Breath

Ciel wasn't going to ask for help. He'd decided against doing so earlier that morning- or rather, he'd avoiding doing so, and calling Sebastian back in would only be embarrassing at this point.

He didn't have the luxury of having to imagine how ridiculous he must look. He was standing in front of his mirror, though if there were any other option he would have taken it. The sight of his reflection- flushed and twisted and tugging uselessly at the laces of a corset that simply refused to cinch- was nearly disheartening enough to make him scrap the whole idea. Nearly. Ciel Phantomhive was nothing if not determined.

Theoretically, this should have been simple. Acquiring the corset, which should have given him the most trouble of all, had been easy enough. Meyrin was hardly ever in her room and he'd used that to his advantage. He snuck in the previous Wednesday and rummaged through her collection, taking the oldest looking of the bunch in the hopes that she'd assume she'd thrown it away, if she noticed its absence at all. Keeping it hidden from Sebastian, a task which should have been equally as difficult, had also been simple. There wasn't an inch of the manor that the man didn't inspect, but if he noticed it crammed between the wall and the headboard, he didn't mention it. The stolen corset had sat idle for nearly a week, going unnoticed by both its rightful owner and the man who purportedly cleaned every inch of the house, and now the damned thing wouldn't bind.

He scoffed, dropping the laces to ruffle his hair. Ridiculous.

Perhaps he should have thought this through, or at least taken the time to watch someone else put one on. At this rate, he wouldn't be done in time for dinner.

Ciel wasn't going to ask for help- of that much Sebastian was certain.

It was amusing, really. He'd stumbled upon the corset a few days prior while changing the sheets, but decided not to mention it as he was sure Ciel would deny its existence. Now, he was glad he'd let it alone. He'd been watching his master struggle with it for the better part of an hour, his small arms twisting absurdly in an attempt to tighten the laces. He hadn't made a bit of progress, but he didn't seem phased. My, but he was a stubborn thing.

Sebastian bit his hand to stifle the laughter that would have given away his position by the cracked door. He was enjoying this little show far too much for it to be over just yet. If he ever managed to fit it properly, Ciel promised to be a pleasing sight. He was a delicate beauty already, but nothing was so lovely as a boyish frame squeezed into a corset. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't eager to see him in it. More than that, however, he was curious.

What business did Ciel have with a corset, anyway? There wasn't a costume ball in his schedule, so it served no practical purpose, and the fact that he'd attempted to keep it secret suggested there was something shameful about what he was doing, at least in his own mind. Something to do with breath restriction, perhaps, or the ache it'd put in his ribs.

Well, wasn't that interesting. Perhaps he'd end this a little sooner than planned.

After nearly an hour, it became clear to Ciel that donning a corset was a two-person activity, at least for the inexperienced. He couldn't say for certain, but he thought he might have tangled the laces, which accounted for some of the difficulty. Even so, the state of the laces made little difference. Without the proper angles he'd never be able to get the damn thing as tight as he'd like.

He rested his head on the edge of the mirror with a sigh. He didn't think it was asking for too much, really. It wasn't as if he was the only boy who'd thought of experimenting with such things. Women's undergarments were quite popular. Corsets especially, more for their constricting qualities than anything else. Breathlessness, the sensation of being trapped in a steelbone cage with no room for air or thought or- a shiver dripped its way down his spine.

This isn't strange, he reminded himself, stomping out the guilt in the pleasure before it overpowered his will to try again. Not at all.

And damn it all, it wasn't too much to ask for.

"Really, how long do you plan on struggling?"

He tensed at the voice, but was otherwise unaffected. He'd been at it for a while, after all, and would have been more surprised if Sebastian hadn't come to check on him by now. "How long did you plan on watching?"

Sebastian chuckled. It was a warm, almost comforting sound, if it hadn't been directed at his plight, that is. "Long enough to see this through to its completion. I must say, you put on quite a show. It was amusing at first. Now, well- it was becoming a little painful."

Of course. He wouldn't have been Sebastian if he hadn't been enjoying this.

Ciel felt a flush creep up his neck and into his cheeks, and he refused to lift his head. This was embarrassing enough without having to face the man's smirking reflection. It was enough to hear it in his voice. Seeing it would have been far too much.

"Such a stubborn child."

"I'm not-"

Ciel stopped short at the feeling of Sebastian's hands on his back. One rested firmly on the waist of the corset, and the other was picking over the laces. He wasn't sure what the man was playing at, but he'd be damned if he lost. He stood firm, refusing to flinch away.

"It's no wonder you're having trouble," Sebastian said lightly. "You've tangled the laces."

Bastard. He snapped his head up and glared at his butler's reflection."I didn't do it on purpose!"

The man met his gaze and only kept smiling. It was far less mocking than he'd anticipated, but he'd still have liked to slap some sensibility into him. Honestly, what about this situation was amusing in the first place?

"I never suggested you did, My Lord. These things can be quite difficult to tighten on your own."

Ciel watched as his butler lowered his gaze, fiddling with the laces almost fondly. Perhaps he'd just order him to leave. Yes, that'd solve this whole mess. Then he could just take off the silly thing and go about-

"Would you like me to help you?"

Oh. Well. "What?"

"You've worked rather hard on this. It'd be a shame to let all that effort go to waste. Besides-" Sebastian paused, picking up the untangled laces and holding them out to the side for Ciel to inspect. "- I've already sorted out the laces for you. It wouldn't take much longer to bind them. So I'll ask again." He gave the laces a light tug, pulling the boy up straight. "Do you want my help?"

Ciel didn't answer immediately. He took a moment to look himself over in the mirror, running his fingers over the boning at his sides. Yes, he wanted it. Badly, if he was honest. He hadn't worn corsets much, but the times he had had been interesting, to say the least. He personally didn't see why everyone complained about not being able to breathe in them. That was the best part- being so constricted that losing focus could mean losing consciousness. It was oddly freeing.

"How tight would you make it?" he asked absently, still caressing the boning.

Sebastian chuckled, and Ciel couldn't help but feel as if he'd confirmed some secret suspicion. "As tight as you'd like."

Well, he supposed it couldn't hurt. It was only Sebastian, after all. He placed his hands on either side of the mirror frame and rooted his feet. "No one is to hear of this, understood?"

"Of course, My Lord."

Without warning, Sebastian tugged hard, taking the slack out of the laces. The material came flush with Ciel's skin, and he hissed slightly at the sensation. There was only the barest hint of pressure- hardly enough to even account for teasing. Still, he knew what was coming, and the thought alone was enough to make him slightly dizzy.

Not for the first time in his life, he was grateful that Sebastian wasn't able to read his thoughts. He could hardly imagine what the man must be thinking of him now. Adding motive would surely only make it worse.

"The trick now, of course," Sebastian began, pulling Ciel from his thoughts, "is cinching the waist." He tugged on the upper laces, creating more slack, and worked his way down. Ciel closed his eyes, enjoying the increase in pressure as it descended his ribcage. It was almost like a line of cuffs, fastening one by one. He never imagined imprisonment would feel so lovely.

"You lack the womanly shape a corset is meant to enhance. Still, you're small enough for it to make little difference." Sebastian paused, tapping Ciel's shoulder. Taking the hint, he allowed himself to be pressed flush against the mirror. "With the proper amount of force, anything is fixable."

Ciel wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, but decided against asking. He rested his cheek against the cool surface, attempting to sturdy himself. Seconds later, Sebastian's knee came to rest on the small of his back. It alleviated his concern, and he allowed himself to go limp against the glass. Behind him, Sebastian was laughing again.

"You do trust me, then. How touching."

"Don't be stupid."

"Apologies, My Lord." The voice was right at his ear, and he couldn't help but jump a bit. Sebastian cooed him a moment before continuing. "Now, if you'd like this nice and tight, you'll have to breathe in deeply. This, of course, will make breathing a bit more difficult later, but you don't mind, do you?"

Ciel shook his head.

"I didn't think so. Shall I count, then? One." Ciel heard the distinct sound of ribbon against skin, and imagined Sebastian was wrapping them around his knuckles. Like a weapon. Just how hard was the man planning on pulling? He had to tighten his grip on the mirror yet again to center himself.

"Two."

Ciel hardly had time to register the warm breath against his ear before a set of teeth sunk into the lobe. He gasped in pain, tried to twist away from it even, but the knee on his back held him in place firmly. Not wasting the moment, Sebastian tugged the laces harshly and tied them off before the boy could exhale.

"Three," he finished, sounding a little more than pleased with his performance.

If he'd had the ability, he would have rounded on his butler that second. As it were, Ciel could hardly do more than sputter and choke as he relearned how to breathe. Sebastian kept him pressed against the mirror for a while longer, rubbing his back soothingly.

"Relax, My Lord. You're breathing far too quickly. Slow, shallow breaths."

It took several more minutes of Sebastian's cooing to work him down. Slow, shallow. After getting into the rhythm it wasn't so difficult, but he could definitely feel the effects of taking in so little air. His vision swam slightly, and he was certain that if he wasn't careful he'd lose consciousness. He might have groaned at the thought were the boning not so snug against his ribs.

"How are you feeling?"

Ciel snarled slightly, pushing himself off the mirror enough to face Sebastian's reflection in it. "Bastard."

Sebastian only grinned. "I'm not sure what you mean, sir. I was only helping you."

If he thought it would accomplish anything he might have argued. "Yes," he mumbled, giving in. Letting Sebastian have one little victory surely wouldn't hurt. "I suppose so."

He pressed back against Sebastian's knee, willing him to drop it. When he felt it slide off his back, he pushed himself up, wanting to take in his appearance. The sudden movement made him dizzy, and he fell back against his butler's chest.

"Careful," the man said, gripping his shoulders. "Until you're used to the pressure, you'll have to watch what you do. I won't be behind you all day."

Ciel nodded, though he was paying him little mind. The bulk of his attention was fixated on his image in the mirror. The corset had cinched him nicely, though it was the only neat thing about his appearance. The rest of his body was very much a mess. His face was bright with blood, and his chest was heaving, no matter how slowly. He looked positively shameful.

"Perfect," he mumbled, running his hands up the curve of his created waist.

Sebastian slipped a finger beneath one of the laces and tugged lightly, pulling another gasp from the boy. Ciel did his best to glare, though the best he could manage was a squint and a small grunt. The man didn't even bother trying to mask his smirk. Damn him.

"I'm inclined to agree."