[Fic] A Good Show

[branchandroot]

Cross-post from my archive.

Fandom/Arc: Kuroshitsuji, Standalone
Characters/Pairings: Ciel, Sebastian
Summary: Sebastian stays with Ciel for his perfection--by demonic standards.
Meta: Character Sketch, I-3
Wordcount: 279

Sebastian stood in front of his mirror and adjusted his cuffs minutely. Aesthetics were important. He was currently a butler, and a proper butler was always perfectly turned out.

---

A Good Show

Sebastian stood in front of his mirror and adjusted his cuffs minutely. Aesthetics were important. He was currently a butler, and a proper butler was always perfectly turned out.

The tick of his pocketwatch marked the minute and he strode briskly down the hall to wake his master.

He amused himself with his own flowing patter about breakfast and tea; really, it was no surprise the British of this generation were dabbling about calling his kind; they had a natural, or perhaps national, talent for ritual. He slid on Ciel’s shoes, stifling a snort at the childish way Ciel rubbed the sleep from his eyes. How many among the English underground, he wondered, would be afraid of Earl Phantomhive if they saw him yawning around his fist in the mornings?

Fortunately, the child did not have ascendancy in his latest master.

"And, of course, Lord Randal will be here this afternoon to speak with you about the smuggling through Kent." he finished.

Ciel stood and Sebastian’s eyes widened, drinking in the change as the light of Ciel’s soul flared and focused, hard as sapphire.

"Yes." All trace of petulant laziness was gone from Ciel’s voice and his eyes were sharp and bright above a faint smile. "We must receive him properly." That smile gained a malicious curve for one breath. "See to it."

Sebastian’s mouth curled in answer and he bowed deeply before Ciel’s bared edge. "Yes, my lord," he murmured, not to the order, which was a given in any case, but to acknowledge the appearance of a master worthy of his contract.

Aesthetics were very important.

End

Comments

[annotated_em]

They are marvelously suited to each other. In ways that are ever so faintly alarming.

Query: "pentulant"?

[branchandroot]

Aren't they? *grins* And Sebastian seems to get so much entertainment out of listing china patterns.

(Argh. *goes to fix*)

[annotated_em]

If I were more versed in their canons, I would so dearly love to pit Sebastian against Jeeves. Or Bunter.

[ladynogitsune]

Ah, Ciel. Demonic perfection indeed.

I really like the way you capture these two~

[branchandroot]

Thanks! *pokes them* I'm hoping that eventually I'll make it out of character sketch land and into some longer stuff, but I never know at this stage. As long as the sketch is good, I'm happy!

[ciceqi]

they had a natural, or perhaps national, talent for ritual

Ahahaha, I love that phrase so much! (It's so true, but it's so well-put!) Awesome!

[branchandroot]

Thank you, hon! *snerks* You gotta figure, a demon would be vastly amused by the British upper class fetish for ritual.