[Black Butler] Halcyon Days - Sebastian, Ciel
Title: Halcyon Days
Author: Kagome
Series: Black Butler
Prompt: #01: Mellow
Word Count: 732
Rating: PG
Characters, Pairings: Sebastian, Ciel
Summary: There are some storms that come from within.
Warnings: angst
Notes: Oh, the irony! Enjoy, guys!
Today - December fourteenth - supposedly marked the beginning of what was once called the ‘halcyon days’-and true to form, outside it was calm and peaceful. There were no grey clouds in sight, and though it was rather cool (as was proper considering the season), it was also pleasantly sunny. It would be a lovely day to head outside, Sebastian supposed, but his young master had voiced no intentions of doing anything of the sort.
No, there was no imminent storm pressing upon them, no cold winds or heavy rains battering at the doors or windows, but within the Phantomhive manor, halcyon days had not begun (and would not).
Some storms originate from within.
The other four servants of the household had taken refuge in brightly-lit rooms, preparing themselves for the storm that had yet to truly descend. They sought the light amidst the dreary mood that had befallen the manor, and they stayed curled within its warmth, as if it would offer some form of protection.
Sebastian supposed that it would, as long as they stayed well out of the young master’s way and did not dare to speak of what said master had forbidden them to speak of.
It was something that they badly wanted to do, Sebastian knew, but they kept their mouths closed and they cowered in the light with their somber expressions and their quiet sighs.
Sebastian, very used to darkness, did not bother to seek the light as they did. Instead, he walked right into all of that bleak misery with purpose, placing himself directly in the middle of it all-in the ‘eye of the storm’, as it were.
“I did not order you to come to me,” his young master murmured. His fingers were intertwined, little chin resting upon them as he gazed down at the stack of papers on his mahogany desk-the stack had not decreased in size since this morning, which meant that no work had been accomplished yet (unsurprisingly). Though he looked at the papers, Sebastian knew that the boy saw nothing, not really.
The curtains were drawn even though Sebastian had pulled them back earlier to let the light in, and therefore the room was quite dim, which was appropriate, considering his young master’s mood.
Sebastian bowed politely. “I took it upon myself to come and check on you, my Lord. You have been very quiet this morning, and if I did not show concern over my master’s well-being, what sort of butler would I be?”
Ciel snorted and laughed curtly, but the laughter rang hollow-there was no joy to be heard. “Concern, you say. Honestly, Sebastian, you can tell a good joke when you wish to do so.”
“I do not lie to my young master,” Sebastian replied, head still lowered.
There was a long pause, and then Ciel snapped, “Well, I’m fine, so you can go now.”
Sebastian’s gaze flitted to the closed curtains. “Would my young lord not like to let the sun shine in? It is a beautiful day.”
“No,” Ciel replied. “I would not.” His visible sapphire eye was as dull as the room itself, and it was growing darker with anger and impatience and a thousand other human emotions which were tied to this day.
“Shall I--”
His question was abruptly cut off: “No, Sebastian, you shall not. Leave me. That is an order.” The boy’s voice was as brittle as newly-formed ice over a lake (thin, thin, thin-one false move and you’ll fall in and drown, or at the very least, freeze to death).
Sebastian did not fear drowning or freezing, but he’d been given an order and he would obey it. He took his leave after another deep bow, though he did not stray far. He stood outside the door of the study and he smiled.
“Happy Birthday, my Lord,” he murmured.
Which, it wouldn’t be. It wasn’t. It was anything but, and Sebastian knew this-better than the other four, better than his young master’s fiancée. It was the secret shared between Ciel and himself, and it was this knowledge that made him so boldly speak the words that Ciel did not want to hear today.
The room grew just a little colder, and Sebastian smiled just a little wider. Halcyon days, indeed.
He’d always enjoyed a bit of irony-it tended to make a wonderful little appetizer.
~END~
---------------------------------
Oh, Sebastian, you mean demon, you.
Also, based upon my research, I learned that the halcyon days were generally regarded as beginning on the fourteenth or fifteenth of December. I went with the fourteenth for obvious reasons.
Author: Kagome
Series: Black Butler
Prompt: #01: Mellow
Word Count: 732
Rating: PG
Characters, Pairings: Sebastian, Ciel
Summary: There are some storms that come from within.
Warnings: angst
Notes: Oh, the irony! Enjoy, guys!
Today - December fourteenth - supposedly marked the beginning of what was once called the ‘halcyon days’-and true to form, outside it was calm and peaceful. There were no grey clouds in sight, and though it was rather cool (as was proper considering the season), it was also pleasantly sunny. It would be a lovely day to head outside, Sebastian supposed, but his young master had voiced no intentions of doing anything of the sort.
No, there was no imminent storm pressing upon them, no cold winds or heavy rains battering at the doors or windows, but within the Phantomhive manor, halcyon days had not begun (and would not).
Some storms originate from within.
The other four servants of the household had taken refuge in brightly-lit rooms, preparing themselves for the storm that had yet to truly descend. They sought the light amidst the dreary mood that had befallen the manor, and they stayed curled within its warmth, as if it would offer some form of protection.
Sebastian supposed that it would, as long as they stayed well out of the young master’s way and did not dare to speak of what said master had forbidden them to speak of.
It was something that they badly wanted to do, Sebastian knew, but they kept their mouths closed and they cowered in the light with their somber expressions and their quiet sighs.
Sebastian, very used to darkness, did not bother to seek the light as they did. Instead, he walked right into all of that bleak misery with purpose, placing himself directly in the middle of it all-in the ‘eye of the storm’, as it were.
“I did not order you to come to me,” his young master murmured. His fingers were intertwined, little chin resting upon them as he gazed down at the stack of papers on his mahogany desk-the stack had not decreased in size since this morning, which meant that no work had been accomplished yet (unsurprisingly). Though he looked at the papers, Sebastian knew that the boy saw nothing, not really.
The curtains were drawn even though Sebastian had pulled them back earlier to let the light in, and therefore the room was quite dim, which was appropriate, considering his young master’s mood.
Sebastian bowed politely. “I took it upon myself to come and check on you, my Lord. You have been very quiet this morning, and if I did not show concern over my master’s well-being, what sort of butler would I be?”
Ciel snorted and laughed curtly, but the laughter rang hollow-there was no joy to be heard. “Concern, you say. Honestly, Sebastian, you can tell a good joke when you wish to do so.”
“I do not lie to my young master,” Sebastian replied, head still lowered.
There was a long pause, and then Ciel snapped, “Well, I’m fine, so you can go now.”
Sebastian’s gaze flitted to the closed curtains. “Would my young lord not like to let the sun shine in? It is a beautiful day.”
“No,” Ciel replied. “I would not.” His visible sapphire eye was as dull as the room itself, and it was growing darker with anger and impatience and a thousand other human emotions which were tied to this day.
“Shall I--”
His question was abruptly cut off: “No, Sebastian, you shall not. Leave me. That is an order.” The boy’s voice was as brittle as newly-formed ice over a lake (thin, thin, thin-one false move and you’ll fall in and drown, or at the very least, freeze to death).
Sebastian did not fear drowning or freezing, but he’d been given an order and he would obey it. He took his leave after another deep bow, though he did not stray far. He stood outside the door of the study and he smiled.
“Happy Birthday, my Lord,” he murmured.
Which, it wouldn’t be. It wasn’t. It was anything but, and Sebastian knew this-better than the other four, better than his young master’s fiancée. It was the secret shared between Ciel and himself, and it was this knowledge that made him so boldly speak the words that Ciel did not want to hear today.
The room grew just a little colder, and Sebastian smiled just a little wider. Halcyon days, indeed.
He’d always enjoyed a bit of irony-it tended to make a wonderful little appetizer.
~END~
---------------------------------
Oh, Sebastian, you mean demon, you.
Also, based upon my research, I learned that the halcyon days were generally regarded as beginning on the fourteenth or fifteenth of December. I went with the fourteenth for obvious reasons.