A/N: I am not a religious person in the least. Agnostic, and proud of it. I do not mean to offend anyone by talking about religion here. This is just… mine and Ciel's interpretation, I guess. This comes after episode 18, but before any of the events afterwards. SebastianxCiel if you squint. Written to the tune of Breaking Benjamen's "Evil Angel". I... really like this one.

Summary: "There is a question that Bocchan is hesitant to ask."

Angels

"Sebastian?"

The butler looked up from where he was carefully pouring tea, focusing his gaze on his young master. Ciel was seated at the desk, where he'd been for the last three hours working on paperwork. But he'd set the paperwork aside and was looking at his butler with a peculiar expression on his face.

Sebastian set the teapot down and turned to his master, offering the cup of steaming earl grey tea. Ciel accepted it and took a small sip, and Sebastian said quietly, "Yes, my Lord? What is it?"

"I have been thinking," Ciel said, staring down into his teacup like it held all the answers, "about God, and about the Devil. After all, if demons exist, and angels as well, then surely God and the Devil exist."

Sebastian said nothing, knowing his young Lord was merely thinking out loud, and listened dutifully. The teen took a long drink of his tea before continuing, "So I was curious whether there was any truth in the stories that are told. I no longer address prayers to God, but I must wonder if the things that are so fervently believed in are true."

"Such as what, Bocchan?" Sebastian allowed himself to concede that he was honestly puzzled by this line of conversation. He knew that the child's parents had been devout, and had instilled that in their son, but Ciel's faith had vanished in that month of hell had had suffered. He had never shown any particular inclination towards religion since. So why now?

Ciel hesitated. "…the Archangels. Are they real?"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You mean Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael? Certainly. They are terribly unpleasant to be around, though, at least for those who are… like me." He smirked at the look on his young master's face and said teasingly, "But, Bocchan, you have seen an angel before. While she was not the best representation, this shouldn't surprise you so."

Ciel visibly collected himself, frowning at his servant. "I've told you not to use that tone on me." He set the tea down on the desk, lacing his fingers together. "…What about demons? The stories of Lucifer, the Deadly Sins, and the Fallen?"

A small smile crossed Sebastian's face as he realized that there had been something else in Ciel's voice than just curiosity. The child was looking for something, some bit of information that he wanted to know. His eyes shone softly crimson as he said, "Lucifer indeed led a rebellion in Heaven, and the Fallen were banished to Hell as punishment for their transgressions against God." Making his way around the desk to lay his hand on Ciel's shoulder, he continued, "And it is true that Lucifer and the six Princes of Hell are the patrons of the Deadly Sins." He leaned down to whisper teasingly in Ciel's ear, "But none of them are as entertaining as my Bocchan, not even Asmodeus."

Ciel swatted at him, flushing as he recognized the name. "Shut up, Sebastian." He looked down at his abandoned cup of tea again, seemingly uncertain. Sebastian watched in silence for a few moments before murmuring, "There is a question that Bocchan is hesitant to ask."

The chair squeaked as Ciel turned it to face away from Sebastian, blocking the demon's view of the little nobleman. "I was just wondering if you had wings, then. Like an angel. If demons are just fallen angels."

He could hear the faint smirk in Sebastian's voice as the demon replied, "Only the original Fallen retain true wings. Lesser demons born or created in Hell have only small wings, if they have them at all, that correspond to their particular animalian motif. For example, I am a Raven."

"I see…" Ciel sounded faintly disappointed. He stared out the wide window behind his desk, still not looking at his butler. The faint sound of shifting fabric caught his attention, and he spun the chair around just in time to catch sight of Sebastian shrugging out of his neatly pressed white shirt, his tailcoat and waistcoat already neatly folded on the desk. Ciel's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he demanded quickly, "What are you doing?"

"Well, Bocchan, I would prefer not to ruin my clothing." Sebastian said with a small, somewhat mocking smile. He watched Ciel's mouth open in a small 'O' of surprise, before the child started to ask another question. But Sebastian silenced him by holding a finger to his lips, smiling genuinely now. "Just watch, Bocchan."

Ciel gazed intently at the demon, determined not to miss whatever was about to happen. But in the space of a blink, he was forced to gasp in utter shock as huge, black-feathered wings spread from Sebastian's shoulders. The demon shifted, letting them stretch to their full span, nearly touching the walls of the room, before folding them in closer to his back. "This is rather uncomfortable in a human skin, but it will do for the moment." Warm claret eyes came to rest on Ciel. "Well, Bocchan?"

Ciel stood from his chair as if in a trance, walking around the desk and coming to a stop in front of Sebastian. "…Angel…" he whispered softly, reaching out to touch the trailing end of one wing. Sebastian smiled softly.

"Demon, Bocchan." he corrected lightly. "Though they were an angel's wings once."

A sapphire eye blinked up at him in undisguised awe. "You were a fallen angel? You waged war on God?"

Sebastian shook his head. "I sympathized with Lucifer, only. But at the time, that was enough." Seeing the young earl's fascination, he let his wings open a bit, enjoying the sensation of small, curious fingers combing through the feathers. "I am glad to have retained my wings, if Bocchan likes them this much."

Ciel snatched his fingers back as if burned. "They're… different, is all." he defended himself.

"Bocchan, it is okay to be a little childish at times." Sebastian said softly. "There is no one here to object to your curiosity." He took one of Ciel's small hands, guiding it back to the feathers. Seemingly against his will, the boy stroked them gently.

"They are an angel's wings…" he murmured again. "An evil angel, though you are not so evil to me…"

They stayed like that, unspeaking, for a long time. But it was a comfortable silence. And when Sebastian finally had to hide his wings away again and return to his duties, a single raven-black feather was left behind. Ciel retrieved it from the carpet, holding it and lightly running one finger along it, a tactile reminder of the angel watching over him; his evil angel, who did not belong to God.

Until he could safely tuck it away in his bedside table, he did not relinquish the feather for the rest of the day.