Sebastian shakes a rug out in the porch of the Phantomhive manor, a placid smile on his handsome face as he almost hums a song to himself while working. The sudden sound of a cat hissing and yowling, however, draws his instant attention, and he drops the rug carelessly. He places a hand on the stone railing, and with a graceful swing of his legs, leaps over it, and is running across the yard, around the house, and towards the sound in an instant. His one thought is for the kitten he hears, and as he nears it, his eyes narrow when he sees a stream of red hair dash across the path ahead of him, and a deep growl rumbles in his throat at the familiar sound of a Shinigami's voice.
"Get back here, you stupid cat! How dare you scratch my beautiful face and think you can get away with it!!" Grell shouts, hissing himself as he corners the small, sleek white cat, but before he can advance, Sebastian's perfect black shoe smashes into the side of his head, sending him flying into the trees, and Sebastian drops down where he'd been standing.
"I told him it was dangerous to be walking around Phantomhive grounds when he's not wanted. Should have listened. Hmph." Sebastian scoffs, dusting off imaginary dirt from his sleeve, then his attention turns to the aggitated, scared, and ruffled kitty cowering with its back to a stone statue. A gentle, albeit kind smile touches Sebastian's lips, and he kneels down, uncaring that he's dirtying his trousers as he holds out a gloved hand to the trembling cat. "Come here. C'mon. You don't have to be frightened any longer. I wont hurt you, precious." As he speaks, his voice soft and soothing, the cat slowly calms, and eventually gives into his goading, and slowly slinks forward a step. His smile grows, and his eyes gleam with pleasure as the kitty takes another step, and that's when he sees the blood staining her pure white paw. "Awww. You're hurt." His expression saddens, his smile turning to a curt frown. "I will have to torture Grell for this."
The cat seems to understand his words, for she looks down at her paw, then up at him with the most beautiful sparkling eyes, and Sebastian sees knowledge in that gaze, and he stills. The cat moves to press her head under his extended palm, and he hesitates only a moment before rubbing her ears. "You are no normal cat, are you?" he asks, and she pauses, looking up at him from under his hand.
"No," comes the soft mew, then she suddenly drops, and he swiftly scoops her up to see what is wrong.
"You're injured and ill," Sebastian realizes, slowly stroking a hand down the smooth white fur, feeling the strength beneath this cat's skin, and he can feel the crackle of power as he draws his fingers back and sees a spark, much like static, arc from his fingertips to her fur, and he understands. "You're a demon... A cat demon." He instantly becomes very interested, and holding the small white cat cradled against his coat, he carries her back to the manor, the unconscious Shinigami forgotten in the trees. Even if he has to hide her from Ciel, he plans to care for her.
Your POV
You wake with a grunt, your arm hurting, your skin itching, and your head aching. You move, and your breath hisses between your teeth as pain seems to pierce your body, and you open your cat-like eyes to see your arm wrapped and blood seeping through the once white bandages. "What happened?" You search your memory, and it all seems blank as an unused painters slate. Then a flash of red, and your cry is cut short by your snapping teeth as you clutch your head between your hands, your fingers ending in claws that dig into your scalp as you try to see through the haze that slowly covers your vision. You can see your hair hanging down, and you focus on that, the soft lavender-white color, and soon everything clears, and the pain subsides, but you can't remember anything from the recent past. "How much time have I lost?"
"You're awake. That's good."
The soft, gentlemanly voice has you hissing and leaping over the side of the bed, dragging the blanket with you to cover your naked body, and you hunch down so only your eyes are visible, peering over the edge of the blankets at the tailored man standing in the open doorway, one hand on the doorknob, the other holding a covered tray, and with a twitch of your nose, you smell something delicious, and after a quick assessment of your situation, decide to cautiously move from your hiding spot.
"You have nothing to fear from me," he says with an all too knowing smirk. Entering the room, he closes the door behind him, and moves to place the tray on a table on the other side of the room. "Come. You must be hungry. You've been asleep for days."
"Days?" You perk, shocked. You don't feel threatened by him even though he is intimidating. You can feel his power, but he's keeping it very well in check around you, and that sets you more at ease, even though it should unsettle you. Your nose twitches again, and your cat ears pop up as your eyes turn to the covered tray. "What is that?" You hesitate to approach him, still unsure of who, or what, he is, and not about to make any mistakes. You get the feeling that that is why you're here. You made a big mistake.
He grabs the cloth covering the tray, and pulling it away, drapes it over his arm before motioning to the food arranged on the tray. "I did not know what you would like, so I brought a little of everything. I have little experience with cat demons, so I hope this is adequate for you."
You catch a whiff of the food, and nearly drool. It smells simply delectable, but with the smell of food you also catch another scent. His. He smells like musk, and... cinnamon? But there is also something else... something tangy, like the smell of blood, but not as sharp... Could this be what his demon aura smells like? It's not unpleasent, on the contrary. It's rather haughty, and very intrinsic. You've never scented anything like it, and you're sure you wont ever again.
"Is something wrong?" he asks, and you're eyes snap to his and you realize you'd been staring off at nothing while you'd been lost in thought. His eyes are red, but also orange. Very lovely. But his smile is even more so. It's like he is pleased with everything you do. His eyes turn from yours, lifting, and you know the moment they settle on your cat ears sitting atop your head by the way his face seems to light up. "Your ears are out! They are beautiful."
You feel like blushing for some reason, but fight the urge. You're a cat demon, for crying out loud. A fierce man-killer! You dine on the meat of humans, and lap up their blood! You are no domestic house cat! You slap both hands over your ears, covering them before you give away just how much his compliment affected you, and say, "I, um." You have to clear your throat to rid yourself of the husky purr that seems to have grabbed your voice. He doesn't smile, and you're thankful for it. You couldn't stand if he laughed at you. You feel fragile right now, and for a cat demon, that is never a good sensation, under any circumstances. "I cannot remember, but why am I here?" You drop one hand to hold your arm out, showing the bloody bandage, and the moment his eyes settle on it, you see them turn sad, and he goes over to get a box from the closet. "What happened to me? Why am I injured? Who are you? Where am I? What is going on?"
"Slow down," he says softly, and walking towards you, doesn's stop even as you back up until you hit the wall. "Sit," he orders. "Let me tend that."
"Huh?" You look at your arm, then him, and after a moment, nod, and move to sit on the bed, and he comes to kneel beside you. Holding out your arm, you stamp down the jolt that goes through you when he takes your hand in his. His gloves are soft. You like the material. His touch is even gentle, holding your hand cradled in his. You watch him unwrap your forearm, and as he pulls away the last layer, you gasp at the sight of the long, jagged cut along your arm from elbow to wrist. "What did this to me?"
"I do not know," he tells you softly, and you look up to see a darkness in his gaze as he tends your arm. "I found you being attacked by a Shinigami, and after I delt with him, I picked you up and brought you here, to Phantomhive manor. My master wasn't too happy that I brought home a "stray", but he is letting me keep you here until you are ready to leave."
"Oh... Wait!" You feel your hackles rise as you snap, "What "stray"? Me? I am no stray!"
He laughs, surprising you. "No, I must agree, you are no stray." He finishes treating the scratch and proceeds to start wrapping your arm again with fresh bandages. "What is your name?"
You take a moment to answer him, your eyes too intent on watching his nimble fingers and graceful hands work. "My former owner named me Jessica." You say it almost absently, but you're very aware of everything. Even the way he slows his work to take his time.
"Jessica..." His smile makes your heart feel like it stutters to a stop, and you have to swallow suddenly so you wont lose breath. "What a beautiful name."
You bite the inside of your cheek to help bring yourself back to reality, and hurridly ask, "What is your name, then?"
His eyes lower back to your arm, but his smile is still in place as he says, "Sebastian Michaelis. It is the name given to me by my master."
"You are contracted to him." You make it a statement, and he nods.
"Yes." He finishes, and pinning the bandage, stands. "You should eat before it goes cold. It would be a shame if that happened. There are plenty of foods here that you should like." He bows from the waist, making a sweeping gesture with his arm, placing his hand to his chest like a true gentleman. "I will never be far away. If you need me, just call." Straightening, he turns to the door, but stops when he feels a pull on his coattail.
He looks back at you with curiosity, but you quickly let his coat go as you take a swift step back. You don't know why you'd stopped him, but the sudden thought of being alone had left you feeling... vulnerable. "Um... Thank you, Sebastian." you quikcly say, covering your unease with a smile that shows your pearly white teeth and your sharp incisors.
He smiles back at you, his eyes roaming over you from head to toe, then back to meet your gaze, and he bows his head. "Of course, my lady. I have much to do today, so I should leave. A Phantomhive butler has many chores, and mine have just begun for the day." And with that, he's gone, closing the door behind himself, leaving you alone in an unknown room, but you try not to let the solitude get to you. Cats are rather solitary creatures, and cat demons more so than their domestic feline counterparts.
"Sebastian Michaelis." You smile, liking the sound of his name on your tongue. "I think I have found a new affinity."
You lie on your back on the bed, your arms spread out from your sides, and your eyes gazing above you at the canopy covering the bed. The sheets smell like him. Sebastian. This must be his room. Everything smells like him. Your eyes close, and it's almost like he's in the room with you.
"How do you feel?"
The question comes out of nowhere, startling a yowl from you as you leap up, flying over the side of the bed. Peeking up, you glare at Sebastian standing in the coner of the room. "How did you get in here so quietly?" you demand, hissing at him.
"I brought you some warm milk to help you sleep." he says instead of answering, smiling charmingly as he walks over to set the glass beside the bed. "Were you thinking?"
"What?" You rise up some, calming yourself as you watch him turn down the bedsheets, readying it for sleeping.
He casts you a smile, saying as he works, "When I came in. Were you thinking? What about, if I may ask?"
"Oh." You lift your head and scratch your throat, looking down your nose at him as you speak. "I was thinking about how this room smells like you." Cat demons aren't known for being liars. Devious, cunning, and brutal, yes, but never liars. "Is this your room, Sebastian?" You lick the back of your hand, and once his eyes lift, yours lock with them and hold, not letting him look away.
"You have a keen sense of smell," he observes, smirking. "Yes, it is. My master said that I would have to provide everything for you, and though he suggested a room, I thought it best if you had mine."
"But where will you sleep?" you ask, crawling up to sit on the bed. You're only wearing a robe you'd found in the closet, and he doesn't seem to mind seeing it on you, so you don't mind wearing it.
He turns from the bed without a word, and going to the armoire, extracts more pillows, which he places on the bed. "I was thinking of sleeping in the bed, as well."
Your eyes narrow a fraction, but with a look, he sets your worries to rest, and you realize what he has in mind. "Oh. I see." You lean forward, stretching your arms out on the bed, and as he watches, your hands curled in the blankets change, fingers turning to claws, hands to paws, and skin to fur as you turn into your smaller, more furry self, and within moments, you climb out from under the unneeded robe as a white cat to sit on the bed and clean your paw, your sleek white fur covering your small cat frame. "Is this what you had in mind?"
Sebastian chuckles softly, and biting the tip of his glove, slips his hand out of it so he can reach over and stroke your head with his bare skin. "You are so soft." He says it with a sigh, taking his languid time in petting your glossy fur.
You press your ears into his palm, rubbing against his touch, and can't help but purr as he rubs under your chin. He's so gentle, so affectionate. He must be a catlover! When he draws away his hand, you flop over onto the bed to stretch, then curling up, you tuck your tail under your chin. Your large cat eyes follow him across the room, and when he steps behind a changing screen, you ask, "What do you sleep in? Demons are not best known for modesty, yet here you are, changing behind a screen."
"I normally do not sleep much, and never when wearing anything, but to be curtious to you, I will wear something." He comes back around wearing a pair of white cotton trousers and a simple cotton shirt that has the top four buttons undone. "Do you scratch in your sleep?"
"No," you say simply, and close your eyes, your body curled up in the middle of the right side of the bed. You feel him move the blankets, and peek open an eye to see him lying down, watching you. "You must really like cats to let me sleep here, on your bed, with you not more than a foot from me."
"Yes, I am a cat person," Sebastian tells you, reaching up to pet you softly before just resting his hand on your smooth fur, and as his eyes drift closed, he says, "You can move closer... if you want."
You think about that, about his invitation, but don't consider taking him up on it until you feel a chilly breeze tickling your back, and look over to see the window cracked open. It hadn't been... Your eyes slowly look to Sebastian, to his secret smile, and it makes sense. You make a sniff with your nose, exhaling sharply, and picking yourself up as casually as possible, move from under his hand to get closer to him. He's warm, and that window is letting in cold air. You're a cat demon, with fur, but that is one cold breeze! You rest by him for a little bit, then rise again to lie down against him, your back pressed against his chest, and without a word he moves his arm to cover you, surrounding you in warmth and comfort. You feel safe, and as you close your eyes, you can't help but feel like this just might be where you belong. This could be your new home. Here, with him.
Alrighty, this is for a friend of a friend. ^^
My friend Shadowlilgurl requested this for her friend, Jessica, for her birthday.
So happy birthday, Jessica! I hope you liked this! XD
Well, I just love writing Kuroshitsuji one shots, and I look forward to doing another sometime, but until then, guess I'd best make due with the requests I have. =D
