Black Butler: Demons in our Hearts

Rhose's Special: Part 1

Rhose balanced the chubby youngling in his arms as the little demon, tugged playfully on Rhose’s long hair. The sapphire eyes of her mother stared back at him with an intensity not found in human children.

“Thank you, but I will be taking this back now.” Sebastian smirked as he plucked his daughter from Rhose’s, cradling her against his chest. “After all the child should be spending more time with her father than her grandfather, don’t you think?”

“I think you had better quit trying to cause trouble, sir.” Kat came up from behind Sebastian, startling the both of them. “I will be taking my daughter now if you don’t mind.” She took the baby and cooed, tickling the giggling child’s belly with the hair that cascaded down from her ponytail. “It’s time for someone’s nap. Sebastian would you mind going into town to get a few things? The Earl gave me a list, but…” She looked down at her daughter who gummed the end of Kat’s ponytail.

The Butler bowed, “Of course my lady, I will have to finish my own work of course. Someone has to in this house.”

Kat snorted, “You give birth to a child and I will commiserate with you. Until then take pity on me and do it please?”

Rhose had to laugh at their exchange, even if was under his breath, they had come a long way during the last nine months. It had been especially amusing when Kat’s pregnancy cravings had started. There was no telling what she wanted…or when. The most amusing thing would have had to have been the two-o-clock run to the other side of London for some Eel freshly caught in the port.

Sebastian had returned only to find her asleep on the couch, a hand resting on her distended stomach.

Of course he had been busy as well.

Between him and Sebastian it had been a full time job making sure she didn’t do too much. She had been livid when he had refused to let her in the kitchen the last week of her pregnancy. Sebastian had been nearly out of his mind with worry that she would burn herself or do some irreparable damage to herself or the unborn child. And seeing as he had been in the dog house still for moving their room downstairs to the first level so she wasn’t going up and down the stairs so often…he had decided to take pity on the poor sap.

Not that that battle had borne any fruits, Kat still went up the stairs.

Between the remaining servants there was a schedule contrived, they took turns taking her up and down the stairs. It still frustrated her, but she soon found out they weren’t as easy to order about as her husband or adopted father.

He watched as she smiled down at the baby, tiny lines of exhaustion still tugged at the edges of her eyes. She was still so tired; it was a blessing that the child didn’t wake them at every other time in the middle of the night, but it hadn’t been an easy birth. She had been in labor for close to twelve hours.

And cursing Sebastian through every minute of it. It had been a…colorful experience to say the least. He had learned quite a few things about Sebastian’s parentage during that time.

“Here allow me, Gattino, allow me to do that, the poor man just went through the hardest thing possible for a man, allow me to do this small favor for you both.” He plucked the list out of Sebastian’s hand before either of them could react. He kissed Kat’s forehead and ruffled the ebony down that graced the baby’s head. “I will return shortly.”

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Flour, Sugar (confection) , Tea (Darjeeling), and so much more…Rhose ran over the list over and over as he walked the crowded streets of London. A feeling of doubt crossed his mind as he searched the windows for any signs of the things he was supposed to gather. He had come to the realization that he knew nothing of grocery shopping only a little distance before he had entered the city itself.