Due to some "complications" with this site, the original upload of this story was removed for "reasons" (which involved an apparent violation of guidelines that we all know are - well. I won't go there~) However, I know that many of you guys enjoyed this - as I did when I first published it - so I'm re-uploading the "censored" version so that I won't have it removed again and you guys can continue to read and enjoy it like I intended.

The full version can be read on my AO3 (username "GarryxMrChairFan") or on my fanfiction tumblr "the-spadian-queen".

Dark Beauty and the Devil

GarryxMrChairFan

.

.

A/N: Second in my Fairy Tales series and inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Requested by and dedicated to maliceofhumansacrifice.

.

.

Sebastian stared down at the hag, not bothering to hide his look of absolute disgust. "I do not take trash into the castle." Shuddering slightly, he went to close the door, but was thrown back, blinded by a sudden bright light.

Shielding his eyes, they widened as he saw that the ugly hag had transformed into a breathtakingly beautiful, ethereal being. Her hair flowed endlessly from her head, framing her pale face, her violet eyes shining. Her rags had turned into a flowing white gown, the skirt and sleeves billowing about her slender frame. In her hand was held a delicate white rose in full bloom, the petals large and glowing.

Sebastian managed to pull himself around on his knees. "P-please, my Lady," he begged, his smooth voice quivering. "I-I am deeply sorry. I did not realize –"

"That even the most repulsive of outward appearances may hold beauty and love?" she finished, the expression on her face both stern and pitying. "That is your most fatal flaw, Sebastian Michaelis. Your heart cannot see past the exterior, nor can it feel sympathy for those less fortunate than yourself. It is as black as ebony."

Sebastian felt a strange pang in the organ that she was referencing, but he didn't understand it. "Please, my Lady," he begged again. "Please, give me another chance. I can feel for others, I am capable of caring. Please!"

The Lady shook her head sadly. "Your darkness runs too deep. You are no better than the demons you so carelessly scorn." She gave him a level look, reaching out a pale hand and cupping his face. "You are a demon, Sebastian Michaelis – charming to the eye and absolutely heartless, desiring nothing more than to fill your lust."

Sebastian's breathing sped and he trembled at her cool touch. "P-please. . ." he muttered faintly.

The Lady leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead. His eyes widened further as white hot pain shot through his veins and another bright light blinded him once again. Writhing in pain, he let out a scream. When he could see again, and the pain had subsided, he laid on the ground, breathing heavily. He saw the Lady hovering above him, and the white rose hovering in front of her between her palms.

"From this moment on, you shall live as the demon you truly are on the inside." Her gaze was sad.

Sebastian struggled to sit up. "Is there no way that I can change this? Is there no way to prove that I am not this evil creature you say I am?" he shouted, pleading with the Lady.

The Lady was silent for a moment. "To melt the cold grasp of darkness on your heart, you must prove that you are capable of compassion. You must find the one you truly love, and the one that will love you in return."

Sebastian stared in panic. "But, demons can't love! How am I supposed to find someone that will love someone who can't love them?!"

The Lady presented the rose to Sebastian, ignoring his questions. "You have until the last petal falls on your twenty-second birthday. If you have not learned to love and earned love in return when the last petal hits the ground, you will remain a demon forever."

Sebastian reached for the rose, holding it gently in his hand, avoiding the thorns and looking back at the Lady. "Four years? How am I –" He shielded his eyes once again as the Lady disappeared in a flash of white. He stared where she'd been, tears streaming from his eyes and down his cold face.

. . .

Three years have passed since that night on Sebastian's eighteenth birthday. He'd all but given up hope that someone would come to love him, or even give him the chance to love them. He was cold, cruel and heartless.

A demon.

A monster.

He wouldn't ever have anyone to love.

For who could ever learn to love a beast?

Ciel sighs, frowning up at the blue sky. The sun beats down on his slate head and back, making the trip into town all the more undesirable. Ciel hates people, especially happy people. After the loss of his parents and sight in his right eye, he has avoided having to be a part of the living, bustling small town. However, his aunt, Madame Red, is out on business, and his cousin, Lizzy, is busy tending to the house, making Ciel the only one available to make the daily trip to the market for the apparently much-needed eggs, milk, flour, and bread.

Huffing, Ciel quickly makes his way around the market, gathering and paying for the necessities that Lizzy had written on the shopping list. Why they can't raise their own chickens, cows or grown their own wheat is a question Ciel is constantly asking. If they grew their own food, he wouldn't have to go to town and talk to people. He could sit on his favorite hill and just stare morosely into the distance. That is the one activity he can say he enjoys.

Rolling his eyes at the idiocy of the stall vendors selling cheap goods, Ciel heads to the dirt path that will take him to his shared little cottage. Heaving another short sigh, he picks up his pace, swinging around a tree and running straight into a tall body, knocking his small self to the ground and sending his groceries rolling, luckily nothing spilling or breaking.

"Jeez, who stands hidden behind a tree?" he mutters, gathering his stuff together.

"Ciel!" a deep voice says, and the hairs on Ciel's arms stand up. "Fancy running into you." The voice pauses. "Well, you running into me, as the case may be."

Ciel glances up, rolling his eyes yet again. "I assure you, it was not intended, Claude," he spits, glaring at the man. His dark hair is parted around his face, glasses sliding down his slender nose in front of his gold eyes. His smirk is flirty and absolutely evil. His shirt is crisp and tucked neatly into his black trousers, and his shoes glint when the sun hits them. Ciel hated this man with a passion.

Claude leans down, picking up the bag of flour and setting it in Ciel's arms. "And here I was hoping you wanted to see me," he sighs sarcastically, his smile twisting up. "No matter. I was actually hoping to see you."

Ciel sighs. "Of course you were, Claude," he huffs, starting to walk away. "Because you have nothing better to do than annoy me."

Claude walks slowly behind him, his long strides matching Ciel's. "You hardly show yourself for me to annoy," he counters. "But yes. I simply want to know why you keep rejecting me. A young beauty such as yourself," he chuckles to himself, "you should be settling down with someone by now. Not living with your aunt and cousin."

Ciel turns to glare before continuing down the path. "That would mean human interaction. Not interested." He pauses. "Besides, you're not my type." He hears Claude growl.

"Not your type?" he asks, skeptical. "You don't have a type, my beauty. I am a perfectly suitable match for you."

Ciel ignores Claude, stubbornly walking to his house. Looking around, he sees the mud lake that had taken form after the last rain. He smiles, heading in that direction, noting that Claude followed his shift of direction, and pulling out an egg. I can spare one, he thinks to himself.

Ciel suddenly breaks into a run, leaping over the mud and turning to face Claude. Throwing the egg, he hits Claude right in the face, causing the man to stumble and fall into the mud, ruining his clothes. Ciel's smile widens evilly. "Whoops. Forgot that was there." He laughs once when Claude glares up at him, covered in mud. "Now get off my property and run back to that pathetic excuse of a sidekick." He turns on his heel, heading into the house.

Slamming the door, he throws all the locks before leaning up against it and sighing in relief. After making sure Claude hadn't decided to pursue him further, he heads to the kitchen to put up the day's conquests.

. . .

"Claude! What happened?!" a blond boy shouts, running to catch the tall man as he stomps into the tavern.

"Shut up, Aloïs," Claude mutters, throwing himself into his chair in front of the grand fireplace. "Ciel was just being difficult, like always." He smirks. "Absolutely alluring."

Aloïs rolls his blue eyes, flopping down at Claude's feet and grabbing onto one of his legs. "Why do you continue pursuing that brat?" he whines, brushing dried mud off onto the floor. "There's gotta be a less difficult guy out there that's just as good if not better."

Claude glares at the boy. "You should know I always get what I want," he seethes, gripping the boy's collar and tossing him across the room.

Aloïs yelps. "O-of course, Claude," he says, rubbing his neck. "I-I was just thinking there's gotta be an easier way to get him, that's all."

Claude steeples his fingers, tapping his chin. "Mm, I doubt it. Ciel is a very strong-willed being."

Aloïs huffs. "Then perhaps you should go after someone close to him, like his aunt or cousin. Threaten that if he continues to refuse you, they'll be hurt. I don't think he wants to lose any more family."

Claude stares at the blond boy. Then he smiles. "I guess you're smarter than you look, my lovely Aloïs." He grabs the boy, pulling him onto his lap. "I knew there was a reason I have you."

. . .

Ciel raises an eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding, Lizzy," he finally says.

Lizzy shoots him a look, tossing another dress into her suitcase. "Well, I can't very well join Madame Red at a fashion show without something to wear, can I?" she asks, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Ciel shakes his head and crosses his arms. "I just don't think it's safe for you to travel alone. The roads outside through the forest are quite dangerous." He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "I don't know what Madame Red was thinking, inviting you and telling me very pointedly to stay behind. I mean, seriously? She couldn't have sent an escort?"

Lizzy smiles and throws her arms around Ciel, causing him to stumble back in surprise. "Oh, Ciel! I knew you cared!" She looks up at him. "But don't worry; I'll be fine. Madame travels that way all the time, and she always makes it there and back safely."

Ciel looks at Lizzy, slight concern showing on his normally stoic face. "She's not quite as delicate as you, Lizzy," he says, pushing her off gently. "Besides, she's got Grell with her, and as pointless as his existence is, he does indeed help ward off those who might go after her."

Lizzy rolls her eyes, smile firmly in place. "I'll make sure to stick to the bright main road, Ciel. It won't take but a day or so by horse, if I ride through the night. And if not, I know of an inn I can stay at. Seriously, I'll be fine." She quickly plants a kiss on his cheek before turning and lugging her bag outside.

Ciel rubs at his cheek, following Lizzy outside. She's just as stubborn as he. He sighs, crossing his arms as he watches her secure her suitcase onto their horse and hoist herself into the saddle. He can't help but worry a bit. Lizzy is strong, but she'd never had to use her strength, mentally or physically. Ciel wasn't sure how well she'd handle herself. He would never admit it out loud, but he didn't think he could stand if something happened to his aunt or cousin.

He shakes his head as she directs the horse to the forest. "Just be careful, Lizzy," he orders, giving her a look.

She turns and smiles, waving. "Of course, Ciel! I'll be there before you know it, and when I arrive, I'll send word that I'm safe." She snaps the reigns and takes off into the sunrise.

Ciel exhales, watching until his cousin disappears over the horizon, and continuing to stare as the sun rises into the sky. Finally deciding he should make a quick breakfast, he turns to see Claude and his little sidekick, Aloïs, heading up the path to the house. Claude has on a dark suit, the white shirt shining in the rising sun, and Aloïs is wearing his trademark white shirt, green vest, black shorts with black thigh socks, a purple overcoat and thigh-high boots. Ciel raises an eyebrow. Again? he thinks to himself. Because he thinks dressing up will change my position?

Turning away from the unwanted guests, Ciel heads into the house, locking the door firmly. He leans up against it, praying that Claude was not strong enough to break it down.

"Ciel!" he hears Aloïs call. "C'mon, open up! We know you're home!"

"Go away, Aloïs!" he shouts back through the door. "You both are extremely unwelcome."

"Now, now, Ciel. Is that any way to treat guests?" Claude asks, knocking.

"That is exactly the way I treat guests," Ciel snaps back. "Especially when they're bothering me. What do you want now? Dressing up isn't going to change my mind, by the way," he adds sarcastically.

"Oh, but it may," Claude says quietly. "I find that suits give a person an attraction boost." He bangs on the door again. "However, if you'd be so kind, we could discuss this face to face, if you don't mind." More banging.

Ciel flinches as the door bends. "Oh, but I do mind," he spits. "I don't know why you think I'd want to see your ugly mug, dressed up or not."

The door gives a great heave, the hinges shaking as Claude kicks the door. "It really isn't a request anymore, my beauty."

Ciel shudders. "Okay, okay. I'll open the door if you stop calling me that. That's just weird."

Claude chuckles and Aloïs lets out a high giggle. "Of course, Ciel. I do apologize."

Groaning in frustration, Ciel reluctantly unlocks the door, opening it to allow the pair in. Claude struts in, glancing around with a smirk on his face while Aloïs runs off in the other direction, apparently having decided he didn't want to come in. Ciel stares after the boy, wishing Claude would do the same.

Claude turns to face Ciel, still backing into the living room towards a chair. "Very lovely home you have, Ciel," he comments.

Ciel glares. "Thank you," he says through gritted teeth. "My aunt loves designing and decorating."

The smirk on Claude's face widens. "Perhaps we can have her remodel our room to your liking. She does seem quite adept at design."

Ciel raises an eyebrow. "'Our' room?" he questions, walking to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. No use just standing around, he thinks. I've got to make him see he isn't as intimidating as he wishes.

"Of course. I'll not have you sleeping in another room. What kind of husband would I be?" Claude kicks his feet up on the small coffee table.

Ciel pauses in his rummaging for a frying pan. "Husband?" he asks skeptically. "I don't remember a proposal from anyone, let alone you."

Claude chuckles. "That's because you never give me the chance to propose."

Ciel grips the frying pan, deciding whether he wanted breakfast or to smack Claude upside the head. "And if I gave you the chance and said no?" he asks, setting the pan on the stove. "Would you leave me alone then?"

Claude chuckles again. "Probably not." He gets to his feet and stomps into the kitchen. "You're too intriguing to give up."

Ciel restrains a sigh, turning to Claude and gripping the frying pan behind his back, sliding around to the back door. "Look, Claude," he starts, backing away. "I'm very honored that a man such as you has taken such an interest in me," he says, his tone flowing sarcasm, "but I really think you could do better," he finishes, grabbing the handle to the door.

Claude leans against the door, trapping Ciel between the wall and his arm. "Oh, but you're the best, Ciel. And I only have the best."

Ciel glares. "Then this is going to be the best headache you're ever going to have," he spits. He pushes on the handle, opening the door outward and causing Claude to fall forward, not expecting the sudden movement of the door. Bringing his arm up and backing away, Ciel hits the man with the frying pan, a loud clang ringing out as iron meets bone. Ciel ducks under Claude's arm as he stumbles forward holding his head and thrusts a foot out, causing Claude to trip and snowball down the hill, landing in the same mud lake he had the previous day. Ciel sees Aloïs run to help Claude out of the mud and watches the two stalk away, feeling Claude's glare as he disappears down the path.

Heading back inside to actually make breakfast, Ciel sighs in relief. "Now, I should have the day to myself," he mutters, cracking an egg. He looks at the frying pan. "I need to remember to keep one of these things with me all the time," he says, smirking to himself.

. . .

The forest is a lot darker from within, Lizzy decides, glancing up hesitantly at the canopy. She had heard that it was quicker to go directly through the forest to get to her destination than to take the main road all the way around – only a few hours as opposed to an entire day. However, her sense of direction is definitely not the best, and she's without a map. Translation: Lizzy is lost.

Lizzy takes deep breaths, trying to calm herself and her horse. "We're okay," she says as soothingly as she can manage. "We're fine. Let's just keep following the path. We're bound to come out sometime."

A flurry of noise and blackness erupts on her right, and the horse instinctively shies away to the left, breaking into a frenzied gallop with Lizzy doing all she can to hold on.

"Max!" she shouts at the horse, pulling on the reigns. "Calm down, please! It was just bats!" Her heartbeat pounds in her delicate chest, and she attempts to restrain tears. "C'mon, boy," she calls, rubbing the horse's neck. "Let's go this way." She pulls the reigns to the right, heading down a narrow path.

If possible, the light dwindles even further, making it extremely difficult for Lizzy to see. She squints into the darkness, breathing hitching every so often. In the darkness, she can see red dots. Suddenly, howling starts, and wolves begin creeping out of the trees. With a shout of panic, Max takes off again, this time avoiding the growling animals as Lizzy pushes the horse on. Branches cut at her face and suddenly she is thrown from the horse, landing inside a gated archway.

The horse takes off, leaving Lizzy on the ground. "Max!" she shouts, stopped in her hesitant pursuit by the gathering wolves. They form a semicircle around the gate, backing Lizzy into it before she realizes what it is. Hurriedly, she swings the enormous structure closed, preventing the attacking wolves from getting to her. As they realize they can't get to her, they slowly retreat to their homes.

Panting and in shock, Lizzy falls to the ground in a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. Thunder rolls above her, and after a moment, rain begins pouring, soaking her to the bone. Wet and shivering, Lizzy sniffles and looks behind her. A dark castle looms up the path, and she slowly stands, making her way to the front doors. The knockers are as big as her head, but pushing on the door reveals that it's open. She timidly steps in, glancing around the grand foyer, hugging her arms to herself.

"H-h-hello?" she calls, walking farther in. "H-hello? I-is a-an-anyone here?" Nothing but her own echo answers back. Slowly stepping deeper in, she follows the long carpet, listening for anyone who could help her. Rustling on her left causes her to follow the sound. After a few moments, she comes to a large room with a chair set up in front of a fireplace with a roaring fire.

She timidly walks up to the chair, seeing it empty. She looks around. "H-hello?" she calls once again. "I-I'm terribly sorry to intrude, but my horse has run off, and it's begun raining. I-is there a place I can stay?"

"Oh, you poor thing, you," a high voice calls, startling Lizzy. Suddenly, she's forced into the chair, and a red-headed maid with big round glasses throws a blanket over her. The maid wears a dark blue dress, sleeves rolled to her elbows, and a long apron. On her head sits a maid cap. "Please, warm up here, my Lady." The maid bows. "Would you care for something warm to drink? Tea, perhaps?"

Lizzy nods, grateful for the offer. "If it's not too much trouble," she mumbles apologetically. "I-I got lost in the forest outside the castle, and wolves scared my horse off."

The maid gives a sympathetic look. "Oh, my. Perhaps I'll prepare a room for the night. Travelling the forest in the dark is quite dangerous, yes indeed."

Suddenly, a cart is rolled up beside her, and a strong hand is presenting her with a delicate cup of tea. "Here ya go, my Lady," a deeper voice says, a slight country accent rolling through the dim firelight. "Can't have ya catchin' a cold, now." The man is fairly young, with a slight sprinkling of beard and blond hair. His build is one of someone who went through military training, and a pair of aviator goggles rests on his head. He wears a chef's uniform, apron stained and sleeves rolled to his elbows.

Lizzy timidly takes the cup of tea, putting it to her lips and taking a sip. The warm liquid runs down her throat, soothing her nerves. She smiles. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Oh, no, my Lady! Our pleasure!" the maid says, smiling. "In fact, I guess I should go –"

She's cut off by a sudden draft gusting through the room, extinguishing the fire and sending a chill through Lizzy's bones. The maid backs up and bows toward the door, the chef taking the cup back and setting it on the cart, mimicking the maid, backing up and bowing his head.

"M-Master," the maid stutters. "Sh-she just needed to warm up, sir. We didn't –"

"Silence!" a deep voice shouts. "I am the master here, and I decide who enters into my home." Lizzy watches as the maid flinches from the tone of the man's voice, and sees the chef frown to himself. "Get out, both of you!" the voice commands, and the maid and chef quickly rush out of the room.

Lizzy sees a shadow move to stand by the fireplace. Without light, all she can make out are his glowing red eyes. "P-please, sir," she begins, her voice wavering in fear. "I-I got l-lost in the forest and ended up h-here. My horse ran away, and it was raining. I just need a place to stay for the night."

The figure moves closer. "A place to stay, hm?" the voice says, dripping cruelty covered in velvet. "I guess we can find you a room for the night."

Suddenly, Lizzy is lifted into the air and carried out of the room, slung over the man's shoulder. Breathing erratically, she watches as the tapestried walls of the halls turn into simple stones that look to be wearing away. The halls grow dark, and soon there is no light. After a few minutes, she is thrown onto a cot, the fabric tearing under her light weight. Looking back, she sees the man slam a set of bars in front of her and realizes she's in a cage. A dungeon.

"P-please, sir!" she cries, tears streaming down her face. "Let me go! I was supposed to meet my aunt in the next town over! My cousin will worry when he doesn't receive word that I arrived! Please!" She grips the bars, pointlessly pulling on them. Unlike the rest of the cell, the bars are in perfect condition.

"Then perhaps you should've kept that in mind before wandering into Hell," the man spits, turning on his heel and walking away, taking the only source of light with him.

Lizzy falls to her knees, sobs escaping her sore throat. "Ciel," she whispers, "I'm so sorry."

. . .

Thunder rolls, and Ciel looks up from his book to see the sky growing grey outside the window. He sets the book on the table beside him, standing and stretching before heading outside. The smell of rain is in the air, and a cool breeze blows through.

Perhaps the mud lake will grow, Ciel thinks to himself, smirking. Claude had come back later that day, practically demanding Ciel marry him. And once again, he'd ended up in the mud. Ciel had actually laughed. The sight of the son of a bitch covered in mud for the third time in two days had finally broken through Ciel, and he had collapsed in very childish giggles.

Sighing, Ciel wanders through the fields to his favorite hill, sitting cross-legged and staring at the clouds. "I need to get out of this town," he mutters to himself. "There's gotta be something out there that'll keep me away from that arrogant ass."

Suddenly, Ciel hears the whinnying of their horse, Max, and sees the mare galloping towards him, rider-less. Frowning, Ciel hurries to Max, grabbing his reigns and calming him. "Max, it's okay! It's okay!" he says, petting the horse. "Where's Lizzy, Max? Why isn't she with you?" Panic laces his tone.

The horse snorts, pulling his head around the way he'd come from, seeming to say "That way! Hurry!" Ciel unstraps Lizzy's luggage and jumps into the saddle. "Show me, Max! We've gotta make sure she's alright. I knew she shouldn't have gone alone!" Spurring the steed on, Max gallops through the field and enters the forest. Ciel's eyes widen. "I told her to avoid this place!" he hisses.

After a couple hours, in the dead of dark, Max stops in front of an iron gate that towers up several stories. Ciel peers through, seeing the castle. Dark, gloomy and with so many gargoyles on the sides Ciel was almost surprised angels weren't hanging around, brightening the place up. Jumping out of the saddle, Ciel walks inside the gate, seeing a bright pink bow that Lizzy had been wearing right before she left. Narrowing his left eye, Ciel motions for Max to wait and starts forward toward the doors. Lightning shoots through the sky and thunder rolls again, the rain picking up force.

Coming to the door, he reaches up to the knocker, only to have the door swing open. Stepping inside, he glances around the hall, seeing dark tapestries in the dim moonlight. The rest of the hall is as dark as the outside of the castle, and Ciel slowly makes his way through the hall.

"Hello?" he calls, wishing his uneasy feeling would go away. "Lizzy? Are you in here? Is anybody in here?" He feels it strange that no one had come to either greet him and make him feel at home or kick him out. A motion down the hall to his right catches his attention, and he heads in the direction, following the movement.

After a minute winding down different halls, he decides he's being led somewhere, and he prays it's to wherever Lizzy is. He notices the walls becoming barer and turning more to crumbling stone as he descends a spiraling staircase, the chill in the air increasing tenfold. At the bottom, he finds himself in a dungeon. He frowns. "Lizzy?" he calls again.

"Ciel?!" her voice comes through the dark, and a pair of white hands grip the bars of the cell in front of him.

Eyes widening, he rushes forward. "Lizzy! I told you not to go through the forest! Why didn't you listen to me?!" He grips her hands, feeling them just as cold as the bars. He can barely make out her face, but he sees the tear streaks down her cheeks glistening in the moonlight. Her golden locks are limp and mud streaked.

She sniffs. "I-I'm sorry, Ciel. I know, I know. I thought it'd be a shortcut and that I'd reach the town sooner. I didn't mean to worry you." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Ciel! You've got to get out of here! There's a demon living in this place! If you don't go now, he'll lock you up too!"

Ciel raises his eyebrows. "Lizzy, demons don't exist. And I can't leave you alone. You'd die from hypothermia, or starvation." Ciel looks around. "I'll get you out of here, Lizzy."

Suddenly, the chill increases even further, and Ciel feels a set of eyes on him. Turning and backing into the bars, he sees a pair of red eyes glowing in the dark. He blinks. Perhaps Lizzy had been right about there being a demon. "Wh-who are you?" he demands, trying to sound tough. "Please, let her go."

"She was trespassing," a voice answers, sending shivers down Ciel's spine. It's smooth like velvet yet cold and uncaring. "I don't take intruders kindly."

Ciel rolls his eyes, against his better judgment. "It sounds like you don't take anyone kindly, let alone intruders. Though, a young girl, lost in the forest hardly screams intruder." He glares at the eyes, which seem to have narrowed. "Please. She's going to get extremely sick. Let her go."

The man paces to the side, Ciel following the glowing eyes. "This is the punishment for trespassers. I cannot let her go."

Ciel huffs in frustration. This guy is less scary and simply annoying. "Take me in her place, then. If you need a prisoner, take me. Let her go."

The eyes focus on Ciel. "What is she to you?" the voice asks.

"My cousin," Ciel replies reluctantly. And then adds under his breath, "Some of the only family I have left."

Lizzy grips his shirt. "Ciel! You can't do that! He'll just keep us both! He can't be trusted!"

The man is quiet for a moment. "All you want is for me to free her?" he asks, confirming Ciel's request.

Ciel nods. "Let her go, and make sure she gets to her destination safely." He decides to be specific, just in case the man takes "letting her go" to mean "throwing her just outside the gates."

The man deliberates silently for a moment more. "Fine," he snaps, walking over to unlock the cell. He tosses Ciel aside and yanks Lizzy to her feet. "William!" he calls, and suddenly another man is beside him. His eyes glow a bright green color.

"Sir?" he says.

"Take this girl to the next town over. Supposedly she'll have an aunt waiting for her. She is to arrive in one piece and breathing."

The other man bows his head. "Yes, my Lord." He grabs Lizzy's bare arm, tugging her along.

Ciel struggles to reach her, but the first man grabs his arm. "Lizzy! Let Madame Red know I'm alright when you see her! Don't come after me, you hear me?"

Lizzy struggles slightly against her guard. "CIEL!" She breaks into sobs as she's dragged away.

Breathing heavily, Ciel stops his struggling against the man. When he's released, he turns sharply and brings his hand against the cold cheek of the man, slapping hard, causing the man's face to whip to the side. Hot tears stream down his face against his will. "She better be safe, demon," he spits, stomping over to the small window and watching as William sets Lizzy in a carriage and takes the reigns, snapping them and taking off down the pathway.

He feels the cold stare of the man on his back before the voice cuts through his thoughts. "Come with me."

Ciel turns to face the man, raising an eyebrow. "What?" he manages.

The man huffs and the red eyes roll up to the ceiling. "I said to come with me. These cots are all but eaten through. You don't want to sleep on the floor, do you?" The man starts up the stairs.

Ciel stares blankly before following the demon up the stairs. After a few silent minutes, the man leads him down a much warmer corridor, flanked on both sides with numerous doors. Stopping in front of no particular door, the man throws it open and gestures inside.

Now that there's more light, Ciel looks at the demon. He's tall, almost as tall as Claude. His hair is midnight black and hangs around his face, with a slender strand falling between his crimson eyes. His skin is as pale as the moon and almost seems to glow. His slender lips are set in a slight grimace. He wears a bright white shirt with a black tailcoat and black trousers. Hanging from a button is a chain that leads to a pocket, which probably holds a watch. His tie is black and slightly loosened at the top.

He's really attractive, Ciel finds himself thinking before mentally slapping himself. Get it together. Of course he's attractive – he's a demon. Stop it. Ciel crosses his arms to fight away the unwanted thoughts. "So, you give prisoners guest suites?" he asks sarcastically, raising an eyebrow and looking into the room. He snorts. "If I'd known that, I wouldn't have worried about Lizzy."

The man sighs, pinching the bridge of his slender nose with his thumb and forefinger. "I can have you dragged back to the dungeon if you'd prefer to stay there," he says through clenched teeth. "Otherwise, this will be your room for the duration of your imprisonment."

Ciel regards the dark man. "How long will I be staying?"

The man smirks. "Indefinitely, as of now."

Ciel pauses a moment before nodding. "Predictable," he finally says, walking into the offered room. He looks around, taking in the king sized canopied bed in the center of the far wall and the floor to ceiling windows along the wall to his left. He can make out a balcony through the warped glass. He notices a wardrobe and dresser along the wall to his right, and a low long table with a loveseat and a couple of chairs in the middle of the room. A grand fireplace is up against the wall of the door. "It'll do, I suppose," he mutters sarcastically, wandering into the room.

The man raises an eyebrow. "You seem much less frightened than I would imagine a young boy like you should be," he comments, leaning against the door.

Ciel turns to look at him. "How often do you imagine young boys?" he asks, raising an eyebrow of his own.

The man simply looks at him. "Not often enough, apparently," he mutters, running his eyes up and down Ciel's figure. He seems to think about his next choice of words. "Dinner is in a few hours, and I would be honored if you'd join me." His tone is hard and the statement is reluctant.

Ciel stiffens and turns away, walking to the bed and flopping down on the silk comforter. "Not hungry," he says, staring up at the canopy.

He hears the man groan. "This is the only time I shall offer. If you do not show up tonight, you will not eat at all." The door slams shut.

Ciel leans up, seeing the dark wood of the door. On impulse, he grabs a pillow and hurls it at the door with a shout. Tears begin streaming again as he lays silently, curling up on his side and hugging a remaining pillow to his chest.

. . .

"Stubborn, infuriating child!" Sebastian yells at his wall, pacing quickly back and forth in front of the fireplace. His cheek is still red where the boy had slapped him, and he rubs it absentmindedly.

The redhead maid, Mey-Rin, stands off to the side, watching the master pace. "Sir," she begins timidly, and forces herself to keep looking at him when his red eyes bore into her. "He's just been taken from his family. Can you really blame him?"

Sebastian narrows his eyes and continues his pacing. He knows he can't blame the slate-haired boy for acting as he had – Mey-Rin was right: he'd just taken the boy away from his family. The only family I have left. Sebastian shakes the sound of the boy's whispered words out of his head. "Still," he mutters, stopping in front of the fireplace and staring into the flames. "I've given him an actual room instead of making him stay in the dungeon. I've asked him to dinner so he doesn't starve. I don't know what else to do." With a frustrated shout he grabs the nearest plate from the dining table and hurls it at the wall. "Demons don't know how to care," he spits, glaring at nothing.

Mey-Rin walks quietly over to the shattered dinnerware, gently picking up the pieces. Turning to Sebastian, she gives him the hardest look he'd ever seen from her. It surprises him so much he stumbles back. "Then you're just going to have to dig to the part of your heart that isn't a demon, you are," she says, putting a hand on her small waist.

Sebastian turns away, annoyed at himself. "There isn't a part of me that's not demon," he says, frowning.

"Of course there is, my Lord!" Mey-Rin insists, stomping over to him. "If there weren't, you wouldn't have been told how to fix the problem, no sir!" She grabs his chin, forcing his face to hers. "You just have to look harder."

Sebastian stares a moment before yanking his face gently out of her hand. Mey-Rin has been Sebastian's personal maid all his life, assigned to him at birth when she was only fifteen. After the Lady had cast the curse, all the household had stopped aging, though only Sebastian was the demon. Mey-Rin has taken care of him better than even his own mother. She is the only one that can get away with giving him any sort of order. And, though he'd never admit it, Sebastian is afraid of his maid. Afraid of what she'd think if he let her down.

Sebastian nods. "Fine. I'll see if I can try harder, then." He turns to face his maid, seeing her caring smile. He then drops his head to the ground, looking away. "I. . . I guess I could use some help, though," he admits. "I honestly have no idea what to do."

Mey-Rin puts a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you worry, my Lord," she says kindly. "Asking for help is the best place to start when you're unsure of yourself, yes it is." She tilts his chin to her. "The only thing I can do, however, is give you advice. I can't make you care, and I can't make him care." She brings a hand up, pushing her round glasses farther onto her nose. "First, you should probably start by getting to know your guest," she says, walking to set the broken shards of plate in a nearby trashcan.

Sebastian sighs. "How do I do that?" he asks pathetically.

The maid laughs. "Well, try talking to him, first off," she suggests with a chuckle. "And don't do it so harshly," she adds, giving him a look. "He's just been taken away from his life. I'd probably give him a day or two to adjust before approaching him for any reason." She smiles faintly. "Right now, he's seeing you as the demon you are," she says quietly. "And to help change that perspective, you've gotta convince him that you are capable of compassion."

Sebastian stares blankly. "So, to get to know him, I need to talk to him," he summarizes, "but at the same time stay away from him?" His brow furrows. "This makes no sense."

Mey-Rin giggles. "Love never does, my Lord," she says, ruffling his dark hair. "Love never does."

. . .

Ciel opens the door, peering out into the dim hallway. Seeing the way is clear, he slides out, shutting the door softly behind him and heading back the way he'd been led. Seeing as how they'd had to go through the main entrance area of the castle, Ciel figures there must be a way to get to the kitchens from there. He kicks himself mentally for not having gone to dinner; if he's going to be staying, the least he can do is take advantage of the meals. Ciel isn't sure if the demon is serious about not feeding him after not going to dinner.

Ciel winds his way through dim corridors, looking for a way that looks to lead to a dining area. Hearing cursing coming from down the hall he finds himself in, followed by loud clanging of iron and metal, he quickly locates an open door and peeks in. The floor is white and black tiles, and in the center is a wooden island with cutting boards and knives scattered about. On the fall wall, Ciel spots a stove and oven. The kitchen.

Ciel sighs with relief and bites his lip as his stomach growls. He slips between the doors, looking around. He spots a tall man with blond hair and aviator goggles on his head wearing a white chef's shirt and grey trousers, with an apron tied around his waist. That must be the cook, he thinks.

Glancing to his left, he sees a small boy, probably no more than a few years older than himself, sitting at a counter. His shirt is an off-white cloth that loosely hangs around his chest. His trousers are brown and cut off at mid-calf, and his boots are caked in mud. Ciel spots a pair of gardening gloves beside the boy. A sun hat is tied around his neck, and his dark blond hair is matted to his forehead. Gardener? he thinks, raising an eyebrow.

Standing in front of the island is a lady with red hair flaring out around her head. She wears a blue maid's uniform with a full-body apron and the sleeves rolled up as she chops vegetables. Her glasses are big and round and her maid's cap is slightly lopsided. And the maid, Ciel thinks.

Taking a breath, Ciel steps farther in, clearing his throat. The maid glances up and gives him a warm smile. "Ah, master Ciel! I was wondering if you'd be stopping by tonight, yes I was," she says in a high voice, setting the knife down and wiping her hands on her apron.

Ciel gives her a skeptical look. "How do you know my name?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

She smiles wider. "My Lord has told us that you were addressed as 'Ciel' by the young lady," she answers. Her smile fades a bit. "Is this not correct, young master?"

Ciel nods. "No, it's correct," he states, glancing around again. He bites his lip again. "Um, is it asking too much for something to eat?" he wonders, looking at the maid.

Her smile returns in full. "Of course not, bocchan!" she says, coming to stand in front of him. She dips into a curtsy. "I am Mey-Rin, the Lord's personal maid." She stands straight and gestures to the cook who had walked over. "This is Bard, our chef," she says and he smiles.

"Nice ta meet ya, young master," he says, inclining his head.

Ciel nods back, stomach growling. "Pleasure."

Bard chuckles. "Better get ya somethin' ta eat, then." He walks off to the island, picking up the knife Mey-Rin had set down.

Mey-Rin gestures to the young boy who'd hopped off the chair and now stands in front of Ciel. "And this is our gardener, Finny," she finishes.

Finny smiles. "Nice to meet you, young master," he says, bowing.

Ciel nods again. "Yes, you too." He was feeling uncertain about the whole "young master" title.

Finny straightens up. "Well, I've got a rose garden to tend to. See ya later!" And he jogs out the door.

Mey-Rin chuckles. "Always lively, he is." She gestures to his vacated seat. "Would you like a seat while we prepare you something, bocchan?"

Ciel nods for a third time, heading to the chair and hopping up in it, watching Mey-Rin and Bard fix food.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like, bocchan?" the maid asks, looking up at him.

Ciel thinks for a minute before shaking his head. "Anything sounds fine right now, thank you." He glances once again around the kitchen. "I was almost afraid you'd turn me away," he admits, staring at a crack in the ceiling.

Bard looks up. "Why would we do that, young master?"

Ciel shrugs. "He said I wouldn't get to eat if I didn't go to dinner." He pauses. "I didn't go to dinner."

Mey-Rin sighs, continuing to chop some carrots. "He didn't mean it, bocchan," she says quietly. "He's just frustrated, is all."

Ciel frowns. "What does a prince like him have to be frustrated about?"

Mey-Rin smiles. "You, apparently. I hear you're quite stubborn."

Ciel rolls his eye. "So I've been told," he says sarcastically. "It runs in the family," he tells her, absentmindedly touching his eye patch. Thinking of his family always brings back the last memory of his parents. The stubbornness in their family is what killed them.

Mey-Rin's look softens. "How did that happen, may I ask, bocchan?"

He looks at her. "How did what happen?" he asks.

She nods to his face. "Your eye, young master."

Ciel stills. "Oh, that," he says, touching the eye patch consciously. "Stubbornness," he replies. "My parents were killed because of it, and I lost the sight in my eye. Damaged beyond repair." He looks down.

"Is it still there?" she asks quietly.

Ciel looks up at her. "Yeah," he says. "But it's discolored and useless, so I keep the patch over it."

Mey-Rin nods, going back to the food. Suddenly, Bard walks towards him with a plate and a glass. "Here ya go, young master," he says, setting the sandwich down in front of him and handing him the glass. "Just a little something to stop the grumbling." He smiles and walks back to the stove, gathering the pans and tossing them into the sink.

Ciel takes a bite, sighing in contentment as the meat and bread settles into place in his empty stomach, and chugging the glass of milk. "Thanks, Bard," he mutters. "It's hitting the spot nicely."

Bard smiles. "Glad I could help, young master."

Ciel eats for a moment before turning to Mey-Rin. "Speaking of masters, is yours ever going to introduce himself to me?" he asks, taking another bite. "You all know my name, and I know you servants', but I don't know his."

Mey-Rin giggles. "He'll introduce himself in time," she reassures him. "He's just giving you time to adjust, is all."

Ciel sips his milk quietly. "Time to adjust, huh?" he says, finishing off the sandwich. "How kind. That seems very un-demon-like."

Mey-Rin smiles faintly. "He's human somewhere in his black heart," she says. "We've just gotta get there little by little."

Ciel stays quiet, mulling over his thoughts as he empties his glass. He finds it a bit of a challenge to think of the demon as ever acting human, much less being human. He's cruel and cold, totally uncaring of the way he treats others, Ciel muses to himself. As long as he's satisfying his own needs, it doesn't matter how others suffer. There's no way he was ever human.

Finished with his midnight meal, Ciel stands from his stool and thanks Mey-Rin, who bows and gathers his dishes as he leaves the kitchens. Ciel wanders back through the hallways, the only light along his path being the ivory glow from the moonlight through the grand windows. He has to admit – albeit grudgingly – that the castle is intriguing, with the gothic style of the architecture and the finely embroidered tapestries depicting knights and kings and general finery.

Predictably, Ciel figures, he ends up in a corridor that is unfamiliar, and definitely not the one where his room is. The area is darker and more foreboding than the rest of the castle, and Ciel can't repress the slight shudder that travels up his spine as he winds down yet another hallway. Curiously, all the décor becomes more and more tattered and broken as he walks, having to step over chunks of statue busts and dismembered suits of armor, examining in unease the worsening state of curtains and portraits.

He has the sudden thought that he should not be in that wing of the castle.

Steeling his resolve and squaring his shoulders, Ciel continues forward, determined to find out what exactly, if anything, is being hidden, or at least the cause of the wreckage. Perhaps he had a temper tantrum? he wonders, glancing around at the disarray. He snorts at his thought. Typical royalty – have everything they could want, and it's just not enough.

Ciel carries on his trek, eventually finding himself in front of a set of doors that hang precariously off their hinges. The wood is splintered and cracked, and he carefully places his hand on one to push it open, biting his lip and hoping that it doesn't fall. When it doesn't, he breathes a sigh of relief and creeps forward, instinctually hunching over to hide himself better in the shadows.

The room is spacious, though cluttered with broken furniture, scraps of cloth and shards of what may have been vases holding plants at one time. On the far wall is a set of floor-to-ceiling windows that open to a balcony, and looking to his right Ciel sees a grand canopy bed made down with crimson satin sheets and a smooth black comforter, surprisingly in excellent condition, free of any mars or scratches or general destruction. Around the walls, torn portraits of what look to be the man's ancestors hang loosely from their hooks, swaying slowly in the gentle breeze coming in through the open balcony doors.

Stepping farther into the room, Ciel notices a lone table in front of the doors to the balcony, with a lone object resting atop. As he nears it, he is surprised to find that it is a beautiful white rose encased in a glass dome, several petals scattered around it upon the table. Ciel is captivated by the ethereal glow it emits, feeling a sense of peace and calm wash over his nerves, settling his anger over becoming the prisoner of a demon. Without consciously thinking about it, he reaches forward tenderly, cautiously, slowly removing the dome and setting it down on the ground beside the table. Compelled by an unknown force and desire, he hovers his hands around the blossom, wanting to feel the silkiness of the petals, yet too afraid he may damage the fragile loveliness.

Before he can register anything, he is flung back away from the rose and across the room, landing with a small oomph! on the large bed and scrambling not to fall off the edge. When he gets his bearings, he looks up to see the man curled protectively over the flower, glass dome back in place and glowing ruby eyes boring right into his soul.

"What are you doing here?" he asks lowly, moving slowly to stand in front of the table, blocking Ciel's view of the rose. "I don't remember allowing you permission to leave your room, much less roam the castle."

Ciel frowns, swallowing his fear. "I-I was heading back from the kitchen," he states, subconsciously moving away from the demon. "I got lost –"

"Get out."

Ciel falters in his explanation, mouth gaping in confusion. "W-What?" he stammers.

The demon growls, suddenly appearing over him and tossing him roughly to the floor. "GET OUT!" he shouts, bringing his fist into one of the posts of the bed.

Too shocked to do much else, Ciel scrambles to his feet and bolts from the room, barely managing to keep from stumbling over chunks of stone as he hurries down the corridor. He hears his captor scream again and pushes himself faster down the staircase that comes into view, recognizing it as leading to the foyer and to the entrance.

Passing a frantic Mey-Rin asking him what's going on, he just barely shouts back, "I can't do this! I can't be around him!" while running out the doors. The rain hadn't let up – in fact, it was almost worse – and he's soaked before he makes it to the gates. Max is there for him, seeming to sense his distress, and helps Ciel mount himself in the saddle before taking off on his own down the dark path.

Fighting back hot tears of frustration and resentment, Ciel does not see the wolves until they are right upon him. Max rears back, whinnying loudly, throwing Ciel from the saddle into a large puddle before taking off into the dark forest. Ciel huffs, standing shakily to his feet, dripping chilling water and eyeing the wolves as they surround him. Grabbing the nearest fallen tree limb, he brandishes it in front of him in warning, holding it as he would a rapier. He backs slowly into the wall of a short cliff, cursing as he realizes he's cornered.

The wolves growl and pounce, Ciel just managing to keep them at bay with practiced maneuvers and lunges, but still no match for the wild beasts. He receives a large gash to his chest from a set of claws and minor scrapes on his cheeks from the brambles he falls into when he collapses. His wound bleeds heavily and his vision begins to blur as he struggles to remain conscious. He can just make out a dark form throwing the wolves away from him as they regroup, tossing them into trees and away into the dark. Another low growl is emitted, though it's unlike the ones of the wolves.

Ciel looks blearily up into glowing crimson eyes and watches detached as long arms covered in black reach for him, picking him up and cradling him against a hard yet warm chest as his vision fades to black.

. . .

The carriage rolls to a stop, jerking Lizzy from her unintended slumber. She looks around groggily, the fatigue plaguing her mind disorienting her for a moment before the events of the last night rush back through her consciousness. She whimpers and sniffs, fighting back more tears as the man who'd dragged her off opens the carriage door, offering her his hand.

"We're here," he states bluntly. "I am to make sure you meet up with your aunt safely, as per your cousin's request."

Lizzy stares at his hand for a moment before taking it reluctantly, allowing him to help her down to the ground. Looking down at herself, she wants to cry all over again: her dress is in tatters, hanging limp from all the rain; her shoes squish unpleasantly when she walks; she doesn't even want to imagine the state of her hair. She can barely deal with how she smells.

Breathing shakily, she glances up at the large building that is hosting the fashion show that Madame Red is in charge of. Signs and billboards are alight with multi-colored stage lights, capturing attention and beckoning passersby to see what all the hubbub is about. Red carpet has been laid down, and long lines of people with nothing better to do dressed in finery stand waiting for their chance to buy tickets to sit in the audience.

She looks at the man who'd brought her, watching as he adjusts his glasses on his nose. "Th-Thank you for getting me here," she mumbles quietly. She manages a small smile.

He simply looks at her. "I was only doing my job," he finally says, turning to gaze disapprovingly at the building before sighing. "I'll see you in to your aunt."

Lizzy nods and heads towards the building, letting go of her ladylike side to push aggressively though the throngs of people, shooting them harsh glares when they tried to protest, telling her to "wait her turn." Having the man act as an escort helped, his stoic glares causing people to back off and turn away instantly. Finally stumbling to the front, Lizzy sees her aunt entertaining important clients and prospective business partners, her bodyguard Grell standing bored off to the side, twirling his red hair in his hands. He's the one to notice her.

"Oh, Lizzy darling!" he shouts, waving his hand erratically. He stops when he sees her state of disarray. "What happened to your dress? So not cute!"

Lizzy breaks down into sobs once again, rushing to her aunt who had dismissed her clients with a wave of her hand and a look. Madame Red immediately wraps her in her arms, muttering soothing sounds in her ear.

"It's okay, it's okay, Lizzy," she coos, gently pushing the girl back to look at her. Her expression is stern and worried. "What happened? I told you to stay on the main road; even with all the rain, you shouldn't look like this." She glances up to the man behind her. "Who are you?" she asks warily.

The man adjusts his frames. "I am William, a guard in the service of Lord Sebastian Michaelis," he replies dryly, a look of annoyance crossing his visage. "She was caught trespassing in my lord's castle."

Madame Red's eyes widen and she looks at Lizzy. "Trespassing?" she exclaims, then frowns. "Why were you trespassing?"

Lizzy sniffs. "I didn't mean to!" she wails. "Max got scared and threw me, and it started to rain and the castle was there and I just wanted to keep out of the rain and maybe dry off before heading back home!" She buries her face in her aunt's skirts. "It was all a misunderstanding!" She points blindly back at William. "His lord is a demon, throwing me in a dungeon and then forcing Ciel to stay as prisoner in exchange for letting me go!"

Madame Red looks from her niece back to William, who was now fighting off Grell's unwanted sexual advances. She rolls her eyes. "Grell!" she says, and frowning the redhead comes to stand next to her, blowing kisses and winking at the other guard. "I apologize for that, but what does she mean your lord is keeping Ciel as a prisoner?"

William shoots a disgusted look at the redhead bodyguard and replies, "She means what she says: in exchange for letting her go and seeing she arrived safely to you, her cousin offered to take her place and accepted the punishment for trespassing in her stead. My lord agreed, and I was ordered to bring her to you."

Madame Red frowns. "That idiot," she mutters, then sighs. "I guess I should've had him come with you. I didn't think you'd put yourself in that situation." She shoots Lizzy a look.

Lizzy pouts. "It's not like I asked to be in that situation," she retorts, crossing her shivering arms, "but that's not important! We've got to get Ciel out of there! That man is a demon!"

Madame Red lets out a slow breath. "Lizzy, demons don't exist."

"But –"

"No buts," she states firmly. "I've got a show to run, and Ciel can take care of himself. You know how he is." She chuckles. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he's at home now because the guy couldn't handle his personality." She appraises her niece's appearance, pursing her red lips. "We need to get you out of those rags and into a nice hot bath," she decides. She looks to Grell, who is still drooling over William, sighing at his antics. "Bring her back to the hotel and tend to her," she orders tiredly.

Grell shoots her a look before tossing his hair. "Fine," he grumbles, looking back at William. "I hope to be seeing you around again, Will~" he says, blowing one last kiss to the stoic man before leading his charge's niece to their hotel.

Madame Red drops her head into her palm. "I don't know why I bother keeping him," she says wistfully. She smiles ruefully at William. "Thank you for getting Lizzy here safely."

William bows his head. "Just doing my job." He turns on his heel, heading back to the carriage, hopping up into the driver's seat and taking the reins, snapping them and disappearing into the horizon.

Madame Red sighs again, turning back to the waiting people milling about. She chews her lip, thinking silently to herself about her nephew. Ciel, I hope you know what you're doing. You better be okay.

. . .

Ciel stirs, coming from a peaceful obliviousness to a groggy state of mind. He blinks slowly, clearing the sleep from his eye and staring confusedly up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Moving to sit up and get his bearings, a sharp pain blossoms in his chest, forcing a cry out of him and causing him to slump back down, breathing heavily, his eyes clenched shut. He hears a door opening and footsteps growing near before coming to a halt right beside him. He detects the soft sloshing of water before feeling a warm rag on his chest.

"That was pretty a fairly idiotic thing to do, engaging those wolves instead of finding safety," a voice muses, the deep tenor tone conversational with a hint of annoyance.

Ciel breathes for a moment before opening his eye to see a pale face with dark ebony hair and worried merlot orbs hovering over him. He sighs, just managing to slide up and rest on his elbows. "There wasn't anywhere safe to go," he mutters.

"Why'd you leave?" the man asks, turning and rinsing the rag before continuing his cleaning of the wounds, his attention pointedly staying away from Ciel's face.

Ciel frowns. "You told me to get out."

The man frowns as well. "You know that's not what I meant; you shouldn't have run away."

Ciel huffs. "Maybe if you hadn't taken my life away and then thrown a tantrum over my obvious reaction and innocent curiosity I wouldn't have felt the need to leave."

The man remains quiet, tending to Ciel's wounds and furrowing his brow in thought. Ciel raises an eyebrow at him before rolling his eye and flopping back into the bed he was on, staring at the ceiling. His chest is throbbing like hell, and he can't help but wonder if it had really been worth it to run away just to be brought back. He winces as the demon shifts him into a sitting position, wordlessly telling him to hang onto his shoulders as he wraps the gashes in bandages.

"Thank you," Ciel mutters quietly after a moment, looking away from the demon and instead out of the window at the still-pouring rain. "For coming to get me."

The man glances up at him before concentrating on his bandaging. "You're welcome," he says simply. After a pause, "Sebastian."

Ciel, who had been lost in thought, turns back at hearing the random word, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

The demon smirks. "My name is Sebastian," he repeats, making sure the wrapping is tight before leaning back to look Ciel in his eye. "You should get some rest now; you'll heal quicker."

Ciel's eyebrow lowers and he leans back into the pillows, watching as Sebastian gathers the remaining supplies and stands, heading to the door to leave. Hearing it click shut, Ciel stares absently at the dark wood, thinking about his captor. Perhaps Mey-Rin was right and he is human somewhere in that black heart of his, he muses, snuggling into the covers and closing his eye. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

. . .

Ciel finds that Sebastian can indeed be human when he wants, as evidenced in his treatment of Ciel as he heals from the wolf attack. The demon makes Ciel's comfort his top priority, bringing him food when he gets hungry, changing his bandages to help keep infection at bay and even providing entertainment when Ciel takes to gazing longingly out the windows at the forests.

Entertainment happens to be in the form of books – books over just about every subject imaginable, ranging from the sciences to action and adventure to romance to theology. Ciel has to reluctantly admit that he is more than impressed with Sebastian's collection of books and practically devours three or four in a day, no matter how thick they are.

On the day that Ciel finally gets out of bed and is able to move about on his own, Sebastian takes him by the hand and leads him through the long corridors to a room in a wing that Ciel has not been, turning and with a grin instructing Ciel to close his eye. With a look Ciel complies, allowing Sebastian to drag him forward and into the room and standing perfectly still as Sebastian goes around pulling curtains and lighting the room.

When he's told he can look, Ciel can't help the gasp of shock and wonder that escapes him when he sees the library. The room is larger than any he'd seen before, with shelves towering from the polished floor to the ceiling, all filled to the brim with books. Large windows are set between the shelves to allow adequate lighting in, and a lounge area resides in a corner of the room, a fireplace surrounded by plush couches and loveseats giving a cozy feel to the section.

He's more than impressed.

Little by little, Ciel comes to warm up to his captor, seeing him more as someone he reluctantly admits he enjoys spending time with. He finds that Sebastian has a great many stories to tell about his life, different adventures that took him to many places in the world where he exercised his status as a prince.

Surprising himself, he even tells Sebastian about his own life – the loss of his parents to an underworld mobster because they refused to give in to his demands and the resulting loss of his eye couple with its unusual discoloration, and his desire for adventures of his own, a change from his normal, boring daily routine. Ciel manages to make Sebastian laugh at his rants on Claude and how the man was debatably more demonic than the demon himself.

The days pass by much in the same manor, but Ciel does not feel as if he's just going through a routine. He spends much of his time wandering the corridors of the castle, examining the lovely architecture and decorations, or wandering the grounds outside.

Sebastian accompanies him most of the time, pointing out different landscape features such as the Great Lake deep in a section of the forest that the demon claims is the best place to ice skate or go for a picnic. He shows Ciel the section of forest that produces the finest evergreens his servants used to bring in for the holiday season, though he admits that they hadn't celebrated in quite a while.

If they're not wandering about, Ciel can be found sitting with the demon in the grand library, reading in contented silence and whiling the day away having the most intriguing adventures within the covers of the books. Ciel takes to sitting in Sebastian's lap while they read, and while he won't say it aloud, he finds the demon's gentle embrace comfortably warm and welcoming, and very human.

Ciel comes to lose track of how many weeks he's spent with Sebastian as his prisoner, and he finds he doesn't particularly mind at all.

. . .

To say that Claude was not amused with his situation at present would've been such an unamused comical understatement he may have throttled the life out of anyone who approached him about it.

Ciel's house had been empty and dormant for two weeks before he saw any life moving around in it. Calling on the occupants, he found that it was only the Madame, her niece and the questionable body guard that were there, and that Ciel was elsewhere.

"Elsewhere?" he had parroted when the Madame had answered his query as to Ciel's whereabouts, deadpanning before raising an incredulous eyebrow. "Elsewhere where?"

"Elsewhere," Madame Red had reiterated, crossing her arms and practically glaring at him. "He didn't leave a note, so I honestly have no idea where he is."

Claude had to refrain from snapping her neck, instead settling for a stoic visage and folding his hands behind his back. "Do you know when he'll be back?" he'd asked as politely as he could manage.

The woman had snorted. Snorted. "What am I, his keeper?" she'd asked with a humorless chortle. She'd leveled him a look. "Please. I may be his aunt, but we both know there's no telling that boy what to do. He's old enough to take care of himself."

Claude hadn't been able to restrain his growl of displeasure. His prize was elsewhere and there didn't seem to be any knowledge of when – or even if – he'd be back. Turning away abruptly, he'd stormed away and headed back to the tavern, planting himself in his chair and tossing Aloïs around to vent his frustration.

Without Ciel around, his plan to use threats against his aunt or cousin were pointless. And he'd planned so methodically, too. He was probably one of the only people in the town who knew exactly what had happened to the boy's parents, and he'd decided to use the same mob boss once again to help persuade Ciel into seeing that it would be in the boy's best interest to become his.

It hadn't been much of a challenge to locate the mob boss: the man was secretive definitely, but actually quite approachable. He ran an underground gang that would carry out jobs and the like for hefty prices, and for the right price, one could get the man himself to perform the job.

The man was known as the Undertaker, an admittedly curious character with long silver hair hiding his eyes and scars that no one but him knew where they came from. He passed himself off as the local mortician most days, spending his time "fixing" up his gang's victims for burial. He was occasionally referred to as the "Death God" or "Grim Reaper" due to his preference to kill with a small hand scythe, and he had a fetish for a good laugh, tending to have his employers pay him in jokes – the better the joke and the more he laughed at it, the cleaner and more top-notch job he performed.

Claude had paid him spectacularly and explained his plan to simply use Undertaker as incentive first, just to rattle the boy, and if that didn't work then Undertaker would be able to do as he deemed fit by way of torturing or simply killing. However, the plan was only going to work if Ciel were there to ruffle and threaten. Him being elsewhere had put a halt in Claude's mission.

And he was not amused.

A couple of months have passed and the sky has begun to darken and colder winds have begun blowing through the small village as Claude hopes for the return of the beautiful sapphire-eyed boy that has so consumed his attention. He paces back and forth in front of the tavern's fireplace, unsure exactly what to do with himself without Ciel around.

"Where do you suppose he ran off to?" Aloïs asks, languidly sprawled on the floor, mindlessly watching Claude wear a path in the floorboards.

Claude pauses and shoots him a look. "If I had any idea I'd be there looking for him, don't you think?" he seethes, rolling his golden orbs. He continues pacing.

Aloïs snorts. "Probably got abducted by the demon that lives in that castle in the woods," he muses, twirling his hair between his fingers. "I hear that's what his cousin claimed, at least. She'd been caught and he'd taken her place or something." He stares off into the distance, a contemplative look on his pale face. "You suppose he's had his soul devoured yet?"

Claude pauses once again to look at the boy with an exasperated sigh. "Aloïs, demons don't exist." He massages his temples, reflecting on his decision to keep the pitiful blond boy around and re-convincing himself that the boy was indeed an important asset. In what way, he was still unsure, but there was a reason he was around. Supposedly. "Ciel has not had his soul devoured; in fact, I would hazard to guess that if the 'demon' were real, he wouldn't be able to handle Ciel and would not want whatever madness resides within his soul to give him indigestion."

Aloïs breaks down in guffaws at the thought, gasping for breath and rolling wildly on the floor. "That coming from the guy who would devour Ciel in an instant if he'd let you!" he exclaimed, menacing snickers snorting from his scrunched nose.

Claude leers at Aloïs, thoroughly disgusted with his choice to keep him around. Harshly picking the boy up off the floor, a yelp escaping his lips, Claude stalks to the door of the tavern and tosses the blond annoyance outside in the chilling weather.

"Hey!" Aloïs protests, landing on his ass and fairly sure he's bruised it. "What the hell was that for?!"

Claude simply glowers. "Why don't you go make yourself useful somewhere else, say, spying on the house, perhaps?" he suggests with a wave of his hand and a pointed look. "We need to know if and when Ciel returns, and I'm positive if he comes back he's not going to actively seek me out. I need you to let me know when he's back."

Aloïs pouts and crosses his arms, his bottom lip quivering as the cold begins setting into his bones through his thin jacket. "Why can't you ask Undertaker to get a guy to survey the place?" he mumbles stubbornly, fixing a hard ice-blue stare on the man. "Why do I have to be the one out there freezing my ass off?"

Claude gazes at Aloïs before stepping towards him, sliding a finger under his chin and angling his face up. Moving close where his breath just ghost's over the boy's lips, he feels Aloïs tremble with a repressed desire. It's simply delicious, he muses, that the boy wanted him so bad even though he knew Claude was after Ciel.

How pathetic.

Claude lets his lips slide into a slow smirk. "Because you're the only one I can trust to do the job correctly, right?" he says lowly. "I need to know when Ciel returns. All you have to do is watch and report back the moment he sets foot across that threshold."

Aloïs swallows audibly, caught up in the liquid gold eyes boring into his. He reluctantly nods imperceptibly.

Claude straightens up, giving him a nudge. "Good. Now go. He could be back at any time, and I do not want to miss giving him a proper 'welcome home.'"

Aloïs gives a dubious look before turning and skipping off, deciding that if he did a good job Claude might just reward him for his efforts. He smiles evilly. Soon, he'd make the man realize what he had, but for now he'd appease him by waiting for Ciel to return.

Claude watches him saunter off until he disappears over the hill before returning to his place in front of the fireplace in the tavern, sitting heavily down in his plush chair decorated in purple velvet with a spider web-like theme sewn into the fabric. He releases a contented sigh. The web is prepared – now all he has to do is wait for his opponent to make his move into his trap.

Ciel, you will be mine. By choice or force.

. . .

Sebastian sits thoughtfully in his porcelain bathtub, watching with slight nervousness as Mey-Rin flits about his room, pulling out different outfits and giving them a once-over before discarding them with a huff. The mansion steward, Tanaka, is kneeled beside the tub washing his arms and torso as he soaks in the spicy-scented soaps. The Christmas holiday is upon them, snow falling softly outside his windows, blanketing the scene with the white powder and the moonlight casting an ethereal glow upon the landscape, and Sebastian had decided that he wanted to celebrate it with Ciel.

On suggestion from Mey-Rin, Sebastian had conceded to hold a quiet, intimate dinner and ball for Ciel to reminisce on the time they'd spent together so far, and possibly ask him if he'd like to continue spending his time with the demon. Though Sebastian still struggled with his temper when Ciel exerted his stubbornness, he couldn't deny that he'd fallen quite hard for the beautiful boy that was the only one who'd ever matched his level of arrogance and decided to stick around regardless.

Sebastian sighs, sinking into the warm water. "Is this really the best thing to do?" he murmurs, glancing at his maid. "I don't know if I'll be able to ask him to stay. What if… what if…" he trails off, eyes widening slightly. "What if he really doesn't want to?"

Mey-Rin tosses the shirt she'd been examining over her shoulder and onto the floor before shooting a look at her master. "I'm sure he wants to," she said, digging through his wardrobe. "If he didn't, he'd have left already. You need to stop doubting yourself, yes you do."

Sebastian frowns and exhales, bubbles erupting from his breath in the water. It really isn't like him to doubt himself, but he really doesn't want mess things up with the slate-haired boy. "I only have a couple more days before my birthday," he mutters, "and yeah, we've been getting along alright, but I just…" His words fade as he sees the look his maid is throwing at him and he takes a deep breath. "You're right; I need to stop worrying."

Mey-Rin hmphs and continues looking through the wardrobe, finally pulling out the perfect outfit for her master. "Ah! This will look perfect, yes it will!" She gathers the cloth together and brings it over to her master's bed, laying it out. "Come, sir," she says, turning to face her lord. "We need to get you ready."

Sebastian allows Tanaka to finish rinsing the soap from his hair before standing up, letting the water drip down his pale chest. The steward hands him a towel and he wraps it around his waist, stepping out of the water and drying himself as he makes his way over to his maid. He slips into the black trousers and white button-down shirt, doing up the buttons as Mey-Rin brings a dark crimson waistcoat over and helps him into it, doing the buttons herself. Sebastian appraises himself in his full-body mirror as she holds out a black dress coat and finishes his ensemble off with a thin black cravat and blindingly white gloves.

Mey-Rin steps back and gives her lord a once-over, nodding her acceptance of the outfit. "Perfect, yes it is," she says happily, smiling brightly.

Sebastian returns the grin, agreeing with her appraisal before sighing in anticipation. "Well, I suppose –" He's cut off by his door swinging open and Finny stumbling in. He raises an eyebrow and purses his lips at the lively gardener.

"My lord!" the boy exclaimed, smiling widely and bouncing on his toes. He looks directly into the demon's garnet irises and pauses dramatically. "He's ready."

Sebastian freezes for a moment, inhaling sharply, eyes wide. He forces himself to take a deep breath, closing his eyes and counting to ten. When he opens them again, he smiles at Finny and nods, watching as the boy runs off to get his guest. Sebastian throws a look at Mey-Rin, who beams from ear to ear back at him, before slowly making his way out of his room and to the top of the staircase to wait for Ciel. He gazes out the window next to him, watching as the snow falls delicately, mesmerized by the serene calmness. A small movement in his peripheral pulls his attention away from the white crystals and looking over, his breath catches in his throat.

Standing at the top of the stairs leading to the guest wing of the mansion is the object of his affection, gazing down upon him with the all the regality of a person of noble birth. The boy wears a pair of short trousers in a deep blue that brings out the blue of his deep sapphire orb. A crisp white shirt with ruffles about the lapels is covered with a dark charcoal waistcoat under a deep blue coat to match the trousers. Silver garters hold up a pair of black socks to right under his knees, and his boots are tall and black. A slender sapphire ribbon is tied around is pale neck and a deep crimson red rose is tucked into the lapel of his coat. His black eye patch covers his discolored iris and a delicate Hope sapphire ring encircles the thumb of his left hand.

Sebastian has to remind himself how to breathe.

Ciel raises an eyebrow and smiles faintly as he makes his way towards the demon, head held high and amusement shining in his brilliant blue orb. "Inhale, exhale, repeat," he says, chuckling at the entranced expression on the demon's countenance.

Sebastian draws in a deep breath, clearing his mind and smiling at Ciel. "You took me by surprise," he admits, holding his gloved hand out to the boy. "I didn't realize you'd clean up so well."

Ciel rolls his eye and takes Sebastian's offered hand. "Yeah, well, I suppose you don't look too shabby yourself." He smirks.

Sebastian winks and tugs on the boy's hand, leading him down the staircase and to the dining room.

Their meal is simple and peacefully quiet, the only real sounds that of the silverware clinking against the china plates. Soothing violin music wafts through the air, creating a calm atmosphere and helping to initiate a short conversation on music between the dining couple.

Snow continues to fall outside, gathering in powdery piles along the windowsills. The moonlight reflects off the crystals, casting a soft blue-tinted glow into the warm candlelit room filled with the aromas of cinnamon-laced mocha and vanilla. The mansion is decorated with garlands and strands of evergreen entwined with red and silver ribbons, holly adorning the candelabras along the walls.

As the meal comes to an end, the demon offers a gloved hand to his guest, standing and pulling the boy through the dining hall into the grand ballroom. The soft sound of a piano begins to fill the air, the quiet beginning melody filling the air and repeating endlessly as Sebastian positions himself in the middle of the room, gripping Ciel's hand in one of his own and placing his other on the boy's slim waist. Ciel stiffens slightly.

"W-Wait.." he mutters, frowning up at the demon and feeling a light blush taint his pale cheeks. "I-I really don't think this is necessary." He holds the demon's hand tighter anyway.

Sebastian chuckles, smirking down at the boy. "Don't tell me you've never danced before," he says, pulling Ciel closer.

Ciel huffs, turning his face away to hide his embarrassment. "No, " he mumbles, pursing his lips. "I haven't."

Sebastian smiles warmly, tightening the arm around the boy's waist and lifting him up slightly before setting the petit figure back down on his own feet. "All you have to do is follow my lead," he says softly, stepping out and giving a turn. "Feel the music; let it guide you."

Ciel leans into Sebastian as the demon begins to move around the room, closing his eyes and listening as a new melody started, blending with the other before overtaking it as the main. The carol is one of Ciel's favorites, and he lets it fill his senses as he moves in time with the demon.

The couple continues to circle about the marble floor of the ballroom, the melody picking up in intensity and them following right along with it. The candlelight is dim, the main source coming in through the windows from the incandescent moon, casting a silvery glow on the dancing figures. As the song ends, the two come to a standstill in the middle of the room once again, breathing slightly heavier than before.

Sebastian smiles down at Ciel, whose face is flushed and pointedly looking away from the demon. "See?" he says lightly. "That wasn't too bad, was it?"

Ciel huffs again, almost panting from the short dance. "I suppose not," he concedes, unwilling to admit how much he had enjoyed it.

No more than five seconds pass before a low sound rings through the air, signaling the start of yet another song. There's a mysterious feel to this one, and after a few seconds voices singing in a language Ciel doesn't recognize fill the air. He looks up at Sebastian, raising an eyebrow. The demon simply winks and begins pulling him around again. The song has a slower waltz feel and Ciel finds he enjoys the melody.

"What language are they singing in?" he asks quietly, listening intently to the foreign lyrics.

"Japanese, I believe," Sebastian replies, twirling them once again.

"It's soothing," Ciel muses, leaning his head against the demon's chest and closing his eye. He sways with the melody as the demon pulls him around the floor, feeling in his bones the rise and fall of the rhythm.

The music begins fading to a close and Ciel feels Sebastian slowing them with it, leaning back to look up into the pale face and ruby orbs of the demon that had proven to be more human than he had given him credit for. As they come to a halt, listening to the music fade out, Ciel reaches up and caresses the cool cheek, feeling the smooth silk texture of Sebastian's skin. He finds himself mesmerized by the luminescent alabaster, watching as glows in the moonlight and absently thinking he'd been right about it when he first saw the demon.

Sebastian's breath hitches slightly as he feels the boy's small hand cup his cheek gingerly, his fingers tracing his firm jawline. He leans into the touch, watching captivation and longing play across Ciel's visage and in his blue orb. He looks directly into the bright iris, letting his own desire be seen as the boy stares into his crimson eyes. Slowly, he brings a hand of his own up to tangle in the slate locks at the nape of Ciel's neck, tugging gently to get the boy to lean his head back before leaning down and ghosting his mouth over plump pink lips.

Ciel hesitates for only a second before threading his fingers through ebony strands and pulling Sebastian closer, pressing their mouths together firmly in a wanting kiss. He can't help the small whimper of longing that escapes him as the demon immediately reciprocates, moving their mouths in a fervent synchronization against each other. Ciel melts at the taste of Sebastian, savoring the spicy cinnamon and sweet vanilla of the demon's aura.

Sebastian has never tasted something as sweet as Ciel, the flavors of cocoa and mint mixed with the toffee and caramel candies he would constantly be eating lingering on his soft and malleable lips. Sebastian presses closer, holding the boy tighter to him as he kisses with a no doubt bruising force. His breathing is only slightly less erratic as Ciel's as he traces his tongue along the boy's bottom lip, drawing it between his teeth and biting gently. Ciel gasps in pleasure and Sebastian seizes that opportunity to slide his tongue into the boy's warm moist cavern, deepening the kiss and increasing the heated passion between them.

Ciel soon breaks away from the intense kiss, gasping for air and completely flushed as he tries to breathe. Sebastian begins planting small pecks along his jaw, coming to his ear and sucking on the pale skin right below the lobe. His inhales become ragged when he feels the demon's teeth graze his skin before biting him. He gasps at the initial sting of pain before mewling at the pleasure that courses through him as the demon licks and kisses the bite apologetically, the blood in his veins rushing south in his body. His trousers become uncomfortably tight, and as the demon trails light kisses along his neck, removing the ribbon and popping a couple of buttons on his shirt to access his collarbone, nipping and leaving reddening love bites, he subconsciously grinds his hardening arousal against Sebastian, creating a delicious friction on his erection.

Sebastian growls against the pale neck at the boy's ministrations, his own member growing hard at Ciel's gyrations against his lower half. He bites harshly on the collarbone beneath his lips, sharp teeth managing to draw small droplets of sanguine blood that run in rivulets down the ivory skin before he licks them up, soothing over the wound with his tongue. He feels the body beneath him shiver in pleasure at the slight pain, the boy's hot pants puffing against his cheek and the fingers in his hair tugging firmly.

"Se-Sebastian…" Ciel pants breathlessly, tossing his head back with a whimper as the demon makes his way lower, lightly tracing a slender nose over his chest and running larger hands along his sides and up under his coat and shirt, massaging gratifying circles that shoot heat through his nerves and straight to his hot arousal.

Sebastian hums, reaching the boy's belt and making his way back up the small chest, exhaling warm air and smiling faintly at the goose bumps that raise on the alabaster skin. He kisses along the collarbone once again, planting them up the boy's neck and over his soft jaw before capturing the plump bruised mouth in a passionate lip lock. He runs a hand down the boy's body, curling his arm under the boy's knees and knocking them from under him, catching Ciel's upper body with his other arm and lifting the boy into his arms, all without breaking the kiss. He turns on his heel and heads out of the ballroom, swiftly making his way up the stairs to his chambers. Things were heating up past the point of no return, and the demon was not going to takes things all the way on the cold ballroom floor. Ciel deserved better.

And Sebastian can only give him the best.

. . .

Ciel snuggles into the demon's embrace, placing kisses along his collarbone and letting the cool night air sooth his heated body. He gazes out at the moon, the ivory sphere lighting the sky with a gentle glow and the stars twinkling throughout the midnight blue blanket.

Holding the boy in his arms, Sebastian thinks about his request of Ciel to stay with him. After what just happened, he has no doubt that Ciel feels something for him, but he also knows the boy has family that he hasn't seen in months. Biting his lip, he decides to simply ask. "Ciel?"

Ciel stirs, looking up into the crimson eyes of the demon. "Hm?" he hums.

Sebastian takes a deep breath. "Would you… Um…" He worries his lip before steeling his nerves. "Would you… be open to the thought of staying with me, not as a prisoner, but as… mine?" He really isn't sure how to ask, so he leaves it at that.

Ciel stares at him for a moment before looking out the window again. "Stay with you… as yours… forever?" he asks, watching the evergreens sway in the breeze.

Sebastian chuckles and shrugs, tightening his hold on Ciel. "Perhaps," he muses, nuzzling into the boy's charcoal hair.

Ciel is quiet for a moment before sighing. "I… wish I could," he says, burrowing into the demon's warmth. "But… Lizzy's definitely still worrying about me, and I can't just leave my family." He looks up at Sebastian. "I need to see them before I can give you an answer." He pauses, pressing a tender yet passionate kiss to Sebastian's swollen lips. "I need to know they're okay."

Sebastian smiles defeated, leaning into the kiss before pulling away. "I know. And…" he trails off, bracing himself to say his next words. "… you're free to go see them. You're no longer a prisoner, but I guess you knew that." He hugs the boy tighter to him, nonetheless.

Ciel's eyes widen, and he smiles faintly. He presses one more kiss on the hollow of the devil's throat. "Thank you," he murmurs, settling into the hug.

Sebastian remains silent for a moment, then speaks his last query. "Can I have the rest of the night?"

Ciel chuckles, rolling them to where he's on top of the demon, sitting on the sharp hips, hands resting on the defined pectorals. He smiles seductively, winking playfully. "I suppose one more night wouldn't hurt," he acquiesces, leaning over Sebastian. "I expect this to be one hell of a night, though."

Sebastian smiles warmly up at the boy on his lap, running his hands up the pale sides. "Yes, my lord."

. . .

The sky is clear, a deep indigo midnight as Ciel rides up to the quaint cottage he shares with his aunt and cousin. The stars twinkle playfully, a defined sharpness to their shine from the crisp winter season, light crystal snowflakes drifting gracefully to the ivory-blanketed ground illuminated ethereally by soft moonlight. Ciel gazes at the cottage, breathing in the biting air and sighing deeply, subconsciously gripping Max's reins tighter in his grasp as he realizes he's back.

The morning had been absolutely perfect: the cursedly happy sunlight had spilled through the windows and over his face, stirring him from a deep, exhausted slumber. He'd rolled over and immediately found himself back on top of his demon, merlot orbs gazing unexpectedly lovingly up at him and long pale arms holding him close to a chiseled chest. He'd smirked and leaned down for a kiss, which turned into two, then three, then a full-on make-out session, which lead to yet another couple bliss-filled rounds of passion.

They'd finally dragged themselves out of Sebastian's bed at late morning, Mey-Rin bringing in a fresh set of clothes for both and helping them dress. When Sebastian had quietly asked her to prepare Ciel's things for his departure, she only smiled sadly and nodded, as if she'd known the boy would be leaving, which Ciel thought was slightly odd yet he couldn't fully get rid of the ache in his chest at the thought. Bard was the same way when they'd entered the dining hall for a light brunch, and Finny was less bouncy than usual when they took an early afternoon meander through the rose gardens.

When early evening hit, and they'd eaten dinner, Sebastian had walked Ciel out of his chambers with his things and stopped him in the foyer, neither really wanting to part with the other. They'd stood for several minutes in a calm silence, simply gazing out the large windows that surrounded the expansive mahogany doors.

"I suppose I should go," Ciel had muttered, turning to face the demon.

Sebastian had sighed, nodding resigned. "I suppose you should," he'd agreed reluctantly. Stepping over to the boy, he'd reached into his pocket and withdrew a lovely silver pocket watch, the lid emblazoned with his family's coat of arms: a simple shield with spread wings emerging from behind and delicate filigree decorating the edges. He'd taken Ciel's hand, placing the heirloom in the boy's palm and enclosing it in his nimble fingers.

"So you'll always have something to remember me by," he'd stated, a sad smile on his face. "The watch's face has a supernatural property: simply tell it who or what you'd like to see, and it'll show you it in the exact moment you asked about it." He'd brought Ciel's hand to his lips and placed a light kiss on his knuckles.

Ciel had stared at the watch in his hand for a solid minute before tilting the devil's face to his and enveloping his lips with his own, stealing one last kiss. "Thank you," he'd whispered against the soft, full lips, and then he'd turned and was gone, leaving the demon he'd never admit he'd fallen for on the hard marble floor, refusing to acknowledge the silent tears streaming down both of their faces.

Ciel shivers, though not from the chill in the air, and reaches into his coat to pull out the silver watch, ghosting his iced fingers over the intricate emblem and pressing the cold metal to his lips. He stows it away when the bite of the freezing silver becomes a bit too much and sighs, blinking unshed tears from his azure orb and looks back towards his aunt's and cousin's cottage. With a resigned huff, he snaps his horse's reigns and Max snorts, the puffs visible in the wintry air as he trots forward, the freshly fallen snow crunching under his hooves. Ciel guides him to the fenced area behind the cottage and jumps off the horse, leading him inside his stall before turning to face the house, staring at the soft yellow glow of the lights in the windows and carefully making his way to the door.

Wrapping his arms around his torso against the icy wind, tugging his dark blue wool coat closer to himself, Ciel trudges through the ankle-deep piles of frosty crystals up to the front door, bag of clothing and gifted books from the castle dragging lines in the snow behind him. He hesitates only briefly as he stands in the cold before shaking his head, feeling the bite of the air against his cheeks, and knocking on the wooden door. He listens as bodies shuffle around inside, just making out faint grumbled exasperations at someone coming to knock in the middle of the night in the dead of winter.

"Claude, I swear to God if you ask one more time about Ci –" The door swings open, bathing the chilled boy in the welcomed heat from the roaring hearth seeping from the threshold, and he looks up blearily into the gaping face of his aunt, the shocked expression on her face at seeing her missing nephew again after several months stopping the scathing remark abruptly.

Ciel shivers once and raises an eyebrow at his aunt. "H-He's b-been asking about m-me?" he inquires, teeth chattering pathetically and instinctively pulling the wool coat tighter. "Th-That b-bastard…"

Madame Red finally recovers from her initial shock and rushes forward, enveloping Ciel in a warm hug and crushing him to her bosom. "Oh, Ciel! I'm so glad you're alright!" She hurriedly shoves him back, holding onto his shoulders at arms' length, her brow furrowing. "You're not hurt, are you?" she questions, looking him over. "He didn't beat you, right? How did you ever manage to get away?"

Ciel blinks twice, not sure exactly what's happening. "Um…" He doesn't get more than the small hum out before a bright ball of blonde is in his sight, pink-clad arms wound around his neck and crushing his wind pipe.

"Oh, CIEL!" The high-pitched squeal about busts his eardrums. "I'm so glad you made it home!" Lizzy's tear-streaked face looks up at him, and he grimaces at the snot-ball mess that is his cousin. "Tell me he didn't hurt you! Please, are you okay?" Her words are just as frantic as his aunt's.

Tugging gently on the blonde's curls, Ciel manages to pry his over-emotional cousin off of himself long enough to gasp for air. "I'm fine, Lizzy, Red," he breathes, giving his relatives a small reassuring smile. "I'm not hurt at all."

"How did you get away, Ciel?" Lizzy asks, eyes shining with curiosity. "Did you manage to slip past him somehow? He's not following you, is he?" Her brilliant emerald orbs widen significantly as she voices her fear.

Ciel huffs, rolling his own cerulean iris. "No, he's not following me, Lizzy. You're safe," he sighs. "He let me go."

Madame Red, who had shuffled her two charges into the warmth of the living area, turns to face her nephew with a skeptical gaze. "Let you go?" She scoffs incredulously. "Why would he do that after all the trouble of keeping you in Lizzy's place?"

Ciel feels a slight heat creep into his cheeks that has nothing to do with the fireplace. "I… ah… Well…" He huffs again and looks away, pouting childishly and mumbling unintelligibly. He tosses his bag aside and stalks over to the worn loveseat in front of the hearth, crossing his arms defensively.

Lizzy plops down next to him, her dress billowing about her waist and bunching up. "Ciel, please. He wouldn't have just 'let you go' without a reason. He's a demon." She shoots him puppy eyes.

Ciel snorts. "Sebastian's not that bad," he refutes, looking unseeingly into the flames. "He's more human than we initially gave him credit for. Really." Absently, Ciel tugs his coat collar down and pulls out the pocket watch, running his fingers over it mindlessly.

Lizzy pouts once again, but concedes the point, not wanting to argue something she really had no idea of. She has to admit that perhaps they just caught him at a bad time, and that he might've been a bit cranky and pissed off at one thing or another when she'd stumbled in. She tilts her head suddenly. "Sebastian?"

Ciel looks up at the name. "What of him?"

"Is that his name?" Madame Red asks, bringing in a tray of tea she'd been preparing.

Ciel blinks before nodding. "Oh, yeah. He got around to introducing himself after I… ah… had a bit of a run in with the wolves," he admits sheepishly. "I'm alright," he says quickly, seeing the worry in Lizzy's eyes again. "Sebastian saved me before any severe damage could be done, and after he patched me up, he told me his name."

Lizzy nods and eyes the watch. "Is that his?"

Ciel gazes down at it in his hand, tracing the filigree. "Yes," he murmurs, fingering the clasp. "He said it has supernatural properties, that if I want to see a person or object all I have to do is ask and the face of it will show them to me."

Madame Red raises an eyebrow. "Does it actually work? I'd like to see what this Sebastian looks like."

Ciel purses his lips and raises an eyebrow at the object. "I suppose we can find out," he says. He opens the watch, running his thumb over the smooth face before holding it out in front of him. He stares for a moment before sighing and ordering, "Show me Sebastian."

Ciel's eye widens in wonder as the face begins to glow softly and change. The edges become slightly foggy, getting clearing in the middle and leading his focus to an image that fades into sight. His breath hitches at the picture. It really is Sebastian, his dark ebony mane whipping playfully about his pale face as he stands on what Ciel recognizes to be the demon's bedroom balcony, his cerise irises dull and unseeing as the snow falls around him. In his hands is the beautiful white rose that Ciel had encountered on his unintended impromptu tour of the castle, though it has wilted severely, with only a few of its bright ivory petals remaining. Ciel wants to cry at the heartbreaking image of the demon looking so forlorn.

"Oh, my! That's him?" Madame Red's voice sounds in his ear and he flinches, lost in his own world. "He's quite handsome, isn't he?" She laughs. "I can see why you took Lizzy's place; he can come kidnap me anytime."

Ciel frowns, closing the watch and tucking it safely away, shooting his aunt a glare that screams Back off. He's mine. Relaxing farther into the loveseat, he stares into the fire as his aunt chuckles and walks away, Lizzy handing him a warm cup of his favorite tea and snuggling down beside him, resting her curls in the crook of his neck.

"Is he really not heartless?" she asks quietly. "He seemed so cold when…"

Ciel leans his head on top of hers, sipping at his tea. "He's just lonely." Ciel sighs, fingering the hard metal under his shirt. "He'd been living a certain lifestyle for so long he just stopped caring, and suffered the consequences when he turned his attitude on one of the divine." He snorts.

"I guess that hardly seems fair," Lizzy muses. "So he just needed someone that was willing to put up with him, even when he acted like a jerk."

"Pretty much." Ciel smiles faintly. "He's quite intelligent, and his personality isn't all that bad. Sure, he has his moments, but so do I or anyone, for that matter." He pauses, sipping his tea. "His are just worse than anyone else's."

Lizzy eyes the smile and gives a big one of her own. "You love him."

Ciel just keeps from spitting his tea in her face. He gives her an incredulous look, staring for a full minute before sighing and sitting back. "I honestly don't know what I feel," he admits, gazing into the fire's flames. "I feel something, definitely. But I don't think I can call it love."

"Yet." Lizzy winks.

Ciel smiles fully this time. "Yet," he agrees.

. . .

Aloïs had been sitting in the fucking snow all day on orders from Claude, like he had been for the past three fucking months, and he was pretty sure his ass would've frozen off had he had to wait a minute more before a horse came riding up to the house, the familiar slate-haired boy holding the reigns and messing with something around his neck. He'd almost screamed out in joy and run to give the boy a hug for ending his torture, but instead simply choked on his shout and dashed off, the blood running to his extremities and causing unpleasant sensations as he warmed back up making his way to the tavern. Ciel was back, and he had to tell Claude.

He reaches the tavern after wading his way through the offending ice piles, sneering at them like they'd done him a personal offense, and rushes through the door, sighing in content at the warmth and immediately locating the violet-ebony head of the man he pined for. Taking several deep breaths to seem less frantic, he tosses his hair and dons a haughty expression, sashaying into the room and over to Claude, twirling around once before seating himself in the man's lap. He grins widely, kicking his feet over the arm of the chair, wrapping his arms around Claude's neck.

Claude simply sighs and massages his temple. "You better be here to tell me that Ciel is home," he mutters monotonously.

Aloïs giggles. "Took off as soon as I saw him riding up," he states pseudo-happily, not really enthralled with the emotionless boy taking away all his Claude-attention. With Ciel gone, he'd become the focus of the man's entertainment, and he'd been enjoying every minute of it. He'd never heard Claude laugh – truly laugh – until a couple of weeks ago, and he wasn't willing to forfeit being the one who caused it. Especially not to Ciel Phantomhive. "I knew you'd want to know immediately."

Claude perks up at the news and smiles evilly, gently nudging the blond off his lap to stand, quickly making his way to the silver-haired man sitting at the bar and laughing raucously at some joke. Undertaker looks up at him as he approaches, his otherworldly lemon-lime orbs glinting mischievously as he grins maniacally at Claude.

"Ready to spin your web, Spider?" he asks in his jovial way, chuckling to himself. He pushes himself away from the bar, adjusting his grey sash. His gang of kids stand as well, each of them looking towards their leader. "Lead the way, kekeke~"

Claude smirks and pushes his frames up his nose, turning on his heel and walking to the exit. "Come, Aloïs," he calls over his shoulder, feeling the boy glomp his side enthusiastically. "I've got a wedding date to set."

. . .

Late afternoon the next day, Ciel and Lizzy are seated again on the loveseat when they both simultaneously feel chills ride up their spines. Glancing around, Ciel frowns at the raucous noise outside the windows, signaling someone's approach. Standing slowly, both he and Lizzy make their ways to a window, gesturing for Madame Red and Grell to come see as well.

"What's going on?" Grell asks petulantly, pouting at the fact that he'd been interrupted from his latest romance novel. He frowns in concern, showing his sharp teeth when the dark figures outside start becoming clearer. "What the…?"

Ciel growls, seeing the unwanted duo heading right for their front lawn with a larger group in tow. "He just won't give up, will he?" he mutters.

Throwing the door open, Ciel walks back out into the winter air, flakes of all sizes still falling steadily and coating everything in a blanket of white. He crosses his arms and observes the intruders, his heart speeding in his chest when he sees the man with silver hair. What was Claude doing with him?

"Ah, Ciel! I've been so worried about you." Claude's deep voice sends more chills up his back, but this time he shivers in disgust. "You just disappeared and no one seemed to know anything."

"I needed a vacation from your creepiness," he sneers, leaning against the doorjamb. "I'd really gotten sick of your shit."

"May I ask where you were?" Claude inquires, tilting his head and sending a glare across his lenses from the sinking sun. "The rumor is that you were kidnapped by a demon."

Ciel studies the group for a moment before looking back at the creep. "I suppose that, technically, the rumor is true," he says nonchalantly, smirking at the quiet murmurs that run through the group of kids behind the man with silver hair, "but to be honest, you're more a demon than he'll ever be."

Claude doesn't seem fazed by the comment, simply chuckling. "Well, what can I say? I've been told I have quite the devilish charm."

Three snorts sound from Ciel, his aunt and Grell, and he rolls his eye. "Sure. You keep telling yourself that."

Claude shakes his head, evil smirk in place and crosses his arms. "Let's just skip past this meaningless banter," he says. "I know you're tired of it."

Ciel scoffs. "Most intelligent thing that's come from you all day," he quips. "What do you want, Claude?"

"You, of course," the man replies simply.

Ciel deadpans. "Sorry, I belong to someone else." He dangles his pocket watch in front of him tauntingly. "He wants me back soon; I'm simply visiting."

Claude's polite façade morphs into one of barely contained jealousy and anger, his lips tightening into a thin line and his fists clenching in the crooks of his elbows. He takes a deep breath to keep his cool. "You really aren't in the place to be refusing me anymore, my beauty," he says lowly, dangerously. "I would strongly consider agreeing to this of your own will, but I'm tired of playing around." He snaps his fingers, and things happen rather quickly.

Before Ciel can register what's going on, the group behind the man with silver hair goes into motion, lunging for the front door. With a shout, Lizzy pushes him into Grell who grabs him and moves him out of the way, tumbling down the porch steps. When he can see past the spots from hitting his head, he's on the ground behind the redhead, who'd pulled out his signature chainsaw and was standing defensively in front of him. Looking past the bodyguard, he sees that a kid with bright orange hair and a shit-eating grin has Lizzy in a chokehold and next to him is a fairly curvaceous woman with dark curls holding Madame Red. Another kid with blond hair and a splash of black bangs has daggers at their abdomens and standing slightly off to the side is a white-haired snake charmer, running his fingers over the head of what Ciel assumed to be a fairly poisonous viper.

The man with silver hair steps in front of them, chuckling a bit too gleefully, in Ciel's opinion. He stares with narrowed eye at Claude, glancing between the demonic man and the cackling mobster. "What exactly are you playing at, you son of a bitch?" he asks dangerously calmly.

Claude simply smirks. "Oh, just a bit of incentive to accept my offer," he explains lightly, as if he doesn't have anything to do with the man about to kill two people. "Like I said, you're really in no position to refuse me."

"Because you're showing him such a loving, respectable side of yourself," Lizzy scoffs bravely, leaning away as far as she can from the dagger that is suddenly at her throat. "No wonder he'd rather be with Sebastian."

Madame Red snorts proudly from her bonds. "Who wouldn't want to be with that gorgeous creature?" she asks rhetorically. "I can see why you let him take you, Ciel."

As intense as the moment had been, Ciel can't help but flush deeper than Grell's hair at the comment. "And why would you ever –" he stresses the word harshly, "– think that that happened?" he inquires exasperatedly.

His aunt manages to send him a pointed look. "Honey, I may spend most of my time in the fashion industry today, but I was once a doctor; I just know these things." She smirks. "Plus, the hickeys are still visible. He bit you hard, huh?"

The air is quiet for five seconds before the man with silver hair cackles out loud, falling to the ground in his fit of hysteria. Ciel stares at him dubiously before cringing internally at the murderously dark expression on Claude's face. As much as he enjoys seeing the man upset, he didn't fancy pissing him off to the point of actually having his family killed.

And Claude was pissed. Ciel had let someone else take him? That couldn't be right. Ciel was going to be his – how could the boy have let that happen? He didn't want to believe it, but the deep blush on the boy's face and the pocket watch clutched tightly in his delicate fingers dissolved all of Claude's doubt. And then another idea strikes him, and his murderous expression shifts to one of pure evil intent. He'd simply have to remove the one standing in his way of getting Ciel.

"Undertaker," he calls, huffing and rolling his eyes at the childish display of hysteria. "I've changed my mind on targets."

The silver-haired man quiets his laughter and grins wickedly at Claude. "Oh?"

Claude grins evilly at Ciel, whose face was set in a disgusted grimace. "We have a demon to slay. Seeing as you are the Grim Reaper, I'm going to need your weapon." He turns to the blond observing the night's events with a gleam in his ice blue eyes. "Aloïs, relieve Ciel of that pocket watch, please. I want this 'Sebastian' to know exactly what's going on when we come for him."

Ciel's breath comes in a sharp intake. "No!" he shouts, scrambling to his feet and clutching the watch tighter. "Stay away!"

Grell, who'd been silently standing by, swings his chainsaw in front of the blond brat when he runs over. "I'd like to see you get through moi!" he laughs, revving the machine up. "Good lu–"

The Undertaker had pulled his infamous scythe out, hooking it around the chainsaw and engaging the redhead bodyguard in a separate duel. Grell growls. "How dare you?!" he shouts. He momentarily gets distracted by the gorgeous irises of the man attacking him with a wide smile on his face. "Just because you're hot doesn't mean I won't kill you!"

The silver-haired mobster just chuckles. "You may try however long you want, my lady," he says happily.

Being distracted by the banter of the two long-haired men, Ciel is unable to retain his hold on the cold metal watch when the blond boy pounces him out of nowhere.

"I've got it, Claude!" he announces proudly, leaving Ciel on the ground and skipping back over to Claude.

Claude takes it from Aloïs and examines it, leering at Ciel when he glances up. "I'll make sure 'Sebastian' gets it back." He turns on his heel and heads to the horse that he'd ridden over on, jumping into the saddle. "Undertaker! Tie them up and come with me. No doubt this 'Sebastian' will have some sort of body guards to deal with."

The Undertaker nods enthusiastically, giggling to himself as he gestures to his group and ropes are produced from nowhere, winding their ways around four bodies tightly. "Really sorry, loves," Undertaker says as the four are tossed into the living area of the small cottage. "But he did pay me enough to kill." Shuffling his gang to the door, he faces the captives one last time with a kind smile, tilting his head and letting his intriguing eyes shine cunningly.

"The lovely redhead should be able to reach that killer chainsaw if he wiggles enough," he says lightly. "I expect to see you there to defend your demon before I have to kill him." He turns on his heel. "Tootles!"

And he's gone, leaving the four captives to stare at each other for a moment before Grell whines and begins wiggling his way across the floor, Ciel hoping they wouldn't get out too late.

. . .

It was about an hour before Ciel's ropes had been shredded and he was bounding out the door, calling for Max and shooting off into the forest, hoping that William, Ronald – the other guard he'd met while imprisoned – Mey-Rin, Bard and Finny could keep Sebastian safe from the Undertaker and his gang while he figured out a way to get Claude to give up on him and call off the mobster.

The bitter winter night wind bites at his cheeks and nose, freezing them over as he rushes through the thick evergreen trees towards the castle. Ciel arrives late in the night, the luminescent moon glowing radiantly directly above the spires rising into the midnight blanket of indigo. Ciel dismounts hastily, almost tripping on the slick stones as he dashes up to the front doors. He can hear shouting and gun shots, seeing the flashes light up the glass windows each time one sounds.

Ciel runs into the foyer, stopping abruptly as he looks around. The tapestries that he'd admired many times are torn on the walls, hanging by thin threads, some even piled along the bottom of the walls. The chandeliers are dangling dangerously from the high ceilings, threatening to come crashing down at any time. Debris lay everywhere, shattered glass and toppled busts and clattering armor filling the halls as he makes his way through the labyrinth to the demon's room and the balcony.

On his way, he sees a couple of the kids in the Undertaker's gang lying unconscious on the floor, slumped against banisters and piles of metal, thankfully still breathing, however subtly. He sees a tall figure down at the end of the hallway he's in and recognizing it as William.

"William!" he calls, waiting as the man rushes over. "Is Sebastian still in his room? Is he alright?"

William adjusts his glasses, nodding. "Yes, my lord is fine. So far, the intruders have –" He cuts off and grabs Ciel, dragging him to the ground as a spray of bullets rushes over their heads. Facing down the hall, he thrusts the pruning shears in his hand forward, the end shooting out and gripping the gun in the hand of a small boy, William twisting it out of the kid's hand and simultaneously knocking the boy out. "The intruders have not manage to make it that far into the castle," he finishes, helping Ciel up.

"I've got to get to him," Ciel says out loud, spinning around to find the correct hallway.

"Go, then," the guard says, turning on his heel and engaging another kid – a girl – that had hoped to overcome him with a sneak attack. "We've got this covered; he needs you to remain alive."

Ciel nods and sprints off, breathing heavily as he maneuvers down the corridors to his destination. When he gets to the proper doors, he throws them open hard enough to fall off their hinges, glancing around as he enters. The bed is unmade but still in one piece and the pictures on the walls are seemingly undisturbed. The doors to the balcony are open, but Sebastian is not there. Frowning, he walks out and looks around desperately. Movement to his right causes him to look up, and his eye widens as he sees the demon on the roof, dodging attacks from the large scythe that's swinging down on him.

"Sebastian!" he cries, racing over to the edge of the balcony. He frantically looks around and sees a fairly stable-looking trellis that leads to the roof, and he begins climbing.

That delicate voice is like music to his ears, and Sebastian almost loses focus when he hears Ciel's shout, just barely flipping out of the scythe's way. "I have not hurt anyone," he shouts to the silver-haired man wearing a wide, pleasant grin and leisurely swing the weapon in graceful arcs. "Why am I being attacked?" Out of the corner of his crimson eyes he sees a flash of slate hair as Ciel pulls himself onto the roof. Fortunately, Ciel is smarter than to rush to help him and get in his way.

"Claude!" Ciel shouts, glancing around as he stays out of the scythe's reach. "I know you're out here! Call the Undertaker off! Leave Sebastian alone!"

"But Ciel, he's in my way," the deep voice comes from thin air, and Ciel sees Claude's dark form emerge at the edges of the shadows on the roof. "You're mine, and I'll not let anyone else take you again."

Ciel huffs, pulling his hair and looking over at Sebastian, who jumps out of the path of the latest swing of the weapon and shoots the violet-ebony-haired man an incredulous look. "I'm not yours, you asswipe!" Ciel shouts indignantly. "I never have been, and I never will be! I told you – I belong to someone else!"

"And I'm simply erasing his existence." Claude grins maniacally.

Ciel groans. "I don't see why you're doing this! You've already got Aloïs, I really don't see the point in going after me! That boy would do anything for you!"

Claude snorts. "Please. That annoying fly? Don't make me laugh."

Sebastian is totally confused by the words passed between Ciel and the "Claude" guy, nothing really making a lot of sense. The silver-haired man keeps up his swings, laughing playfully, though not really seeming to put much effort into his attacks. He turns to avoid another attack and sees that the dark-haired man had gone for Ciel and now had him in a tight hold, one arm around the boy's waist pinning his arms down and the other around his pale neck, threatening to cut off his air supply.

"Ciel!" he yells, freezing in place, eyes wide as his world slows down with a rush of adrenaline.

The man looks over at him. "Ciel is mine, demon," he spits, baring his teeth. "I don't know why you thought you could have him." He grabs Ciel's chin, forcing him to face Sebastian. "Let's see his last moments together, shall we?"

The last things Sebastian registers is surging anger, agonizing pain in his back through to his front, right below the center of his ribcage, and Ciel's scream of absolute horror. He jaw hangs open stupidly, and he can't think straight. Looking down slowly, he sees quite a bit of the scythe's blade sticking out of his chest, coated in sanguine blood, the same color beginning to spread and stain his white shirt.

The Undertaker removes the scythe quickly, Sebastian's body tugging back as it exited his torso before stumbling forward, his hand automatically coming up to vainly attempt to staunch the flow of blood.

"SEBASTIAN!" Ciel screams, "SEBASTIAN!" He screams the name over and over, refusing to believe what just happened. He can't be dead – he's a demon. He can't be dead. The thought runs through his head as he yells himself hoarse, going limp in Claude's hold as tears stream down his face.

"You should've just accepted me from the start," Claude says after a moment, hmphing at the pathetic sight in front of him. "I told you – you're mine."

"No."

Both Claude and Ciel look up at the monosyllabic sound, Ciel's breath hitching and Claude's eyebrows raised in shock.

Sebastian slowly stands erect from his hunched position, still clutching his midsection. In his other hand is the pocket watch that Claude had thrust into his hand before the Undertaker hand started attacking him, and he grips it tightly. Tucking it into his jacket pocket, he trades it out for a lone silver butter knife. He twirls it slightly clumsily in his fingers, looking directly into the odd golden orbs of the man holding his Ciel.

"He's mine."

Claude doesn't have any time to process the happenings before the silver knife is suddenly embedded in his side, the pain shooting up and causing him to yelp and drop Ciel. Taking the opportunity, Ciel rushes over to Sebastian as the demon stumbles to the ground, his face set in a grimace at the pain and his breathing ragged from fighting.

"Sebastian!" he cries again, kneeling down next to the demon. In the corner of his eye, he sees blond hair kneeling next to Claude and absently mentally quips that of course Aloïs would be with Claude. But his attention is quickly brought to full focus on the bleeding man in front of him, the bloodstain much larger now. "Please, please," he begs almost incoherently. "Please, you can't die, Sebastian. You can't leave me."

The demon manages a small smile that quickly turns back into a grimace at the boy's pleas. "I'm…not going anywhere, Ciel…" he breathes, his vision blurring. "I'm… so sorry…" With great difficulty, he reaches up under the boy's eye patch, dragging it off with the end of his strength. The unseeing amethyst orb shines with tears alongside its sapphire counterpart, and he smiles weakly once more.

"Please…" Ciel murmurs again, taking Sebastian's non-bloody hand in his own and pressing it to his face. "You can't… I… I…" His words are stuck in his throat, and he can't think straight.

Sebastian chuckles airily. "I'm… glad that you came back," he says, closing his eyes at the feel of Ciel's warm cheek under his palm, weakly rubbing hit with his thumb, wiping never-ending tears away. "I was afraid… that you might not…"

Ciel chuckles hysterically a couple of times, nuzzling against his palm. "How could I not?" he asks with a small forced smile. "I… I…" He takes a deep breath and looks directly into the dull, muted merlot orbs he loves so much . "I love you."

If he couldn't feel it so prominently in his last moment, Sebastian wouldn't have thought his heart was ever beating to be able to stop as it did at the sound of those three words leaving his Ciel's mouth. His smile, though strained, is brilliant and full of happiness as he gazes back into the beautiful heterochromatic irises. He can tell it's with his last breath that he replies, "And I love you." He lets his eyes fall closed, and the pressing darkness envelops him.

Ciel smiles at his reply, holding his demon's hand tighter. He feels it go limp and the tears increase in quantity, heart-wrenching sobs escaping his lips. After several moments of endless tears and snot, he feels a hand on his shoulder, and looks up to see the surprisingly somber face of the Undertaker gazing at him in an extremely serious manner.

"Young earl," he says, "don't look so sad. You've broken his curse."

Ciel sniffs, too tired to shake off the man's touch. "Curse?" he asks wearily.

Undertaker nods. "Indeed." He brings out a stem of a rose, and Ciel recognizes the lone white petal on it as one on the white rose that Sebastian had kept so close to him. "He learned to love and earned love in return before the last petal fell. The curse is broken."

Ciel stares in confusion, watching as the last petal falls slowly from the stem and lands on top of the wound in Sebastian's chest, the blood dying the petal a deep crimson. As he gazes, Ciel sees the petal begin to glow, brighter and brighter until he has to shield his eyes, a white-hot heat searing across his skin suddenly before vanishing as quickly as it had come. Lowering his arm, he gasps at seeing the wound completely healed, the only evidence of it in the cerise stains on the shirt. He looks up to the pale face and his breath stops as he watches it fill with a slight red blush, the blue vanishing from around his full lips and the lovely pink color returning.

Ciel stumbles back as Sebastian stirs around before his eyes blink open, and his mouth hangs agape when the previously dead red color of them turns to a bright, life-filled ruby. Sebastian sits up slowly, examining himself before turning to Ciel with an incredulous smile.

"You did it," he breathes, tentatively taking Ciel's shaking hands in his own. "You broke it."

Ciel hesitates only a second before flinging himself into Sebastian's warm embrace, crying yet again into his shoulder, though this time the tears are ones of happiness. "Sebastian!" he exclaims aimlessly. "Sebastian! Sebastian…" He repeats the name quietly to himself as the man rocks him back and forth soothingly. "You're here…"

"Yes, Ciel. I'm here. And I'm not leaving again."

They sit like that for several moments, simply basking in the other's presence and warmth before Ciel looks to the Undertaker again. "How did you kill him, anyway?" he inquires. "I didn't think demons could be killed." He pauses. "He was truly a demon, correct?"

Undertaker chuckles, leaning against his scythe. "Yes, indeed," he answers, grinning his wide, creepy grin. "And as it was a divine being that cursed him, so it was a divine being that killed him." He twirls the scythe. "They don't call me a 'Death God' for no reason, kekeke~"

Ciel stares blankly. "You're an actual Grim Reaper?" he wonders, eyes wide. "But… my parents…" He frowns.

Undertaker's smile dims ever so slightly. "It was simply their time to go, and I was there to collect them," he explains. "They'd learned of my true nature, and had insisted it look as if they were murdered for refusing demands. They'd had some actual underworld members onto them because of something from your father's past, so looking as if they'd gotten what was coming after them was to protect you and your family. "

Ciel sits quietly, absorbing the information about his parents. It was relieving to know the truth. He smiles faintly. "Thank you," he says. "It's nice to know why."

The smile is back full force. "Anytime, earl."

Ciel frowns yet again. "Earl? What's with that?"

Sebastian chuckles this time. "It's your title," he says, hugging the pouting boy. "Phantomhive is a noble family. Your grandfather was the last earl to serve the palace, actually. He'd decided he wanted to live a different sort of life, so when Vincent was born, they moved to the countryside and raised him away from his birthright." Sebastian sighs. "I really can't blame them; the royal house is a mess."

Ciel sits dumbfounded for the second time in very little time. He finally huffs. "Pfft. Whatever."

Sebastian and Ciel sit quietly with each other, staring off into the night sky absently before Undertaker whips around to face the duo across the roof. "Oh, my. I may be needed," he sighs, picking up his weapon. He turns to looks and Sebastian and giggles again. "Someone knows how to throw his knives, after all."

Sebastian and Ciel share a look before standing and making their way to the duo, Aloïs crying silently with Claude's head in his lap, stroking the dark strands of hair. Claude has a grimace of pain on his face, but looks quite content, considering the other events of the night.

Ciel gazes down at him, expression impassive, Sebastian's arms around his waist. "Realize what you had already, did you?" he asks sarcastically, but without a true biting tone.

Claude huffs, cringing when that upset his wound, and breathes deeply. "I suppose you could say that," he admits, looking up at the blond boy with a small sorrowful smile. "That it took a butter knife to the side, though… How do I live that down?" He scoffs and shakes his head ruefully.

Sebastian chuckles, resting his chin on Ciel's head. "Deadly experiences can do that to you," he remarks lightly. "I won't say sorry, though."

Claude smirks. "Wasn't really expecting you to," he says. "I suppose I kind of deserved it."

Aloïs whines. "When does anyone ever deserve a fucking knife to the side?" He pouts, glaring daggers at Sebastian before concentrating once again on the man in his lap, smiling wearily. He leans over carefully, pressing a soft kiss to Claude's mouth.

Ciel shakes his head at the duo, leaning his head back and prompting Sebastian to look down. He raises an eyebrow suggestively and Sebastian smiles, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. Pulling away, Ciel looks around pointlessly. "Well, is someone going to help him or is Undertaker here going to have to put his scythe to its actual use?"

Said Reaper laughs and produces a medical kit from his billowing robes. "Gotcha covered," he states happily. "It's not his time yet for a long while, anyhow."

Claude purses his lips. "Good to know."

As Undertaker tends to Claude's wounds, Ciel leans back into Sebastian's warmth and sighs. Everything is peaceful and right in their world, and he lets that knowledge lull him in to a sleepy state of calm as the night continues on.

. . .

Christmas Day is upon them in only a few days, and Ciel finds himself once again in a stylish outfit meeting Sebastian halfway on the stairs, taking his arm and being led into the grand ballroom. The decorations have increased tenfold, giant trees towering in every corner and garlands and wreaths and mistletoe hanging from every possible surface. Everyone is gathered in the room: Mey-Rin, Finny, Bard and Tanaka gathered on one side; Ronald attached at the hip to William are in another area conversing with Grell who is hanging on Undertaker. The gang of kids who work for Undertaker are happily joking about, spread in pairs through the room, and Lizzy and Madame Red are laughing with them. Claude and Aloïs are next to the roaring fireplace, wrapped in each other's arms and slowly swaying back and forth to the soothing melody playing in the room.

Ciel wants to throw up at all the happiness.

Sensing his discomfort with the atmosphere, Sebastian pulls him close with a laugh and plants a kiss on his forehead. "Come on, Ciel," he chuckles. "It's Christmas, and we're alive," he points out. "I think you can suffer through one day with a smile on your face."

Ciel scoffs and rolls his eye, a black velvet patch securely on his other. "Hm. No, I don't think so." He smiles anyway.

Sebastian just shakes his head and leans down again, placing the next kiss on his nose. 'You sure?" His eyebrow raises suggestively slow.

Ciel pouts and pulls the man deeper into the fray. "I'm pretty sure," he says, winking.

Sebastian stumbles along with him, a gleeful expression on his pale countenance. "Hm," he hums, pulling the boy to a stop and grabbing his chin. "Fair enough," he concedes, capturing the plump lips and feeling them turn up in a victory smile. He pulls back after a moment and gazes down at Ciel lovingly. "Stubborn as always, my beauty."

Ciel raises an eyebrow, turning his heated blush away at the term of endearment. "You know," he begins, "Claude would call me that all the time, and I never liked it; it was always too awkward." He looks back at Sebastian and stands on his tiptoes to steal another kiss. "However, coming from you sounds much nicer."

Sebastian twirls him around randomly in time to the song, dipping him low as it comes to an end. "Good, because I'm going to be calling you that on occasion whether you like it or not."

Ciel smirks. "Good thing I love you, then, ne?"

Sebastian pulls him back up, cupping his face tenderly and taking yet another kiss, this one lasting much longer than what's appropriate in public and much more passionate. Pulling back for air, Sebastian's smile is blinding and radiant and Ciel can't help but bite his lip in content.

"It is a very good thing," he agrees. "I love you, too, Ciel."

"Merry Christmas, Sebastian."

"Merry Christmas, my love."

END