Children's Games (a Sebaciel Fanfic)

Part 15

For several days Sebastian made himself scarce around the manor. It was terribly obvious to the rest of the staff that something had happened, but none of them so much as dared to speculate as to why Tanaka was serving as the Earl's butler. Sebastian had been quiet, pretending everything was the same as it ever was, but one glance at him plating a meal to be presented by Tanaka looked like it ate at his very existence. Ciel, on the other hand, had been in a terribly foul mood, regularly sending them away with a shout, sealing himself in the library for most of his day, and at least part of his night.

The library had become his sanctuary, surrounded by knowledge he felt safe somehow, as though he could find the answers to questions he wasn't sure he knew how to ask. He sat upon the burgundy velvet sofa, flipping through the pages of a book disinterestedly. His mind was elsewhere. He was still angry; still hurt. He had cried when Tanaka bathed him, a look of horror in the older man's eyes as he tenderly saw to his Master's wounds. Ciel wouldn't speak a word of it, he only wept, sniffling softly as Tanaka saw to his needs and put him to bed. He swore Tanaka to secrecy, but he still couldn't put that anger aside. He felt betrayed, and worse, by the one entity who claimed they would never betray him.

Worse than the anger was the longing. Closing his eyes, he leaned over on the sofa a little, still idly flipping pages, but his mind wandered back to his bedroom, the way Sebastian had pinned him down, how helpless he had felt beneath him; the delicious pain that overwhelmed his senses as Sebastian took advantage of his vulnerability. Ciel shuddered, feeling his erection pressing against his shorts and shifted in his seat. As he tried to push the vivid memory away, he heard a soft knock at the door; his heart leapt, but the voice he heard wasn't the familiar voice of his loyal butler. Mey-Rin popped her head around the door and grinned at him, scuttling in rather loudly, pushing a tea cart before her.

"Young Master! I've brought your afternoon tea, I have! It's...." she paused for a second, trying to remember exactly what Sebastian had instructed her to say. "It's... hibiscus flowers! And lemon tea cakes!" She looked relieved to have finally gotten it out, even if it took her damn near an eternity to get there. Ciel smiled in spite of himself.

"Very good, Mey-Rin." She offered a little curtsey and shuffled her feet nervously, standing there beside the tea cart. Ciel, who had already returned to his book, looked back up at her, raising his eyebrow expectantly. "You can go." Her cheeks flushed and she looked down at her feet as they kicked lightly at the carpet, hands clasped tightly behind her back. Ciel sighed and closed his book, sitting up on the sofa and crossing his knees, reaching out a hand to her. She nodded almost frantically and offered him the teacup, which he accepted and rested lightly upon his thigh. "Is there something you need, Mey-Rin? Is there a reason you're standing here before me like a frightened child?"

"Well... I'm sorry young Master... it's just... well things just haven't been feelin' right... if you know what I mean... and... and Mister Sebastian is..."

"We are not talking about Sebastian." She stopped, jaw snapping closed, and nodded, looking down at her feet once more before she continued quietly.

"Right... I... suppose that's all then..." She curtseyed again and turned to leave when she heard Ciel sigh loudly, the clink of his teacup as he set it on the seat beside him.

"Fine. What about Sebastian?"

"Well.... It's just... I-I know it's not my place to say...."

"SPIT IT OUT, MEY-RIN!"

"Sebastian just hasn't been actin' right... he's... well he's just not himself... We're all worried about him..." When her eyes met Ciel's and she saw him glaring at her she sped up, stumbling over her words. "...and-and you! Of course, we're worried about you too..." The little Earl rolled his eyes and pressed his fingers to his temple. "It's almost like he's... well... sad?"