I'd like to imagine that since Sebastian is a giant bird creature he has a thing for people touching his arms and back. He thinks that humans are Also like this so Ciel enjoys frequent back massages without even needing to ask for them.
Ciel calling Sebastian “Bash”. Hear me out: Ciel is doing his busy work in his study, Sebastian enters and and is tidying up. It’s a comfortable and rare silence between the two. No need for words to fill the gap between them. Just peaceful silence.
Then Ciel without looking up from his paperwork and says in the most calm demeanor “Bash, you forgot a spot on the shelf to your right it still has dust.” Or “Bash brew me a pot of tea.” It takes a minute for it to register in Sebastian’s mind exactly who he is referring to.
Demons don’t exactly have nicknames in Hell, if they do they are more of titles than nicknames. He’s never been given one before and so his brain malfunctions. Finally Sebastian comes to his senses and realizes Ciel is talking to him and leaves without a word to brew his young master some tea. Leaving a very confused Ciel on why his demon left so silently.
Ciel and Sebastian have a quiet routine. Ciel does his work in peaceful silence and Sebastian tidies up his study.
read on ao3
Once again Ciel was hard at work. It was only menial work—it was stuff Ciel had done a thousand times before—thankfully because of that it did not require every second of his attention. He’d never admit that of course, would not want his servants—or fiancé—to get the idea it was okay to bother him.
He enjoyed the silence that draped over his study like the eye of a storm; calm now but you know what lays ahead so you relish the calm moments preparing for the worst.
The only noises were the occasional crackling of the twigs from the lit hearth, the pen on paper, and his demon tidying up his study.
Somehow they always seemed to cross paths during these few and far between moments that even though ephemeral they seemed to stretch on for days. If he could he would bottle these moments for when he needed them.
Perhaps it was the feeling of leisure, or maybe even comfortability between them and of it all that made him want to savor these peaceful times and keep them for himself. These days they were too fleeting for his liking which made the want to bottle them strengthen.
He hadn’t realized his hand had stalled. Not only that but his gaze had lifted from his work to his demon who was dusting one of his many oak wood bookshelves. The one in particular he was cleaning was to his left and closest bookshelf to him.
He watched him dust with languid—yet precise—strokes effectively clearing the dust that had accumulated on the shelves. With a flick his wrist the dust was gone. He marveled at that. Ciel had never been an adept cleaner.
His demon seemed to be focused on what he was doing, his crimson eyes slightly glowing and his brows furrowed in concentration. Somehow every strand of his hair stayed perfectly in place. His raven hair tinged with a firelight glow.
It was a comfortable and rare silence between the two. No need for words to fill the gap between them; only tranquil silence.
Without sparing Ciel a look, Sebastian spoke, “is there something you require, young master? You have been staring at me for quite some time now.” The pen fell from his loose grip and he blinked a few times. This was not the first time this had happened during one of their stolen moments. Why would he acknowledge it now?
Ciel cleared his throat and struggled to find a response. Although caught off guard he still felt in a trance. The eye had not left yet.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, let out a fake annoyed sigh, then glanced with faux irritation at his cup of Earl gray. “I was hoping you would catch the hint but that seems to be another thing your kind is not skilled at.”
Sebastian turned to him in a swift motion and bowed. “I apologize, young master, for overlooking your cue. It seems I am still learning the non verbal language your kind prefers over words.” Although hidden from his toppling hair Ciel could barely make out the smile playing on Sebastian’s lips. “What ever may I do for you?” He rose back to his full height, the smile gone from his face making Ciel wonder if he had made it up entirely.
Scoffing, Ciel nodded towards his teacup. “A nice steaming cup of Earl gray.” Sebastian nodded, then he collected Ciel’s teacup.
He watched the demon turn to leave his tailcoat swishing behind him. A weird feeling unfurled in his stomach as Sebastian neared the door. He feared that once his demon retrieved the tea he would not come back and the calm of the eye would pass and life would resume. Ciel was not ready for this moment to end. Not yet at least. “Then you may come back and continue cleaning.” He said but his voice was quiet and not even he could hide the emotion lying within his words.
His demon whirled around to face him, his face flawless and unreadable as usual. Although his head was tilted ever so slightly and his eyes narrowed almost imperceptible to the untrained eye. His hands
were in front of him, his palms facing the ceiling with the teacup sitting on his palms. The image of perfection.
Ciel felt bare in front of his unrelenting gaze, as if his demon could see every thought that swirled in his brain. He straightened at that and shuffled the papers in front of him.
The demon quirked a brow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Is that what you truly want, young master?” Sebastian took a step closer, his eyes aglow now and his pupils thinned to crescent moons. Ciel swallowed thickly.
There were many things Ciel wanted but none he could voice. Especially the one that sat at the forefront of his mind. Instead he decided on saying, “I wish to stay in the eye a little bit longer. I am not yet ready to face the storm that awaits me.” Understanding skittered across Sebastian’s face as a gentle smile found his lips and he dipped his head.
“Yes, my lord.” He paused, a light sparkling in his crimson eyes. “I will remain here until the eye passes us by and when it does we may weather the storm. Together.” He sat down the teacup beside Ciel’s desk and then added, “your teacup was nearly full.”
“It did not taste up to my standards.” His demon chuckled. “Well I hope it’ll do then. But I will do better next time.”
Ciel rolled his eyes and said, “you better.”
After that they resumed their routine of working together in silence.
Summary: A winter storm has brewed outside the manor and Ciel is writing a report for the Queen not realizing exactly how cold he is until he drops his pen. Sebastian appears and after a bit of teasing him with the pen he hatches a plan on how to warm up his young master.
tw: age gap
read on ao3
Or read under the cut!! Hope you enjoy!
A winter storm raged outside, ice mixed with snow pelted the roof. Ciel remained at his desk doing work utterly unaware of his own shivering frame. Only he realized when he could not hold his pen properly—due to his shaky fingers—causing it to dramatically flip out of his grasp and rocket to the floor.
He watched the pen clatter to the floor helplessly. Ciel sighed as he shoved his hands against his desk to push the chair back so he could stand, then he pushed to his feet; muttering a curse under his breath as he did so.
Before he could turn to face the general direction where the pen had fallen Sebastian was there, holding it between his pointer and middle finger. He had a sly grin on his face as he said, “I assume you were looking for this?” Ciel scrunched his nose and Sebastian’s grin grew wider at the sight.
He reached up on his tiptoes to snatch the pen back from his demon but he held it just out of reach for the boy’s grasp. “Give it here.” Ciel was fully on the tips of his toes now as he reached for the pen. Stubborn determination to win whatever this was. As the boy rose higher Sebastian raised it above him, dangling it just above his reach.
“Not unless you sit by the fire. I will not let my young master catch a cold. What type of butler would I be if I did?” Although his tone was jovial, his brows knitted together.
“ Not one worth his salt .” Ciel grumbled as he crossed his arms around his trembling frame. Something glinted in his demon’s eyes at the sight. “I have paperwork to do. If I do not get this report finished the Queen will have a fit.” He nodded but Ciel could tell the wheels in his brain were turning. Ciel shivered some more as the cole but into his skin.
“Plus the hearth is already...” The last part of the sentence died on his tongue as he faced the died out hearth. “—lit.” That explained it, he wondered how he hadn’t noticed. Although it probably wouldn’t be the last time it happened.
“I might have an idea.” Sebastian announced as he stared between the hearth, the chair with a blanket splayed over it that sat in front of the heart, and a large book on Ciel’s desk.
He watched a bit curiously as his demon gathered the book and paperwork and set it on the end table beside the chair. And the pen on top of the book. He lit the heart. Next Sebastian then picked up the plush cobalt blanket, Ciel narrowed his eyes but he was too cold to care what his demon was doing as long as he warmed up.
Sebastian walked over to him, “what are you—?” Ciel protested as Sebastian bent down and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.
He ran his hands along the fabric of the blanket and secretly reveled in its softness. Warmth began to filter through him once more.
“May I?” Sebastian asked as he glanced at Ciel and then the chair. He could walk perfectly fine but allowed his laziness to take over him. He balled his tiny hands into fists in the blanket as he pulled it tighter around his frame.
Sebastian scooped his young master into his arms and for the first Ciel noticed he was gloveless and could see his tattooed hand and his black nail polish. The veins in his hands protruded as he gently gripped Ciel. It felt strangely intimate seeing him without his white gloves.
His gloveless hand brushed against his bare thigh and he shivered for a whole different reason.
Quickly he averted his gaze away from Sebastian but he thought he felt eyes watching him; though when he looked back he found his demon staring ahead. Yet his crimson eyes glowed faintly.
He was so focused on Sebastian’s hand on his thigh he did not notice his demon had sitten down.
When he did all he said was, “oh.” Heat flooded his cheeks and there was no hiding from Sebastian’s gaze now with his body flushed against his chest and their faces a hairsbreadth apart.
He had never been this close to Sebastian still he did not know why his touch elicited such a reaction from him. “ Oh .”
He squirmed a bit and Sebastian asked, “if you are not comfortable sitting like this you may sit alone. I only thought this could help you warm quicker.” Ciel stammered for a response but could not think of one. He dared not to look his demon in the eyes for he knew what he’d find.
It was not that he was uncomfortable, it's only that he was too comfortable.
“Hand me my paperwork and my pen .” Ciel managed to say thankfully keeping the emotion out of his words but making sure the last word was clipped.
He caught a glimpse of a knowing smile on Sebastian’s lips as if he could see right through the charade. “Yes, my lord.”
They stayed like that the entire night. Sebastian watched Ciel tirelessly work and helped him catch any errors he made. It was a peacefulness he rarely had in his life. After finishing the report he nestled closer to Sebastian’s chest and began to drift off.
I'm tired of studying, but I'm trying to find the strength to at least paint sketches! I am very glad that you are with me, reading your comments or asks is uplifting!🖤
i love that after more than fifteen years the fandom still seems to hope for a "happy ending" for sebastian and ciel. well seb is going to get it for sure. because if yana stays the good writer she is, than sebastian will take ciels soul. anything else would make any developement pointless. one could see that as a happy ending for both though. after all ciels life is not filled with much joy...
snowghoul
gracieabrams
vaporwave
2087
