A Demon's Pursuit. His Butler: exploring. (13)

Summary: Sebastian "persuades" Ciel to go on an adventure to the city. Ciel looks for a chance to leave the demon behind.

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Chapter 13: His Butler, exploring.

“Good evening, Phantomhive. If you're trying to avoid Redmond, you might want to stay away from the hallway. I'm afraid you're rather obvious loitering here.” Sebastian kept his voice quiet, but Ciel still nearly jumped. He looked up suspiciously at Sebastian, as though expecting him to do something tactless.

“I'm going to have dinner,” he said stiffly.

“No, you weren't,” Sebastian corrected with a prim gaze. “You saw who was there, and were about to turn away. But growing boys need their nourishment...

“How about a nice cup of hot cocoa in the study room?” Sebastian smiled his most charming smile.

“I'm not a child. I don't want cocoa.” Ciel pursed his lips.

“That's a shame because I do.” Sebastian chuckled. “I might be able to find something for you to eat as well...to repay you for helping me with the Internet the other day.” Sebastian turned without watching Ciel's response, certain Ciel would follow.

Ciel stared after him, debating his choices. He could follow Sebastian...and attempt to get information...or he could wait.

After all, going with Sebastian might further ostracize him. But Redmond had dropped a lot of the pressure he'd been holding over Ciel...so it wasn't much of an issue any longer. No one's here to see me go, anyway. Ciel thought to himself, and went after Sebastian.

“What kind of food?” he asked carefully. His stomach growled.

Sebastian chuckled; a dark sound that sent shivers down Ciel's neck. “Cocoa for now. We'll see...I was thinking...Well, why don't you come with me.”

Ciel frowned. Is he trying to sound ominous, or mysterious? he wondered.

Ciel hesitated before the entrance; reluctant to go into the same room Redmond had cornered him in. He peered through the door before going in, and even then he hesitated on the threshold. He noticed the heavy ceramic cups— stylish but not overly decorative. It was a far cry from the delicate Victorian style cups he imagined Sebastian would favor, even for hot chocolate.

It was this detail, perhaps, that drew him in. Watching him in close proximity would be good. And aside from that...if I don’t have the nerves to go in a room, how am I going to succeed my father? Being by his side, watching him...I could learn his habits. I wonder how much he knows about what's going on in the school? And if I can't make it past one door...I'm hardly good enough for the Phantomhive name. Ciel chided himself.

“Make yourself comfortable. It will be just a moment.”

Ciel watched as Sebastian made hot cocoa. Rather than simply add hot water to a powdered mix, however, he added some melted chocolate to some hot milk, and stirred briskly.

“Go ahead.” Sebastian handed him a cup.

Ciel took it, lifted it up to catch the scent, and smiled faintly. “Nice.” He sipped, and considered his words. “...So. Why here?” He asked eventually.

“Would you prefer to go elsewhere?” Sebastian asked.

Ciel made no reply. He took another drink of cocoa.

“You handled things well enough, Mr. Phantomhive. They won’t try anything like that again. At least…not when you’re expecting it or have time to plan a counter attack.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?” Ciel scoffed, feeling more annoyed than anything.

“You don’t seem afraid…are you in need of comforting, Ciel?” Sebastian smiled slowly.

Ciel couldn’t think of a coherent answer. He sipped his cocoa.

Sebastian cleared his throat. “As it turns out...I had a question about one of the apuri...”

“An app?” Ciel asked, his interest sharpening.

“You mentioned Jorudan the other time. What exactly is it for?”

“Oh, that's easy. Jorudan, is like the Google maps for trains in Japan.” On his phone, Ciel typed in the local station name as the start point and Shinjuku as the destination.

“So this tells me the distance, time, and fare to travel to downtown Tokyo. Hmm…” He seemed to consider something. He set down the dishes and took Ciel’s mug, leaving it on a tray. “Let me take you for a ride.”

Ciel quirked an eyebrow. “Um. No thank you. You said—”

“An afternoon.” Sebastian interrupted. “I’m afraid you can’t convince me to take no for an answer.”

And the next thing Ciel realized was that they were standing before the train station. He gaped, his young mind unable to explain the teleportation-like speed. “What?”

His eyes moved wildly from the ticket gates to the walking passengers, checking the station clock. No one seemed to find anything amiss, though, so he quickly shut his mouth.

Sebastian eyed him with a pleased expression. “This, Ciel Phantomhive,” he said dramatically, “is going to be the beginning…let’s test that website. Test if it costs the exact fare, and if the directions are correct.”

Ciel felt faint. He wondered how far he’d get if he sprinted for school…not very, he decided,not when Sebastian has decided you’re prey. A wave of cold dread washed over him and settled in his stomach.

“We buy tickets from the man in the booth?” Sebastian asked leisurely.

“No, there’s an automated machine.” Ciel pointed. “You probably ought to get an IC card or electronic pass. They’re more convenient, sir.”

Sebastian nodded absently, and five minutes later, they had boarded a train heading for Shinjuku. Ciel was beginning to wonder if he should phone the police.

“There aren’t enough seats.” Sebastian sounded surprised.

“It only takes twenty or so minutes.” Ciel put scorn into his voice, hoping Sebastian would stop talking to him. And that maybe he could sneak out the doors at the next station and double back… “It’s only something like fifteen kilometers…”

Sebastian blinked, and then took hold of Ciel’s shoulder, maneuvering him out of the way of a boarding passenger. “So we’re to stand.” Ciel thought Sebastian might look disgruntled. “Why do they sell more seats than they have available?”

“It’s not full,” Ciel protested. “Look at all the hanging surikawa.” He raked his head for the English to that, and came up blank. “Those hanging things. If everyone has one to hold onto, we’re fine.”

“Being shuttled off like cattle…” Sebastian definitely sounded miffed. Or maybe amused.

They stopped at the next station. Ciel moved a step toward the door—and found Sebastian took hold of his shoulders and turned him around smartly.

He waited the rest of the time in sullen silence.

“Do you want something to eat?” Sebastian asked once they’d arrived in Shinjuku.

“I need to study,” Ciel said, wondering if this counted as a date. And then was immediately mortified to be thinking it. “So you’ll be taking me back soon,” he added hastily, trying to act like this was his entire agenda.

“Fish and chips have been popular in London for an age. What is it you young people in Japan like?”

“Er….” said Ciel, unhelpfully.

Sebastian, undeterred by Ciel’s reaction, started walking.

Ciel looked after him, thinking that this just might be his chance to bolt.

“Why don’t we check out some shops? You can get a new suit or some casual clothes for after class...” he stumbled over his words, too busy to be careful since he was planning on escaping as soon as Sebastian headed for the dressing rooms.

Sebastian considered the street before them and raised an eyebrow. “When I asked the other teachers...they recommended sushi.”

Ciel scowled. “Sushi? That could take a while…”

“Ah, well isn’t that quaint. There’s a restaurant offering carry-out…octopus…in a cup.” Sebastian stopped in front of what looked to Ciel like a fast food restaurant. He appeared to be looking past the crowd at an advert.


Ciel sniffed. “Yes. Well. ‘Octopus in a cup' is called takoyaki. I suppose we could try it.” (*1)

They lined up in silence. Ciel tugged at his school uniform self-consciously. Sebastian procured a wallet. Ciel’s heart pounded in his throat. He looked up at the dim lighting and down at the counter, and was amazed to find Sebastian was somehow feet ahead of him in line.

“Hey,” Ciel tugged at Sebastian’s sleeve. “You’re supposed to cue up from the back...” he muttered.

But when he looked around, sure he’d see disgruntled looks or even anger, the rest of the groups—couples, mostly, he noted with chagrin— didn’t seem to find anything out of the ordinary. They had a sort of...complacent look...that Ciel found immediately suspicious.

“Whatever do you mean?” Sebastian said slyly, handing Ciel his fried food. “Enjoy.”

“....” Ciel took the cup hesitantly, and they began to walk. Sebastian casually swung his arm around the boy’s shoulder, steering him out of the way, and successfully detouring any plan for escape.

Ciel’s cheeks colored. Someone seeing them would either assume they were family (oh. hell.), or that it was some kind of compensated dating...(*2)



Ciel looked up into the night sky.

The cityscape was not so very different from the one Ciel was familiar with. There was perhaps more smog during the workweek, but the looming buildings were just as cold and distant as ever. Impressive, but not comfortable. Ciel found himself missing his usual haunts…the winding streets and cramped roads. It was so much less…corporal…than this.

Ciel stuffed the last battered ball into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

“You seem distracted,” Sebastian observed.

“...it’s nothing. The corporate world just reminds me of family is all,” Ciel muttered. “Or, of my dad at least.”

Sebastian hmmed absently, and touched Ciel’s cheek.

And when he blinked, the scene changed again.

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(*1) takoyaki are considered a kansai food. Kansai is the area of southerrn central Japan (Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, etc). As Sebastian described it, it is a bit of boiled octopus tentacle chopped up and baked into a small round ball. It's basically bite sized battered food which is eatten with a sweet-and-salty sauce and topped with shavings of onion and mayonaise. I ejoy a similar recipe, but I use vegetarian fake meat or shitake mushrooms instead-- I fully recommend it. Google for an image.



(*2) Enjo-kōsai (援助交際) (shortened form enkō (援交)) means “compensated dating” and is when a person (typically a high school girl) is compensated via gifts to date an older person (typically a man.) It's not technically prostitution, but it comes very very close.  

Thank you again for reading!

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