As Time Goes On - A SebaCiel Story

Chapter 4: Free Time

"How long has it been since I last had some time off?"

"Four months ago, on Christmas Day. However I distinctly remember that you shut yourself in your office and continued to do paperwork. I was surprised that you locked the door to keep out Lady Elizabeth. You couldn't have just pretended to be ill, you had to be rash."

"Do you blame me?! She decorated my bedroom in pink Christmas decorations as she did with the rest of the damn manor! You know a Lady mustn't enter a man's private quarters without permission!"

"Of course, but you could have made my day a little bit easier."

"Tch. Would you have preferred my idea of trapping you in here with me?"

"To having to deal with a crying Lady Elizabeth? Any day."

"That's rich coming from the man who calls me a brat behind closed doors."

"I'm also the 'man' who takes the time to play a game of chess with you daily, voluntarily."

I suppose that is true. Simply another thing that he truly doesn't have to deal with and yet he manages to squeeze at the very least, one game into his incredibly tight schedule. Then again, so do I.

"Only because you're so competitive." I tease, smirking as I lift my ornate teacup to my lips.

"And you're a saint, I assume." Rolling my eyes and giving the demon my signature glare, I stand. Walking up to my glossy wooden bookcase. "We both know that I'm simply not pure enough for that."

"Ahh purity, your soul certainly contains it. Your personality however...that's yet to be seen."

"Oi! If I was to decide how I am viewed I would stay away from that particular attribute."

"And why is that?" Oh dear Lord he's using that condescending tone.

"Because innocence is ignorance. If you're the symbol of purity, you're blind of your own sins and the sins of others."

"Your soul has found a way to do both, my Lord, and I believe that your mind is capable of so much more than purity."

The way he looks at me, eyes gleaming in the glow of the fireplace. The fond smile that reaches his gaze sends a wave of warmth through me. My eyelids growing heavy as the night goes on. That may explain why I feel so sentimental, I'm too fatigued to hold the stoic Earl facade much longer.

"Thank you Sebastian, although I may not agree with you in that regard. I appreciate the sentiment."

I add a small, slightly forced smile. To appear more personable.

"You have become quite the appreciative little Master as of late. I'm not complaining in the slightest I'd simply prefer to know the reason behind this specific attitude adjustment."

He moves closer, choosing to seat himself free of my permission. Ever since I shared what I hide under lock and key with the demon that I now trust, we have become far less strict when no one else is around. Being more kind is a difficult goal when we are bound by a Master and Butler relationship. I don't plan to go back to how things used to be, I've come so far out of my comfort zone since then that we can never go back.

"Comfortable are we?" I ask with my usual amount of snark, adding a small smirk to prove that I'm pointing it out in jest.

"Very."

He sits in silence as he waits for me to speak. If I lie, everything I have done would be in vain. I must tell the truth, as he has done for me all these years.

"I have felt this appreciation for you and everything you do for me since I met you. But I could never give voice to these feelings because I was terrified of the thought of you. The fact that my life would end was never what scared me, it was about what you could to to me whilst I was still breathing."

"I swore to obey your every command, to never betray you, to never tell lies. What more is there to fear besides the fact that I will be the reason why you die?"

"I-I was afraid that you'd try to hurt me in some way. I know you won't but there used to always be a twinge of fear. I hid it well. I always do."

"I couldn't hurt you, my Lord. Physically or emotionally. If I wanted to take advantage of you being so vulnerable, I would have done so a very long time ago."

"I couldn't stop the nightmares, where you watched me die by bleeding out on the altar or you watched as they beat me until my skin blistered."

"You don't receive them anymore?"

"No. Not since you showed me what I had always suspected."

I had a deep breath, staring him right in the eyes as I prepare myself. This could destroy everything that I've ever known.

"That you love me."