White Maid (Rewrite)

The Butler & The Maid, Second Chances

You caused this. This entire mess is your fault.

Blood.

"...Two sides of different coins..."

So much blood...

"When will you learn?"

There was a blinding light, and the sound of a sword being pulled from its sheath.

"I warned you."

Aurora screamed when she woke up. Several small beads of sweat dripped down the back of her neck. Her chest rising and falling with each breath, in perfect sync with her rapid pulse. She glanced up as Sebastian opened the bedroom door, fully dressed and holding a candelabra in his right hand. "Darling?" Aurora shook her head, taking a few quick breaths to calm herself.

"No... more." She rasped, "No more, please. Don't ask me to sleep anymore, please. It's- it's torturous." The sheets dip slightly and then there's a set of four tiny paws crawling up her knee with a soft meow as the black furball tumbles into her lap. Aurora barely managed a smile as Noire looked up at her, the kitten's eyes only visible in the reflection of the candelabra Sebastian holds.

The bed dipping as the demon sits at her side. "Angelica..." She flinches as his gloved hand comes to her face, thumb tenderly wiping away her tears.

"Please. Do not make me sleep. It's been three days Sebastian. I am begging you- don't make me sleep anymore. It's unbearable."

The nightmares over the past few days have taken its toll on her. That was blatantly obvious. Her eyes had become sunken, with dark circles underneath. She's gotten no more than a handful of hours of sleep in the past three days. She could hardly stand for more than an hour, making doing her daily tasks near impossible.

Things that used to be so easy have become so hard in such little time. Sebastian had lost count of the times he had walked past her, finding her in a room, focusing intently on an object, trying to move it, or transmute it. He'd watch her try and fail countless times, sometimes collapsing from exhaustion or anger.

Aurora looked at him, eyes tired as she spoke again. "Sebastian. Listen to me... Please..." Sebastian shushed her. "I understand. You have no need to worry, my dear." She could see in his own eyes that he was tired too. Checking her every few hours, ensuring she hadn't woken the rest of the manor with her screams or fallen asleep mid task. Needless to say she felt guilty for causing him grief. As if she was wasting his time, only a burden to him.

Consciously, Aurora knew that couldn't be further from the truth. Sebastian never expressed any displeasure towards her. Clairvoyant as she tended to be, she could see no lies coming from him. But even clairvoyance couldn't assure her of his intentions. It was something she'd kept to herself, not wishing to burden him- as if he weren't burdened enough already. Though she suspected he might just know what was going on in that convoluted mind of hers.

"If it is any consolation," Sebastian began, "I see you as anything but a burden. You are my partner. My best friend, my lover, I am incredibly fortunate to have you with me." She cracked a small smile, "You always know just what to say, don't you?" She sighed, sitting back against the pillows.

The demon watched her for a moment. "Angel.."

She muttered quietly, "I finally understand why you never sleep. It's absolute torture." She looked up at him, eyes sunken and bags under her normally bright eyes.

She was barely functioning.

Sebastian sighed, offering her his hand. "Come." She lifted her head, watching him as he climbed off the bed. "Why? What is it?" She let her hand clasp with his, and he pulled her gently to her feet. "Since sleep is out of the question for the time being, we might as well get you fed." She frowned, glancing to the small window in the room, sighing as she spotted the faint hue of orange light creeping over the horizon. "Already morning?" She murmured warily, tired despite the desire to fend off sleep.