Chapter 1 - Greeting
Claude strutted towards the forest, which separated the Trancy and Phantomhive Households. He looked up into the air in confusion and leant down beside and tree and heaved a great sigh. "…What's wrong with me?" He muttered to himself. "How do I get…. emotions?"
He looked down at the grassy floor of the forest, thinking things like: 'Doesn't everyone do the same? Don't they all think I'm a displeasing sight to their eyes?' The more he thought, the more he felt saddened, until he felt a bucket of water thrown onto his head.
Claude shut his eyes and frowned, swept back his hair and looked back up to find Sebastian smirking at him.
"…What are you doing here?"
The man who stood in front of him replied, "I'm just doing my duties, and it's not me who should answer that question, it's you."
Sebastian walked around Claude, looking at his dampen clothes, his expression, and those moonlight reflected glasses.
"Oh my, look how tattered you are…"
"The last thing I need is you to mock and jeer at me, Michaelis. Now please leave me so I could rest at ease."
"You weren't at ease before I came here. What's the difference if I leave?"
"…Just please leave me to my solitude."
"Solitude? Hn… sounds rather harsh. I'm here."
"And I'm not planning to tell you anything nor do anything. You are just wasting your time."
"Just tell me –" Sebastian started - only to be yanked by his tie.
"…I already told you to leave me alone to my desolate life. Please go away. This is your last warning." Claude gritted his teeth, then suddenly let Sebastian go, his head turned away once more. "…I apologize. You have nothing to do with this situation. And I hurt you. Sorry." Claude whispered in a hoarse voice.
Sebastian blinked, surprised. He stared at the man silently, kneeling down to concentrate on his face - more importantly, his eyes. Claude's eyes had faded to a dull yellow, unlike the sharp, clear gold like it was in the past. It was almost…lifeless. And at the corner of his eye were a little dampness, silver by the reflection of the moonlight.
"Faustus, are you…crying?" Sebastian looked at the man in shock.
"Do-don't mock me, you animal." Claude's frame slightly shook as he tried not to let his sentiments get the better of him.
Sebastian sat beside the teary demon and gave him a handkerchief.
"…Don't underestimate me, Michaelis. Now off you go." Claude kept his head down and blinked away the salty droplets of tears.
"No, you shan't underestimate me. I want to help you. I'm not that kind of demon who would laugh and sneer at your weaknesses. You do know that, as my rival, am I right?"
"…Maybe." Claude spoke, his voice cold and rather harsh.
"I think you should go back to your manor and take a rest."
Claude didn't reply. He just bowed his head even further, letting his glasses fall into the damp grass beneath him.
"…Faustus?" Sebastian questioned, trying to look Claude's face, which was whiter than usual, making his eyes look even darker crimson than it should be. And his expression was just…bitter. At that moment, Sebastian realized. Claude was already broken. The demon before him, that demon whose heart was nothing but a lump of never melting ice, that demon who had supposedly no emotions, was sobbing ever so slightly, his breaths into the cold air as a small cloud of smoke.
"Did your master…. abandon you?" He gulped.
Claude looked up coldly and glared at Sebastian. "And what if he did?" He growled, his words stinging the cold air around them.
Sebastian didn't do anything but stare back, his expression somehow soft and loving.
"Why are you looking at me like that, Michaelis? I do not seek your pity. Don't look at me the way I don't deserve. Don't look at this monster that everyone hates." Claude snarled.
"…I'm sure not everyone hates you."
"Prove it."
"No Faustus, you prove it. Prove that everyone hates you so much."
"…Your master hates me for being one of the servants of the Trancy household; my master hates me for lacking emotion, and you. You hate me because I am your rival. And every other human and demon hates me because…I'm a demon. Is that not true? Even the ones I have feelings for…dislike me…" Claude drifted off.
"Are you stupid? Is this the kind of things you think? Everyday? Is that why you're always so…emotionless? Are you out of your mind? You're an idiot for thinking all these kind of things."
"Then what do I do? What do I do to be more emotional, to be…less lonely? What do you think? What do you think I should do, as a demon, to be less lonely, to be more like you-" Claude paused and looked back to the ground.
"To be more like…me?" Sebastian repeated.
"I didn't say...well, yes. And now you are going to mock me again for being the weak one here." He spoke quietly.
"You're such an idiot. It's not-"
"Your master loves you, the servants of the Phantomhive Manor loves you, and even that crazy Shinigami is in love with you! Don't try to hide your happiness, Michaelis. I don't know what your feelings are, but I know it's the complete opposite of my own."
"You don't know…anything. Darn it, you are such a moron! Stop being such a…depressed freak! Just wake up already!" Sebastian half yelled at him, in a rasp voice, frustrated just by seeing Claude sitting there, head bowed, silent tears slowly dripping from his dull, soulless eyes.
Claude didn't respond, his head was still bowed down, Sebastian's words hadn't affected him much, only let him fall even deeper into depression.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Stop denying everything!" Sebastian glared at him in fury, as he slapped across Claude's face, the sound echoing through the icy cold forest, leaving a red mark on his ghostly white skin. The force made Claude's neck snap towards his left side, and suddenly, a small smirk crept from the corner of his lips.
Claude slowly turned his head towards Sebastian, then looked up at the crimson-eyed man and smirked even more. "I'm not denying anything. I'm just telling the truth. I knew it- you really do hate me don't you? You really did start mocking me for being weak, being the 'depressed freak' I am."
"Then lay your anger onto me. I don't know how else I could help you. Just punch me, let your anger and despair out and inflict it unto me." Sebastian straightened up. Claude's smirk disappeared.
"I don't want to fight you."
"Fight me, or I'll hurt you." Sebastian gritted his teeth.
After a few moments, there wasn't even the slightest reply from Claude. He remained silent; his head returned to its original posture, bowed. Sebastian had no choice but to punch the side of his face. Claude's head snapped again, but there was no response. The crimson-eyed demon then punched him again, repeatedly, used silver knives to gash into his arm, even kicked him onto his back.
Claude did nothing. He just lay on the grass, his own blood covering most parts of his body.
"FIGHT ME!" Sebastian roared, gripping Claude's hair and forcing those dull eyes to bore into his own.
"I can't…fight you…" Claude whispered, his voice slightly quavering.
"Why? Are you even…a demon anymore? Are you already that reduced to an empty living shell?"
"I don't want…to…" Claude started - only to be kicked by Sebastian and sent crashing to the roots of a tree.
"Because you don't want to? I was right, wasn't I? You are just an empty shell."
"…I don't want to…hurt...you. I must not…hurt you…" Claude barley wheezed, coughing up blood, staining his lips a bright ruby.
"…What?" Sebastian spoke, his eyes widening, confused as hell.
"…You heard. Now just…leave me. You've proved my point already. You hate me, so just…don't…follow me." Claude managed to gasp out, as he slowly stood up and let his tears flow, and walked behind a tree. And when Sebastian followed him there, he was already gone.
Sebastian put his bloody hands to his head and looked up at the sky, before looking at his pocket watch and scowling, washed his hands in a nearby river and headed back to his own mansion, confused…and slightly worried.
