Ciel Phantomhive -£- 001

[dealwithademon]

Who: Ciel Phantomhive, and anyone who wants to find him.
Where: Espoir village, on the roof of the Brave Versperia Tavern
Style: 3rd person
Status: Open?

Ciel Phantomhive was a creature of habit, whether by choice or not; every day spent in his home, he went to bed in the same way, and awoke in the same way; curtains drawn, sunlight drifting over his

Comments

The butler, alert

[thebutler_epic]

Raking leaves may seem like a mundane task, but no job was too tedious to be overlooked by the Phantomhive butler, especially when leaves were continuously falling, dead and withered from the surrounding trees, obscuring the otherwise perfectly maintained lawn

[dealwithademon]

Ciel was wary of approaching the edge, but he lifted his head so that he might see over it without coming too close. He scowled down at his butler, now possibly more angry than before. Was he enjoying his predicament?

"I don't intend to seek service from this place, except in the means of getting down, since you seem to think it's amusing to leave me up here. How dare you subject me to such embarrassment!"

The butler, amused

[thebutler_epic]

Sebastian grinned, though he went through the motions of being of a humble servant who had displeased his master, bowing slightly to the enraged figure on the roof above him.

"Ah, but you did not ask me to intervene, young Master, but rather, inquired about my present location," Sebastian clarified, pointing out the exact wording in Ciel's distress call.

"I am here now," Sebastian reassured, his grin subdued now, though his eyes were still amused. "And I await your orders, my Lord."

[dealwithademon]

Ciel shifted, and found that his foot slipped on the slanted roof. Not enough to put him in peril, but certainly enough to startle him. The frown never left his face, in fact it deepened as he stared at Sebastian.

"Then this is an order. Get me down from here, and don't draw any unwanted attention." As if Ciel himself had not drawn enough stares by simply shouting from a rooftop.

The butler, practical

[thebutler_epic]

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian replied, eyes flashing in recognition. There was work to be done

[dealwithademon]

Ciel had been half tempted to call after Sebastian when he started walking away, but the mere act of pushing himself over onto all fours had shut him up. He really didn't like heights. So instead, he sat, fingers gripping the roof shingles, and waiting. It took Sebastian much longer than he thought it should, especially considering how quickly he'd gotten there in the first place, and when he returned with a ladder, Ciel was both grateful and irritated. Just where had he gone to find the blasted thing?

He really needed to get better at giving orders. He could have sworn Sebastian was getting better at using his words to his own advantage.

Still, when Sebastian more-or-less joined him on the roof, Ciel looked up at him, paused, and then scoffed.

"I can get down on my own, just steady it." he replied. "And once we're down, retrieve my hat."

The butler, obliging

[thebutler_epic]

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian replied. Since Ciel did not advise him to wait until he had safely moved across the roof to the ladder, to spot him perhaps, Sebastian began his descent, climbing back down to the ground in order to steady the ladder.

A brief glance confirmed that the discarded hat, while dusted with dirt, was still retrievable a yard away. As per his instructions, Sebastian would reclaim it only after his young Master had safely climbed down from the roof. Snatching it back now and returning it to the young earl now out of hubris would only tempt the wind to blow it off again. So perhaps it was just as well to leave it laying in the dirt a little longer.

[dealwithademon]

After a moment of hesitation, Ciel inched his way towards the top of the ladder, not about to let him pride be wounded any further. Certain he could manage getting from a roof-top to a ladder.

Of course, a cloak can be rather cumbersome in these situations, as could the shoes of his era; He sloppily shoved the offending cloth from his way and, grasping the ladder, began his descent. One rung, two rungs, it seemed to be going smoothly enough, until his heel caught just the edge; it slipped off, and Ciel let out a startled gasp, clinging to the ladder for dear life. As soon as the moment of panic had passed, it was replaced with pure embarrassment. Still, he found he wasn't doing so well in regaining his footing. Stupid Ladders.

The butler, waiting

[thebutler_epic]

"My Lord?" Sebastian prompted from the base of the ladder, casually asking Ciel if he would like to reconsider his orders, and allow him to assist the descent, or if he would prefer to continue on in the same graceless manner. It would be a proud decision, though whether or not his pride would ultimately suffer for it in the end, that remained to be seen.

[dealwithademon]

You might say Ciel had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. He was sour, and more snappish than usual, and once he was on solid ground he expected a full report from Sebastian on just where they were, how they'd gotten there, and why he'd been left up on a roof. At the fore-front of his mind, however, was to turn and give his butler a withering glare, tell him to be silent and just wait for him to--

But all it took was one glance down, and he froze. He was still much higher up than he'd thought, and instead of sitting on a solid roof, he was now balancing on a ladder. Oh, how he hated heights. Quickly, he turned his gaze away, back upward towards where he'd come from; the sooner he got down, the better

The butler, efficient

[thebutler_epic]

Releasing the ladder to remain propped up against the building on its own for the present, Sebastian retrieved the earl's wayward shoe. He shook it free of any dirt and grass, then moved to kneel down by his young Master, replacing it for him. There were some things he did without strict orders and mockery, as a true butler should, lulling Ciel Phantomhive into a (false) sense of comfort and normalcy, especially when he was irritated or exhausted, and thus eve more
receptive to any ruse of tenderness on the part of the demon-butler.

Sebastian slid the shoe in place, carefully cradling Ciel's ankle. Once it was secure, he retied the shoe strings and set his young Master's foot back on the ground. The next order of business was his hat. Sebastian retrieved it as well, blowing it off, swatting his hand against it to retain its shape, then he returned it to Ciel, as instructed.

[dealwithademon]

Ciel was clever, but beneath all the cold, calculating, and wit, he was still a young boy who could barely do anything for himself. It was his up-bringing, he'd never had to worry about dressing himself, so simple motions like replacing his shoe, while embarrassing if displayed openly, were also comforting; it served as a reminder, to him, that Sebastian was his servant. Ciel was in control, Sebastian was in service, and the reigns were rightfully in his hands, where they belonged. And there was no denying, even for all mind-games and tip-toeing on words, Sebastian was exceptional at everything he did. The best anyone could ask for.

Sometimes, he couldn't help thinking, a Soul was very inexpensive payment for such a skilled, proficient servant.

Yes, the simple motions were soothing, though Ciel made a point to keep up with his front of displeasure; he took the hat a bit more sharply than necessary, setting it on his head and adjusting it.

"Now, tell me. What is going on here?" In hindsight, perhaps too vague a request.

The butler, literal

[thebutler_epic]

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian replied, bowing formally before turning and leading the way back to the Phantomhive estate across the lawn, fully capable of walking and talking, leaving the ladder by the tavern for now, as it was no longer of immediate concern or part of his orders.

There were several options before him. He could either answer the question directly and explain what he knew Ciel to truly be asking, or he could take the question at face-value and give him a more literal response. That sort of reply would leave him peeved, add to his preexisting irritation and amuse Sebastian in turn. A helpful response still would not alter his young Master's mood, though it would be of greater service.

Deciding to save that pleasure for later, Sebastian agreeably replied. "You have returned to Somarium, though I did expect it would be by way of the Tavern's roof." Sebastian smiled, content to add that bit at the end.

Sorry for the delay.

[dealwithademon]

"Returned where?" Ciel asked sharply, glancing up at Sebastian. "I've never been to this place before, and I don't know how I've come to be here to begin with." It was clear that while Sebastian had answered his question he still had not provided the information Ciel desired. Damned demon.

"Where is Somarium. What are we doing here. And where are we going." None of these were questions, but more outright demands; sharp and short. "Tell me everything you know about this place." That ought to cover all the bases.

The butler, tl;dr

[thebutler_epic]

Sebastian nodded his head, compiling a mental list moments before embarking on that lengthy explanation. Everything he knew about this place. Very well, then

[dealwithademon]

When Sebastian presented Ciel with any sort of information, he was inclined to listen, and listen closely; although the provided answers did very little to clear up his confusion, the fact remained that Sebastian would never lie. When he said these things, Ciel believed them, as impossible as they may have been. Although he did not appreciate the jabs his butler snuck into his explanations, Ciel simply pressed his lips in a tight line and let him continue.

That is, until he came to the part about a 'Dream Berry.' At this, his eyebrows drew together in a quizzical expression. He paused a moment, and for whatever reason, felt the compulsion to check his person; there was an unfamiliar weight in his pocket, and when he reached into it, he withdrew something very foreign looking, and turned it over curiously in his hand.

"What is it even for? How does it work?" he questioned.