.

"My Prince, you're holding the comb wrong," Jylan said, amused. They were inside his room, and Sebastian, feeling stiff in a fresh new butler uniform, was trying to style Jyan's hair. The room of the duke was, unlike what Sebastian expected from his room, not at all fancy or luxurious, but instead riddled with fur rugs and pillows, the epitome of comfort. It was thus much better than Sebastian's room - it was somehow giving off the same vibes as the butler himself, who was whistling a tune while looking in the mirror. Jylan was sitting at his desk, watching in the mirror as Sebastian tried (and failed) to comb his hair. 

"I might doc your paycheck like this." Jylan teased, and Sebastian deliberately yanked on his hair as revenge. The duke leaned back to raise an eyebrow, rubbing a patch on his head, and Sebastian poked him with a comb. 

"Butler, maybe you're the reason I can't comb your hair. Quit moving." Sebastian huffed, and Jylan grinned. "It's 'My lord' to you, My prince, after all, you work for me now." 

That was too far. Sebastian, annoyed, moved to poke his eye with the comb, and Jylan swatted it away, before saying, hurriedly, "Wait! Wait! Fine! Please call me 'Butler'!" Sebastian grinned and brushed aside a few strands, before adding a bit of a sticky white substance at the base of Jylan's hair, and finally slightly twirling one of the strands into a delicate pose above the other. 

Jylan looked beautiful. Or, strictly speaking, handsome. 

His hair was carefully brushed into a shaggy mop, swept to one side, and one of the strands that fell between his eyes was braided. 

"Not bad for a first try. You really are good at everything." Jylan relented, and Sebastian poked him with the comb he was holding. "Who's holding the brush wrong now, butler?" Sebastian said, and Jylan sighed, tucking a stray strand behind his ear. "Fine. Keep your paycheck, you win." 

Sebastian scoffed in victory, putting the comb back on the table, while Jylan crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. Then the door opened, and the two turned to see another butler who peeked in, and said, 

"My lords, the banquet is ready."

The banquet in question was another one Jylan had held as the duke, which invited most of the important figures of the empire to discuss business with the new duke and make first impressions. Jylan looked visibly nervous, with his shaking hands which were clutching the cuff of his sleeve, something Sebastian knew he did whenever he was nervous. Seeing him like this was a first for the usually over-the-moon butler, and Sebastian patted his head. 

"You'll do fine, 'My Lord'." 

Jylan smiled, took a deep breath, and swung open the door.