Kuroshitsuji: The Contract from Birth [Ciel Phantomhive]

[5] Her Butler, Curious

  I was beginning to feel that the choice I made was rather foolish as Sebastian sat me down on the perfectly made bed. The covers began to soak up the rain that was dripping off me and I involuntarily shivered, still extremely cold. Ciel wasn't worth all this trouble.

"Sebastian. Light the fire."

The cut just below my cheekbone was causing me immense pain, and I lifted my hand up to touch it when I felt the edge of my own skin, burning hot.

"Ow!"

"Don't touch it, you'll infect it."

Regardless of the sharp and intensifying pain I was going through, I managed to scowl and glare at Ciel, who was standing up with a pitcher in his hand. He turned around and began to pour the water out into a small bowl and dipped a cloth inside. I could tell from the small steam that rose that it was warm water, and the bandages beside the bowl confirmed that I was not going to be sent home soon. My natural instinct would be to angrily insist on not needing his help, but the circumstances led to me lacking the energy to argue, so I stayed quiet as he stood over me and dabbed the damp cloth around my cheek.

"All this makeup is running down your face," Ciel said, his expression rather stoic for someone who had just lost quite possibly his only living relative. "Why are you even wearing so much? You weren't wearing any the last time we met."

My eyes gazed up at him and I opened my mouth to speak when the stinging pain shot through my nerves again, and I cried out instead.

"The cut is rather deep... I'll have Sebastian tend to it once it's cleaned."

"The plan was for me to look old enough for an abortion, and I had my servants help me put it on." I sighed, answering his previous question and ignoring his current comment. I wouldn't let his demon servant near me until Rodric recommended it to be safe. Ciel didn't respond, continuing to lightly pat and press the rag above and below the deep gash. After a few moments, he moved onto the other side of my face, wiping it down before walking over to the basin and rinsing off the cloth. I raised my fingers to touch my face, realizing he had wiped off all the excessive makeup along with any dried up blood.

A hand rested on my shoulder and I looked up to see Sebastian, who was giving me a smile. "Let's see that incision now, shall we?"

"You most certainly will not," I mumbled, hovering my hand over it and looking away.

"But Lady Adelina," Sebastian said, tilting his head with his seemingly perfect smile. "Your butler himself has asked me to tend to your wound while he carries out your order."

My head quickly spun to face him, which proved to be a mistake as the room began to spin and I felt my eyesight get dizzy.

I raised both hands to my head and forced myself to stare down at my shoes to focus my vision before answering him. "Oh, did he now?"

I didn't resist as Sebastian began bandaging my cut, refusing to let out any more whimpers of pain in front of him. It seemed more important to me to not show my weaknesses to another demon than to Ciel, which is what Rodric would have wanted. By the time he was finished, the fire was beginning to dwindle and my face was feeling rather numb. All I wanted was a good night sleep.

"Sebastian, are you familiar with how to remove this ridiculous hairstyle?" I asked, standing up from the bed, which now had a large patch of water where I was sitting.

"Help her with her hair and change the coverts." Ciel's voice ordered from behind me. I turned to him and realized he had fallen asleep in a chair beside the entrance, and he had already changed into a thin nightshirt.