Title: Life After Death
Main Pairing: Alois/Claude
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort
Rating: G
Chapters: 1/1
Completed: Yes
Summary: Alois and Claude share a tender moment together in limbo.
AN: Just something short and sweet that I wrote last night before going to bed.
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It is nights like this that Alois actually really enjoys life. Life. A foolish notion indeed as young Alois Trancy cannot truly claim to be alive. Can one say that it is even night in this damn place Hannah has sent them all? A limbo of sorts where time seems to come to a halt? A place created by the fabric of Hannah's mind for what her young masters, plural now, would need?
The stars glimmer in the dark black sky overhead and Alois watches them in silence. A light breeze stirs the field of bluebells that Alois is lying in to rustle around the blonde. The multitude of slender stalks bend to the wind, caressing Alois' face with soft petal kisses.
Logically had this been the real world, Alois would be cold. However, in this realm between heaven and hell, the world can be anything Alois wishes. The boy can only see far as he wishes to see before the landscape fades away into pure white. There is neither up nor down unless Alois deems it fit. In the realm, Alois is finally king. Well deserving in the royal title that Alois' loyal subjects had been calling him in his human life.
"Alois?" A voice asks but the blonde can only see the almost lavender color of the bluebells around him. Still, this voice does not startle him. After all, there are only four people in this world of pretend, Alois being one of them.
"Claude." Alois smiles, craning his neck to look up at the demon.
Formalities had been dropped long ago. There was no longer any need for Claude's constant reply of 'Yes, your Highness' although the demon would use it from time to time. Off in the distance Alois can hear Hannah putting Luca down for the night. While there is no need for time here, the four have operated on the same time schedule as on earth. Old habits die hard.
"It is getting late." Claude says softly. The demon, who really no longer acts like a demon at all anymore, sinks down into the field of flowers besides Alois. The blonde stretches before rolling closer to the form of the other. Claude welcomes Alois' frame with open arms.
There are no secret looks of distain from Claude when he wraps his arms around Alois. There are no longer any subtle winces at his master's countless foolish requests. There are no longer any forced airs of understanding obedience to mask hidden disgust. He does not wonder what it would feel like to break Alois' neck in that moment, or even how the boy's blood must taste. An edge has been taken off of Claude ever since he truly died. A body moving throughout the ages for thousands of years, surviving through deceiving souls, has finally found peace. Claude is not the same person that Alois knew as a human. And yet Claude is everything that Alois knows.
The blonde allows himself to be held like a child, lying in a field of flowers with one of the people that matters the most in the world to Alois. At last this sad tortured soul has found people that love him. Love, as Alois has now learned, is a strange thing. How curious one word can apply to so many different types of love. Alois loves Luca. Alois loves Hannah. Alois loves Claude.
What Alois feels for his brother is the type of love one feels for one's sibling. Alois wishes to protect Luca and to remain by his side forever. What Alois feels for Hannah is the type of love one feels for one's mother. The demon has acted like nothing but to both Alois and Luca in this limbo. She cares for Alois as she had in the Trancy manor, but with a softer more personal touch. Alois has finally learned what it feels like to have a family.
Claude is not the father to this new family of four. Hannah does not view Claude as her partner in caring for Alois and Luca. Claude does not view Hannah as his partner either. Claude views Luca not as his child, but as a child to care for (although that mostly remains Hannah's duty). Claude views Luca as his young master's brother and will do anything for Luca if Alois instructs so.
But most of all, Alois does not view Claude as his father, just as Claude does not view Alois as his child. There is an unspoken emotion between the two that Hannah does not comment on and that flies straight over Luca's head. Alois for the first time in his life is unsure. Unsure of how to treat Claude now that Claude no longer truly is his butler. Now that Claude does not need to blindly obey Alois' every word. Now that Claude is an equal.
The stars are bright overhead because Alois misses star gazing. The night air has a cold breeze because Claude wants an excuse to hold Alois. The blonde is aware of this obvious trick but says nothing. Claude's body is not exactly warm to cuddle up to, but not ice cold either. Alois' nimble fingers circle patterns on Claude's stomach as the boy's head rests on the other's shoulder. Claude's grip is comforting and protective around Alois' waist.
"Claude." Alois whispers, nuzzling his nose against Claude's neck. The boy says the other's name not as a question but simply because he can.
"Alois." Claude returns and it sends shivers down the boy's spine. Alois' form visibly trembles against Claude's much wider form. Alois will never tire of hearing his name come from the demon's lips.
"I'm not going to sleep yet." Alois' voice is a whisper, a secret.
Thoughts of the occurrences of Alois' human life rarely enter the boy's mind now. Only once has Alois even thought of Ciel Phantomhive and yet there was no emotion behind it. He did not feel rage or hate towards the other boy. In fact, Alois felt content and it was all thanks to Ciel. On occasion Claude and Alois would speak of the last few hours leading up to both's deaths. Alois getting his skull crushed by Claude and Claude realizing upon dying his feelings towards Alois. If anything Alois felt thankful towards Ciel Phantomhive. Had it not been for the events surrounding him, Claude would have never realized. Never realized how true Sebastian's words were. How Alois had won and been stringing Claude along the whole time.
But very rarely did the two speak if this. The past was mostly forgotten in this hazy world of fantasy where things just narrowed down to Alois and Claude.
"I care not for how late you wish to stay up." Claude's arms are fastened tight around Alois and have no intention of letting go. The bluebells around them are no doubt crushed beneath their backs. While both sets of eyes could be watching the now fading stars, instead the eyes are locked. Faded blue, with almost hints of grey, staring fully back at tawny golden ones, with almost hints of a rustic color.
"Claude, say my name again." Alois' form is wiggling closer to Claude's in the plants. Claude actually smiles at the boy's movements and he takes it one step further by pulling Alois half onto his chest. Claude's features seem almost kinder, almost caring, almost full of love, as he gazes at the boy.
"Alois." Claude's hands are gently guiding the blonde's head closer. Alois' pink lips are parted in wonder as he stops just short of Claude's mouth.
The boy looks questioningly to the older of the two. The look in the demon's eyes conveys everything that both are feeling in that moment. Then Alois is ducking down to finally connect the two in a kiss. Claude's mouth is slow and patient against Alois' cautious lips. Claude's body language speaks of understanding and kindness while Alois' speaks of fear and nervousness. Alois' body speaks of 'please don't hurt me. I'm scared of being hurt again'.
"I'll never hurt you again." Is Claude's voiced response and instantly Alois is releasing a shuddering breath. All nerves are let go as Alois truly allows himself to be kissed. To be comforted. To be understood. To be claimed.
The two continue to kiss in that field of bluebells beneath that dark starry sky. They only part for a few breaks to gasp for breath, seemingly have forgotten that they cannot in fact breath for each other. Their mouths meet with soft, slightly wet noises, small whimpers from Alois and deep intakes of breath by Claude.
Finally when the two never seem to come up for air, they part. Alois' eyes meet Claude's in fogged pleasure. Then Alois is sighing and rubbing his nose against Claude's, long eyelashes tickling Claude's cheekbones.
"Stay with me forever." Alois says, unsure if it's a question or command.
"For all of eternity." Claude's tone is serious as he presses another soft kiss to Alois' lips. "Your Highness."