Author's note: I don't own any of the Black Butler Characters! April is my OC though. Sorry it took so long to write another chapter, life has kept me pretty busy!

Chapter Five: His Butler, Generous

April ran as fast as he feet would carry her. She wiped at the tears stinging her cheeks. She had somehow expected this place to be different from her previous living situation. She wasn't sure why, but she had expected to be treated more like a person here and not just an object to be passed around for entertainment. That had been a silly expectation, a silly hope of a little girl.

She ran down the hall, far from the dining room. She was going to go to her living quarters, pack her things, and leave. This had been a stupid idea, moving in with this strange butler and the rest of his odd crew. She hoped that she could get out undetected and never have to face them all again. Maybe she could live here in London, away from Buffalo Bill. Her only problem was, what sort of job could a young lady such as herself expect to get. She supposed she could be a seamstress, though her sewing skills weren't too good. She reached her room.

She threw open the door and ran in, slamming the door behind didn't have much to pack, thankfully, so this would be quick. She found a small carpet bag sitting in the armoire, and pulled it out. She opened it to find there was already something inside. There was a tag attached to it, but she couldn't read it, as she had never been taught to read. The handwriting was clean and neat, elegant to look at. She could just barely recognize the letter 'S'. From her little knowledge of reading, she determined that to be the letter Sebastian's name started with. She unfolded the black cloth.

What she held in her hands was a nightgown made from the garments she had worn the other night, freshly cleaned. It had been trimmed in white linen and was sleeveless. There was a tiny white bow on the front and the letter 'A' embroidered to the right of the bow. She couldn't help but stare at it. Was this made for her? Did Sebastian make it? When did he have the time?

She heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's me, April. Whatever are you up to?" Sebastian's deep, silky voice came from behind the door.

"None of your business!" she snapped.

"I believe it is my business. You seemed rather distressed earlier," he replied calmly.

"What gave ya that idea?!" she clutched the nightgown to her chest. "Leave me alone!"

"Sorry,I must be getting delirious from Soma raising my blood pressure. Was that you getting smart with me?"

She fought back a fresh onslaught of tears. "Go away!"

"No. You're being ridiculous. Soma is an idiot. Don't let him bother you so, it's unbecoming."

She was quiet awhile. She didn't know why Soma's kissing her had upset her so much. Maybe she had thought this was a safe place where she wouldn't have to put up with those sorts of actions, and in thinking that, she had lulled herself into a false sense of security. She should have known that this was how it would always be for her; men would always want to treat her like an object. She hadn't been expecting the kiss, so she let it happen. She was being weak again, and she hated herself for that. She started crying softly. It wasn't fair. Just once, she wanted to be free of her own weakness, of men's desire for her, but that would never happen. Soma had been an idiot, but she had become a terrible maid all of a sudden because of that idiot. It was her fault. Everything was her fault.

"April? Are you still there? Oh dear," Sebastian sighed audibly, "I think I may have said something unkind. I was merely frustrated because I couldn't understand your behavior at first. I believe I understand your behavior now. I keep forgetting what your situation has been up until now, and that is a grievous oversight on my part. Soma's idiocy isn't your fault, my way other men have treated you isn't your fault. I pray you don't take their actions as an indication that you deserve such horrid treatment. Soma is no more than a bratty child. He was raised to believe the world was his oyster and he could have whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He meant you no harm, and you need not fear him. Trust me, you would be more than a match for him, if only you had more confidence. However, you are shirking your duties at the moment. The other servants and I have already cleaned up the dinner table, but the dishes need doing and the young master expects there to be drink served in the game room while he plays chess with Prince Soma. Now then, may I enter?"

April sat there a few seconds before saying yes. Sebastian gently opened the door and walked to stand in front of her. She looked up at him.

"Oh dear, what a mess," Sebastian said with a soft chuckle, looking a little embarrassed for some reason. "You have been crying far too much." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. She took reached out, but hesitated. "Don't worry. You can keep it. I have many others, and all handkerchiefs are for the express purpose of comforting crying women. What sort of gentleman would I be if I couldn't do so simple a thing?"

She took it , her fingertips barely brushing his glove as she did so. She blushed, though she doubted he could tell, since her cheeks were already flushed from crying. She dried her eyes.

"May I sit for a moment?" Sebastian asked,smiling so that his eyes were nearly closed. He gestured at the bed. April nodded. She found it difficult to speak at the moment. He sat next to her on the bed. "I see you have found my present for you."

She nodded again and held the nightgown out so she could look at it. "It's purdy. You make it?"

"I did. I took your old ghastly thief's garb and repurposed it into a nightgown. Now you can sleep with the knowledge that your modesty is preserved. I assume you slept in the nude last night, yes?"

April's eyes widened and she blushed, burying her face in her hands, which were still holding the nightgown. "Ye-yeah. Why d-do-do you ask?"

Sebastian chuckled, and April's heart raced. "Sorry to embarrass you, though it is only us here. You may keep the bag as well. Think of them as sign-on bonuses."

"Th-thanks." April wiped the handkerchief over her cheeks to dry them. She then set the nightgown down and blew her nose into the hanky. Sebastian looked a little curious and mortified at the same time. "Wha-what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just didn't expect you to do that in front of me," there was a little color in his cheeks. "I suppose you Americans have a different sense of what's proper."

April blushed and looked away. "Sorry."

"Oh no, don't apologize," Sebastian put his hands up almost in surrender. "I realize it needed done so that the young lord won't hear that you're congested from crying. Do you feel better?"

April nodded,folding the nightgown down on the bed. "Yeah. Thanks for checkin' up on me. Oh, and thanks for the nightgown. That was real sweet of ya."

Sebastian chortled softly. "Well, I've been called many things, , but 'sweet' isn't one of them."

April self-consciously took a strand of her honey-blonde hair and twirled it around her finger, trying not to meet his deep red eyes. She didn't notice that Sebastian once again got a little color in his cheeks. "That so?"

"Indeed," Sebastian stood and cleared his throat, returning to his stern posture. He offered a hand to April. "We've dawdled long enough. Come along, April."

April took his hand without thinking, her head feeling light as air. He pulled her to her feet. She was standing unexpectedly close to him. She could smell the faint scent of soap drifting off of him, and she looked down at her feet shyly. Sebastian squeezed her hand lightly.

"Were you going to leave us so soon, April?" he questioned, almost scolding her.

April looked up to meet his steady gaze. "I thought 'bout it. Decided not to. This is the best position I've been in in a long time. I don't plan on messin' it up."

Sebastian smiled wickedly. "Good. You're the most competent maid we've had, and I would hate to lose you. Don't you dare let Soma bother you like that again, understand?" April nodded. "Excellent. Now, run along and do the dishes with Mey-rin. I'll be in the game room with the young master. You won't have to see Soma for the rest of the night."

"Yessir," April mumbled,feeling a slight gasp in her voice. She hadn't meant to do that. She pulled her hand out of his and walked out the door, feeling a little humiliated that her body was giving her away.

As she walked down the hall to the kitchen, she couldn't help but go over the events that just took place in her head. Sebastian had been so kind to her, she couldn't quite wrap her head around it. Maybe he was that way with all the girls, in fact, April was sure he was. Though it was odd that he had given her a nightgown. They had only known eachother for a day and a few hours. Why would he give her a gift like that? Why had he come to check on her? He was a butler, a very proper English butler, not some ladykiller; that's what April wanted to believe. He was only being kind to her because he wanted her to stick around. There's no way the stoic, handsome butler would have interest in a skinny little thing like her. He probably was planning on seducing her for laughs or something. Yeah. That had to be it. He didn't want to court her or anything, just lead her astray, like all the other men April knew did.

And yet, there was something genuine in the way he had spoken to her. April couldn't get his soft laughter out of her mind. His scent had been so pleasant, not overpowering. His expression had been gentler too. April shook her head. No. He was just playing with her. Holding his hand

had felt like cuddling a tiger, nice and warm, but dangerous and unpredictable.

She made it to the kitchen just in time to see Mey-rin slip on a bar of soap. April threw both her hands out in front of her and caught Mey-rin with a purple light before her foot could hit a huge pile of plates and knock it over. She moved her hand to the left slightly and set Mey-rin on her feet again, then released her.

Mey-rin was shocked, to say the least. Her mouth dropped open in a huge "O" shape. "Oi! 'Ow did you manage that?! That was amazin', yes that was!"

"Oh, it's just somethin' I always did. Don't think too much 'bout it." April responded. "I came to help with the dishes."

"Alrigh'! Come over 'ere then, I'll show you how, yes I will!" Mey-rin said in a friendly tone, smiling at April in an inviting way. April walked over to her and allowed her to show her how it was done.

Mey-rin was a clumsy mess. She nearly broke several glasses, she kept dropping silverware and plates, and she kept losing hold of the bowls. April smiled and let her lecture her on the finer points of dish-washing, all the while re-washing and then drying the dishes Mey-rin had already done, but hadn't quite cleaned. April was no stranger to dish-washing. She kept listening to Mey-rin's friendly chatter, glad for the company, but fully aware she was doing all the real work.

Somehow the subject of conversation got around to Sebastian.

"What do you think of ?" Mey-rin asked.

April blushed. "He's alright. Bit of a stick-in-the-mud."

Mey-rin laughed, a grating sound to April's ears. "That he is! You like 'im though, yes you do!"

"I-I do not!"April stuttered. "He's a stiff! No fun at all-"

"He's 'andsome, isn't he? Tall, dark and 'andsome, oh yes. And he's got a deep, rich voice." Mey-rin wiped at a small trickle of blood coming from her nose. "It's okay, I like 'im too, yes! Who knows, maybe we can be rivals!" Mey-rin elbowed April gently. April couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh, no thanks. You can have him. All yours." April elbowed her back.

Mey-rin shriek-laughed again. "Oi, I like you, yes! What was yer name, again?"

"I'm April."

"I'm Mey-rin, but you can call me Mey, yes you can." Mey-rin offered April her sudsy hand. April took it and shook it vigorously.

"A pleasure to meet ya, Mey! Lookin' forward to workin' with ya."

Mey-rin grinned wide. "I agree. It's so nice to 'ave another girl around to talk to, yes it is."

April and Mey-rin spent the rest of the night gossiping and laughing as they worked through the mountain of dirty dishes. By the time they were done, it was nearly nine o'clock and pretty dark out. April took the tub of dirty water and dumped it outside while Mey-rin began to put the dishes away. April soon heard a loud crash as dozens of dishes shattered. She rushed back in to find Mey-rin on the floor, cradling her elbow. April knelt beside her.

"Ya got yourself cut up, huh? Lemme see," April said softly, pulling Mey-rin's hand away.

"OH! It 'urts! It 'urts somethin' awful, yes it does!" Mey-rin squealed while April poked at it.

"Yeah, it's a nasty cut, alright. Hold still." April held her hand over the cut and closed her eyes. She muttered two words and a purple light surrounded the wound and healed it.

Mey-rin cried out in surprise, and while she sat, enraptured by the apparent miracle, April waved her hand and all the broken dishes flew up from the floor and onto the counter, mended.

"This is purdy basic magic for me, but it makes me tired all the same. Try to stay safe and work well, okay, Mey?" April said to her new friend. "And don't tell nobody I can do this." Mey-rin nodded, dumbstruck.

Snake and Sebastian came in just as April and Mey-rin got off the floor. April hadn't seen snake before and was surprised by him to say the least. He seemed harmless enough, but the python hanging languidly on his shoulders did not. April squeaked fearfully at the sight of it.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, what are you on about, April?" Sebastian asked, exasperation in his voice.

"S-s-s-s-" April hid behind Mey-rin. Mey-rin looked at April, then at the two butlers that just entered.

"I think she don't like the snake, er, Snake," Mey-rin replied.

Snake, ever the peace-maker, sighed and said in a feminine tone, "'Don't be afraid, child. I don't bite.' Says Martha."

April shook her head. "Nuh-uh, no sir. I don't like snakes, not one bit," April rambled, her light violet eyes wide in fear.

Sebastian sighed. "Oh for the love of- April, this is Snake, he's another butler here and his snakes are tame. He controls them, so you needn't fear them. Now, come out from behind Mey-rin and explain to me why I heard a crash."

April timidly walked past Mey-rin, wary of Martha the Python. She approached Sebastian and nearly jumped out of her skin when Martha flicked her tongue at her. Sebastian put a hand on each of her shoulders.

"April, stop staring at the snake, and at Snake. They are both friends, alright? Does that make you feel better? Tell me what happened," Sebastian said, sounding annoyed.

April explained what happened to the dishes, stammering a little. She glanced fearfully at the python occasionally, but kept explaining until she was finished. Sebastian seemed satisfied with her explanation and released her shoulders. He sent both maids away.

April couldn't believe that there were snakes here in England. She hated snakes. But on the bright side of things, at least Sebastian had touched her shoulders. She tried not to get too excited about that, though.