lullaby for my ghost

“Most unmannerly, arriving unannounced, and while the little lord is asleep, no less.” 

There’s truth to the saying that there is ‘no rest for the wicked’; Sebastian still had an endless list of tasks to complete before dawn to ensure the following day ran smoothly. The arrival of Betrayal rarely meant anything good, though her business with Sebastian was certainly unexpected. What could have possibly brought her to the Earth’s crust, much less the manor he had been maintaining? Perhaps Hell has finally froze over.

The soft thump of a leather wallet hitting the ground a few steps ahead of him had drawn the butler’s attention, while appearing to have gone unnoticed by the items owner. Although Sebastian had little to no interest in the contents of the personal belonging, not returning the property to its rightful owner would not befit his aesthetic as the perfect, gentlemanly butler. After crouching to collect the wallet from the ground, the demon gracefully rose to his full height once again, before calling out to the lady in front of him.

Hmmmmm missing persons, missing persons… oh those missing persons!

“Maaaaaybe~” He warbled out as he set about dusting the cobwebs off his bookshelf. He half turned, staring at Sebastian with a grin that spoke volumes about what he was going to ask for. 

“But if that’s what you’re here for… you know my price. Pay it, and the information’s yours~”

There it was, as expected. 

“Very well,” he obliged, the words all but sighed.

Shutting the front behind him, Sebastian readied himself to deliver the payment.

That kind of made her abit upset, he was WORRIED about a damn mat and mud prints instead of her? but knowing full well she COULDN’T really impose Sebastian she sighed softly. ‘ Yes I made sure to take my SHOES off before I entered the manor, wouldn’t want to WIDEN your work lord sire, but anyway I gotta get these clothes to the back to hang.’

       ❤️‘Ｄ ┊ＣＯＬＬＡＲＥＤＣＲＯＷ

‘ The storm suddenly just APPEARED….but thankfully I only got minor drench…and managed to save the laundry.’

“And what brings the Phantomhives t’my parlour this afternoon? Come to speak with the dead… or are you here for somethin’ else?”

@collaredcrow​

“They were right on our tails as well, I’m shocked by how fast they’ve managed to catch up to us within a day. “ There were dark circles underneath his eyes indicating a lack of sleep, though he had ordered Sebastian to make sure he kept awake as long as possible. Only having napped for mere minutes while being carried. Nightfall seemed to loom overhead causing the forest to become foreign to the earl’s eyes. He sat upon the rock, lifting his head for the demon to clear the rubble from his cheeks. “I’m quite grateful to hear that statement..” He muttered.

“You should rest as well, Sebastian, I think we’re far enough to not be in harm’s way.” Those were rather rare words to come from the earl, the last time being right after the great Campania’s sinking. “Besides, we got what the Queen ordered us to capture. There’s no sense in straining ourselves.” After that statement, he coughed a couple of times from the cold of the night creeping in. Once pale cheeks now showed a pink tint.

A short breath of air was huffed through the demon’s nose, barely stifling his amusement at the offer. “Most gracious of you, my lord, however, that will not be necessary.” How unusual it was to be granted a moment of rest, though there was no need for the demon to take a pause having barely exerted himself. Instead, while the little lord slept later, Sebastian would return him safely to the manor before morning’s dawn broke.

The youngest angel was sent down for her first mission where she needed to retrieve a missing soul that was stolen from Heaven. From the evidence left behind at the crime scene everyone was suspecting it was a demon’s handiwork. Following the clues it lead her to a demon under the name Sebastian who was acting like a human butler to a child who sold his soul. The blonde felt pity for the child, however, she could also sympathize with his grudge against the humans that took everything from him.

Because of her characteristics like these the angel was an outcast, but she hoped to prove herself and finally be accepted. Stella stalked the demon for weeks now to see maybe he could have any clue or maybe even know the demon that stole the soul. She knew of course, he wouldn’t have any use for because he was under a contract. However when one day he called out to the angelic being in her hiding place she decided to reveal herself.

Smiling at the demon as she jumped down to a lower branch that was in view, the angel placed her hands behind her back as she sat down. “Good evening, I wondering if you could help me because I’m looking for something that is lost to Heaven.”

Was this a joke of some kind? Why in seven Hells would Sebastian know anything of Heaven’s case of carelessness? Was this truly the reason this creature had been tracking his every move recently? He had learnt too many years ago not to trust an angel’s words at face value, despite their typical, innocent appearances. “Heaven and I are strangers; what would I know of your affairs? Whatever has led you to me, I can assure you that I am not interested in some low quality soul.” Sebastian had long since given up on greedily devouring every unremarkable morsel available to him; the hungrier became, the more delicious his next meal would be as a result.

⇛罪┇       madness, ɪɴ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ, ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ɪɴ ᴍᴀɴʏ ғᴏʀᴍs & ᴡʜɪʟᴇ sᴏᴍᴇ ɢᴇᴛ ᴡʜɪsᴋᴇᴅ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀᴍ, ᴍɪɴ-ᴊᴜɴ ʜᴀs ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ embrace ɪᴛ; ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ sʜᴀʟʟ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ɢʀᴏᴡ ʙɪɢ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏ ʜɪᴍ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴀʏ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ & ᴀs ʀᴇᴅ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴅʀɪᴘs ғʀᴏᴍ ʜɪs sᴛᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ʟɪᴘs, ʜᴇ sᴍɪʟᴇs, ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ sʟᴏᴡʟʏ ᴇsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ʜɪᴍ ʟɪᴋᴇ sand ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɴɢᴇʀs.

ᴘɪᴛʏ. ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴅɪᴅ ᴍɪss ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀʀᴍɴᴇss ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ & ɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ’s ᴏɴʟʏ ᴄᴏʟᴅ ———- ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡᴏʀsᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴡɪɴᴛᴇʀ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ ———- ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪs ᴛᴇʀʀɪʙʟʏ ɪʀᴏɴɪᴄ. ʜᴇ ‘ was ’ ʙᴏʀɴ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢsᴛ ʟᴀʏᴇʀs ᴏғ sɴᴏᴡ, ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ.  “ ᴏʜ, ᴍʏ sᴡᴇᴇᴛ ᴅᴀʀʟɪɴɢ…. “ sᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʟᴅ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ sᴀɪᴅ, “  ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ…… sᴏ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ….. “  ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ʜᴇʀ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴡᴇᴇᴛ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ, ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴏ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ & ʟᴏᴡ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴡᴏʀɴ ɪᴛ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀ man.  “ ɴᴏᴡ…. ɪᴛ’s ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ғᴇᴇ——-“

“ ɪ’ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴜɴɢʀʏ.. “ ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴛᴏʀᴛᴇᴅ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ sᴘᴀʀɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴀ ɢʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡʜɪʟsᴛ sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴋɴᴇᴇ-ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴏᴅɪᴇs, ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴘɪʟʟᴀʀ ᴏғ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss ᴀᴍᴏɴɢsᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴅ. “ ɪ’ᴍ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛɪʀᴇᴅ…..  ɢʀᴀɴᴅᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ…. “  ɴᴏᴡ ɴᴏɴᴄʜᴀʟᴀɴᴛʟʏ ʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ & ᴜɴᴘʟᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ʜɪs ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟʏ-ᴋɴɪғᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴠᴀɢᴜᴇʟʏ ʀᴇsᴇᴍʙʟᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴛʜʀᴏᴀᴛ, ᴍɪɴ-ᴊᴜɴ sᴛʀᴀɪɢʜᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴏᴡɴ ᴊᴜᴍᴘᴇʀ sʟᴇᴇᴠᴇ; ᴏɴᴄᴇ, ᴛᴡɪᴄᴇ, ᴛʜʀɪᴄᴇ…. ᴀ ᴍᴏsᴛ systematic ᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴀ sʟɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴅɪsɢᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sᴇᴇɴ.

“ ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ….. “ sʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ, ᴀʟsᴏ ʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄʀᴜᴅᴇʟʏ sɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ғɪɴɢᴇʀs ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ɴᴀᴋᴇᴅ ᴄʜᴇsᴛ ———- ripping out ᴀ ғʟᴇsʜʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ. “ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏᴏᴅ… ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ sᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇʀ…. ᴍʏ ᴅᴀʀʟɪɴɢ…. ? “ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ʜɪᴍ, sʜᴇ sᴍɪʟᴇᴅ & ᴘᴏʟɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴏғғᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀs ɪғ ‘ᴛᴡᴀs ᴛʏᴘɪᴄᴀʟ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ғᴏᴏᴅ, but oh, sʜᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ; ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ɪs ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴛʜᴇ sᴡᴇᴇᴛᴇsᴛ, ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ.

      “   my, what a mess.  ”

ᴀ sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴ ᴘᴀᴜsᴇ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ʙᴏᴛʜ ғᴇʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ sɪʟᴇɴᴛ ᴀs sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ sᴘᴏᴋᴇ, ᴄᴀᴜsɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴜʀɴ & ᴀᴄᴄᴏʀᴅɪɴɢʟʏ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ, stare ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏᴜʀᴄᴇ ᴏғ sᴜᴄʜ ɢᴏʀɢᴇᴏᴜs ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ———-  ᴏʜ, ʜᴏᴡ ᴜɴᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ.  ᴍɪɴ-ᴊᴜɴ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴘᴇʀᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʟᴅ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴄʜᴜᴄᴋʟᴇᴅ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀʟʟʏ disperse ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ᴍɪʀᴀɢᴇ, ᴠᴀɴɪsʜɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ sᴇʀɪᴀʟ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ sᴇᴇᴍ ᴘʜᴀsᴇᴅ ʙʏ sᴜᴄʜ. ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, ʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴄɪᴏᴜsʟʏ sᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴏᴅʏ & ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɴʏ ʜᴏsᴛɪʟɪᴛʏ, ʙᴇɢᴜɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴀᴄʜ ʜɪᴍ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀs ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴍᴀssᴀᴄʀᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ ᴄɪᴛʏ sǫᴜᴀʀᴇ; ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ & ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ deluded.  “ …. ʜᴇʜᴇʜ …  ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴀʀʀᴇsᴛ, ‘ ᴏғғɪᴄᴇʀ ‘.. ? “

“Officer?” That certainly was a new one for him, though it was an aesthetic he never wished to adopt. “No, you’re not under arrest.” Could it have been such a regular occurrence that he had grown accustomed to the authorities showing up? It could be that the man simply knew that the slaughtering of a small community was indeed punishable by law, but did not care for the threat of societal repercussions. Given how the other being vanished suddenly, perhaps capturing either of the pair was a task more difficult than a simple police force could handle.

Something about the casual manner that the young man had wiped blood from his knife onto his sleeve told Sebastian that this was probably not the first time something of this nature had happened, unfazed by the sight of the mangled bodies he carefully stepped over. Such a sight would prove to be severely traumatic to the average human psyche, such delicate little creatures they were. While there were rare exceptions, Sebastian was fairly certain that this instance was a direct result of the mysterious entity’s influence on the man before him, if their previous conversation was to be taken into consideration. The being appeared to be conditioning the man in order to ‘get stronger’ for a reason undisclosed.

Crouching over a butchered body at his feet, Sebastian briefly examined its injuries, none of which seemed to have been caused by anything supernatural, indicating that the violence had been carried out solely by the lithesome man. 

How very strange.

A lonely, desperate soul’s cry for help had summoned the wandering demon to the site of a massacre. Appearing from a dark, wispy fog in search of a meal that would meet his impossibly high standards and sate his hunger, Sebastian quickly identified who had called him. It was much to his expected disappointment that his summoner possessed a subpar spirit not worthy of his cultivation, leaving the individual for the Shinigami Dispatch to deal with.

A brief glance around his surroundings caused an eyebrow to raise. In all of the demon’s innumerable years, he had witnessed countless scenes just like it, and been the cause of just as many. It was nothing too unusual to him upon first appearances, bodies strewn in every which direction, the thick stench of death lingering in the air, however, there was an unusual, heavy atmosphere that he couldn’t quite read.

Stood nearby were two figures, both of which appeared relatively unassuming, though he knew just how deceiving appearances could be. Over the centuries, Sebastian had met many supernatural beings, though never an entity quite like the one before him. The small frame of an elderly lady was presented to him, though he knew that something far more monstrous resided within. The aura that this being emitted was unknown to him, unlike anything he had ever seen, certainly unsettling though he did not fear it. The other figure, a young man, appeared to be afflicted by this unidentified creature, though possessed no other remarkable abilities that Sebastian could detect, other than a soul most interesting.

With his interest certainly piqued, the demon decided not to make a swift exit for once. 

“I am growing quite tired of you chasing my tail,” he called out, satisfied that there was nobody around to interrupt, waiting for the entity to finally show itself.