Day seventeen:

Sebastian has been unconscious for days. No matter what I do, he won't wake up. He doesn't even move. The book says that demons sleep to restore severe physical damage done to them. I didn't think those scratches were so bad that he had to sleep that long to heal them. Even if they were, shouldn't he have woken up by now?

"Sebastian?"

He didn't respond. Ciel sat on the edge of the couch, stroking his butler's hair. He then rolled up his butler's sleeves to check on his injuries. What the...the scars are still there. Why aren't they getting better? Unless he...

"Sebastian, wake up," the boy shook him, but still no response, "Sebastian, please. Give me a sign that you're still there. Sebastian! Don't you dare die on me! Damn you if you die on me! You better not be dead!" Nothing.

"Sebastian!" his voice cracked as he pounded his fist against the butler's chest.

"Ow...young master, was it necessary to hit me to wake me up?"

"You idiot! Why did it take you so long to wake up?!"

"I have no control over how long I sleep. Did you need something?"

"Yes, I needed to know you were still ALIVE!"

"Young master, I was merely in a subconscious state. To think I could die from something like that is truly..." Sebastian trailed off after seeing the glare his master was giving him. Ciel sighed, relieved that his butler wa not dead.

"I don't understand. The book says that your kind sleeps to heal any physical injuries, but the scars are still there."

"No, you misinterpreted, young master. We sleep to recover from psychological damage."

"Psychological damage?"

"The hallucinations and nightmares I was seeing took a toll on me."

"So even demons are afraid of something. What was it you were dreaming about?"

"That's something I don't wish to trouble the young master with," the butler replied looking at him with a stare that said 'it's best if you don't know'.

"Very well, so I take it that means you'll no longer have anymore hallucinations?"

"Most likely, yes. You don't have to worry about them anymore."

"I wasn't worried. I was more concerned with you not fulfilling our contract," Ciel scoffed.

"Of course, young master. If I were to die, you would've lost one hell of a butler."

Ciel shook his head, smirking. "I can't deny that."

•••

The teapot whistled, steam emitting from it's spout as Ciel poured Darjeeling tea into a cup.

"How much honey do you want in your tea?"

"N-no thank you, young master."

"Sebastian?" Ciel asked suspiciously. The butler has never denied tea before.

"Everything's q-quite alright...I-I'll be fine." The boy went around the couch. Sebastian was hunched over, his arm clutched around his stomach.

"Does your stomach hurt?"

"...a-a little, my lord, b-but it's nothing I can't handle..."

"Are you sure?"

"...y-yes, young master. Unfortunately, I cannot have s-some of the m-master's delicious tea..."

Honestly, can't that demon be serious when dealing with things like this? Without his tea, what is he going to focus on something other than the pain?

"Would you like to a novel from the study upstairs to distract you?"

"...yes, p-please..."

Ciel came down the stairs with a few books written from the 17th century, hoping one might interest the butler.

They sat in the parlor room in silence. Sebastian was immersed in a novel written by some Spanish playwright, but once in a while he'll peer over to where Ciel was, dozed off in his armchair. The young master deserves his rest, he thought as he returned to his reading. He was surprisingly doing a good job, considering how he's using human remedies to take care of him. Perhaps when we get back, I'll make the master some caramel scones from the recipe I found. The thought was suddenly dispersed when the sun setting over the horizon made it's way through the window and into Sebastian's eyes.

"Aughhh!"

Ciel woke startled, nearly falling off his seat.

"What is it?!"

"..the s-s-sun..."

Ciel rushed to shut the curtains, but headache forming in Sebastian went into a full blown migraine. He placed his head between his knees, trying to stop the splitting pain.

"...g-g-go...y-young mas.." he heaved. Damn, did it hurt.

"Sebastian, everything will be alright. Just breathe."

"N...no...y-you must l-leave..." Black mist began surrounding his body as he began to shake.

"What's going on?"

"...nooo...I-I...Ciel, RUN!"

Instincts took over, and Ciel ran out the door. And kept running until he was in the middle of the forest. He fell to his knees, his lungs fighting for air.

Why did I run?, he thought. The old him would've let his pride take control, refusing to be ordered around. But he knew just how dire the situation at hand was. Sebastian would've never called him by his name unless he absolutely had to.

How dangerous can Sebastian be? He has seen him take out enemies, hints of Sebastian's demonic nature leaking out with their spilled blood whenever he attacks. Yes, Sebastian was an excellent butler, but an even better fighter. The faded scars on his cheek and the healing bruise on his forearm was nothing compared to the mangled appearances of his kidnappers or the butchered limbs of the spies sent after him. Is it possible...am I afraid of Sebastian? His butler would never lay a finger on him, but right now his butler isn't there.

"I have to go back," Ciel mumbled to himself as he got up. He began running through the trees. It doesn't matter if Sebastian's not himself, he's still there somewhere. Whatever he's fighting, he doesn't have to fight it alone! It seemed that the distance going back was now farther than before. He kept running until he finally reached the front door.

"Sebastian?" he called out as he opened it. There was a mess in the parlor, shattered tea cups on the floor surrounding the couch that was flipped over, shredded curtains hung loosely over the window. His eyes made his way to a door he didn't realize was there, opened just a crack, leading him down a flight of stairs. The place was dark, so Ciel had to lit a candle on the brick wall. The shadows still consumed the space around him, but Ciel could make out a figure lying on the ground.

"Sebastian, can you hear me?" Ciel gasped, shaking the butler by his shoulders. He moaned in response. "Sebastian?"

"Hello, young earl," Sebastian greeted with a devilish grin, "it's time you meet my ugly side."