Burnt Steak [2017] [P/UP]

☆3☆

The handsome man knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "Am I the what?"

I shrugged. "The bee keeper. Y'know, Phantomhive? Ghost bees? You some sorta demonic bee keeper or somethin'?"

The man scoffed an' shook his head, checkin' his watch as he did so. "Oh, I don't have time for this. The cook will be out shortly to assist you."

I grinned as he turned t' leave. "So long, Mister Bee Keeper!"

I let out a laugh as I turned t' get the box'a meat outta the carriage.

With a huff, I lifted the large box an' turned, nearly swingin' into a tall figure in a white cook's coat.

"Oh, s'cuse me sir!" I exclaimed as the man ducked. "Y'alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." A deep, sorta familiar voice chuckled.

The man straightened up an' both'a our eyes widened at the sight'a one another.

"Arizona?" He asked the same time I said; "Snake-Bite?"

We both shared a look for a second before bustin' out laughin'.

"Nevada." I corrected him, still laughin'.

"Bardroy." He replied with a grin, then looked down with wide eyes. "Oh, let me help ya!"

The blonde man eased the heavy package outta my arms, grittin' his teeth 'round his cigarette at the weight.

"Geez, how'd a pretty little thing like you carry all this?" He grunted, makin' me laugh again an' blush a little at the compliment.

"Used t' own my own ranch, r'member? I'm stronger than I look!" I flexed one arm an' patted the muscle for emphasis.

Bardroy chuckled as we entered the kitchen. "I have no doubts about that."

He set the meat box down on an island counter an' I put my hands on my hips. "Alright, siddown, leg up."

His head whipped down t' me in alarm. "What? Why?"

I rolled my eyes, a playful smirk on my lips. "Well I never did look at that bite again. Y' left right after breakfast."

"That was three years ago." Bardroy smiled, but sat down an' started rollin' up his pant leg anyway.

The four stitch mark scars were barely visible an' it took me 'bout a minute t' crouch an' find them, but when I did I let out a satisfied hum.

"Well, you seem pretty healthy. I-"

I was cut off by the sound'a plates crashin' t' the hard tile floor.

Both Bardroy and I looked up t' see a woman in a maid's uniform with plum-red hair an' giant glasses on her face. Her hands were in front'a her mouth an' she was blushin' somethin' fierce. On the floor were the shattered remains of a stack'a plates.

"O-oh my!" She exclaimed. "I didn't mean to walk in on anything, no I didn't!"

For a moment I was confused, then I looked up at Bardroy an' found myself blushin' as well.

The man had one leg propped up an' exposed an' I was crouched down on the floor almost in between his knees.

Stumblin' back in my embarrassment, I let out a cry'a pain as a sharp piece of plate sliced deep into my hand.

Instantly blood began gushin' from the wound an' I knew that I would need stitches.

The maid jumped, then ran out screamin' for a 'Mister Sebastian' person.

Bardroy kneeled down in front'a me almost immediately an' pulled me up t' the kitchen sink t' wash the blood off'a my hand.

I hissed as he rubbed soap into the wound, then let out a strained laugh. "We gotta stop meetin' under these sorta circumstances, Mister Bardroy."

My blonde friend chuckled. "Just Bard is fine."

I smiled at him. "Bard it is then."

He looked down at me an' smiled back. It was nice until his thumb dug too hard into the cut an' I yelped.

"I don't even need to ask what happened here." The Bee Keeper's voice came from behind us.

I glanced over my shoulder t' see the handsome man frownin' at the blood an' broken plates on the floor. He then looked up at me an' sighed.

"You are just insisting upon putting me behind schedule today, aren't you, Miss..."

"Nevada Tilly." I said, holdin' out my free left hand. "Pleasure t' meet'cha, Mister Bee Keeper."

The man almost grimaced, but shook my hand anyway. "Sebastian Michaelis, head butler to the Phantomhive family."

I nodded then stood on my toes t' reach Bard's ear. "Phantomhive doesn't really mean ghost bees, does it?" I whispered.

Bard chuckled quietly an' leaned down. "No, it doesn't." He whispered back.

"Good. I'm glad."

"Glad you're glad."

"Glad you're glad I'm glad."

"Glad you're glad I'm glad you're glad."

"Glad you're glad I'm glad you're glad I'm-"

"ENOUGH!"

Bard an' I both flinched at Sebastian's angry shout.

The bee keeper looked like he wanted t' rip someone's head off.

After starin' for a moment in fear, I reached up on my toes again.

"He's scary." I whispered t' Bard.

"I know, shut up." Bard whispered back.

"Found another thing you're scared of. Snakes an' this guy."

"What? I'm not scared of Mister Sebastian-"

"BARDROY!"

My friend flinched again an' I snorted.

"MISS TILLY!"

I jumped an' stopped laughin' immediately. We both bowed our heads in shame as Mister Sebastian stormed up t' us.

"I will fix your wound then I want you to leave, are we clear?"

I nodded an' Sebastian sighed. "Oh, this will be a long day..."