Hi guys! This is so exciting. This is the first story I've posted though I've spent many an hour reading the works of other people. I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read what I've written.

I would also like to go ahead and dedicate this story to the wonderful and amazing Anti Social Shinigami who made all of this possible.

Chao~

Majix

"I've never tasted sweets more delicious than Sebastian's."

The young Earl's visible eye glittered in the flawless reflection of the spoon as he recalled the many delicious treats his beloved butler had made for him during their time together.

Pawn, Rook or Knight, the demon had never served him anything less than perfection when it came to dessert. Really, for anything he served, but not like dessert. Nothing like dessert.

"S-sweets?" The older gentleman looked mildly confused for a moment before bursting into a chorus of laughter, once again realizing that the Earl Phantomhive was still a child, even if his rigid business demeanor begged to differ. And as it appeared, he wasn't just a child, he was a child with quite a demanding sweet tooth.

"That must be quite important to you." He added on with an amused smile.

The boy smirked and continued to fix his gaze on the center of the spoons curve, briefly wondering what Sebastian would bring him today. He hoped for something light, creamy and perhaps even fruity. His thoughts danced around the many dishes that he'd tried before, running from the extravagant way Sebastian made German chocolate cake all the way back to the tarts that he was used to receiving early in the morning, all of which just broadened his smirk, casually turning it into the smile of pure childlike innocence.

"I look forward to today's dessert."

The blunette looked up from his reflection just as Sebastian approached with the apricot and green tea mille-feuille. His sapphire gaze twinkled as he was served. It was perfect, as always. The strawberries decorating the plate were at the very peak of ripeness, though berry season had ended months ago. The cream was superior, it had the perfect texture, creamy and smooth but not too thick or to runny. Combined with the sweet bread, it was absolutely divine and the Earl found himself sighing contently as the treat soothed him in a way that nothing short of his late mother's comfort could. It was the same for all of Sebastian's creations, although the young Phantomhive would never tell him that.

As his companion took his first bite, it was obvious he'd finally discovered that, though Ciel was a child, his delight over the fierce butler's desserts was more than justified, if not under appreciated.

What a treasure the servant must be. The trick with the table cloth during their previous course had been nothing short of stunning magic. Even an aristocrat such as himself could admit that if any of his own servants had attempted such a trick it would have undoubtedly ended with dinner all over the floor and the china left in shards and pieces.

As they finished dessert, the elder was pleased to find that every bite of the treat had been just as delicious as the first.

He wiped his mouth and promptly stood, "I do hope you enjoy your game, Earl Phantomhive. As I'm sure you know, dinner, as well as dessert, was splendid. I trust you'll write me again soon?"

Ciel stood from his chair and offered the man a cool smile, the action not nearly meeting his eyes as it had earlier when he'd been quietly day dreaming about sweets, "Of course. I'll have Sebastian show you out."

Ciel hardly spared the older man a glance as they parted ways. He didn't have to cast a look to know that the elder in black had appeared to lead the other man out of the manor the moment the bluenette had spoken. It was to be expected without error for a servant of Phantomhive manor.

Sebastian grinned smugly as he obediantly showed their guest to the door, extending a slight bow as the man passed.

His lips almost twitched with mild irritation as he bowed to the inferior being before him. What a pathetic species humans were. Consumed by simplicities such as wealth and envy. They hosted parties, full blown balls, for aristocrats that they hated, married off their daughters to men they spoke ill of just mere hours before and after all the airy kisses had been exchanged, after the champagne was gone and the dance floor was empty, they went back to their hatred. Their contempt.

The nobles cocooned themselves within their greed and their belongings and bragged about what they had that the others didn't or what they were missing; all the while scolding their servants for only being human.

He could, however, admit that not all humans were this way. He himself had once been human, and though he didn't, or rather couldn't, recall the faces of those in his own time period that didn't act this way, he knew they existed none the less. Some existed in this time as well, but not many.

Human nature disgusted the demon, however it was good for business. The things humans would willingly sacrifice their soul for, it astounded him. Not that he complained. He was a demon of appetite, every one of his kind knew that. He loved souls and though he preferred top quality food, he wasn't one to shun a meal. His contract with Ciel was one of the longest he'd been caught in. Even he had to admit that it was exciting in a way so very few contracts were. Most people wanted simple things. Things like gold or women, sometimes even knowledge but they never considered what they were going to do with these things without a soul. Of course, he really didn't bother to tell them to think ahead.

It was even more astounding that they didn't think ahead considering that more likely than not, when he was summoned, it was on purpose. He could count the number of times he'd been accidentally summoned on one hand. In fact, there was only one. One single time that he'd felt the calling, the familiar tug towards the human realm on his demonic core; when he'd discovered the condition of his current master and realized that it was through pure accident, mere chance, that he'd been Summoned. However he offered the deal to his young master none the less.

It'd been almost a year now and sometimes he could still smell the prickly sweet scent of black magic, the metallic twang of blood and the unmistakable allure of fear. To Sebastian, there was very little sweeter than fear.

Souls were fickle. Everything effected the way they tasted. Purity, intentions, experiences, desires and especially emotions. The hidden flavor that fear of death introduced to a soul was forever present, always within the memory. As old as he was, he'd never tasted an innocent soul that'd been marked by the fear of death. The young master wouldn't be pure by the time his contract ended, the Queen herself assured this but what most people didn't know is that once a contact has been made, once the seal is confirmed and accepted, the soul is bound. It will never change. No matter what the vessel chose to do, whether it be to lie, steal or even kill. The soul of his master would remain pure and fearful until the day Sebastian chose to consume it.

That didn't mean that specific emotions and desires couldn't strengthen and smooth over time. No, certain flavors aged the soul like wine, the longer they hung around, sitting on a shelf waiting, the better they'd be and the boy had one flavor that Sebastian could never resist; desire for revenge. There was nothing quite like revenge. Like fear, the desire for revenge is never entirely forgotten, even if the quest is abandoned; but when one was willing to give up their eternity, their very soul, for the sake of vengeance, it held an exotic essence indeed. An essence that he couldn't wait to experience.

"Sebastian."

The butler looked up, the soft spoken voice of his master catching his attention in an instant. Without having to respond, the tall man in black knew that Ciel would be sitting in his private study and if he had to guess, he'd want Sebastian to bring tea. Though the bluenette wasn't predictable like most humans, Sebastian knew him entirely too well.

The butler smirked and made his way to the kitchen with quick ease, directing Mey-Rin towards the china and scolding Bard over his choice method of cooking, all the while preparing a pot of tea for the Earl.

Ciel quietly stood in front of the dark mahogany book case with his hands clasped behind his back. A most interesting day indeed, but not entirely uncommon. He knew that the servants were definitely a handful for Sebastian, Mey-Rin and Finny especially, but they were always at their best, or rather their worst, when guests were present.

He snickered as he ran a finger down one of the many old and fragile spines. He really couldn't blame them though. Even if they were all accident prone and trying to help, succeeding only in chaos, they were loyal to the core. That, and just once he'd like to see someone best the butler and perhaps even leave him speechless. He himself had tried, he'd sent for countless martial artists, combat trained soldiers, but no matter what, the butler always came out on top.

The Earl of Phantomhive was both grateful and annoyed by this.

The boy looked at the empty doorway and sighed, glancing at the clock and wondering what was keeping Sebastian. He'd called for him nearly five minutes ago. Of all the things Ciel Phantomhive was, patient wasn't one of them. Able to bide his time, like a snake waiting for the mouse to calm? Yes. Content with waiting for the things he desired? Not in the least.

He could admit that he wasn't originally this way, when his parents were alive, when Tanaka was his butler, but that was long ago. Practically another lifetime.

His heart fluttered as he thought of his mother with all her patience, and all that she was. When he thought back on her face, she appeared almost as a worn photograph, the edges darkening and the paper yellowing. Her hair wasn't as bright, her smile not as radiant. Her memory was a hollow echo of who she had been in life, and his recollections didn't do her justice in the slightest. It was even worse with his father. He could barely remember his face, and though he had many memories of their time together, he couldn't picture the way his father had looked when he smiled.

It disturbed him that his memories seemed so far away, that his parents were fading, but as the Watchdog of the Queen, and the Earl of Phantomhive, it was not in his best interest to dwell on memories of the past.

Ciel was brought out of his thoughts as he heard Sebastian quietly open the door to his study. He looked up as his butler wheeled in the small trolly and he could've sworn he saw the elder momentarily pause for a mere fraction of a second as their eyes met. The Phantomhive could forcibly cast the memories from his thoughts, he could not, however, erase the ghosts that lingered in his gaze, and he was sure that the demon saw it. "

I was beginning to wonder whether or not you'd heard me call for you." He stated as he made his way back behind his desk and to his chair.

Sebastian bowed his head before collecting a saucer and a cup, pouring the hot liquid into the thin glass and adding two sugars and a dash of milk before placing it in front of his master. "Of course I heard you, my young Lord. I merely sought to bring you evening tea before I arrived."

He continued smoothly, "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Ciel leaned forward and placed his elbows on the solid wood desk on either side of his teacup, his fingers coming together in a perfect steeple. "Bring me a lemon tart, Sebastian. Make it a tad bit more sweet than usual."

"My Lord, if you will, it's becoming quite late and you had dessert less than half an hour ago."

The boy cast him an unbecoming glare over his fingers, his deep navy iris glittering with minor defiance, and a deep underlying emotion. "A lemon tart, Sebastian. I didn't stutter, nor did I ask you when I last ate dessert or when I would be going to bed."

The butlers gaze hardened as he looked at the younger man. Part of him wanted to reach out and wrap his glove clad fingers around his throat, but the other half idly worried. It was no secret that the bluenette adored his sweet treats, but it was uncommon knowledge to anybody but himself that the Phantomhive especially loved his pastries when his mind was troubled or riddled with emotional stress. Sebastian wondered which it was, stress, trouble, or merely an overzealous sweet tooth.

"My apologies."

He turned on heel and left the Earl to his thoughts as he retraced his steps back down to the kitchen to make yet another batch of tarts.

Ciel sighed and ran the tip of one of his fingers slowly around the rim of his tea cup. Around and around as his thoughts drifted back and forth across the lines of life and death, between the lives of the damned, and the memories of the deceived. Black and white, along with every single shade of gray in between. He could see the steam start to dwindle before disappearing but he just couldn't bring himself to drink it. There would always be more tea, but for now, he was lost. Momentarily consumed by his memories and his thoughts.

To anyone else looking in, the boy looked stern, plotting and perhaps even a tad bit vacant. His posture was rigid and the way he held himself screamed tension but to an outsider, he merely looked like a child imitating his father, thinking of the day when he himself would have his own responsibilities, but Ciel knew about responsibility. He knew more than most.

As the boy sat and pondered, Sebastian steadily worked in the kitchen, taking more time than usual in making the tart pastries. His annoyance was almost forgotten as he delicately brushed over the sweet flaky bread with a light dust of powdered sugar.

It'd been a long day, and he could tell that his master was tired. They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow and he hoped the tarts would put the Phantomhive's mind, or sweet tooth, at ease. It would simply not do to have Ciel grumpy and short tempered during their investigations.

Sebastian drizzled a light lemon glaze over the top of each individual treat before calmly making his way back to the study. He paused and quietly knocked on the door to the study, waiting to be granted entrance, but the confirmation never came.

The butler silently twisted the knob and peered into the dim room. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he saw that his master had drifted off to sleep at the desk. The butler shook his head and glided quietly across the floor to stand beside the young master.

He set the tarts on the desk and brushed his thumb over the sleeping boys cheek, gently rousing him from sleep. "Come, my Lord, it's time for bed."

The groggy Earl looked up at his butler, his vision still cloudy with sleep, "Sebastian, where are my tarts?"

The elder chuckled quietly and brushed the stray hair out of the young man's face, "I have them here but you look especially tired. I will prepare more lemon tarts in the morning."

Ciel nodded sleepily and looked up at Sebastian with half lidded eyes as he tugged the annoying medical bandage from his eye, the violet contract practically glowing in the faintly lit room. "Carry me to bed, Sebastian."

The butler was momentarily surprised but his surprise faded quickly as he watched the boy sway as he stood from his chair. "Of course, young master."

Sebastian came up to him and easily scooped him up, cradling him bridal style as he made his way through the manor towards the Master's bedroom. As he walked, he glanced down at Ciel only to find that he was once again asleep.

He found it slightly ironic that the bluenette was able to sleep so soundly in the arms of a demon. A sadistic demon that would eventually devour his soul. The demon smirked as he gently laid the bluenette on the bed and made quick and easy work of the buttons on his coat.

Sebastian pulled off garment after garment until only the boy's underwear remained. He turned to the master's closet and pulled out his sleeping clothes, only to find that Ciel had turned over onto his side while he'd been searching. The ghosted smile returned but rapidly diminished as he saw the brand on the young master's back. Without thinking, Sebastian reached out and ran one of his covered fingers over the raised scar tissue, only to jerk his hand back when Ciel whimpered and curled tightly into himself.

The elder slowly worked the boy into his night clothes and slipped him into his bed, pulling the covers up close around him, watching with mild amusement as Ciel instantly snuggled deeper into his blankets. Sebastian turned to leave only to catch half of his Master's mumbled words.

"Pardon, my Lord?"

The boy looked up at him with groggy eyes plastered with oncoming sleep, "Will you stay with me for a little bit?"

The butler almost frowned but instead smiled calmly, "Of course, young Master. I will be back by your side in less than a minute."

The boy nodded and Sebastian bowed slightly before briskly walking out of the room, stopping at the study to retrieve the tarts that he'd been requested to make unnecessarily as well as the untouched cup of tea.

The butler made his way down to the kitchen, easily finding the chef fiddling with the knives. "Bard."

The blonde whipped around, startled and gave the butler a cheeky grin, his gaze instantly fixing on the treats that Sebastian carried. "Dispose of these in whatever way you see fit."

The butler placed the treats on the counter, catching the widening grin on the chef's face before he turned on heel and made his way back to the master's bedroom to protect him as he slept.