First of the Claude x Alois fics! Hope you enjoy!
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He woke with a scream dying on his lips. He was drenched in a cold sweat, shaking uncontrollably.
"A nightmare, Your Highness?"
A candle flickered to life across the room, soon joined by others. The faint light illuminated a pale face, and reflected off the lenses of the glasses perched on the nose.
"Claude..."
The butler's golden eyes caught the light eerily as he crossed the room to open the curtains. Moonlight, cold and flat, joined the warm yellow light of the candles, illuminating him as moved back across the room.
"It's been some time since you've had such a dream," The demon remarks, taking a cup from the tea tray Alois hadn't noticed. He offers it to the boy.
"What is it...?"
"Warm milk, with a dash of brandy," He explains. "To soothe nerves and aid in returning to sleep."
The boys takes the cup with trembling hands, sipping from it.
"I hate that dream," He mutters darkly, one hand clenching in his hair as he fought to suppress a shudder, eyes shut tight against the tears that threatened to fall. He refused to allow them, knowing if they started, they wouldn't stop.
"Finish your milk," The butler says quietly. "You'll feel better in the morning."
Alois sighs and sips from the cup again, biting his lip. The shudder finally won, and the break as it ran through him pulled forth the sobs he'd been trying to fight down.
Claude takes the cup as he begins to shake more violently, wracked with sobs at the memories of his childhood.
"Why...?" He moans, clutching at the nightgown he wore, arms wrapped tight around his own chest. "Why everyone...?"
Claude stepped closer, holding a candelabrum to offer more light; the boy shrieked again, scrambling away from the dancing flames of the candles.
"Get away-!"
He honestly hadn't meant to torture the boy; withdrawing, he places the candle holder on the nearby vanity.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," He says softly. "I hadn't realized."
Alois' sobs were slowly fading; he wordlessly curls up amid the numerous pillows on the bed and wraps his arms around his legs. Claude leans over to tuck the blankets around him again as the boy buries his face in his knees, then turns to leave.
"Don't go-!"
Alois uncurls suddenly, reaching out and catching one of the tails on Claude's coat. His voice was thin and desperate, little more than a gasp.
"You promised..." He moans pitifully. "You promised you wouldn't leave me-!"
The butler turns again, gently freeing his coat from Alois' tightly clenched hand.
"If you don't wish me to leave, I won't," He says, sitting on the edge of the bed. "...As I've said...I will follow my master to the end."
Alois gazes at him with wide eyes for a moment, the ghost of a grateful smile playing across his lips. Moving closer, he rests his head on the demon's leg.
"Stay with me, Claude..." He says quietly. "Stay here until I fall asleep..."
He lays a gentle hand on the head of pale blonde hair.
"...Yes, Your Highness."
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Yay for fluff! Chapter two is not fluffy at all! In fact, chapter two is rated M!
Anyway. Week two will be Grell x Claude. Head on over to my profile to vote for week three!
(If you voted for weeks 1-2, I've taken down and re-posted the poll, and will do this every week, so you can vote again!)
