Episode 4 - Make it Mine
"Master, I can give you a bath now that you're all better," I said, stepping in the room with a towel. "And I can—"
My brows drew together when I found the room empty. "Master?"
I gazed around curiously when I found the sheets thrown around in shambles and her shoes and clothes thrown about the floor.
I then set the towels on her bed and glanced to the bathroom door, making it over there seconds later.
I blinked.
Master Yumi was staring helplessly at herself in the mirror, eyes widened as she watched her reflection carefully.
"Master, what are you doing?" I said curiously.
She shot her eyes in my direction.
I immediately froze, bones chilling.
There were... tears in her eyes.
I'd never seen her cry in my life.
My lips parted. "My lord...."
She suddenly grew enraged, blinking her tears away but it seemed as if they refused to leave. "I told you I could ready myself this morning! Why are you here?!"
"Master..." I whispered, unsure of how to respond.
She just ran over quickly and shoved me out of the bathroom. "Get out!"
And the door slammed in my face.
I stared at the wood helplessly, eyes widened in confusion.
Tears... a weakness in her eyes... something she never liked to show.
My lashes lowered as I continued staring at the door.
Master Ciel was the same. He never liked to show weakness, and I do admit I encouraged it, but... weakness was something that I liked seeing in my master's. It made their souls weaker, softer.
I felt myself weaken at the thought.
"Master," I said then, gazing up, "if I may ask what's wrong?"
"Leave me alone!" she screamed.
I just stared at the door, knowing she hadn't ordered me to leave yet, so I pushed further. "Master, I might be able to help. Maybe a bath, perhaps?"
"Go away, Sebastian!" she said then. "Why do you even care? You just want my soul."
My lips parted as my lashes lowered, and I ended up smiling a little. "Indeed, I do, master."
But I have to in order to get close to you. It's a curse upon me. But I can't tell you that because you'd never understand.
"My point exactly!" she yelled then. "Now go away!"
I gazed up at the door. "Master...."
"I said GO AWAY!"
I just tightened my lips, and my eyes glowed a dark red.
So I kicked the door open, hearing her cry out in response, and she gazed up from wiping her eyes.
I noticed the tears staining her cheeks, and I felt something inside me crack.
I knew she was hiding something from me. How long had she been crying? Was she doing this every morning before I woke her up?
"You broke down the door?" she said, voice dark. "What are you doing?!"
I just stepped over to her, eyes glowing a dangerous red.
"Sebastian! I said to get out!"
I continued forward, making her stumble backward. "What on Earth are you doing? Stop it!"
I stopped in front of her then. "Tears are weakness, master," I said then.
Her eyes widened immediately, and she looked away, clenching her teeth.
"But that's what you think, isn't it?" I continued.
She gazed up in question.
"You've been in pain and you refuse to tell me?" I demanded. "I knew that all this was some façade."
"What on Earth are you going on about?!" she demanded.
I just stepped toward her, making her breath shake. "Don't play games with me."
Her eyes glistened in confusion.
"I am your butler, my lord," I said to her, eyes narrowing. "I can tell when something's off about you."
"Sebastian," she argued. "Stop taking nonsense—"
I just caught her arm and pulled it out, making her gasp in response when I raised it to her sight, showing her all the rugged scars that covered her skin. "I knew that these looked oddly fresh. Is there something you're not telling me? Something that happened recently?"
Her eyes glistened as she watched me, but she swallowed something hard. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Who did it?" I said. "Who gave these to you?"
I saw sweat starting to slide down her temples. "Stop it."
"Who did it?" I demanded. "Who? It was recent, wasn't it? It was after I signed the contract with you! I swore to protect you, master, and keeping secrets like this from me is not going to make me happy, understand?"
She tugged at my grip. "Let go of me!"
"Master, tell me who it is!" I demanded.
"Stop it, Sebastian!"
"I will once you tell me!" I told her.
"Let go of me!" she demanded, fighting me harder. "Let go this instant!"
"Master, answer the goddamn QUESTION!" I yelled at her.
She snapped then, tears slipping from her eyes as she screamed at me:
"I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL!"
I froze then, watching her eyes glisten with tears, but burn in anger.
But I caught the hint in her question.
"It's not hospitals in general, is it, master?" I said then, brows drawing together. "It's that one in particular."
She breathed shakily.
"They did something to you recently, didn't they?" I realized. "That's what those scars are."
She slammed her fist down onto my arm, making me wince when the impact forced me to release her. "Let me go, you meddling twit!"
She then rushed around me and dashed straight for the door.
I just caught her arm, making her cry out in response.
But I reeled her toward me, hearing her gasp in response when I pulled her against me.
She fought at an instant. "What are you doing?! I told you to let me go!"
But I wrapped my arms around her, holding her face to my neck.
She immediately froze, entire body stilling.
"Master, you're not weak, you're human," I said quietly, setting my cheek on her forehead. "You are not a robot, you are human."
She breathed shallowly, frozen as I held her tighter.
"You don't have to keep secrets from me," I whispered, feeling her start shaking. "You don't have to hide from me. We've been through so much together." I gazed down at her. "I saved you, master, or did you forget? I'm the only thing in existence that knows why you wear that eye patch, what happened before you got it. I'm here to protect you, remember? No one can hurt you anymore, master, I promise."
Her breath started shuttering, and she lightly caught onto my shirt, fisting it in her hands.
But I felt her give into my embrace, and I closed my eyes, keeping a hold of her.
"If you told me," I said gently, "I would've taken you somewhere else, master."
She breathed shakily, clutching onto me tightly as she buried her face into my neck.
I just smiled, setting my hand on her head and petting her hair gently. "There's no need to be afraid anymore. You're safe now."
She pulled away slightly and gazed down at my chest, still gritting her teeth as shivers racked through her body.
I just lightly ran my finger under her marked eye, drying a tear that dare escape. "There's no need to fear. I'm here."
She gazed up, breath shuttering as her irises beat in fear, and she stared into my eyes helplessly. "Why... are you helping me?"
I just smiled. "Am I not allowed to?"
"You're only contracted to be my servant and then eat my soul," she stated. "What are you getting out of this? Why are you comforting me? Don't you want a strong, confident soul, Sebastian? If you comfort me, it's only weakening me."
"Oh, master," I said gently, running my thumbs under her eyes, "if I told you, you wouldn't understand."
Her brows drew together, and she watched me uneasily. "What don't I understand?"
I just chuckled. "I'm actually able to care about things, you know. But I can only care about them in a demon's way, master."
Her brows drew together. "What are you talking about?"
I sighed and closed my eyes, smile soft now. "As I told you, you won't understand."
She stared at me for a long moment, but something in her eyes switched, and her shaking seemed to subside as she stared at me curiously now.
"You just figured it out," I said, smiling now, "clever girl."
Her lashes lowered and she stared back down at my chest. "I don't think I'll ever understand you, Sebastian."
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