[Black Butler] Infinite Horizons - Sebastian, Ciel
Title: Infinite Horizons
Author: Kagome
Series: Black Butler
Prompt: #02: Eternal
Word Count: 717
Rating: G
Characters, Pairings: Sebastian, Ciel
Summary: Eternity for him - for them - is just this, and it’s plenty enough.
Warnings: spoilers for the ending of season II, fluff.
Notes: Three-hundred years later.
“How long has it been, Sebastian?” Ciel quietly asks.
The butler checks his ever-present pocketwatch, even though it is no longer a true measurer of time-not for them (and for him, it has admittedly never been so). “Three-hundred years, my Lord,” he replies, his voice equally as somber and soft.
Ciel sighs and surveys the sight before the two of them. “Three-hundred years. No wonder why the place is in such a mess.”
What had once been a grand mansion is now nothing more than an empty, dilapidated building. Ivy is growing up the mansion’s façade, peeping into cracks that were not there before, because the mansion had been taken care of.
All of its caretakers have long since passed away, and with no heir to speak of….
What was once a beautiful garden is now overrun with weeds-there are no pretty flowers to be seen. Nothing is as it was.
Except, of course, for the two individuals who are currently inspecting the damage.
They sit down amongst a bed of weeds and they watch as the sun sinks, and it is as if the sky is on fire, alight with bright hues of orange and yellow and red and pink. For a long time, the two of them are silent, and then the butler asks: “Shall I restore it for you, Young Master? I have done it before, and if you give the order, I can do it again.”
The once-proud nobleman shakes his head. “No,” he replies. “This is fine, Sebastian. I just wanted to see it… Just once, just to see how much has changed.”
Sebastian nearly smiles at the fact that, even after three centuries, his little master can still feel twinges of nostalgia from time to time. Perhaps it is only appropriate for one who was once human. In that sense, Sebastian is unable to relate.
“Very well, Young Master,” the butler answers.
There is another stretch of silence, but this time, it is Ciel who breaks it: “If I ordered you to leave my side, Sebastian-if I granted you freedom, would it please you?”
Sebastian narrows his eyes and turns his head, gazing questioningly at his young master (who will forever-after be the not-boy that he currently is now, and was three-hundred-and-one years ago). “Is that what my master desires?”
“Is that what you desire?” Ciel counters, not giving himself away… or so the once-Earl would like to think, Sebastian muses.
“I would have said yes,” Sebastian begins, and nearly smiles as Ciel visibly cringes, “a couple of centuries ago.”
“Would have?” And at once, Ciel is once again a twelve-year-old human child, terrified of being alone and yet too proud to admit it.
“Yes,” Sebastian confirms. “I would have, back then.” He thinks about the dirty trick that Hannah and Alois had played on him; he thinks about the divine meal he’d missed out on. He thinks about time itself, and how it’s changed his outlook on things-particularly, their Contract and his regards for his young master.
At first, he had hated the position he’d been put in. Thinly-veiled resentment had given way to reluctant resignation, and that had eventually evolved into what he currently feels: a quiet sort of contentment.
“And now?” Ciel prompts, and his left foot is tap-tap-tapping in the weeds, indicative of his impatience.
“Now, I am happy with my station,” Sebastian answers. “If my young master ordered me to go, I would, but I cannot say that being ‘released’ would bring me joy.”
Ciel smiles-a real smile (which had been a rarity when he’d been alive, and that is no different even now), and says, “You’ve grown soft, Sebastian.” He then proceeds to rest his head against Sebastian’s shoulder and close his eyes, and his sigh is not one of discontent.
(Strange how his master has outgrown the need to drink from empty glasses and dine from empty plates, but has not yet outgrown the need to - at the very least - feign sleep.)
Sebastian returns the smile even though Ciel can’t see it now-but it, too, is genuine. “Perhaps I have, my Lord. Perhaps I have.”
Before them, the horizon stretches out into eternity, and it’s not such a horrible sight to behold.
Not a horrible sight at all.
~END~
--------------------------------
Yay for fluff. It’s good for the soul every now and again. *LOL*
Author: Kagome
Series: Black Butler
Prompt: #02: Eternal
Word Count: 717
Rating: G
Characters, Pairings: Sebastian, Ciel
Summary: Eternity for him - for them - is just this, and it’s plenty enough.
Warnings: spoilers for the ending of season II, fluff.
Notes: Three-hundred years later.
“How long has it been, Sebastian?” Ciel quietly asks.
The butler checks his ever-present pocketwatch, even though it is no longer a true measurer of time-not for them (and for him, it has admittedly never been so). “Three-hundred years, my Lord,” he replies, his voice equally as somber and soft.
Ciel sighs and surveys the sight before the two of them. “Three-hundred years. No wonder why the place is in such a mess.”
What had once been a grand mansion is now nothing more than an empty, dilapidated building. Ivy is growing up the mansion’s façade, peeping into cracks that were not there before, because the mansion had been taken care of.
All of its caretakers have long since passed away, and with no heir to speak of….
What was once a beautiful garden is now overrun with weeds-there are no pretty flowers to be seen. Nothing is as it was.
Except, of course, for the two individuals who are currently inspecting the damage.
They sit down amongst a bed of weeds and they watch as the sun sinks, and it is as if the sky is on fire, alight with bright hues of orange and yellow and red and pink. For a long time, the two of them are silent, and then the butler asks: “Shall I restore it for you, Young Master? I have done it before, and if you give the order, I can do it again.”
The once-proud nobleman shakes his head. “No,” he replies. “This is fine, Sebastian. I just wanted to see it… Just once, just to see how much has changed.”
Sebastian nearly smiles at the fact that, even after three centuries, his little master can still feel twinges of nostalgia from time to time. Perhaps it is only appropriate for one who was once human. In that sense, Sebastian is unable to relate.
“Very well, Young Master,” the butler answers.
There is another stretch of silence, but this time, it is Ciel who breaks it: “If I ordered you to leave my side, Sebastian-if I granted you freedom, would it please you?”
Sebastian narrows his eyes and turns his head, gazing questioningly at his young master (who will forever-after be the not-boy that he currently is now, and was three-hundred-and-one years ago). “Is that what my master desires?”
“Is that what you desire?” Ciel counters, not giving himself away… or so the once-Earl would like to think, Sebastian muses.
“I would have said yes,” Sebastian begins, and nearly smiles as Ciel visibly cringes, “a couple of centuries ago.”
“Would have?” And at once, Ciel is once again a twelve-year-old human child, terrified of being alone and yet too proud to admit it.
“Yes,” Sebastian confirms. “I would have, back then.” He thinks about the dirty trick that Hannah and Alois had played on him; he thinks about the divine meal he’d missed out on. He thinks about time itself, and how it’s changed his outlook on things-particularly, their Contract and his regards for his young master.
At first, he had hated the position he’d been put in. Thinly-veiled resentment had given way to reluctant resignation, and that had eventually evolved into what he currently feels: a quiet sort of contentment.
“And now?” Ciel prompts, and his left foot is tap-tap-tapping in the weeds, indicative of his impatience.
“Now, I am happy with my station,” Sebastian answers. “If my young master ordered me to go, I would, but I cannot say that being ‘released’ would bring me joy.”
Ciel smiles-a real smile (which had been a rarity when he’d been alive, and that is no different even now), and says, “You’ve grown soft, Sebastian.” He then proceeds to rest his head against Sebastian’s shoulder and close his eyes, and his sigh is not one of discontent.
(Strange how his master has outgrown the need to drink from empty glasses and dine from empty plates, but has not yet outgrown the need to - at the very least - feign sleep.)
Sebastian returns the smile even though Ciel can’t see it now-but it, too, is genuine. “Perhaps I have, my Lord. Perhaps I have.”
Before them, the horizon stretches out into eternity, and it’s not such a horrible sight to behold.
Not a horrible sight at all.
~END~
--------------------------------
Yay for fluff. It’s good for the soul every now and again. *LOL*