Get away from me foul demon."
Those were the very first words that Ain told -more like spat at- him upon their first encounter.
And with those words, Ciel wisely decided to leave him be. It always bothered him though, but he left it alone, seeing how the 'priest' acted to the others except Elsword. As time passed though, he can't help it.
So he finally asks the priest one day. Ain was standing by a tree, looking at the distance with something unreadable in his eyes, he does not notice Ciel.
"Ain, why do you hate me so much?"
The other whirls around with an expression that can only be described as pure hate, glaring at Ciel as his eyes flashed liquid green.
"Did I not tell you to leave me alone?" Ain growls.
Ciel only crosses his arms and gives him a bored look." You didn't answer the question, Ain." it was odd how the name easily left his lips whereas Ain doesn't even bother to acknowledge him, let alone say his name.
Ain looks at him with narrowed eyes, lips in a fierce scowl." Why should I answer to the likes of you filthy demons? Let alone even talk to someone of your race."
He raises an eyebrow." So that's the reason?" he murmurs, taking a step forward to the priest, to which Ain steps back, feeling something change in the half-demon's demeanor.
"You hate me just because of my contract with Lu and my status as a half-demon." it wasn't even a question anymore, with the certainty in Ciel's voice the words were a statement.
He stresses the word half-demon out as if he was making a point before closing the distance between them and stopping right in front of Ain.
He looks at the priest with something almost akin to a sneer."My my, what a pathetic reason if you ask me."
Ain gawks at him, eyebrows furrowing in confusion before rage replaced it." How dare you- you have no right to-"
"I have as much right to live my life as I see fit, much like you and your mission, dear celestial~" Ciel says calmly, almost purring, watching as the rage in Ain's face melted away into a look of shock then panic.
For once, the celestial was quiet, his true nature being found out. After a moment of silence Ain finally speaks.
"What do you want, demon?" his tone wasn't dripping with hate and spite anymore, it was replaced by weariness.
Ciel was quick to correct him." Half-demon." then he sighs and leaned down, looking at Ain with narrowed eyes.
"I want you to stop ridiculing me and Lu because of our background. You're stuck with us as long as Elsword is in the el search party with us. I suggest you suck it up and deal with 'filthy demons' being in the same place as you."
With those statements, Ciel turns on his heel and left, leaving Ain filled with wary and something almost akin to shock, as if he didn't expect Ciel to stand up to him, and also because….how in the name of El did Ciel knew about his true nature?
The question always made him wary of the half-demon now and he wisely decided to ignore them unlike before, where he always threw insults and jabs at them when they were in the same room.
As for Ciel, he can always be found trailing after Ain with one eye as he does what he needs to do. Had Ain looked closely though, he would have been able to see something almost akin to longing in those blue orbs.
But then, it happened. What was just supposed to be a simple mission ended up in the worst way possible, or at least, worst in the others' opinion but Ain could care less.
That was what he was telling himself though as he sits on a chair inside one of the rooms of the inn they were currently staying at.
He rests his elbow on the window sill, hand resting under his chin as he looks outside, the event's of earlier replaying in his mind.
Behind him, on the bed, rests Ciel, sleeping as if nothing happened to him when it was actually the opposite. He looked peaceful, breathing soft and mind lost and away from reality, like there wasn't any stab wounds on his torso.
Stab wounds that the half-demon wouldn't have if he hadn't (stupidly) decided to protect Ain. The celestial couldn't understand, couldn't comprehend Ciel's actions. Didn't he understand that Ain wanted nothing to do with him and Lu? That he hated them?
Just….why?
He has a lot of questions, on why did the half-demon do that? On why he isn't feeling he usual spike of anger upon simply seeing them. On the unexplainable tightness on his chest, as if someone was squeezing his heart.
When Ciel ended up hurt protecting him, Ain only scowls and says the half-demon made a stupid decision and that he could perfectly take care of himself. To which Elsword grew angry at him and yelled at him, saying that he shouldn't say things like that.
He didn't understand, he didn't understand any of this, and what he was feeling-
A drop of liquid landed on the window sill, followed by another, then more. Ain blinks slowly, leaning back from the window and slowly raising a hand to touch his eye hesitantly.
His fingers came away damp, a little wet. He stares at the liquid, confused as more fell from his eyes, expression looking much too like of a child not knowing what he did wrong.
"You're crying…"
Ain jerks his head up and looks behind him, eyes wide in a mix of shock and panic. Ciel stood before him, features creased with worry.
He furiously wiped at his eyes with his sleeve, or at least, that's what he wished he could have done. Instead, he merely looks at Ciel with a lost expression, though in Ciel's eyes it was a look of complete helplessness.
"Is this what you humans call it?" came the raspy whisper as more tears trailed down his cheeks.
Ciel blinks in surprise.'You humans', you, not a word about his now status as half-demon. Ain had actually referred to him as a human for once.
He nods slowly before asking hesitantly." Why are you crying?..."
Ain shakes his head, exhaling as he wiped away his tears, only causing more to take its place." I don't know, I don't understand what's happening-"
He looks up at him with wide, helpless eyes." Why am I feeling like this? I don't feel anger at you anymore, nor do I feel hate at you...ever since you got hurt. It shouldn't be like this!"
Ciel quietly pulls up a chair near the crying celestial and sat down in front of him so they could see each other clearly.
"What you're feeling right now," he slowly says, carefully choosing his words to hopefully soothe Ain." is called sadness, that's why you're crying." he taps Ain's chest, where his heart is.
Ain places his hand over his heart, overlapping with Ciel's as he exhales shakily." Then why am I feeling it? It's been like this ever since you got hurt.."
"Guilt." Ciel answers immediately. Silence then took over, none of them saying a word as Ciel carefully studied Ain's face.
After a moment of silence Ain asks, looking at him." Why?" the word leaves his lips in a faint whisper.
And without even thinking, Ciel knew what he was referring to. So he gives Ain a small smile, holding reassurance and, if Ain takes a moment to calm down, a smidge of hope.
"Because we're comrades, we should always help and protect each other."
Ain lets go of Ciel's hand and the other withdraws it. Ain looks down at his lap, palms curling into fists. More tears dropped onto his hands.
"Why? I've been nothing but rude to you and your master. I have insulted you and ridiculed you because of your background and race. So why? Why say things like this?-" Ain chokes on the lump in his throat."I don't understand you humans."
There was it again, humans, was Ain seeing him as one now? Despite his status as half-demon? Nevertheless, Ciel reaches out and places his hand over Ain's.
He waited until the other finally looks up and meets his gaze, until liquid green met sky blue.
"Ain, we all do something wrong." Ciel says gently." We all make mistakes, but we can also learn from them."
"What..do you mean?" Ain's voice wavered a bit as he looks at Ciel, who smiles softly.
"We can start over, Ain," he raises his hand, the one holding Ain's so it also raised before clasping his hand over it so he was holding Ain's hands.
He give him a soft smile, almost hopeful as he spoke." Ain, can we be friends from now on?"
Ain blinks, the tears have long dried on his cheeks, then gulps shakily." I…"
Friends, isn't that what Elsword calls him and the others? No longer did he feel the familiar burn of hate, no longer did he look at Ciel with disgust. Just how did he not notice it? Since when did he stop hating the person in front of him?
Swallowing the lump in his throat and not finding the words to say, Ain nods.
The soft smiles widens and Ciel's eyes shone." Thank you, Ain." he murmurs, still clasping the celestial's hands.
Perhaps this event was the push they needed, perhaps this accident on this mission was the thing they needed to forge their friendship.
Mistakes are always made, yet, if given the right view, one could also learn and grow from them.