Kuroshitsuji One-Shot Collection

Don't Be Afraid; I Am Not

Introduction

As its title very clearly states, the following piece of work will be a collection of 100% original one—shots, either entirely based on the Kuroshitsuji fandom or on crossovers with other anime series I love, such as Naruto and Sakura Card Captors.

Also, there will occasionally be some two—shots and three—shots, and even translations of works already written in Spanish. That will de—pend on whether you like the idea or not.

Finally, you will find, at the very least, all main Kuroshitsuji's —and any other anime series involved in the crossovers'— characters, plus some OCs of my own creation.

Hope you enjoy this ride, because I assure you, it will be bumpy!

With nothing more to add, let's begin our adventure!

Oh, I forgot to tell you. Prepare yourself, because I'm one Hell of a cruel and angst—obsessive ficker. And Sebastian might as well suffer the unimaginable for a demon throughout this book.

Don't be afraid; I Am Not

Fandom: Kuroshitsuji (The Black Butler)

Characters: Ciel Phantomhive, Sebastian Michaelis

Warnings: Demons. Violence

Synopsis: Should he be afraid? How could he, if ever since he had self—awareness, an evil being that could only inspire that feeling had lived beside him? Though, in all truth, there was one single person whom that demon butler couldn't and wouldn't dare infusing with fear. And that was him, his Master.

London England

—Good morning, young master...

He was greeted, like every morning, by that mysterious man dressed in his usual black uniform; as black as his hair barely reaching his neck and even more mysterious in appearance. He smiled at him, as he was also used to doing, barely showing him his neat, snowy teeth, as eerily white as the skin on his face. A feature that was completely normal for a being that had lost all trace of life in his body eons ago. The young man, with indigo hair and eyes as blue as the sky —which certainly honoured his name *— glanced at him slightly before shaking the sleep from his eyes and asking his butler about the day's choice for breakfast. True to form, Sebastian briefly explained everything he had prepared for him that morning. Minutes later, and while his young master was having breakfast, the demon—butler (an identity that only Ciel should know) approached the window, looking at the completely grey sky. After a silence that became too awkward even for the naturally short—spoken teenager, the heir to the Phantomhive Factory turned his attention away from his already nearly empty cup and asked his companion if he should honestly ask what he was thinking about.

—You know I would never lie to you, but I'm afraid this time I can't answer that question...

Ciel chose not to continue questioning him. He didn't consider himself to be particularly impatient, not to mention that, although the man next to him was, so to speak, 'bound to him' by a pact, that didn't mean that he should know everything that concerned the butler of the house. He smiled almost involuntarily just remembering the reaction of his friends and acquaintances every time he mentioned that the dark—haired man next to him was just that. That was, one of his servants; although not just any, but the most faithful of them. Sebastian's naturally calm voice snapped him back to reality, pointing out that a member of Queen Victoria's Guard would be visiting the Manor that afternoon. It didn't escape Ciel's attention the way the butler had pronounced those words; much less the expression on his face despite him being just looking at Sebastian in profile. Never had a direct emissary from Queen Victoria of England visited him. Why would he do it now? On the other hand, he hadn't done anything in that last few days that should be reported to his sovereign. Phantomhive sighed and, looking up into the reddish eyes of his butler, who was staring straight at him at that moment, he stated rather than asked that he assumed that he would not be left alone with that information.

—In fact... —said the dark—haired man smirking —Do you recall me having ever left a minimum detail to chance? I guess I shouldn't remind you that I'm not one of those inept... Employees at his service... By the way, should I ask what you read last night?

If he were a normal person, and especially an impressionable one, as was the case in many British people, he would have removed the small volume that his master gave him from his sight just by seeing the title of that work. His young master was, sadly, addicted to the suspense of Edgar Allan Poe. That particular work, however, had to be one of the darkest he could remember reading. It was "The Masque of the Red Death". He wondered how an ordinary human like him didn't have nightmares after reading something like that. Sometimes, he even had the thought —vague, by the way—, that maybe, and just maybe, Ciel believed it remotely similar to what had really devastated London at least three centuries ago**. Only then could he understand why he wouldn't be afraid of such stories. He returned the tome to the young man, to then announce — rather warn him — that it would be best for him to get ready to start his day.

They were in the main room a couple of hours later, when the person who had announced his visit finally arrived. Certainly, and being a demon whose purpose was to devour souls, Sebastian had seen in his long existence rather than life people, beings of all kinds. And he had never even dared to express an opinion about any of them. However, and if something like that was possible in a being of his nature, the decrepitude in the appearance of his guest left him stunned. And his skin got even paler than it was by nature. This was a man visibly the same height as him although, rather than slender, he looked sickly languid. With his usual discretion, however, he simply bowed to the newcomer, welcoming him to the mansion, and then asked whether he could offer him a drink. The man in front of him didn't even stop to look for the owner of the house, after realizing that the person who had received him was, without a doubt, one of his servants. Instead, his charcoal rather than ebony eyes stared at him for a few seconds, until he finally stated with obvious disdain in his voice that he didn't think he had to discuss private royal matters with a mere butler. Unless his master had granted him greater powers than those that corresponded to his work in the house.

—It isn't appropriate for me to question my Lord's guests. However, there is something I'm afraid you should know... Young Phantomhive keeps no secrets from me. Simply, he cannot, nor should he...

The moment the Queen's emissary looked up once more at Sebastian, he froze completely. He didn't think he had completely lost his vision even if he didn't remember that his eyes were red just now. He didn't have time to think too much as the darkness completely overtook him. Seconds before losing consciousness, he could only hear a voice rather from beyond the grave whisper in his ear:

—Believe me; I'm sorry about this. But no one, absolutely no one who has seen my face has lived to tell about it. Yes; I know it's scary, but, after all, that's my nature... As for my secrets; they will die with me, unless he orders otherwise...

Ciel never knew about that. And Michaelis wouldn't let him find out. As long as he could handle it, the demon butler would drive away from his master everything — and everyone — who could even disturb his peace more than he himself was capable of doing. If only his Master would allow it, since, after all, he only served his will.

End

Notes: *Ciel is actually "Heaven" in French.

**The manga is set in Victorian England (mid—19th—early 20th century), while the Black Death took place during the 14th and 15th centuries. Poe published "The Masque of the Red Death" in 1842.