The knife against my neck dug deeper in, and I could feel the warm crimson trickling from the wound. I removed my glove and wiped it away before it could stain my shirt collar. "How about we take this outside, so no one gets into trouble, hmm?" But there wasn't reasoning with him. I should have known not to take it this far, I should have known to stop at teasing him, I should have known sticking my leg between his would push him over the edge, and for a fraction of a second I thought he was going to turn the whole mansion upside down purely in his efforts to destroy me, but that was before the door was edged open, followed by the sound of quick footsteps.
"Claude!" My eyes flitted to Earl Trancy Trancy running down the hall, his eyes a mixture of apprehension and anger. I sighed, and backed off, pulling my knife away, as Faustus' eyes returned to their natural gold. Faustus' knife was removed from my neck, just as Ciel came marching after Earl Trancy. Faustus let Earl Trancy cling to his arm, the Earl's eyes wide and worried, while Ciel merely looked livid.
"What are you both doing?! I might have hoped you'd both learn after last time, and actually tried to act like a pair of civilised men as apposed to children, but no. We leave you both alone for, what? Half an hour? Only to find both of you with knives up to the each other's throats! This is the kind of behavior you expect from two-year-olds!" As Ciel talked, I could see Faustus' eyes regaining their magenta hue, though Ciel didn't seem to notice - I supposed he was too angry, or maybe he knew I'd save him, but whatever the reason, he didn't stop until Faustus finally flew at him.
If I hadn't realised what Faustus was going to do a second before he did it, Ciel would have been dead. I didn't have time to do it presentably, or neatly, I just leapt at Faustus, grabbed his chin, and pulled his neck back as hard as I could.
There was a sickening crack, and Faustus tumbled to the floor in a crumpled heap, with me landing neatly behind him. Ciel was silent, his face pale, as he stared down at Faustus, who's neck was bent at a completely unnatural angle. There was a second horrific crack, as Claude snapped his neck back into place, and gasped, before gritting his teeth and staying silent, and seeing as he could again move, I pushed him to the ground with my knee. "I apologise for such unseemly methods. I might advise you both go back to the room you were previously having your meeting in. I'll see Lord Trancy's butler out." Ciel closed his previously agape mouth and collected himself, as Lord Trancy began to sob.
"You shall do no such thing, Sebastian." I blinked, confused. "Earl Trancy and I shall finish our meeting, and yourself and Claude will stand in there, with us, where we can see you both, so as to avoid any further childish bickering."
"Are you sure-"
"I am quite sure, Sebastian. Now get off Claude and follow me, I shall speak to you personally later." Reluctantly I stood up, and followed Ciel, hearing Earl Trancy rush over to Faustus in tears.