That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Performs 3

Freckles watched dejectedly as his new friend ran off, feeling a little guilty. Jumbo placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder while the other men watched, wondering what had just happened.

"Wot's all the fuss?" one man murmured. "Did they get into it?"

"What's wiv 'im?" Dagger wondered. He hadn't been paying attention to their little argument, but it was unusual to see the perky freckles so dejected. All of them were too preoccupied with the scene in front of them to notice the stoic demon butler behind them. Sebastian had arrived with some towels just in time to see Ciel and Freckles' little drama scene. He sighed. Even though Ciel had just ordered the demon not to leave the boy alone and not treat him like his master, that was not longer an option—What would Chêne say if he let her 'cute little brother' catch a cold?

=†=†=†=†=

Ciel was shivering terribly, despite having sat down and having hugged his knees closer in an attempt to concentrate his body heat. He had run always the way past the sleeping tents and was now hidden amongst some 'gypsy covered wagons that were being used for storage. Ciel knew he shouldn't be out in the cold like this, soaking wet, but he wasn't ready to go back yet. He couldn't.

FWAP~

The young earl didn't show it, but he was a little surprised when he felt something soft and warm being gently laid over him. For a brief moment, he almost thought it was Chêne bringing him the blanket.

"You will catch a cold," Sebastian chided him slightly as he presented Ciel with some neatly folded articles of dry clothing. "Please change into these." Despite being given the blanket, Ciel was still shivering a little. However, the boy made no move to take the clothing from him.

"... Had enough," Ciel mumbled lowly, just barely loud enough for the demon to hear.

"Yes?" Sebastian asked, wondering just what Ciel had 'had enough' of.

"I've had enough!" Ciel shouted much louder this time. "I'll go mad if I'm made to continue living like this!!" he ranted. Ciel hadn't been shivering just because of the cold—he had been shaking with anger and frustration, too.

"Oh dear... are you giving up already?" Sebastian asked, sighing. "You lack fortitude." If Ciel didn't know better, he might have thought the demon was slightly disappointed in him, but then the ghost of a smirk snaked it's way onto Sebastian's lips. "Going mad from something of this sort... is not like Young Master at all," he stated ominously, causing Ciel to shiver as an entirely different sort of chill when the demon's words conjured up haunting memories best left forgotten from his time with that depraved cult.

"Hah..." Ciel exhaled, calming himself. "Not like me... hm...? Indeed," Ciel said, clenching his fist underneath the blanket. "I, the head of the Phantomhive family, living like this... No, it ought not to be like me at all," Ciel stated haughtily as he threw his head back defiantly.

FLAP.

"We'll get this over with quickly," Ciel decided as he stood and tossed the blanket aside so he could change into the dry clothes. Just sitting there and brooding wasn't going to help him accomplish anything.

"—As you wish," Sebastian replied dutifully, smirking slightly as he placed a hand upon his breast.

"In any case..." Ciel said thoughtfully as the demon butler started helping him change. "... We need only investigate the tents of the first string before we depart. I thought I would quietly aim to be promoted there... but I can't afford to leisurely bide my time in this environment. I'm at my wits' end."