Episode 3 Continued - Her Butler, Trained to Heal
I watched lazily into a pot of boiling water as it swarmed around in front of me, and my lashes lowered.
I stared at it for another long moment before I turned off the heat and poured it into a soup I made on the side, hoping the dull out the enormous amount of salt that Maddox had put in here.
After finishing, I quickly stirred it, wiping my arm across my forehead when I stepped back to grab master's bowl.
"Sebastian!" Scarlet squealed, running in the room.
I gazed up at her, brows creasing. "What is it? Is master alright?"
"Yes, but ehm..." she gazed up, gulping something down. "Master's having a nightmare... a really bad one. She's gasping and whimpering and all that jazz, and I'm worried it'll hurt her illness even worse. Because...."
"She's not controlling her breathing," I finished, "I know."
I suddenly flashed toward the soup and quickly poured it into the bowl, making Scarlet gasp as I placed it onto a tray and flashed back to the door. "Well, let's go. We mustn't keep our master waiting."
She gazed up and pressed her lips together, giving me a quick nod. "Yes!"
Moments later, I entered master's room without bothering to knock, and found her still asleep on her bed.
My lashes lowered when I found sweat sliding down her temples, and her breaths were still shallow as her brows drew together and she turned her head to the side. "No... no...."
"How long has she been like this?" I said to Scarlet, setting the tray on her nightstand.
"It started about twenty minutes ago," she said from behind me, clasping her hands in front of her. "But... it worsened about five minutes ago."
I sighed and gazed down at Master Yumi, watching her shift uncomfortably as she slept and tip her head back, panting a little.
"Scarlet, leave the room," I said.
She stuttered from behind me. "Sebastian?"
"You heard as I said."
"But, master," she argued, "is she going to be alright? I love master, if she's not going to be alright then... please, let me help."
"She's going to be fine." I kept my back turned to her, lashes lowering as I watch Yumi shift and turn. "Now do as I said and go. Clean the kitchen, it's dirty."
Scarlet sank back and stepped backward, looking a little timid as I walked in the room. "Is there really nothing I can do? I can boil water, or... or I can freshen the sheets!"
I glanced back at her in anger. "Scarlet."
"Please, Sebastian, just let me help!" she pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. "Master saved me, remember? It's the least I can do! Please, let me help, I beg you!"
My lashes lowered as I stared at her. "Only I can do this."
"But, Sebastian!"
"If you aren't going to leave, then stay outside the door," I said, closing it behind me. "I will open it once I'm done."
"Oh... Okay."
I then let go of the doorknob and sighed, stepping over to the bed. "I know I'm going to regret waking you, but I have to, master."
And I knew she was going to attack me the moment I did.
I just stepped over to the mattress where she shifted and turned, whimpering so quietly only a dog could hear.
My lashes lowered as I used my teeth to pull off my glove, exposing my blackened nails that the contract seal on the back of my hand.
The pentagram that burned into my skin only two years ago.
I dropped the glove to the ground and stepped further to her.
"Master, your breathing..." I whispered, lightly placing the back of my hand on her forehead, "you're still burning up." I painfully opened my eyes as she shifted at my touch. "These nightmares aren't helping, but you have to rest."
Her brows drew together as her face etched in fear, eyes squeezing shut as she kept dreaming. "Don't... touch me!"
I just sighed and sat on the bed, gently pulling my ungloved hand to her face and pulling her hair away from her forehead. "Oh, I'm going to get an earful of this, won't I? But I have to... it's a butler's job to make his master better, right?"
She kept struggling, whimpering as she lightly kicked out her legs.
"Relax, master..." I said, leaning down. "It will only take a second."
I felt the red in my eyes glow deeper than they ever had, and I just closed them as I leaned down further and further.
I gently set my lips on hers, feeling her still from under me.
If she wakes up, I am getting slapped harder than I ever had been.
I closed my eyes tightly, trying to focus.
And then I tasted it... the bitterness and the sourness. The darkness in her blood that had been causing her to suffer.
I pressed to her further, feeling her body arch as I continued holding myself to her, eating the sourness slowly.
I didn't realize how hungry I'd been until now.
No... not her soul. Leave her soul alone.
I have to wait.
Her body grew limp as I kept our mouths together, but I creased my brows together, knowing I couldn't risk taking more.
I forced myself to pull away then, hearing her gasp for air, but I just stared down at her carefully.
She caught her breath now as if she's been holding it forever, and my lashes lowered as I touched my mouth.
I closed my eyes tightly as she dreamt and opened them slowly. "This is a curse. Why must this happen to me every time?"
I then gazed down and found her breathing softly now.
My lips parted. "Well... at least you're all better now." I then smiled and brushed her hair away from her forehead. "You were awake the whole time, weren't you?"
Her lashes parted then, and she looked up to me.
I smiled innocently.
"Sebastian..." she said slowly.
"Yes, my lord?"
She clenched her teeth. "I would slap you but I'm tired. Slap yourself for me, would you?"
"Certainly, my lord. I shall remember to do so later."
She just closed her eyes tightly and turned to the side, back facing me as she covered her mouth and curled up. "Ugh... so disgusting."
"Then why didn't you stop me?" I said curiously.
She was quiet for a moment, as if she couldn't find a response. "Don't demand answers from your master. I have my reasons that I certainly don't have to tell you."
My smile widened.
"You're insufferable, God..." she kept her hand over her mouth, "I can't believe you just kissed me."
"Well, if I might be frank. It rid of your illness, my lord."
She turned to send me a dark look. "Does that make it okay?"
I parted my lashes and gazed down at her with my red eyes. "Well... you were suffering, so I sought fit."
She just groaned again and curled up. "I can still taste your demon breath."
"Ah, that's not my breath, master. That's just the taste of the illness in your mouth."
She turned suddenly and pointed to me. "Do not lie to me!"
"I'm not," I said frankly. "In fact, I brushed hours ago. Plus, demons don't breathe, master. We don't get illnesses; we don't get bacterial infections. So, naturally, I cannot get bad breath."
She just glared, gritting her teeth and growling at me.
"You could've pushed me away," I said, raising my hands. "Said, 'no,' or 'stop, Sebastian' but you decided to remain as still as a doll. That might get me to think that you secretly liked it."
She shot me a look, eyes blazing in anger. "EXCUSE me?"
I just closed my eyes and smiled.
"No," she said then, shoving her anger out from her nostrils like a cartoon bull, "I just wanted the illness to go away... that's all."
I parted my lashes and watched her. "Mm. I see."
"Yes, I knew perfectly well what you were doing," she turned over and crossed her arms over her chest. "And I don't like feeling sick so I let you."
"I see," I answered again, clearing my throat as I chuckled.
She turned again. "Get that smile off your face or I'll slap it off!"
I just gazed up at her. "Sorry, but that's impossible. It's in my personality." I then showed my teeth through a grin.
She just grumbled under her breath and turned back onto her side.
"Oh, yes... there's someone worried about you," I stated then, standing and stepping over to the door.
The moment I opened it, I caught sight of four servants rather than one, and I blinked.
I was then trampled, falling to the floor as they dashed over to Yumi and huddled over to her bed.
"Master, are you alright?" Scarlet said.
"Here, I got some herbs from the garden!" Maddox stated, holding them out to her. "Eat them, you'll feel better!"
Yumi raised her hands innocently, now sitting up. "Aha... no, I'm good, really."
"Master, you look better!" Scarlet said, gasping.
"Aha... I suppose," Yumi said, "yes."
I stood then and brushed off my arms, adjusting my sleeves back in place and sighing in annoyance.
"Yes, her color's back!" Cammie stated. "And her fever's gone too! And her breathing!"
"Yes, I feel fine now," Yumi assured them. "All good. Now you can leave. Goodbye."
"You should still take the herbs, my lord!" Maddox stated, shoving the leaves in her face and making her draw back. "Come on, open up!"
She pushed them away gently, laughing nervously. "I'm fine, really."
"Come on, it won't hurt!" Maddox said, shoving them in her face again. "They are leaves, but just imagine you're a cow!"
"A cow?" Carter said, brows arching. "That's your analogy?"
"Well, I couldn't say sheep because I would be calling her clumsy!" Maddox stated. "And a goat is just plain unacceptable!"
"Why'd you pick an animal then?" Carter stated.
"Well, what other thing eats plants, Carter?!" Maddox yelled.
I glanced over at Yumi to find her smirking, watching this argument in pure amusement, and Cammie as well as Scarlet were staring at them in confusion.
"No one eats medical herbs raw, you idiot!" Carter stated. "You gotta prepare them first! It's like telling someone if they want their cow rare, just to bite its arse!"
I smiled a little.
"Some plants can be eaten right then and there! Mint, for example!"
"Mint is not a medicinal herb," Carter said, face-palming. "Why else do you think people take extracts from them and turn them into pills and liquid medicine?"
Maddox just blinked. "Uhm... because they want to be fancy?"
Carter just snatched the leaves from him. "Gimme that!"
Maddox flew himself at him, but he held it out from his reach. "Hey, those are master's! Give them back!"
I glanced back over at Yumi as they argued in the background, chasing each other around the room.
She just sighed and slipped off the bed, setting her bare feet on the floor before she stretched her arms out.
She then let out a soft yawn and walked over to me, clearly about to pass by to the nightstand.
But I heard her say quietly, "Your glove is off. Your nails and the contract seal are showing." And she walked past me.
I just sighed and shook my head, stepping over to the floor and picking up my glove.
After slipping it on with my teeth again, I glanced back at her to find her picking up a glass of water and drinking it slowly.
"Alright," I said, gazing up at the servants, "that's enough. Don't you all have work to do?"
Carter and Maddox gazed up at me in surprise, Carter holding Maddox up by the back of his shirt and hovering him over a trashcan, and Scarlet as well as Cammie paused from rooting for Carter.
"Well?" I said, brow arching. "Go do it!"
They all let out panicked whimpers and rushed out from the room, dashing down the hallway as I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.
"They're never useful, are they? All they do is cause chaos and give me more of a mess to clean."
"It's amusing to me, really," Yumi said, setting the cup down. "I chose them for a reason. Gives you more tasks so you're not brooding all day. Plus, irritating you is absolutely hilarious. Remind me to do it more often."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
She just smirked and walked past me, her walk all confident like she owned the place.
My lips curled mischievously. "I won't tell anyone about our wonderous moment if you don't."
She froze immediately, stopping mid step as her face paled.
I just chuckled and turned, stepping out from the room.
A/N: I thought it was too soon to make it too intimate. Baby steps... So... was this good? Did you like it?
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