Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji/ Black Butler, it's plot, or characters.

Author Note: Slow Build Sebastian/Claude. I'm locked out of my profile, so I'm reposting this story.


Ciel fell as we ran from our pursuers. I pick him up by the collar and lift him to his feet, earning a glare from him. I knew he wasn't ready to run at these speeds, he was always fumbling as a human. If only I had forseen this, forseen followers of Claude. Followers that wanted us dead. I had only given it a moment's thought, presuming that there might only be one or two demons. There was more. I follow the younger demon closely, ready to attack anyone that catches up. They were getting much closer.

"Be careful," I hiss as I pick up Ciel once again. He scowls.

"Shut up, Sebastian!" He retorts in the angry tone I know well, and I find myself smiling. If only he could chanel his anger into something more useful, to prevent him from falling everywhere. I consider leaving him, but it's only a quick thought.

Jumping over a tree truck, I look over my shoulder. The forest was dark, nearly pitch black at night, the moonlight showing flora and bushes on the ground. Humind air, silent, turning chaotic for seconds with us running through it. The things, my 'brethren', were carching up. They had been following us for a while, all the way up from London. Once I realized this, I fled with Ciel to the East, then South, then North. We went through many countries, trying to lose them, moving in large confusing circles. They caught up closely in Paris, where I stopped to let Ciel feed. The boy needed to, he was only a newborn demon after all, and running exhausted him. I didn't want him to be driven insane by hunger.

But now, running through this forest, I realize what a mistake that had been.

Ciel stopped, bending over tiredly. As angry as I was, I pitied him, he was only young after all. I quikcly pick him up, ignoring his protests, and continue running. I could run like this for days, if we weren't caught first.

"They're gaining on us Sebastian," Ciel says as he wraps his arms rightly around my neck. I nod.

"I know, I can hear them." I jump over a small stream, my feet sinking into the bank. Scowling with disgust, I run faster.

"If they catch up?"

"I'll kill them," I scoff. His arms tighten.

"There's so many though. Do you regret killing him?" He asks this bitterly. I knew he was referring to Claude. I didn't though, of course. Killing Claude was neccessary. I remember the plain in which we fought, the canyon, how the demon sword pierced his chest. I shake my head.

"No. You wouldn't be here if I didn't. You talk too much."

I felt that we would make it, survive. I've been through worse before. The trees blur as I dodge them, branches hit my face, birds being to shriek as we fly by. All through the noise, I hear them, footsteps coming faster. I drop Ciel, whisper "run" before turning around. Midspin, I grab my knives, and by the time I've rotated fully, I have impaled one demon through the chest. He stares at the silver, before falling, but I know he won't stay down. Another one appears, and I get him in between the eyes. He drops immediately.

A third one appears. I dodge while he lunges with a sword. He slices the air, turns to get at me, and I step back from the point, lifting a knife to cut his arm. He grunts, and I use his proccupied moment to stab him in the throat with a knife. The first demon tears the knife from his chest and runs at me. I throw another knife at his chest, but a fourth one appears. I curse, then turn around, see Ciel still standing there.

"Ciel, run!" I snap angry. But the stubborn boy doesn't move, instead choosing to stand defiantly. I turn around again, and try to dodge the next attack but I'm taken down. A female demon, but she's just as strong as a male, if not stronger. Barely processing the second, I watch as she brings a spear down into my stomach. I grimace, then scowl. Showving her away, I take it out and toss it at another approaching demon, just as the first demon finds it in himself to get up.

The demoness launches herself again, her claws and nails sharp, scratching my cheek. She springs like a cat, jumping, retreating, jumping. I prefer real cats. I grab her wrist the next time she comes, twisting it, feeling the bones snap. She scream and brings up her other hand, the nails grating my neck, and I quickly grab it as well, breaking it too. As I drop her, I hear a yelp.

"Sebastian!" I turn to see Ciel deliver a perfect punch, but the demon brushes it off effortlessly, picking him up. I run to them, and something hits my back, sending me to the ground. A weight presses down, and I try to throw the presumed demon off, but it just laughs. I flip us over, but something else grabs my leg. I kick, but more demons appear. I wonder where they came from, helpess as they pin me, holding my limbs. They force me down, pain radiating up my skin from their sharp claws and powerful hands, and they struggle to gag me. I snarl, biting the fabric. They laugh at the useless attempts. I won't admit that it's over.

They cover my eyes, snapping cold metal over my hands. The chains are tight, and I look up, trying to see through the cloth, trying to keep calm. I take a breath.

"What are you doing?" I announce the question to everyone. The demons lift me, laughing, taunting. They refuse to answer. I squirm, trying to fling myself from their grip, and I'm met with a blow to the head. Pain shoots through my body, and I feel myself grow limper quickly, a tingling feeling on the side of my face. Ciel. Heat consumes me, and I close my eyes.

"Wake up!" He calls for me. I nod my head to the side, feeling like I'm floating. I can hear screams in the distance.

"Shut up!" This voice is angry. I open my eyes, the pain I'm feeling strange. Unfamiliar. A dirty floor passes by beneath my, I'm staring at dirt and stone. A low rumbling starts, screams erupt but are soon diminished. Smoke fills my lungs, tainting the air. This feeling is unfamiliar, yet I know this place, I know it with all my being.

"Sebastian, wake up!" It's Ciel, panicked and frustrated sounding. I try to call out, but only a groan comes out, dry and coarse. I can hear others panicking now, muttering in a jumbled language. The feeling of flying doesn't stop though. Maybe I'm being carried... yes, carried. I was being carried earlier. My mind is fuzzy, and I want to tell Ciel to shut up as well. I go back to sleep.

"Just wake up." His voice does sound rather pitiful. I open my eyes, finding my face in the dirt, so I lift my head to look around. Dark walls, an impossibly high ceiling, large archways. I pull myself to my knees, letting out a groan, feeling my hands still tightly cuffed. Ciel is a few feet to my right, eyes wide and staring at me. We're surrounded by demons. Some smiles are wide and fanatical. Some have no smiles at all. All eyes are fuschia. I don't recognize any of the pale faces, only the dark black clothes and occasional rags. I glance at Ciel, taking note of how calm and confident he manages to look.

"What do you want?" I look back at our captors, my words biting.

"Revenge," they mumble.

"Where are we? Why are we... here?"

"We have bought you home, Michaelis. Bought Mr. Phantomhive home to meet the family." Everyone but me and Ciel laugh, and he looks at me with a wierd look. These demons were rather theatrical than most.

"We are not family," I say firmly.

"All demons are family."

"We're not even from the same class." A true statement, but my experience and calibre didn't save me from being caught. My jaw tightens.

"But we bought you down all the same." One demon in particular walks forward, a male with shoulder length hair brushed back. He moves carefully in front of us, eyes glinting red, a calm but thoughtful expression on his face. He talks alone:

"We are spider demons. We protect our own. Our family." He laughs, and I sneer.

"Faustus was..." I can't think of a word to describe the demon. "What are you going to do?" I feel weak and inferior in this position, and I don't like it when my opponent has the upper hand. I twist my hands, searching for a weakness in the cuffs. The male frowns, but it quickly forms into a smile.

"We would kill you. A suitable punishment. But no. We'll kill him," he looks a Ciel, then back at me. "For you, eternity in a box." He laughs and looks around, and the other demons join in. I look at Ciel, watching his eyes widen, then he begins to squirm. He calls for me to figure a way out. I look quickly for an escape from our impending sentence. They all pick him up, taking him away from me. I stand, but they hold me back in a flash, I'm stuck in a iron grip while my Master is taken away. I try to push on.

"Ciel!" The pull against me, their forces greater than my own, and I'm helpless as I feel the boy's presence begin to drift. Flame out. Not death, not yet, just our close connection fading. But I could still feel him. I lash out, my strength knocking away a demon, but another takes its place. I raise my head, trying to see above everyone else, but he is already gone, swept away. Angrily, I yell and fight, and a sharp pain hits my back. I fall to the ground, lifting my head to see a foot coming at me.

I sink into the unconcious a second time.