Good afternoon my dears :) I apologise wholeheartedly to those who are following my WIPs and have had no updates in ages. I've had the worst case of writer's block and I decided to try something new to kick start my writing.
So this was created. It was becoming too long so I've decided to split it into two parts. I do not own Black Butler, manga or anime, and nor is any copyright infringement intended.
I apologise further for any errors, this is unbeta'd.
Enjoy and I'll see you at the end.
His Butler, On Film
Sebastian entered the study to advise his young master perhaps it was time he make haste for bed, the hour was growing late, and he knew what Earl Phantomhive was like when he didn't get enough sleep. But, when he pushed the door to the study open, the earl was fast asleep, his head propped in his left hand, face peacefully blank.
On the desk stood the camera that supposedly showed what a person cared for most. But it pulled the image from another world, so it only showed what was dead, or not of this world. Naturally, Sebastian had been avoiding the others, knowing his young lord had ordered the servants to take a photo of him.
He doubted it was so Earl Phantomhive could see what his butler cared for, but maybe in the hopes of seeing his true form, or wondering if his photo could even be taken. Sebastian picked up the camera, and snapped a photo of the boy sleeping, a quiet chuckle of his lips. He recapped the lens when the exposure time had elapsed, and replaced the camera on the desk.
"My Lord? It is time for you to retire," he called softly.
The boy stirred and opened a sleepy blue eye, the orb slightly clouded as it cleared of sleep. "I was asleep? I didn't realise the time," the boy stretched and covered his mouth to hide a large yawn. "Draw me a bath, Sebastian."
The butler bowed and smirked very lightly. "Yes, my young master."
With a little slight-of-hand, he grabbed the photo from the camera as Ciel closed his eye and stretched, tucking it into his waistcoat pocket to develop. He drew the bath, added the necessary salts that would help his master sleep, and left the boy to bathe.
Sebastian slipped into the dark room and developed the photograph, his expression growing evermore confused when the image cleared, showing Ciel sleeping, and Sebastian stood next to him, a tender sort of look on his face as he watched.
He frowned deeply and pulled the image from the developing solution, tacking it to the line above his head to dry. "Young master, you confuse me more with every passing day," he said to himself.
Shaking his head, Sebastian left the dark room, pulled the door shut behind him and put the photo out of his mind while he got Ciel ready for bed. While the boy bathed alone now, Sebastian still dressed him. But lately, Ciel had been doing more things on his own.
Not that Sebastian minded, it gave him more time to keep his eyes on Finney, Bard and Mey-Rin, making sure they didn't burn the damn mansion down. Bard especially. He turned down the covers and waited for Ciel to climb in, tucked the quilts around him, bad him a quiet goodnight and grabbed the candle stick to take with him.
It was as he was pulling the door shut that Ciel spoke to him. "Sebastian, will you stay? Just until I fall asleep?"
The boy's voice was soft, almost afraid, and so very vulnerable. A cold, dark smile stole over Sebastian's lips. "Is this weakness you're showing me?" He drawled.
The was a pause, a silence, before he was answered. "Forget I said anything, just go."
Now the voice was hurt, and even more vulnerable. A tiny ripple of guilt flowed through him, and Sebastian regretted his words in that moment. He went to say more but Ciel turned his back to the butler. "I said go. That's an order." He steeled his foolish emotions and walked out the door without a backward glance.
With no choice but to obey, the butler closed the door to the earl's bedroom and blew out the candles. His thoughts returned to the photograph he had taken and he frowned again. So, the boy cared for him, and now sought his affections? No, what a foolish thought. Their game was simple. He would help Ciel get revenge on the people who had murdered his parents, and Sebastian would get to eat a soul filled with sorrow, pain, and bitterness- a meal most appetising to him.
Once again, he put the photograph out of his mind, and went about his nightly chores. His hearing never picked up on the soft cries as Ciel went through yet another nightmare, waking in the dead of the night covered in sweat, tears falling down his cheeks as he wept into his pillow.
The next morning, Ciel was woken in the usual manner, with a steaming cup of tea being poured by Sebastian, and his butler giving him a run-down of the scheduled day ahead. It didn't seem that he had a lot to do that day, a few lessons in the morning and an empty afternoon.
No new cases had been brought to his attention, so the young earl thought about what he would be able to do with his free time when Sebastian grabbed his attention again.
"What is it, Sebastian?"
The butler smiled in a smug way. "I just wanted to remind you that Lady Elizabeth is planning to come by for dinner tonight, and that you should perhaps sort out an outfit for the meal, you know how she likes to colour coordinate you both."
Ciel sighed in a frustrated manner and scowled into his tea. "How many times must I suffer through these meals before I can actually say I do not wish to take her hand?" He muttered.
Sebastian said nothing, laid the tea pot down and left the room to draw the bath for his master. He did not wish to marry the girl? How…interesting. Still, it didn't really matter. The boy would be dead eventually, as soon as their contract was fulfilled, so he supposed it would be best to ward the girl off as soon as possible rather than leave her wondering what could have been.
He tested the temperature of the water, shut off the taps and walked back out into the bedroom. "Your bath is ready and I'll lay your clothes out for the day. Is there anything else, my Lord?"
Ciel shook his head, tugged off his nightshirt and passed him to get to the bathroom, his naked skin seeming paler than it normally did. Sebastian's eyes never strayed any lower than his master's chest, but he did notice how thin the boy had become. Strange.
The door to the bathroom shut, and Sebastian left the room to sort out breakfast and set out any mail that required the earl's attention. In the time it took him to do that, Ciel met him in the dining room, still struggling with his tie. Sebastian automatically took over and tied it, his gloved fingers moving quickly.
The earl chose the salmon with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, more tea and a single slice of toast for his morning meal. He ran through the mail, signed what needed it and then waved Sebastian out of his sight.
The demon didn't see the boy again until later in the day, an interesting conversation happening between them and a few things coming to light. But in the meantime, Sebastian had jobs to be taking care of, and Ciel had lessons to attend.
Ciel grew tired of the history lesson he was having to endure and eventually snapped, sending Mrs. Abrams off with a few choice words. She was a polite, old woman, but she drove Ciel insane when it came to her lessons. The elderly lady was used to the lessons getting cut short and always received payment for a full week's teaching.
He didn't see Sebastian at all that morning, so he chose to wonder through his mansion and ended up in the dark room. There was a single photo hanging, the image unclear until he got closer. His single eye widened in shock, the photo showing himself asleep in his study, a soft faced Sebastian looking at him, a tender expression on the normally blank face.
When had that been taken? Did one of the servants take it? No, they wouldn't take his picture without his permission. Would they? Ciel took the photo down and stuck it in his pocket, he would catch the servants and ask them about the photo.
First was Finney, but the strong young man had no idea where it had come from. Though he let slip on a comment of how sweet his master looked when he was asleep. Finney waved his arms about and babbled to try and apologise for speaking out of turn, but Ciel just gave him a look and excused Finney from their conversation.
Second he found Mey-Rin, but again, she had no clue about the photo, simply shrugging her shoulders when he asked if she knew who might have taken it. "I don't know, young master. But maybe ask Bard, he might have taken it."
Bardroy was even more confused, scratching his head and looking a little cross-eyed as he tried to work out when the photo could have been taken. Ciel did recognise which clothes he was wearing, and that it had been taken last night. But if none of the three servants had taken it, and Sebastian was in the picture, then who could have taken it?
Tanaka! He tracked down the original Phantomhive butler, for once not out of stamina. "Well, dear one, the only person who could have taken it, would be Sebastian himself. Perhaps he used the new camera you recently acquired? It's certainly…" There was a whoosh of air and Tanaka was reduced to his small size.
Ciel sighed impatiently but left Tanaka with his tea. If Sebastian had taken the photo of him, why did it show the butler in the frame? Although the demon was of course other worldly, he was not what Ciel cared for the most. He cared most for his dead parents, didn't he?
But, somewhere along the way, Ciel had lost sight of his love for his parents in his quest for revenge, and he had become dependent on Sebastian for many things. Showing weakness last night had been foolish, especially now he was almost sure he knew who had taken the photo.
He hid in the entertainment room and pulled out a deck of cards, wasting the time by playing a few single player games. But soon, he grew bored, as he always did with his short attention span. Staring at the dart board, he snatched his darts up and threw all three of them in one hand, a perfect line of bullseye, a twenty-five and a twenty.
No one could fault the boy when it came to his aim. He was better with a gun, a shot never missed, and that was with one eye kept covered almost all of the time. The only person with better aim than he was his butler, Sebastian had the best aim that he had ever seen.
The door to the entertainment room opened. "Ah, there you are, young master. We should be getting you ready for Lady Elizabeth's arrival this evening."
"Sit down, Sebastian. There's something I need to discuss with you." The photo lay on the table near his card deck, the image face-up.
Sebastian's eyes zeroed in on the photograph on the table and mentally slapped himself for not getting rid of it. He approached his master and took the seat opposite when directed. "Is there something on your mind, young master?" His face remained carefully blank, his eyes betrayed none of his thoughts.
The young earl stared at him in silence for a moment, the firelight flickering, dancing in his blue eye. With just the two of them there, he removed the eye patch and let the Faustian show, his other eye purple and glowing with energy.
"Indeed, Sebastian. None of the other servants have laid claim to taking this photo, which I guess leaves only you."
Sebastian recognised it wasn't really a question, but he answered anyway. "Yes, my Lord. I admit to taking the picture."
Ciel nodded and tapped at the image. "And since you are in the frame, I will assume you used the new camera."
"Yes." Again, not really a question, but he answered it anyway.
The boy was silent for a while, just staring at the photo before he raised his eyes to Sebastian's red ones. "While the servants have seen this image, they do not know you took it. You will not speak of this to anyone."
Sebastian nodded. "Yes, my Lord. We can't have anyone knowing that Earl Phantomhive has a weakness."
Ciel rose to his feet and snatched the picture off the table. "Believe me, Sebastian, you are not my weakness. Not in the slightest. I imagine it was snapped this way because of the Contract, and that is a bond between us, in a way." He looked down at the photo, and though he was loath to destroy it, he threw it into the fire and watched the flames eat it. "Elizabeth needs to learn that this marriage will not happen. Please arrange for her to meet me in my study."
I do not care for a demon, he told himself. He cared about making sure his parents received justice for their untimely deaths. He cared about revenge. He did not care about his butler.
Sebastian bowed at his back, his eyes drawn to the remains of the photograph before the flames destroyed all traces of it ever existing. "Yes, master."
Ciel heard the door close behind his butler, his eyes never leaving the fire. It was only when he knew the demon was no longer there did he allow the barest trace of emotion show on his normally blank face. A single tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it away, slipped his eye patch back into place and headed for the study for an intense conversation with Elizabeth.
-oo0oo-
The sixteen-year-old earl rubbed his temples as he tried to alleviate the headache that had formed during Elizabeth's screaming tirade. The talk had gone as well as could be expected, considering what he was telling her.
At first there had been a sort of stunned silence as Ciel's words had sunk in, then there was the disbelief and finally there was the anger. Elizabeth had turned furious, screaming over the table at him, throwing the ring he had given her against the wall and stormed out after she'd said her piece.
"Why, Ciel? Why now?"
He sighed and looked over his hands at her. "Because things have changed, Elizabeth. And while the idea of being together was fine when we were growing up, I am afraid you are not what I want."
She sniffed and started wailing loudly. "But why? We make an adorable couple and you're who I love, Ciel!"
The throbbing headache had started, and Ciel felt his patience beginning to wear thin, but he reigned his temper in, and kept his tone even. There was no use in yelling at her, it would only serve to fuel her shouting, and in turn make his headache all the more vicious.
"Elizabeth, I do not want to be adorable. And while I am very flattered at your emotions, I am very much regretful to say that I do not return them. You are my cousin, and I love you as my family, but not as someone I wish to start a family with. So I ask you to please end this engagement, and find yourself someone who can return the love you deserve."
That was when the ring had struck the wall and bounced to the floor in front of the fireplace, the generous emerald glittering in the firelight. Elizabeth had wailed even louder, begging him to reconsider, accused him of wanting someone else, said she would wait for him if he needed time. But nothing seemed to work until he was blunt with her.
"Let me put it a new way for you, Elizabeth. You lack the necessary temperament and body parts," he hissed, his temper getting the better of him as his ears thundered for the force of his headache.
That seemed to get through. The young lady stood, shot him a horrible glare and left in tears. Finally, he was alone and able to think again without her incessant crying and whining voice driving him insane.
The door opened, and Ciel half expected his now former fiancée to come back in, but it was Sebastian. "Master, is there anything I can get you?"
Ciel looked up, face tired and eye dull. He contemplated telling the butler to bring him something strong to drink, but knew it would serve no purpose other than to make his headache worse later. "No, Sebastian. Leave me."
"Yes, my Lord."
The door shut with a soft click and Ciel was once again alone. He sat and mulled over everything but his headache got the better of him, exhaustion finally winning out. For the second time in a row, Ciel fell asleep in his study and had to be carried to bed when Sebastian could not rouse him. He had no idea where he was when he woke in the middle of the night, a scream lodged in his throat.
"Ciel, why won't you come with us? You would be so much happier, wouldn't you?"
The young earl looked into the loving face of his mother, eyes burning with unshed tears, and shook his head. There was still so much work to be done, he couldn't give in just yet. Not quite yet. He had a contract to fulfil first. "You deserve to be avenged."
His father sighed, hand outstretched and running through his son's grey-blue locks. "Oh, my son, what is the point of that when you are so sad? What good is avenging us when you're losing another piece of yourself each day?"
Sadness. It was all Ciel had known in the six years since his mother and father had been cruelly snatched from him by the flames of the raging inferno that had devoured his entire home. It was true when he said he had forgotten how to smile, it was like his facial muscles no longer remembered which ones had to move in order to create a smile.
"Sadness is all I know, now. And anger, they're all that keep me going, they're all I know how to feel anymore."
Rachel Phantomhive knelt down before her only child and brushed his cheeks with her soft hands. "Ciel…sweetheart, please come to us. Let go of this anger and hatred, it doesn't suit you. Where is my sweet, laughing little boy?"
He couldn't let go, though. The anger and the hatred was all that he had left, and it was the burning desire to destroy those who had taken from him that kept him going. He stepped away from her touch, the tears finally falling.
"I can't, he's dead."
His parents stood and bowed their heads, the misery clear on their faces. They clasped their hands and smiled sadly at Ciel. "We love you, sweetheart. Don't lose sight of that."
Ciel nodded once and met their gazes. "I love you too."
Ciel woke suddenly, his face tear stained, heart thudding in his chest, and not where he last remembered being. In a panic, Ciel lashed out when he heard movement in his room, his hand going for the blade he kept under his pillow and launching it into the darkness.
There was a soft grunt, a candle flickered to life, and Ciel saw who his intruder was. It was his butler, the blade caught between thumb and forefinger, an amused expression on the demon's face. "Good hearing, my Lord."
Horrified that he had been caught crying, even in his sleep, Ciel snarled viciously. "I do not believe I called for you." He made a show of scrubbing his face with his hands, as if rubbing the tiredness from his face, all the while able to wipe away the tears that had stained his cheeks.
Sebastian cocked his head sideways. "Indeed you did not. But your distress was tangible. Is there something I can be of assistance with?" Tangible indeed, it had taken all of the demon's strength to hold back from licking the tears off his master's face, to actually get a taste of that pain and sorrow.
Ciel didn't dare voice his request from the previous night so shook his head, his blue-grey hair swaying lightly with the movement. "Nothing. Leave."
There was a moment of silence before Sebastian even complied with the wish, just staring at Ciel, an odd look in his red eyes. Finally, the butler left with a short bow and a murmured 'yes, my lord'. Ciel stayed awake for some time, unable to go back to sleep knowing that Sebastian could feel when he was distressed, and he did not want another dream that night. When morning came, Ciel was dead on his feet and extremely irritable.
-oo0oo-
Sebastian pulled the curtains open and hid a smirk when Ciel screeched at daylight hitting his eyes. "Good morning, master. I've prepared some tea and a bath is waiting for you. There is a meeting with the CEO of Funtom today at one o'clock. That is in less than an hour."
There was a very heavy silence while Ciel realised that he had slept a lot later than normal, and an even heavier one when it occurred to the boy that Sebastian had let him sleep for as long as he could before the meeting.
The demon poured the tea, handed his master the cup and silently left the room again, preparing the study for the meeting. Normally these meetings would take place in the entertainment room where Ciel would engage his guest with a game of chess while they spoke.
But the CEO of Funtom was a man who believed in getting to the point and getting the meeting over with as soon as was formally possible without glossing over details. This made Ciel rather impressed with the man and always made sure there was time available to meet with him when it was required or needed.
Alastair Waterhouse was shown into Ciel's study just as the boy had taken his first sip of his second cup of tea. There hadn't been much time to take care of his tie, so he'd pulled on a comfortable jumper, rolled up the sleeves and buttoned his shirt to the top.
He still looked smart, he just lacked his usual tie since Sebastian had been letting in Alastair and Ciel had been running for the study so the man would not be waiting on him. That was not becoming of the Earl Phantomhive, who was prided on his punctuality.
"Good afternoon, my Lord. A pleasure to see you," Alastair greeted.
Ciel shook the man's hand, the only person he did so with, and gestured to the seat opposite. "Please, sit. Tea?"
Sebastian appeared at his elbow with a steaming cup, bowed to his lord and left with no sound save for the click of the door.
"There is little to discuss, my Lord. I wanted to come by and give you the usual report, discuss any future ideas, and so on."
Ciel nodded for him to go ahead, taking a sip of his tea. Earl Grey, his favourite. That warm sip gave him the strength to get through a meeting when he was exhausted.
"Our sales are going up, as predicted. The new line of Funtom toys has been taken a shining to, and our sweets are still the most bought on the market as yet. There have been a few new ideas for toys, their plans are in this folder."
The boy nodded again and took the proffered folder, looked through the designs, dismissed a few but kept the majority of them. "How many of these designs are doable without a massive cost to the company?"
"In honesty, my Lord, all of them are easily created and we have already done prototypes to see if the idea was justifiable. The poseable dolls are quite a hit with the workers, and I believe that they would be on the shelves as well."
The idea was mulled over, the only sound the chink of china when cups were returned to their saucers. Ciel looked over the designs for the dolls, weighed up the pros and cons of them and ultimately gave the go ahead.
The remaining ones were placed back in the folder but kept for future ideas when needed. Ciel never approved more than one toy at a time, though they always made a few variations of it. He didn't want to be a company that spewed out a new idea every week. People would queue for miles when Funtom released a new toy or sweet, because it wasn't often they did.
Ciel made a little small talk with Alastair, polite, but with not much actual interest. The man never seemed to begrudge it, and left with a handshake and smile. Ciel didn't return the smile but he did warmly shake his hand, which was something.
Sebastian brought him some tea, a slice of cake and placed a photograph on the desk. It was Ciel, asleep in his study again, but this time, there was no Sebastian next to him. This time, Ciel was completely alone, and for some reason, that disturbed the earl a great deal more than it should have.
That night, Ciel lay in bed watching the shadows play on the walls and ceiling of his bedroom, his thoughts going over the photograph. It was troubling to think that the camera saw Sebastian as his most cared for, and in twenty-four hours, he was not.
Ciel considered the idea that the photo had been taken with a normal camera, but he was aware of the texture of a normal photo, and this did not feel like it. What was it about the picture that bothered him so much?
After all, it would not be the first time he was photographed alone, he was always alone, and he always would be, until the day of demise at the hands of his butler. Scrunching up the picture, he climbed out of bed and threw it in the fire. "Damn you," he hissed.
He could order Sebastian to tell him which camera was used, but he felt like that would be playing into the demon's hands, and Ciel was not one for giving up. So, he played the game back. When morning came, Ciel showed no sign of being affected by anything.
Tea was drunk, breakfast was eaten, and Ciel was his usual curt self. Sebastian was ordered to sort out the gardens after Finney had used an extra strength weed killer and destroyed the majority of the grounds.
The boy spent his morning with the camera, tinkering with it and pondering more on how exactly it worked. It was true he had told his servants to get a photo of his demon butler, but he was not the slightest bit interested in what or who Sebastian cared about, he was interested to see if his true form would become apparent.
Alas, the demon had been far too elusive for his human servants, and he was still in the dark about what Sebastian's true form was. The one and only time the butler had ever had to use it, he had made Ciel swear to close his eyes, and he had followed for fear that Sebastian would refuse to kill the angel threatening his life.
But now…now he was left wondering about Sebastian and himself. Why would a camera with seemingly no life force think that the demon was Ciel's most cared for person? They held a contract, and that contract would one day be fulfilled, leaving Sebastian able to eat his soul and Ciel to join his parents in whatever afterlife there was.
He glanced out of his study window and found Sebastian crouched down tending to his favourite roses. Ciel raised the camera and uncapped the lens, silently praying the butler would remain still for the ten seconds it would take for the image to be captured.
Ciel had to hold back a laugh when he got the picture. Now all he had to do was develop it! He made haste for the dark room and locked himself inside, dropped the photo into the developing solution and waited for the image to clear.
He narrowed his eyes as it appeared, trying to clearly make out the image. When it finally finished developing, Ciel's eyes went wide and a smile stretched over his lips. A cold, dark, and cruel smile that his enemies had come to know meant trouble ahead.
For days, Ciel waited, biding his time until it was right to corner Sebastian. He had to time it well, or the butler would just try to distract him or answer questions with evasive answers. So, he waited, he watched, and he planned.
The day came, finally, when Ciel struck, and he took the man, the demon, for everything he had. Evening came, after dinner was consumed and evening tea poured, and it found Ciel in his study, his fingers steepled before his face and a tiny smile visible at the corners of his mouth.
"Sebastian, before you go, I order you to answer my questions," he said quietly before the butler could try and dodge him.
Sebastian froze and turned, his face cold and eyes narrowed dangerously. "What could possibly have you making such an order?"
Nothing was said at first, Ciel simply stared at him, one blue eye fixed on Sebastian's face, his purple eye opening to reveal the Faustian. "Something I happened upon, and I think that unless ordered, you will avoid answering me at all costs."
The demon sighed, and had to concede that point. If there was something he did not want to tell the boy, he would avoid it and simply evade him until the boy forgot and no order could be issued for him to tell the young earl.
"Very well, what is it you wish to know?" He said, eyebrows furrowed.
Ciel smirked and lowered his hands. "Firstly, the photo you presented to me the other night, it was taken with a normal camera?"
The demon nodded, saying nothing, all the while boring twin holes with his eyes into Ciel's skull. Damn the brat for this, he would make him pay once this questioning was over. It hadn't taken too much work to swap out the developing paper for the special camera, leaving it seeming as though it had been taken with it, when in actual fact, Sebastian had used a regular camera.
"As I thought, secondly, why have you still not found the people responsible for ordering the deaths of my parents? Do you not want to fulfil the contract and get my soul?" He drawled.
Well, that was unexpected. In truth, Sebastian had simply not yet found where the order originated from. It seemed that there were many embroiled in the murders of Rachel and Vincent Phantomhive, and it was proving difficult to narrow it down to just one person.
"My Lord, of course I wish to fulfil the contract. The day I get to devour your soul is going to be a most enjoyable one. I grow hungrier with each passing day."
Instead of shocking the young earl, or indeed, wiping the smile from his face, Ciel's smirk grew wider, his eyes telling of a secret only he knew. For the first time, Sebastian felt a small shiver of uncertainty flow down his spine.
It was rare that Ciel was able to surprise or shock him, more so than he had in the past anyway. For him to be smiling, well, smirking, then there was something going on that Sebastian didn't understand, and that troubled him greatly. A knowing Ciel was a dangerous one, and something that Sebastian did not have the patience to try and deal with.
"I see, then perhaps you would like to explain this to me?"
A piece of paper, no, a photograph, was removed from Ciel's study drawer and placed on the table between them. Sebastian moved forward and picked it up, his red eyes widening in shock and fear. There was no way he would have been still enough for it to be taken. The gardens! He was tending to his young lord's roses, he recognised the location instantly.
Ciel patiently waited for Sebastian to take in the gravity of the image, his smirk still in place, and his blue-violet eyes glittered. If the photo was anything to go by, Sebastian had been lying to him, and keeping a deep, dark secret. Whether it was recent or had been there for some time, Ciel did not know.
Sebastian finally raised his eyes to Ciel's. "I…have no explanation, my Lord."
"Come now, Sebastian, surely you have some reason why this exists? It surely isn't something that the camera cooked up on its own."
Silence was all Ciel got, it seemed the demon was remaining tight lipped or had no idea how such a thought had formed into an image. But it was there, in black and white, proof of what Sebastian cared for, and seemed to want. This was indeed a new development, as Ciel had no idea the camera could do such a thing.
"Young master, I do not understand what you want from me. As you well know, the camera is something no one can fully understand, and as such, I do not think any of the images it produces can be truly taken as gospel," Sebastian said quietly.
Ciel raised a single brow, a clear look of disbelief on his face. "Sebastian, did you just lie to me?"
The demon's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "No, my Lord."
"Oh dear, Sebastian. I think you did just lie to me, and I recall a part of our contract was that you would never lie to me. Unless you want me to sever the contract I suggest you give me my answers," Ciel drawled.
The butler was caught and he knew it, there was no way out of it, and if he didn't want to lose his meal, he'd better think fast. "Very well. The image is correct- it is something that has been on my mind for some time."
For once, Ciel had nothing to say back. He hadn't really expected Sebastian to actually own up, he'd been prepared for the demon to choose the destruction of their contract rather than have to admit to a weakness.
"I see, so this is something you want?"
That gave Sebastian pause, and he sat back, chin in hand, to contemplate such a thing. Yes, it had been a thought that had been spending more and more time at the forefront of his mind, but was it really something he wanted? More than the boy's soul? A meal that he had been so patiently waiting for, and he wanted to pass it up?
"I…do not know, my young master."
Ciel nodded and actually appreciated Sebastian's honesty for once. It was rare he got a direct answer, and he was always grateful when he was given one. But at the same time, this one left him more confused than ever. He sighed and waved Sebastian off. "You can go."
"Yes, my Lord," the demon said with a slight bow and left.
He noticed that the photo was in the chair Sebastian had just vacated. Ciel pocketed it, and made his way to the gardens for a walk, he needed some time to process everything he had learned. It seemed that things were not what they had been but a few weeks ago.
Ciel withstood the tension between them for a few days before his temper blew and he lashed out. Sebastian had spent the time saying very little, other than to agree to obey an order, or to ask which tea he wanted.
It was driving the sixteen-year-old insane, and the irritation that had been itching under his skin burst out. He struck Sebastian across the face, panting loudly from throwing everything he had into it.
"Stop this god damn sulking!" He yelled. "It's been days now."
Sebastian turned back to face him. "Yes, my young master."
Ciel tugged at his hair and held back the urge to scream in frustration. "Damn it, Sebastian! What the hell is your problem? You've been like this for almost a week now, it's driving me insane!"
The demon merely bowed, his hair shifting enough that Ciel's handprint on his cheek was visible. "My apologies, master. I will endeavour to alter my behaviour."
Seeing Sebastian so compliant caused Ciel pain, this was not the demon he'd known for the last six years, this was not the cold, brutal demon that had slaughtered his captors when he was but a child.
"Sebastian, please, stop this. The compliant attitude doesn't suit you at all."
"What would you have my attitude be, my Lord?"
Ciel growled. "Less bloody compliant! You used to answer me back, taunt me, make fun, but this new you is killing me, Sebastian!"
The demon sighed and rubbed his temples, eyebrows knitted together in consternation. "My Lord, I believe it would be unwise to poke the sleeping dragon, as the saying goes."
"I'm sorry, what?" Ciel was genuinely confused.
Red eyes snapped to his blue one and narrowed in anger. "Shall I get the camera again, my Lord? Perhaps you would like to take another photo and see what it shows?" He snapped.
Ciel pulled the photo from his pocket. "You mean like this one?"
Sebastian growled and gave a sharp nod, eyes blazing fuchsia and his fangs showing. "Don't push this."
The teenager wiggled the photo in front of him, a smirk on his lips. "Why not, Sebastian? Hiding another dark secret are we?"
Demonic eyes widened, darkness began creeping out from him, bathing the room in shadows, his entire form swallowed in it. Ciel knew he might as well be poking a rattlesnake with a short stick, but he was tired of this song and dance they had been doing.
"I'm warning you, boy. You won't like where this goes."
Ciel laughed and tutted softly. "How would you know that?"
That certainly gave the demon pause, his fuchsia eyes slowly returning to their normal red, the darkness fading and the fangs nowhere to be seen. "Excuse me?"
"Wake up, Sebastian! How long do we have to go in circles before you'll just tell me the blasted truth?" Ciel snarled.
He was slammed against the wall by his throat, claws dug into his skin and the fuchsia eyes were back, boring into Ciel's, the patch ripped away from his face. "You are naught but a child! Do not play a game you can't possibly hope to survive."
Ciel struggled to draw in air, but he didn't back down in the slightest. Even if Sebastian took his soul now, he wouldn't be all too upset. Besides, he was well aware that the contract could have been fulfilled at any point, but neither one of them had made the move to complete it.
A smirk crossed his face. "I thought the aim of the game was for me not to survive anyway? After all, taking my soul will result in my death, so your words are moot."
Sebastian snarled in his face, teeth bared. "Don't think I won't take your soul now, boy! The contract has been completed any number of times for each person I killed for the murders of your parents, we did not agree on one person to be responsible."
Instead of becoming fearful, Ciel's smirk widened and he played his trump card, calling Sebastian's bluff. "Then take it," he whispered.
Sebastian's mouth parted and moved closer to Ciel's. "So I will." Ciel felt a sort of tugging sensation, his mind grew foggy and his vision started fading. He stared for as long as he could into Sebastian's blazing eyes, his own growing more and more heavy.
A genuine smile crawled across Ciel's lips. "Oh, Sebastian…" he whispered softly.
-oo0oo-
So this is what dying is. Just a blink of an eye and no longer existing, just gone. Forever. It was a lot less painful than he had expected it to be. Strange. There was a distant thudding in his ears, a heartbeat. No, not in his ears, it was under his left ear. How odd.
Blue-violet eyes opened, the violet one branded with the contract of a demon. Ciel inhaled softly when he realised the thudding heartbeat belonged to the chest under his head. The scent was familiar, the chest solid yet warm.
He stirred with a groan, his head hurt a little, like someone had been squeezing it. Someone sighed softly, a sound almost like relief. "You are awake. I was afraid I had gone too far."
That voice, he knew it anywhere. Sebastian. "I thought…"
"That you were dead? No, you are not dead. You are still you, young master."
Ciel laid his thumping head back on Sebastian's chest, proprietary be damned. The soothing heat was great for his headache, and he was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened. The last thing he remembered was taunting Sebastian, and telling him to take his soul.
Yes, the demon had been pulling his soul from his body, that must have been the pulling sensation and perhaps the reason for his headache. "Why did you stop?" He murmured.
"The contract has yet to be completed."
Ciel frowned. "But we agreed! I offered and you accepted! Why? Why didn't you take it?" He yelled, rising to his knees and grabbing Sebastian's shirt front.
"The contract…"
"Fuck the contract!" He screamed, shaking Sebastian. "Why?"
Sebastian grabbed his hands and rolled them, pinning Ciel beneath him and snarled in his face. "I cannot harm someone I care for!" He hissed.
"Was that so hard to say?" Ciel murmured.
Blinking, Sebastian lessened his harsh grip on Ciel's wrists and sighed. "Young master, you cannot begin to fathom what I speak of. I am a demon, you are a human, there is no road to be taken in which this would ever work. It is a fool's errand to even consider such a thing. Nevertheless, I find I am unable to complete the contract without causing myself harm."
"Damn it, Sebastian, will you speak plainly for a change?" Ciel demanded.
Sebastian moved both of the boy's wrists into one hand, the free one moving to cup Ciel's face. "Must I spell it out for you? By taking your soul, I will be removing the one person in my life that I care for. I would be damaging myself if I took your soul- your life."
There was a heavy silence, laced with so much to say yet neither one knowing what to voice first. Finally, it was Ciel who broke it, but not with words. The sixteen-year-old shifted his head until he could slot it next to Sebastian's, his lips against the demon's ear.
"So the photo isn't lying?" He whispered.
Sebastian shot back a little, eyes wide. "No, it isn't."
Ciel smiled softly. "Well, now that we have that in the open, where do we go from here?"
The demon sighed, gently released Ciel's wrists and sat back on his heels. His fuchsia eyes turned back to their normal red, the eyes that Ciel had slowly come to adore. "Well, since the contract cannot be fulfilled, perhaps it would be best to dissolve it."
Fear shot through Ciel and he shook his head sharply. "No, I don't want it gone."
A frown marred Sebastian's features. "Why ever not, young master?"
"Because…you'll leave."
It took a moment for Ciel's words to sink in before the demon burst out laughing, his entire frame shook and he almost overbalanced from it. "Young master, might I draw your attention back to the photograph? I do believe any fears of my leaving should be wiped away by that."
Raising himself up on his elbows, the teenager stared at his demon butler, drank in the sharp features he had come to know so well. Swallowing his fear, Ciel sat forward and pressed his lips to Sebastian's, surprised by how soft the demon's mouth was- a mouth that had spoken such harsh words regularly.
There was but a moments pause before Sebastian kissed him back, his mouth moulding to Ciel's, a long fingered hand cupping the back of the boy's skull and moving his head to fit his kiss. His lips worked to gently tease Ciel's mouth open, his tongue sliding in and licking at the teen's mouth.
A soft groan was swallowed by Sebastian, Ciel's small hands moving to clutch at the demon's shoulders, his breath coming in short pants and his trousers far too tight. Ciel shifted higher, his weight bearing down on Sebastian, pushing him back as the young earl moved to straddle his thighs, his fingers sliding up and grasping tightly at the demon's hair and tugging the strands harshly.
Growls punctuated the air between the sounds of their kiss, red eyes gleamed brightly, and pale fingers touched any and every inch of Ciel they could reach. The boy trembled under the different sensations Sebastian was eliciting in him, the pleasure, warmth, shock, joy, and anticipation.
Ciel gave a hard tug of Sebastian's hair, a deeper growl coming from him before he wrenched himself away, panting harshly. "Stop," he said harshly.
Lust glazed eyes struggled to focus, leaving Ciel dazed and confused. "What?"
"Ciel, stop," he said softly, his eyes burning. "You can't do this, you'll be destroyed, I can't control myself with you."
Shaking his head to clear the last traces of lust from his mind, Ciel sat back. "Sebastian, I don't want you to hold back."
The demon chuckled sadly and huffed a sigh. "I am so much more powerful than you, I twist your head too sharply and I could snap your neck, plunge into your body too hard and I could rip you apart from the inside."
Ciel really hadn't thought of that, and it did frighten him a little, but it also highly exhilarated him. "I am aware of your strength, Sebastian. I've ordered you to use it many times," he teased.
It took the demon a moment before he caught on to the joke of those words, a slight chuckle passing his lips. His hands rested on Ciel's hips, the gloves gone and black nails dark against the whiteness of his master's shirt.
Ciel set his hands at either side of Sebastian's head, leant down and resumed their kiss, refusing to let the demon move away from him. He knew what he was doing and he was willing to accept the risks of tangling with a demon- especially one who could kill him in an instant.
The young earl stripped off his shirt and flung it to one side, quickly yanking off his butler's shirt and running his hands over the firm but smooth skin. A soft whine passed his lips, his eyes widening as he realised the sound had come from him. The fantasy of seeing Sebastian half naked on his bed was nothing in comparison to the real thing.
And yet, it wasn't quite enough. Ciel cocked his head and shook it slowly. "Show me the true you."
Sebastian's red eyes widened and he balked, trying to gently shove Ciel off him. "No."
Ciel's gaze hardened, and knowing that Sebastian wouldn't harm him, he pinned the hands back down and kissed his mouth softly. "Please?"
Something in that soft plea made Sebastian give in with no fight, and he felt his body shift. The fangs fell from his mouth, his hair lengthened, eyes became slitted, and wings sprouted from his back. Ciel's mouth fell open and his hand moved of its own volition to touch the downy feathers.
"Sebastian..." he breathed.
The demon raised a brow and chuckled, the throaty voice making the earl shiver in delight. "Do I displease my master?"
Said earl laughed softly and shook his head. "Precisely the opposite. You're amazing."
Sebastian gave a slight shake of his head and chuckled again. He preened at the compliment and nuzzled into Ciel's neck. "You know there is a strong risk I could hurt you?"
A huffed sigh sounded near his ear. "I am aware of the dangers, Sebastian."
Nothing more was said as the demon took over, his claws making short work of Ciel's clothes until the body he had seen so many times was naked to him. But this time it was without the clinical view, and a more appreciative one. While the earl had grown thinner, he'd also grown taller and become more defined in his appearance.
Something that Sebastian noted in great detail, with first his eyes, then his fingers, and finally his lips. He kissed every inch of the young man, his fuschia eyes never closing, never moving away from Ciel.
Ciel gasped at points, groaned softly and tangled his hands in long black hair, fingers occasionally moving down to toy with the feathers of Sebastian's wings. His nakedness neither shamed him nor left him feeling inadequate, but he was growing increasingly frustrated that Sebastian was still clothed from the waist down.
No amount of tugging persuaded the demon to shift enough so Ciel could remove the items, and he didn't do it himself. Instead, he opted to let the young earl grow more frustrated until he let out a growl, grabbed the waistband of Sebastian's trousers and yanked the button open.
Sebastian made a small purr of approval, nipping at the soft flesh of Ciel's throat. Travelling lower, he peppered kisses across Ciel's chest, gently worried a nipple between his teeth, all the while a hand toyed at the juncture of Ciel's thigh and groin.
"So pure, Ciel. Are you sure you want to tangle with a lowly demon?" Sebastian murmured in his ear.
Ciel laughed breathily and yanked him up for a kiss. "There is nothing lowly about you, Sebastian. I am aware of your status among the other demons, you're practically royalty you are so well known."
There was that throaty chuckle again, with Sebastian trailing his tongue down Ciel's stomach, dipping it into his navel and allowing the tip to flick over the head of the earl's untouched cock.
A strangled groan sounded above him, making a sly grin curl on Sebastian's lips. His tongue flicked over the head repeatedly, but with the barest of touches. He listened to the whines coming from Ciel and smirked to himself. Finally, he took pity on the young man and moved fast to engulf the length in his throat, swallow around it and heard Ciel let out a cross between a screech and a moan.
Being untouched left Ciel far more responsive that most sixteen-year-olds, and when his cock was entirely swallowed, he didn't know where to put his hands. He scrabbled to find purchase on the sheets, his hands failing to hold anything, instead twisting in Sebastian's hair and yanked hard.
Sebastian didn't let up until he felt the flesh in his mouth swell, and he pulled off, wrapping his hand around the base to stave off the oncoming orgasm. He watched Ciel's face twist in annoyance, moving up to kiss his mouth. "Patience," he purred.
Ciel chewed his lip and nodded, his eyes watering at the pressure on his cock and the aching in his balls from being denied his orgasm. Sebastian got up and rooted around for a bottle of lubricant, anything he could use to ease things for the young man he had called master for the last six years.
As he rummaged, his mind kept flickering back to the image of him in the gardens and he had to focus on what he was doing, lest he be swept off in thoughts of what could be, and what never will be.
He returned with a small jar of oil and smiled slyly at Ciel. "Last chance to back out."
Ciel shook his head once and climbed to his knees, shuffled to the edge of the bed and reached up to pull Sebastian down into a rough but sweet kiss, his tongue growing more confident at exploring the demon's mouth.
He wouldn't say it, but Sebastian found Ciel's inexperience to be far more arousing that he had originally thought it would be. The teenager went at every task with an innocence and air of determination that made the demon's body throb in anticipation.
Gently, he pushed Ciel back and shifted between his thighs, a hand running lightly over the smooth skin. "I cannot guarantee this won't hurt."
Ciel nodded and a smile crossed his lips. "I'm not made of spun glass, Sebastian. I won't break that easily."
The demon paused for a moment before he let some of the oil drizzle over his fingers and smeared it around. His eyes never left Ciel's, the burning fuchsia irises constantly locked with Ciel's blue-violet eyes. He noticed the mark of the Faustian burn brightly, the symbol glowing, almost pulsing. Curious. Sebastian was far too concerned over Ciel to pay it much attention.
He rolled Ciel onto his stomach and ran his clean hand down the boy's back, nails scratching light at the skin. His oiled hand slipped between the soft globes of Ciel's arse and one finger traced over the one place of Ciel he had not yet touched. Every lustful thought ran through his mind, a deep urge to just plunge in wrapped around his mind and clouded him for a moment before he came to himself and noticed he was pushing Ciel into the mattress.
Sebastian made no apology but leaned down and nipped at his left shoulder gently before pushing his finger in. There was a soft grunt, some wriggling around at the unusual feeling of something entering his body but Ciel did not try to stop him. He took that as consent to continue and starting pumping his finger, then added a second one to start actually widening the boy for his entry.
"Sebastian," Ciel groaned breathily.
A smirk crossed the demon's lips and he pushed harder, getting Ciel accustomed to more realistic pace than gentle pandering. Sebastian was aware that while he would have to be somewhat careful as he could crush the earl, he also knew that he would lose a lot of self-restraint once he was inside the warm body of his young earl.
He did hope Ciel was stretched enough because he could hold back no longer. His entire body ached from being untouched, from having to wait until he could enter Ciel's body and fill the boy with his seed, mark the boy as his for good.
Flipping Ciel back over, he propped the boy's feet against his chest and positioned his body as close to Ciel as he could. Sebastian could see the slight uncertainty in those discoloured eyes and licked his lips. He would not truly be a demon if he didn't take some delight in it. The head of his cock brushed Ciel and he lifted the boy onto his thighs, parted the cheeks and placed himself at his master's loosened entrance.
He swallowed heavily and growled, his claws drawing prickles of blood from Ciel's thighs where he held them parted. "Move your feet to my shoulders," he said.
Ciel obliged without question and Sebastian gave in to his urge. He plunged into Ciel's hot body, snarling as the boy mewled in mild distress, silencing him as he leaned down and kissed the tears off his face. "Such sweetness," he growled.
Arms came up and tried to push him back, Sebastian's cock going deeper into Ciel. "Hurts," he grunted.
Sebastian licked his lips. "I know, I can smell your pain. Do you wish me to stop?"
"...no."
Pulling back, Sebastian smiled widely and then shot forward again, angling his hips and trying to find the one spot he knew would destroy Ciel and have him mewling in pleasure. It took a few plunges before he found it, but when he did, Ciel's eyes shot open, hands grabbed at Sebastian's hair and he yanked hard enough to pull the demon off balance and smash their mouths together.
Ciel licked obscenely at Sebastian's mouth, not caring at how sloppy it was, or that he was tugging strands of Sebastian's hair out. He could feel the thickness of Sebastian's cock forcing him open with each thrust, the way it battered his prostate and left him crying out repeatedly into the demon's mouth. Wanking to the thought of Sebastian was so pale in comparison to that moment of being endlessly ploughed.
The tell-tale tingling of an orgasm began in his lower back and curled around into his stomach. He was powerless to stop it and wished it would last longer, but already his hand was snaking down to stroke himself to the end. But Sebastian's hand grabbed his and shook his head with a throaty laugh. "If you're going to come, it will be on my cock and nothing else," he growled.
More mewling and pleading came from Ciel before Sebastian took pity on him. He didn't so much as give Ciel chance to blink before he flipped Ciel to his front, yanked the boy up on his knees and pushed back in. His clawed fingers dug into Ciel's hips and tugged him back with each thrust, his balls swinging and slapping against Ciel.
Leaning down, Sebastian licked at the sweat sliding down Ciel's face and nipped his ear. "Oh Ciel, feel how my cock spears your insides and makes you shiver in delight. Is this what you imagined every time you wanked off to thoughts of me? Did you imagine being on your knees, being fucked into the mattress and screaming my name as your come all over the sheets?"
Ciel panted and choked out a cry, failing to form any words at all before his cock pulsed and just as Sebastian said, he coated the sheets in white droplets as his orgasm thundered through him.
Sebastian was not prepared for the tightening around his cock when Ciel orgasmed, the sensitive organ squeezed until he felt his own orgasm being forced from his body. He bit into Ciel's shoulder and growled loudly.
Both panting, Sebastian pulled from Ciel and rolled them to the side, his arm curling around the slight frame. "Are you injured?"
Ciel laughed croakily from crying out repeatedly. "Undoubtedly. Nothing that won't heal, I imagine."
Sebastian nodded and licked at the wound of Ciel's shoulder. "Sleep, young master."
Ciel needed no prompting and was snoring softly in minutes. Neither one of them noticed the glowing symbol of the Faustian, nor did Sebastian remember it had been glowing earlier.
~Finis~
Well, my dears, there you have it- my first Black Butler fic. As I said, this will be in two parts, more if needed. I'm aiming to work on this alongside Mending What Was Broken. Please note that after some horrible reviews for Sumus Noctis, I am considering taking it down and re-doing it. It was written some time ago and does need some upgrading.
On another note- I'll see you all real soon!