Work Text:
Now
“Again!” Shiori’s opponent tells her from behind the mask. His little mistress makes a pained sound, but picks herself up, falling back into guard. She is as hopeless at fencing as his young master was, with only the appearance of grace to aid them in society.
Sebastian stills Lin with a hand to her arm. She is struggling not to move, her desire to protect Shiori as strong as it was before. The other two have not appeared yet, but they will, and Sebastian is dreading it. It was easier to fix messes without the looming threat of technology, be it cameras or phones or surveillance. The mysterious young scion of the Genpou dynasty is a popular subject in the blogs too, especially after taking over Funtom.
With some sway from the Queen to accept a “bastard son” as their CEO, of course.
Her Majesty pulls off her helmet, golden curls sweat damp in the afternoon light. “You’re improving,” she smiles at them, though Shiori had not scored once. It’s the norm, and Sebastian already knows she’ll be complaining about being sore tonight. Shiori’s answering smile is less strained than usual - maybe she is learning as Ciel once did.
Sebastian pours the tea as Shiori and Her Majesty take a seat, still in their fencing gear. “They’re so cute!” Her Majesty exclaims when Sebastian lifts the clochette with a flourish. It is a tray of macarons, decorated to look like animals, kittens and tigers and koala bears because he had drawn the line at puppies. She beams as she bites into one, effervescent. “Thank you, Sebastian.”
Shiori rolls her eyes at Sebastian, wincing as she discreetly stretches her shoulders. The last time she had shown she was hurt, Her Majesty had taken the opportunity to keep them an extra week. “They’re very popular in Japan, Your Highness. Have you had a chance to review the reports I sent you?”
“The public ones showed excellent growth,” the Queen remarks, tossing back her tangled hair. She is confident in a way she wasn’t before, enhanced by the power she wields. The entire world is at her fingertips, and if Sebastian didn’t know what he does, he would find it an unlikely friendship. “When you abolish that frustrating rule in a few years, there should be less objection. Have you decided whether you will reveal yourself?”
“Not yet, Your Majesty,” Shiori answers. In many ways, it is still easier to be a man in this world. It had shocked Sebastian, to see such corporate laws written into Funtom’s books, of all things - Ciel’s wrath would have razed the entire board.
Her Majesty senses Shiori’s discomfort and her presence turns mothering, even if just little over a decade separates them. “There’s still time,” she reassures. “Now tell me about the missions.” Her smile is warm and comforting.
Sebastian remembers her fiery rage, once turned towards him.
--
Later
“Get out, get out!” Sebastian hears a frantic voice over the communications. Shiori makes a surprised sound, and the resulting explosion is enough to deafen him. There’s a pregnant silence, and he flies back, the bizarre feeling in his chest reminiscent of one he last felt with Ciel.
When he goes into the room, there is a girl berating Shiori, her green eyes cold. “If you’re going to try to steal our R&D, don’t blow yourself up in the test rooms! Or were you just trying to get us bad publicity? ‘Child dies in lab accident.’ We won’t lose our royal seal that easily!”
“It’s not like that,” Shiori huffs, pulling out the clipping of the explosion they’re investigating. The girl finally realizes Sebastian is there too, and her hand hovers over the panic button. Sebastian tries to make himself unassuming, and Shiori thrusts the clipping in the girl’s face.
“We’re investigating the death of the queen’s friend,” Shiori tells her, and she straightens then, something crossing her face.
“I knew him too,” she says, looking between them. “You don’t think it was an accident?”
Sebastian holds out a picture of the unreleased targeting device he had pieced together from dust, bearing the emblem of Dacquois United. “This was recovered from the wreckage.”
She scrutinizes the picture with a scowl, and fumbles as she pulls out her phone, keeping her hand on the panic button. “If you’re telling the truth, I’ll help, but I’m not just going to believe you. If you try anything, the guards will be here in five seconds.” She glares at them both, and dials. “Elizabeth,” she says into the phone. “Did you send someone to investigate Uncle Arthur’s death?”
Sebastian and Shiori share a look.
--
A few months later, Shiori realizes with foreboding that a merger with Dacquois United would be their best step into expanding their holdings in that area.
--
Before
“Sebastian,” Shiori says.
Sebastian stops by the bed and waits expectantly His new little master - no, mistress - proceeds to pay him no mind, the tray’s contents catching her attention instead. The tea is warm and spicy sweet, something Ciel would have liked for comfort, and he’s brought warm lava cake with ice cream too. It’s been over a century, but time means little to the memory of a demon such as him.
The steam from the hot tea and warm cakes brings a bloom to Shiori’s cheeks, but she remains mostly pale, bundled in a nightshirt and plush robe under a mound of covers. Small and huddled, and Sebastian cannot help but dredge up his first night with Ciel for comparison. Ciel’s fragmented soul had been held brittle and upright with vindictive fury, its light and filth enough to attract him a world away, but Shiori - where Ciel was a raw open wound, she is already bandaging herself together. He was early this time.
“Young mistress,” Sebastian prompts, and she turns to him then. Her eyes on him are more gray than blue, but familiar in how they feel in their assessment. The seal is quiet.
“So Sebastian is your name.”
“It is the name you called for me by,” Sebastian reminds. It’s only been a few hours since they contracted - he doesn’t think he had dropped her.
Shiori takes the cup of tea between her hands, blowing on it before she sips - and enjoys, considering how quickly she sips again. “I called for help from a family legend.” She hesitates. “A pet or person each generation bears the name, so we never forget to call it when things are truly dire. A demon is not a conventional family guardian angel.”
“Call for Sebastian if they catch up,” Ciel had told Elizabeth urgently the night he died, their son wide-eyed but silent in her arms, still young but just old enough to be afraid.
She hadn’t called, confident in her ability, but the boy had. Sebastian had never been forgiven.
“The Phantomhives were not a very conventional family,” Sebastian answers.
“So you’ve been around that long,” she remarks, picking up the plate and examining the decorated cake. It is not up to his usual standard, but his young mistress had refused to be taken to the manor for reasons she has not yet divulged, and the bed and breakfast’s kitchen is not well-equipped. It bleeds chocolate when she cuts into it. “You were there when Funtom Corporation was growing.”
Sebastian inclines his head in agreement - Ciel’s inventiveness and powerlust is what truly started Funtom’s growth into the behemoth it is today. Sebastian had kept up on the news out of curiosity. He can see Shiori adjust her thinking accordingly as she eats.
“Don’t make the cake so sweet next time,” Shiori tells him when she’s done, pushing the plate away, startling Sebastian. Different master, different tastes - at least it had not ended up on the floor. She yawns, and rises, as he accompanies her to the bathroom. In the mirror, the seal flares, and a familiar excitement washes over him.
“I’m going to reclaim what is mine, Sebastian.”
Sebastian bows. ”Yes, my lord.”