#dadbastianweek

[insertpoetryhere]

Dadbastian Week: Trick or Treat

I had no idea what to do. So enjoy ghosties.

Anyways it’s for @dadbastianweek2023 because I’m in too far to quit now and I won’t let a silly little thing like not having ideas stop me now 😤

[nullb1rdbones]

Here's my little entry for dadbastian week day one: Pride!

[fallenrayvens]

Proud

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Day 1 Prompt of the @dadbastianweek2023

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“Such greed for one your size”, the beast had praised him before scarring his left eye with its mark, thereby sealing his fate — before it proceeded to encourage the boy to bestow upon it his very first order.

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TRIGGER WARNINGS: Blood | Abuse Mentions | Scarring | Violence

CONTEXT WARNINGS: O!Ciel’s original name is assumed to be “Sirius” here. | The context of this piece is drenched in a WIP of mine for a longfic in which O!Ciel shares his body as vessel with Sebastian as opposed to having him serve as a human butler.

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“Now that you have obtained the power of a demon,” it stated, perched besides Sirius upon that cursed altar, the unexpected tender hold its hands offered while cradling the child’s bloodied face contrasted with the sharp ends of its claws against his soft skin, rendering the boy dumbfounded “you shall never have to bow down to anyone ever again.”

In what seemed to be the kind gesture of wiping a child’s tears in attempt to provide comfort, the demon ran one of its fingers underneath his left eye, smearing the blood that dripped down from the wound it had inflicted across his young master’s cheek. “You may be as proud as a king, and as loud as a beast.” it cooed, and if not for the whole context of how that moment came to be and the nature of the creature in front of him, Sirius could have easily let himself believe it had a heart. “Release your inner desires and fulfill your wildest dreams!” It encouraged, suddenly letting go of him — and so it shifted back to what it was, what it should be, bearing that viciously sharp smirk it had before.

“Now…” it growled, with a look of hunger in its slitted eyes that stared right into the boy’s own “say it!”

So he did.

After a brief moment contemplating the cold metal chains that held him in place, the threat he had made — the one which summoned the beast that stood before him — came into mind.

“Kill…” he mumbled, his whole body trembling under the weight of the rage that flowed through his small form, before shaking his head.

“No.” Sirius whispered.

He had to do it himself.

He had raised his head again, meeting the hunger in the demon’s gaze with his own, the expression on his face distorted like that of an enraged hound.

So then, as the previously deep blue of his left eye turned a dark shade of purple and the sigil within it started to glow, the child growled back at his distorted version of a savior “Grant me your power!” he demanded, as loud as a beast, and though new tears of anger blurred the figure before him, he felt its grin grow wider “I wish for the strength to kill all of them with my own hands!”

With what seemed to be a twisted sense of pride, a sinisterly breathed out laughter escaped the demon. “Oh, I might’ve underestimated you, young master.” it purred while the dark essence slipped out of its abnormally tall body and begun to engulf both the fiend itself and its prey, the thudding sounds and confused yelps echoing outside the shadowy shield around them suggesting it had let go of the cultists. “Very well.”

Before any questions could be uttered, the humanoid form of the creature dissipated back onto the darkness that surrounded him, but the boy had been granted no time for processing any thoughts that might’ve happened. Soon enough the shadows grew even closer, engulfing Sirius’ frail body in a hellish warm hug that made him feel like his skin could melt into his bones, the pain and confusion too much to bear.

“Do not fear the darkness within, little one.” The devil’s hoarse voice echoed through his mind as he felt the eye in which he now carried the proof of his corruption twitch, unable to force it closed. Something flowed through it, causing a throbbing sensation that was most unpleasant and agonizing as the beast merged its essence with his “For this is the weapon you shall yield from this day onward.”

Even through the unbelievable amount of pain and confusion, these words echoed inside his mind. Visions of the last month emerged from deep within, the prays they had cried out in the middle of the night — the begging and crying for help and mercy. The silence they got in return.

If no blessing had been offered to him, then the curse would have to do.

The boy had clenched his fists, taking a deep and difficult breath and letting the pain and wrath that flowed through him run wild, to fuel the literal beast inside that weak shell of a body that had been given to him. To reshape him in its likeness.

A twisted, distorted and cruel laughter that surely didn’t belong to Sirius alone bursted from his lips as the shadows slipping from his body formed a new pair of clawed hands atop of his own. As his own teeth grew and sharpened, his pupils became slitted and his body began to move as if he were a wild creature, he now could hear and see and smell the desperation and fear coming from the leeches who dared hurt him and kill his brother — and it tasted delicious.

With a sudden thrash, his shackles had been shattered, and then no much time had passed before those pesky insects had turned to puddles of blood, minced meat and displaced limbs on the floor of that disgraceful building.

“Well done, master.” The voice of the demon praised him as the boy, having come down from his berserk state, stared silently at the result of his bloodthirsty rampage. He stood drenched in blood from head to toe — as well as teeth and hands, even after returning to his normal appearance. The shadows around clang to him, dancing around his small frame.

He smiled at the compliment, looking down at his bloodied hands. Even though the vision and the thought of the carnage should make him sick, —and perphaps, in some level, it did — he had done it with his own hands. He had proved himself to no longer be that weak child inside the cage.

“What is your name?” it questioned, and he somehow felt it was smiling, even if it didn’t have an outward appearance he could look at anymore.

What a weird question to ask, he thought. Because of course it knew. It had to know, given that it was speaking to him from inside his head. The child smirked down at himself before mumbling out a lie: “…Ciel.” He stood, looking over at the corpse of his brother, still laid atop of that stone slab.

“Ciel Phantomhive.”

[purpleandstarlight]

Dadbastianweek 2023 - Day four: Different Kids

Sebastian sighed, finally alone in his own room in the servant quarters, feeling more rested than he ever had in the past couple of years, and yet also somewhat more annoyed.

It was quite the troublesome situation the one he found himself in - having his own Young Master stuck in bed, paralysed by fear in a way that even the demon, who was with him more often than anyone else during the day, never got to see, and ending up serving a different kid- but if he wasn't able to adapt to this type of situation, what kind of butler would he be?

It was an all around different experience - as one should expect. While his former master was cold and prideful, even at a young age, the other one was kind and wild.

Where the head of the Phantomhive household would have given him an annoyed grimace or -at most- a roll of his one visible eye for any of his inhumanly perfect acts of showmanship, the young witch praised even his less impressive tricks, and lit up like a child on Christmas.

The demon couldn't say this was unwelcomed, as he was proud of his own skills, and the usual lack of response from the one he was supposed to serve was quite annoying, if amusing, however, he still had his share of problems, even with the gentler master of the two.

While, for all the problems he'd always given him, even as a ten years old his usual Young Master had at least the good sense of being polite during his meals (thanks to a mix of being brought up as a noble who's expected to have decent manners, being too prideful to act like a starving beast, and generally being too low-energy to bother) the green witch was quite...unlady-like. And while he could at least prod her a bit, he wasn't allowed to be as strict as he would have liked. First off, because she was a Lady, and while demons didn't quite care about being rude to a different gender as humans were (or cared about their own gender in general), his persona as 'Sebastian, the perfect butler' cared quite a bit.

Second of all, he simply couldn't.

While his former charge knew of his demonic nature and either didn't care about being roughed up by him during their past lessons or couldn't do much of anything about it, the whole village would have been even more against them if he made the Young Lady cry, and they would have lost their only ally there. The Phantomhive Earl would have also been extremely upset at it because -for someone who said he didn't care about anyone- he really cared about innocent people's well being, especially of those who aided him or showed him honest affection. Although, the demon mused, he would have taken an angry Master over the current spineless and pathetic one he currently had any day.

The lack of teasing had also been...boring. Worsening the Phantomhive's household head's already constantly sour mood had become a favorite hobby of his, and although usually childish or annoying, some of his Young Master's biting remarks were quite entertaining.

However, for already explained reasons, that bit was out of the table when it came to the Green Witch.

He had almost hoped in stirring some drama when his newly appointed charge had questioned his former Lord's past, wich -Thanks to the condition set by the young Phantomhive himself, wich made it so he couldn't lie- would have given him the perfect excuse to spill everything about their contract to a moral human being.

The result could have been extremely entertaining.

Mayhaps the lady would have tried to defend the slightly older kid, and the demon would have had to kill her, wich would have alerted the villagers and brought them to their death as well. Maybe the chaos would have made his Young Master angry enough to snap out of the pitiful state he was in, or if not, the demon could have at least let out some steam. He was getting restless...Honestly, he hadn't been so bored in years.

But no. The Young Lady had shown some courtesy that his lord would have certainly appreciated, but him, at that moment? Not so much.

It was somewhat amusing, at least, to see the lady's former butler squirm when the little girl thoughtlessly said things like "You're so much better than Wolfram at this!" or "You should be more like him, Wolfram". They were said without trace of real malice - but the man was clearly bothered to be seemingly thrown away by the child he saw as his own family.

He found from past contracts that human jealousy could be the foundation for the most entertaining tragedies, but his own household never gave space to such emotions. His young master did show preference in his servants, but only in the way that Sebastian was the one he disliked the most, and treated accordingly. And even if the demon appeared to be the best butler in all of England, Tanaka was too respectable of a man to feel jealousy for a fellow co-worker, or even act on it, and the rest of the servants were just too naive to feel any sort of anger or sadness because of Sebastian's skills in the first place.

(With a start, he realized he somewhat preferred his original experience with the Phantomhives, but quickly shook his head. It was probably because he found it easier to work with people who didn't throw a tantrum over him simply trying to do his job.)

The amount of annoyance displayed by the German man couldn't be enough to get his mind off the situation at hand, though.

Bard, usually way too enthusiastic when it came to cooking, passed the whole time zoning out. Mey Rin had been caught crying by the demon more than once, though she tried her best to keep it hidden. Tanaka was even quieter than normal, and Snake's usually serious expression looked even more grim.

Finny was with the young master most of the day, but when he came back, his expressions was uncharacteristically grim with worry.

They all looked like they were mourning someone - wich was not only ridiculous (the child was only throwing a temper tantrum after all) but also...not as entertaining as he thought it would be.

He'd always been bothered by those idiots' chaotic streak, but as they wandered around, looking like ghosts...Sebastian didn't like it. It felt ever worse to think about what they'd look like when the child would actually be dead.

When they were most annoying, the butler liked to think about seeing them one last time when they discovered their former Master's corpse, face full of mourning. Even entertained the thought of giving away his identity, just to make spice it all up that much more, before officially disappearing from their lives.

This should have been a nice taste of that, so why was he feeling so...weird, all of a sudden?

How annoying.

Shaking his head, the demon set up to continue his research.

That child had better recover soon.

[blackbutlerfandomnerddomain]

Day 3: Trick-or-Treat

Autumn. October.

The season and month many mortals seem to love despite the many flaws it could have.

Humans complain over the cold season.

Humans complain of the ghastly things that happen in the night.

Humans complain of the “harsh scares”.

Humans complain about being scared and not scared enough.

Besides popular beliefs, demons like Sebastian aren’t tied to All Hallow’s Eve in the slightest.

During this time, demons do wander about the mortal realm but not to wreak havoc among the humans that he finds so amusing, no no no, but to just… wander. Hell is rather small I have you know!

But ever since becoming a butler to the small human he somewhat grew to respect, he got used to the humoring buzzing in his chest about the ghost stories and impressions of his species to these humans on the night many enjoy and fear.

The butler watched as his young master fixed the gell of his hair that groomed back in a formal attire his aunt would adore to witness, nails painted black like the outfit he wore in a formal frilly design like a haunted doll from the dark shadows of his mind.

Today is the boy’s annual Halloween party he must attend and impress. Despite being in his teens he seems to have this eager joy still while doing these parties and wearing costumes and eating sweets, things Sebastian sadly can’t quite enjoy due to his upbringing but pretend is the most fun a demon can have.

“Do you think Lord Trancy will arrive, Young Master?” Sebastian asked, quirking a smirk at the tease. His little lord has been heavily surprised by how much his heart can handle from little things a certain little circus performer and a certain blond noble boy, his thoughts and smirk only growing in being proven right thanks to Ciel’s ear turning a lovely shade of pinkish-red.

The boy turned his head to his butler in a blushing crazed mad expression, blue eye wide and glaring. “Oh shut up!” He hissed at the demon, only getting a chuckle from Sebastian in return.

The party was settling in a calming motion, the scent of treats and the fire that burns and crisp in the little bonfires that were made earlier in the night, the cold hair mixing well with the warm ambiance of the crowd of party guests blending well in harmony, the sounds of laughter and fire popping echoing around.

Sebastian worked hard on having the event a fun memory for everyone, making sure every treat was done well and that every inch of the manor’s gardens and halls were decorated accordingly, having such great care and time with every activity and predicted event that will happen in the night so it wouldn’t be ruin by any means.

And yet he lost his Young Master somewhere in the night.

As the butler in black walks around the party, mingling with those who decide to speak to him with a warm smile, his red eyes glance and cross every nook and cranny for the boy wearing an eyepatch.

At long last after what felt like hours he found the boy in the manor’s halls taking a breath. His eyes soften some, same goes for his movements as he watched the teen take a wheezing breath. From all the years he’s known him, he has become more than aware when his Master becomes anxious or upset in crowded events, especially ones where his heart isn’t able to take the haunting memories of what life he had prior the Hell he was in…

Carefully, Sebastian made his way closer and knelt beside Ciel. “Young Master,” He spoke, soft and careful as if the boy was a bird that’ll fly away high any second now with his presence, a gloved hand just on the air to wait for that sense to take action. Once he was sure he was slightly calmer when he’s near, the demon reached up and gently rubbed the silky soft blue gray hair that became somewhat iconic with the noble’s many envious talks about the Phantomhive Estate, sensing the wheezing weak breath under his palm of the frame that shakes on the floor.

“Do you need me to cancel the other plans for tonight?” He asked, curious and generally worried for his Earl’s safety and mental health.

Ciel sighed out, lifting his head from his knees and blinking away swollen tears that were threatening to escape their socket prisons, white powder now slightly messy but luckily not too noticeable for concern of his appearance. His lone blue eye looked up at the older, sighing again as his shoulders slumped. “. . . They looked nice.”

Sebastian’s eyebrow quirked up.

“Pardon, my lord?”

“They looked amazing even!”

Ah, now it makes sense to Sebastian.

He honestly has no right to smile and hold snorts with the idea the first thing his master could muster to say was the costumes Miss Doll and Earl Trancy wore for the party, with the blond wearing a rather simple yet well crafted outfit of a black cloaked creature of the night in dark velvets and ribbons and bows while the tightrope walker wore something that brought flashbacks of the scandal of the Sphere Music Hall’s star theme with silky whites of the gown fluttering musically with the glittering golds and silvers that address and complements her pale and freckled skin and the white roses that wrap her brown hair like a angelic halo humans humor about in pictures, the little Lord Ciel Phantomhive’s personal demon and angel as so.

The teenage boy glared at his butler with flushed cheeks and a hissing tongue, “Oh hush up, you have no right to mock your master about this!”

Sebastian finally let out a chuckle, a small snort leaving out his perfectly shaped thin nose, bringing the hand that was previously petting his master in calm now to his face to hide his crooked giggling grin, “I apologize Young Master, but isn’t tonight a night that’s perfect for this occasion?”

The youthful doll expression twists and turns into a confused sour expression, only to ease and brighten when the butler presents a goodie, an apple coated in caramel and chocolates on a stick, he very obviously snuck off from the public eye.

Blue eye clashing on red ones as the butler spoke again, “After all, aren’t Halloween Parties one of the few places the youths can charm and swoon with one another without other people’s opinions holding them back?”

Sebastian picked up right where he was left off, handing out goods and compliments to the guests as they enjoy the games and party activities as children run around enjoying the fun memories they’ll keep forevermore and the adults who now have stories to tell to those who somehow missed such an amusing night, his red eyes glancing to the garden’s roses at the three shadows that linger there with muffled noises of voices.

He smiled some seeing as his Young Master ate his apple happily while chatting and laughing with Alois and Doll who seem to enjoy the energy of everything and settle in the quiet area away from everyone else. 

“Well, Happy Halloween, Young Master. I hope you enjoyed the many treats and tricks it had to offer.”

I'm VERY late to the Dadbastian Week event @dadbastianweek2023 is doing but I'll catch up the best I can and if not, here's first entry!

Costumes inspired by this beautifulness:

Doll's

Alois':

And I wanted to add nods of officially art so Ciel's and Sebastian's:

Happy Halloween yall

[blackbutler-sideblog]

Dadbastian Week Day 3: Trick or Treat

30 MINUTES BEFORE THE DAY IS OVER LET'S GOOOOO!!!

Anyway, this became a lot longer than I intended to but y'know what.. It is what it is lol. I hope everyone had an awesome Halloween and I hope you enjoy this spooky-themed story! Please let me know what y'all think and remember, constructive criticism is always allowed! Just a quick note: the story that Bard tells here is a real urban legend that I tweaked a little bit.

The Halloween party was a great success.

The idea of combining the traditions of Halloween from different cultures had been an excellent idea if he said so himself. The villagers were thoroughly impressed by the festive decorations, having never seen a Halloween party quite like this before. There were lights and jack-o-lanterns strewn about all throughout the garden. Paper lanterns shaped like witches and ghosts hung carefully from the trees which several children tried (and failed) to jump up and grab. Adults and children alike enjoyed the many activities provided, from apple bobbing to pumpkin carving. It was more messy than he would have liked but at least the villagers would continue to praise his young master's name.

Speaking of the young master, he appeared to be absolutely tuckered out. The Earl had never been one for social gatherings of any kind, but he especially loathed the ones where he was the host. Having to make sure he spoke to everyone was attended was exhausting for the boy, and it did not help that most of the attendants were children who pulled on the tail of his costume while begging him for candy.

Seeing the master so flustered was an amusing sight he must admit.

But now, the sun had long since set and the last of the guests trickled out of the garden, leaving behind apple cores and candy wrappers that Sebastian would now have to clean up. But first, he must attend to the young lord who desperately wanted to get out of these "stupid rags" as he called them. He had already ripped the plastic horns off of his head throwing them down in what could only be described as the beginnings of a tantrum. Oh, how cranky the young master gets when he is sleepy.

"Awww are you going to bed, young master?"

Finny whined through the fake fangs still in his mouth, committed to wearing his vampire costume for as long as possible. The gardener had been absolutely thrilled with the night's festivities, having more fun than all of the children in attendance combined. Bard had commented on how it'll be impossible to "get the kid to shut up and hit the hay" tonight, but Sebastian had the sense that the chef had been riling Finny up all night with stories and candy.

"Yes. It's late and I'm tired."

"Can't you please stay up a little longer? Bard promised he tell us one more story!" The gardener begged, something that was a bit out of character for him. Though it was normal for Finny to bother the young master, often trying to get the boy to read to him or play cards when he had free time, he usually left him alone after a single dismissal.

"Ugh. No, Finny. I want to go to bed."

"Oh, please, young master! Pretty pretty please with sugar on top! He says it's going to be a real good one and I have some chocolate left over we can share and Mey-rin and Snake are going to stay up late too and—"

"FINE! Fine. Just quit shouting." Ciel relented, shoulders hunched and his frown deepening.

Sebastian tsked. "Now, young master, you have a busy schedule tomorrow—"

"And you don't think I know that? Shut up and let's get this over with..."

"But, my lord—"

The boys already were turned away, Finny dragging Ciel gently (as gently as he could) behind him. Sebastian sighed. Ciel was already more irate than a horse with an abscessed hoof. Coaching the boy out of bed in the morning will be nearly impossible if he stays up much longer.

Sebastian followed the pair back outside where everyone, minus Tanaka who had retired for the night about half an hour ago, was seated around one of the tables. They were all still in costume, munching away at the leftover lollies and chocolate bars. Within the minute head start Ciel had, he had already seated himself between Finny and Mey-rin, halfway through angrily eating one of his famous Funtom Bars.

'So that was the real motive' Sebastian thought to himself, using all of his willpower to not roll his eyes in front of the Earl.

Bard looked up, noticing Sebastian's sudden presence.

"Ahh, so even the butler is intrigued to hear my story of fright and terror." He said with a strange, high-pitched voice, wiggling and bending his fingers for some reason. Finny and Mey-rin laughed at his antics. Ciel and Snake seemed unimpressed.

Sebastian cocked an eyebrow.

"Baldroy, have you been drinking?"

"Eh? Uh..." The chef's face quickly turned red, causing Mey-rin and Finny to laugh even harder. "It was just a little. I swear!"

"Who cares? Can we get on with the story please so I can go to bed?" Ciel grumbled, taking another violent bite out of chocolate.

"Oh, yeah. Of course! Let's see." Bard sputtered, happy to change the subject from his drinking habits back to the reason they were all gathered outside in the first place. He cleared his throat.

Deep in the remote heart of the woods, there lived a family in a cabin far removed from the rest of the village. One day, the mother and father decided to leave for a week, venturing into town, and entrusted their young son to keep watch over the house.

Although the boy had never been without his parents before, he felt unafraid. They had gifted him a large and loyal dog, a faithful companion, to keep him company and protect him. Every night, the dog would rest under the boy's bed, ever vigilant and prepared to defend his master from any potential intruders. Yet, despite his trust in his dog, the boy couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear as the sun dipped below the horizon. The woods grew dark and silent, and one could never be certain of what lurked among the trees. When anxiety kept him from falling asleep, the boy would extend his hand over the side of his bed, and his dog would softly lick his fingers, a reassuring reminder that a guardian was close by.

On the third night, the boy was stirred from his slumber by an unexpected sound.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Had he forgotten to turn off the faucet before retiring to bed? He rushed out of his bed, hurrying to the kitchen to inspect the sink. As it turned out, he had not fully closed the faucet, permitting a constant but subtle drip to trickle from the tap. He tightened it, returned to his room, slipped back into bed, and allowed his dog to comfort him with a few reassuring licks, ultimately drifting into peaceful sleep once more.

...

Drip. Drip. Drip.

'What? The dripping sound again?' thought the boy, awakening for a second time that night. But he had indeed turned off the kitchen faucet. Could another faucet have been left on? Subconsciously, the boy reached under the bed, his dog eagerly licking his fingers. It was okay. His loyal protector was still there. Empowered by his unwavering pet, the boy leaped from his bed once more and rushed to the bathroom. Perhaps the troublesome dripping sound originated from there.

And indeed, the source of the annoyance was the leaky tub faucet. He must have forgotten to close it completely after his bath that night. Just as in the kitchen, the boy tightened it as much as he could and returned to his room. He jumped back into bed, his hand finding its place under the bedframe, where a few more soothing licks from his dog helped calm his nerves and guide him back to sleep.

...

Drip. Drip. Drip.

...

How could the dripping persist? The boy was now genuinely frightened. He had checked both the kitchen and the bathroom, leaving no other faucet unexamined. Anxious and trembling, he lowered his hand from the bed's edge. At first, there was nothing, and his heart pounded as his limb dangled limply over the mattress. Then, the gentle touch of his dog's tongue graced his fingers, an immediate source of comfort. He exhaled, releasing his tension. There was no reason to be afraid; his dog remained at his side.

In the stillness, the boy focused, attempting to identify the source of the dripping sound.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It was close, too close. Could there be a hole in the ceiling? Was it the sound of rain?

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Wait. The dripping emanated from his room, too loud to originate elsewhere.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It was coming from his cupboard!

Irritation replaced the boy's fear. This was the third time this infernal dripping noise had disturbed his sleep, and it had been inside his cupboard all along. He yanked the cupboard's handles open with a huff. What could possibly make such a noise within the confines of a dusty old cupboard? He gripped the handles tightly, swung open the doors, and froze.

There, suspended by a rope, was his loyal dog, lifeless. Its throat had been cruelly slit, and its blood dripped slowly onto the cupboard's floor.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

He screamed, devastated by the sight of his beloved pet.

In a panicked rush, he fled from his room to the kitchen, intent on seeking help. Something was going horribly wrong! But upon reaching the front door, he froze once again, gripped by terror. In blood, a sinister message was scrawled on the door: "Humans Can Lick Too!"

—

At first, no one reacted to Bard's facile story, not to Sebastian's surprise. He did not find it particularly scary and evidently, neither did anyone else.

"'I don't get it.' Says Emily." Snake finally broke the silence. "Why was there writing on the door?"

"You don't get it?! There was obviously a person under the bed! That's who was licking the kid's hand!" Bard shouted.

"That's gross, Bard!" Mey-rin added.

"It's supposed to be gross! It's a horror story! Do you people not know that Halloween is supposed to be scary?"

"But it wasn't scary! It was sad! That poor dog..." Finny sniffled, focusing more on the dog's death than the actual point of the story. Bard should have known better than to bring up such a subject matter with the ever-so-sensitive Finny.

"Calm down, kid. It's just a story."

"Quite a stupid story, might I add." Ciel finally commented the hand that once held his chocolate bar now supported the boy's cheek as he leaned an elbow on the table. He had a single brow raised and a quizzical look on his face. "How would they have running water if they lived far in the woods?"

"Oi! Quit knitpicking! See if I'll ever tell you lot another story!" Bard gumbled, crossing his arms and sulking deeper into his chair.

"Good! We don't want to hear your stories! Look, you've made Finny cry!" Mey-rin declared, gesturing over to the gardener who now held his face in his hand and was shaking with sobs, obviously distraught over the fate of a fictional dog.

Ciel rolled his eye, a pronounced dark circle forming right under it.

"Alright. I've had enough 'fun' for one night." He stood from his chair stretching an arm above his head as he let out a deep yawn. "I'm going to bed. Come, Sebastian."

Sebastian sighed. He no doubt would be the one to have to calm Finny down once the Earl was put to bed. He should have stopped this nonsense story as soon as it started. Too late now, he supposed.

-

"What a stupid little story. I could've been asleep ages ago."

Ciel was cleaned, dressed, and already tucked into bed when he brought up Bard's story again. The crankiness that came with his sleepiness hasn't gone away it seems, though Sebastian had hoped that the extra chocolate bar would have lifted the young master's mood even slightly. No. It was truly a condition only sleep could cure.

"Yes, it was quite foolish. But at least now you can finally rest." Sebastian added, readjusting the duvet to make sure it was tucked all the way up to the boy's chin.

"I mean, how could he not hear his dog being killed if it was supposedly right under his bed? Did it run out to attack the intruder without barking? Dogs don't do that."

"Well, I will admit I do not know much about dogs, so I will take your word on it."

"And it just so happens that all of the faucets, in the woods mind you, are leaking the same night decided to invade his cabin and string up his dog? Where did Bard even hear such an idiotic story?"

"I'm not sure, my lord. But you can certainly ask him in the morning if the question still weighs heavy on your mind."

That comment earned a glare. "Don't patronize me. I'm just amazed that he had the gall to think that was an interesting story is all."

"I'm amazed Bard has the gall to do a lot of things, my lord. But we shouldn't dwell on such a common occurrence. You should get some sleep."

"Whatever." And with that, Ciel turned to his side, digging his body into the mattress like he always did before drifting off. Now, only the top of his little head poked out from under the covers, his grey hair already messy from rubbing his head into the pillow. Such a tiny thing.

"Good night, young master."

Sebastian blew out the candles on the candlebara leaving the room only to be lit by the faint moonlight that peaked from behind the bedroom curtains. He began making his silent exit, trying everything in his power to not rouse the little lord. He will need every second of sleep possible for his busy schedule tomorrow. Just as he gripped the brass doorknob, a tiny voice called out to him.

"Sebastian?"

"Yes, my lord?"

There was a pause, then a huff.

"Can...Can you..." The boy trailed off, muttering something incoherent under his breath.

"What was that—"

"Can you check under the damn bed!" He suddenly shouted shoulders hunching all the way to his ears despite his laid-out position.

The room became quiet, Sebastian taking a second to register his master's words. Check...under his bed?

Sebastian tried to suppress the laughter bubbling up in his chest but he couldn't help but allow a few chuckles to escape.

"It appears you were frightened by Bard's 'idiotic story', correct?"

"Shut up I was not! It just got me thinking is all! I've never seen you check there, not even once!"

Despite the darkness, Sebastian could see Ciel's red little ears perfectly fine. No doubt the rest of his face would be as red as a tomato if he would just turn around. How unlike his master to make such a childlike request. Who knew the great Lord Phantomhive would be scared of such a silly little urban legend?

"I assure you, I would know if there was something under your bed. You have nothing to fear." Sebastian chuckled once again, much to the Earl's annoyance.

The boy huffed again, but the tension did not leave his body. Sebastian sighed. He knew that children often needed reassurance after being frightened, but Ciel was not easily frightened by most things. Oh well. It couldn't be helped.

Sebastian approached the bed again, making his way over to the side that Ciel was facing so the boy could see what he was doing. His big, bright eyes stared up at him, angry and waiting. With an admittedly dramatic flourish, Sebastian knelt down and raised the bed skirt. He peered beneath the bed as if investigating some dark and treacherous realm.

The room remained quiet for a moment as Sebastian stared at nothing. Well, nothing but dust. This area will need to be thoroughly cleaned tomorrow. Remaining on his knees, he straightened back up till his head was level with his master.

"It appears to be perfectly safe, young master. No monsters are lurking under your bed. You can rest easy."

Ciel's eyes twitched in annoyance as his glare deepened, but the tension leaving his body was not lost on the butler.

"I wasn't worried about 'monsters' you damn demon. I was only reminding you to do your bloody job."

With a slight smile, Sebastian lowered the bed skirt back into place and rose to his feet. Placing his right hand over his chest, he bowed.

"Yes, of course, young master. Thank you for the reminder."

"Yeah. Yeah. Now get out." The boy's voice lacked any real bite, revealing the tiredness that had been plaguing him for the majority of the night.

"As you wish, my lord. Call my name if you require anything else."

"I won't! Get out!" He groaned, burying his head completely under his covers, hiding his still-red face from his demon.

A quiet chuckle escaped from the butler once again. His master had a talent for making him do such a thing. After a quick good night, Sebastian left to continue his nightly duties. He should probably start by checking with Finny. No doubt he was still crying. He sighed, Ciel's words still swimming around in his head.

"Reminding me to do my job, eh?"

Yes, what the boy had summoned him for in the first place: to be the protector of the boy and his cabin deep inside the woods. Sebastian smiled.

[cappravi]

[insertpoetryhere]

Dadbastian Week: Setting Sun

"Poetry you're a week late" I know, I had midterms this week and i was cooked alive. But I'm better now and I have this thing to make up for the fact that I skipped an entire day. My official (a week overdue) sendoff to Dadbastain Week 2023!

A huge thank you to @dadbastianweek2023 for organizing such a cool event and for all the participants who might be some of the most talented creators I've ever seen! Also thank you to everyone who helped my indecisive ass pick a name for the dog.

My Baby, My Baby

Escape had been impossible. 

Sebastian did not often make a habit of avoiding his young master, but he had to do what had to be done to maintain some semblance of peace. Then again, one of his (former) favorite things had always been his stubborn determination.

And all it took was cornering him in the foyer and ordering him to sit down to render him completely helpless. Now it was just him, Ciel, and the 14 page hand-written essay entitled “why we should get a dog”.

The essay was, as the title implied, an itemized list of every reason he could think for why the manor needed a dog.

Number one: A dog would offer an added layer of protection.

Number four: Dogs were very good for hunting.

Number fifteen: Ciel could not leave his dirty dishes in his study anymore since chocolate would make the dog sick.

Number twenty-eight: A dog would gladly eat anything that fell on the floor.

Number fifty-one: Ciel would allegedly never ever ever ask Sebastian for his assistance on a major purchase ever again.

Sebastian had scoffed at that one, realizing how serious Ciel must be to acknowledge his own lack of control over his pocket money so openly. Usually Sebastian’s status as the keeper of Ciel’s check book was something that the two of them did not discuss. After all, his young master was not a fan of acknowledging his own age and there was a little bit more dignity in pretending that Sebastian was put in charge of the Phantomhive finances by choice.

Regardless of pride, Ciel was still a child. And as a child, he needed Sebastian to sign off any and all money.

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate your… dedication.” Sebastian had to cut Ciel off once they reached the part that the young earl had written entirely in broken German as a way to prove that his dedication to his studies would remain unchanged. “But could you not just order me to sign off on this?”

The idea of having a dog in the house made him want to gag, but Ciel’s German was simply where he had to draw the line. 

Ciel looked up from his paper, eyeing Sebastian as if he had said something unequivocally stupid. “Of course not, you would just buy the dog and then get rid of it immediately afterwards. Or you would make sure the dog is of poor health so that it wouldn’t last long anyways.” His gaze was steely and serious, a stark juxtaposition to the very childish conversation at hand. “I need you completely and fully on board.”

Sebastian sighed, cursing his consistency and communication skills for making his movements so predictable. “Then may we continue this discussion as I do the housework? I fear I can’t stay seated through- how many more are there?”

“Ninety-four.” Ciel didn’t even look back down at his paper. Which was somewhat terrifying.

“... Walk and talk.” He stood up from the chair(he did not understand why humans felt the need to sit for so long).

Ciel perked up (“Like a dog” is how Sebastian’s brain finished that sentence, which made him frown) and followed behind him as he carried on with his day.

Number sixty-six: Ciel would never complain again.

Laughable.

Number seventy-five: Ciel would never bother Sebastian again.

Again, hilarious.

Number eighty-three: A portion written and performed entirely in broken latin to further show his commitment, which was somehow worse than the German portion had been.

That one was… long.

Number ninety: Please.

Ok, now this was getting to Sebastian. 

Number ninety-

“Okay, stop!” Sebastian couldn’t take it. He couldn’t handle the… pleading and the voice and the any of it. Especially not now as he juggled pots and pans in the kitchen, trying to make sense of the mess Mey Rin had left behind in the wake of “preparing lunch” while Ciel ate said lunch in the kitchen with him, speaking even louder so that he might be heard over the sound of metal clinking together.

Ciel looked up, hopeful. As if he had been planning to induce a headache the entire time. “So you are in agreement?”

Sebastian bit his lip. This was psychological warfare and he was losing, goddamnit. His eyes settled on the box of eggs, still left out on the counter despite the fact that lunch had not needed eggs for its preparation at all. He smiled coyly before picking one up and handing it to the young master.

Ciel took it, confused. “What’s this for?”

“That,” Sebastian said pointedly. “Is to show me you understand the responsibility of looking after something too stupid to look after itself.”

It was meant to be a jab at him, but Ciel didn’t react. Instead, he held the egg gentler, staring at it as if it was made of gold. “How long do I have?”

“Until sundown.” Sebastian turned his attention back to the chores, relishing in how much quieter the kitchen had gotten.

“And if I give this egg back to you unharmed, you will approve the purchase of a dog without complaint?” He raised an eyebrow, like he was trying to unpack the ways in which this could blow up in his face.

“Mhm.” Sebastian was only half listening as he put the rest of the eggs away and began scrubbing the dishes.

Ciel stared at the egg suspiciously now. “And this isn’t a trick? I have your word that you-”

“Would you like me to change my mind?” Sebastian interrupted, the seriousness in his voice enough to make the boy shake his head and run off to provide a life for his practice pet. Sebastian sighed, eyeing a clock on the wall. He had bought himself at least six hours, plenty of time for Ciel to either break the egg or lose interest in the activity entirely.

While the idea of either cleaning the remnants of a broken egg or tracking down a rotten one weeks later did not appeal to him in the slightest, anything was better than having to deal with a dog.

In short, he had won.

---

He had expected Ciel to get bored after an hour or so. Either that or break the egg and give up on the whole ordeal. So naturally when the bell in the basement tripped, alerting Sebastian that he was needed in the study, he had thought peace was on the horizon.

What he did not expect was to see the young master seated at his desk, the egg sitting on a plush velveteen pillow. 

The egg had its own space on the desk, not too close to the edge and not too far from Ciel in case of an emergency. Ciel himself stared Sebastian down, his list of what appeared to be dog names completely abandoned the moment the door opened.

“Do you need something, my lord?” Sebastian asked after an abnormally long bout of silence.

“No.” He said shortly, still staring at Sebastian intently.

The demon blinked. “... You rang?”

“I did not ring.” Ciel said, still staring. “You must be hearing things.”

“... I see.” Sebastian wondered if behavior like this would warrant regular appointments with a shrink. His boy was staring at him and had an egg on a pillow. Even he found this disturbing and pondered on exactly what kind of monster he had created.

Ciel cleared his throat as the silence persisted. “The egg is well.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed as he understood what this was; An official declaration of war. “I see that.”

Ciel continued to stare. “It has a pillow.”

“I am aware.” Sebastian’s cold glare turned to the egg as he pondered ways to turn the tides in his favor. Clearly he had underestimated Ciel’s resolve. Maybe during tea, he could-

“I order you not to touch the egg in any capacity.” He had to be able to read minds. He had to somehow be in Sebastian’s head.

That little bastard.

Sebastian pursed his lips together in a tight, displeased line. “As you wish, my lord.”

Ciel nodded, his gaze a perfect mirror image of the cruel glare Sebastian had become so well known for. “You are dismissed.”

---

It had been Sebastian’s idea for Bard to offer to take Ciel hunting. Partially incentivized by an advance on the cook’s Christmas bonus.

“I’ll take ’im out without the bribe,” Bard laughed, a cigarette tucked between his teeth. “Jus’ not sure why you don’t want to come along.”

Because that was part of the appeal. A hunting trip with Bard (the significantly more fun chaperone) where Ciel was allowed to use the good guns that they kept in the cellar (which he was normally not allowed access to). A level of reckless, irresponsible fun that no teenage boy could refuse.

Evident by the way that he nearly jumped out of his seat, banding his knee against his desk (it did not knock the egg from its perch, sadly) before regaining his composure.

“I suppose, if it will pass the time.” He said passively, trying to rub his injured knee without anyone noticing.

It wasn’t until he looked back down at his desk that the boy seemed to realize why the offer had been made in the first place; The egg could not be left unattended.

He looked up at Sebastian in malice, who only smiled sweetly back. His master was not stupid. Surely he would see this hunting trip as a once in a lifetime offer and wisely abandon this silly egg game for more entertaining pursuits. Triumph at last.

All three men in the room stood in a triangle, each staring at the egg as it sat innocently on its pillow; Ciel in contemplation, Sebastian in cruel victory, and Bard in… confusion. Which made sense, seeing as no one had let him in on the egg deal.

A light bulb may as well have popped up above Ciel’s head as he grabbed the egg off of its pillow. “I shall return shortly.”

The boy bolted out of the room, leaving Sebastian standing there with a displeased glare.

“... Was that an egg?” Bard asked, but received no response from Sebastian as the demon butler glared at the door, waiting for his master’s return. “Why does he have an egg?”

Ciel returned only a few minutes later, a small bag used for carrying dice tied onto one of his belt loops with a secureness that only could have been achieved by Finny. So the boys were in cahoots… lovely.

“Ready when you are.” He announced with a triumphant grin.

Sebastian grumbled. Foiled once more.

---

“Dogs cannot sit at the table` At this point in the day, Sebastian was getting petty. But the hunting trip had not even broken the damned thing, and the only other option he could think of was having Mey Rin shoot the god forsaken thing off of its pillow (something she was disturbingly excited to try). So yes, he was taking some of those frustrations out on Ciel and the egg.

Ciel looked up from his dinner, which he had not yet gotten the chance to take a bite out of. “That wasn’t part of the deal!” He argued.

Sebastian shrugged. “It would prove your dedication.”

He was either going to put the egg on the ground and accidentally step on it, forget it, or finally give up. He had to. Sebastian had no other ideas for how to get rid of this thing (unless he took Mey Rin up on her offer, that is). His migraine worsened as he imagined the sound of barking joining in with the other annoyances of his day to day life.

He needed Ciel to either fuck up or give up.

Ciel glared, taking the egg (still on that stupid pillow) in his hand. Sebastian swore he heard angels singing as Ciel did so, assuming that his plan had worked. But then Ciel picked up his plate as well, and Sebastian watched in annoyance as he took both items over to the wall and sat down.

His stubbornness knew no bounds.

“I will not fetch anything from the table for you if you are going to behave this way.” Sebastian said, standing firmly by the table as Ciel settled himself comfortably on the floor.

Ciel placed the egg on the ground and his plate in his lap, taking a bite. “I don’t require anything anyways.”

Sebastian eyed the full glass of water still sitting on the table. “Hm.”

Ciel took a big, defiant bite of gravy-less chicken.

---

It was official.

This had possibly been the biggest mistake of his career.

The sun had just dipped down the horizon when he heard the distinct sounds of footsteps running down the stairs. Fitting for Ciel to catch him in the kitchen once again, like the boy was returning to the scene of the crime where he had brutally murdered Sebastian’s pride only hours before.

And in he came, like a bat out of hell, holding his intact egg up in triumph. He had won the war.

His face was bright as the sun, something that Sebastian found no pleasure in as he grappled with his fate.

“... I feel that this test needs another day.” He tried in vain.

Ciel shook his head. “You gave your word. No going back now.”

Sebastian groaned, hiding his face behind his hand as he sunk down into one of the kitchen chairs. He sighed, gesturing across the little table to the chair right across from him. He listened as Ciel shuffled over, taking a seat and setting the egg down on the table with a soft plunk. The kitchen table of negotiation.

“... I have conditions.” Sebastian said plainly, taking his face out of hiding now that he was sure he didn’t look on the verge of tears. 

Ciel nodded eagerly and receptively, a much more enthusiastic audience than he usually is. 

“The dog will not share the same name as me.” He said sternly, despite it being a ridiculous request.

“The name is already picked out, so there will be no trouble there.” Ciel said, leaning forward excitedly.

Sebastian sighed, still in disbelief that he was agreeing to this at all. “You said you wanted a hunting dog, so you will get a hunting dog. We will go to a proper breeder and collect one that is already housebroken. No puppies, am I understood?”

Ciel did not look disappointed in the slightest. He nodded just as eagerly as before. “Anything else?”

God this receptiveness was disturbing.

“It will not go on any furniture that you would accept guests.” Sebastian said sternly. “I will not have people leaving the manor covered in dog hair.”

“Understood.” Ciel agreed, watching him intently. Sebastian narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what else Ciel wanted.

“... Those are my only demands.”

But he still stared at him, almost like he was losing confidence. It took Sebastian a while to realize that he was waiting for the explicit confirmation, something to set this plan in stone. He sighed. “We will leave in the morning.”

That smile was back, just as bright as the sun.

---

They left first thing in the morning, with Ciel already up and laying out clothing on his own by the time Sebastian opened the door. So he was capable of such behavior. What a miracle.

Sebastian had taken some comfort when they arrived at the breeder’s, who trotted out his most well behaved dogs that he had deemed “fit for an earl” (Sebastian was happy to have an ally in this situation. God knows Bard hadn’t been any help).

But of course, the one that caught Ciel’s eye was a wild-tempered greyhound who nearly topped him over trying to lick his face.The boy had laughed, only half-way trying to push the dog off of him while the other scratched behind the beast’s ear encouragingly.

The breeder, who had initially apologized profusely for the dog’s behavior, laughed at the sight and said “I suppose the Earl is just a boy.”

A traitorous leech if Sebastian had ever met one-

So of course the wretched creature came home with them.

On top of being nearly uncontrollable, the cursed little thing was ugly as could be. Long in every sense of the word and fairly pathetic looking. The only silver lining that could be found in this was that the beast had the decency to ignore Sebastian entirely, lavishing all his ghastly affection on Ciel instead.

This affection did seem to delight Ciel though, who Sebastian had never seen smile as much as he did that day.

So maybe the dog wasn’t so bad.

“He cannot be on the bed!” Sebastian protested, attempting to wave the creature off of the comforter and pulling his hand away when the damned thing snapped its jaws at his sleeve as if Sebastian’s arm was the rope toy that Ciel had wasted his whole afternoon throwing across the garden.

Ciel’s head popped through the top of his nightdress and his attention went right back to the dog (as if it hadn’t been there all day). “I don’t take guests in my bedroom, so he can be on the bed.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes, watching in disgust as the thing dragged its ham bone from dinner on the bed right next to it. Ciel climbed in, petting the dog behind his left ear and delighting in the way it threw its head back affectionately, trying to reach the boy’s face in order to lick it. “Good boy, Detective!”

“Call him by his proper name,” Sebastian scolded, lifting the boy up by the armpits and tossing him onto the sheets so he could pull the comforter up to his chin. The dog bounded up after him, letting out a bark that made Sebastian flinch back in disgust with his hands up. “He will never respond to it if you keep calling him ‘Detective’.”

The dog also didn’t deserve such a title. The lights were not all on upstairs.

“Alright then,” Ciel scratched the top of the damned creature’s head as he settled down on top of the comforter, as close to the boy as he could manage. “Good boy, Sherlock.”

Sherlock Holmes was the dog’s full, legal name. Which made Sebastian roll his eyes. “Don’t praise him for such behavior, he wished to take my hand as a souvenir.”

“He would never harm a fly,” Ciel cooed unbecomingly, snuggling closer to the animal. “Would you, boy?”

The dog groaned, both his and his little master’s energy seeming to have left their bodies like a lightning flash leaves a stormcloud. Sebastian moved about the room, picking up the clothing that had gotten scattered around the floor by Sherlock himself, who seemed to think everything but eating and sleeping was a game. In a sense, he supposed that meant he fit his master perfectly.

He could feel Ciel doze off, falling into a deep sleep at an alarming speed. His soft snores filled the room, making Sebastain smile fondly.

“You pulled the wool over my eyes once again, Young Lord.” He whispered, depositing the clothes into a small hamper for washing while the rest of the house slept. “Equal parts clever and cruel.”

Even he couldn’t shake the pride, watching the boy smile in his sleep after his victory. In a way, cruelty was their way of being kind. Not the excessive kind, but the kind that forced their days into a chess game of sorts. And when Ciel was able to pull the rug from underneath Sebastian, it made him feel… significant.

Which was a ridiculous thought to have. He was already plenty significant.

But seeing himself reflected back, growing sharper and harsher, and somehow better than him by the day… It was almost a purpose on its own.

That pride melted away to annoyance when the boy turned in his sleep, his eyepatch still on. Honestly, it was like Sebastian had to do everything.

He set the laundry down, walking over to the bed and reaching his hand towards Ciel’s sleeping form.

That was when a set of sharp teeth snapped down on his hand, forcing him to jump back. He propped his hand away, blood undoubtedly dripping onto the carpet as Sherlock let go of him with a vicious snarl. Sebastian immediately removed his glove, attempting to use it to reduce the mess as he swore under his breath.

He looked back up at the dog, who stood over his boy protectively as he growled lowly at Sebastian. His teeth were bared, still showing evidence of the attack he had given as a warning. 

Sebastian went to scold the damned beast when his eyes fell on the contract seal, painted red and exposed now that the glove was removed. It made his voice drop into his stomach with a heavy kind of thud. He supposed in a way, he had been very wrong  about Sherlock. He was just smart enough to protect his little master.

And he knew a threat when he saw one.

“Good boy, Detective.” Sebastian said sadly as the dog laid across Ciel’s torso, not once taking his eyes off of Sebastian. “Good boy.”