Hello all. So, as I am jumping from story to story, I decided to post this one on a whim. It was actually intended to be a multi-chapter something, but seems almost better suited as a one-shot. Thought I'd let the lot of you lovely individuals to make that last decision.

Don't own Kuroshitsuji, but if I did, it'd be a lot dirtier~ ;)


Within the Spider's Web

Beautiful. Completely and unmistakably breathtaking, tiny voices whispered in his mind as he watched the child before him slumber. Golden eyes washed over every inch of Ciel Phantomhive in morbid fascination, noting every detail and storing the disturbing image of the heavily drugged, tortured, and traumatized boy within his mind for future reference.

For a moment, Claude wondered if Sebastian ever did the same thing while his master slept, but a part of him already knew the answer.

Of course he did.

He must've.

Even as the hauntingly beautiful species that devils are – at least, in humanoid forms – the young Earl of Phantomhive was on a level some of the more gifted demons still could not compete with.

Heart-stoppingly more gorgeous than Alois could've ever achieved, even if he'd not been so psychologically broken. Devastatingly more exquisite than any angel he'd even encountered. And hands down the most impossibly delicious creature he'd ever had the pleasure of tasting.

Claude's mouth began to water as he recalled the taste of the boy's blood sliding down his cheek and onto the waiting tongue; the same tongue that hadn't initially desired the bright red cells. The dark haired demon's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he recalled Ciel's taste again, a soft groan leaving his throat as he imaged bathing in the boy's life force as he devoured his soul whole. A part of him wanted nothing more than to nurture the doomed soul, just to watch it grow and see what it became.

It was more a sick curiosity, really – like letting a barrel of wine sit in hopes of improving the quality into something more one-of-a-kind than it already was.

A whine escaped the sleeping boy as if he could sense the demon's ill intentions and golden eye slid down from behind wire-framed glasses to inspect the stirring child. The pale man smiled with unhidden mischief as the preteen muttered incoherently, settling back into his nightmare with a haunted frown crossing his not-quite-adolescent face.

The boy really was an open target once you figured out how to break him down.

Claude approached the bed silently, seating himself at the boy's side and running long fingers through the finely groomed dark strands. The boy whimpered again, jerking his head away from the touch and unconsciously trying to scoot himself away. The spider butler easily followed the move, daring to gather the sleeping Earl into his arms and rock him gently.

Thin fingers combed through Ciel's hair again, silently commending the owner of those locks as sweat began to perspire across the boy's forehead and body. Drugged out of his mind and still aware that danger was nearby – Ciel Phantomhive was truly an impressive child.

And still, the boy remained as beautiful as he had before. In fact, the unsettled preteen may even look a tad more tempting as he writhed in mental agony, the scent of his fear like a seasoning that accented his already remarkable flavor.

"S-Sebastian…"

Those long, long fingers froze midway through midnight colored locks at the whisper of the other demon's name, an unreadable expression crossing over the spider's face.

There were so many ways he could interpret that call, but only one that he could be certain of.

At least now he had an answer to whether or not the crow had previously stood watch over the boy as he slept. Then again, he could understand that protectiveness and obsession. How could he not when he was doing the same?

A shaking bang outside the window drew the spider's attention to the wide pane, and the devil didn't bother to hide the wide smirk that stretched across his lips as cool gold eyes met livid vermillion.

Sebastian eyed the two, studying every detail of how the other devil held his master to him in a not-quite-innocent manner and how the boy shook at the torment of his own mind. Claude watched as the Phantomhive Butler bared his teeth and clenched his fists in rage, warning the man he'd once had a deal with not to touch his possessions.

Claude threw the crow another haughty expression and pulled the boy closer to him, reclining against the lush pillows and dragging the preteen nearly on top of him in his game. Ciel looked uncomfortable, even in his sleep, but he soon settled back down, lulled deeper into the darkness of his mind as Claude caressed the back of his head and ran his thumb in circles over the boy's scalp.

Sebastian stood watching every move from outside the window, barely containing himself from breaking the thin glass to pieces and showing Claude Faustus exactly why Ciel had chosen to make a contract with HIM and no one else.

But every time his muscles twitched in preparation to squash that damned spider under the heel of his finely polished shoe, his master's last command dominated the expanse of his mind.

I don't want to see you!

The crow swallowed his snarl of frustration and threw one last glare at Claude before turning to plot his next move, his eyes sweeping once more over his young master from the corner of his eye as he disappeared back into the night.

Claude watched the man leave, gold eyes narrowing as he vanished in a sweep of black feathers and midnight colored air. He'd have been a fool to think Sebastian wouldn't be back soon – he'd known the other demon long enough to learn that dropping his guard would be the single most foolish thing he could do when the crow was involved.

All the same, he couldn't decide what he enjoyed most about this little game; the fact that the prize – little Ciel Phantomhive – was in his possession, or the fact that he'd managed to take said boy from Sebastian Michaelis himself.

Regardless, his impending trip to hell was well worth it.


Sooo, what says you? Would it be worth continuing or is it better to leave as is?

Hope you enjoyed it~ ^^

~L-sama