Mostly I Write Reader Inserts

Originally posted by senjutobiirama

Summary: At least he can give you one hell of a goodbye before they leave.

Rating/Tags: M (overt sexual references; Phantomhive Manor; major time skip from canon; college-bound!Ciel; Ciel without quotation marks; Sebastian & Ciel; Sebastian & Ciel & Reader; historical inaccuracies; not canon compliant)

Challenge: “160 Collective Drabbles” challenge by BobaPop on Lunaescence Archives.

Notes: I haven’t read Black Butler since 2012, and I haven’t watched the anime, period. However, because I have a friend that keeps up with the series from time to time, I am aware of some plot insanity that makes this scenario completely impossible. C’est la vie. 

Tag List: @imaginesfire​

College

A hollow sort of hush lay over the enormous house and all its grounds that hot August afternoon. The sun beat down on vacant flowerbeds and through the window panes into empty rooms. If any of the home’s usually raucous staff was there to see, none of them moved, none of them spoke. Their tasks were done, and what else was left but to wait for the inevitable? Wait they must. Being shouted at over their apathy was not much different than being shouted at for their enthusiasm.

Only two servants seemed to have escaped the oppressive moroseness that hung like a sheet over Phantomhive Manor. Hot as it was, sad as it was, they still had work to do. Down the deserted corridor, up the stairs, and inside the bare master bedroom stood the pair: a man, slender and dressed all in black, and a woman in a maid uniform. 

The curtains had been pulled back and the window opened in the hopes of letting in some cheer, or at least a breeze. It appeared to be working, for the woman smiled as she watched the man sift through the trunk on the floor.

He lifted his head from its depths with a sigh. “I suppose everything appears to be in order,” he told the woman at his side.

You grinned, pressing your palms together. “That should be the last of it, then! We’re all finished.”

“You say that now. No doubt Mey-Rin will decide to sneak in some last minute token of appreciation and upset things all over again.”

“And Finny will want him to take flowers to remember the place by, and Baldroy will recall how awful university food is and want to send him a whole month’s worth of rations.” A laugh at the expression on the man’s face could not be entirely avoided. “I don’t know where you think you get the right to look like that, Sebastian. I’m the one that has to stay here with them.”

Sebastian, for that was the butler’s name, and the maid’s was [Name], only carded a gloved hand through his messy bangs and collapsed on the end of the stripped bed. “You know that isn’t by my choice.”

“No, but I knew it would be the Earl’s choice from the beginning, even when he said he wanted to leave you here to look after things.” When Sebastian did nothing but continue to contemplate his knees, you lighted down next to him. “Still, I confess myself disappointed. It was nice to believe I might have you all to myself for a little bit.”

A quiet scoff, and then his hands found one of yours to hold between them. “I’m sure that’s why he decided to take me after all. Can’t have the butler having any free time, can we? Not to mention all the extremely useful things for a butler to do on a university campus.”

“Taking out the trash, finding his books at the library, cooking meals at two in the morning while he studies for an exam the next morning…”

He groaned. Giggle though you might have at Sebastian’s predicament, you could see how bone-tired he really was. And who could blame him? Ciel had been running him ragged, changing plans, changing them back, get this, get that, leave him alone, why was Sebastian not at his beck and call immediately? Of course even a demon would be exhausted–or annoyed. 

You bumped him lightly with your shoulder. “Hey, cheer up. I’ll be here to keep things running smoothly.”

“That’s the only thing keeping me from ripping that contract to pieces. No soul is worth this. Not even his.” Sebastian said this so dully that you might have believed he was serious, save for his dramatic fall against your side to rest his head on your shoulder and close his eyes.

“Then you’d miss out on seeing me every day,” you said.

The eyes opened up a sliver. “You’re not exactly worth it either.”

“True. I can almost promise the house won’t blow up while you’re away, but more than that…”

“There will be food and holes all over the walls. Garden dead. No clean laundry. Pantry empty. I’ll have to take each blunder out of your hide, you know.”

“That’s more like the Sebastian I know,” you breathed as you caught the smirk on his face. Your fingers danced through his hair for the shortest time imaginable before he twisted away to take your chin.

“In fact, all of these preparations might have gone more smoothly without your mistakes. It’s partially your fault that I’m considering giving my notice,” he said. “I should take that out of your hide now.”

Without further discussion, he pressed his lips to yours–“press” being the polite term for it. Heaven knew it was hot enough already. The two of you were already on a bed, however, and you were splayed across it, head spinning, before anything could be done to stop it. Sebastian’s mouth and other…admirable attributes made for a much better distraction from the warm summer and Ciel’s departure than any nonexistent breeze could. You gasped as you felt Sebastian hitch your skirts up, and–

“Here you two are. I trust you’ve finished the packing if you’ve decided you have time for a lark on my bed.”

You and Sebastian both sat up to find the master of the house–a young man with dark blue hair and an eye patch–standing in the doorway. His hands were on his hips and his usual peeved expression on his face. Ciel had found you in more compromising positions before, though, and his mind must have been too stuck on his upcoming trip to really be upset over such behavior from his servants–especially his only competent two. 

Sebastian bowed, a smile not quite making it to his face in time.

“And what is it that you are doing on my bed?” Ciel asked, eyebrow raised.

Sebastian did manage a smile at that. “If I couldn’t get my master packed for university and pleasure a woman at the same time, what sort of butler would I be?”

“More hygienic, I should hope.” Ciel lifted his eye heavenward and shook his head. “Sebastian, come along. I need to go over the wallpaper with you again. I don’t think the red was a good decision. [Name], get this room dressed up again. Why did you strip it? Or do you expect me to sleep on nothing when I come home for the holidays?”

“Yes, my lord,” you said, curtsying as you got a little unsteadily to your feet. 

No matter how many times Ciel walked in on you and Sebastian, you could never capture the same indifference as your companion. Too many real human emotions, you supposed. Not that that was going to stop you when Sebastian treated you like that.

“And you can go to the kitchen and help Baldroy when you’re done. I don’t want to hear another word about this going away feast he’s been prattling on about. Something light should do. I want to be situated by nine tomorrow morning, so Sebastian and I will be leaving at dusk.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And close the window. If I’d wanted the place aired out, I would have said.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Serves you right,” Sebastian said in a low voice, as Ciel turned out into the hallway once again. “I’ll see you this evening, for as long as the master allows it. So be ready.”

“Yes, my lord,” you said with a bit of a wicked grin.

Sebastian smirked again, but before any further promises of punishment could come, Ciel was back in the room. “Sebastian!”

“Coming, sir.”

You watched them go, still smiling for as long as you could. Eventually, you would have to go downstairs and be overcome by the rest of the staff’s grief. Eventually, you would have to say goodbye to Sebastian and your master both. But not just yet, you didn’t think. Years of service to the young earl, and you knew he was softer than he let on–well, softer to everyone but Sebastian. He wouldn’t be able to resist the feast once he actually came downstairs for dinner. 

And after? After the chores, after the tears, after the packing and repacking and packing again? You still had Sebastian for one more night. For a few minutes anyway. In between changing wallpaper and listening to Ciel complain about the heat.