Welcome to Atonement's sequel. I hope you all are as excited as I am!
Now, if you haven't read Atonement, GO DO THAT! LOL, but seriously, go do that. You can read this story, but it won't make since unless you have read Atonement. :D
[INSERT PART ABOUT ME NOT OWNING KUROSHITSUJI!]
This story has been rated M due to mature elements.
Now then, without further interruptions, here is the first chapter of Atoned Yet Incomplete.
The previous pic for this fic was by Aririsa, thank you.
The new pic I drew myself. Have always wanted to draw them, now I got to.
Today was a very special day, it was young Ciel Midford's thirteenth birthday.
Which is why young master Ciel was currently outfitted in a ridiculous sailor uniform with an equally annoying matching hat. He stood atop of the stairs with his mother, Elizabeth Midford, and made no attempt to hide his irritation upon his face as glared up at the woman. He found that his efforts went unnoticed because his mother was currently focused on the large portrait that was the centerpiece of the second floor landing.
That damned painting, she loves it, says it was a childhood friend of hers... He hated the painting. His mother was so obsessed over the damned thing and the few times the boy had gazed upon the art he found it disturbed him greatly. The boy upon the canvas tended to make the young master's head spin and he believed if he stared too long he would most likely faint, but being the prideful child he was he would tell no one of this weakness. It was simply easier to hate the painting and disregard it. "Mama, I'm hungry" Anything would do as long as he could get him and his mother away from the portrait. It proved to be successful as his mother turned her loving emerald eyes back upon the child nestled to her side.
"We will eat when everyone gets here, love." His mother begins to pull him downstairs and the child felt better every step he took from the painting. Confidence filling him once more he decides to further his demands; it was his birthday after all.
"I want cake." He even put on an act of desperation in order to sway his gentle mother. Yes, not simply because he wanted the sweet treat, but because it was his privilege.
His mother promised they would attempt to sneak into the kitchen later to see what they may be able to sample, but first there was someone he had to meet. Content the boy nodded and followed his mother down the stairs. At the foot of the stairs their staff stood at the ready to greet the birthday boy. They all shouted in unison their good tidings and the boy felt his eardrums ring in their distress. The blonde was the loudest of the four and he went by the name of Finnian. He was the appointed groundskeeper of the estate, but the boy suspected he caused more havoc then good to those poor plants. Then there was the maid whom was equally as useless inside of the house as she typically spent most of her time cleaning up the messes she herself created. Mey Rin was her name and complete and utter clumsiness was her game. The butler, Tanaka, was a gentle soul and by what the boy understood he had served his time loyally to their family for years. Lastly there was the cook, who was currently addressing him as of present.
"Hey! I heard you were hungry! I stole this for ya', don't tell anyone." The boy was then presented with a small biscuit. He believed Bard to be his favorite.
He felt his mouth moisten with saliva as he brought the delicious smelling bread to his lips fully intent on devouring it in one bite if his small mouth permitted, but was interrupted by a man yelling.
"Young master you will spoil your appetite if you eat too much before supper." Ciel looked up to witness his staff parting for a tall slim man with hair darker then night who was currently approaching him. The man's crimson lenses seemed to glimmer as the two met eyes and Ciel found himself quickly looking down in surprised embarrassment. Who the devil is this man?
"SEBASTIAN!?" The servants cried as the man walked past them, ignoring them for the most part, and continuing to walk until he stood in front of the boy.
"Ah, you're here! Splendid! Ciel, may I introduce you to your own personal butler, Sebastian Michaelis." Elizabeth pushed her son forward who seemed shy, but was just entirely unsure what was going on. His own personal butler? A thirteen year old acquiring his own butler at such a young age? Did his mother plan to push him onto this man? Not if I have anything to say about this.
He grit his teeth and was about to look up when the butler kneeled before him. Once there the butler bowed deeply as if worshiping a god, which made the young boy feel most uncomfortable. Such an act he plays for my mother, I'll send you packing "Sebastian". He would not allow his mother to push him off on some stranger and would make this man's life a living hell if this man planned to partake on this endeavor.
He had confidence he could remove the man within a week… until the man met his eyes once more.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord." The man snatched the boys hand and placed something small and cold into his palm before curling the boy's fingers around it. His eyes all but blazed in their intensity as the man smirked "happy birthday master, I am delighted to finally spend one with you in celebration."
I know him… where do I know this man from?! The boy couldn't hear what the man was saying until he heard him wish him a happy birthday. A memory flickered in his mind's eye of a Christmas party and the sound of a violin. It was distant and hard to make sense of, but it deeply unnerved the boy. He clenched his fists, but flinched as whatever the man had placed in his hand dug into his flesh painfully. He opened his fingers and witnessed a silver ring. It had an enormous blue gem fitted to the silver and the boy could tell it was old as there were dents and cracks apparent upon the gem and ring. He found himself staring at the jewelry and his mind filled with air. The sound around him dissipated and all figures around him became blurred due to their current insignificance compared to the ring. Without hesitation he put the ring onto his left thumb and brought it closer to his eyes.
This ring and the man before him were making the young boy's head ache. He knew both of these and couldn't recall how or why. When considering the two he felt he had more of a chance recalling the ring's history then the man as of present. He narrowed his eyes as he continued to focus upon the gem desperate to remember where he had seen this ring.
"He gave it to me upon our parting and I've had it upon my person up until now. " The man's voice broke the child's concentration as he noticed his mother and Sebastian were discussing the ring.
"Ah, I suppose that makes since. Are you sure you wish to give it to him?" Elizabeth asked pain evident in her face and tone.
"Indeed I believe-"
"THAT'S WHERE!" Ciel shouted as it dawned on him where he had seen the ring. He pushed past the two as he ran up the stairs to that damned painting. Panting, the boy brought his hand up to compare the ring with the boy's in the picture. "It's a match" Ciel looked up at the boy's face in the picture to smirk at it in victory and that's when he noticed something most horrifying. The boy's eyes in the picture moved to look at him and then the corners of the portrait's mouth began to lift in a mirroring fashion.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ciel's eyes widened in horror as he back pedaled away from the menacing portrait and felt the ground under him give; the stairs.
"CIEL!" Elizabeth shouted in terror as she witnessed her son's inevitable fall. Suddenly her hair is whipped in front of her face as something shot past her at an incredible speed.
Ciel felt himself falling and yet… he could tear his eyes from the portrait watching him. Memories or records flew into his mind in a flurry of images and sounds. The amount was overwhelming and after a few seconds of witnessing so many confusing images he felt something within his mind shatter. Crippling psychological pain coursed through his body and he presumed actually physical pain was not that far off either.
"I've got you, my lord. What is wrong?" Sebastian was there and his tone was stern. The boy managed to open one eye regardless of the severe pain it caused him and glared at the man.
"What have I told you about coddling me… demon…" his voice was faint and after gritting out those words his eyes rolled into his skull and he promptly fainted.
Sebastian laughed and felt tears trickle down his cheeks as he was elated. He had been worried as he recognized the signs of the boy having one of his attacks. Ciel suffered from PTSD ever since the demon had known him and he understood as he met the young child during that nightmarish time. He noticed the child staring at the painting and backing away from it as he typically did when something terrified him. Then he had begun to scream which set the demon off and had him sprinting up the stairs to aid his young master. He did not think the boy's memories would return so soon and he would rather that no one be there when he awoke from his nap as he knew the child would have many questions. The demon turned on his heel and faced the approaching worried Elizabeth.
"Is he alright?! What happened-"
Sebastian interrupted "he seems to have suffered a dizzy spell. I shall take him to his chambers in order to restore his energy for tonight's festivities. Rest assured Elizabeth, I shall not allow any harm to cross this child." He bows and then turns to head upstairs to the boy's room.
Elizabeth reaches out as the man carries her child away, but the staff begins to call her to advise preparations for the boy's party. She nods trusting Sebastian; she knew he would watch over her child tenderly as he had requested this position himself a few months after the child was born.
"I shall return for the boy's thirteenth birthday and I wish to become the young one's butler if you would allow it. I would do so sooner, but I have other business to attend to in the meantime. I believe by then Tanaka will be close to retirement."
Elizabeth recalled their earlier conversation and nodded again to reinstate confidence in the man. She descended the stairs with a smile as she had a party to plan.
Sebastian sat beside the slumbering child and experienced impatience for the first time in eons. He had waited for the child to grow, checking in on the child as much as time would permit. When he wasn't watching the youth he was helping the Undertaker with his chores and research. After several years aiding the retired reaper with his experimentations the demon was growing concerned.
It turns out that the Undertaker had several test subjects amongst the town which he would periodically check in on. The reaper would not tell the demon whose soul he had used in the reincarnation claiming it was trade secret. It didn't bother the demon because in all honesty, he could care less. What he did care about was the fact that each subject upon reaching their peek age for the memory transfusion would be hauled off to the insane asylum.
It had been well over an hour since the boy had passed out and the demon felt time was pressured due to the party that evening. He began to stir the boy awake "young master, it is time to wake up."
The boy groaned and his eyes lids scrunched together in evident pain. "Whose there? I cannot focus with this head pain…" Ciel's voice complained as he brought his fingers up to gently prod at his temples.
"It is your ever loyal servant, my lord." Sebastian grinned down at the boy as he stood and walked over to a tray where a glass and a pitcher sat. He began to pour water into the empty glass, but stopped when he heard the boy.
"And just who might my ever loyal servant be? I don't recall meeting you, sir."
Sebastian turned, looking astonished "you surely are joking, young master."
"I do not joke, sir. Please introduce yourself before I call…" The child trails off mid-sentence as his eyes look lost. "No, wait… I did meet you earlier didn't I? My apologies, I have forgotten your name. What was it again?"
The glass slipped from the demon's fingers and shattered upon the floor.
To be continued!
Please let me know what you think!
See you all next chapter!