Black Butler: Demons in our Hearts

Chapter 26: Calm Before The Storm

“Kat would you mind…?”

“Beating out the carpets from the kitchen? Already done, the laundry is to.” Kat sat at the bar of the Phantomhive kitchen exhausted. Ever since Rhose had come to the manor he had insisted on daily, and nightly, practice of her assassin skills. Add that to what she normally did, and she was exhausted beyond compare.

Sebastian, oblivious to her plight, gave her an arch look, “Since when are you psychic?”

Sighing Kat put her head down on the table, “I’m not, I’m just used to the schedule, you have a way of doing things that doesn’t change, so it’s easy to follow what happens every week.”

“Is it really? Perhaps I should make it a bit more surprising; I wouldn’t want to bore you.”

Kat lifted her head to glare at him through the hair that fell down around her face, “Sneak, the only reason you want to do that is try to get me upset so I’ll change.”

Sebastian sniffed and turned his back to her, but the gleam of mischief she had seen in his glittering red eyes was more than enough to put her on edge. He has something in mind, I know he does. Ever since he had found out what Kat’s collar did to her shape changing ability, and the fact that she didn’t make the Earl sneeze with her very presence, he had gone out of his way to upset her and force her to change.

It was simply irritating that he succeeded often enough that he had grown arrogant enough to begin carrying a cat toy around in his front pocket. Not that she ever chased the silly thing; it was just the idea that he saw her that way that made her bristle.

In fact just yesterday he had sent her out to weed the garden. A usual chore, correct? What he failed to mention was the bucket of ice water he had placed on top of the shelf going into the garden shed and that he had decided that the Earl would be practicing his shooting against the side of the small stone building. Sebastian had fired a practice shot to sight the rifle and had knocked the bucket onto Kat’s head, soaking her through.

After she had come stalking out of the shed, he had had the gall to laugh at her, triggering her temper, and well…you know the rest.

And that’s exactly why I don’t care for this collar. It’s useful buts it also has many downfalls.

“Then perhaps you should take it off.”

Kat blinked up in surprise had she just spoken out loud, “What, sorry didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

Sebastian gave her a wry look, before starting to polish the silverware. “I suppose I do tease you a lot, don’t I?”

“No, never.” And this is where I would hold up a sarcasm sign.

“I don’t believe that was necessary but, I would like to apologize for my atrocious behavior,” He reached across the table to take her hand, he lifted it to his lips and planted a kiss on the knuckle his eyes never leaving hers, “I should never treat a friend in that manner, I do hope that you will forgive me.”

Something is definitely not right with this, “Yes.” The word was drawn out as Kat searched Sebastian’s face for any sign of a trick, it took her a moment to register the fact that he had still not released her hand, in fact his grip had tightened, “Sebastian-”

Kat hooked her feet on the edge of the counter as the Butler attempted to tug her over, half on the counter and half off the counter Kat glared hatefully at the Butler, who still held her hand in his. “Please release me.”

“Why?” he actually pouted, “Do you understand how nice it is for me to be able to have an actual cat around the house? One the Earl is not allergic to?”