Author's Note: Well, this is my second drabble posted her on good ol' . I'm pretty proud of how this one turned out. Came from the drabble word prompt my official Ciel sent me on my Sebastian roleplaying account— that word being "goodbye".
Warnings: Seb/Ciel, demonic stuff
Sebastian recalled with sharp clarity his first steps into the human realm as being "Sebastian"—back when he had first begun serving the almighty-and-powerful Ciel Phantomhive. Back before he knew how to properly tie neck-ribbons, or buckle children's shoes, or the correct way to prepare tea, or how to make a human fall for his sly little tricks.
In the distorted perception of demons, the years spent working for that household should've felt relatively short. To Sebastian, they felt like eternities going by. Not for lack of entertainment or anticipation, but rather… how terribly long it was taking to figure Ciel out. There were nights when the butler would run shivering hands through his feathery hair, sputtering curses and worrying away at his brass cufflinks. Why was that child so difficult to understand?
Surely, he of all demons could decipher the walking enigma that was Ciel Phantomhive. Surely, he of all demons could pluck the boy's innermost heartstrings and entwine his devilish fingers around those precious desires. Surely, he of all demons could… could…
Could what? He could do nothing. Or perhaps, he didn't want to do anything.
Their deaths were swift and, as Ciel had ordered, merciless. One by one, the enemies of the Phantomhive name were brought to a screeching halt. Their lives, sliced through; their necks, just the same. And soon, the time came for Ciel and Sebastian's unholy contract to be completed. The devil was going to get his meal. In the end, this was always meant to be, Sebastian reassured himself, ignoring the nagging sense of doubt that plagued him.
Ciel was ready, too. There was a certain somber quality thick in the air as the companions rode back to the manor, melancholic silence shrouding their carriage. Sebastian's soft breaths were the notes of Ciel's requiem.
Finally, the boy broke the silence. "How will you do it?"
"Do what, My Lord?" Sebastian asked politely, giving the Earl a lugubrious glance.
"Don't act stupid with me, Sebastian," Ciel snapped. He crossed his arms and drew up his shoulders, throwing the demon a glare from the corner of his visible eye. "You know exactly what I mean."
Sebastian sighed admittedly. "I do, My Lord… but I would rather not speak on that subject quite so soon."
Ciel scoffed under his breath a little curse and turned towards the window. He was hiding his heart behind those crossed arms, but Sebastian knew. He always knew.
"I'll be quick, My Lord. You shan't feel a thing. Perhaps a pinch, but it will end sooner than it starts."
The seeming eternities spent working for the Phantomhive manor were nothing compared to that last carriage ride home.
Ciel's room was where they decide to conclude the contract during the night. None of the servants would be awake and the time was be perfect to finally end it. Candles lined the walls and tables, drawers and windowsills. The devil should've been eager to finish this bond once and for all. And yet…
"What are you thinking, My Lord?" Sebastian murmured, disregarding permission to speak; tonight, there was hardly any need for those master-and-servant façades. Those were dropped the moment Ciel's last enemy hit the floor with a sickening crack and a drizzle of scarlet liquid. They ended when, in that one second, "Sebastian" was no longer "Sebastian". Or rather, Ciel's "Sebastian".
Ciel was hesitant to respond, but when he did, his voice was steady. Almost at ease. "I suppose Hell will be far worse than I've imagined…" his hands trembled a little, but he settled them by smoothing out the cotton fabric of his nightgown. "Nothing like we humans are told about, correct?"
Sebastian gazed down at the child. The golden light from dozens of candles made his porcelain skin glow, creating a halo-like mirage around the crown of his head. Despite the nature of being a devil, Sebastian couldn't help but feel a tad mournful. Ciel was, after all, so very young. "I will make it as pleasant as possible for you, My Lord." He blinked and the halo vanished.
Ciel grimaced. "You don't have to lie, Sebastian. I'm not your master anymore and you're not my servant. You don't have to pretend."
The demon took a step forward and, with chilled lips and an all too human heart, he pressed a kiss upon the Earl's forehead. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around the boy and cradled him close. Ciel didn't protest. "I do not lie, Ciel. I will protect you— until the very end. You will always and forevermore be my Young Master."
Sebastian was surprised to realize he was sincere about this promise, down to his very core. During his time serving the boy, Ciel had proven himself to be much more than any regular soul. Ciel was the first thing to really, truly happen to the demon in a long time. Sebastian's long life had been spent drifting through the world and mindlessly eating. Ciel was, in more ways than one, his beginning.
Sebastian, lips cold and eyes surprisingly wet with tears, kissed Ciel. The candles began flickering and, in that final moment, Sebastian decided that maybe it would be okay if he never fully understood Ciel.
Their lips parted. The boy and his demon were gone.
The candles extinguished.