Black Swan Rising - A Black Butler Fan-Fic

15 - Breathe

After arriving back at the manor, we all collapsed, save for the demon. The servants, worried beyond their wits, hugged the three of us until they were forced off; I didn't want to let them go.

Especially Bardroy.

As Sebastian was tucking the young lord into bed, the servants gathered around to hear our story. I told it the way I was supposed to:

The ship sank after we had scraped an iceberg. The newspapers explained it better.

Mey-Rin and Finny were teary-eyed for the entirety of the story. We moved on when I realized they couldn't handle the rest.

Soon we were laughing and carrying on like the children we truly were. We told jokes and stories. I heard of the catastrophic happenings at the manor while we were gone and how all of it was saved by Tanaka. I smiled at the man in the corner, who was peacefully dozing.

"It's a big day tomorrow," Bard said to the three of us. "The recovery process is often the toughest. Not to mention, we need to prepare for Easter Day. It's not too far away now, y'know."

I stretched and yawned a bit. "Easter already?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes a bit. I looked up at the servants as they stood and stretched for bed, Mey-Rin and Finny walking off tiredly.

"Hey, kid," Bardroy said gently, reaching over and putting a hand on mine. I looked over, and he smiled at me. "It's good to have you back in one piece."

I smiled, a wave of emotions washing over me. I threw myself at the bear of a man and cried into his shoulder, the smell of cigarette smoke, burnt food and elegant spices mixing in my nose. It was a strong smell, but, once upon a time, I feared I would never smell it again.

"Hey, take it easy on yourself," he said, holding me tightly. "You're gonna make me start cryin' too."

When I first arrived at this manor, scared and weak and hurting, Sebastian was the one that washed me up and dressed me, but Bardroy fed me. He did all he could to make a soup he wouldn't burn and presented it to me with tender care. He changed rags on my neck and bandages on my head, telling me stories of the war he was snatched up from. I listened intently to the torture he was put through and kept silent of the agony I bore for so long. He didn't ask of my past. He only talked of his own, told me he knew what it meant to have no hope and see death left and right.

I believed him.

Ever since then, this man cared for me as if I were his own flesh and blood. He often teased that I was his little sister, messing up my hair and playing with my ponytail. I often avenged myself by splashing him with water or blowing bubbles in his direction.

We were closer than siblings. We never fought, never held grudges like siblings do. We told each other our problems, our hurts, our heartaches.

The only thing he didn't know about was the monster inside of me.

Still sobbing like a child, I felt the man start to shake. I looked up to see his cigarette on the floor, having fallen from his mouth. His teeth were grinding together to keep from crying out as he silently wept, his hand covering his face to hide the shame of showing emotion.

I sat up and pulled a hankie from my dress pocket, pulling his hand away and dabbing at his moistened eyes. I smiled gently at him. "Bardroy, it's okay to cry," I told him softly.

He looked at the floor, bringing his arm up to drag across his eyes and nose. Once again, I brought my hankie to finish the job.

"I can't believe you almost died..." he whispered. "I couldn't lose another comrade— no... I couldn't lose my family..."