Children's Games (a Sebaciel Fanfic)

Part 15

"Sad? Oh, please. There's absolutely nothing wrong with Sebastian." Ciel laughed and shook his head waving a hand dismissively at the idea of his butler showing any emotion that wasn't smugness.

"Well... I mean... I don't know, Master... he just isn't himself..." She lowered her voice a little, eyes cast down to her shoes as she continued, "...and neither are you." The young Lord shot her a look, his eyes narrowed.

"And what precisely is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! Nothing... I just... well, we all thought if something was wrong... ya'know... maybe... you could... talk to him about it?" Ciel rolled his eyes again, picking up his book once more, flipping through it to find his page as he spoke.

"Sebastian will be fine. And so will I. Personal affairs between me and my butler are none of your concern. You all have duties to attend to, you should be more concerned about those than the private affairs of your Master." She listened intently as he spoke, then nodded.

"Yes, Master..." One more curtsey and she made her way to the door, stopping just before she disappeared through it. "But if you could speak to him... I think it'd make us all feel better." She spoke quickly, quietly, but Ciel heard her clear as day. The door clicked closed behind her and she was gone, leaving Ciel there alone to think about what she had said, tea cart parked unceremoniously before him.

Mey-Rin smiled to herself as she made her way back to the kitchen and found Sebastian in the dining hall along the way, polishing silverware at the table. She stopped beside him, rocking from heel to toe with a little blush on her cheeks. When Sebastian finally looked up at her, his eyes cold and unfeeling, she frowned a little.

"Young Master is in the library again. I said just what you told me to about the tea!"

"Very good, Mey-Rin." He replied flatly, fingers still diligently polishing. He held the butter knife up before him, making sure it was absolutely spotless before moving on to the next. When she didn't leave, he sighed, placing the polishing cloth down on the table. "Is there anything else?"

"I think if you talk to him..." Sebastian shook his head and dismissed the idea instantly.

"If the young Master wants to speak to me..." Mey-Rin cut him off, speaking quickly, wringing her hands before her nervously.

"Mister Sebastian, you know how stubborn he is! He is just a boy after all... he just needs... a little push?"

"Far be it from me to push our young Master." His tone was thick with sarcasm, obviously quiet finished with the conversation.

"But you're the only one he listens to! And neither one of ya's been happy since you had your fight..." Sebastian shot her a look that made her take a step back. "...if it was a fight, I don't know that it was a fight... maybe it wasn't a fight... I just..." She rambled incoherently for a few moments before she trailed off and Sebastian sighed softly and leaned back in his chair, resting his hands in his lap.

"He doesn't want to talk to me, Mey-Rin. He made it abundantly clear, I'm to stay out of his sight. I'm only adhering to his wishes."

"Well but that was days ago!" He glared at her once again and she flinched. "Mister Sebastian... it's been days you two've been avoidin' each other... seems like it's about time to make things right again... I'm sure he'll talk to you about it... whatever it is..." Eyes narrowed as he looked up at the maid, he raised an eyebrow.

"Mey-Rin... Did you have this talk with our young Master as well?" His closed his eyes a moment and straightened himself once more, picking up a spoon to begin polishing again.

"I... well.... I mean I may have mentioned...." She trailed off and shuffled her feet on the rug, fingers curling into her apron.

"... what did you mention, Mey-Rin?" She froze, and when she didn't answer right away, Sebastian placed the silverware and cloth lightly on the table once more and stood. She blinked, and he stood a breath away from her, looking down at her, offering a gloved hand. "It's not nice to keep secrets, Mey-Rin. What exactly did you mention?" She swallowed hard, sweat popping out on her forehead, eyes wide and trembling with trepidation as she placed her hand in his.

"I... I-I just.... I just said..." Sebastian leaned close, placed a finger beneath her chin and pulled her face up to meet his. Her cheeks blossomed red, and she tried to look away, but he held her gaze fiercely for a moment before his eyes softened and he offered a little smile.

"Come now, Mey-Rin, you want to please our young Master, do you not?"

"Well, yes! 'Course I do!"

"Then you shouldn't be keeping secrets from his butler. Now..." He slipped a hand around her waist and led her to the table and being so flustered she could do nothing but allow herself to be led. He pulled out the chair he had been sitting in and motioned her to sit. "Please, sit, and tell me your secrets." He pulled out another chair beside hers, seated himself and listened as Mey-Rin fumbled her way through the encounter.

"I just... I told 'em that neither one of ya's been actin' like yerselves... That maybe it was time to talk to you about it... 'cause we've all been worried... about both of you. But... that's all I said, really it is..." Sebastian nodded a little and stood, satisfied that although he was surely missing details, that was indeed the gist of the situation.

"I see..." He thought for a moment as Mey-Rin sat there, fiddling with the hem of her apron nervously, unsure of whether or not she was in trouble.

"I didn't mean to cause no trouble Mister Sebastian..."

"You've done no such thing. Only a minor inconvenience... and you obviously meant no harm." She nodded a little, still not looking up at him. Sebastian checked his pocket watch and smiled to himself. "You know, Mey-Rin, I believe there may be a play this evening in town, perhaps all of you should take the evening for yourselves and leave our young Master to me." She smiled then, nodding vehemently.

"Oh yes, Mister Sebastian! It's the last night! We was just talkin' about it..."

"Go on, then. Gather the others and enjoy your evening, and please..." He reached into his tailcoat pocket and produced several gold coins. "...do take your time." He offered her the coins and she took them, smiling widely at him.

"Thank you, Mister Sebastian!" She clutched the coins to her chest and hurried out of the room to let everyone know of their good fortune. Sebastian sat back down at the table, picking up the silverware and cloth once more. He finished polishing the silver while he formulated his plan.