Disclaimer: I do not own Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji. All rights and characters belong to the creator, Yana Toboso. I am not profiting or making any money from the publishing of this story.

Something was troubling the young Master, and it seemed as if he was the only one that was aware of it. Of course, it was only several days ago that the Jack The Ripper case was solved, resulting in Madame Red's death, and perhaps this was what the other servants assumed had the Master out of sorts lately.

But Sebastian knew better.

Ciel was not one to mourn in such a way, not even for the loss of a loved one.

Perhaps it had something to do with their encounter with the Reaper? Or maybe it was the fact that Ciel had ended up in a cage once again, just like that night when he had summoned Sebastian to him.

Had Sebastian not been the demon he was, he would have gone to every length to get to the bottom of his Master's discomfort. However, he was a demon, after all, and he rather did enjoy seeing the small human squirm. Alas, he was also a butler, and what sort of butler would be be if he allowed his young Master to suffer?

The demon smirked, though no one was around to see it, as he wheeled the tea trolly towards his human Master's study. He was almost certain that Ciel was still so distracted that he would not have gotten any work done since the last time Sebastian visited the study.

In some ways, he is still so much a child, the demon thought to himself as he arrived before the study doors and gave a light knock to announce his presence. He received no answer, which was expected. So he opened the door anyway, bringing with him fresh tea and a light snack, something sweet to entice the human without spoiling his dinner.

Just as expected, Ciel still sat behind the desk, the same missive still sitting before him, waiting for his attention. Now, however, he faced away from the ornate wooden desk, and instead had turned his chair, which was still much too large for him, to face the window behind him, putting the demon at his back.

"Young Master, I have brought your afternoon tea," the butler announced, pouring the steaming beverage into a cup and setting it upon the desk, even though the boy showed no interest in it at the moment. "As well as a fruit parfait," the demon added, hoping the mention of desserts would draw the Master's attention.

No such luck.

In just three long strides the demon was at his Master's side, staring down at the human boy who was currently gazing out the window as if in a trance. It seemed as if he was unaware that the butler was even in the room, let alone standing right beside him. It was rare for anyone to sneak up on Ciel, and yet he had presented the demon with a perfect opportunity.

Not one to pass up such a tempting opportunity, Sebastian stepped forward once more, effectively blocking Ciel's view out the window. Slowly, as if the boy was reluctant, the boy's single cobalt eye moved up his form before settling on the butler's face. The demon watched him carefully, searching for an explanation in the boy's face, and was surprised when he found none.

"Would you care to share what is on your mind, Master?" the demon inquired softly as he leaned forward, hands reaching around the boy's head and quickly finding the knot that held Ciel's eye patch secure. Deft fingers worked the knot free in a matter of seconds, allowing the patch to fall into the human's lap.

The sight of the boy's marked eye staring up at him in such a way sent a thrill through the fiend, and he gently traced his gloved fingers over the soft skin below the boy's eye, drawing a shudder from the younger male.

Ciel continued to gaze at him, and though Sebastian could see something flickering in the human's gaze, he could not identify the emotion there.

Finally, the Master spoke.

"Sebastian, those reapers, they collect souls, correct?" His voice was pitched low, and if the demon wasn't mistaken he would have thought the boy sounded unsure.

"Indeed, it is their job to harvest the souls of those predicted to die," he answered dutifully.

"And their...death scythes, are they all so gruesome?" He was, of course, referring to Grell's custom chainsaw, which Sebastian had to admit, was quite different from the scythes he was used to seeing from their kind. However, it seemed to fit the red-haired reaper; it was just as flamboyant as he was.

"No, my Lord, they are not usually so. However, reapers are not usually as flashy as that one was, either." He shuddered, recalling that the reaper had also mentioned something about wanting to have the demon's babies.

"I see. So, if reapers use their death scythes to collect souls, then...what do demons use?" Ciel asked, doing his best to keep a straight face and his voice uninterested.

Sebastian chuckled, now seeing where this conversation was headed.

"Well," he began, taking another step closer, practically looming over the small human he served, his hand still resting below Ciel's marked eye, "that all depends on the demon, my Lord. Unlike the reapers, we do not stick to a code of conduct or ethic."

His eyes were now glowing a frightening shade of vermillion, though Ciel still met his gaze head on, never once flinching.

The demon could practically see the thoughts churning in the boy's head, wondering if he would be murdered as ruthlessly as his aunt had been. He was just waiting for the boy to voice his next question.

He was not disappointed.

"And...what of your methods?"

"My methods, Master?" Of course, Sebastian knew exactly what the boy was implying, but he so wanted to hear him speak the words he was longing to hear.

The boy's mismatched eyes hardened with a resolve that had not been there moments before. His small hands clenched into fists, and his lips formed a hard line.

"You are to be my death," the Earl began, making sure to keep his voice even as he spoke, not wanting to reveal more than was necessary to the demon that served him. "How, Sebastian, will I die?" he finally asked, his voice faltering near the end.

Sebastian was silent for a moment, reveling at the implication of his master's words. "You wish to know what your death will feel like?" He lightly stroked the boy's face, taking advantage of the fact that Ciel had not yet demanded to be unhanded.

"Do not make me repeat myself," the Earl growled.

The butler smiled, "As you wish."

Moving too quickly for the human eye to see, the demon scooped the small human from his seat before moving the chair away from the desk with a nudge of his foot. He deposited the child atop the large wooden desk, parting his knees and stepping between them. By the time the Earl had realized what had happened, he was spluttering curses at the demon and squirming in Sebastian's grasp.

"Now, now, Young Master, this was your order," the demon cooed, bringing his hands, which Ciel noticed were now missing their customary white gloves, up to the boy's face and cupped his cheeks. The Earl was unable to turn away now, his head help in place by the demon's unearthly grip, and his eyes captured by the haunting gaze of his demon.

Sebastian smirked at Ciel's vulnerable state, wondering how long he would be able to keep him this way. Keeping their gazes locked, the demon closed the distance between them, stepping even closer so that Ciel's legs had to part further to accommodate his presence there. Moving slowly, so as not to startle his young Master, Sebastian dipped his head, lips connecting with the boy's soft flesh, just below his marked eye, kissing him almost tenderly.

This only lasts for a moment, though, before the butler moves on to carrying out the order of his Master. Sebastian's lips find those of the human boy, connecting gently at first, and then with an increasing urgency. When Ciel makes no move to pull away, the demon releases his face, his right arm moving down to encircle the tiny waist, bringing them still closer, his hand settling on the boy's slender hip. His left hand, baring the mark of their contract, moved to to thread through Ciel's silky hair, fingers lightly gripping at the roots to keep him in place. He watches as the human's mismatched eyes widen at first with surprise, and then close slowly as he relaxed into the demon's kiss.

Ciel, on his end, was shocked at how warm and soft the demon's lips were, and how wonderful they felt pressed to his, moving against his own, coaxing them to open beneath the demon's attentions. He complied, hesitantly parting his lips beneath Sebastian's, gasping when the demon's skilled tongue dipped into his mouth, filling him with a heat he had never imagined possible. The butler stroked him from the inside, tangling with his own inexperienced tongue and dancing a devilish waltz.

Sebastian resisted the urge to purr at the human's reaction, he had honestly not expected the boy to submit so easily, and he was hard pressed not top further take advantage of the situation. Instead, he focused on showing Ciel exactly what it was the boy wanted to feel.

The sensations that were flooding the human's senses were indescribable, all he knew was that he didn't want them to end. He was sinking further into the demon's wicked embrace, his small hands coming up to grip the demon's shoulders for support, for fear that he would lose himself if he wasn't anchored.

However, soon emerged a very curious feeling in him, located in his chest, near his heart. There was a tugging sensation, as if there were a fragile thread linked to the organ, and someone was pulling on it, gently at first, and then more insistently. It was uncomfortable, though not necessarily painful. Then came the dizziness, as if his head were spinning, however, that could have also been the result of the forbidden act he was currently committing with his butler.

Just as he was beginning to wonder if Sebastian was toying with him, he experienced an unexplainable shortness of breath, that he was certain was not the result of their fevered kiss. It felt as if the breath were being sucked out of him, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to take in enough oxygen quick enough to fill his starving lungs. The tugging sensation in his chest was now so painful that he felt as if he was burning from the inside out, his heart about to burst.

His eyes snapped open to meet the glowing orbs of Sebastian, alight with a predatory excitement, and something else that the boy was unable to identify. Regret, perhaps?

He tightened his grip on the fiend's shoulders, desperate to keep himself conscious, yet at the same time trying to push the demon away, not liking that it had been so easy for the demon to make him let his guard down so far that he hadn't even noticed when Sebastian had began to truly follow his command.

His struggle was a futile one, as there was no way he would be able to break free of the butler's grip, not unless Sebastian chose to let him, of course. His eyes squeezed shut, salty tears beginning to leak from his eyes at the lack of oxygen, or perhaps it was because he truly believed that this would be the end; that perhaps he had been a little too loose with his words, and the demon would devour him right then.

Just as he was beginning to lose hope, he was suddenly able to breathe once again, and he gasped against Sebastian's lips, his starved lungs taking in the oxygen they craved so desperately. His head ceased swimming, and the terrible pain in his heart lessened before vanishing completely. His mouth was released, and he was able to breathe much more easily, though he still maintained his grasp on Sebastian's shoulders, his body trembling from the near death experience.

"Master?" Sebastian's sultry voice called to him, and the demon's fingers slipped below his chin, tilting his head up to meet those fiery orbs once again. "Are you well?"

Perhaps he was mistaken, but Ciel thought, for just a moment, he had heard genuine concern in the demon's voice, though he quickly brushed the thought away, knowing that he must have imagined it. However, as he gazed into Sebastian's entrancing eyes, he second guessed his casual dismissal, seeing in those devilish orbs a most peculiar emotion; a mix of regret, concern,surprise, and the struggle to keep himself under control.

"Y-yes," he answered, finally having caught his breath enough to speak. He was surprised to feel the demon's arms still around him, and the hand that had previously been tangled in his hair was now stroking his cheek tenderly, before moving to cup the back of his neck and pull him forward so that his face was buried in the demon's chest.

Normally, he would have struggled or thrown a fit at being handled in such a way, this time, however, was different. After such a terrifying experience, the child secretly craved the comfort his servant offered him, especially as the one who had frightened him so was the very same butler that held him so gently now.

"I apologize, Master," Sebastian murmured against his ear, his voice low and unusually soft. "I took this a little too far, I believe." When he received no answer from the child in his arms, he continued. "I must request, my Lord, that you refrain from tempting me in such a manner a second time."

At that Ciel glanced up, staring his butler boldly in the face. "Why?" he asked, though it came out more as a demand, a sign that he was feeling more like himself again.

"Because," the demon replied, lowering his face once again, so that their foreheads touched, "next time, I may not be able to control myself."

Author's Note: Well, I feel like this took me forever to finish! . Actually, at the same time I was writing this, I also began writing the next installment as well, though it is not finished yet, and was trying to decide which one I wanted to publish first.

Anyway, I look forward to your reviews, let me know what you think =)