Into The Flames (Sebastian x Reader)

Light of Morning

The next morning, I wasn't surprised when I awoke to find that Sebastian was already up and gone for the day.

I stretched, my fingertips brushing across the still rumpled sheets of his side of the bed, noting they were cool to the touch. He must have been up long before dawn.

Hurrying to dress myself for the day, I made my way downstairs and into the dining room, where the smell of fresh coffee and pastries filled the air, and a place was already set at the long table for me.

I selected a croissant and a cup of coffee off the sideboard, and just as I sat down to eat, my stomach grumbling hungrily at the smell of the food, Mey Rin appeared from the kitchen, eyes hidden behind her thick lenses, a bright smile on her face as she hurried to my side.

"My lady! So good to see you up and about, yes yes! We've all been worried!" She set a napkin down beside my plate and ladled some lumps of sugar into my coffee, before pouring in a thick helping of cream. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Thank you Mey rin." I nodded, offering her a smile in return, as I took a bite of the flaky croissant, savoring the sweetness on my tongue.

I hadn't been surprised to see Sebastian gone from my bed this morning. However, I was surprised that he appeared to be nowhere to be seen at breakfast. Usually he was here, standing, observing, making sure everything ran smoothly.

"Very good, my lady." Mey Rin bobbed her head, pulling me from my thoughts, as she ladled fresh fruit into an elegant china bowl, before placing a spoon inside and handing it to me.

Taking another bite of my pastry, I chewed in silence for a moment, looking around the empty dining room, the morning sunlight filtering through the wall of tall windows. Reaching for a sip of my coffee, I glanced over at Mey Rin, asking curiously, "Where's Sebastian this morning?"

"Oh!" Mey Rin clapped her hands together enthusiastically, as if she had been waiting for me to ask and was dying to tell me the answer to my question. "He's in the gardens this morning, yes yes! He's preparing everything for the master's homecoming!"

"Oh?" I perked up at the news that Ciel Phantomhive would be back from London sooner rather than later. Good. The faster he got back, the faster I could get started on my reward. I stirred the spoon around my coffee for a moment, before I replied casually, "And when will the Young Lord Phantomhive be gracing us with his presence once again?"

"He should be back this evening, my lady." Mey Rin cleared my plate and dishes onto the sidecar, careful not to spill any crumbs or the remaining coffee as she moved about the table, busying herself with tidying up.

Pushing my chair back, I considered my options for a moment. It did look like an incredibly nice day outside.

Saying goodbye to Mey Rin, I exited the dining room and walked out the front door of the large manor and onto the Phantomhive Estate. The front of the house was surrounded by acres of lush and perfectly styled gardens and shrubbery and fountains, intersected by neat cobblestone paths and lines of weaving flowers.

I paused for a moment, wondering how in the world I was to find Sebastian and Finny among the acres of land, when a loud voice echoed from behind the shrubbery to my right, carrying clearly on the quiet stillness of the morning air.

"So sorry, Sebastian! My apologies! I'll fix it!"

Smiling to myself, I headed in the direction of Finny's apologetic call, and walking down one of the cobblestone paths, I came into one of the many clearings, surrounded by tall shrubs in the shape of horses and dogs and birds, a large fountain standing in the middle, the cool mist of water hitting my face as it was carried by the light morning breeze.