A/N: OK then... Don't expect any proper updates, but a few random ideas are (apparently) going to pop into my head, because I've been thinking about this for a while and it only just occurred to me that it is part of the requirement to properly fill out my version of Ciel. Dang it, why didn't I write this earlier? *fume*

Title: Overload

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: K+

Pairings: None

Genre: Supernatural/Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: None? I think.

Summary: There are some disadvantages to being an empath; emotional overload is one of them. There's a reason Ciel doesn't like crowds. Or: Ciel gets lost in a crowd at three years old. Twoshot.

Disclaimer: Sadly, Black Butler is not mine.

Ciel clutched at his father's hand, looking around nervously. He'd never been in a crowd this big before, but he knew one thing. He didn't like it.

He didn't like it because he'd never been around more than five or ten people before, but now there were at least thirty and there were emotions and feelings pressing in on him from everywhere and it hurt. He could feel excitement and happiness and deception and disdain and (sososomanyconflictingemotion s) and it was confusing him. He pressed closer to his Daddy, who squeezed his hand slightly.

Daddy's emotions felt soft and warm and subtle but almost everyone else's, outside of his family, were loud and demanded his attention but it was swirling in his head and making it hurt because there were justsomany.

"Oh, Lord Phantomhive!" called a man, smiling (falsely) at his Daddy. "How wonderful to see you! And who is this cute little boy?" Ciel wasn't certain what he was feeling, because his emotions were (drowning in) covered up by everyone else's and whyweretheresomanypeople?

"This is my son, Ciel," his Daddy told the man. He looked down at Ciel with a (warm) smile. "Say hello, Ciel."

Ciel looked up at the man, trying to focus on him. After a few moments of trying really hard, he managed to zero in on him and got a general impression of (curiositydisdainamusement) dislike. But trying to focus gave him even more of a headache (so many people and somuchfeeling) so he stopped quickly, pressing close to his Daddy again and hiding his face.

"Oh, how cute!" the man laughed. "I wanted to speak with you, Lord Phantomhive, just for a moment?"

Ciel felt a flash of irritation flash through his Daddy but he complied. "Stay here and be careful, understand, Ciel?" his Daddy warned him and he nodded slightly. He didn't want his Daddy to go and leave him in the (hugecrowd of somanyfeelings) mass of people but his Daddy needed to and he would be back soon, wouldn't he?

"I'll be right back, Ciel," his Daddy promised him, turning to walk a little way away to speak with the man.

But now that the older Phantomhive wasn't keeping the people at bay, Ciel was being pushed by people not noticing him, because even for a three year old, he was small. And people were (touchinghim strengtheningfeelings) accidentally filtering emotions into him and it hurt because there were toomanyalready.

Ciel tried to stay in place, ducking and weaving around people but he was distracted (his head was hurting and therewastoomuch) and people kept knocking into him, sweeping him away and he tried to struggle back to the place his Daddy had left him but he couldn't because he was too small and there were toomanypeople.

The ache in his head was growing as he was pushed back and forth and he cried out as he was lost in the crowd, swept away by a sea of toomanyconflictingfeelings and people.

It felt like hours of being pushed back and forth in the crowd before he (finally) saw his Daddy return to the spot they were, see confusion and a little bit of fear cross his face, but therewastoomuch andithurt and his vision was darkening as his head pounded. "Daddy!" he cried out, but it came out a lot quieter and weaker-sounding than he wanted and his Daddy didn't hear him.

Grandpa appeared next to his Daddy as Ciel tried to struggle toward them (they were warm and safe and quiet) and his Daddy said something, looking worried, that made Grandpa worry too and they both split up and started looking around. For him?

Grandpa was coming his way. Ciel tried to push his way through but tripped and fell and was nearly stepped on as he tried to scramble back to his feet, but his vision was starting to be dotted with black and whydidhisheadhurtsomuch.

"Grandpa!" he called this time, and this time Grandpa was closer, he knew because he did hear him and looked up. Relief appeared on his face.

"Young Master!" he called in reply, making his way toward him rapidly and scooping him up. "You're all right!"

Ciel just let out a tiny whimper and curled closer to him, because now he wasn't scared and all that he could feel was the toomanyemotions itmadehisheadhurt.

"Young Master?" Grandpa pressed, worried when he didn't say anything. Ciel didn't respond, he barely heard him, all he could focus on was the (concernworryexcitementdecept ionangerfearhappiness) and it swirledandbubbledandflared in his head, and his head pounded and ached and hurt.

"Young Master?"

Yes, I am a horrible person. But I couldn't make Ciel any older the first time he was in a big crowd or it would be implausible! Anyway, the atmosphere of this one is a lot closer to my standard fare, which I prefer not to put out because most of it is just plain overly dramatic and not at all good in my opinion. So I just read it. Sigh. Anyway, I'd like to know if you thought it was to much, because if you people liked it, I can put more of it out. Like I said, this is closer to my standard writing. The words are combined for effect - you know, emphasis on the confusion and such - and I do that kind of thing every so often. This one is mostly experimental and if I don't get a decent positive response I'm likely to never post anything like it again. Just letting you know. Bright side, it's a twoshot, not a oneshot. For once. That's an achievement, right? Please review!