Hi there. After finishing "Chains of Command" I didn't think, I'd be back so soon. Really, I didn't. But when the plot for a Christmas story came into my head, I couldn't resist. I couldn't complete it in time for Christmas, though. So I'll give you, what I have so far. Hope, you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel and/or the Phantomhive servants. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money from this.

+++ Chapter 1: Shopping Desaster +++

Christmas time always meant a busy month for Ciel Phantomhive and his "Funtom" toy company. While children and parents all over the kingdom bought his products, he himself hardly found time to look up and count the remaining days on the calendar. His butler kept writing notes and memoranda, concerning certain Christmas obligations, which Ciel kept ignoring. His butler quoted schedules, which Ciel dismissed with a scowl. His butler even suggested that he get a present for his master's fiancée. At least for her, if Ciel did not want to follow the custom and provide give-aways for his numerous business partners. Ciel considered it outrageous, the way Sebastian meddled in his most private affairs.

So it came that the very day before Christmas, Ciel still had no idea what to give to Miss Elizabeth. Hence he decided to go to town and seek inspiration by roaming the shops and department stores.

Actually he didn't decide it at all. His butler finally made the decision for him and before the young earl knew, he was already seated in a carriage, heading for London.

"I don't want to do this," Ciel said, as Sebastian helped him exit from the carriage in front of Harrods. "Look at that! What are all these people doing here?"

"The habit of delaying the purchase of Christmas presents to the very last moment seems a common state of mind with London's society," commented his butler.

Sullenly, Ciel watched the shopping crowds enter and leave the popular store. "Next year I'll spend Christmas somewhere else. Some place, where it's sunny and warm and less crowded."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows and shifted into tutor mode. "It is absolutely out of the question for you to leave London at this time of the year, young master. There are events to attend, courtesy visits to make and to receive - "

"I know. Elizabeth's, for example."

"A gentleman of your rank and status must comply with conventions. It is his duty to set an example and - "

"Conventions may change," Ciel pointed out.

"But not starting with the current Earl of Phantomhive, youngest of his title," Sebastian simply said. "Not while I am your butler."

"Hey! Don't touch me! Stop that! I mean it!" Ciel squirmed in vain to slap at the gloved hand pushing him from behind. Trying to stop himself from being shoved, he made a few staggering steps. Then he hesitated and said in a hushed voice: "Sebastian! People are staring at us!"

"Unconventional, isn't it?" The butler sneered. "Do you still think you want to turn your back on customary behavior?"

"I certainly won't turn my back on you again. Damn you."

"And a Merry Christmas to you, too, young master." Sebastian bowed deeply. With downcast eyes and a silky smile he held the door open.

Ciel entered the store. A malicious smile formed on his lips.

"Now, where do we start?" he mused aloud, tapping the knob of his walking stick on his chin. "I know. Perfumes!"

His butler's face fell.

"Let's go and test some! Come on!" Darkly amused, Ciel took the lead.

In preparation for the shopping trip Sebastian had performed a market research on Miss Elizabeth's tastes and likings and come up with three main criteria. Things to make Ciel's fiancée go "Yaaaayyyy!" had to be a) pink, b) cute and c) expensive.

Ciel explained it to the salesgirl in the perfume department, who nodded like she knew exactly, what he was talking about. She commenced to arrange bottles and flacons on the display. The young earl smirked. He was well aware that Sebastian didn't stand beside him, but some feet distant, gazing at a decorative Christmas tree as if he'd never seen one before.

"Come on, you gotta help me with this," Ciel said. "We might already be on to something. The lady here says, she can fill any perfume into a flacon that's pink and looks like a cute, grinning kitty."

The shop assistant sprayed samples of smells on little slips of paper and dried them with quick, flicking moves of her wrist. Then she offered them to Ciel, one by one, smiling, explaining, pointing out notes of violet, musk, rosewood, patchouli and bergamot. Eventually, Ciel held a whole fan of scented paper slips in his hand. Under the salesgirl's expectant eyes, fun suddenly became serious business.

"I can't decide." Helpless, the young earl shook his head. "Sebastian, what's your favorite?"

He turned round and at the same time pushed the whole bunch of samples in the general direction of his butler. Unfortunately, Sebastian was closer than Ciel had expected and the frightful hodgepodge of scents hit him square in the nose.

For one split second of shock Sebastian seemed frozen, squinting at the papers with wide, flabbergasted eyes. He made a small, whimpering noise in his throat that sounded like a puppy finding a hornet on its muzzle.

And then -

"Gyaah!" Sebastian lunged backwards, covering his nose with both hands. He made a muffled sound, then turned and fled, almost knocking the Christmas tree over as he pushed past. However, he was gone, before the tree could realize it had been hit at full speed. Ciel and the shop assistant both stared at the place, where he'd been. Especially the girl's face was remarkably shocked.

"But, sir...," she started.

"Be right back!" Ciel headed for the exit, hoping that Sebastian had instinctively gone in search for fresh air. He wondered how naively he had believed people to stare at him before. They hadn't. They stopped and stared now.

Well, Ciel thought desperately, if Sebastian should unfold wings to escape from the crowd, maybe I can make people believe it's a marketing gag to promote Funtom toys.

Fortunately, Sebastian did no such thing. Ciel found his butler right outside the store, standing slightly hunched and hyperventilating, as if he'd actually sprinted.

Ciel strolled closer. "Too much vanilla and essence of violets, I agree."

"Don't you ever do that again!" the demon gasped. He produced a handkerchief and blew his nose. "Sense of smell's all dead..."

"Why do I feel that our conversations are getting ever more humorless?" Ciel made a sweeping motion with his walking stick. "Finish and come on back inside! I still have to do my shopping."

During the next hour Ciel undertook a journey into a whole different world. A girl's world, in which things seemed invariably pretty and frilly - and, in Ciel's opinion, utterly useless. He inspected Italian glassware, porcellain kitsch and jewellery. He spent some time, considering a beautifully modelled fake oil lamp that was meant for burning incense, and some more time looking at a mechanical canary bird that was supposed to sing when exposed to sunlight. He asked for a demonstration and was told that unfortunately, no sunlight was available within the store. But there was a little crank, so the bird could be made to sing whenever he wished... Ciel found it all bizarre and moved on to the lady's fashion department.

According to Ciel's description of Miss Elizabeth's age and size, a model was called in to present him hats, dresses and even some ball gowns.

"Expensive" was never the problem. The "pink and cute" part definitely was: Anything not matching those criteria could not even be taken into consideration. Anything resembling the specifications even remotely, the young earl would refuse immediately. Before long, the manager of the lady's wear department frequently dried her brow and neck with a silk handkerchief. Ciel sat with his head resting on his hand, tapping his walking stick and looking sullen.

Sebastian had fallen silent long ago. Naturally he stood next to Ciel's armchair, just like he was supposed to. But today, instead of his usual, reassuring presence, the demon radiated anxiety and discomfort. Even though his gazes kept darting about, he basically stared into space. Every so often he'd discreetly blow his nose.

Eventually, Ciel's patience snapped: "Can you stop making those noises? What's wrong with you?"

"Can we. Maybe. Just purchase this gown young master?" the demon asked, almost pleadingly.

"Purchase it? Are you serious? It's pink!" Ciel scrutinized his butler and found him looking even paler than usual. And now the demon even closed his eyes and held on to the backrest of Ciel's chair, as he drew a laboured, shuddering breath. Ciel frowned. "Maybe you'd like to wait for me out in the open? Get some fresh air? You do look sort of indisposed."

Of course it was highly uncommon, even unconventional for a butler and his master to seperate during a shopping tour. Not to speak of a demon deliberately leaving his affiliate out of sight. Yet, Sebastian seemed utterly relieved.

"Like. Open. Thank," he sniffed.

"Alright then. Remember the bench under the streetlight? In front of the main entrance? I'll collect you there."

Ciel watched his butler stagger off and decided to speed things up: Pink. Cute. Kitty. Perfume. Now!

Twenty minutes later Ciel left the building, followed by two shop assistants carrying his purchases. Sebastian sat on the appointed bench. He had his handkerchied in front of his face and he looked up only when his master already stood before him.

"I'm done shopping," Ciel said, while the assistants piled up boxes and bags. "The carriage is being hailed. Tanaka should be here in a minute." He looked at the traffic and reconsidered. "Better make that five minutes. Move over!"

Sebastian vacated the now snow-free seat for his master. Ciel sat down.

"How's your nose?"

Sebastian's reply was muffled: "Puff'd-up'n clogg'd."

"Yes. You sound like that, too." Ciel looked around, taking in the illuminated shop displays, the snow, the Christmas trees. He discovered an actor in a Santa Claus costume in front of a toy store. The merry Father Christmas was entertaining a crowd of children and attracting ever more audience. They swarmed around him like so many buzzing bees, trying to climb on his lap in order to stroke his beard, touch his nose and whisper their wishes into his ear.

"Look at those children," Ciel said. "They are so happy."

Sebastian made a noise that registered somewhere between a cough and a derisive snort.

"I remember Christmas, when I was young," Ciel went on, as if he hadn't heard. "I used to write letters to Santa Claus, just like they do. And when I found the presents in the stocking on Christmas day, I'd smile and be so damned happy. I'd tried so hard to be a nice boy all year long. Just like them."

"Sort of hard to imagine. Someone like you believing in jolly old immortal. Coming down North Pole. Just to put gifts inna stocking," Sebastian mumbled into his hanky. "Of course that was long before we met."

"But I do believe in Santa Claus," Ciel said.

Sebastian stopped his fierce attempts at blowing his nose and turned to him. He looked surprised.

"How could I not believe in him?" Ciel poked his walking stick in a heap of snow that looked like a half-hearted attempt at building a snowman. Children at play, while their parents sat on the bench, going through their shopping list. Ciel could picture them now. Being so damned happy, all of them. "Fancy this: A demon in high-heel boots getting you out of a cage to be your butler and eventually eat your soul. A jolly, elderly man travelling the world in a reindeer sleigh to bring you presents. And now, tell me: What's the difference? And which one would you prefer believing in? If you were human, of course."

"The old guy has no feel for classy entrances," Sebastian said off-handedly. "I mean, reindeers and chimneys? Oh, please!" He sneezed. "However, you, young master, should prefer demons. Santa Claus and his North Pole toy manufactory are serious competition to Funtom."

"Did you just sneeze?"

Instead of answering, Sebastian sneezed again.

Ciel creased his brow. "Is that still due to that stupid perfume testing?"

"That's unlikely." Sebastian looked at a loss. "However, I have no alternative explanation to offer, mylord."

"I might. You're not falling ill, are you? Caught a cold?"

"Impossible." Sebastian coughed. And coughed.

Ciel eyed him suspiciously. "I should probably make one or two visits on the rare occasion of my being in town. But I'd probably better skip that custom and get you home fast."

Feeling something strange and threatening gather inside, Sebastian didn't object.

The drive home turned out the worst Ciel had ever had. Sebastian did not complain, but he had trouble breathing and he was getting worse by the minute.

"Damn, I regret pushing those paper slips under your nose." Ciel shook his head. "Is there some way I can help?"

Sebastian couldn't answer on account of the violent coughing that shook his body.

"Don't panic." Ciel rummaged in his pocket and produced an inhalator. "My asthma medicine. I was afraid of a fit in the middle of the crowd, so I brought it along."

"Won't work." Sebastian doubled over and coughed into his cupped hands.

"Well, if it doesn't work, it won't hurt, either." Ciel reached over, brushing aside the long black fringes. "Come on. Inhale." He knew from experience that the feeling that something was being done might turn out almost as important and helpful as the treatment itself. He just didn't think, he should explain right now. "Now lean way over and put your head down. No. Don't curl up. Just lean forward." Ciel maneuvered Sebastian into the intended position and started to pat his back. He had no idea, if this kind of assistance would avail to something with a demon. But before long, Sebastian was coughing up mucus. Ciel handed a fresh handkerchief down. It was accepted with an air of gratefulness that stood in marked contrast to the gross sounds coming from the patient.

"You've caught a cold, if ever I saw one." Ciel continued to pat and rub the demon's back. "I can understand it's scary. But you've got to stay calm. Just think that it's something, all humans go through once in a while. Don't cramp. Just keep breathing, that's good..." Ciel kept talking and Sebastian gave himself over to the sound of his voice. If his master told him to stay calm, he would stay calm. On the conscious plane it was simple as that, and gradually, the spasm ebbed off. There was no way Ciel could tell, whether it was the asthma medicine kicking in at last, or the mental discipline taking effect on the body.

It was enough to feel and hear the demon's breathing become easier.

"Don't rush yourself. Stay down." Ciel emphasized his advice with his hand in Sebastian's hair, holding the demon's head down with cautious force.

Two minutes later, Sebastian stirred more energetically. Ciel let go and the demon straigthened up slowly. He looked spent and worn out. "Thank you, mylord," he rasped.

"Don't speak," Ciel said gruffly. "You'll only start hacking again."

No riches of the world would be sufficient bait to make him admit that he'd been scared. He put his head in his hand and his elbow on the window sill and stared at the landscape. Sebastian obeyed the order to keep his silence. Naturally, he still coughed frequently. But the sound had lost its suffocating and painful quality.

Thus, they reached Phantomhive.

As usual, the servants gathered to welcome their master on his arrival. They wanted to see what he had brought back. Bard, Mey-Rin and Finny swarmed about the carriage almost like the children had surrounded the fake Santa Claus. Boxes and bags were carried into the hall.

"So many presents!" Finny said, looking at the small pile with gleaming eyes.

"These boxes contain gifts for my business partners," Ciel said. "Mey-Rin! Did I ask or permit you to open them?"

Mey-Rin blushed, a little parcel in her hand. "It's pretty," she said.

"You're worse than a bunch of curious kids. Now, everyone," Ciel said, raising his voice. "Sebastian has caught a cold. I have business to attend this afternoon. So I'll leave it up to you to assist him. Do whatever is necessary to prevent him from being down with the flu tomorrow."

"But, master!" Sebastian's voice was almost drowned out by the servants' collective promise that they would take good care of him. Very good care. The most bestest of cares.

"I know, what you're going to say. But I want someone to be around you and handle things, just in case," Ciel said. "Bard, Mey-Rin, Finny, Tanaka - I entrust Sebastian to your care. And, Sebastian, you will let them take care of you. The Pantomhive household can't be without a butler on Christmas day. So get well."

And he left.

"Master?" Sebastian took a step forward, as if to touch his hand to the closed door. "Master? What have I done to you? I mean, like, so far?" He turned around and looked into the servants' sympathetic and eager faces. "Just when did you start hating me like that?"

"Alright then," Bard said, taking charge and turning to his fellow servants. "Ciel wants us to do whatever is necessary? I say, let's do more than that! Let's nurse Sebastian all the way back to health! Who's with me?"

Everyone shouted their affirmation.

"Excellent! Let's get to work! Finny, prepare a hot bath! Mey-Rin, into the kitchen! We'll need tea, and rum, and tea with rum and ... and more tea. Tanaka, get some blankets."

"I'm dead," moaned Sebastian, but no-one listened to him.

"And what are you going to do?" Finny asked.

"I'm the supervisor, now that Sebastian's out of action."

Sebastian decided to undertake a desperate effort to save himself: "I appreciate your eagerness," he said, putting his coat on the hook. "But fun's over. Stay calm, everyone. Every human catches a cold once in a while, and I am merely a butler." His throat tickled. "Now, as to tonight's dinner - "

"Aw, Sebastian, forget about work," Bard said. "Just this once: Think of yourself. Be a devil!"

"But I - " He couldn't fight the urge any longer. He coughed. He knew immediately, he'd made a mistake. The problem was, he couldn't stop.

"What you need is a hot bath." Bard grabbed Sebastian's elbow and pushed the choking demon into the corridor.

+++ End of Chapter 1+++