That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Eternally Yours

The electric green glow in Chêne's eyes started to fade, and her eyes returned to normal as they closed again. Her breathing was soft and even as she slept in Sebastian's arms.

"Chêne will need to sleep for a while, but she will be just fine once she has recovered her strength. I have been told the type of transformation she just underwent is quite exhausting," Sebastian told Ciel, giving him a brilliant shit-eating grin. Ciel narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Sebastian.

"What transformation...?" Ciel asked sternly. Sebastian reached out and lightly touched his free hand, the one that wasn't holding Chêne, to Ciel's cheek.

"You have become terribly chilled. Let us return to the town house at once, and I shall prepare that hot milk for you and Chêne as promised, all right? I shall explain everything once Chêne has awakened. She should hear this as well," Sebastian said, giving Ciel his trademark shit-eating grin as he stood up, carrying Chêne in his arms.

"..." Ciel said as he stared at Sebastian's blood stained glove. It had been a long night, and now that things had finally calmed down somewhat, Ciel suddenly realized how tired he was. "Yes, very well." Ciel stood up, but he was a little shaky, and swayed to the side.

"Young Master!" Sebastian said, surprised when the uninjured boy almost fell, but Sebastian managed to switch his hold on Chêne to only using one arm so he could catch Ciel.

SLAP!

Ciel slapped Sebastian's hand away and took a step back from the demon butler. Ciel's brow was furrowed as he frowned at him. Sebastian stared at Ciel, slightly taken aback. He didn't think Chêne's 'change' would affect him so.

"Young—!" Sebastian said, concerned.

"Don't," Ciel said bluntly. "I am all right. I can stand on my own," Ciel said solemnly as he glanced at Madam Red's corpse.

"..." Sebastian said as he watched the young earl. Ciel didn't look 'all right' to him.

"... I'm... just... a bit tired..." Ciel said wearily.

=†=†=†=†=

{The next morning—The Phantomhive Townhouse, a guest room}

"... Ngh..." Chêne moaned as she rolled over on her back and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Chêne sighed blissfully as she sat up and stretched, enjoying the feeling of the warm sunlight on her skin.

"My, you look just like a kitten when you stretch like that..." Sebastian observed, flashing her a brilliant shit-eating grin. Chêne froze. She stared at him blankly for a few moments, as though she was trying to decide if she was actually awake or not. Chêne glanced down at herself. She was wearing a nightgown... which she definitely did NOT remember putting on!!

"—Why am I wearing a nightgown! Who dressed me!?" Chêne yelled, practically shooting out of the bed as she confronted Sebastian.

"Well, you certainly could not remain in your outfit from last night. It simply wouldn't do to stain the sheets with your blood, now would it? As for who dressed you and washed the blood off of you... It certainly was not the young master, and I am currently the only other servant here, so..." Sebastian said, smirking deviously at her. Chêne froze and turned blue with shock and dread.

"... D-Did you say 'wash'...?" Chêne stuttered, hoping to God she had misheard.

"Yes," Sebastian said bluntly, smiling. Chêne turned to stone, mortified. He saw her naked!? "You were covered in your own blood after being stabbed by Madam Red. In the future, when you receive a wound like that, you should say something sooner when you feel the icy hand of death upon you, instead of just 'grinning and bearing it.' Did you forget? Or did you perhaps think it was all just a bad dream?" Sebastian asked, grinning at her. She blushed cherry red from head to toe. If it really happened...Then she really did tell Sebastian that she loved him!! And—wait... didn't she die...?