This is kind of/sort of/maybe an expansion on my other oneshot, "Once Upon a Midnight." At least, the relationship Ciel and Sebastian have in the second part is based on that, rather than the actual ending of Kuro. You don't necessarily have to read the other fic if you don't want to, but just be willing to accept my take on Ciel and Sebastian. Also, title and lines in italics are taken from Robert Frost's poem, fire and ice. I do not own that poem or Kuroshitsuji/its characters.
Please review, and Happy Holidays!
OoO
December 25th, 1888
Two porcelain pale figures are the only creatures in sight by the frozen pond. The smaller of the two is seated on the other's tailcoat, which has been removed and layed out on the snow bank for this very purpose. As the bigger figure kneels to tie up a brand new pair of fine leather ice skates on his companion's feet, the younger observes how snow laces bare branches like ribbons of white satin, and how the pale gold coin of sun pokes through the silver sky, illuminating the snow with weak winter light. Occasionally, he fiddles with the red velveteen bow at his neck that holds his forest green cape tight around his shoulders.
"This is foolish, Sebastian," the boy breaks the icy-still silence, glaring contemptuously off into the naked trees.
The dark-haired man is unphased by his charge's disdain. "I will remind you that I am both the planner of your schedule and your current tutor," Sebastian says as he finishes the first skate, "this is today's lesson."
The child snorts. "Why would I, Earl Ciel Phantomhive, ever need to learn such a useless skill?"
"How strange my Young Master is," Sebastian murmurs just loud enough for Ciel to hear. More loudly, he says, "it will not cause you any harm to get a bit of exercise and fresh air—and perhaps enjoy yourself for a moment or two."
Another snort. "Ridiculous."
Silence. Then,
"You may stand now, Young Master, but do be careful..." Sebastian offers Ciel a hand but the boy bats it away and struggles to his feet without aid, though he lacks any of his usual grace or confidence. Sebastian sighs at the child's stubbornness. As Ciel sways on the blades, Sebastian steadies him with gloved hands.
"Hmph," Ciel makes the barest of frustrated sounds and Sebastian chuckles.
"Now go," he gives the young earl a tiny push toward the lake, "do not be afraid—I'm right here if you should need me."
Ciel takes several wobbling-calf steps out onto the ice. Once he's standing properly, he looks up at Sebastian with an insolent cerulean eye.
"Good," Sebastian murmurs, "now the first lesson is—"
The butler's tutorial is cut short when Ciel spins sharply on one skate, sending a glittering spray of ice crystals over Sebastian's shoes. He blinks, surprised, as Ciel glides easily away, executes a perfect toe-loop jump, and coasts back, all without a word. Ciel stops at the edge of the pond with his hands on his hips; the cape billows out behind him, revealing ermine fur interior.
"Why must you assume," Ciel says with a triumphant smirk, "that I am totally inept at everything?"
Sebastian, composed once more and smiling conciliatorily, puts a hand to his chest in a humble gesture, "Pardon me for that egregious oversight. I just never imagined a frail child such as yourself would be so adept at any sort of physical sport."
Ciel scowled at the barely-concealed barb, but his visible eye seemed to soften and go misty. "When I was young, my mother would take me to the rink in Brompton. I used to enjoy it, in those days..."
"But now you are incapable of enjoyment," Sebastian said, cocking his head to the side, "correct?"
"Yes," Ciel replied, and his ice blue eye was colder than the winter air.
OoO
December 25th, 2011
Two black-clad figures float out onto the freshly cleaned ice of the famed Rockefeller Center rink. The blades of their skates slide smooth as silk over the slippery surface, glinting in the towering tree's multi-colored lights. They are magnets for attention—the elder with his dazzling smile and rakish features, and the younger for his entrancing sapphire eyes and androgynous beauty. A woman passing by pauses, grabbing the railing for support, glances down at the boy and smiles dreamily up at the man.
"Oh, he is adorable! He's your...?" She trails off, almost hopefully.
"Son," The man finishes, beaming and apparently oblivious to the woman's disappointment.
"Oh...well, he's darling," the woman says. She reaches out to pat the boy's head, but he quickly ducks behind his taller companion, peeping out with one shy blue eye as he clutches the man's leather jacket.
"Thank you ma'am," he mumbles with the sweetest of simpers.
"So adorable," the woman repeats, charmed, as she looks from man to child.
"Yes, isn't he?" The man says, but his voice makes it a dismissal. With a nod and an awkward wave, the woman pushes off and skates away. Once she is gone, the boy comes out from behind his elder's arm and shoves his hands in the pockets of his pea-coat.
"Idiot," he mutters, smirking.
"Now, now, Young Master," Sebastian admonishes in a low murmur, "be nice."
Ciel chuckles. "It's not in my nature."
"Well. Since you've proven yourself to be such a brilliant actor, you can pretend," Sebastian counters.
"Shall we just skate?" Ciel says, shamelessly ducking the question.
Sebastian smirks. "Yes, my lord."
Ciel hides his grin behind a knitted charcoal mitten. The two demons are on equal terms now, but old habits die hard. "Good," he says, and his beatific face bares a stamp of restrained happiness as he and his companion fly in dancer-perfect circles about the rink.
At some point, Ciel laces his hand with Sebastian's own, and the elder demon wishes he could take this not-quite boy—his not-quite boy—to another place, with no mortal eyes probing at their human disguises. Instead, Sebastian pivots and uses the hand to swing Ciel in a low death spiral. Ciel adjusts instantly in orbit, arching is little body up toward the night sky as the tips of his hair brushes the ice's glittering surface. Sebastian sees that the boys eyes are closed serenely and his nostrils flared as he is twirled in swooping circles by his companion. As the momentum dies, and Ciel melts seamlessly up, he looks at Sebastian with warm eyes that flicker briefly ruby.
"What was that about?"
Sebastian does not answer directly. "Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice," He quotes, with a wicked smile, "From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire."
Ciel looks thoughtfully up at the phantasmagoria of stars shining like polished studs of diamond in the blue-black sky. "But if I had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate," the child continues softly, "to say that for destruction, ice is also great, and would suffice."
Ciel, Sebastian knows, may as well be made of ice himself, but he has thawed; taken fire inside of himself and learned to accept the beautiful dichotomy of the two. It only reaffirms what Sebastian realized a long time ago, that Ciel was a monster long before he became a demon, and only after could he become free. Together they skate on, through endless night and endless ice with crimson flames smoldering in their eyes.