His Butler, Phantom Image #2

Ciel Phantomhive was sitting at the desk in his study, sipping strong tea out of an expensive teacup. He was wondering where Sebastian had gotten to, as it was nearing afternoon tea time and he was starting to get hungry.

“Probably training Pluto…” he said aloud to himself, absentmindedly and took another sip of the dark liquid. An almost-smile crossed his face as he thought of how much his demon butler hated their new acquisition, the demon hound. It was comical really. But Ciel didn’t smile more than a faint-hearted sneer. He never had, ever since… But that was another story. Right now, Ciel was waiting. Waiting to see if the photo they had finally managed to acquire of Sebastion would give him some insight into the mind of the mysterious man he entrusted his life to – and who would, eventually, end it.

Ciel looked at the camera, sitting fore-bodingly on the desk in front of him. It was very special, this particular camera. When taking a photo of someone, this camera also captures the image of whom or what they hold most dear to them… that is not of this world. Ciel was curious to see what would appear if he took a photo of a creature that was already ‘not of this world’. Is there someone who Sebastian lost at some time, and still holds dear? The questions continued to arise and Ciel could feel his excitement building. He took another sip of tea and calmed himself down. He was sure all his questions were about to be revealed.

“Um… Master Ciel?” Ciel looked up to see Finnie (the gardener), May-Rin (the lady’s maid) and Bardroy (the cook) standing nervously in the doorway. Finnie was standing in front, holding a thin piece of photographic paper, still dripping from the dark-room. He was the one who had spoken.

“Ah… it… it developed, Master.” He gestured absentmindedly with the photograph, drawing Ciel’s attention to it. Ciel quickly put down his teacup and the china hit the saucer with a loud, plink!

“Well?” he demanded, looking at them with feverishly bright eyes, or ‘eye’ as one – the one with the demon mark – was hidden by an eye-patch. “What does it show? Bring it to me!”

Finnie anxiously stepped into the room and made his way to the desk, followed by May-Rin and Bardroy, and, bringing up the rear (who Ciel hadn’t seen was there) was Tanaka (the former butler to the Phantomhives), he was looking healthy, but still tired. Ciel stood as Finnie arrived at the desk and snapped the photograph out of his hands – his excitement, but also apprehension making him jumpy.

Ciel looked at the photo. Sebastian was there, looking proper as ever and then he looked at the other person who appeared in the photograph. He smiled. In the photograph was a woman with raven black hair and stylish suit clothing. She looked like a female version of Sebastian himself. Her most stunning feature: her bright red eyes. She was just the kind of person he had hoped to see – he now had a weakness of Sebastian.

Ciel sat down in his chair and continued to look at the photo. His servants gathered around and looked on.

“It’s so terribly exciting, isn’t it?” squeeled May-Rin in her strong accent. “I mean, Sebastian seems to know everything, and now… now we know something about him!”

“Yeah! He’s always bossing us around! Now we can have a little power for once!” Bardroy grunted, pumping the air with his fist and almost spitting out the cigarette he was chewing on. Tanaka was sipping softly out of his Japanese tea-cup, looking tired and not concentrating on the conversation.

“Well?” he said, “May-Rin, don’t you have something to clean? The library was looking awfully dusty last I went in there.”

“Oh…” she said. “Righ’ away Master!” She hurried out of the room. The others watched her go but made no move to follow. Ciel sighed.

“Finnie, the bushes are overgrown again. Oh and pick some of those white roses for the table also.” He left in a hurry after muttering, “Yes, Master Ciel!”

“Bardroy, make me a lemon cheesecake slice will you? Sebastian is being hopelessly incompetent this afternoon.”

Bardroy left to go then spun back around quickly and asked, “Ah, Sir? When I make this slice, can we eat the rest of it?” Ciel gave his permission and warned Bardroy not to burn it and especially not to use his flame-thrower on it and Bardroy left. Tanaka took the hint and departed just behind.

Ciel leaned back in the chair and ran his hands through his hair, accidentally catching his fingers on the ties that held on his eye-patch. It fell into his lap and he slowly opened his right eye. His vision blurred for a moment, then his eyes adjusted and he saw Sebastian walking up to him, his tailcoat flapping slightly as he moved and his black hair swaying.

“Perfect timing,” muttered Ciel as he watched his demon butler approach. He felt an almost familiar tingle in his eye where the demon mark was positioned.

“Well, I am one hell of a butler…”

Ciel ignored his comment. “It came undone.” He said, knowing that Sebastian would easily understand his meaning.

The butler walked to his side of the desk and started to tie the eye-patch back up again saying, “Certainly, my young Lord.” He was almost finished when his fingers paused.

“What is it?” demanded Ciel, warily.

Sebastian finished tying the strings and picked up the photograph that had still been sitting on the table, next to Ciel’s, now cold, tea.

“This photograph…” said Sebastian. “Is it of me?”

“It is.” Ciel replied, not sure what to expect.

“And it is taken with this camera here?” he motioned to the box shaped camera on the table.

It was rhetorical, but Ciel still answered, “Yes.”

Sebastian remained silent.

Ciel looked into his eyes. Obviously, Sebastian knew the woman.

“Who is it?”

Sebastian glanced at his Master then back at the photograph. “I would prefer not to answer.” Was all he said.

“If I ordered you to tell me, you would have no choice.” He leant back in his chair, crossing his legs and smiled at his butler. For once, he had the pleasure of putting Sebastian on the spot, making him hot under the collar.

Sebastian’s eyes seemed to glow and he flicked his head quickly toward Ciel. “And if I sent your soul to hell then you wouldn’t be able to demand anything from me!”

“Try it.” Ciel threatened, calmly.

Sebastian stood staring at him for a moment longer then he said, “I thought I couldn’t remember…”

Ciel cocked his head to the side, waiting for his butler to continue.

“In hell, I have a whole other life. She…” he scowled, not wanted to continue, “she was part of that life. When we demons are assigned, like I am to you, we forget our lives in the pit. I never thought I would remember her.”

“So who is she?”

Sebastian gritted his teeth. “My…lover. I suppose.” He stood awkwardly and stared at the photograph. “Her name is Asura.” Sebastian gazed at her for a moment longer then composed himself, replaced his usual poker-face and placed the photograph carefully back down on the table.

Sebastian, after a moments silence mentioned. “I was actually quite curious to see who would appear. I suppose I was just wishing it wouldn’t be that Grell.”

Ciel half smiled again. “I find his… infatuation for you quite amusing.” His smile disappeared, “Though he will still have to die for killing those innocent women.”

Sebastian smiled at something beyond Ciel and said, “Is anyone really innocent? But Master, are you sure you don’t want him dead to avenge Madam Red, whom he also killed. In cold blood too.”

Ciel made a ‘tche’ noise and didn’t reply. Of course he wanted revenge for his Aunt’s murder, but that didn’t matter as much as revenge for his parent’s murder. And if Grell Sutcliffe were to live on, the so be it as long as he achieved that. Ciel looked at a clock mounted on the wall.

“Shouldn’t you be preparing dinner now?” he looked at Sebastian accusingly and rested his head on his hand. His butler bowed.

“As you wish, Master. I will begin preparations immediately.” He went to leave but Ciel stopped him.

“Wait!” he was going to say something else about the photograph but thought better of it, “Make sure Bardroy hasn’t burnt the lemon cheesecake. Oh, and tell him to get it ready for dessert instead. I don’t feel like eating now. Unless you think you can’t handle him?” Ciel loved taunting Sebastian, almost as much as he liked trying out new board games.

“When have I ever been unable to accomplish young Masters orders?” Ciel thought of the Grell incident again but decided not to mention it, there had been extenuating circumstances then anyway.

“If I couldn’t do this for my Master, what kind of butler would I be?” Ciel tutted again and Sebastian bowed and left the room.

He leant forward in his chair again, to look at the photograph. Then he placed it at the bottom of the bottom drawer in the desk. Ciel Phantomhive then looked mournfully at his sad, swimming face in his undrunk tea. He was surprised when the surface rippled, blurring the image, by one tear shed for his losses. He scowled at his reflection and the weakness he had shown it, then composed himself, pushed the teacup to the side and started working on some business matters.