"I'll lick some sweet sweet chocolate, some real, some fake, ah... Who cares if it's real or not? It's delicious and filled with additives"- "Rotten Scoundrels and Chocolayte": Miku Hatsune
Eternally Bound
Third Chapter: That Marked Angel, Covenant
Ciel followed Sebastian relentlessly through the sanctum of sin and humanity. He did not allow himself to look over at the sickly people that decorated the streets; the naked abominations known as mankind. No, he would most certainly not look at such a wretched spectacle.
Sebastian, however, had no qualms with ogling the peasants that sat by the street side. He whispered dark tales to Ciel about "what that person did as a young girl, or why that man is so poor now, or why exactly this person was starving on the street". Ciel accepted his cold words cumbersomely and nodded shortly every time Sebastian felt the need to comment; growing quite tired of this devil's blatant obliviousness to the morbid observations he made along their way.
They had both, after an exchange of few words and slight irritation, left the inner heart of the city at which they had met. They began traveling through the somewhat catacomb-like streets to the place Sebastian would form the contract with Ciel. Finally leaving the mouth of town, Ciel heaved a sigh of relief. He was glad to be ridden of the troubling thoughts he occurred whilst viewing the daily lives of near bottom feeders.
"Sickening, isn't it?" Sebastian commented darkly as he noticed Ciel's apparent reprieve. "The way humans are so desperate for food and water, or even a scrap of affection at that." Ciel nodded solemnly and continued on following the elder man throughout little pathways amongst the long deadened grass.
When they reached the end of the path, they came across a hill with a lone tree sitting on it, acting as if it were shielding the faintly verdant plants below from the clouds that offered little light. As the two ventured up the hummock, Ciel blinked in surprise when he reached the top and gazed upon what lied below.
A dark castle lay sandwiched in between two valleys, the courtyard only visible because of the monstrous height the hill was. The front gate was as wide as could be, and the pitch black metal was slightly worn with slight chips as it began to rust and fade with time. Bouts of ivy swiveled up the side of the disconcerting mansion, nearly covering the crimson worn wooden door. Sebastian noticed Ciel's longer than needed gaze upon his abode and smirked, taking in his bemused expression.
"This is my home," Sebastian breathed in the crisp air, chilling his placid skin. "You do not have anywhere else to stay, correct?"
"Yes…" Ciel murmured almost begrudgingly, not particularly looking forward to setting foot in an eerie place as such. He knew what Sebastian was implying- that he stay and live with him. The idea of living with a devil alone, regarding the peculiar place was enough to send uncanny shivers up his spine.
"-Then you will live with me," Sebastian stated in a tone, waiting for Ciel to make an objection. Ciel instead waved a hand back and forth, dismissing it- although he was not too keen on the matter of living with the demon, he had no where else to go.
The duo carefully trotted down the hill, and Ciel looked at the back of Sebastian as he followed closely behind him.
Something was… different about him. He was something Ciel had never seen before- yes, he was devil, and a somewhat sneering and conniving one from what Ciel had learned about him in the short span of introduction; but there was something about him that made him feel… warm inside. As if there was a candle inside of him that had never been lit, and Sebastian provoked a flame to ignite for the first time and brighten his begrudged darkness.
His stomach churned in disgust as he realized what he had just pondered- it sounded as if he thought the demon was his soul mate! How could he possibly assume that such a dastardly creature was his soul mate; the one his invisible red string of fate was tied to? Sebastian is male, also- was it not a sin for men to be together? Ciel had not cast aside his loyalty to the Lord yet, he was still in fact an Angel of Virtue. So why would God bind him to another man?
It would be absolutely impossible for Sebastian, a devil, to be his soul mate- he was a male angel, and male angels do not have male soul mates that are demons.
He was quite pleased with himself as he successfully diminished his internal conflict when they finally reached the metal gate. The gate was chained with a heavy lock that was nearly the size of Ciel's head, and he wondered what key could possibly be big enough to fit in the lock. Sebastian extended his hand and twirled his finger around in a circular motion, and much to Ciel's astonishment he heard clicks and gears turn as the lock began to undo itself. The internal levers pulled and released, and the lock clattered to the cobble stone ground.
Sebastian pushed the rusty gates open and beckoned for the younger male to continue following him.
They walked through the opening garden that extended towards the front door, many figurines molded out of shrubbery and mosses. A lapis lazuli dyed pond sat in the middle of the garden utopia, giving Ciel an odd feeling of assurance as he viewed the lovely spectacle.
He was confused when they walked around the front door and into the courtyard, only to have his mystification answered once he sat gaze upon a slab of stone that sat forlorn. He felt himself instinctively creep towards the seat sit down promptly, as if he were in a hypnotic state. Dusting down his cloak, he ran his hands around the fine marble that pleated the edges of the seat.
This is where he would be marked.
"I will need to mark you as my prey to form the contract. The more visible the mark, the more stronger our bond and your rein over me in your time of need," Sebastian said, eyes locked on the inquisitive angel. He walked over to the Ciel and stood for a moment in idle, then leaned down on one knee and cupped the younger one's face in his yearning hands.
"Now, where would you like to be marked?" he murmured, his voice low and breathy. Ciel shuddered, feeling the devil's cold breath push against his lips. His unsuspecting body automatically locked into place; shock and foreign emotions surfacing within him.
Sebastian's eyes penetrated into Ciel's azure orbs, having no qualms with waiting for the angel's answer. He could stare into the deep pools of cobalt for eternity, he was so captivated by his dark pools of blue.
"….My eye," Ciel gave in after a few moments of trying to still his sporadic heart that threatened to burst out of his chest, "My right eye."
Sebastian jutted his lip out, displeased to have his momentary object of affection, Ciel's eyes, proclaimed to be marked. Still, the price to pay was a very meager compared to the reward he would be receiving in the end.
"Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for your wish? This fact will remain impenetrable and irrevocable for all of eternity. I will be eternally bound to you by a sacrifice, a wish... and a covenant," Sebastian forewarned and brushed a tender hand over Ciel's right eye. He stroke Ciel's cheek with his thumb therapeutically.
He suddenly stopped his seemingly tender caress and moved his thumb to Ciel's eyelid. He pressed it down gently, closing it; effectively giving Ciel the look of lethargy or seduction.
The latter's mind was proclaiming that Sebastian was being a bit too bold, whilst his body was welcoming the warm gesture with open arms.
"Yes," he murmured and leaned slightly into the demon's palm. He then gripped Sebastian's hand and moved it away from his eye firmly, now staring up at him with a determine gaze of saxe melancholy. "So long as you fulfill my wish of being human and finding my soul mate; the only one for me. Afterwards, you may have my soul." Sebastian's lips curled back in pleasure, revealing his white fangs.
"This will hurt," he cooed, voice sickly sweet as his breath continued to weigh on Ciel's own. Ciel nodded hesitantly and closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to start.
The devil smiled as his newfound prey shut his eyelids, waiting for him to begin the ritual. He reached a lone hand up to the young man's plush cheek and stroked it once again, a passionate feeling taking place deep within his mesh. This time, the sensation burned so fervently there was no denying, nor ignoring the matter. He could now fully discern the contrived feelings; suddenly aware of his stuttering heart whenever he cast so much as a quick glance upon Ciel.
He smirked at this epiphany and found his lips meeting Ciel's, pressing them heatedly against his slightly parted pink lips. Ciel blinked in surprise at this gesture and his eyes immediately popped open, his senses hastily becoming panicked and frazzled at the unexpected change of pace.
His hands fidgeted at his sides in embarrassment and downright confusion, yet he did not find himself moving away nor denying Sebastian. No. If anything, he found himself leaning into the evocative kiss ever more, yearning for a brush of the devil's soft tongue or the feel of his breath on his own once again.
He wrapped his arms around the Sebastian's firm neck, his mind clouded with fuzzy thoughts that traveled through his mind intermittently. He could not discern a word the thoughts were carrying, but he knew they were filled with giddiness and ardor.
After many moments of pure silence as they both indulged, Sebastian's lips trailed up to Ciel's right eyelid, and he pecked it gently.
And that was when he felt the pain.
Fire blazed throughout his right eye, and he gasped and reflexively flinched back, effectively hitting the back of his head on the stone bench. He squirmed in his seat as the scorch began to spread throughout his entire eye, consuming his vision with nothing but blind darkness. The pain kept on sweeping through his pupil, his cornea, everything as he struggled within his seat. Sebastian's hands planted on either side of Ciel's body as to not let him squirm away.
Finally deciding to abide and wait out the searing pain affliction, Ciel fisted his sheath and bit his lip, hoping to stop himself from shouting countless obscenities or screaming out in utter torment. Sebastian's warm lips continued to stay pressed to his eyelid, and Ciel found himself wondering if he was actually enjoying his useless writhes.
After many moments of hapless torture, he was overjoyed to discover the burning fire slowly start to fade away. His eye began to feel numb in an almost ashen-like state.
He quirked his left eye open to see Sebastian huddled over him almost protectively, still kissing his unfeeling eye. He felt Sebastian's lips slowly move away from his skin, and he hesitantly opened his right eye. As soon as he did so, he winced as soreness struck his iris. He irritably gazed about the inner courtyard of the mansion, then looked up at the malevolent man who was peering down at him.
"You hit your head quite hard," he chuckled and held a helping hand out towards Ciel, "Young Master." Ciel puckered an eyebrow in confusion and eyed the hand that was outstretched towards him. He hesitantly grasped it and stood up, the pain of his right eye putting him in a slight state of dependency.
"'Young'?" Ciel still questioned. He lightly tapped his fingers over his eyelid. It felt as if needles were prodding his cornea as he did so.
He winced when the thoughts of Sebastian kissing him filled his congested head. His mind couldn't handle the chagrin or vulnerability right now, he was too tired and weak from his ordeal to do so.
Besides, the kiss probably had something to do with marking Ciel as Sebastian's prey, hence why he kissed him so amorously.
...Right?
"Why, of course," Sebastian purred, making Ciel jolt. He thought for a fleeting moment that Sebastian was answering his internal conflict.
Sebastian let go of Ciel's shaking hand and stood tall. "You are younger than myself, are you not? Hence, "Young Master". "
Ciel puffed out his cheeks, slightly vexed by the fact the devil had just assumed he was already older than him.
"I am 1,294 years old," he proclaimed proudly and crossed his arms. He was very sure that he was older than Sebastian- after all, he is an Angel of Virtue. There were many other angels in Heaven, including Purity, Joy, Knowledge, and countless others Ciel never found himself too interested in; all of them were too narrow minded for his tastes. He was one of the younger angels in the world of Heaven- virtue was birthed in the first human mind a little over 1,000 years ago, resulting in the creation of Ciel.
Although he was one of the younger inhabitants of the Holy Gardens, he was no fool- an Angel of Virtue was all-knowing and very determined to set about their future. So, in conclusion, he was not too keen of the notion that Sebastian was older and perhaps wiser.
Sebastian smirked in beguilement, and Ciel felt his heart sink as he recognized the cocky grin.
"I am 3,141, Young Master," he decreed smugly. Ciel clicked his tongue in displeasure, abruptly defeated.
"Your eye will heal soon," Sebastian promised solemnly as he began to walk Ciel out of the courtyard, "Although the color and contract symbol will stay, I am afraid."
Ciel quirked his head to the side in perplexity, not sure what Sebastian said about his eye color never returning. As they both strode by the translucent pond, he curiously gazed in it, only to have his mouth pop open in utter shock.
His eye was a luminescent violet color; the shade of the sunset compared to his other eye that was akin to an afternoon sky. The rich color contrasted with his gleaming ivory skin, and he found himself in awe at his utter change in appearance. Boldly outlining his pupil was a rimmed contract symbol, and he touched his delicate fingers to his eye cumbersomely.
Sebastian noticed how quiet Ciel was being and turned around to find the latter gazing at his reflection in the pond, tracing lightly over the outline of his pupil with his hand. He walked over to him and held up the back of his left hand, and Ciel looked up inquisitively.
He studied the back of the mystifying contract that was adorned on the elder male's skin; the same contract symbol that caressed his previously cobalt blue eye.
"We match," Ciel joked wearily, slightly bothered by the odd observation. He proceeded to follow Sebastian indoors, reaching the worn carmine door. Sebastian opened it promptly, shutting it behind them with a slight thump as they entered a large open room.
Located in the large entryway was a grand staircase that curled upwards, the edges intricate with metal leaves and exquisite designs. The room itself was nearly bare, a lone table sitting in the middle with a wilted rose hanging out of a vase. Fall leaves were scattered around it, almost symbolically. The ground was made of cold cement, and Ciel found goose bumps creep upon his skin, either from the chilliness of the room or from the emitted unwelcome air.
"I apologize," Sebastian confessed earnestly and moved ahead of Ciel. He discarded his night colored cloak on a coat hanger in the far corner of the room. "This abode may not be suitable for the Young Master- this mansion is no palace in Heaven as you can see."
"As long as it's livable, I do not care," Ciel rolled his eyes, not wanting to be worried about. He followed Sebastian's steps, discarding his own snow cloak on the hanger. He found his feet sluggishly scrape against the cold grown, and he glowered as he tried to heave himself up but only came face to face with a loud yawn.
"You must be tired," Sebastian conjured, pointing out Ciel's lethargy. "After all, you have been through quite a lot today now, haven't you? Would you like some food to liven you up?"
Ciel agitatedly took note of the sudden kindness the devil presented now that he was contracted to him. The only reason Sebastian was being so generous was because Ciel is his upcoming meal.
…Although, in perspective, it was much better than being treated like utter trash, which was how most devils treated angels when happened upon.
Come to think of it, he was acting surprisingly proper for a devil even when they had first exchanged words. Was he not a savage brute like the others? Was he a much more deep and complex being, a diamond in the rough?
Inquisitiveness settled about the angel as he found his interest more and more piqued by the devil that stood before him. That curiosity was quickly diminished, however, by his haze of drowsiness that continually clouded his mind.
"I am fine, I assure you," he grumbled and leaned on the banister of the staircase for reassured support. He was not one to be doted upon. All he wanted was to be left alone so he could sleep- he could make it to his room by himself without any provocation on Sebastian's part.
"…But if you would truly like to please me, could you fetch me a drink of water? I am absolutely parched." He desperately wished that Sebastian would leave already, as his legs were beginning to wobble; threatening to give out from tiredness.
"Yes, my lor-" Sebastian began by placing a hand across his heart in oath, but stopped mid sentence as Ciel slinked down from the banister, his tired muscles giving out after being through the ordeal of pain he had faced earlier. The devil caught him before he could hit the ground and held him up with one arm. He eyed the sleeping male dubiously. Ciel's comatose face was peaceful, his dark lashes dusted upon his cheeks.
Hmph. So Young Master did not want to be taken care of, now did he? This was utterly unacceptable, seeing as how he was now Sebastian's master. What kind of servant would Sebastian be if he were to do anything but dote upon his young lord?
He lunged Ciel carefully over his shoulder, mindful not to jostle the sleeping fallen angel. He climbed up the harrowing staircase and walked down the dark corridor, taking mind to replace the candle wick soon as it were burning quite low. Ciel stirred slightly in Sebastian's arms, and the devil chuckled as the younger male's lip twitched in his sleep.
He reached the end of the hallway and looked into the room he was searching for; the grandest room in the entire mansion: the master bedroom.
Sebastian himself liked novel things such as materialism and possession, but he found that at the end of a tiresome day he did not want to retire to a huge master bedroom, but to a tiny alcove in which he could read literature in.
He plopped Ciel down on the bed and tucked him in with a warm woolen blanket. He took a step back and assessed his Young Master's clothing, deciding that Ciel would most likely throw a fit later on if Sebastian changed him into night clothes whilst he was unconscious.
The demon sighed at this notion and gazed over at the already lit candles that surrounded the room. With a quick swish of his hand, one by one they were out in a flash, darkness creeping into the heated room. One lone candle stayed lit, burning with an iridescent ember. He patted Ciel's silken hair softly and grinned, the last candle faltering out with a longing flicker.
Sebastian fluidly opened the door and leaned on the archway, his fangs showing once again- his elatedness from prior returning as he gazed upon his newly contracted prey.
….No, that word didn't seem quite right. Ciel was more than just his prey. Much, much more. He was his…..
"Yes… my soul mate."
**The red string of fate isn't some weird plot point for my own fanfiction- it actually exists in folklore and tales! It is said that the gods tie an invisible red string around the little finger (pinky) of people whom are destined to be soul mates, and the string can bend and twist but will never break. The two people whom are tied are destined lovers, regardless of time, place, or any circumstances. The whole thing is very sweet :3
**It seems as if Sebastian is aware that Ciel is his soul mate. But will Ciel be able to give into his stubbornness and actually recognize the type of situation he is in? By the way…. This is my first time writing a kissing scene in the history of forever (I've never written one before for anything), and I found myself fumbling awkwardly throughout the entire scene (so it may seem a bit sucky because I was in a bit of a rush; I was in unknown territory and wanted to get the hell out as fast as I could) :/ Please review!
Song: Rotten Scoundrels and Chocolayte
Singer: Miku Hatsune
