PP12: Hi yall, so here's another SebxCiel story where I focused on Ciel's darker moments so this will contain angst and light torture. Once again, this will be kept at a T rating and there will be FLUFF! (god the more I say it the more it sounds like some illegal drug)

Disclaimer: I don't own under any circumstances Kuroshitsuji or its characters, they belong to my sempi Yana Toboso. Okay, enjoy.

~Tortured Dreams~

"M-mother! Father! Where are you?!"

The little lost boy ran helplessly through the fiery corridors and surrounding flames that destroyed the manor brick by brick, the bright colour of the flames reflecting the frightened tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Father!" he cried as he pushed the door open, only to encounter the silhouette of his deceased parents within the furious fire. The boy's eyes widened with fear. He fell to his knees and began to sob.

"No...no..."

"NO!"

The abrupt sound of thunder woke Ciel from his nightmare, causing him to bolt upright from his bed with a scream. Panting heavily, he looked around to notice that the horrid flames were gone and replaced with darkened walls of his bedroom. His wide alert eyes faintly drooped as he listened to the pattering rain against the windowsill. He clenched his chest tightly, feeling his heart thump frantically against the palm of his hand. It was just a dream. Just the same accursed dream.

Ciel sighed as he collapsed against the pillows. He had the worst of luck when it came to experiencing night terrors. It was only rare that he would dream of anything but the fire that engulfed his home two years ago. Each night he could remember the agony in his chest when he saw his father on that chair, not saying a word, nor moving a muscle. Ciel's stomach twisted remembering the sight of his mother's face sewed with his. The memory nearly made bile creep up his throat. He recalled the labyrinth of towering walls consumed by raging flames, overpowering the much younger and afraid self he used to be. To think a tragedy like that would happen on his birthday made him chuckle dryly.

"Happy birthday to me," he murmured, his voice drowned in melancholy.

Ciel tensed when he heard the soft rumbling of thunder. This was another problem that bothered him greatly. Ever since he was a child he had always been afraid of thunderstorms and would often peep shyly in his parents' bedroom whenever one occurred. They immediately offered him a place in their bed without hesitation and with welcome arms. Ciel openly admitted he grew stronger since their death, yet he couldn't deny that he missed the warm comfort he was given. But it wasn't like he would receive any at this point. The people who truly mattered to him were long gone.

He jolted a bit after hearing three knocks against his door.

"Master, are you alright? I heard you screaming."

Ciel remained silent hoping if he pretended he was asleep his butler would leave. He curled himself up and waited, hearing his own breath within the silence. His thoughts cursed when he heard the door knob twist and the soft creaking of the door opening as Sebastian entered the bedroom, holding a candelabrum that feebly eradicated the darkness.

"I know you are not asleep, my Lord," Sebastian said. Ciel hid his scowling face as the sound of soft footsteps approached the bed and the light of the candles neared him. He gently set the candelabrum of the drawer and gazed with amusement at the childish display. "Did you honestly think you could fool me?"

"Go away..." Ciel muttered quietly.

A smirk curved at the butler's lips and he knelt so his face looked directly at the earl, though his navy locks were only visible since his face was hidden beneath his cocoon.

"Could it be another nightmare?" Sebastian inquired.

"I said go away."

Sebastian sighed at his lord's stubbornness. It annoyed him greatly, but it also entertained him. He never encountered a soul more stalwart as his and he found himself growing more and more interested after every given order. Though seeing him look so vulnerable shielded in the covers made the demon feel concerned, if not annoyed at his interfering pride. He did hear him scream after all.

He rose to his feet and bowed deeply. "Very well. Forgive me for disrupting you."

Ciel didn't see him clutch the candelabrum and walk out of the room, never noticing the troubled expression on the butler's face. The door shut with a soft click and the earl was alone.

He shifted so he was facing the window, very little light seeping passage through the curtains caused by the illuminating moonlight, the windowpane dimly blocking out the haunting hoots of owls. Ciel sighed irritably; how was he supposed to sleep with all the noise? He dreaded even thinking of falling asleep, especially when all he could dream about was…

Ciel shook his head. He faced blood, gore and death millions of times, and never flinched whenever he killed someone or hesitated when he ordered Sebastian to do the killing. He had grown tired of seeking comfort because of pathetic dreams like some scared little child. He was the Earl Phantomhive, watchdog of the underworld. He could handle anything.

Right?

Sebastian decided to re-polish the dishes to pass the time, and hopefully make a distraction from the growing discomfort. He began to ponder; whatever made him so uneasy? The chaotic servants were beyond asleep to cause trouble, and everything in the manor was perfect from top to bottom. No intruders looked like they were trespassing for the night, and to top it off, the kittens he secretly hid were fed, groomed and put to bed. As he finished polishing the last set of tableware, Sebastian sensed a storm approaching with his demonic hearing. He knew that his master was afraid of thunderstorms even if he didn't show it to him. The demon had noticed him trembling within the covers while to the untrained eye he merely looked still. Sebastian frowned as the uneasiness plagued within him. It was new to him, and he disliked it, but somehow it wasn't unpleasant. Could he possibly… No. Sebastian quickly denied it. It just wasn't possible. But it explained so much.

He cared about him.

Ciel tossed and turned violently in the covers as he tried to escape the menacing faces grinning at him. They laughed and poked every area of his body as more of them surrounded him. Ciel was lying upon a stone counter, his arms spread apart and held in place as the brand lowered towards his exposed torso. The patience was unbearably slow as Ciel watched the steam from the red-hot stamp rise to form swirly patterns in the dark. He clenched his eyes shut when it came in contact with his body, his voice breaking when he screamed as the mark burned his skin.

"See? You've gotten so much lovelier now," one of the faces said in an echoic tone, ignoring the pleading cries of protest from the small boy. He wished with all his might that someone would rescue him from the torturous ritual. Tears seeped his eyes when he realised such a thing was impossible.

"Please… someone help me. Anyone, someone! PLEASE!"

Ciel gasped after he returned to the real world, amazingly without screaming, though he frowned with annoyance when he noticed the crumpled sheets that were thrashed as he was sleeping. Sweat trickled down his face and it took a while before his heartbeat slowed to its regular pace. To make matters worse, the room was still dark as if not even an hour had passed, and the rain outside was getting heavier. Ciel put a hand to his cheek where he felt a wet trail that made him realise a tear had trickled. The earl sighed and gazed at his bedroom door as he imagined his parents standing there; his mother opening her arms for Ciel to leap into, and his father holding a candelabrum whispering with a smile, "It's alright. We're here, nothing can harm you now." Ciel's imaginings were short lived when he found himself staring at darkness after he blinked. He took a deep breath, trying so hard not to cry. There was nothing more he hated than being weak. His head fell back against the pillows and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest after a sudden struck of thunder rumbled from outside.

Looks like it won't be an easy night for Ciel after all.

PP12: I was at first planning to make this a one-shot, but I think I'll make this into a short multichapter story (so about 3-5 chapters).

Also, *sing-song voice* review~!