Melting Shadows
A/N: Hello. Miaicegirl here. Thank you all so much for the readers who read and enjoyed my other fanfictions based on Black Butler. I am sorry to say that this will be my last story on Black Butler. Following chapter 135, I really don't think I can continue writing my past stories. I thought of writing this after watching Goodwill Hunting; therefore, this fanfiction will be loosely based on that movie. This story will definitely be a therapy piece for myself and I hope you readers will enjoy it as well.
First and last warnings for this story: spoilers of recent chapters of Black Butler, mentions of violence and rape.
Chapter 1: Passing Star Glowing Sun
XxXx
Sebastian Michaelis was seated at his office, thinking. His office was cozy and small but not cramped that it felt uncomfortable. He kept the furniture simple with two dark brown plush armchairs with a coffee table sitting between them, an oak desk with a comfortable office chair, bookshelves filled with hard-cover books, a cabinet filled with a collection of antique tea cups of various colors and shapes, and a lamp and a potted plant pushed in their respective corners. No one would have known Sebastian's profession until they glanced at the walls which were decorated with his graduation certificates and credentials in psychology.
Sebastian has remained unmoving for a good few minutes as he stared blankly at a file laid on his desk. He read the file about an hour ago and read through it several times before he threw it on the desk and sighed. He has avoided looking at the patient's picture ever since he first glanced at it without knowing the contents of the file. However, making up his mind, he slowly reached towards the file and opened it to find a profile picture of a boy. The file read he was fourteen years old but he looked much older. It was not necessarily his appearance but his one large blue midnight blue eye illuminated much maturity. As Sebastian stared into the boy's eye, he felt as if he will lose himself in the calming blue, making Sebastian wonder what those eyes will make him feel in real life. The boy had long greyish-black locks covering his left eye. And when you looked closely through the thick locks, he was wearing a black eye-patch. The boy was not frowning but his expression was completely lifeless.
Sebastian slowly closed the file, he glanced at his credentials, shook his head as if he was going to do something he was going to regret. He gave out the last sigh before he reached for the phone.
XxXx
Ciel Phantomhive for the last thirty minutes spent time examining blue liquid bubbles run down a set of stairs as if it was the most amusing thing in the world. It was called the liquid timer according to Aunt Ann who has given it to him to replace the fidget spinner his cousin Elizabeth has given him, saying the spinner might cut his fingers. Even though he knew Aunt Ann was over-exaggerating and he did appreciate Elizabeth's kindness, he was glad he got the liquid timer instead because it helped him distract his thoughts more than the fidget spinner. His head was chucked on the pillow, the liquid timer seated on the table next to his bed. It was a rather cheap toy but Ciel still found it mesmerizing. It was a clear glass container, the same size as a water bottle but thinner and flatter. Inside it had a set of clear stairs where little droplets of red and blue liquid raced down, running into each other at the bottom to form a large blob.
He woke up an hour ago but didn't have the strength to leave his bed. The family butler, Tanaka used to wake him up at seven in the morning but lately, he knocked at ten which Ciel greatly appreciated. Ciel continued to look at the liquid timer when his bedroom door flung open without warning.
"Ciel!" Aunt Ann barged into the room with full force, her presence so extravagant with her full red attire. Ciel always knew Aunt Ann wearing all red clothing, acquiring the nickname Madame Red. As much as Ciel thought the color suited his beloved Aunt, the red felt too much for him at the moment. "I heard that you angered another counselor! How many counselors have you angered this month?" Ciel felt as if Aunt Ann's hair and clothing looked even redder than usual, making Ciel want to hide under the covers. "Remember what Mr. Ainsworth said? You have to go to counseling at least once a week or else you are not allowed to start any rehearsals," Aunt Ann continued without considering the fact that her nephew hasn't even started his day.
Ciel sighed as he sat up with one hand cupping his left eye. He took his time to pick up his black leather eye-patch from the bed-side table to strap it on. His aunt waited with her arms crossed in front of her. When Ciel was done, he stared up at his impatient aunt and said, "I know. But I told you, Aunt Ann and Mr. Ainsworth for that matter, that I do not require any counseling."
"Says a child who started screaming during rehearsals, scaring everyone in his presence." Ciel looked down at his hands, unable to argue against her point. Madame Red frowned, scolding herself internally for being too harsh on her nephew. "I'm sorry darling. I'm just really worried about your future and I know my sister would have been happy to see you playing again."
Ciel nodded, still not looking up from his hands, fingering his thumb as if there was a ring on it. Madame Red picked up the Phantomhive heir ring from the bedside table and slid it on Ciel's thumb. The ring was a large sapphire ring with the same color as Ciel's eyes, a ring passed on for generations within the Phantomhive heirs and now it was his. "This is yours now, Ciel," Madame Red said gently as she sat on the bed close to Ciel, "Whether you want it or not, it is yours and it will watch over you. I will watch over you." Ciel nodded slightly as a reply, his eyes never leaving the ring. Madame Red smiled with her bright red lips and gave Ciel's head a light kiss before she stood up. "Come on then and get ready. I reserved another appointment for you to see a counselor. I will ring Tanaka to help you prepare." She rang the bell before she headed out the room to give Ciel some privacy.
Ciel only looked down at the ring as if his entire world surrounded it—both the dark and the light.
XxXx
"Now Ciel, tell me what you see behind your eyes," Dr. Fictus said soothingly, as he braided his fingers in front of him.
Ciel had his eyes closed. If Madame Red was not with him he was sure he wouldn't dare close his eyes in front of this man, actually, he was sure he wouldn't even let the man talk to him without her there. Dr. Fictus was a proud looking man wearing a full expensive suit—probably Armani Ciel guessed. He was confident, with a full smile which slit his entire face with a glow of pearl white teeth. His eyes would wander from place to place, examining everything about Ciel outwardly but never concentrating on the important things.
"I see a big mansion. It looks like the old mansion I used to live with my family" Ciel began with his eyes still closed.
"Good Ciel, go on" Dr. Fictus urged on.
"I get closer to the mansion and I see a woman on the balcony…"
"Good, good. Can you tell me who the woman is?"
"She's my mother. She's wearing the midnight blue dress she always loved to wear because it matched her eyes. And it seems like she is calling out to me."
"What is she saying?"
"She says…" Ciel trailed off.
Dr. Fictus studied Ciel with eagerness, leaning forward into his seat.
"She says…O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" Ciel recited, his voice a few pitches higher, his eyes no longer closed, a playful smirk upon his lips. "Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I'll no longer be a Capulet." Ciel was no longer sitting and was standing, giving a small but mocking performance towards Dr. Fictus, his eye locked with the doctors.
Dr. Fictus stood up and walked towards the door. But before he stormed out the door, he turned towards Madame Red and said, "I am terribly sorry Madame Red, but genius or not, this boy is a lost cause." Then with that, he was gone.
Madame Red looked at her nephew with disbelief while Ciel only replied with a small shrug.
XxXx
Sebastian sat across from his university classmate Tom Ainsworth in a small pub in the middle of London city. It has been ten years since they last seen each other and Sebastian wouldn't call themselves on friendly terms. Sebastian was in psychology and behavior sciences major while Ainsworth was in the music major during their university years. They wouldn't have met in normal circumstances but became acquaintances through a common friend. Sebastian knew Ainsworth was always jealous of him. Sebastian was popular—with his handsome face, wit, charm, and humor. On the other hand, Ainsworth was the quiet one—not because he was a naturally quiet person but because he had no self-confidence. Therefore, that jealously made their relationship, if there was any, sour.
Sebastian was surprised when he received a call from him after all these years of silence. But from just his voice, Sebastian knew Ainsworth needed help. And a day later a file was delivered to him from Ainsworth himself. He was told to think about the favor for a few days and Sebastian has already made up his mind. That was why he was having a private meeting with Ainsworth, which considering the past was a miracle.
"So, I assume you read the file," Ainsworth said as he took small sips of his lukewarm beer, grimacing at each sip.
"Yes." In contrast to Ainsworth, Sebastian seemed to enjoy his beer, taking it with huge gulps, finishing his beer immediately. He ordered another one when Ainsworth spoke again.
"What did you think?"
"What do you think? I am here with you now, the boy peaked my interest."
"He is not some sort of experiment for your sick games Sebastian," Ainsworth hissed, forcing a large gulp of beer, choking himself in the process.
"Even though I might be a devil as you always said, I don't think of my clients as experiments, Tom."
"Ha! Liar!" Ainsworth's cheeks were starting to tinge with red, his wisps of hair on his head oiling, his eyes losing focus. "Anyways, about the boy. As I said before, I want you to meet him and well…help him get better…if that's the right word."
"I told you that I don't specialize in children and hearing your reports he sounds really difficult, understandable really considering his past." The beer arrived which Sebastian took with a smile, causing the waitress to blush.
"I know but I've been told you are a notable figure in the field."
"Despite what I think, I am not turning back from what I said yesterday. I will meet the boy. Not for you but for him."
"Of course." More color was dyed on Ainsworth's face, a fine shade of red. Now he was slumped into the hard pub chair, no longer sitting rigid as before.
"Now what is it you wanted to tell me? I'm sure that wasn't all you intended to tell me."
Ainsworth nodded slowly, his head bobbing up and down like a bobblehead doll. He leaned forward into the table, his wet eyes staring into Sebastian's blood red eyes. "He is a genius, Sebastian. When he disappeared all of the sudden, the world lost a precious gem. But now he has come back, completely tainted. Now, we need someone to polish him once again. Please take care of him with delicate hands. The past psychologists, they didn't know the full extent of who they were handling. But I know you'll understand, Sebastian."
Sebastian stood up, his beer half-way full. The only thing he said was, "Tell the boy to meet me next week one pm sharp." With that, Sebastian left the pub.
XxXx
Ciel met a handful of counselors within a short period of time but he never met one like Dr. Sebastian Michaelis. He was far too handsome for a psychologist—long raven black hair, tall and slim body, and the most peculiar yet beautiful blood red eyes. He was wearing long black suit pants, plaited beige sweater with a collared white shirt underneath, dark brown leathered shoes and slim framed black glasses. Ciel believed the man would be well suited as a model or an actor—careers where those looks will come in handy. But when Ciel thought about it, maybe good looks proved to be helpful in counseling sessions to charm patients. That thought only made Ciel hate the man more.
As soon as Ciel and Madame Red arrived, Sebastian ordered Madame Red to step out the room. Madame Red was hesitant at first but eventually obliged as Ciel followed her with his eyes with dread. Sebastian asked Ciel to sit on one of the plush armchairs across from him. Ciel sat down, taking in the details of the man and the room.
"It's nice to meet you. My name is Sebastian Michaelis, just call me Sebastian." Sebastian greeted with a smile, the kind which helps anyone feel at ease—except for Ciel.
Ciel said nothing in reply, his eyes traveling from one object to another inside the office.
Noting Ciel's attention on anything other than himself, Sebastian asked, "Would you like some tea?" He gestured towards the cabinet filled with his proud collection of tea sets.
Ciel's head snapped towards him, clearly uninterested he answered, "I would if you let my aunt return."
"Then you will just have to do without it but I'll prepare one for myself."
Sebastian walked towards the cabinet and pulled out an electric water boiler from the bottom flaps. He plugged it before he poured water into it from a water pitcher on his desk. While the water boiled, he took his time choosing the tea leaves and the cups. When the water boiled, he prepared the tea, not saying a word as Ciel watched him with curiosity. Sebastian served Ciel tea in a beautiful dark blue porcelain teacup decorated with crescent moons and stars. While Sebastian served his own tea in a blazing red cup decorated with the sun. Regardless of what Ciel said, he couldn't help himself and brought the tea to his lips, taking in the soothing aroma of the tea.
"Chamomile?"
"Yes, I thought it will help with your nerves."
Ciel took a sip and visibly relaxed. After taking a few more sips, he placed the cup on the table and examined Sebastian with judging eyes. "Are you going to ask any questions like the rest of them?"
Sebastian took his time with his tea, taking small sips, the saucer held in his left hand. His back was buried deep in the cushions, his legs crossed elegantly, his eyes focused on the view outside the window. More than a counseling session it seemed more like Sebastian's tea time with a longtime friend.
Ciel cleared his throat before he asked again, "Do you not have any questions for me?"
Sebastian, at last, turned to him and replied, "I heard you the first time and no, I am not going to ask you any questions."
"Well, are you going to ask me to tell you about my problems?" Ciel asked, growing annoyed despite himself.
"No, I am going to wait until you want to talk."
"Then you will be waiting for a very long time Dr. Sebastian."
"I'm willing to wait, Ciel. I promise you I can wait for a very long time. And also, please call me Sebastian."
The silence returned, with the occasional sound of either one of them sipping their tea or the sounds of birds chirping right outside the office. The silence was starting to bother Ciel and he felt frustrated that there was no clock to signal how much more suffering he had to endure. After a few minutes which felt like an hour, he blurted out, "You are wasting my time. If you are not going to ask me anything I am leaving."
However, before Ciel had the time to stand, Sebastian stopped him, "I believe it is you who is wasting our time."
"What?"
"You may believe we are the ones asking you to be counseled but on the contrary, we are not asking you for anything. Whatever other people might see in you, that does not matter to us. We only see you as you truly are—a brat."
Ciel sat in his chair dumbfounded. Then his cheeks flushed red. He abruptly stood up and stormed off towards the door.
"Ciel?" Sebastian called out, not looking towards the direction of the boy. Ciel stopped at the doorway to glare at the man through his one-midnight blue eye. "I will see you next week, same time."
Ciel slammed shut the door.