Oh? Had he struck a nerve? Good. It seemed the amusement was finally knocked off the man’s features, Childe giving himself a pat on the back internally to celebrate his apparent victory.

“Then perhaps you’d be better off if you’d dress more apt for the times~,” he countered, catching onto how bothered the other seemed at being called old. His own annoyed frown from earlier had melted into a smile. One that perhaps a complete stranger might confuse as friendliness, though to a keen eye, it was obviously a taunting one. “You look some years older or am I wrong, sir?” He wasn’t being too dramatic, after all the man seemed a good decade older than him. Then again, perhaps it was how professionally he was dressed, a far cry from his own sweatpants and t-shirt.

          “ Ah... I see how it is, ” With that, his features softened a tad, the amused smile returning to his lips as he’d give one of his gloved hands a small waving gesture in the air. “ You see my attire and judge my character based on that. ” Suddenly, it made more sense --- anyone could dress a certain way, and still maintain a youthful appearance. And given the other’s continuous desire to actively get on Sebastian’s nerves, it was safe to say it was wasted energy and time to bother about it. “ I suppose that’s fair, ” He continued, shifting from his spot when the door opened again --- moving away to avoid hindering anyone from going through there.

          “ Perhaps I’m a year or two older than you...” He admitted. “ But using my clothes as a source as to figure out whether I am old or not is really not a reliable one. I can assure you, whatever you think my age might be, I do not look like it~ ”

“Sorry about that, but I had to make sure there were people here. The town’s sorta in the middle of a crisis, you know.” The believe responds, not at all phased or intimidated by the older man. Truly, Henry had become used to just going in and around Storybrooke as he pleased. Operation Cobra had even required it on a few instances. While him walking into this rather large manor was wrong, he was doing it for a good reason. So, in his eyes, he thoughts the ends justified the means. 

Besides, it’s not like he was here to hurt anyone or steal anything. The boy just wanted information. With the town line having the power to revert the un-cursed citizens of the Enchanted Forest if someone crossed over, it was imperative for those in charge of the two like his grandfather to know where everyone was and what their status was. Considering the person before him and probably those in this home had not been seen since the curse lifted, it was only natural to want to find the status update of them.

Henry had taken on that responsibility, wanting to help with all his might. It was because of him the curse had been broken, after all. He was the one who brought the Savior to Storybrooke. The one that never stopped believing in the truth despite his mother and everyone’s else’s attempts to say he was crazy. He was the one who took the bite of his mother’s cursed apple pie in order to get his mother to believe. The boy was very much capable of helping, and doing this was just one way he continued to try and prove that.

“You didn’t answer my question, and I can’t leave until I have the answer.” Calling him the son of the mayor wasn’t exactly an indicator if he was cursed still or not, or if he had been re-cursed by crossing the town line. Sneezy had been hit already, whose to say others had not also suffered that same fate? “Do you remember your life before Storybrooke? Your life in the Enchanted Forest? The life shown in this book.”

The boy then reaches into his bag, pulling out his storybook and quickly opening up to a section he bookmarked titled ‘The Earl And The Demon Butler’. He shows the illustration for the section to the main in black, showing him next to a small boy with an eyepatch. It was pretty obvious to Henry that this man was Sebastian, the tailcoat gave it away easily along with the fact he matched the picture perfectly. No doubt Henry was always so confused when cursed individuals denied that the illustrations of their stories were not them.

All he can hope for now is that he and the rest of the Phantomhives had their curses’ still broken. For if it not, that’s going to cause probably a lot more problems the town frankly didn’t need at this point.

          Naturally, he had meant to argue against that --- wanting to deny the fact that he was far from the product of someone else’s imagination. Because, in his eyes, the majority of the citizens in this town were nothing more but fictional characters where he came from. And being one himself... even if it was proven at this point that they were all more than just ‘fictional’, it... well, it certainly took him a bit to fully grasp and accept.

Then, the boy held up the familiar book --- if Sebastian’s memory didn’t escape him, he was fairly certain his civilian self had seen it once before, back when his own memories were locked up behind strong bars. But seeing it now, opened up and showing that specific page... something about it did not sit quite well with him. The image of himself and his own master staring back at him with empty eyes, the melancholy aesthetic looming over the picture like a rain cloud --- indicating that this was far from a happy story. 

Well... far from a happy story for most people involved EXCEPT Sebastian. In fact, apart from the tiny detail that his meal is taking a bit longer than he had expected it would to cultivate, he was in actuality living his best life. The life of a butler was not one he’d ever regret engaging in. The profession itself was a perfect fit for him. Truly, despite the many ups and downs it would come with it, he truly had no regrets taking this form in particular. Well, up until the bloody curse happened, that was.

As his gaze lingered on the picture, it would eventually find its way to the title. And it was in that moment he realized exactly what it was that didn’t sit quite right with him.

          “ ... That title, ” He began, leaning down some to purposefully point at the word ‘demon’. “ Perhaps it would be for the best if you didn’t stroll about and showed it to just about everyone, ” With a heavy sigh, he’d cross his arms over his chest, gloved digits resting against his own forehead in slight frustration as he continued.

          “ Furthermore, I regret to inform you that whatever you have read in that book of yours, whatever made you interpret it as if we hail from the same location as most individuals in this town, I can assure you we are not from a place called the ‘Enchanted Forest’. Believe me when I say I most certainly would have known if that was the case. ” He paused, crimson gaze resting on the boy again, his look curious as he parts his lips to speak again. “ ... Say, did you read it? ” 

                                    And he wonders... does it have an ENDING?

Ah, it seemed he’d bumped into the one smart mouth in the city. He had a good mind of giving the other a few choice words, but for now held his tongue, only shooting him an annoyed huff. Scooping up his phone, he chose to pocket it for now, not surprised to hear the comment as he had previously been scolded for much the same. “I rather not get suggestions from old men about what I should or shouldn’t be doing,” he quipped back dismissively, dusting invisible dust off his pants. Really, he was just scornful about the embarrassing incident, his pride only further hurt by how amused the man seemed.

“I’ll accept the apology though. Mr…old guy.” Whoever he was. Normally, he’d be respectful and ask, but he had no intentions of doing as much… yet.

          “ ... ‘Old guy’? ” He mumbled lowly to himself. Why, what a pesky little thing, wasn’t he? It was one thing to be referred to as ‘old man’ by little children, but a whole different matter when it came from fellow adults. Err-... as ‘fellow’ as they could possibly be, that was. The stranger’s comment had caught him slightly off-guard, Sebastian’s previous amused expression now replaced by a somewhat bothered one --- the smile radiating slight discomfort rather than pure amusement as it had merely a few seconds prior. Do I look old to you, wee lad? ... is what he wanted to say, but ultimately opted not to.

Instead, he cleared his throat as he regained his composure, a gloved hand momentarily covering his lips before parting them to speak. “ ... I’m pleased to hear you accept my apology, ” Even if he had, in fact, done absolutely nothing wrong... “ But I would appreciate if you’d refrain from calling me ‘old’. ” ‘Old’ wasn’t exactly the look he was aiming for here, after all.

          Despite what one might’d first think, it had been an accident. Yet any signs of remorse was visibly absent upon his features as he closed the door behind him. A soft chuckle at the stranger’s distress, not to mention tame remark. Still, even as the other found himself struggling on the ground and eventually getting up on his feet, Sebastian offered him an amused smile along with an feigned  apologetic look. Had the redhead not been so quick to collect himself, Sebastian would have offered him a helping hand. “ I cannot say that I do, ” He began. “ Up until just a short moment ago, I was lead to believe that doors in particular were rather inefficient choice of weapons. But you certainly proved me wrong~ ” Shifting on his spot, Sebastian finally offered him an apologetic nod of his head --- the slight but amused smile ever so present still.