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[Sebastian should be displeased by this - he'd prefer no reminders of this infernal Breach whatsoever, thank you - but he did just spend time petting a cat. He's in much less of a bad mood than he was an hour ago.]

Mm, you did mention I remind you of a friend from home, yes? [This is what humans do, after all - latch on to familiar things. Sebastian knew about Will's uncanny empathy in that other life, of course, but he doesn't default to assuming it carries over between lives. Humans being bad at compartmentalising seems more plausible.]

I do not mind you retaining those feelings, yet... I should perhaps clarify I believe myself to be fairly different from how I was in "that life".

[Fair warning? He won't mind hanging out, though - he's been assigned by his current warden to socialise with people he finds tolerable. Will, at least in that alternative life, definitely was tolerable.]

[ Will smiles, an easy and relaxed thing. ]

I figured. In fact, I'm kind of counting on it.

[ He sits on his couch, and gestures to the (slightly less ratty) armchair, offering it as a seat to Sebastian. ]

My condition is a lot stronger in this life, too- to the point where it's classified as a condition, or empathy disorder. It fascinated my friend to no end. His name was Hannibal Lecter, and he was human, technically. He loved cooking and hated rudeness. Whenever he had the chance, he'd put rude people into his cooking.

[ Will takes a deep, thoughtful breath, and laces his fingers together. ] ...I miss him very much.

[--Well. Sebastian will simply have to wash his trousers of dog hair and dust. He sits in the offered armchair, hands properly clasped in his lap. The chicken soup container gets placed on the floor next to him for now. It will keep warm for a while.]

My condolences. Missing important people is something many here have in common.

[It's not said with deep emotion, but not entirely spoken like an empty politeness, either. 'His name was,' in the past tense. Dead or lost touch, then. More importantly: clarifying that he was human. That he'd eat people.

Sebastian isn't entirely prepared to announce to the world, as it were, his being non-human (futile as that is proving to be. Several people have already told him they know). So, rather than addressing that implication...]

I should also, perhaps unnecessarily, clarify that whatever proclivities you knew me for before do not extend to the present. [A small gesture to the chicken soup,] Should that be a concern.

[ Will is very well-versed with speaking in only implications, at this point. So he's happy to not speak plainly about what he's implying. It's honestly kind of fun, as it's been awhile. And Sebastian hasn't exploded into a sudden torrent of violence or anything, so- it's going pretty well!

He breaks into a chuckle at Sebastian's clarification. ]

It's not, honestly. I have eaten many meals with Hannibal. And if we both hadn't died, I probably would've eaten many more. I don't concern myself with the ingredients any longer. But thank you, for the consideration.

Are you missing someone important here, as well?

[At that, Sebastian's eyebrows do go up briefly. Just... admitting to (potential?) cannibalism, so casually.

Humans truly are even worse than demons.]

[Then he suppresses the urge to clarify that he's used quality chicken, fresh vegetables, and home-made bone-broth.

And then the urge to clarify that were he ever to serve human remains, he would make sure they were of quality. That, if anything, is something anyone should be concerned about, cannibal or not.

(This suppressing only takes a moment, and might very well just look like he's composing himself from the initial surprise.)

Anyway. Food Priorities aside...]

I am. Considering our likely differing worlds, I am unsure if you would recognise me as a butler? [His master, that's who he's missing, is the implication.]

[ Will could easily have eased Sebastian's mind if any of that were said out loud, but they are trying to keep it to implications. Regardless, Will agrees that humans truly are just awful. ]

A butler. Yes, of course. You don't have your...employer? Your lord? I'm not sure what term you'd use. But they're not here, either.

[ And he's not sure what Sebastian is playing at with being a butler, but he is pretty sure there's some amount of 'playing' happening there. Not that he's going to ask about it. ]

That's too bad. I imagine that would make a butler feel very aimless.

[Playing dress-up and playing house both at once, in fact.]

I would not have the young master arrive here under any circumstances. ["Too bad" nothing.]

I would return the gesture of comparing you to him, but I fear there are far fewer common points between the two of you than between Mr Lecter and I. The young master is very particular about what goes into his food, and he is not very empathetic.

[Both his young master and Will do smell very delectable, very sweetly of misery... but that isn't something you say out loud in polite conversation.]

[ Will just nods in acknowledgment when Sebastian says he doesn't want his master there. That's a fair opinion. The Barge certainly has its share of suffering and ridiculous situations.

As the butler continues onto differences, Will smirks a little. ]

And I'm not exactly young, either. But I'm not really surprised- I suspect anyone who'd catch the eye of someone like you would have to be a very unique sort of individual. Can I ask his name?

[Yes, right... but more importantly: Sebastian's master arriving on the Barge would imply he died (because there is no way Sebastian's master would ever be deemed fit to be a warden). And that thought, the idea that something besides Sebastian killed him, is unacceptable.

He does smile slightly upon being called remarkable. He is amazing, it's true.]

He is the earl Ciel Phantomhive. [Slightly changing the meaning of what was asked, because, well... identity is a complicated matter where the young master is concerned.] And he is indeed unique in many ways.

Now, I am not implying that you yourself do not possess your own unique points. That level of empathy certainly is not commonplace, as far as I am aware.

[ Will lets Sebastian turn the topic back towards him. He is curious about this young man, but ultimately it's in service to learning more about Sebastian himself. ]

I've been told it's unique, as well. I said it was a condition, but the truth is...they didn't know what to classify it as. Here, it's been likened to seeing visions.

[ He shakes his head, and then runs a hand back through his hair. ]

I don't think it's that accurate. Just my brain handing me deductions in metaphor.

[Sebastian hums a little in acknowledgement.]

I imagine it must be bothersome to live with. From an outsider perspective, however, the idea of experiencing life that way sounds rather beautiful.

[ The words hit him like an arrow to the chest, and he looks up and directly at Sebastian, his eyes wide. ]

It...can be. Yes.

[ He can feel the slide of blood and fabric under his hands, the warmth of the hand on his back, holding him up. He shuts his eyes, briefly, and settles his thoughts. ]

Most people aren't able to see that. I spent most of my life wallowing in the pain it caused instead of...working with it. My way.

[Sebastian gives a mildly surprised look back at that reaction.

Huh. Your typical person would sooner take offence to that statement.]

[...Well. A reaction like that is fairly beautiful in its own way, too, isn't it? Humans that react unpredictably... Sebastian likes those.]

The human mind does tend towards self-pity, in the end.

May I assume Mr Lecter had a hand in you learning to work with it, then? [Since he supposedly was so endlessly fascinated by it.]

Doctor Lecter, but yes.

[ And it's so nice to be able to speak freely about this- or at least, relatively freely. He's used to only allowing himself digs and insults at the man. Those are admittedly satisfying in their own right, but he misses him. ]

I often got the feeling that everyone in our sorry world was miserable, except him. He saw beauty in art, in music, in the fleeting nature of our lives. He never felt shame, and only very rarely regret.

[ Not that he suspects Hannibal would ever admit that. ]

Seeing the world through his eyes was like suddenly coming across the aurora borealis in the darkest hour of the night. I was blinded at first- and he also blinded me, because he knew I'd eventually see him for what he was. But after we both revealed ourselves, we helped each other.

-and we tried to kill each other a few times. That's more on me. But even that was...fun.

[Sebastian laughs softly, a hand over his mouth, half in amusement, half in surprise.]

--Knew you that in some folklore, the aurora borealis are something to stay away from?

[well. Certainly he understands better now why he would remind Will of Doctor Lecter. The brief nature of human life does have beauty to it, although few humans can see it.]

You and he certainly seem to have an interesting relationship.

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