[FIC] Reborn!: As My Lord Commands

[evocates]

BURNING. I AM FINALLY DONE WITH THIS AND POSTING IT UP.

FINALLY. It's really long. Epicly so. The word count is the code for Chrome/Mukuro, ffs. And if you want more drabbles/elaboration on this verse I have it alllll in my head, lmfao. It's just really kind of fucked up.

Thank you, pollinia, for betaing this~ ♥

As My Lord Commands

Characters/Pairings: Hibari, Gokudera, Dino, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Tsuna, and Romario. Hints of Dino/Hibari and Gokudera/Hibari
Rating: PG-13
Words: OVER NINE THOUSAND- literally. 9669
Summary: A birthday gift for theburningempty. Hibari Kyouya is the fifteen-year old Count of Blackthorn, violent and aggressive. And he is rarely seen without his butler, Gokudera Hayato, who is ‘one hell of a butler’. An AU set in the Kuroshitsuji/Black Butter setting.


0600 - Wake up to the sounds of birds chirping

Gokudera Hayato cracked an eye open as the first streams of sunlight pierce through the gaps in the curtains to land on his eyes. He hissed in irritation, pulling his blankets closer around him before glancing at the clock - six o’clock in the morning, not yet time for even the most devoted of butlers to be awake yet. Pressing his lips together, he closed his eyes and tried to get back to sleep.

Then, the birds outside started to chirp. It was a bright sound, cheery and happy, singing of a new day and newer beginnings, imploring everyone to smell the freshly blooming flowers and the clean smell of sunshine. The scene was almost like a fairytale come to life, with gentle sunlight, birds singing, and the lush silks and high quality woods that made up the bed.

A growl, and Gokudera stood up. He snapped the curtains open, hands grabbing a nearby ashtray and throwing it out of the window. It smashed against the tree and splintered into a million pieces that captured the light beautifully as it showered down onto the flowers below.

The birds screeched in protest, flying away.

Grumbling, Gokudera climbed back into bed for a little more sleep.

0630: A butler’s day begins

At six-thirty sharp, Gokudera’s eyes snapped open. He sat up immediately, legs swinging over the side of the bed as he stood. Gathering his materials for washing that he had prepared last night from the nightstand, he then moved to start his morning wash.

(A good butler would never need an alarm clock. Self-discipline should be enough.)

He finished dressing in record time, adjusting his tie in front of the mirror and smiling sardonically to himself, because human myths were sometimes really ridiculous. He picked up the itinerary from the dresser and scanned through it, eyes narrowing at a particular entry. Ah, so the young master’s betrothed would be visiting today. How... unpleasant.

God damnit.

Tucking the file underneath his arm, Gokudera strode out the door.

0645 - Wake up the servants

As expected, the rest of the household was still asleep. His eyes narrowed further, mood turning even more foul as he approached the servants’ quarters and could nearly hear the loud snoring from within. Luckily, the young master’s suite was in the other wing.

The entire household was Japanese; when the heir of Blackthorn was ‘found’ again in Japan after having gone missing for thirteen years, he insisted on bringing his ‘followers’ back with him to England. No one refused him. After all, he was someone who always did what he wanted and got whatever he wanted. That was why Gokudera decided to follow him in the end, after all.

He unlocked the door of the servants’ quarters before kicking it open, wood banging loudly against brick.

“Hiiiiiiiieeee! I’m awake, I’m awake!” Gokudera ignored the panicky cries of the maid, barely acknowledging him with a nod before turning his attentions back to the two who were still snoring. Glaring down his nose at the first one, he drew back a leg and kicked the bed.

Yamamoto Takeshi rolled off the bed and onto the floor. He twitched, opening his eyes blearily. When he noticed the other man, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, he grinned.

“Good morning, Gokudera!” he greeted with a cheery wave, completely uncaring about the red mark on his face from the floor. “Thanks for waking me up, haha!”

Gokudera snorted and turned away, striding towards the last bed. Snores echoed loudly through the room; just kicking the bed wouldn’t be enough for this one. Lips thinning, Gokudera huffed out an irritated breath.

And then he smacked Sasagawa Ryohei right across his surely very thick head hard enough for the sound to echo throughout the room. It was a blow that, he was certain, would have made a normal person sprain their wrist, much less the effects on the recipient of the blow.

But all Sasagawa did was to blink at him, mouth still open mid-snore. Gokudera brought up his foot again, about to grind that white-haired idiot’s head into the mattress when Sasagawa suddenly sat up.

“I am now awake thanks to Gokudera’s extreme method of waking people up!” He proclaimed like a commander, grinning widely and punching the air.

Gokudera only shook his head, pulling his gloves tighter around his fingers unnecessarily. “Wake up already, slackers. We’re already behind time.”

Behind him, Sawada Tsunayoshi was already gathering his clothes and materials for washing. He gave Gokudera a small, nervous smile that still managed to be bright somehow and scuttled away. Gokudera looked at his retreating back, smiling fondly without realizing why before he turned sharply to the door. “Hurry up.”

With that parting remark, he slammed the door and left the room.

0730 - Prepare breakfast

Meals in this household were a tricky matter. The young master demanded Japanese meals, and refused to eat anything else. Yet foods of that sort was rare in England, and had to be imported directly from the Orients or, at the very least, brought from the coast. It was a good thing that the Blackthorn family was highly in the Queen’s favour.

For appetisers, he roasts sweet chestnuts, just in season, sprinkled lightly with brown sugar.

Sometimes looking at food still gave Gokudera the faint feeling of nausea, like the sharp, sour taste of bile at the back of the throat. But he always dismissed it - it had been far too long for such things to matter, and in any case the woman who used to cause such reactions was long dead and gone.

He picked up the chopsticks again.

The main dish must always be healthy, and of course, Japanese. Salmon, freshly imported from the sea and grilled to a dark pink before being sliced thinly. Garnish with umeboshi and daikon. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

He placed the food in a green porcelain plate, decorating it more with grated carrots and a few sprigs of mint. Smiling to himself, he put it onto the tray and left the tray on the dining table.

And, at the end, a small slice of sweet potato cake with sweet cream for dessert.

Putting the plate of dessert beside the main court, Gokudera smiled to himself and started to wheel the tray out of the kitchens.

Towards the young master’s bedroom.

0800 - Rouse the young master

Gokudera tucked the tray to a corner of the hallway, brushing himself down. His muscles tensed slightly before he turned the doorknob of the young master’s bedroom, pushing it open-

And the next second, his hands snapped upwards to grasp hold of the two metal tonfas that were aimed for his face. Gokudera smiled.

“Good morning, young master Hibari,” he greeted, letting go of the batons. Hibari simply smirked at him in greeting, using the balls of his foot as a pivot as he slammed a tonfa into Gokudera’s ribs. Or, he would have if Gokudera hadn’t already taken note of that and dodged, backing up, his hands folded neatly behind his back. He turned in his head just in time to avoid a blow that would have broken his nose.

“Today’s breakfast is amaguri for appetizers,” the Japanese word flowed naturally from his tongue even as he ducked down. “The main course is grilled fresh salmon, lightly salted.” He watched as the young master somersaulted in the air, attempting to smash his windpipe in. Holding out a hand, he grabbed hold of one tonfa and lowered the boy to the ground, then quickly danced out of the way. “Dessert will be sarumaimo cake with sweet cream.”

Hibari didn’t even bother to nod at his words before spinning on his heel and kicking upwards, nearly catching Gokudera unaware. But Gokudera hadn’t lived for hundreds of years without being able to be able to adapt, so he simply backed up again, tilting his head backwards so the foot wouldn’t connect. The small smile didn’t fade from his features.

“Tea today will be matcha green. The shipment just came in, so the leaves are especially fresh,” Gokudera continued as though he was standing still and the attacks didn’t matter a whit. Hibari scowled, and when he spoke, his voice was barely above a growl.

“Stand still and fight me,” he snapped, drawing his tonfa back again.

Gokudera shook his head, “Your sparring lessons are later in the day, young master.” He reached forward and grabbed hold of a tonfa, using it to pull the boy closer. His smile was a little strained, irritation barely showing through the edges. “Now is the time for breakfast. Do please stop this.” He bowed slightly, because politeness had always been the best way to get through to Hibari when he was being a brat.

Hibari’s frown deepened further, but he let his arms drop back to his side. Rubbing his eyes with the back of one hand, he yawned widely and covered his mouth with the other. He padded back towards the bed, sitting down heavily on it.

Gokudera’s smile widened at the unspoken concession, going out of the room to push the breakfast tray inside.

0830 - Inform the young master of the day’s schedule

“Your schedule today, young master, will begin with swordwork training,” Gokudera read from the itinerary. Hibari put down his chopsticks, picking up the heavy clay cup - brought over to England from Japan - and sipping on it. Gokudera took it as his cue to continue. “In the afternoon...” he hesitated for a moment. “Your betrothed will be coming for a visit. Young master...”

Hibari lifted his eyes from the cup.

“Would you like me to dissuade him from visiting today?” Gokudera offered, closing the folder and placing it back on the tray.

Shaking his head, Hibari’s lips curled up slowly into a smirk. “No. Today I will bite him to death.”

Gokudera stood up and bowed slightly, “As you wish.”

0900 - Check on the young master’s paperwork

Before heading down towards the training rooms, Gokudera paid a visit to the young master’s office. He smiled at Hibari’s secretary, who was already starting on the paperwork of the day. Kusakabe Tetsuya handled most of the paperwork in the house, reserving only what truly needed the young master’s attentions for the boy to read.

After all, Hibari had never dealt well with such things; the less was given to him to do, the more likely that the house would not bankrupt itself from having to replace broken furniture.

0905 - Teach the young master the art of the sword

“En garde,” Gokudera intoned, holding his fencing foil in front of him in the proper starting position. Opposite him, Hibari, however... Gokudera shook his head.

“Young master, bring your legs further apart. Hold the sword a little lower,” he instructed softly, using his own foil as a pointer.

“I’ll do what I want,” Hibari snapped, but he moved into the proper position nonetheless. Gokudera knew that this would be the only time that he would see Hibari making that mistake.

Hibari didn’t bother with the word before rushing in, foil held up and tip pointed at Gokudera’s throat; deadly and straightforward, as always. Gokudera smiled so very slightly, tilting his head to the side to avoid the blow even as he stepped to the side. He brought up his own foil, tip meeting the young master’s and the metal bending into a curve before both of them jumped backwards. Hibari attacked against, ducking lower this time and Gokudera’s eyes widened for the briefest of moments before he swept out a leg behind him, turning his body sideway. He sent out his own foil towards Hibari’s head, but the young master ducked again even lower, kicking out a leg that would have made Gokudera lose his balance if he hadn’t already predicted that move.

The young master was certainly improving. He was faster now, more at home with the sword than ever. Gokudera dropped backwards at another strike, his coattails flaring out behind him. For a moment, his brows creased in irritation. The clothes of this era were so troublesome- the line of thought immediately cut off as Hibari ran towards him again, footsteps nearly silent against the polished hardwood.

Yet he was still as reckless as ever - a trait that was unbecoming of the Lord of the Blackthorn. Gokudera tightened his grip on the foil. This was what he had to do. Perhaps not today, or even tomorrow, but eventually that attribute would have to corrected or, at the very least, refined. And he would have to do it.

After all, that was his job as the young master’s butler and right hand.

1000 - Help the young master with paperwork

Hibari yawned, leaning back against his seat as he held a piece of paper between his fingers. In front of him was a small stack of documents - those that truly needed his attention, and had proper spelling and grammar. (The last time he had read a report riddled with mistakes, Gokudera had to hold him back before he rode to London to personally ‘bite to death’ the person who wrote it.

The amount of damages done to this very room had convinced Kusakabe to screen each and every document and, if needed, rewrite it entirely so as to be suitable for the young master’s consumption.)

“No,” Hibari stated, passing the paper to the growing stack of refused proposals. The tray for the accepted ones remained sadly empty. He picked up another one, then, without even looking at it, he declared a “no” again.

“I’m bored of this,” he said, punctuating the statement with a yawn as he stood. A shift of the sleeves and his tonfas were in his hands again, and he smirked up to Gokudera. “Entertain me.”

Giving Kusakabe a glance, Gokudera bowed, a hand to his heart as he smiled. “Yes, my lord.”

1030 - Spar with the young master again

“Your footwork has improved,” Gokudera remarked as he dodged another blow aimed at his ribs. His hands were held behind his back, clenched. “As always, you learn fast.”

Hibari didn’t bother replying, already moving into the next attack. Gokudera expected nothing less.

His arm shot out into the air just as Hibari’s blow nearly connected with his chin. Smoke burst outwards, obscuring Gokudera from sight and that was when he decided to attack. He darted into the smoke, immune to its effects and finally unsheathing his sword to try to slice across Hibari’s throat.

But Hibari’s tonfa caught him first, the young master pressing back against his sword despite his squeezed-shut eyes and shallow breaths. Gokudera drew back his sword and attacked again, the metal making a quiet swoosh that Hibari undoubtedly picked up, because his tonfa was there again, blocking the blow. He skidded backwards, out of the smoke and Gokudera smiled before lighting another bag of powder with his will alone and flicking it towards Hibari’s direction.

However, the same trick never seemed to work twice with his young master. Hibari’s eyes snapped open all of the sudden, a tonfa raising to bat the bag away before it had the chance to burst into clouds of smoke. Gokudera’s smile changed into a smirk as he threw another bag, and another, both of which were slapped away from the tonfas. Hibari bent his knees, lowering himself to attack once more when the sounds of the grandfather clock ringing resounded through the mansion.

Gokudera could hear carriage wheels and horse hooves running over pebbles outside. His sword lowers; the young master’s betrothed was here. Hibari was scowling furiously, but his tonfas had dropped back to his sides. Turning away from Gokudera, he heaved an irritated sigh before storming out of the door.

And Gokudera followed, hiding his own scowl behind the curtain of his hair. For the briefest of moments, he didn’t want to retreat, but the opponent he wanted to face wasn’t his young master.

Far from it.

1100 - Greet the young master’s betrothed

The carriage pulled up to the porch, black and stately with real glass as its windows. Gokudera stood beside the main gate, hands tucked neatly behind his back and clenched as he watched the coach driver jump down from his seat and open the door.

Duke Dino Cavallone stepped out, dressed in his customary black suit with a white shirt beneath, a silk cravat tucked into his vest. He turned, smiling, his mouth opened as though he was going to ask a question. Gokudera nodded to him, and stepped back.

Hibari rushed out of the door immediately, tonfas clenched tightly in his hands. Immediately he pirouetted on the balls of his foot, an arm drawing back to smash metal against his betrothed’s face, but Dino was fast - too fast. He had already skittered towards the left, instinctively grabbing his whip and holding it in front of him to block the tonfa strike.

The count backed off, and Dino took that chance then to switch the whip for his sword, using the long blade to block another swipe that was now aimed for his ribs. Hissing quietly in anger, Hibari’s grip on his tonfa changed, tightening more around the handle and he was aiming for Dino again. His footwork had definitely improved, Gokudera noted as he stood at the side, watching his young master greet his betrothed.

“My, my,” a soft voice came from his side, and Gokudera turned his head to watch Romario - Dino Cavallone’s butler - stepped down from the carriage, tapping his habitual cane on the ground. He inclined his head to the other - the briefest show of respect - before turning back to watch Hibari again.

And Hibari and Dino were certainly putting on a show - swift strikes with rapid footwork, metal clashing against each other and screaming in protest. Beside him, Romario crossed his arms, shaking his head.

“The master is a fool to use his sword,” Romario said, sounding contemplative. “He’s far more competent with the whip.”

Gokudera slanted his eyes towards him, “Yet he still does it.”

Romario merely shrugged, and it was enough of an answer, really, because Hibari was growling, shoulders tense and tonfas held in front of him, “Fight me seriously, Cavallone. Stop holding back.”

Dino merely smiled, dancing away from another strike. He ducked from one, holding up his sword to block the other before pivoting on his heel, thrusting the sword forward. “I’m not.”

Hibari dodged from it, sidestepping from the strike, more incensed than ever and his attacks showed it - faster and more aggressive, aiming for Dino’s face and neck now instead of just his ribs and stomach. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not!” Dino slashed downwards - a move that would have split Hibari into half if he hadn’t leapt backwards just in time. His feet shifted, heels leaving the ground as he held his sword in front of him with both hands as if it was a lance. “Really, Kyouya.”

“Then why don’t you use your whip?” The question was bitten out just as Hibari jumped into the air, away from that point of the sword. He landed behind Dino, and brought his tonfa forward swiftly to crush Dino’s spine.

Except that Dino was faster, spinning right around and catching the metal baton with his sword. “Well, you need more practice with the sword, don’t you?”

Off to the side, Gokudera hid a scowl beneath his high collar, his knuckles whitening a little more.

Hibari merely snorted, “Excuses.”

His butler could only smirk.

1130 - Check preparations for luncheon

Leaving Dino and the young master in Romario’s (very temporary) care, Gokudera stormed through the doorways to the kitchens. He could already smell food burning and see the heavy, billowing black clouds even before he reached the door. Eyes narrowing, he growled to himself before taking off into a run.

“Yamamoto!” he barked, storming into the kitchens. “Bloody hell, what are you doing?”

The familiar laughter came from behind the cloud of smoke, and then coughing and choking. Gokudera scowled, waving his hand in front of him. “Idiot cook, answer me!”

“Hahaha, Gokudera, is that you?” Yamamoto stepped out of the cloud, coughing and squinting his eyes shut. “Sorry, sorry...”

“What in hell’s name are you trying to do?” Gokudera grumbled back, striding over to the windows to slide them open. He didn’t cough; his eyes weren’t even stinging even as he walked straight through the smoke to stand in front of the chef.

“Haha, the Duke is visiting today, right? So I thought I’ll make some Italian food because I heard he likes it,” Yamamoto grinned brightly, gesturing to the coal-black pile of debris on the stove. “But the pasta we got from him last time really hard to cook...”

“What did you do?”

Yamamoto shrugged, picking up long charred piece of what seemed to be dried spaghetti and waving it around. “Well the recipe book said to fry it and toss in olive oil... it doesn’t seem to work though.”

Silence. Gokudera turned to look at the stove. His eyes narrowed.

“Yamamoto.”

“Huh?”

“Did you boil the dried pasta first?”

Yamamoto tilted his head, looking for all intents and purposes like an inquisitive young bird, “Am I supposed to?”

Gokudera heaved a loud, tired sigh, smacking his palm against his forehead. He glanced at the time - bloody hell and breathed out. “You idiot cook... Never mind. Is the young master’s lunch made yet?”

“Of course!” Yamamoto nodded, grinning. “He’ll ‘bite me to death’ if it’s not!”

Inclining his head, Gokudera stepped forward and started to push Yamamoto out of the kitchen. “Good. I’ll deal with the Duke’s lunch then. You... you go help Sawada.” God forbid that this idiot ever work together with Sasagawa Ryohei...

“Ok! Haha, is it really that bad?”

“Go.”

After ushering Yamamoto out of the kitchens, Gokudera frowned and opened the pantry. There were some vegetables left, and salted bacon. The stove... seemed to be usable, although he definitely would need to clean it. Pulling out a pot, he immediately got to work.

Sauté bacon for eight minutes, then drain the fat.

Gokudera threw in a few more pieces of wood into the fire.

Add onions and garlic, and sauté until softened. Then add dry white wine.

Waving a hand in front of his face, he sidestepped the sudden roaring fire inside the pot.

Add Brussels sprouts and stock. Stir the mixture and let it stew.

Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the mess of the kitchen and got to work.

After approximately fifteen minutes, pierce a sprout with a knife. If it goes through smoothly, take pot off the fire.

The kitchen is spotless by the time Gokudera lifted the pot, placing it on the serving table. He retrieved the fine bone china from the top shelf - away from any and all clumsy hands and the young master’s tonfa - and scooped the bacon and sprouts onto a plate

He checked his pocket watch - just in time.

1200 - Serve lunch

The young master stomped into the great hall, panting, hands clenched tightly around his metal batons, clothes dusty from the fight. Gokudera immediately stepped forward, half-leading the boy back into his room to wash up for lunch.

The bowl of washing water was already by the dresser. Gokudera helped Hibari take off his jacket, folding it over the chair as he watched the young master wash his hands. Taking out a new set of clothes, he helped him change into them.

“Young master,” Gokudera murmured. “About your betrothed-“

“Don’t call him that,” Hibari snapped immediately, holding out a hand for Gokudera to button up his cuffs. He leaned his head back, looking into the mirror to let Gokudera adjust the position of his white silk cravat.

Gokudera handed him an onyx cravat pin, using his hair to hide his sudden smirk. “Oh?”

“I’ll do only what I want,” Hibari stated, dipping his hands into the wash basin one last time. His tonfas slid back up the sleeves, hidden from sight. “And nothing that I don’t.”

“Of course, young master Hibari.”

“Besides,” Gokudera could hear the boy mutter. “It’s not as if I could anyway.”

***

Standing at the side of the dining table, Gokudera picked up the fine china teapot and poured out the Ceylon black tea into its tiny porcelain cup. He served the guest first, of course, before pouring out the green tea from the clay teapot for the young master.

“For lunch today, the appetizers will be gyoza for young master Hibari, and lobster and shrimp portabella for the Duke,” Gokudera announced, bowing as Sawada served the plates with slightly trembling hands. Dino turned to smile at the boy. “Main course will be sushi platter, and bacon with Brussel sprouts. The meal will finish with dango and apple Jonathan.”

With that, he retreated to his usual spot, standing behind Hibari’s chair.

For a long while, there was silence except for the soft, gentle clinks of metal on porcelain and china. (Of course there weren’t any sounds of chewing - they were both gentlemen, after all. No matter how little they might act like it sometimes.)

“You’ve improved, Kyouya,” the duke began, taking a sip of the black tea. “I suppose I have Gokudera here to thank for it, hmm?”

Hibari ignored him.

Unfazed, he continued, “I wonder if your skill with the sword had improved as well? That is the mark of a true gentleman, after all...”

“If you’re so curious,” the young master cut in, eyes narrowed and obviously irate. “Then spar with me after lunch.”

Dino laughed lightly, “Aren’t we supposed to go horse-riding after this? After that, then I’ll spar with you.”

“I’ll hold you to your word then, ‘duke’,” the young master’s smile was wide and bloodthirsty

1300 - Ready the young master’s horse

Gokudera growled under his breath as he practically dragged Hibari’s black mare out of the stables. She reached forward, trying to nip at his hair and he hissed in frustration, pulling even harder on her reins.

Of course, as soon as the young master came into sight, his expression smoothed out, returning back to its usual impassive one. He bowed, and then nodded to the Duke, who had his own brown mare standing beside him.

Hibari shifted the heavy hunting gun over his shoulders, “I’m going to hunt. Cavallone is tagging along.” Dino chuckled under his breath at the words, his own hunting rifle pointed to the ground. “Gokudera Hayato - you stay here.”

Squashing down on the spike of displeasure he felt at the words, Gokudera placed a hand on his heart and bowed again.

“As you wish, young master.”

He let go of the reins, stepping back as Hibari grabbed it. Small as he might be, he still refused help as he mounted the large horse. He jumped upwards, catching a stirrup with the tip of his foot, and swung himself of the horse’s wide back, seating himself comfortably. Behind him, the duke - and Romario, who seemed to never leave his side - did the same.

The butlers exchanged a glance with each other before Hibari set off at a light trot.

Don’t let him come into any danger.

Of course.

1315 - Check up on the gardener

Gokudera straightened his collar and cuffs as he strode through the halls towards the gardens that sat right in the centre of the manor. He pushed open the door, lips parting to speak, and frozen.

In front of him, what used to be a beautiful Victorian-styled garden was now nothing more than a few dying weeds struggling to rise through a mess of dirt and dead plants. He took a deep breath; the air smelt of rot. An eyebrow twitched. He looked around, and spotted a head of tufted white hair sticking out amongst the dirt.

“Lawnhead!” he shouted immediately, hands clenched at his sides as he stormed over. Usually he wouldn’t even bother with the nickname, but... “What in the world did you just do?”

The head lifted out of the soil, revealing a bright grin and messy, soil-encrusted white hair. “Ah, Octopus-head!” Gokudera twitched, and resisted wrapping his fingers around that throat. Or simply biting down - no, this human’s blood would probably poison him with stupidity or something. “Is this extreme enough?!”

He gave him a flat stare, “What. Did you. Do?!”

Sasagawa Ryohei stood up, shaking himself free of dirt. Gokudera saw stalks of very expensive hydrangea and then even more expensive orchids drop to the ground. His fists shook a little as the other man ran a hand through his short hair, still grinning like an absolute fool.

“Well, I thought I would do some weeding, and I did it! EXTREMELY!”

Gokudera exploded, throwing his gloved hands out to gesture to the gardens, “And you destroyed the garden for it?!”

“Eh? But I think the garden looks better now,” Ryohei was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “This is the most extreme form of weeding I’ve ever done!” A pause, and his smile brightened up further, “Do you think the young master will like it?”

The butler could only stare at him, uncomprehending of how anyone - human or otherwise - could be this stupid. His mouth opened, then closed, and opened again as he tried to find a witty retort to those words, all to no avail. He breathed out - a good butler, after all, would never lose his temper unseemly, yet...

“You- You ‘EXTREME’ IDIOT,” he spat out, reaching forward to grab the dumb human by his collar, nearly lifting him up. If to get through to this one meant speaking his very retarded language, then so be it. “What makes you even imagine that the young master would be happy with this?”

Before Ryohei could even open his mouth, Gokudera stepped backwards, throwing up his hands in sheer frustration. “Never mind. You just... stop. I’ll deal with this.” He flashed Ryohei a bright, forced smile, baring teeth. His canines glinted in the sunlight.

Ryohei still seemed to have some self-preservation left, because he laughed nervously and backed away, hands held up in front of him. “Yes sir! I will now follow your orders to the limit!”

Gokudera watched him run away for a long moment before sighing, looking back at the ruined gardens. It certainly seemed completely unrecoverable, but... He tapped his lip, toeing the soil. At least the soil seemed to be perfectly alright; still fertile. No, this wasn’t entirely unsalvageable (if that happened he would kill Sasagawa with his bare hands), but none of the beauty and elegance from before could be replicated now.

He took a step back and surveyed the space before turning his back and walking back to the mansions. Well, the garden was overdue for an overhaul in any case...

1415 - Greet the young master as he returns

“Welcome back, young master,” Gokudera murmured as he lifted the heavy riding coat off Hibari’s shoulders. He folded it over an arm, then took the hunting gun as well.

Hibari nodded - barely any acknowledgement - before he pointed towards Romario. Or, more accurately, he pointed towards the bunch of pheasants and rabbits that the Cavallone butler was holding. “We can have those for dinner.”

Gokudera nodded his assent, making a face internally but before he could say a word, Dino drew up close to them. “As expected of Kyouya - we tied today, in terms of numbers.” He laughed, keeping a close watch on Romario as his butler handed off the hunting prizes off to Sawada. “I will need to practice hunting so you won’t overtake me!”

A disdainful snort as the young master turned around, “There’s no joy in shooting prey from afar.” His eyes were sharp and deadly as he tilted his head back and met his betrothed’s brown ones. “Next time we will fight with our own weapons, between the two of us without these,” he gestured to the guns, “between us.”

“Before you do that, young master,” Gokudera intercepted smoothly before the duke could continue. “There’s the matter of the gardens...”

“Hn,” Hibari scowled. “Has Sasagawa Ryohei ruined it again?”

Gokudera shrugged, casting a glance to Dino before turning back to Hibari, “We are overdue for a new design. I have drawn up one that will suit your tastes,” he withdraws the papers from his suit pocket. “It’s a Japanese traditional garden. These are the blueprints”

“Alright,” Hibari waved the papers away, interrupting his explanation. He stopped his stride towards the mansion, slanting his eyes back to look at Cavallone. “And Cavallone here will provide the funds for it, of course.”

Dino blinked, turning around, “I will?”

Narrowing his eyes, Hibari’s lips thinned slightly, “Of course. You were the one who suggested that we revamp the gardens in the first place, the last time you came.”

A blink, then Dino was laughing, his eyes practically sparkling. He waved away Romario’s attempt to speak, “Kyouya, you remembered! Alright, then. Just send the bills for the materials to my mansion. I’ll pay for it.” A pause, and then he sighed, drawing closer to the young master. Gokudera took a respectful step backwards.

“I’ll get to see it, won’t I?” he grinned.

Hibari’s lips curved up into a small smirk, “Perhaps, if you’re lucky.” He turned away, back to Gokudera, “Gokudera Hayato - what is next on my schedule?”

He smiled slightly, slipping the blueprints back into his pocket and whipping out the schedule. “You’re supposed to have lessons, young master.”

Hibari made a small face, but nodded sharply, moving up the stairways of the mansion. Then, all of the sudden, he stopped, turning back to look at Dino, “You can watch if you wish. But don’t crowd around me.”

The duke’s smile was bright and nearly encompassing as he jogged up the steps.

Gokudera hid a scowl.

1430 - Lessons with the young master

“Teach me Italian,” Hibari demanded, head resting on a loose fist. His other hand was placed on top of an English translation of Machiavelli’s The Prince.

Gokudera looked up from his own book, and smiled. “Of course, young master.” He tilted his head to the side, “Pardon the inquisitiveness, but why?”

Dropping backwards against his plush office chair, Hibari shrugged, tapping his fingertips on the book. “I tire of reading second-rate translations. Besides, you know how to speak it, don’t you?”

“It is my native language.”

“Very well then,” he pushed himself forward, and this was a challenge, like everything was with this man. “Teach me.”

1530 - More swordwork practice

“I tire of this,” barely an hour later, impatience had Hibari slamming the book shut. His eyes glanced towards the array of foils and swords he kept at the side of the wall before standing up and walking over, fingers brushing across the handles of the various swords before wrapping around the handle of his own. He lifted it up, pointing the tip towards Gokudera.

“Fight me, Gokudera Hayato.”

They weren’t playing with foils anymore. Hibari wanted a real fight, this time.

“With pleasure, young master,” Gokudera stood up from his seat, striding over and taking his own foil. But he had it pointed downwards still, shoulders relaxed as he smiled slightly. “Not here, however.”

“Of course not,” Hibari snorted, already heading for the door. “Come.”

Gokudera followed, three steps behind like a good butler should.

***

Neither of them had ever fought with armour on - the one time Gokudera brought up the subject, Hibari merely sneered and said that he didn’t learn to fight with a sword to play games. Every strike drew blood, but this only spurred Hibari to work even harder. And well, for Gokudera, losing here mattered not to him, and the pain and bloodloss were both negligible.

As always, Hibari struck first, his arm straightening from its engarde position to bring the point forward, aimed directly at Gokudera’s neck even as he ran forward. Gokudera stepped back, bringing his sword upwards to block the blow even as he twisted his wrist to the right, forcing the young master’s sword away. Hibari jumped backwards, his smirk wide and bloodthirsty, but before he could attack Gokudera darted forward, feinting to the left.

Hibari parried immediately, dodging the blow towards his side as he ducked downwards, aiming the point of his sword at the soft parts of Gokudera’s torso. But that was a predictable move - Gokudera could already see through it from the subtle shifts in the bones of Hibari’s wrist, in the soft scrape that his shoes made on the polished floor as he attacked. He smiled, parrying another flurry of blows.

“You’re far too open, young master,” Gokudera murmured, and it only took the briefest turn of the heel to aim his sword at Hibari’s wrist, turned up and exposed when he strikes. The point catches on skin, splitting it and causing red to stain the pale skin. “The best defence might be a good offence, but you still have to defend, nonetheless.”

His reply was only a growl as Hibari flicked his wrist, dislodging the drop of blood from skin even as he dove forward, point aimed for the neck again. Gokudera stepped backwards, turning his head to the side. Hibari’s sword caught on a few strands of silver hair, slicing them off and Gokudera could hear the boy’s teeth grinding together - disappointment made audible.

But he didn’t have the time to dwell for long because Hibari’s next attack came immediately, threatening to slice his body open (not that it would do much damage in the long run). Gokudera danced away, catching the point of the other sword with the flat of his own, pushing backwards against the sword. The young master hissed his breath out through gritted teeth, his heels leaving the floor as he tried to literally press his advantage.

“You’re too stubborn, young master,” a quiet berate as he suddenly stepped backwards, lowering his sword back to the ground. He watched silently as Hibari stumble forward, caught entirely off-guard by the sudden loss of an opposing force. But he caught himself quickly enough, straightening again. But in that few short moments, Gokudera already had his sword aimed at his neck.

A dark laugh, and Hibari was slanting his eyes backwards, to meet Gokudera’s, “Are you going to kill me now, Gokudera Hayato?”

“No,” the butler lowered his sword immediately, bowing. “I am, after all, bound by the contract.”

Soft, insistent applause came from the side of the room, and both combatants turned to look at Dino Cavallone, dressed in a clean suit and white gloves, with Romario still by his side like a shadow. “That was certainly magnificent, Kyouya.” He took a step forward, and Gokudera noticed the sheathed sword clenched in his hand. “Would you indulge me in a bout?”

Hibari grinned immediately, baring his teeth viciously as he brought the point of his sword up again, “Certainly. I will bite you to death this time, Dino Cavallone.”

Hiding a scowl, Gokudera bowed slightly, “I will take my leave, then.” He nodded to Romario again before leaving the room. Through the closed door, he could hear the sounds of two swords clashing, echoing throughout the room.

He smiled to himself.

1600 - Prepare the afternoon tea

“Yamamoto,” Gokudera shouted the moment he entered the kitchens. “How are the preparations for dinner going?”

Yamamoto turned, his hands coloured brown with the marinade. “Yes!” He walked over to the basin, rubbing his hands clean in the water. “Gokudera, you’re here for tea, right?”

A sharp nod as he walked towards the pantry, pulling out the plates and setting them out on the table. “So just get out for now.”

“Hahaha, you’re so mean,” Yamamoto laughed, washing his hands then lifting the apron off his neck. “Right, I’ll come back later. Have fun!”

Gokudera snorted at him, shaking his head before he got back to work.

Afternoon tea is not meant to be heavy; just a simple, light meal between lunch and dinner.

He cut two lemons and squeezed the juice into a bowl. Then, he grated the peel and whisked both with water and eggs.

Sandwiches, scones, and sweets such as cakes and pie are usually good companions to the tea.

Popping the lemon meringue pie into the oven, he grabbed the loaf of bread lying on top of the stove and started to slice it.

Cucumbers, cured ham, and cheese, sliced into tiny triangles and garnished with cherry tomatoes from the now-demolished gardens and a stalk of parsley. In another bowl, he whisked a mixture of flour, water, yeast and buttermilk together. Then, he scattered a few seasonal blueberries on top and kneaded the mixture into soft dough.

In high society, tea is considered the hallmark of a gentleman. High quality, correctly-brewed tea is essential when serving guests afternoon tea.

The young master, of course, preferred strong matcha green tea to any of the Western teas available. Pouring hot water into both the porcelain teapot and the clay one, Gokudera placed the sandwiches, the pie and the scones - with clotted cream and fruit preserves of course - on the tray and placed it on the cart.

Afternoon tea should be served promptly at five o’clock.

1645 - Help the young master wash up for tea

Gokudera’s hands were tucked neatly behind his back as he watched his young master storm through the hallway, clothes torn and bloodied, his sword held at his side. He followed quickly, casting a glance back at Romario and the duke, the latter who was much less ruffled. Dino laughed, shaking his head even as he handed his sheathed sword to Romario, and Gokudera spun on his heel, following Hibari without wanting to hear the rest.

It looked like the young master lost (again), then.

1700 - Serve afternoon tea

“Aah...” Dino sighed as he dropped into his seat, smiling at always even as Hibari glared at him over his own cup. “That was a good spar, wasn’t it?”

“Shut up,” Hibari snapped, turning away as he bit down viciously on a ham sandwich. Gokudera hid a small smirk.

But the duke remained unfazed, “Hahaha, still as stubborn as ever, Kyouya. But that’s only to be expected, isn’t it?”

Hibari placed his glass back down on the table, his gaze demanding as it rested on Dino, “Stop talking.”

“Can’t do that,” Dino countered, still teasing. He popped half a buttered scone in his mouth, chewing vigorously before swallowing. “You need to learn to be more social. It’s part of being a gentleman as well.” He leaned forward, laughing, entirely carefree still, “As your fiancé, it’s my job to help you do that.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Not even in sparring?” Dino’s smile widened. “I thought you wanted to defeat me.”

“And I will,” Hibari cut him off before he could go on further. “I will become the strongest.”

A nod, and Dino leaned back against his chair, picking up the cup of Assam tea and swirling it slightly. “That is the least that is expected of the Count of Blackthorn, hmm? After all, you are the...” he trailed off, tilting his head to the side.

The royal assassins. One of the oldest noble families in England, the Blackthorn was, of course, one of the most infamous. Other families might have taken care of investigating into the underworld, it was only the Blackthorn that delved right into the underworld itself, getting rid of enemies of the state that couldn’t be gotten rid of in any other way.

To put it plainly, they were hired killers, bound by contract to the Queen to carry out her orders to, ostensibly, keep the British Empire safe; bloodying their hands for the sake of the country.

Hibari’s scowl deepened, and he finished his tea, standing up from his chair. “I know exactly what this duty entails, Cavallone.” He strode towards the door. “I have work to do. Don’t crowd me.”

Gokudera stopped in his tracks immediately, bowing. “Yes, my lord.”

Behind him, Dino Cavallone sighed.

1800 - Help the young master with paperwork

“The sales figures have increased again,” Kusakabe reported, standing in front of Hibari’s desk. The young master leaned his head against a fist, elbow against the armrest of his chair. Gokudera stood behind him like a shadow, as always. Hibari nodded, and the secretary took it as his cue to continue.

“Sales of the plush toys are rising still, but the mechanical toys are steadily getting more and more popular,” ducking his head down, Kusakabe flipped through the file of reports. “It seems that the children prefer those that can sing and move more.”

Hibari picked out a piece of blank paper from the stack, lifted his fountain pen and began to write. His penmanship was as precise as ever, every word perfect like it had been typewritten - after all, he expected nothing less from himself.

“Increase production of the mechanical toys, then. Advertise the plush toys more to the peasants, and here,” he opened a drawer and took out another sheaf of papers, “these are designs for some of the smaller toys. Make them with lower quality materials and sell them at lower prices. I’m targeting the commoners with this.” As expected of the found of the Namimori Toy Company, Gokudera thought to himself, smiling slightly. This was the reason why it was so successful - Hibari reached out towards those that others would never even consider. It was understandable.

After all, Hibari used to be one of those ‘commoners’ once, as unsuitable as the term might be.

Kusakabe bowed, reaching over to take the documents, “Yes, my lord.” He flipped through the designs, and blinked, “The bird I can understand, but... a hedgehog?”

Hibari’s smile was prideful, “No one else has done anything like it. It will work.” He steepled his fingers in front of him. “Are you questioning me?”

To his credit, Kusakabe’s face showed no fear or dread as he shook his head, “No.”

“Good. You can leave.”

As Kusakabe left the room, the Count of Blackthorn stood from his seat, stretching slightly. He walked over to the weapon stand again, picking up his sword and weighing it in his hand. “I’ll be going to the forest for a walk,” A pause, and his eyes were sharp and deadly as he rested on Gokudera’s. “Tell the Cavallone.”

“Yes, young master.”

1830 - Clean the house while young master is away

After informing the duke of the young master’s destination, Gokudera swept down the hallways, inspecting the large manor. He checked his pocket watch - he had an hour and a half to clean the manor and also to oversee the preparations of the young master’s dinner.

Easily done.

He stopped in his tracks, slipping the watch into his pocket even as he reached out the other hand. Just in time, he managed to catch Sawada Tsunayoshi with an arm as the clumsy maid tumbled off the ladder. With the other hand, he reached out and rescued the priceless plates made of fine bone china. He closed his eyes, and sighed.

“What are you trying to do, Sawada?” He righted the boy.

Sawada was tugging at his hair, all shifting feet and downcast eyes. He didn’t try to answer, much less make excuses for himself.

Gokudera sighed, hands falling down to his sides because no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stay angry with this particular human. He was different from Yamamoto and Sasagawa in some way that Gokudera couldn’t understand. It was something ephemeral, almost, and he had never dealt well with ephemeral things.

(If it had been Sawada other than Hibari standing in the circle that day, Gokudera might have still accepted the contract. Perhaps he did, in another world, but he didn’t like pondering about those things. It was Hibari who accepted that contract, and it was Hibari whom his principles were tied to.

It would be Hibari’s soul that he claimed, in the end.)

A quiet laugh, and Sawada shook his head, toying with the hem of his shirt, “The cupboard was dusty. I was just trying to clean it, and I thought I should take the plates out before... but I...” he laughed again, self-deprecating. “I’m really ‘no good’...”

“Well, the young master still brought you over, didn’t he?” Gokudera replied impassively, head tilted to the side as he looked at the boy. “You just need to be more careful. Look,” he toed the ladder, and watched it rock from side to side because one of the legs were too short. “Use another one next time. Or just learn to check, idiot.”

For a moment, he wanted to smack Sawada’s head like he would do to Yamamoto or Sasagawa, but he just placed his hand on top of it instead, ruffling it and messing it up even more. “Now go and do your job,” he handed the plates back to him, dusting down the sides of his jacket and walking off.

“Y- Yes! Thank you, Gokudera-kun!” at least Sawada had enough sense to hold the plates steady as he bowed. Gokudera turned around, meeting wide brown eyes with his own, and nodded.

1900 - Check the preparations for dinner

There was smoke coming out of the kitchens again. It was the second time just today.

Gokudera’s eyebrows twitched as he leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed as he simply stared at Yamamoto. There was floor and breadcrumbs all over the kitchen, covering the table, the walls, and the stove. There probably was some inside the oven as well, but Gokudera had no wish to check.

“Yamamoto,” he growled, stalking inside and pulling the man out of the cloud of black smoke. “I thought that dinner preparations were going on well?”

“Hahaha!” Yamamoto’s familiar, annoying laughter made Gokudera’s eye twitch again. “It is, it is!”

“Oh?” Gokudera hissed, barely resisting the urge to wrap his fingers around the idiot. “And how is this ‘going on well’?”

The chef blinked, skittering backwards out of Gokudera’s grasp even as he turned around, lifting something out of the frying pan with a pair of chopsticks. Pork cutlets, coated with flour and breadcrumbs and fried to a golden brown, were dropped onto a plate. Yamamoto darted away again, returning with a pair of clean cotton cloths that he used to sop up the oil.

And Gokudera could only watch, still skeptical, as he lifted the lid off the bamboo steamer, removing a porcelain bowl of rice that he immediately put the tonkatsu cutlets on top of. A drizzle of the sauce on top, and scalded vegetables to the side, and the dish was finished - simple as always.

Gokudera sighed, shoulders relaxing again as his arms dropped back to his sides, “What about appetizers and dessert?”

Yamamoto’s eyes widened, “Ah-!” He turned around, opening the oven door and a sudden, huge billowing cloud of black smoke blew outwards. Gokudera retreated at once, waving his hand in front of him. The smoke didn’t touch his skin.

“”Ahaha... I’m not very good at making Western desserts yet. Sorry, sorry!”

Gokudera sighed, a hand covering his eyes as he looked at the pile of black that was in the oven tray. “Then don’t try. Just leave it to me, you dumb cook.”

“Alright, alright!” Yamamoto raised his hands up as if in surrender. “I’ll get out of your way then, Gokudera.” He stepped backwards, grabbing the bowl he had prepared and placing it back into the steam to keep it warm. “Ah, right - the miso soup is in the pot still on the stove.”

“Understood,” Gokudera said distractedly, already getting out the ingredients he needed. “Tell the others that they can have their dinner after I’m done.”

1945 - Send the guests off

“It’s been fun today, Kyouya,” Dino Cavallone was saying, his clothes torn and obviously ill-used. There was a cut on his hand, exposed by the lack of his customary gloves and hastily bandaged, and he still kept his sword at his waist.

Hibari only grunted in response, looking worse for wear. The duke laughed, reaching over and picking a leaf out of his hair before darting back into his carriage. “Don’t come tomorrow,” the boy demanded.

“Of course not,” Dino’s smile was wide and nearly blinding even as he closed the door. “Despite how I might seem, I’m still a Duke, you know. I do have work to do.”

After getting the last word, Dino laughed again before, leaning back against the velvet seats. Romario pulled on the reins, and the carriage set off back to the Cavallone Mansion.

Gokudera turned to face Hibari again, taking in the cuts and bruises that littered his entire body. He wisely decided to not make a mention of it - if Hibari needed help, he would ask for it. If nothing else, Gokudera had this reassurance.

“Dinner is ready, young master. Where would you like to have it served today?”

Hibari didn’t even stop, pulling off his tie as he headed for his room. “Bring it to my sitting room.”

“Yes, sir,” Gokudera bowed once, shortly, before heading back to the kitchens.

2000 - Serve dinner

Hibari dabbed his lips with a napkin, placing down the porcelain chopsticks. He watched as Gokudera cleared the plates, placing them back onto the silver tray before sitting backwards and crossing his legs.

“Do you regret the contract, Gokudera Hayato?” his voice was soft and as impassive as ever. Gokudera turned, cocking his head to the side slightly.

“Isn’t that my question to ask, young master?”

Hibari shook his head, “I don’t regret any of my actions.” His eyes were bright and gleaming with determination. “But do you?”

The glow of the circle that penetrates even through the blindfold; the feel of the rough cotton gag in his mouth and the ropes that chafed his wrists and knees - they made him the sacrifice, laid him out for a demon to devour so that they can chain it down. Hibari almost spat out in disgust, his hands clenching sporadically.

He hears chanting around him, floating in and out of his hearing. The floor burns, the lines of the ritual circle nearly scorching his skin. Kicking outwards, he tries to struggle, but the ropes seem almost sentient, and simply hold him down even more.

Then, he hears a voice.

“Ch’, what the fuck do these humans think they are, calling me out like that,” it’s low and rough, like the scrape of sandpaper across delicate skin. “Fucking cowards...”

“Shut up,” he can speak, Hibari realizes, the gag is no longer around his mouth. But he pushes the questions away and focuses on the voice.

“Bloody hell, sacrifices are supposed to be more polite than that.”

“I do whatever I want,” the boy spits out immediately, snapping his eyes open. But there’s nothing around him but an all-encompassing black. “I’m not going to become some sacrifice for them to use.”

There is a long silence, and then scornful laughter, “Pretty much all of you guys say that when you’re not begging for your lives. How are you going to do that while still tied up, huh?”

“They want to bind you to a contract, demon,” Hibari says. “And they’re not willing to pay with their souls.” He breathes out, and his grin is bloodthirsty when he next speaks, “Free me. I’ll kill them, and I’ll be your master.”

A loud snort, “You’re just a kid.”

“I’m not one of those herbivores,” Hibari growls out, his eyes darting from side to side to find the source of the voice even through the blindfold. “I refuse to accept their rules. I will kill them, and I will remake this place. I’ll remake whatever that displeases me.

“I want your power for that.”

A sizzle, like a match being lit, “You have big ambitions for a kid. Your soul will belong to me, are you okay with that?”

“I don’t live for the afterlife, and I’m not waiting for someone to ‘save’ me,” Hibari sounds disgusted by the very idea. “Besides... I’ll bite you to death before belonging to you.”

For a long moment, there’s nothing but silence. Then- laughter, “You... you really are something special, brat. Alright. I’ll do it.”

And then there’s a flicker- and the world goes entirely white.

Gokudera bowed, a knee folding as he lowered his head, hand pressed flat against his lapel, just above his heart.

“No, my lord. I will never regret.”

“True,” Hibari only smirked at the display, turning around and heading for the door. “Demons don’t regret, do they?”

“Neither do you, young master.”

Hibari stopped walking, looking back and meeting Gokudera’s red-tinged eyes with his own. “Maybe I’m also a demon, then.”

The door made a quiet click as it closed behind him.

2200 - Send the young master to bed

Gokudera lifted the wide basin of dirtied water away after drying him properly. He sat it down at a stool, turning back and retrieving the nightclothes from the closet. Slipping the silk nightshirt over Hibari’s thin shoulders before stepping back, he let the boy button the shirt up himself.

(Hibari had always been far too self-sufficient to be a true gentleman.)

“Goodnight, young master Hibari,” Gokudera murmured, turning to exit the room.

“Gokudera Hayato,” Hibari called him back, pulling up the blankets. His tonfas were tucked in neatly beneath them. “Guard the gardens tonight.”

The butler turned around and bowed again; one last time for the day.

“Yes, my lord.”

0300 - Protect the manor

It only took a few seconds.

The assassins that were targeting his young masters were getting more and more incompetent by the day, Gokudera sneered mentally as he flicked blood off one of the steak knives he appropriated from the kitchens. He looked at the piles of bodies beneath his feet; at the red blood oozing out from those wounds and his lips curled up in disgust.

The young master had mentioned the gardens... red-tinged green eyes flickered towards that direction. He smirked, grasping onto the corpses with both hands before he jumped over the walls, landing inside the grounds.

Well, as his lord has commanded... The steak knives flashed.

And the newly-planted sakura trees fed well that night.

End