[Not to worry! Those nails are back to their proper length by the time Ciel takes his hand to stand.] It's the hair that does it, and the eyes. Such a dramatic change in appearance from the norm that it takes a second for you to realize you're still looking at the same person.
[And back out to the living room he'll lead the boy, for the sake of doing so.] You could have fought me on it a little longer, I suppose, but I still would have brought you here to thank you properly.
[Yes, the demon. Well.] There was no reason for him to suspect. Not then, anyway.
[Once he gets to the piano bench, he'll sit down on it the wrong way and pat the empty space beside him, inviting Ciel to sit.] I wouldn't have invited you to the tea party. It could have given me a little more time, but you would have forced your way in at some point, I suspect, or had that butler of yours do it.
He'll move right over with him and settle down on the bench.] I probably would have. You know how determined I can be when I want something done. I did set fire to Violet Wolf house after all.
[No worrying about it now. There are still powers that be that are being consulted to help them on that front soon enough.]
Yes, you did, entitled Earl that you are. But we're here now, and I hope you'll let me help you learn the joys of this marvelous contraption without setting fire to it in a literal sense.
[He tries not to worry about it. Really, he hardly thinks about it lately except when he puts his eyepatch on each morning.]
I couldn't think of any better way to investigate. And I wasn't about to satisfy Sebastian thinking I needed his help. [Smug bastard... He'll turn a bit though and smile up at Undertaker.]
I'm sure the piano will be fine. I can't guarantee any kind of skill or that I won't make some people deaf.
Making those deserving turn deaf might be better still than turning this lovely work of art to dust. But here then. [He puts one hand on the keys and plays a little trill of notes.] Sounds good for that. I trust it's tuned well enough. Let's see what you can do.
[First one hand, then the other goes to the keys, feeling his way around. One note plays, then another, then a string of them, and he's not thinking about it. Muscle memory still works well after all of this time.]
Did your father have any hand in this? I'll have to thank him properly when I see him next.
[Not that he would have listened to Vincent on the matter. Undertaker had taken good care of him up until this point, especially before his father had arrived. He deserved something nice.]
Guilty by association, then. Oh well. I suppose this means I'm giving both of you lessons. This is too grand a gift, milord. As humbled as I am by it, I'll not be enjoying it alone. You have to know you deserve this as much as I do. [If only he could afford to do something as nice for them.]
[He stares for a moment then his smile turns soft. And he shrugs.]
If it makes you happy, it doesn't seem like too grand a gift to me. Besides, you've also looked after me and the cafe would have been impossible without you. [Just having Undertaker there with them is enough for Ciel, at least.]
Edited (dreamwidth, lemme use my icon. rude.) 2018-04-18 20:04 (UTC)
It makes me happy, milord. I only worry about how much you must have spent on something so lovely, even if I do work for you. The way that you handle your business back in London, I have no doubt that you could manage the cafe here as well as the rest of your company. You give me too much credit, I think.
[In fairness, back in London he has the benefit of a demon to help increase sales and deal with advertisement.] I disagree. You know more about teas than I do, and you worked at that other cafe enough that you certainly know more about coffees than I do.
[He hums and nods, running his fingers over the keys one way and the other, slowly.]
It has been that way with us, hasn't it? You've never been a manager to me, only a business acquaintance. But I disagree in kind about the tea. I might have worked in a cafe in the brief time that I've lived here, but your tastes are far more refined than mine, I assure you. You must have noticed I really only kept one or two teas in the parlor, but you with your resources, you've likely had your fill and then some of all manner of tea that I've only ever dreamed of. Years on you though I have, I'm a picky one.
Only because Sebastian would have tea for me each morning when he woke me. And made sure I could tell teas by their scent. [It was almost a game. One he doesn't mind missing out on anymore, he's glad to just enjoy the teas they have.]
I liked the tea you always kept. It was... kind of nice. Knowing what to expect and knowing you'd make it well.
[There's that, but he won't be testing the Earl on these things, even if tea is the first thing he does in the morning.]
We can still have tea for you early in the morning. We do now anyway, but if ever you want to change that, we can. That still doesn't take away from that you know your leaves better than I do, so you'll be a big asset to our menu.
Then we'll leave it as is and let the customers decide if they want to see anything new. It'll be a blend of our tastes and their own. I haven't seen many suggestions come through, but it can't hurt to hear what they think.
Mm, that sounds nice, actually. And, if you want, we could always put up a suggestion box? You're absolutely right that it can't hurt. And maybe there are some things we have heard of in our time.
[He nods and reaches out to ruffle Ciel's hair.] Precisely. Who knows what they want? They've been content with the items we have to offer so far, but we can change it up now and then.
[That gets a wider grin out of him. He loves their banter.]
No, of course not. The point of it is to watch it grow and thrive. I didn't create it like I did the funeral parlor, but there's still a certain pleasure to be found in helping make something grow.
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[And back out to the living room he'll lead the boy, for the sake of doing so.] You could have fought me on it a little longer, I suppose, but I still would have brought you here to thank you properly.
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[But then, he'd never guessed Undertaker was anything but human, either. A surprise for everyone.] What would you have tried to keep denying it?
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[Once he gets to the piano bench, he'll sit down on it the wrong way and pat the empty space beside him, inviting Ciel to sit.] I wouldn't have invited you to the tea party. It could have given me a little more time, but you would have forced your way in at some point, I suspect, or had that butler of yours do it.
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He'll move right over with him and settle down on the bench.] I probably would have. You know how determined I can be when I want something done. I did set fire to Violet Wolf house after all.
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Yes, you did, entitled Earl that you are. But we're here now, and I hope you'll let me help you learn the joys of this marvelous contraption without setting fire to it in a literal sense.
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I couldn't think of any better way to investigate. And I wasn't about to satisfy Sebastian thinking I needed his help. [Smug bastard... He'll turn a bit though and smile up at Undertaker.]
I'm sure the piano will be fine. I can't guarantee any kind of skill or that I won't make some people deaf.
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I told them to make sure it was tuned properly when they brought it. Just so it would be ready for you.
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Did your father have any hand in this? I'll have to thank him properly when I see him next.
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[Not that he would have listened to Vincent on the matter. Undertaker had taken good care of him up until this point, especially before his father had arrived. He deserved something nice.]
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Guilty by association, then. Oh well. I suppose this means I'm giving both of you lessons. This is too grand a gift, milord. As humbled as I am by it, I'll not be enjoying it alone. You have to know you deserve this as much as I do. [If only he could afford to do something as nice for them.]
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If it makes you happy, it doesn't seem like too grand a gift to me. Besides, you've also looked after me and the cafe would have been impossible without you. [Just having Undertaker there with them is enough for Ciel, at least.]
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It makes me happy, milord. I only worry about how much you must have spent on something so lovely, even if I do work for you. The way that you handle your business back in London, I have no doubt that you could manage the cafe here as well as the rest of your company. You give me too much credit, I think.
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[In fairness, back in London he has the benefit of a demon to help increase sales and deal with advertisement.] I disagree. You know more about teas than I do, and you worked at that other cafe enough that you certainly know more about coffees than I do.
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It has been that way with us, hasn't it? You've never been a manager to me, only a business acquaintance. But I disagree in kind about the tea. I might have worked in a cafe in the brief time that I've lived here, but your tastes are far more refined than mine, I assure you. You must have noticed I really only kept one or two teas in the parlor, but you with your resources, you've likely had your fill and then some of all manner of tea that I've only ever dreamed of. Years on you though I have, I'm a picky one.
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I liked the tea you always kept. It was... kind of nice. Knowing what to expect and knowing you'd make it well.
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We can still have tea for you early in the morning. We do now anyway, but if ever you want to change that, we can. That still doesn't take away from that you know your leaves better than I do, so you'll be a big asset to our menu.
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I like how we do things now, actually. I'm not sure I'd want to change anything. [He smiles though.] We're both of great value then, to the cafe.
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Then we'll leave it as is and let the customers decide if they want to see anything new. It'll be a blend of our tastes and their own. I haven't seen many suggestions come through, but it can't hurt to hear what they think.
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He does smile though, trying to straighten it a bit after.]
They have been but it never hurts to mix things up a bit. We wouldn't want business to stagnate.
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No, of course not. The point of it is to watch it grow and thrive. I didn't create it like I did the funeral parlor, but there's still a certain pleasure to be found in helping make something grow.
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No but it wouldn't be what it is without you. [That does give him pause though.] Do you miss it?
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Oh, the parlor? I suppose I do. I knew the trade in and out, after all. Better than I do any of this fancy stuff.
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