Sometimes, late at night, Finny would walk around the manor. Whenever he could feel his fears taking grip on his brain, whenever it felt like the walls were closing in on him, he’d walk about and clear his head. Tip-toeing softly through the silent halls, only the glow of the moon through the large decorative windows to guide him. He never had a particular destination in mind, simply wandering the halls because he could. It felt calming, letting himself go wherever he pleased. Not being confined to a single room, knowing he was safe.

Walking around gave Finny the chance to appreciate the parts of the manor he didn’t usually see. Since he spent most of his time outside, he never really got the chance to admire how grand the place truly was. The many art pieces adorning the walls, the elaborate chandeliers dangling from the towering ceilings, the intricately patterned rugs spread across polished wooden floors. It truly was a beautiful house, from top to bottom.

Most of the time, Finny would just travel down the halls, walking past Mey-Rin’s room and listening for the faint sound of her breathing, just to be certain she was alright. A few times he’d sit on the floor in the biggest room he could find and simply revel in the fact that he was here. Not trapped. Free. Surrounded by people who he cared about and who cared about him.

It took away the bad thoughts and reminded Finny how happy he was to be a Phantomhive servant. How he would do anything to protect this house and everyone inside. Once he was sure of that, Finny would slip back into his room, duck back under the covers and sleep soundly. A few times, Finny had ended up asleep, slumped over and leaning against a wall or curled in a ball on the floor. If a fellow servant found him, they’d gently shake him awake before returning to their normal duties. More than once, Finny had been found by Sebastian, who always seemed to be up far earlier than any human should be.

(Baldroy had asked about it once, but Sebastian had simply replied that any good butler would be up before his master to prepare for the day.)

Whenever that happened, Finny found himself carried back to his room and placed back on his bed.

None of the servants talked about it. It was one of those things, just like so many others in the Phantomhive Manor, that remained unspoken.

On one such night, Finny wandered around as heavy sheets of rain poured down and flashes of lightning streaked across the darkened sky. The rhythmic beating of water on the roof drowned out his footsteps, a fact Finny was extremely grateful for. He had done a few rounds, travelling down a few corridors and checking multiple times that Mey-Rin was indeed safe and sound asleep. He was just about ready to head back to his room, but something, call it a protective instinct or paranoia, compelled him to walk past the young master’s room.

As Finny approached, he could hear a faint sound coming from the young master’s room. Faint, and almost indistinguishable from the cacophony of sound outside. He couldn’t quite make it out, but regardless, something was stirring within the room, and that in and of itself was alarming.

A switch flicked in Finny’s mind. He had to enter and defend his master. He had to protect him. He had to keep him safe. But-

Finny was already sneaking around the manor, late at night. If he got caught, surely the young master wouldn’t be pleased with him. He didn’t want to invoke the wrath of his master, but he also had sworn to protect him. What if he saw to get rid of Finny for walking around when he shouldn’t have been? There was nothing Finny wanted to do more than stay here forever, he’d sooner die than risk that. However, any good servant would put their master’s wellbeing over their own, wouldn’t they? What took priority?

There was truly no real question.

Finny took a deep breath and flung the door open, preparing to strike whoever may be attacking his master. The door shifts in its hinges, slamming against the opposing wall and leaving a dent within it due to the handle. It would typically be difficult to see in the darkened room, but the flashes of lighting kept Ciel’s room well illuminated. Finny frantically scanned the room for assailants.

There was no one.

No one except the for the young earl himself. He’d tangled himself up in his sheets, only his face peeking out. Even still, his eyes were screwed shut as though he was afraid to open them. He was trembling and Finny could spot the telltale tear tracks that glistened across his face whenever the lightning flashed. Ciel flinched each time the sky split open, attempting to curl deeper into himself. He muttered to himself, and although Finny could only make out a few fragments, the things he heard were worrisome.

“Stop it… stop the pain… Ciel… doesn’t want pain anymore… please… what did… do wrong…? Leave… alone… please!”

For a moment, Finny could only stand frozen in fear. He could remember the last time he saw his master in such a state. How he tried his best to help and it still wasn’t enough. How he failed to even protect Ciel from Sebastian, and it had hardly been a fight. How Ciel had recovered, much to Finny’s relief. But it had been Sebastian's doing, not his, that had snapped Ciel out of his panic induced haze.

“Y-young master!” Finny called, unsure of what to do.

Ciel tightened his grip on the sheets and squeezed his eyes shut even harder.

“W-who’s there?” He shouted into the air. “L-leave me a-alone! D-don’t come any closer!”

He was defensive, trying desperately to make any kind of threatening display in hopes of saving face.

“I-It’s me, Finnian! U-uh, young master.” Finny said hesitantly, only remembering to address his master after he had spoken.

Ciel didn’t respond, only shaking harder.

Finny was caught. He didn’t know what to do, only that this was wrong and that he had to fix it, or at least try and whatever he did, he had to do it soon.

“I-I’ll call Sebastian-“

“No!” Ciel shouted in a panic. Yet again, Finny was reminded of Germany and how powerless he, and everyone else, was.

“No, no, no, don’t.”

Finny approached gently, arms raised up to lessen the distance. He watched Ciel shuffle across the bed, blindly reaching for his eye patch and tying it himself in a clumsy knot.

In the darkness of the hour, it became even clearer to Finny that Ciel truly was a child. A powerful child, a child with the incentive and means to kill, one of the strongest men in all of Britain. But still a child only a mere 3 years younger than Finny.

Ciel cleared his throat in a poor attempt to hide his shaking voice.

“Don’t call… him. Or anyone else.”

Finny was confused momentarily but nodded. He took another step toward the bedside.

“Y-young master, are you-?”

“I’m fine!” CIel answered a bit too quickly. “Leave me be.”

As much as Finny knew he should obey his master’s orders, something told him Ciel wasn’t being entirely truthful. He lingered for just a moment longer.

“Are you sure?”

“You shouldn’t question orders- Aah!”

Thunder boomed as lightning streaked across the sky and lit up the manor once more. Ciel screamed as it flashed, flinching hard and lunging towards Finny. Finny flinched as well, hating the harsh sound. When he looked down, Ciel was only a few centimetres away, quivering as more tears gathered around his eyelashes.

In that instant, Finny gave up on any semblance of the rules he knew. Ciel’s dignity could come later, right now Finny was going to help in the only way he could think of.

Finny climbed onto the bed beside Ciel, holding him tightly in the gentlest embrace he could. To his surprise however, Ciel didn’t flinch away, instead leaning into the touch and holding Finny in return. Finny focused every ounce of his concentration into keeping his strength at bay, for fear of harming the young master.

Quietly, Ciel sobbed into Finny’s arms, letting himself pour out the fears and memories that had he had been forced to relive that night.

Finally, once he had run out of tears to cry, he looked up to meet Finny’s eye. To his surprise, Finny was crying as well.

“Finny? Why are you crying?”

Finny wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

“When you’re sad, I’m sad, young master.”

“Well that’s rather trite.” Ciel deadpanned.

“Hey!”

The two sat in silence for a moment as the storm continued to rage. Lightning flashed brighter than ever, but neither flinched.

“Finny…” Ciel began, voice low. “What were you doing outside my room this hour? It’s far past any time for you to be performing your duties. I had thought you had been asleep some time ago.”

Fear struck at Finny’s heart again. This was surely the end for him. The young master would surely be furious that he had been walking around the manor while he slept. The secret the servants had kept for long was coming unraveled. Finny would be kicked out, he would have to leave his family, or even worse, what if he became the target of the young masters wrath? He’d never been on the receiving end of Ciel’s anger before, but what was stopping him from punishing Finny for what he had done? He didn’t believe Ciel would hurt him but what if-

“Finny.” Ciel’s voice cut through Finny’s thoughts. “You were staring off into space.”

Finny shook his head, bringing himself of the daze of negative thoughts he had trapped himself in.

“Sorry, young master.”

Ciel’s face twitched in annoyance, but he let it fade.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

Ciel pointed out.

Finny sighed. This was the end it seemed. There was no way around it.

“I was walking around the manor. I do it whenever I can’t sleep.”

Ciel gave Finny a sideways glance, tapping a finger against his leg as he spoke.

“And does this happen… often?”

Finny swallowed and nodded.

Ciel sat in thought for a few moments more.

“Very well. I am willing to overlook this habit of yours, provided you vow you never mention this night again.”

Finny nodded vigorously, heart filling with joy and sweet relief.

“Of course!”

Ciel stared him down.

“Swear it.”

Finny placed his hand over his heart with complete sincerity.

“I swear upon the name of the Phantomhive family to never mention this night to anyone.”

That seemed to satisfy Ciel as he nodded thoughtfully.

“Good.” He said. “That goes for any future incidents.”

The implications of Ciel’s statement didn’t go unnoticed by Finny, but he saw fit not to being attention to the matter.

“Right, young master.”

Gradually, Finny slid off the bed and allowed Ciel to return under the covers.

“Should I stay, or-“

Ciel waved Finny away.

“You may go.”

Finny bowed, and left. Just before he closed the door behind him, Finny turned to address Ciel one final time.

“Good night, young master. Sweet dreams.”

Ciel smiled softly.

“Goodnight, Finny.”