For those of you who don't know, "the witching hour" often refers to the time of night between midnight and 3am.
Ciel rolled over onto his side, frowning as sleep once again eluded him. He opened his eyes and shifted his gaze onto the crack in the curtains, catching a glimpse of velveteen sky and a sliver of shimmering moonlight.
There had to be a better way to spend his nights than lying awake wishing on the stars, Ciel just wasn't sure what it might be. And for the moment, he was stuck.
There were too many thoughts whirring through his mind, and too many worries weighing on his heart. He needed to sleep, and yet couldn't. It was a cruel and heartless cycle, and he detested it.
But there was only so much he could do to stop the buzzing that filled his brain or the ache that filled his heart. Memories were rising up, unbidden to the forefront of his mind, and he couldn't stop the tide of emotion that washed over him suddenly. His high, grand bed was suddenly a vast sea, trying to drown him in sorrow.
And with a sudden pang, he realized he wanted it to.
He wanted to let go and sink back into the fear, the anguish that filled his past. He was so tired of fighting, of struggling to keep his head above the water. Sometimes he wished he could just drown.
He was a truly selfish child if he believed his problems would be fixed that way.
He pulled the duvet higher, taking refuge in the weight and warmth of it as he scowled at the stars he could make out through the crack in the curtains.
Child. That word gave him grief no matter who used it or how.
Because it was true. Head of the Phantomhive family or not, Ciel was still just a boy. A boy with a title and a mantle of responsibilities, but a boy none the less.
A boy who couldn't cry, because that was for the weak.
A boy who had to hide his fears, because people would doubt him if they knew they existed…
A boy who had to wish on the stars because there was no one else who would listen.
With a soft huff and another glance at the window, Ciel rolled over, turning his back onto the night outside.
Pity was for fools, and he didn't fall into that category.
He closed his eyes tightly and willed the buzzing to stop, just for a while… Just long enough for him to finally sleep.
All characters and locations belong to: Yana Toboso