A/N: Thank you so much for those people who have read and did anything to support this story! I really appreciate it.
Warning: A slight warning to everyone. If you did not find Sebastian OOC in the last chapter he will definitely be so in this chapter. And Ciel might accidently be OOC as well.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuro!
But please enjoy the second chapter!
Chapter 2: Is this fated?
Ciel woke up wheezing and coughing. Every cough seemed to whack his body as series of pain shot up his small frame. Tears invaded his eyes as he continued to cough. Even breathing felt like a painful task for Ciel's weakened body.
He was lying down on a large post bed in a large nicely made room. But it was too dark for Ciel to really know what the room looked like. Still coughing and wheezing he sat up and groaned as he felt a sudden pain on his back side. And when he looked down he was surprised to find his upper half covered only with white bandages and a long sweatpants for his bottom half. Still wheezing and coughing Ciel quickly scanned his surroundings, searching for two objects he tried to save from the fire; his parents' photo and his gun.
"Ah, I see that Bocchan is awake" a voice called from the other side of the dark room. Then the room was filled in bask of light as Sebastian pulled away the curtains.
"Seb-Sebas…tian?" Ciel managed to wheeze out as he clutched the sheets rather tightly in his hands. His lungs left like it was burning, every single cough like a blow in the stomach. Then he started coughing uncontrollably and he soon couldn't breathe any longer. Sebastian was quick to act as he took an inhaler from his jacket pocket and gently placed it into Ciel's mouth. Ciel greedily sucked in the air from the inhaler, causing him to cough once again. Then Sebastian slowly rubbed Ciel's back as he told him to breathe in and out gently.
Then after a few minutes Ciel calmed down. He shakily pushed Sebastian's hands away as he slowly lied down into the soft pillows.
"H-how d-do you…kn-know I ha-have as-asthma?" Ciel wheezed between small coughs.
"Of course I know this Bocchan. As your future servant I learned everything about you…" Sebastian said calmly as he placed the inhaler onto the bedside table. Then he walked over to the small table located in the middle of the room and poured water into a glass cup and returned to Ciel. He took Ciel's trembling hands gently into his own and helped Ciel grip the glass cup in his hands firmly. And as Ciel clumsily sipped the water, Sebastian studied him with a concerned expression. After Ciel drank the whole cup Sebastian took the cup from him and placed it onto the bedside table.
Then as if Sebastian was unleashing some anger within him, he started to scold Ciel rather viciously, "Even though you have asthma, you have carelessly run into the burning house! You were lucky that you have only stayed there for a few minutes because if you have stayed longer you wouldn't even been able to wake up! You were really lucky Bocchan that I had a doctor's certificate, if I didn't you might have even died! Also you were lucky that the burns on your back weren't serious, if they were you might have been crippled for the rest of your life!"
If Ciel even listened to Sebastian's scolding it did not affect him in any way because he just sat there coughing and breathing. And as soon as Sebastian was done speaking Ciel asked in a monotone voice, "Where are the things I had with me?"
Sebastian blinked, "Bocchan, were you even listen-"
"I as-asked you Seb-Sebastian…" Ciel interrupted between coughs, "where are the things I had in my hands before I passed out?"
With a sigh, Sebastian reluctantly took out a photo and a gun from his jacket and gently placed it onto Ciel's lap. Ciel softly fingered the undamaged photo of his parents and the cool gun as he whispered, "I at least managed to save you…"
Sebastian looked at Ciel sadly and clenched his fists at his sides. Then placing a large smile on his face Sebastian announced, "Bocchan? Your grandfather told me to escort you to his study as soon as you wake up. Are you feeling better enough to do that, Bocchan?"
Ciel nodded in response and reluctantly placed the gun and photo on the bedside table. And even though this embarrassed Ciel greatly, he allowed Sebastian to change him into a pair of black shorts, dress shirt and a necktie to see his grandfather. He knew that he had a lot to talk about with Nicholas Phantomhive.
.
.
.
Nicholas Phatomhive was a stoic man. His life revolved around his work at the company and he had sacrificed so much for it. All his life he prioritized his work over his family. Even at those times when his wife was dying from a heart disease, he never visited her. Not even when the doctor called to announce that she had only minutes before her death, he ignored the call and allowed his wife to die in the hands of his only son Vincent. Maybe that was why Vincent had left after graduating from high school. Not only because of his love for Rachel Durless but also because of his hatred towards his cold-hearted father.
Nicholas sat in his study and examined the file in front of him. He admits that he was sort of excited to see his grandson Ciel, not that he will ever admit it. Nicholas definitely saw similarities between Vincent and the boy. But he also wondered what the boy was like. Was he strict like him? Was he charming like his son? Was he kind, gentle?
Nicholas knew that the boy was intelligent; it was clearly obvious from his school reports. But the boy had nothing much in him except the fact that he masters in the art of gun shooting. Nicholas smiled; the boy had a lot to learn. Then Nicholas took out more files from his desk and looked through them briefly before he heard a knock on the door.
"Please come in" he called out and Sebastian calmly walked in. With a quick bow he opened the doors to allow the boy to walk in. Even though the boy had just gotten out of a burning house with burns and an asthma attack, the boy walked in confidently into the office with even strides. The boy even managed a small bow before he sat himself across from Nicholas with an indifferent expression.
"Hello Ciel, it is nice to meet your acquaintance" Nicholas said emotionlessly as he reached his hand towards Ciel for a handshake. Ciel took his hand and shook it half-heartedly before he released it. Not even a small smile grazed the child's lips as he stared at his grandfather whom he thought he never had.
"I am sure you are wondering why I have suddenly showed up in your life but I assure you I just wanted to talk to you."
Ciel looked at Nicholas carefully before he replied, "Talk sir? I believe your so called butler has blabbered about how I am to become the heir of your company. Do you think I will just simply agree? Maybe you were the one who burned my house."
"I assure you Ciel that I was not the one who burned the house. "
"Oh? And how can you prove that you haven't burned it?"
Suddenly Nicholas stood up and stepped out from behind his chair and gazed outside the large window behind him. "A body was found in the bakery."
"A body?" Ciel whispered as his eyes widened in shock. This definitely was not something Ciel thought will come out from the old man's lips.
"Yes a body… Do you want to know who it is?"
Ciel did not answer as he silently waited for his grandfather to answer him.
"It was the body of your school mistress…Ms. Angelina."
Ciel gasped, causing him to wince in pain from the constriction in his lungs. He breathed heavily as he gripped the arms of his chairs tightly. He trembled as he imagined Ms. Angelina burning in the pit of fire, screaming for help and mercy. "You're lying!" Ciel sneered as he glared at Nicholas, his hands still gripping the arms of the chair tightly.
"I am not lying, Ciel. We even found the ID inside the body's wallet, it's definitely her."
"B-but why? Why was she even at the bakery?" Ciel asked as he stumbled over his words pathetically.
"I believe she was called over by someone you know very well Ciel…" Nicholas said as he picked up one of the pictures he was examining few minutes ago. He threw it onto the desk in front of Ciel and went on, "We found that metal disk in the body's pocket and the disk was branded with a symbol. A symbol you know very well Ciel…"
With trembling hands, Ciel held the photo and examined the design on the metal disk. And recognition flashed through his features as he started to tremble even more. "T-this is…"
"Yes Ciel… It's the same mark your kidnappers had given you. The mark you were branded with, a mark located on the left side of your back."
"How…why?"
"Ciel, become the heir of the Phantomhives. Become stronger Ciel and avenge yourself and your beloved Ms. Angelina. Drag those who had sullied you into hell."
Ciel couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes as he let go of the picture which fluttered onto the carpeted floor. His trembling worsened as he tried to calm himself.
"Bocchan? Are you alright?" A voice called from behind him. Ciel felt Sebastian's presence next to him and felt Sebastian's arms move towards him but Ciel rose up his hand, making Sebastian freeze in his spot. Sebastian then reluctantly pulled his arms back and stepped back to his original position.
Nicholas raised his eyebrows in question at Sebastian but did not comment on it as he continued on, "But to become the heir you must go to the specialized school I have enrolled you in. There you shall learn how to behave and when you are good enough, you will rightfully become the heir."
There was a minute of silence as Ciel breathed in and out slowly to calm himself. And when he was relatively calm enough to speak he said, "Mr. Nicholas…I… Will you please allow me to think through this? Then I shall give you my answer…" Then Ciel weakly stood and headed over to the large oak doors with Sebastian walking closely behind him.
Nicholas sighed as he silently sat on his chair and called out, "But Ciel, I have something else I have to tell you about."
Ciel turned and stared at his grandfather with evident grief in his eyes as he prepared himself for what he shall say next…
"Your parents were murdered by them as well…"
.
.
.
Ciel and Sebastian sat side-by-side in a limousine as they headed towards the Victorian Academy. Ciel looked out from the blackened window indifferently with his chin rested upon his fist. As for Sebastian, he sat silently with perfect posture as he studied his master.
Ciel didn't cry once. Not at his parents' funeral or when he found out that Ms. Angelina was dead… Not once. Ever since the day he returned from the kidnappers, he never cried. But after a few months he was able to smile because of his parents but not once have he ever cried. Sometimes Ciel wondered if he was cruel, cruel that he never cried. But he knew that his tears had dried up long ago.
"Bocchan… Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine" Ciel replied uncaringly as he continued to stare out his window.
"I am sure that Bocchan shall enjoy his stay at the Victorian academy" Sebastian said as he gave Ciel a gentle smile.
But he was met with silence.
Sebastian sighed, "I believe Bocchan that I shall become your butler from now on. Please enlighten me with something so I know a little of what Bocchan is thinking."
With a scowl, Ciel turned towards his butler and sneered, "I just don't get it! I am going to a Private high school! Not some sort of nursery! Why do I need to take a butler?"
"Ah! So you have enlightened me!" Sebastian chuckled as his smile widened. "It is one of the requirements of the Victorian Academy. All students must have a butler at their sides so of course Bocchan must have a butler."
"Such a stupid requirement" Ciel muttered as he looked out from the window.
"The Victorian Academy is special, Bocchan. I am sure it will make you become the perfect heir."
"Yes, so my grandfather says…"
Then Sebastian turned his whole body towards Ciel's direction and whispered, "Bocchan… not only will I become your mere butler… I shall also become your sword and your shield, your fighter and your protector."
Ciel looked at Sebastian briefly before he stared out from the window again. Then he stated, "You are my pawn and nothing more…" Then Ciel too shifted his body so that he faced Sebastian, he glared at his butler and said in a powerful voice, "This is an order Sebastian! Protect me until the day I shall drag those who sullied me into hell along with me! You shall be my sword and my shield, my indestructible pawn; until the very last moment…"
They were both rather close and Sebastian felt Ciel's body warmth radiating next to him. And at that very moment he felt Ciel's pain, anger, sadness, and determination radiating into him. He felt so many emotions from Ciel, his new master…
A smirk grazed Sebastian's lips as he stared deep into Ciel's midnight blue eyes. He tilted his head slightly, he placed his hand over his beating heart as he whispered, "Yes, my lord…"
A/N: I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!
And please review if you have anything to say!
