"What will happen to you then Claude?" There was an amused tone to his voice, or as amused as Sebastian's voice could get. It wasn't like he could focus on such things at the moment. He could feel darkness gripping the very core of his being.
But then again wasn't he made of complete darkness? Wasn't he the ultimate epitome? Made from hatred that developed over the years, twisting and forming into him, a demon that had long prowled the earth for something.
What was that something?
"You are getting lonely Faustus." Sebastian hummed as he turned away from the unmoving and clearly non-caring demon. "Such a waste."
Then his vile presence was gone. Claude could no longer feel it and he almost smiled, almost. He could listen to his thoughts now without having to keep on his guard. Not that he thought Michaelis would be able to hurt him should the other really try. Not even in this state of nothingness would Claude let himself fall.
Partly because he felt incomplete. There really was something he was missing, and sometimes he wished he knew what that was. Now was one of those times.
Centuries of playing with these pitiful… human had driven Claude to using them, if not to his advantage, then for his entertainment. They were quite funny when riled up but even more amusing when they were terrified. It wasn't too hard. A little touch here, a whisper of a breath there.
"P-Please! Please don't k-kill me!"
Their screams were exhilarating and it was used to be what made Claude feel alive. Now though, he had no business tormenting his play things. He wanted to be alone and he wanted the time to think.
Think. Think. Think.
What was that something?
"… hear me?"
What's this?
"… Trancy! I call you!"
Silly humans were calling for him.
"Come… Trancy…"
If they insisted.
"I call you."
Ciel looked out to the grounds although there really wasn't much to see. It was raining in the sense that he couldn't at all make out what he was supposed to be looking at. There were blurs yes, but was it a bush he was staring at or just something particularly green.
The Academy had been his home for a while now, his schooling starting at the age of seven. His parents thought that this and only this institution would be good enough to accommodate the heir of the Phantomhive family.
Of course Ciel didn't complain. He didn't really want to. It would have been nicer to be closer to his parents but this was what they wanted. 'The future of their business rested on his shoulders and when the time came he would take over everything'.
Ciel worried on his bottom lip for a moment. What if he didn't want to take over everything? They had never asked, simply assumed that every child would want to become the next holder.
Of course, he knew next to nothing about anything else but becoming the next Earl. Maybe that's why he never complained and simply accepted everything that he's been put through.
Still… he didn't have to like it.
Life in The Academy wasn't particularly exciting as everything had a certain order and all students followed a certain routine. There was probably only one student who would dare to defy the Academy's regulations and for that Ciel sort of envied Alois.
Alois Trancy… Alois was an anomaly. An enigma. A completely incomprehensible classmate of his that has done nothing but break free of the chains that bound them. By chains, Ciel thought of all the responsibilities and expectations that were draped over his shoulders, weighing him down and keeping him from rising up.
For some reason, Alois easily shrugged himself out of those chains, with complete ease and the slipperiness of a snake. Maybe that was why Alois was as he was. Manipulative, foolhardy, impulsive, and oh-so-utterly devious. Able to con almost just anyone into getting his way.
Of course, Alois also managed to just about make Ciel's skin crawl at every possible moment. The blonde knew nothing about boundaries (both personal and literal). He liked teasing Ciel to his wits end. Ciel did not personally know Alois but he was someone that the Phantomhive heir could deal with. Alois didn't back down when he found out just who Ciel was, in fact, the boy laughed and said that they would be having fun.
"The Phantomhive heir is never one to be flustered." Alois' had once told him. "I am simply enjoying the fact that I can make you blush so prettily Ci-el~!"
… and there were times that Ciel was just absolutely terrified of what Alois was capable of. Not that he'd ever admit that to anyone other than himself.
Ciel wasn't stupid, he knew that showing weaknesses was like throwing yourself into the fire. And he was not stupid that he would lie to himself. Admitting he knew that Ciel was a somewhat talented individual, he never made it seem like he was the least bit intimidated with what he'd seen the Trancy heir do.
Like stand up to the one teacher that had taught them nothing and though the blonde had been slapped in the face for his defiance, Alois had refused to remain in his class to waste his hours when he, as the Trancy heir, needed to learn everything to be at his best.
Maybe he had a sort of… grudging respect for Alois Trancy but that didn't mean that he could stand him.
There was a slam of hands on his desk and a shadow fell over his face, Ciel caught fiercely glaring blue eyes in front of him and he inwardly sighed. "Ciel! You've been staring at me like I'm not here."
"Am I?" Ciel asked as he began to pack up his things.
Alois did not like being brushed off and reached out a hand to tug at Ciel's books. "I am talking to you!"
"I am busy." Ciel deadpanned and smacked the blonde's hands away.
Alois let go easy enough but continued to stare at Ciel as if he wanted to do something… very bad. To avoid that Ciel quickly held up a finger. "What is it that you want from me Alois?"
"Oh fine." Alois gestured to himself. "Does anything seem different about me?"
Ciel made a show of looking the blonde up and down before he shook his head. "No. Still as irritating and annoying as ever."
"Really?" Alois cried in absolute delight before he reigned himself and smiled sweetly at Ciel. "Thanks for that. I'm gonna go now but I'll see you later."
"Where are you going?" Ciel asked though he didn't really care.
"Room." Alois answered before he shuffled along. "Stop by and check on me so I won't be late for class will you?"
Maybe it was his fault. Had he been born with some deficiency? He wondered where this mark suddenly came from. He was sure that there hadn't been a pentagram on his tongue this morning when he woke up. But after he escaped Maths and vacated to his shared room, Alois had felt his tongue go numb and had no idea why.
The face that stared back at him was completely the same one he had woken up with. But when he stuck his tongue out and it seemed like it had been branded with a hot iron he shuddered to think what had happened. As far as he was concerned this wasn't normal. Five minutes into staring at it though and it had suddenly disappeared, leaving Alois to wonder whether or not he'd just imagined it all.
Alois now ogled his reflection, blue eyes staring straight ahead. What he saw was a boy but what he wanted to see was a man. The man that his father expected him to be even though as hard as he tried he just could not become. The coming of age for the young Trancy heir was most important. His family would be throwing a party in his honor with a feast big enough to feed the fifty people or so on his mother's guest list in no less than two weeks.
It was a list that had not a single name that he was familiar with.
Alois almost wished he could talk to his mother and request to give his opinion on a few friends attending his party had they not just had another one of their arguments. Let it be said that he had inherited his mother's wicked silver tongue as well as his father's brash temper. Anger festered and boiled deep in Alois' heart for only a short time before he lashed out at anyone making his life difficult.
It was something he wanted to change, but couldn't find enough time or effort to do so.
"Stare any harder and the mirror will crack." Ciel's voice was enough to make Alois jump on any day. But on this particular one he found himself turning to stare at the Phantomhive heir instead. Now there was a man that his father would be proud off. Talented, quick-witted, responsible, and emotionally mature for their age of sixteen. The fact that Ciel was a month younger than him didn't help things, in fact it just made Alois a little more depressed.
"I am not having a good day." Alois grumbled but walked away from the mirror to shuffle into the room they had been sharing for the past six years. The Academy had been their temporary homes since they were eleven and deemed old enough to handle boarding school. It was much a coincidence that he and Ciel got roomed together although it was understood that they would be in the same school.
Nothing but the best thing that money can buy for them, no sir.
Alois threw himself into his bed, smothering his face into a pillow. He knew that he had no right to complain, maybe. He had everything and he meant that. Food, shelter, clothing. All of man's basic necessities. He felt that he was lacking something though, not a necessity but a fancy, a craving.
Desire was a human emotion that his parents have done everything to pacify, still Alois felt that he was quiet empty. Even with the diamond necklace hanging from his neck or the people that were there to serve him hand and foot he knew something was not quite there.
"Sulking does not become you Alois." Ciel's voice called to him. "I'd think you'd already know that since it's very rare for me to see you this way."
Alois sighed but turned over, eyes now staring at the white colored ceiling. "Today's just not my day is all."
"Care to tell me what's wrong?" Ciel asked in a rare act of concern. True enough that you couldn't quite call them friends, Ciel knew Alois better than anybody else and the same went for the other. What did you expect in a world filled with idiots? Birds of the same feather would flock together especially in such tight quarters as The Academy.
Alois beamed at the show though and took in a deep breath. "Not really. Thanks for asking though, I never knew you actually cared."
"Oh I don't." Ciel hummed offhandedly as he took hold of his books. "It's just that break isn't ending for another twenty minutes and I thought I'd waste some time on you."
"I'm touched." Alois hissed with venom before he stood up and attempted to pat down his blonde hair. "Twenty minutes you say? Think I can come up with a good enough excuse so that I can skip today?"
Ciel eyed him for a moment before he snorted. "Don't even try it Trancy. It's the last class of the day."
"Fine." Alois huffed and got up, grabbing his vest and slipping it on. The tie around his neck was undone but he'd get to that later. For now, he concentrated on sharing what he'd learned earlier this morning that had him doubting his self-esteem yet again. "I heard that we have a guest coming to The Academy."
"I heard about that too." Ciel closed the door behind them as they walked to their last class of the day. The journey was done swiftly as they needed to get there before anybody else. Baking was not an art either one wanted to perfect (there were people for that) but if they wanted nothing but stellar grades then they had to be punctual when they were having their three hour lecture. "Something about an inadequate number of students passing the board exams towards the professions they wished to pursue."
"Tough." Alois huffed. "That's not the school's fault. It's theirs for not doing a good enough job. Bloody twats they are for thinking that they should blame other people for their incompetent failures."
Ciel nodded in agreement and pushed the hair that covered his face but his nose wrinkled delicately. "There's no need to swear Alois."
"Oh be quiet Phantomhive." Alois murmured as they turned a corner into the class building. "Excuses are nothing but excuses. If you want something and you really know that you want that something you'll do everything that you can to attain it. No 'buts', no 'ifs', no 'because of this' or 'because of that'. Heck those words should never even be in your vocabulary. I call them twats because I have no other word to call them. That's a lie though, they could also be stupid and thick ingrates that have no ambition and no grasp of what life truly is."
It looked like the blonde had more to say even as he entered the door to their classroom, his gaze directed over his shoulder at Ciel but the rather pointed cough had him shutting his mouth and stilling in place. Ciel nearly slammed into Alois and was about to ask what was wrong when he saw that the classroom was empty save for Professor Michaelis and an unfamiliar face.
Alois knew when the time came to appreciate an attractive male. His knees went soft and weak as he stared at Professor Michaelis' guest. If it wasn't for the rather hard jab into his spine he would have further embarrassed himself by drooling. Fortunately, Ciel knew him well enough to grab his attention so that he straightened up, cleared his throat and offered a calm expression. "Good afternoon Sir. I hope we aren't interrupting."
Now in all truth and honesty, Alois hated Sebastian Michaelis. The man was a fine tutor and instructor and Alois admitted that no one could teach baking to a bunch of stubborn teenagers with such success like he could but that was as far as it was going to get. Sebastian loved to make his life miserable by pairing him up with the average nobody and therefore ensuring that should Alois want a good grade he'd have to do nearly all of the work. He also had some serious favoritism involving Ciel as his roommate would always get away with minor mistakes and the people paired up with him were rather competent and grade conscious.
Alois loathed Sebastian Michaelis down to his very core but for only this one moment, he would pretend to like him. For the sake of meeting this beautiful stranger who looked like someone straight out of a vampire movie. And oh how Alois liked them tall, dark, and handsome.
"Mr. Trancy and Mr. Phantomhive. You're a little early although I expected nothing less." Sebastian stood from his desk and beckoned his students in. He gestured to his companion. "This is Claude Faustus."
"How do you do?" Alois felt a shiver travel down his spine as he sat down on his regular seat. What a voice. "If I am not mistaken then you must be who Sebastian was telling me about. You've both got quite a reputation."
"All good things I hope." Ciel cut in when it seemed like Alois was still mulling over Mr. Faustus voice. He couldn't deny that it had a very nice appeal. Inwardly he hoped Alois wouldn't do anything stupid. He looked at Sebastian who was smiling. Not good. "Professor Michaelis has a habit of exaggerating things. Perhaps he has told you things that may or may not be true."
"Not at all." Claude returned. "Sebastian and I have been good friends for a few years now Mr. Phantomhive and I am quite familiar with how his stories can be. There's no need to call him a liar."
"I didn't." Ciel returned stiffly, his entire body tensing.
Alois noticed that, enough that he snapped out of his small funk and jumped into the conversation. If Ciel hated anything it was when people seemed to be putting words in his mouth. "What brings you to The Academy Sir Faustus?"
"A job." Claude answered, pushing back his slightly dropping spectacles. "I've taken the liberty of checking the list and it seems should I accept The Academy's offer Mr. Phantomhive will be in my class for Classic Literature. What say you to a bit of Shakespeare this term?"
"I say we've been through them all way back when we were in our third year." Ciel returned with missing a beat. "Of course I wouldn't mind running through them again Sir Faustus. Perhaps you can make it more interesting for us students who failed to see the reason for such petty stories?"
"Petty?" Claude repeated. "You think stories such as Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream petty?"
Ciel nodded quiet determinedly. "Someone pretty much dies in the end and for some reason there will be magic involved. If you're going to write a story you may as well make it realistic."
"Oh come now." Claude said a gleam in his eyes. "You do not believe in magic?"
"No." Ciel deadpanned. He shut his mouth after that and met the man's stare head on. He did not find a need to continue such a conversation if their topic was to be about something as juvenile as magic.
Alois, however, had a different view on that and let out an excited gasp. "I believe in magic! When I was younger and didn't study in the Academy I met a fairy."
"No you didn't." Ciel cut off, tired of hearing Alois repeat such an implausible story. "You were delirious from a high fever and dreamt up all of that."
Alois glared at the other boy. "You weren't there Ciel. If you were you'd know that Hannah was real and magic does exist! How would you explain such a quick recovery?"
"Oh I don't know," Ciel returned mockingly. "good medicine maybe?"
"You say was." Sebastian piped in. "Why is that in the past tense Mr. Trancy?"
Alois looked at Sebastian in surprise, a suspicious look coming into his eyes. "My parents removed the part of the gardens that I saw her in, in order to build new stables. She never came back to visit me once I was better but my brother got sick when the stables were almost finished. I think she was mad and took it out on Luka, but he's better now."
"I see." Sebastian smiled.
Ciel from the side scoffed and shook his head. "I refuse to believe what I am seeing and hearing. Why are you indulging such childish nonsense?"
"It is not nonsense!" Alois argued. "Just because you have no imagination and no heart to see fairies doesn't mean they aren't real!"
"And here I thought we've established that fairies truly aren't real." Ciel mumbled exasperatedly looking away from the heated stare in Alois' eyes. Not wanting to fight in front of Professor Michaelis and his guest no matter how infuriating the man was, Ciel opted to back down and simply let Alois and Mr. Faustus continue their conversation on magic.
Or they would have had their other classmates not poured into the room and into their seats. Sebastian had looked up in surprise before he let Ciel and Alois move back to their seats and prepared the students for class. He introduced Mr. Faustus who also took some of the subject time to announce that he would be their Classic Literature professor as soon as next week.
"I thought he was still considering it?" Alois mumbled to Ciel a little excitedly.
Ciel rolled his eyes and kept them on his notes after. "Maybe something pushed him into saying yes. Say a blonde brat who shares his idiotic views on the supernatural maybe?"
"You need to lighten up a little Ciel." Alois mumbled though he was practically beaming at the thought of being the reason why Sir Faustus decided on staying at The Academy. "I worry about you sometimes. A closed mind will keep you cooped off from the rest of the world."
"And a too open mind will send you flying to heaven despite your time." Ciel quipped. He glanced up at the clock and tuck his notes away.
"Hmph." Alois huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. His notes had already been finished and stowed away leaving his desk clear for some serious moping. "You're a lost cause Ciel, don't tell people I didn't try to convert you. It wouldn't kill you to smile."
"I don't know how to smile." Ciel admitted. "I don't have any reasons to."
"Tch, pessimist."
"More like realist." Ciel let out a deep breath when the bell rang and some students hurried to finish their notes while others made bee-lines for the door. He wondered what they'd be served during dinner or if it would be worth asking Alois to eat outside tonight. Leaving The Academy was bad but if there were two of them he found it hard to be refused.
It was as Ciel was pondering this that he felt a prickling sensation and a hand immediately flew up to rub at his right eye. That's odd. It had been a while since he had any problems with his eye. Years since the last time it had itched this way.
Alois stood up when the bell had rang but didn't hurry, his forehead crumpling when he saw that Ciel was not moving towards the door. "Something wrong?"
"No." Ciel mumbled and made his way out the door. His thoughts now circling on getting out of there. "I'm just tired."
Alois said nothing and simply followed Ciel out of the door and back to their room leaving the two professors in the room.
Sebastian had seen what had happened and he did not miss the smirk that Claude actually sent his way. He returned the expression with a small smile of his own. "It seems that you and I will be meeting more often the next few centuries."
"So you plan on keeping him then?" Claude wondered.
Sebastian met the question with a raised eyebrow. "Will you not be doing the same? After all, the wait should be enough reason to keep him by your side, for a couple millennia at least."
"Maybe." Claude hummed and conjured a glass filled with what Sebastian recognized with its dark red color.
"Whose is that?" Sebastian wondered as he conjured his own glass, but this one empty.
Claude tipped his own glass over the other's, transferring at least half of its content. "It's his of course. I need to sample just what Trancy has in store for me."
Sebastian scowled but took a sip nonetheless. "It's good. Not like his but I suppose it will do."
"I remember what his blood tasted like." Claude murmured. "Is it still as potent as it once was?"
"More so." Sebastian chuckled. "Years of repression over his emotions has turned him bitter although he hides it well. Your host is quite a bad influence on him, slowly feeding him and acting as his bright side of every occasion."
"You say that and it makes me think that I'll starve to death with him." Claude blew out a breath and swirled the red liquid, enjoying the sloshing sound. "His blood is tainted though, I like it."
"Alois is just your amount of crazy, Claude." Sebastian chuckled. "I can assure you that."
"Perhaps." Claude nodded and continued to sip his drink, savoring the metallic taste. "I'll just have to get to know him."
"You're cutting it a little too closely though." Sebastian noted. "Two weeks?"
"We can't all be as dedicated as you Sebastian." Claude smirked. "You've been tailing Ciel for what now, twelve years?"
"I'm just making sure it's him." Sebastian shrugged. "Are you sure that it's Alois?"
Claude swigged what remained of his drink and made a show of licking his lips clean. "Very."
"I pity Alois." Sebastian sighed and leaned back against his chair. "It's just his blood but you're going crazy."
"Feeling quite fanatical actually."
AN: How's that then? XD Finally got to it and wrote a BB fic! My good friend jellydonut16 introduced me to our four wonderful boys and I just fell in love with each and every one of them. I don't know if you can tell yet but I sort of favor Alois.
Expect much Alois praising in this fic because I love him and he needs the love. As the summary states it's Aude (Alois and Claude) and Sebaciel. I don't know if Aude is an actual pairing but I just named them something while I was writing the summary.
It's going to be a slow paced story or so I think. I'd love to hear your thoughts though! Let's see how far we can take this story till we reach 'the end'.
Nique
