Sebastian x Child Reader: Giving and Receiving

Sebastian Michaelis- Butler to the House of Phantomhive, and personal demon to the head of the small family of three- had never been one to shun away from a hard days work. More often than not, the demon in question did several days worth of jobs in the space of several hours. But as he currently regarded the mess before him, Sebastian had to wonder how it had been so disastrous.

The kitchen had been demolished countless times in the past- due to Bard and his pyro-tendencies- but out of all the times this was most definitely the worst. Two entire walls had been blown out in this newest explosion, all of the cupboards were either open or emptied of their contents, and there were unrecognizable bits of food scattered across the now blackened floor. To put it lightly, it was nothing short of a magnificent mess.

For several minutes Sebastian let his burgundy tinted gaze wander about the room, taking in the extent of the damage before he sighed and began rolling up his sleeves. Though he was more than capable of cleaning up the shambles before him, the butler would have been lying if he had said he  wasn’t tired of picking up after the other Phantomhive servants. It was true that he had known that Bard, Mei Rin, and Finny weren’t regular hired help, but he had thought that with time they would have at least learned some of the basics of day to day life.

With an annoyed countenance, Sebastian located a giant waste-bin that he normally used in emergencies such as this, and began to pick up the larger pieces of food and rubble. As he did this, the demon realized that he would have to get most of it with the broom- seeing as a majority of the excess food and blown mortar was miniscule. But he continued to get the grabbable debris first, unfazed by the magnitude of the job. And it was he was doing this menial work, that the demon heard the soft patter of feet behind him. Without turning around, he addressed the newcomer cordially.

“Young Mistress (F/n), is there something you need?”

From behind him in the doorway of the kitchen, the five year old daughter of Ciel Phantomhive stood watching the butler with wide eyes. The little girl was currently clothed in a casual day dress of the cheeriest sun-yellow fabric, and though her feet were bare she was carrying her little button shoes with her. (F/n)’s (h/c) hair was a tangle of snarls and stuck up in odd places (not from the lack of effort of her mother earlier that morning), and her free hand was fidgeting at her side.

“Wh-What happened, Sebastian?” She asked curiously, looking at the destroyed kitchen in surprise, her little chin wobbling as she made a strange face.

“Nothing to worry about, my lady,” Sebastian assured the child as he continued to pick up debris. “Bardroy had an accident with the stove; but it is well in hand.”

At this explanation, the little girl nodded in understanding and started to come into the kitchen area- but Sebastian stopped her with a pointed look.

“Young Mistress, it is not safe for you to enter the kitchen at this time. Your feet are uncovered, and what kind of butler would I be if I let my Master’s daughter get hurt?”

“A bad one.”

“That is correct. Now what was it you needed, little one?”

The child shuffled her bare toes against the floor outside of the kitchen with a small smile aimed at Sebastian, now that he had turned around to regard her.

“I just wanted to be with you, Sebastian. I’m lonely, and no one will play with me.”

The Butler sighed almost inaudibly, though the admonition from (F/n) hardly came as a surprise. (F/n) Phantomhive was like a second shadow to the demon, and seemed to find his company desirable as a playmate and a friend. Since the girl had first learned to walk she had followed her father’s butler around, and to the despair of both her parents (Ciel and Lizzy Phantomhive) she showed no signs of stopping.

“I cannot play with you right now, young Mistress,” the Butler said gently and yet firmly. “I must finish tidying up this mess and then start on preparations for the evening meal.”

“Then can I help you, Sebastian,” (F/n) asked shyly, the twinkle in her eyes hopeful.

The Butler would have said no to the child on the behalf of his Master- who didn't like his daughter doing the servants work- but as he looked at the puppy eyes he found himself chuckling goodnaturedly. What a pity that he was going soft for the likes of a human child.

“Only if you wear your shoes and do as I tell you.”

“YAY!”

Little (F/n) giggled happily as she sat down on the floor and began to slip her shoes back on. Sebastian smiled to himself as he once more began to pick up the mess, and after several moments the 5 year old joined him. (F/n) picked up smaller pieces of plaster, while Sebastian did the heavier/larger ones, and soon they had finished with that part of the task. Then as the child sat on a stool for a break and drank a glass of water, the Butler began to sweep up the remainder.

The little girl’s chubby hand held the glass tight, and as she placed it back down, her face crinkled- making the Butler lift an eyebrow at her. That expression could only mean one thing.

“What is it, young Mistress?”

The child’s curiosity was evident as she stared at him. “Why are you the one cleaning the kitchen, when Bard made the mess, Sebastian?”

Sebastian internally laughed at the child’s innocent candor. That was a very interesting question; and though he could think of a million answers to give the girl, one stood out more than any other. The demon was surprised by the words that formed on his lips, but as they left him he knew that they were what (F/n) needed to hear.

“You cannot expect even judgement, little one, and one cannot wait for others to take the initiative to do the right thing.”

Confusion clearly lined (F/n)’s baby-fat face as her brow crinkled even more. “What do you mean?”

“Life isn't about getting and having, young Mistress,” he clarified gently. “It’s about giving and being. If everyone were to look out for only himself and never give anything back, the world would cease to exist as we know it. It is humanity’s greatest system: to give and take- and to give is a gift all on it’s own.”

“So . . .  you’re giving Bard a gift by doing the job for him?”

The butler chuckled deeply as he finished sweeping and set the broom aside. “Yes, little one. Though giving can come in many different forms.”

“Like what?”

The Butler thought, drawing from the human ideals that he had heard so many times in his unlimited years of walking among them, to educate the child.

“Well, there is kindness, respect, love, help when it is needed (like with the kitchen today), and support at times of suffering. And then there’s the kind of presents you receive on special occasions.”

“Like on your birthday and Christmas?”

The Butler nodded, “Indeed.”

For a moment the little heir of the Phantomhive name was silent, thinking on what her butler had just told her before her dimples rose pleasantly on her small, rounded face.

“I think I understand, Sebastian.”

“That is good to hear, my Mistress.” The demon butler leaned over and placed a chaste kiss to the little girl’s forehead, before he returned to his work. “I am glad I could be of assistance.”

**

**

By the end of the night, the kitchen incident was far from Sebastian’s mind, and that of the rest of the household. But when the butler returned to his private chambers once his Master’s family had retired for the evening, to find a colorful picture on his pillow, the demon couldn't help but remember the talk he had had with the child.

The picture was done in bright colorful charcoals and showed the scene of a little girl in a yellow dress hugging a man in a black suit. Though it was obviously created by a child, the content of the drawing was very clear to Sebastian, and he couldn't help the amused twinkle that rose to his wine irises.

“What a lovely gift, young Mistress,” he said to no one in-particular, as he placed it on his bedside table. “The likeness is astounding; but I would expect no less from a Phantomhive.”