The boy turned around but only looked at him for a second before averting his gaze, his head dipping. Patiently Sebastian waited for a reaction, an everlasting smile playing on his lips but when the first small tear hit the ground before the young male's feet they briefly pressed into a thin line.
His master was crying.
It was so long ago that he had seen tears streaming down those soft cheeks. Back then, however, it was because of the horror that the boy was suffering from. This time, he smiled. It wasn't a bitter smile, neither one of those that would tug at his lips when something happened just as planned – Ciel was happy.
The comment made a chuckle rumbling in his throat, "I would not dare.", the demon replied amused but also delighted as he took the last steps forward. Without uttering a further word the man had already picked the other up, intending to head back to the mansion. "Might I know what the young master was doing out here? Surely it is not the best of places to stay in the middle of the night."
He wouldn't protest anyhow when his butler was carrying him. His small arms slowly and tightly wrapped around Sebastian's firm neck as he began to whisper in the other's ear silently, "I've been wondering where you are. You just left me there alone, and I really got .. lonely."
Ciel was safe once again. He was always safe into Sebastian's arms. That was his little happy place where he could always laugh, be happy, weak, sad, and that's the only place where he could experience love.
Smiling to himself the male sped up his steps, seeing no need to be away from home for longer than needed now anymore.
"Why, my lord, I only did what you have asked for me.", the demon reminded not quite as mockingly as he would usually do. It was all too obvious that the boy wasn't in the mood for one of their little arguments and although the ravenette enjoyed that quite much it just wasn't the time now.
And he was content indeed to be back.
It seemed that he would never truly get away from the young male but after the past few days, that fact didn't even sounded so awful anymore. Of course, it wasn't like he had wanted it to be, for him to have the boy's soul and leave to never look back but perhaps, staying there with him was more agreeable than he had believed.
"We have arrived.", Sebastian announced once the manor came into sight, shifting the small form in his arms only a little to open the doors of the main entrance. "Would the young master like to take a bath to calm down before sleep?"
His head leaned down onto his butler's shoulder, allowing his eyes to close shut, "I did it for your happiness, moron.." He chuckled. He was so tired that he began to put everything out bluntly. "But you're too blind to even see that.."
Once home the fear of question appeared. He thought about what he would tell his servants about his vanish, but he couldn't think about anything at that moment. "Yes, a bath would be great since I have't taken one in a while."
Ciel finally returned home. Where he belonged. And Sebastian came back as well, what could probably be wrong now? The fact that he couldn't live without Sebastian? That would probably end sadly at some point. But for now, he was extremely happy.
The boy looked so peaceful now, almost as though he was about to sleep but that only showed that he truly had been worried the last few days – there was no real need for him to get much rest but nonetheless had it always done the younger some good to have his sleep at night. There was no bight to the other's words and they made the demon smile lightly as he chose not to answer.
Sebastian simply gave a nod when his master agreed on taking a bath and quickly he had headed upstairs with him, wishing to somewhat avoid the other servants. They would surely ask too many questions and not only did the boy need a few calm moments now, the older also didn't quite want to have to deal with them either.
Stepping into the bathroom the ravenette closed the door behind them, a small sigh of relief that they hadn't bumped into someone leaving his lips.
"I apologize.", the man suddenly said, dropping to one knee to start unbuttoning the younger male's blue waistcoat.
Considering the hour, his servants would probably be sleeping by now, which meant that for now there was only Sebastian and him. The atmosphere felt really quiet and peaceful.
"Were you better off when you left? You could still leave if you want, I won't hold you back." He smiled slightly while being undressed. He removed his eye patch revealing the amethyst colored eye, the mark of their bound.
He waited until Sebastian finished undressing him to wrap slim, bare hands around his neck. His weight leaned onto Sebastian's, "Why did you come back?" he whispered silently, barely audible.
Although his master smiled the words leaving his slightly stretched lips were probably bitterer than he was aware of, and for a brief moment the demon stopped working on Ciel's buttons to look upwards to him. "I have no desire leaving once again, my lord, and I will not." Saying those words the man had reached up, his index finger lightly tracing beneath the other's right eye and a small smile formed on his lips seeing the seal of their contract shining subtly in the rather dark room.
The last article of clothing had been removed and the ravenette was about to straighten himself, intending to help the boy stepping into the tub when suddenly, pale arm came to wrap around his neck. Sebastian stopped in his tracks, taken aback at the younger's actions.
"I knew you are not well, young master, and what kind of butler would I be when I would not return feeling that my master is not happy?" The reply had come out teasingly and it wasn't the whole truth, but when gloved fingers rested on the small of the other's back the demon thought that he would understand.
"Let us get you inside the warm water, yes?"
Sebastian's fingers, even gloved, made Ciel shiver. His embrace was so secure, like a bird's cage. You can't be hurt when inside one. Sebastian's answer sounded so good in his small years, so he smiled.
After he released he helped himself into the bathtub, then giggled, "Did you feed on any souls meanwhile or did you just waste time around?" Ciel didn't see what could go wrong at the moment. "It seems they didn't break anything in the meantime, I'm proud." Those were kind of things Ciel would've never said but this was one special day so he could step out of the usual once in a while. A single, thin finger beckoned Sebastian to come over, "I want to tell you a secret."
The giggle forced a fine brow to arch lightly, the man not entirely used to hearing such sounds coming from his master from it sounded happy and so it made him smile. Humming lowly as if in thought Sebastian knelt down next to the bathtub, peeling his gloves from his hands to start washing the boy.
"I would not exactly call it wasting my time.", the demon replied, "But I also did no such thing like looking for another soul. I would not do anything without my master's order, after all." It was no reproach at all for the ravenette also didn't want that anytime soon.
"However, that seems to be correct, I saw not one broken vase in the manor." Which was unusual, really. Normally the other servants would manage to break several pieces during one day but perhaps they had actually put effort into behaving themselves. He was ripped from his musings soon, though, being mildly confused as to what Ciel could possibly want to say.
"Yes, my lord?", the demon questioned, curiously leaning forward a small bit as it appeared that the young male wished to maybe, whisper something – although they wouldn't truly make any sense.
He sighed deeply, "You could've at least feed yourself. But I'm glad that's how you really feel. And about my servants, how about we tell them tomorrow morning that this all was a dream?" He was now caught in the process of tyring to find the proper words to express his feelings back then.
As Sebastian leaned in he was putting up many complicated phrases which would've probably gotten him nowhere, but time was up and Sebastian's ear was near to his now rosy lips, in a very brief second "I missed you." was everything the Earl managed to say.
As soon as the sentence was completed his head shifted to the side avoiding any kind of eye contact with his butler. His cheeks soon turned bright pink and now Sebastian's reaction was a horrifying thought for the young boy.
A dream. It wouldn't be the most convincing thing to say but it was better than nothing, and in the end they also wouldn't question their master for sure. And somewhat, it had all been a dream, something that just wouldn't last and when one would wake up, everything would be back in its rightful place.
The boy seemed to hesitate for a moment which only served to let the demon's curiosity grow – the young male always was so sure of himself that it was rare to see him fumbling for words. Just when the ravenette wanted to ask once again Ciel finally spoke, rushed and quiet and as soon as the words had left his lips he turned away, intent not to let the man see his face.
Softly the butler snickered, the red tinted cheeks of his master too endearing to bite back the noise and swiftly his hand had come up to cup the other's jaw. "Now, now, young master, no need to be shy with me, hm.", Sebastian teased almost tenderly, "You were rather persistently in my thoughts as well."
Ciel's mind was a little numb right now, he couldn't think everything straightly. His heart started to pound faster and faster as he felt Sebastian's hand on his face. Ciel's small palms reached p to hold the mans cheek and stare him in the eyes tenderly, "You're mine, and mine only, right?" He whispered nearly breathless.
All this mixture of emotions drove Ciel into some kind of trance, a state of mind where he couldn't even have the control over what he was saying. The blush onto his face turned into a much more strong shade of pink after all the words he said, but he was trying to cope with it, maybe things would turn out well in the end.
The young male almost looked a little confused, and when his hands reached up to cup his cheeks the demon could feel the boy's pulse fluttered beneath his skin. His own hands covered the small ones of his master, intrigued at how loving those eyes could look that normally held so much stubborn sadness.
"Of course.", Sebastian agreed, "And I shall be eternally."
They never would try such a thing again; the ravenette wouldn't contemplate leaving again now that he knew all too well that it would merely take a few days, or perhaps even less for him to return.
Although Ciel's cheeks seemed to heat up further he didn't avert his gaze this time, allowing the butler to see how flustered he truly felt even though there really was no need to.
"You have changed so much.", the demon more or less mused to himself, remembering like it was yesterday how the boy had looked at him after the contract had become useless.
Ciel smiled once again, he heard the words that pleased him, and more from instinct he leaned up and placed a kiss on the butlers forehead. "Keep that in mind." He said, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's neck once again.
"I'll never let you go either, never again." He spoke smoothly, smoothly as his fingertips ran through the elders ebony hair. Ciel lost himself back there, he wanted to just stay like this forever, being protected by Sebastian's careful arms. "If you ever tell anyone about what is going to happen this night I'll punish you extremely hard." His smile slowly turned into a smirk as he lay his chin onto the ravenette's head.
The small kiss that was pressed to his forehead was almost startling the male. It was such a gentle gesture, something that he hadn't expected coming from the younger and when slender fingers started lacing through his tresses his head tilted to the side, half-lidded ruby eyes watching his master's every move.
Even though the man couldn't see the smirk playing on Ciel's lips his own grin mirrored the boy's expression as he heard those words. "Now that sounds promising.", the demon responded cheekily, his hands curling around the other's waist to pull him closer to the rim of the tub.
"Might I know what exactly the young master is planning?"
There were a few things running through his mind indeed, but he wanted to hear the younger say it – if only to fluster him even more. He just couldn't help it, to see those soft cheeks shining with embarrassment was just too thrilling.
He removed any space between his bare body and the fabric that was covering Sebastian's. "The young master is planning to hold you like this from now on. So that he's making sure you won't ever go away." His small head leaned to the side as he placed a few gentle kisses onto the side of Sebastian's face until the point where he could whisper again, "Take me to bed, Sebastian."
He needed Sebastian more than any time right now, him on him only. He pulled away so he could get out of the tub but before he took one of his big palms and placed it on his small chest, "Take me out of here before that explodes."