A/N: Well, here is the finally complete, illusive 18th chapter. I know I've made some promises, and that I have also broken them. All I can offer is my sincere apologies. My life feels very hectic and out of my control, and while it would be a wondrous thing to be able to update once a week, I'm not sure that is possible for me, especially when I start doubting my writing capabilities. This chapter took me a very long time to finish, and I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted it to go until I sat down today and just threw myself into it. I hope you all enjoy it, and give many thanks to my goldfish SebasuchansKitten, without whom this would have gone unedited. It is perhaps the longest chapter of this story yet, though there is still no end in sight, so that position might be usurped by a future chapter. I cannot thank you all enough for your support, I appreciate each and every one of you so very much. All right, enough of my psychobabbling; you've all waited long enough for this update, and who am I to keep it from you any longer? Enjoy~

Oh, fuck, and I forgot to mention. I am currently working on a collaboration with Sebasuchanskitten, a little story called Wicked Fixation, and there are already two chapters up, which is wondrous news, am I right? But here is the bad news: this story will not be available on this site. If you want to read it, you'll have to go to Ao3 (archiveofourown dot org), because it is Ao3 Exclusive. My little devil no longer has an account on this site, due to the depraved smut in their works that FF did not approve of. I may be soon to follow (not of my own volition) but you will always be able to find me under the username of Ritsy on Ao3, should you want to be able to keep up with my stories. Haunted was going to be Ao3 exclusive as well, seeing as how it is a gift for Kit, but I decided that I should post it here as well, since I am working on it alone, and I am not depriving my FF readers of my works. That's all for now. Feel free to check out WF~

Warnings: Hella angst, severe depression, doughnut consumption, mentions of starvation, and (terrible) smut.

Act XVIII

Ciel awoke with a start, shooting up into an upright position, his blue eyes wide. Fear crept into his stomach as he looked around his room, not seeing any signs of Sebastian. Had it all been a dream? He dropped his head into his hands, biting down hard on his bottom lip, the aching chasm in his chest threatening to return with a menacing throb. Dread swept over him, but before the tidal wave of depression could crash down on him and drag him into the depths of despair, the scent of bacon tickled his nose. Slowly, he lifted his head, gazing at his cracked bedroom door; the sound of a tinkling bell made his ears twitch, and when the door pushed a little wider and the head of a black cat peeked in, relief washed over Ciel. It hadn't been a dream. Sebastian was here.

That thought alone spurred Ciel out of bed, and as he jumped from the mattress, sheets still twisted around his legs, he stumbled and caught himself. Shaking the offending linen from his person, he opened the door completely and reached down to scoop up Soot. Her purr machine kicked into high gear, and he rubbed behind her ears, murmuring sweet words to the little cat. Though Ciel was not all that fond of cats, Soot's presence soothed him, because she was Sebastian's. Practically dancing into the kitchen, the youth allowed a smile to grace his lips at the sight of his taller counterpart. He was clad only in boxers, and was busy preparing what looked like a feast. The array of foods produced a mouthwatering perfume when they mixed together in midair, and his stomach growled ferociously in response to the taunting aroma. The sound startled Sebastian, and he turned around, vermillion eyes blinking twice, before a smile lit up his face. It was so beautiful that it made Ciel's heart squeeze, and he began worrying his lip between his teeth with renewed fervor.

"Ah, good morning," he mumbled, almost shyly, as he looked down at his legs. With a jolt he realised that he was still naked, but upon further thought, he really didn't care. It wasn't like Sebastian hadn't gotten up close and personal with his body. No need to be self-conscious.

"Morning, kitten," Sebastian practically purred, plucking Soot from Ciel's arms and nuzzling her, pretending as though he had been talking to the cat.

Ciel scoffed, looking flustered as his cheeks flamed and words escaped him. His counterpart smirked deviously, letting his cat jump from his arms before he wrapped them around the youth and pulled him close.

"I meant you," he hummed, breathing in the fragrance of the tinier male. A sigh of delight passed his lips and he murmured with content, "you smell good."

This made Ciel even more flustered, and he began flailing, trying to worm his way out of the stronger man's grasp. Though he too was drawing in deep breaths of Sebastian's essence, letting it intoxicate him. He allowed himself to relax into the embrace for a few moments, before easing himself back to look up at the vermillion-eyed man.

Ciel smiled slightly, then began worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. "So, Alois texted me last night. I'm going to be spending some time with him today..." An unspoken search for permission hung in the air, as if asking Sebastian if this was okay.

"That sounds fun, kitten. Do you have time for breakfast, at least?" Sebastian asked, giving his trademark smirk to hide his worry over how thin his counterpart had gotten. Sure, Ciel had always been thin, but now he felt as though he could play the shorter male's ribs like a xylophone, and his hip bones jutted out sharply against his pale skin. He pulled his hands away, turning back towards the stove to prepare a plate for Ciel. He didn't want to draw his attention to his deteriorated frame and make him feel self-conscious.

At the mention of food, Ciel's stomach growled ravenously, and it hit him that he hadn't eaten for 5 days. His body was practically withering away, and he looked positively emaciated. Hiding his discomfort with his own body, he curled an arm around his frail waist and trailed after Sebastian, his nose tickled with all of the delectable aromas. He had no idea where the taller male had gotten all this food, as the last he had checked, his refrigerator had been sorely lacking in anything edible. He must have run out to grab some groceries.

As Sebastian placed food on a plate, he took into consideration that Ciel must not have eaten for several days, and not wanting to overwhelm his stomach or cause him to be sick, the portions he served were quite small. Ciel drifted over to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair and sitting down. He pulled his legs up, crossing them in front of him and waited for his plate. Soot had followed him over, her tiny meow drawing his attention to the floor.

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he beckoned the tiny cat. "Come up here, then." Soot didn't hesitate; she launched herself at him, landing on his leg. Ciel couldn't help the tiny smile that pulled at the corner of his lips as he gently stroked her head. She purred like a chainsaw, but it was nowhere near annoying. In fact, it was quite endearing.

He almost jumped out of his skin as Sebastian set the plate in front of him. His stomach cramped painfully at the promise of food, and Ciel wasted no time. He dug in, practically inhaling the bacon. It was so fucking good. Too soon, though, he started to feel full. Setting his fork down, he dejectedly looked at his plate. He had probably eaten half of his eggs, and one whole pancake, but at least he had eaten all his bacon.

Sebastian sipped his coffee, studying Ciel's plate from the other side of the table. He was pleasantly surprised at how much he had eaten, considering how much his stomach had to have shrunk. Even though he hadn't finished his plate, it was a good start to working his way back up to eating properly. Seeing how fast Ciel's health had deteriorated, Sebastian made the decision to spend as much time as he could with his counterpart, monitoring his food intake and making sure he maintained his constitution. As the youth pushed his plate away, the sanguine-eyed male stood, taking the dish away; he dumped the remainder into the trash bin before washing it off in the sink and adding it to the dishwasher.

Ciel placed Soot on the ground, standing and hesitating in the small dining area, his eyes on Sebastian, his bottom lip still being worried between his teeth. Curling his arms around his waist, he stepped toward the other, worry tainting his delicate face.

"Will you still be here when I've come back?" He asked, his voice a quiet murmur.

Sebastian looked up from cleaning the mess he had made, his eyes softening to a gentle smolder as he offered a genial smile. "Of course I shall be. And so shall Soot." The cat meowed at the sound of her name, prancing over to her owner and looking up at him with charming silver eyes. "Perhaps I will run some errands whilst you are gone; I need to get my poor girl some necessities."

The youth nodded his head in agreement, though he did not make a sound. He was not too keen on letting Sebastian know that the black kitten was a welcomed addition to his apartment. As loath as he was to admit it, he had quite the fondness for her, surprising as he quite detested the four-legged, furry, allergen-producing creatures. Try as he might to give the little thing a scathing look when she rubbed up against his leg, he could not seem to stop his expression from softening into an incredibly sweet look.

The sound of Sebastian snickering at the sight snapped Ciel out of his reverie, and with a mordacious look, he spun on his heel and huffed. "I'm going to go get ready," he barked, his tone possessing the edge of a blade, proceeding to stomp off like a precocious child towards his room. This only brought a more boisterous laugh from the infuriatingly handsome man, making Ciel slam his door in a huff.

He turned away from the offending wooden portal, his large royal blue orbs glaring at the mess he called a bedroom. It looked as if about 5 tornadoes had torn through the small space; clothes were scattered about, forming piles that seemed as tall as mountains; the bed was in absolute disarray, the fitted sheets torn from the corners of the mattress and wrinkling up horrendously, while the comforter lay draped haphazardly onto the floor. It was very evident what had taken place in that bed; Ciel was quite surprised that it was still left standing, with how forcefully they fucked. The frame was not left unscathed, as there were several ominous cracks in the oak headboard, perhaps from Sebastian using it to gain leverage so that he could abuse his famished entrance more thoroughly.

Shaking the sexual thoughts from his head, Ciel turned away from the bed, not desiring to get hard so early in the morning, especially when he had prior engagements to attend to. With a determined set in his shoulders, he began digging through the precarious heaps of his garments, searching for something resembling clean to wear without upsetting the entire mountain and ending up buried. It took a few minutes, but the young male found a pair of black skinny jeans and a baggy old shirt, riddled with holes from overuse. What excuse could he give? The clothing that he had such a fondness for would be worn until they were positively falling off of his body.

With the task of getting dressed completed, he shot a quick text at his bipolar best friend, letting him know that he was on his way to get him. After sliding on his socks, he slipped his dainty feet into a pair of worn high-top Converse, taking his time to lace them. Soon, he was out the door, phone, keys, and a pack of cigarettes in hand. He bounced down the stairs, thinking about how long it had been since he had actually talked to Alois, let alone looked at him. He wanted to say that distancing himself from the blond had been a good thing for the both of them; that way, neither of them would stick their noses into each other's business, and they could go about their lives as happily—or unhappily—as they desired. In all honesty, Ciel was feeling quite excited to see his friend; he had been withdrawing from him so much lately that he missed him sorely. It would be good to spend some time with Alois, even if the cause of it was of an unhappy sort. The youth slid into his car, started it up, and peeled out of the apartment complex.

Last night, Alois had shut off Claude's alarm, so that he would not wake in the morning and question him relentlessly on his plans. Instead, the blond youth was able to get ready and out the door in morose silence, left alone to his disconsolate thoughts. Sitting on his porch steps as he waited for Ciel to arrive, phone clutched tightly in his hand, he let his mind ruminate on everything that was pulling him deeper and deeper into a sickening, smothering desolation.

Depression cut like a blade, from the inside out; it was a dull, blood-stained edge, constantly ripping and tearing him apart. Where his heart should be, he felt instead a tremendous, terrible black hole, sucking him deeper into the atramentous water; it stole his ability to breathe, crushed him beneath a mighty wave that refused to dissipate no matter what he could have done. It left him breathless and in a horrendous agony; it was so much more than sadness, more gruesome than dysphoria. If only he could cry, wash away this pain with his saline tears, yet it was an impossible feat for him to even shed a single droplet. No matter how much he fought, he could not claw his way out. Which way was out? He was no longer even sure what way was up or down; all he knew was that watching others prance around in their safe, waterproof bubbles of happiness brought him such anguishing sickness that he thought his stomach would heave and reject what little contents it possessed.

Just as Alois began to fear that his depression would swallow him whole, never to be spit back out again, the familiar growl of Ciel's car broke through. Looking up with deadened aquamarine eyes, he saw the old car pulling up to his driveway, and felt as though he could breathe once again. His load of emotions lifted off of him just enough that he could move; he stood on tremulous legs, staggering his way to the passenger side. His shaking fingers hooked onto the handle and pulled upward and out, opening the door wide enough for him to collapse into the soft leather seat. It seemed to take all of his strength to lift his legs into the car and shut the door, but he somehow managed. How could he even think to move when all he wanted to do was lie down and disappear forever into sleep?

Although Ciel could very well see that Alois was in terrible shape, he did not comment on it, instead backed out of the drive and turned easily into the street. "Put on your seatbelt, baby. We're going to go get coffee and doughnuts, and we're going for a drive."

Licking his parched lips, Alois swallowed hard and made a query. "Where are we driving to?" His voice trembled with a held back sob, his body shrinking into the seat and trying to find solace in his friend's presents.

"Anywhere but here," was Ciel's only reply, and it seemed to comfort the blond.

The youth stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts, getting them both a large coffee and a box of various doughnuts; Ciel wasn't picky, he just told the server to throw whatever he felt like into a box. They would all get eaten anyway. Seeing Alois as an emotional wreck did not settle well in his stomach, and his worry was beginning to flare up; sure, the blond was manic and bipolar, but he had never seen his best friend this depressed in his life. Well, he would fix that right up with sweets and a long talk, and he would keep driving until everything was resolved.

After he got back to the car, he passed the box of doughnuts and a coffee to Alois, who quickly set the scalding liquid into a cup holder and tore open the container. He scanned the contents, quickly settling on a chocolate cake doughnut with chocolate icing. Ciel had barely gotten into the car before Alois was working on doughnut number two, hastily taking a sip of his coffee to wash it down. Once they were on the road again, a tense silence settled over them as they both munched on the delectable treats. The doughnuts slowly dwindled down to nothing as Ciel drove aimlessly, enjoying the pleasant scenery. He finished off his coffee, clearing his throat and being careful to keep his eyes on the road.

"So," he started, prompting Alois to start speaking.

The blond gazed out of the passenger window, legs curled up in his seat with his arms draped around himself as if trying to hold every single emotion he felt at bay. More silence followed, and Ciel didn't push the issue; Alois would talk when he was ready to. An hour passed before Alois dared open his mouth, but once he began talking, the words poured out of him like word vomit, and he was unable to stop.

"It's Claude," he whimpered. "I'm so fucking in love with him, Ciel, you have no idea. Thinking of being without him kills me; being apart sends my heart tearing out of my chest and onto the ground, seizing and begging to be crushed beneath the soles of someone's feet. He is everything to me, all I will ever want or need. And…" Alois trailed off, sucking in a shaky breath before continuing in a whisper. "And he won't make love to me. He has not touched me in a sexual way at all. I feel like he's disgusted by me, like I am a tainted, beastly creature, and he doesn't want to become dirtied. He knows all about my past, about all the men… He knows that countless people have been inside me, filled me up, and made my very essence unclean.

"He tells me that he loves me, that I am not a repulsive monster… If that is the case, then why won't he sleep with me? Yeah, he says he wants to wait, to show me that he desires me for more than my body. He wants to prove to me that I am more than I think I am, and that he won't use me, but…" Biting off a sob, his body trembles with the force of it, and several tears pool up and spill from his tormented orbs. Tiny droplets stick to his lashes, making them glisten in the light from the sun. Streaks of anguish trail down his face, and he tries to regain his composure enough so that he can continue.

"Claude doesn't seem to understand that the reassurance I need now is for him to show me that he desires me sexually. His abstaining is not helping me, Ciel, it's fucking hurting me. I want him to fuck me, to prove that he truly does find me as irresistible as he says. Actions speak louder than words, as the saying goes. The longer he waits to have sex with me, the more it terrorizes me, fills me with doubt, and leaves me feeling like I am undeserving of love. I don't know what to do…"

Alois breaks down into hysterical sobs, his body jerking with each whimper and cry; tear after tear glides down his face in a river of sorrow, dripping off his chin and splattering on his shirt. Ciel's hand finds his, and he clings to it like it is a lifeline, his nails digging crescents into his flesh, but the blae-haired youth doesn't seem to mind. He sits in silence, holding onto the tremulous hand while he continues to drive, offering comfort to the blond. He cries harder than he ever has in his life; his nose becomes stuffy and his head begins to ache from the incessant tears. Sniffling, he wipes his face on his sleeves, trying to steady his breathing and stop crying. Eventually, his sobs die down to hiccups, and his tears lose their steady flow. When the last droplet finally dried, a tiny sigh fled his lips, and he realised that he felt significantly better. Still holding Ciel's hand, he adjusts himself into a more comfortable position in his seat, turning to face the other male.

"You haven't snot-cried that much since we were children," Ciel states lightly, bringing a shaky giggle from the blond youth. "On a more serious note, I do understand where you are coming from. I know you, Alois; I know your insecurities and your pain, better than anyone else does.

"Claude doesn't know you like I do; and that's why you need to discuss this with him, rationally and without weakness. You have to prove to him you're ready, but not by seducing him or losing yourself in depression. He may see that you are unsure of everything, but he doesn't realise that he is the one causing it by refusing the one thing you need to prove that he's in love with you." Sapphire eyes glanced over to the passenger, taking in Alois' disheveled appearance and red-rimmed eyes. "Now, use a napkin and blow your damn nose. You're making snot bubbles over there, and it's fucking disgusting."

Barking a shocked laugh, the blond shakes his head but does as told, finally relaxing after what feels like centuries of anxiety and hopelessness. After a moment, he breathes a sigh of relief. "I really needed this. I thought I lost my best friend. I'm glad we're able to talk. I missed you."

Ciel offers an apologetic smile, his head tilting downward slightly, though his eyes remain focused on the road. "I missed you too. I just," he pauses, sighing softly. "I'm catching feelings for Sebastian, and it scares the shit out of me. I don't understand half of the things I feel for him. He infuriates me so easily, with just a few words, and yet he can turn around and make me laugh. That man should not be able to turn me on the way he does. He should be fucking illegal."

Alois snorts, rolling his eyes. "So I take it everything has been good in your little den of sin, then?"

"Well," Ciel hesitates, shame coloring his cheeks as he begins to worry his bottom lip between his teeth vigorously. "I might have, ah… stabbed him?"

The blond male blinks in shock, looking severely taken aback. "What, with your dick?"

"Fuck you, no," Ciel hisses, his cheeks becoming more enflamed with embarrassment and self-loathing. "With a shard of glass from a broken tequila bottle."

"Um, why the fuck did you do that?" Alois asks, his tone of voice rising in pitch, whether from staving off laughter or from sheer disbelief, Ciel couldn't tell.

"Because I had a 'fit', okay? I panicked. I completely lost my goddamned mind. I wanted him to leave, but he tried to touch me and, well…" he lets his words fade, switching hands on the wheel to lift up his sloppily bandaged hand. "He was trying to get the shard out of my hand, because it was cutting into me."

"Oh, Ciel… Well, is he okay?"

The blae-haired youth nods his head, a bit of relief coloring his expression. "Yeah. I guess we made up? He… he, um, told me that he likes me?" Ciel mumbled, sounding very unsure of himself.

Alois smiled brightly at his friend, reaching over to squeeze his thigh affectionately. "Sounds like progress is being made. Just don't viciously push him away, and it should all be fine."

"Easy for you to say," he grumbles huffily. Sighing, Ciel rolls his eyes, making a sudden u-turn. "We should probably head back. Knowing you, you didn't think to clue Claude in on your whereabouts, and he's losing his head at your little disappearance."

Silence fell over the small car as they headed back to town, both consumed in thoughts of their own counterparts.

It was not a stretch when Ciel said that Claude was probably losing his head; the bespectacled man was positively sick with worry when Alois finally got back home. As soon as he stepped through the door, large hands took him by the shoulders and shook slightly.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Claude demanded, his voice breaking with obvious distress.

"Calm down, Claude. I was with Ciel; we went for a drive," Alois responded, his lilting voice soothing.

"Calm down? Calm down!" his counterpart seethed, rage boiling in his molten gold eyes. "Did you not think to leave me a note, or hey, maybe send me a goddamn text to let me know your plans and that you're safe? I've been going fucking crazy, thinking that you were kidnapped or something! God fucking damnit, Alois."

Alois bit his lip, looking up with watery cerulean eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I just… I needed to see my best friend. I wasn't thinking…"

With a shaky sigh, Claude releases his harsh grip on the youth's shoulders, curling around him and pulling him into a tight embrace. "I'm just glad that you're safe, and at home. Next time just, please, tell me where you're going, and don't just up and disappear. My little dove…"

The blond nods, clinging to the broad chest of his boyfriend, sniffling slightly. "I promise."

The sky was becoming various shades of pink and orange as the sun began to sink lower, and the warmth that had previously permeated the air began to cool down. It was late evening when Ciel finally pulled back into the apartment complex's parking lot. He eased his car into its designated spot before shutting it off and leaning his head back, closing his eyes in exhaustion. He might have fallen asleep there if not for a ravenous growl reverberating in his torso. He felt abso-fucking-lutely starving, which drew him out of the car and up the steps to his apartment. Unlocking the door easily, he entered the living room, kicking his shoes off as he shut the door behind himself. The scent of red meat sizzling hit his nostrils and he positively moaned at the appetizing aroma.

Sebastian was searing a couple steaks at the stove in the kitchen when the sound of an enticing moan tickled his ears. He pretended that he hadn't heard anything, waiting for Ciel to find his way into the kitchen, which didn't take long.

"You are an absolute fucking god," the youth moaned as he laid eyes upon the two large steaks. "How did you know I was hungry?"

Turning a glance to his counterpart, a sexy smirk curled his lips, his smoldering sanguine eyes knowing. "I had a feeling. There are also mashed potatoes, green beans, and dinner rolls."

"Fuck the potatoes, all I want is that glorious strip of bloody meat," Ciel purred, his eyes never leaving the intoxicating sight of the juicy steaks. He licked his lips, shifting from foot to foot with impatience.

Sebastian chuckled, tilting his head to the side as if in thought. "I'm not sure how good it would feel to fuck a potato. I'd rather fuck you," he stated simply, his liquid velvet voice oozing from his lips and wrapping around Ciel, causing his breath to hitch.

"Fuck you, that's not what I meant and you know it," the young male huffed, crossing his arms and pouting.

"Wonderful that you'd take me up on the offer, kitten. Shall we?" Sebastian breathed, his voice becoming husky and lowering a couple octaves.

"I—what? Oh, for fuck's sake, Sebastian!" Ciel threw his hands up in exasperation. "Will you just fucking feed me? I'm starving."

This brought laughter from his taller counterpart, who plated the perfectly seared steaks and carried them over to the already set table. "Do you want me to cut it up for you, blow on it, and make plane noises as well?"

A growl of increasing irritation rumbled in Ciel's throat as he shot a mutinous look at Sebastian. "I hate you, I fucking hate you. Try any of that nonsense, and I will feed your steak to the neighbor's dogs."

Sebastian adopted the expression of faux pain, his hand coming up to his heart as a small gasp of shock fled his lips. "You wouldn't dare, you evil little tyrant."

"Keep this shit up, and I'll show you the meaning of tyrant," Ciel grumbled, making Sebastian laugh. He plopped into a chair and immediately tearing at his steak, scarfing it down. He cared not that he was being uncivilized, a droplet of the juices sliding down his chin from the corner of his mouth. The taste of the steak tantalised his tongue, making him squirm at the sheer orgasmic flavor. He devoured the whole thing in under five minutes; Sebastian wasn't even sure that he had properly chewed it. Perhaps he had unhinged his jaw like a snake and swallowed it whole. He wouldn't be surprised, because the way that Ciel was eating, he was like a wild animal. It was quite amusing to watch.

Even though he had spurned the potatoes earlier, he served himself a helping of those, as well as some of the green beans. Next he picked up a dinner roll, and after positively slathering it in butter, he shoved the whole thing into his mouth. Finally, he was full, and he leaned back in his seat, groaning pleasantly.

"That was delicious," he purred appreciatively, rubbing his stomach.

Sebastian had watched the whole time Ciel had eaten, pleased and happy that he had been able to clear his plate, although a bit unnerved at how fast he had done so. He ate his own food, albeit at a much slower rate, and was soon finished, clearing his plate. After he was done, he began clearing up the kitchen, tidying everything, and washing all the dishes that he had dirtied. Ciel even helped out, though he seemed to get in the way more than actually get anything accomplished, especially because he was a distraction.

"Tomorrow is our last day of vacation," Sebastian stated casually, eyeing the wreckage that was Ciel's apartment.

"It is," Ciel agreed, rocking back on his heels. "I'd like to relax before heading back into that hectic studio."

"I hate to disappoint you, kitten, but you won't be doing very much relaxing tomorrow. You have seen this hovel that you call an apartment, have you not?" the older male asked, his voice disapproving. He didn't wait for an answer. "We'll be cleaning tomorrow. Deep cleaning."

"Fuck," was all that Ciel said in response.

Sebastian had not been lying; he dictated the whole time they scoured the house. Laundry was washed and dried, folded and put away; the kitchen was swept and mopped, and the living room was picked up and vacuumed; each and every window was cleaned until they positively sparkled, and all of the wooden and leather furniture was polished to gleaming. By the time the house was spotless, not even a speck of dust in the air, it was late evening, and all Ciel wanted to do was take a hot shower and sleep. He was not too keen on washing himself, though, since he had just spent the entire day cleaning his house.

"Sebastian," Ciel said suddenly, looking up at the tall man from his lazy perch on the couch.

"Yes, kitten?" was the response he got, as well as a lingering look that left his insides boiling and his skin feeling tight.

"I…" he hesitated, suddenly feeling quite shy. Pushing that feeling away, he cleared his throat and bit into his lip. "Take a shower with me."

That terrible, wondrous smirk curled Sebastian's lips, and he took his counterpart's hands, pulling him to his feet and leading him down the hall to the bathroom. He released his hold long enough to turn on the water and set the proper temperature before returning his long, slender fingers to Ciel's skin. They traced paths into his sweat-coated skin, running up beneath his shirt and pulling it up over his torso. Clothes were quickly shed, and both males climbed into the shower, shutting the curtain so as not to get water on the floor.

Still, Sebastian's hands remained on Ciel, unable to stop touching him. The youth trembled like a leaf beneath his cool hands, goosebumps raising on his heated flesh in their wake. His breath hitched, his sapphire orbs lidding and gazing up into the sanguine eyes of his counterpart. They seemed to burn him from the inside out, scorching his very essence with their heat and hunger. Ciel reached out his hand, fingertips dancing along Sebastian's cheekbone and down past his chin, settling on tracing his collarbone. The contented sigh it brought from the older male spurred him forth, and he curled his digits, scratching lightly against his skin with perfectly manicured nails.

The taller of the two began closing the distance between them, backing the blae-haired male into the wall. As soon as Ciel's back hit the cold linoleum, his arms slid around Sebastian's shoulders, clinging onto him as he lifted his legs up. Each slender appendage wrapped like a boa constrictor around his slim waist, bringing his hips forward so that they met with his pelvis. A shivering breath danced on Sebastian's tongue, and he braced his hands against the wall on either side of his little leech, his lips coming down to brush against the elegant, tempting neck. Light kisses were pressed against the sensitive flesh, followed soon by tongue and teeth joining the play. A musical moan rose in Ciel's chest, inspiring heat in Sebastian's lower stomach. He bit down hard on the junction between shoulder and neck, sucking harshly and swirling his tongue around the wound to soothe it. The youth arched his back, his chest pressing into his counterpart's, causing his already pert and sensitive nipples to rub against his skin, drawing a mewling gasp.

Sebastian growled, his dick stiffening with fervor, and Ciel lifted his hips, grinding his ass on the probing erection. His lips found the raven-haired male's, and as their tongues clashed and fought, tangling with each other, Sebastian thrusted his hips forward, sliding the head of his dick into the tight and greedy hole. Ciel moaned heavily, his head falling back as he digs his nails sharply into Sebastian's shoulder blades.

"Se-Sebastian," Ciel breathes, his lust-filled eyes staring up into the infuriatingly beautiful angular face of his counterpart.

Slowly, Sebastian fully sheathes himself inside of the twitching hole, his breathing hitching and losing its steadiness. "Ciel," he purrs, his voice thick with arousal. As he says his name, he pulls out until only the head is left inside, before maddeningly thrusting slowly. His pace remains leisurely, turning Ciel into a boneless puddle and drawing mewls from his lips. Tightening his arms around him so that he doesn't fall, he rolls his hips, meeting Sebastian's thrusts and impaling himself on the rock hard erection. The older male angles his hips, aiming for the bundle of nerves that he knows will make his counterpart squirm. The tip of his dick jabs into Ciel's prostate, causing him to give a long, drawn out moan.

"Oh, Sebastian," he whimpers, using his legs as leverage to slide himself up and down on the thick dick. His breaths changes to shallow pants, his body trembling from the electricity dancing through his body.

Their bodies undulate together, the sounds of languid moans echoing off of the linoleum walls. The scent of cinnamon and cloves mixes with vanilla and bergamot, creating a heady and intoxicating musk. The slow build of his climax was almost too much for Ciel to bear, and he felt as though he'd explode if he didn't come soon; but Sebastian was unrelenting in his steady rhythm, making the youth squirm against him. The coiling of the spring in his lower stomach was beginning to be too much, and a mewl of sheer need rose in his chest. Only when his climax began to climb to the point of bursting, did Sebastian slightly increase the speed and power of his thrusts. Moans fell from Ciel's lips like petals, and his body joined Sebastian's in desperation. When the coil tightened beyond the point of bearing, it finally released, and semen spurted from Ciel's untouched cock, coating their stomachs. With one more forceful thrust, Sebastian buried himself deep within his counterpart's clenching hole, filling him with his own seed. Both men stood still, gasping for breath as they rode out their orgasms together.

"Well, shall we have that shower now?" Sebastian asked, his chuckle sounding more like a sharp exhale of breath. Ciel could only nod in response, and the two lazily washed each other before turning the water off and leaving the bathroom.

As relaxing as that had been, it had eaten up quite a bit of time seeing as how Sebastian had moved maddeningly slow; they were going to have a long day ahead of them tomorrow.

E/N: Well, there y'all have it, my sweet kittens and little doves. I am not happy with the smut; it just seemed clumsy and stumbled through. Alas, I'm never happy with my smut, but hopefully you all love and enjoy it. A few things to note: depression is not the same for everyone, so while you may have experienced it entirely different, the representation in this story is how it has felt to me. Depression is nothing to joke about or make light of, and if you or someone you know has depression, please, talk to someone about it. See a therapist, see a psychiatrist; tell someone, because no one should have to go through it alone. No one deserves to feel that way. I live with it every day of my life, and I will until the day I die, but it does get better. Most days are better than others, and sometimes you will have a bad day, but never give up, never quit, and keep on fighting. I don't care if it's your mum or your best friend; talking to someone about depression helps lift the weight off of your shoulders, if even a little. The load becomes easier to bear. Hell, if you feel like you have no one to talk to, I am always here; feel free to shoot me a message whenever you need or want to; I will respond. I will listen, and I will help shoulder your burden.

I apologize for sounding like an infomercial, but this is something I feel very strongly about.

Kisses and Love, Always Love, Ritsy