A/N: Oh, look. Another Ciel/Lizzy oneshot. But not Little!Couple this time. *smile* I hope you like it! Even if it's short.
Title: In the Dark of Night
Author: liketolaugh
Rating: K+
Pairings: Ciel/Lizzy
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Warnings: None
Summary: Ciel screams, in the nighttime. And Elizabeth hears him. Both of them pretend she doesn't. But that doesn't mean she can't soothe him back to sleep.
Disclaimer: Sadly, Black Butler is not mine.
A scream echoed through the manor, and Elizabeth stirred, eyes blinking open sleepily.
She was staying over for the night again; she did it as often as she was able, nowadays. This was for a reason; she knew that Ciel had nightmares. She pretended not to, for Ciel, but she knew. And Ciel knew she knew, but he pretended not to, so they both could pretend, and things were simpler.
But still, for as long as she was able, she would help him through them – even if she had to pretend not to.
She waited for a few minutes after the screams had stopped and then, clutching her Bitter Rabbit to herself, climbed out of bed and slipped into the hallway, padding through them toward Ciel's bedchambers. Eerie silence lingered in the dark hall. She couldn't see, but she didn't need to – she knew the way by heart, and she had no need for a guide in Ciel's manor. Hours spent exploring every nook and cranny with Ciel had leant her a knowledge of the layout that was virtually unmatched – only Ciel, and perhaps Sebastian (because he seemed to know everything), knew it better than she did.
They weren't supposed to do this. People would frown at them, whisper about them, if they knew. But they didn't, so it was all right. And if they were caught, well…
They didn't care.
She knocked softly on the door and didn't wait for an answer before she opened it and stepped in.
Sebastian had left by now, content that his master was soothed, but Ciel wasn't yet asleep, nor was he inclined to become as such. He was sitting up, fidgeting restlessly with the covers, but the knock, as Elizabeth had expected, had attracted his attention. As he met her green eyes, a sigh escaped his lips, but a gentle fondness entered his one blue eye.
His other, as it always was when she visited, was covered in a bandage-like eye patch. Sebastian did not know why this was, but they did. Because she always did this.
"Ciel?" Her voice was soft, barely disturbing the blanket-like silence enfolding the room. There was no moon tonight – only a single candle accompanied the light of the glittering diamonds in the sky, barely illuminating Ciel on his bed, but casting faint, flickering shadows on the walls.
"Elizabeth," he returned, voice just as soft. He may not be able to see her, but he knew her voice. He stretched out an arm and gestured for her to come closer.
She smiled and padded closer, into the candlelight, and when she was close enough, she sat on the edge of the bed. "I can't sleep, Ciel," she told him quietly, squeezing the Bitter Rabbit gently. And it wasn't quite a lie, because when she knew he was having nightmares, she couldn't.
He nodded. "Sleep here, then."
She smiled, just a gentle curve of her lips, and lay down beside him, curling into his side, letting her Bitter Rabbit rest between them. He curled up too, just a little, and both of them opened their eyes for a moment, letting their foreheads touch, just a little. Elizabeth's eyes glittered with candlelight and affection, meeting Ciel's soft blue one, which only just caught the light of the stars behind her.
"I like that we do this," she murmured to him, smiling.
A pause. "I do, too," he replied. "It's… nice."
"Isn't it?" she half-laughed, snuggling just a little closer, and curling up a little more, so that her head rested on his chest. For a moment, she listened to his heartbeat, soft and steady, and he listened to her even breaths, calm and content.
Ciel broke the silence first. "Do you remember when we first did this?"
She giggled. "Yes… It was awkward. But… still nice, I think." She leaned into him again, closing her eyes, and there was another short silence. But finally, she spoke again.
"I love you, Ciel," she whispered, letting the words drift into the night.
He smiled, soft and gentle. "I love you too, Lizzy."
Her smile widened a little and then she closed her eyes. He waited a moment, watching her, and then closed his, too. Both of them pressed a little closer, and sleep wrapped around them both, bringing them into a cloud of dreams to the twin sounds of breathing and two hearts beating softly.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open again, and two glinting red eyes landed on the sleeping couple. Sebastian smiled, and walked over, footsteps not making a sound. Gently, so as not to disturb the sleeping couple, he adjusted both the blankets and the pillows, efficiently making sure that both of them were comfortable, carefully tucking them in, so as to ensure they did not fall off the large bed. Finally, he straightened, looking down at them. They had moved a little closer while he worked, and only the Bitter Rabbit separated the two children now.
He smiled, and blew out the candle. He looked at them a moment longer, easily able to make out their delicate forms even in the soft blackness.
"Goodnight, Young Master, Lady Elizabeth." Then he turned and headed for the door, opening it, and looked over his shoulder, smirking slightly. "Sweet dreams," he added, with a hint of irony.
And then he left, the door slipping shut soundlessly behind him.
In the dark of the room, the young couple slept on, undisturbed.
Heh heh heh... I'm sensing a few similarities to Coming of the Dawn here. *rubs neck sheepishly* But I hope it's all right. And now you (and I) know why they were in the same bed now. *laugh* Please review! I'd really appreciate some feedback! Maybe even suggestions - I'm running out of ideas, because I'm mostly out of firsts.