Sorry for the somewhat long break! (if there were more comments I'd have pokes reminding me to post more *hint,hint* ;) )

The title of this chapter is also the title of an awesome song of The 69 Eyes, just in case you'd like to check out some new music while reading ;)


Ch. 9: The good, the bad and the un-dead

When he woke up, Kanda was more than confused about his whereabouts. He was lying on a soft bed, tucked into warm covers that smelled of lavender. It wasn't a room he recognised, looking too comfortable to be the headquarters or the hospital and too expensive to be a hotel. Outside, the sun was setting, judging by the colour and the angle of the sunrays entering the room.

He closed his eyes again and tried to remember what has happened. For days he had been held in the basement, tortured by something that called itself a demon, or Sebastian, depending on the mood. He had been in a really bad state and then suddenly that thing said that he would be freed, Mugen taken "hostage" to ensure his cooperation.

His eyes snapped open and he tried to get up but sharp pain in his abdomen made him fall back onto the bed with a gasp. He had forgotten the newest stab wound. All the others were in various stages of healing but that one was still basically open and, damn it, the sudden move made it bleed again.

A soft knock echoed in the room and the door opened. Kanda turned to see the demon, dressed as usual in an impeccable tailcoat and a white shirt, entered the room, pushing a small cart in front of him. For a moment he wondered if he had gone crazy. Maybe the blood loss had finally resulted in some damage to the brain, or maybe he was simply dreaming.

'You have been unconscious for a bit more than twenty four hours,' the demon butler said smoothly, closing the door and pushing the cart closer to the bed. 'If we hurry, you will be able to accompany the young master for dinner and a small chat,' he added and disappeared behind another door. Kanda pinched his arm, hissing at the pang of pain it provoked. So he wasn't dreaming, was he?

The demon was back in the room with a large bowl of steaming, warm water. He was saying something about the stab wound not allowing a proper bath yet, but how he needed to look appropriate for the dinner with the young master. Kanda simply stared at him, until the demon pulled away the covers and propped him to sit against the pillows. When the hands reached to undo the sleeping gown he was wearing, he slapped them away as hard as he could.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?' he asked furiously. Sebastian smirked at him.

'No need to be shy, Yu,' he said mockingly. 'After all it was me who changed you out of those tattered rags that had once been your uniform. I'll clean you up and re-bandage your wounds. Some of them still need a bit of attention although I'm sure they will all be gone by tomorrow, if you eat something and rest another night. Except possibly the most recent one, but it will not take long either,' he said in a patient tone, sounding as though he was trying to be reassuring. Kanda stared at him, trying to understand what has happened to provoke such a change. 'After your wounds are taken care of, I'll help you dress up and take you to the dining room.'

Too confused and tired, Kanda offered no more protest when the demon undid the sleeping gown, scoffing at the bloodied bandages. He allowed himself to be awkwardly washed with a wet cloth and for his wounds to be dressed again. He simply rested against the pillows when the demon went away to get rid of the water.

I need to get out of here as soon as possible, he thought. Whatever happened to change the treatment, I'm not going to wait till they snap out of it. "One false move on your part and you will say goodbye to your pretty katana forever," he remembered and cursed internally. He needed go find Mugen first.

'You seem to be more awake,' Sebastian noted, entering the room again, making Kanda jump a bit on the bed. 'It will do you good to remember that you shouldn't try anything stupid, lest you want your Innocence gone for good,' he added. Kanda glared at him only to be thrown off balance by the clothes the demon was holding.

'What is it? You don't like green?' the demon asked. Kanda's tired brain tried to catch up with the demon. It really wasn't the colour that was the problem, but the style, yet somehow the words would not leave his mouth. 'Fine, I'll try to find something black for you. Maybe it will be for the best, since the young master is wearing green today,' the demon added and turned back to the huge wardrobe that Kanda hadn't even noticed previously. Was this some sort of a joke? He watched how the demon chose other clothes and turned back to him.

'This should suit your tastes better, shouldn't it?' the demon asked, showing him what he had chosen: black pants and a black, short-sleeved, silk shirt with a standing collar and a couple of ornamental buttons to the left. Wordlessly, almost like he was a doll, Kanda allowed himself to be dressed. His mind was rebelling at the procedure but he found himself too shocked to protest. Even when the demon brushed his hair and styled it like Kanda used to wear it, he didn't protest.

'You're awfully quiet, Yu,' Sebastian noted when he was done. 'Can't you believe that we can be welcoming?' he chuckled. 'After all, you have graduated to a potential ally of Earl Phantomhive. It would not do to have you treated badly.'

"A potential ally?" Kanda repeated in his head. Was that demon out of his mind? Like he was ever going to ally himself with a demon! However, again he said nothing, wishing suddenly that he was allowed to sleep again. His body needed time to regenerate.

'Stop that,' he protested when Sebastian lifted him up, bridal style. He did his best to ignore the feeling of heat on his cheeks, knowing that he must be blushing. 'I can walk myself,' he added, trying to push himself off, but the demon held tightly.

'That's very cute of you to be shy again,' Sebastian mocked. 'It will be faster if I carry you and the young master doesn't like to be kept waiting,' he added in a more serious tone. 'If you keep struggling, you'll just tear the stitches on your wound and ruin the shirt with your blood.'

'Shut up,' Kanda gritted out, knowing that the demon was right. He knew also that it would be very painful to walk right now, but he could hardly admit that out loud. He gave up resisting in favour of trying to memorise the way to the dining room, should he ever get the chance to get out of the manor.

Once they have arrived, Sebastian deposited him on a comfortable chair in front of a rectangular table, prepared for only two people: one at each end. The door opposite of him opened and he watched Ciel Phantomhive enter, nodding a polite greeting at him, while the butler announced that, for the sake of their guest, he had prepared a menu that would be easy on the stomach. Kanda still wondered if that was some sort of a sick joke, but the butler continued by serving them delicious looking starters and pouring water into the crystal glasses, before retreating behind his master's chair.

'It is not poisoned,' Ciel informed him, taking the cutlery with graceful, well-practiced moves. Kanda glanced at the fork and knife on the sides of his plate: when was the last time that he had tried to use that? With a sigh, he reached for the cutlery and resigned himself to eating the meal while the despicable demon was smirking at him.

The worst thing was that the food was genuinely good. He hasn't enjoyed western food that much ever in his life. Thus, he ate everything he was given, declining only the dessert because sweets reminded him of that irritating Noah he had fought in the Arc. Ciel, looking thoroughly irritated, waved the dessert away as well and leaned forward, to put his elbows on the table, propping his chin on his folded fingers. He reminded Kanda of Road Kamelot.

'Well then, let me tell you why you are here, exorcist,' the boy said in a pleasant tone.

'Isn't it because your pet demon was bored, midget?' Kanda asked, forcing on a mocking tone. He absolutely hated feeling helpless, so he was going to irritate the brat to at least get some satisfaction out of the situation. Behind the boy, Sebastian hid a smirk behind his hand, while the little lord scoffed.

'I'm attempting to be polite here, exorcist,' he pointed out coldly, leaning back in the chair. Kanda was grateful, because he didn't want to be looking at a Noah-like figure. 'It has been brought to my attention that I and the Black Order have the same enemies,' Ciel continued, seeming to get straight to business. 'Rather than letting us pursue our goals separately, I would rather join our forces.'

'See if I care, midget,' Kanda replied. For all he cared, the Order could go down in flames, even though- he stopped himself before he could think about the people he had grudgingly come to call "friends".

'Yes, well, your caring is not required exorcist,' Ciel informed him, his tone even colder than before. Very obviously, the earl was not used to people interrupting him or not agreeing with him. 'I am only telling you what is going to happen and what you are going to do, so that I can successfully cooperate with your supervisors.'

'So first you have your butler torture me and then you want me to help you?' Kanda asked, not leaving the smallest doubt as to what he thought about the idea. The boy across the table from him looked like he was regretting to have started the conversation.

'It will be useful if you don't mention your stay here,' Ciel pointed out. 'Your friends had come to ask for my help in searching for you. I have already arranged with an associate of mine to provide a good cover, should they go to verify my words but, for all purposes, Sebastian had just saved you from Chinese smugglers. If you struggle too much I'm going to make those smugglers human traffickers, working for a local brothel and I'll make sure that your friends all know that, so shut up and listen,' the boy finished with a hiss, efficiently subduing Kanda into silence. Regardless of the situation, the jokes at how pretty his face is would never cease after such an "adventure". Plus, he needed to get Mugen back.

'Young master is in a bad mood today,' the butler noticed, earning a sharp glare.

'Shut up, demon, and bring out that flying thing,' the boy ordered. With a bow, Sebastian retrieved Kanda's communication golem. Kanda's eyes widened as he realised that the thing was intact, minus broken wings. 'Now, exorcist, you will call your comrades and say that I want to talk with somebody responsible, regarding a cooperation to destroy the Noah clan,' the boy added. With a smirk, Sebastian threw the golem to Kanda, who caught it and looked at it speculatively. How much would he manage to say to whoever would be listening before the demon would have the time to shut him up?

'One false move,' the demon whispered into his ear, making Kanda nearly jump out of his skin in shock. When had it even moved?! 'Now do as the young master says.'

Resigned, Kanda flipped the on button and listened to a moment of static, before the familiar voice of Marie called out his name. At least Marie was alive, he thought, pushing away the relief that threatened to overwhelm him.

'Yeah, it's me,' he said, forcing on a cold tone.

'Thank God, Kanda,' Marie exclaimed. Yeah, you could say that, Kanda thought bitterly. 'We were so worried. Where are you?'

'The Phantomhive manor,' he replied swiftly.

'What? Well, we'll pick you up immediately,' Marie said after a moment of confused silence. However, even without Sebastian's hand on his shoulder, Kanda knew that it wasn't an option.

'Wait, Marie,' he called before the other man could connect to somebody else. 'The midget wants to talk to somebody with decisive power, about an alliance against the Noah clan,' he said quickly, hating himself for being used like that. 'The supervisor can call my golem, but arrange the meeting on a neutral ground, Marie,' he added, hissing when the hand on his shoulder tightened its grip.

'Are you alright, Kanda?' Marie asked immediately. Did that mean that his hearing was alright? Kanda hoped it did. Forcing on his usual, cold tone, he replied that he was fine. He would have to hope that Komui had enough brains to not charge in unarmed, and that he had enough brains to not be too obviously armed either. Sebastian switched the golem off.

'Let's make it clear, exorcist,' Ciel said coldly. 'You and your Order will have a simple choice: either you help me and we get rid of the Noah together, or I will have to manage on my own and, when I'm done, Sebastian descends upon the Order like a nightmare. He had made it clear that following your soul would be easy, so don't fool yourself than you can hide.'

'And we are supposed to trust you to not set your pet demon onto us afterwards anyway?' Kanda asked coldly. Ciel smirked.

'Of course I won't be saying it to them like that, don't be silly… Yu,' he said in a mockingly sweet tone. 'I'm just telling you that so that you don't do anything to endanger my deal. As for trust,' he trailed of and shrugged. Kanda took a deep breath to calm himself. 'I suppose I can just order him to leave you alone,' the boy added, an ugly smile twisting his face. Kanda didn't miss the fuming fury that flashed in Sebastian's eyes at that statement.

'Young master might be going too far,' Sebastian growled after a moment, but Ciel only laughed shortly. 'After our deal is concluded, I have no obligations to follow young master's orders.'

'But you will, won't you? You don't lie, so if you promise to do something you will keep that promise, even when I am gone,' the boy pointed out calmly and emotionlessly. After a moment of silence, the butler bowed. Gone? Kanda looked between the demon and its master, remembering Sebastian's stories. Was the demon really going to eat the boy's soul? He shuddered at that thought, even as it brought Sebastian's other words to his mind.

'Take our guest to his bedroom and make sure that he has everything he needs,' Ciel spoke, shattering the silence. 'I'll wait for you in the library,' he added and left the dining room without a single look at either of them. Kanda watched him go, wondering how it would feel to have the certainty that he would die once his task was finished.

'Well then,' Sebastian muttered after the door closed behind Ciel. Kanda glanced at him before looking away, wondering if he dared to speak up. The demon stilled, as though waiting for whatever he wanted to say, acting the role of a polite servant.

'If I cooperate with you,' he said quietly, deciding to just go for it, before his resolve would melt. 'Would you make me mortal?' he asked, hating how childish the question sounded.

'Would you like to make a deal with the devil, exorcist?' Sebastian asked back, his tone mocking. Kanda scoffed and closed his eyes. What the hell was he thinking to even suggest such a thing?

'No,' he said firmly, stiffening when the demon picked him up for the third time. Silence enveloped them as the demon made his way out of the dining room and down the long corridor. In the meantime, Kanda tried to forget that their conversation ever took place. However, if the Order had help with the Noah then maybe they would also manage to remove the Millennium Earl and finally win that bloody war. What would they do with their almost immortal weapon then? He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

'Occasionally, demons can show mercy,' Sebastian said quietly. Kanda pretended to not hear, even though his heart beat faster for a moment. 'If it will still be your wish, I can make you mortal once the fight is won,' he added. Kanda took in a deep, shuddering breath.