A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter than the others but next one will be longer! I hope y'all enjoy it! ^^Many, many thanks to socialbutrfly1379 for being my amazing beta again! She was awesome working on this story :3
Warnings: Language
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji
Impatient fingers drummed out a random rhythm on the surface of the counter. The scent of toast filled the kitchen, barely masking the smell of spilled alcohol in front of the refrigerator. The pieces of toast popped up and Ciel snatched them out of the toaster. With jerky movements that barely masked his anger, he spread some peanut butter on the slices and then carried the plate to the living room.
Sunlight shone brightly through the living room window and Ciel chanced another look at the clock. Eleven o' clock. He resisted the desire to groan and instead, perched on the armrest of a recliner as he ate. It bothered him that it was getting later in the day and he still hadn't done anything. He couldn't do anything.
Alois still slept in his bedroom, along with the remainder of his roommates. Ciel had quickly learned that no one woke up before noon if they could help it.
He rubbed a hand over his face and then pinched the bridge of his nose for added measures. He knew this would happen if he stayed with Alois. Ciel had hoped to spend time with just Alois. Not Alois plus his roommates. It made for a terrible combination and if anything, the dislike between them deepened.
Only two days had passed since Ciel left Sebastian's apartment to stay with Alois and already, Ciel could feel his patience running thin. He could handle going out and having fun. Be it exploring town or partying. However, what he couldn't take was the constant bar hopping every night.
He wanted to do other things, but after staying out all night partying, the last thing Alois wanted to do the next morning was leave the apartment. So far, they hadn't even ventured outside the apartment gates. They went to the pool yesterday afternoon, but even then, Ciel had to put up with Alois's friends.
Ciel licked a few drops of peanut butter off his fingers. He wondered what Sebastian was up to. Was he working on his composition or was he simply sitting on the couch with Soot?
A soft smile stretched across Ciel's lips at the thought. He could easily see Sebastian on the couch with Soot curled up in his lap. No doubt, her body vibrated from her purrs and Sebastian would have a hand somewhere on her back. Sebastian once confided that he liked the feel of Soot's fur against his fingers because of how soft it was. Especially compared to the plush texture of her paws and the coarse touch of her tongue. Soot provided a plethora of sensory feelings for Sebastian.
For a moment, Ciel debated calling Sebastian. He knew he was awake. Sebastian almost always woke before Ciel, something he blamed Soot for. Still, Ciel hesitated. He didn't want to disturb Sebastian if he was working on his composition.
Instead, he stood up and carried the dish back to the kitchen. He washed it and placed it in the dishwasher before cleaning up the mess he made. He pointedly refused to touch the rest of the filth in the kitchen. Honestly, Ciel didn't know how anyone could stand to live like this. He knew Alois's mother would skin him alive if she saw how he lived.
But the problem remained out of Ciel's hands. He couldn't exactly force Alois to clean his room and living area just because Ciel thought it dirty. He doubted that would put him on better terms with his roommates either.
Ciel grunted and looked at his phone, pondering what game he could play today. He had to do something to keep himself entertained while he waited for Alois to wake up. He supposed he could read but with how frustrated Ciel felt, he doubted he would remember anything.
He looked up as someone's door open and watched as Alois stumbled into the living room. "You're up early," he drawled, unable to keep the annoyance from creeping into his voice.
"Not by choice," Alois muttered and winced at the bright light that flooded the apartment. "My stomach woke me up. It didn't feel well."
"I'm not surprised," Ciel grumbled and turned his attention back to his phone.
Alois didn't answer. A low groan left his mouth when he looked into the kitchen and backed away from the mess. "I'm so not cleaning that up," he stated.
Ciel grunted. "Don't look at me. I didn't partake in y'alls party last night." He paused, mouthing the words he just spoke and then shook his head. He knew Sebastian's southern words were a bad influence on him. Perhaps if he hadn't stayed up talking with Sebastian last night in Alois's room while everyone drank themselves sick.
"Aw, come on Ciel," Alois said and draped himself over the edge of the chair Ciel sat on. Foul breath wafted from his mouth and Ciel's stomach turned as he pushed Alois away. "Don't be that way. Smile."
Ciel shot Alois a dark look. "Don't tell me to smile," he hissed. "It's been two days since I came here and you have yet to do anything you promised me. I didn't come all this way just to sit inside the apartment all day waiting for you to get over your hangover, just to turn around and get another one."
Alois held up his hands. "Whoa, breathe Ciel," he teased. "It was the weekend, you know? I couldn't exactly go out as much last week because I had my exam to study for. The guys and I just wanted to have some fun."
"Well, the weekend is over," Ciel said and breathed in deeply before sighing heavily. "Monday is halfway over. Can we do something now?"
Light blue eyes darted to the window and then back to Ciel. "Ah, today might not work for my head. It's already painful enough sitting out here. But we can do something tomorrow." Alois cocked his head. "I'll even get to bed early tonight so we can leave a bit earlier tomorrow."
"That would be nice," Ciel muttered, although he highly doubted Alois would. Because he already knew how tonight would play out. Someone would suggest going out and Alois would agree without thought, leaving them right back where they started.
He hated that their friendship had turned into this. Where he couldn't even believe a word Alois said because the trust between them had vanished to the thinnest of threads. Everything Alois said, Ciel doubted and second-guessed, and it left Ciel frustrated. He wanted the trust back, but after all that Alois had ignored him in favor of new friends, he found that it wasn't as forthcoming as he had hoped.
A part of Ciel still hurt from the sting of betrayal. He tried his best to ignore it and accept what Sebastian had told him, that he had to give Alois time, but it wasn't that easy.
Ciel sighed and looked out the window. The sun continued to burn hotly outside, heating the air and making it shimmer against the pavement. The heat looked enough to suffocate anyone, yet Ciel felt the stifling air inside the apartment and he yearned to escape its smothering grasp. Another look at the clock showed that it wasn't quite noon and Ciel stood up, tired of staying inside.
"I think I'm going for a walk," he muttered.
Alois looked at him as though he were insane. "A walk? In this heat?" he shook his head. "You're crazy. It's way too hot to go out and do anything right now."
Ciel grunted. "For the past month I spent nearly every day outside and walking around the nearby districts," he pointed out. "I think I can handle a short walk."
"It's hotter this month than it was last month," Alois stated.
"Then I'll go to the pool," Ciel countered. At least there he could enjoy the sights and see something other than the inside of a filthy apartment.
Alois shrugged. "If you want. Although I don't see the appeal of going outside in this heat right now, but I guess the pool will help take some of the heat away."
Ciel nodded and decided not to argue anymore. Just let Alois think what he wanted and Ciel could swallow his thoughts. He was already in a bad mood and the sooner he left the apartment to get away from everything, the quicker he could relax. With any luck, it would let him avoid Alois's roommates for a while as well.
"I'll just get my things," Ciel muttered and brushed past Alois.
This wasn't what he wanted when he came back to stay with Alois. A part of him may have expected something like this would've happened, but not to this degree. It left Ciel frustrated and he yearned to crawl back to Sebastian's side. But, he shook his head and ground his teeth together, trying his best to bear with the current situation.
He could stick this out, Ciel knew he could. But knowing that didn't chase away the feeling of melancholy.
.:|Seeing in the Dark|:.
Ciel groaned and batted away a persistent pest. Vaguely, he wondered why he couldn't hear the tinkling jingle of Soot's bell and his eye cracked open. Alois's grinning face greeted him instead of Soot's paw and Ciel stared at him. "Alois?" he questioned, eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Of course," Alois chirped. "And it's time for you to wake up, sleepy head. We're in for a long day."
"What are you talking about?" Ciel asked and he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
Alois made a soft noise. "We're going out today, remember? Just you and me, exploring the town like I said."
Ciel's head swam and he blinked a few times to clear the feeling. He looked at the clock, surprised to see that it read nine thirty and then looked back at Alois. "But I thought," he started and then stopped to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Give me a few minutes to change and then we can go."
"Kay," Alois said and flittered out of the room.
Ciel watched him go, still struggling to wrap his mind around everything. He gave himself a sharp pinch to make sure he wasn't dreaming and hissed when his skin protested the action. It told him that he wasn't asleep still and Ciel ran a hand through his hair, surprised at the situation.
Alois had kept his promise.
The words circled his mind and peppered his thoughts. The impossible had become possible and Ciel couldn't stop the feeling of welcoming relief from spreading through his body. For once, Alois had come through and today they had a chance to do the things they had planned. He would have a whole day to spend with Alois and actually enjoy his friends company.
Ciel stood up and stretched, a small smile flickering across his lips. Perhaps Sebastian was right. All Alois needed was time before he settled down. It had taken a while, much longer than Ciel wanted, but it had happened eventually. With any luck, this progress would continue for the rest of his trip and they could truly start to mend their friendship.
He dressed quickly and grabbed his effects before going out into the living room. A part of Ciel still worried that if he took too long to get ready, Alois would find a way to wiggle out of going anywhere today. It bothered him that he thought that way, but after a year of Alois letting him down, it had become engrained in his mind. A defense mechanism of sorts.
"Ready?" he asked.
Alois nodded. "Yeah. We'll get breakfast after we had out. There's this breakfast place about ten minutes or so from here that has the best breakfast in town. Their pancakes take up the whole plate and you won't want to eat anything for the rest of the day."
Ciel laughed as they stepped outside. The morning sun caressed his skin and warmed his face as they made their way to the car. "Will I even want to move after eating something like that?" he questioned as he slid into the car.
"Haha, maybe," Alois said and started the car. "If not, I'm sure I can roll you around."
"Charming," Ciel teased and relaxed in the seat. He fell back quickly into the familiar banter with Alois and for once, everything felt normal between them. Away from his roommates, Alois eased back into the person he was before he left and Ciel found that it only proved his theory. Alois's roommates were a bad influence.
Soon enough, they pulled into the parking lot of a quaint restaurant and the smell of breakfast wafted through the air. Ciel's stomach growled and they went inside, the waiter quickly seating them. He handed them menus and Ciel wasted little time looking over the offered selection. French toast caught his attention and gave Ciel pause, reminding him of Sebastian.
"Know what you want?" Alois asked.
Ciel set the menu aside. "Yeah. I think I'll get the Cowboy Deluxe'," he said, deciding to forego the French toast. Eating them would only remind him of Sebastian, and Ciel had a feeling that they wouldn't taste nearly as good as the ones Sebastian made.
"Sounds good," Alois said and sipped at his water. "So, what are you going to do now that you've graduated? Try to find a job or something?"
"Somewhat," Ciel answered. "I talked to some companies that hire in my field and almost all of them told me that I would have a better chance of getting hired if I had a master's degree."
Alois made a face. "Even more schooling?" he asked. "That sounds like torture. I say you skip that and the financial drain, and just look for a job now."
Ciel shook his head. "I'll still look for jobs, mainly internships. Those are my bet and will increase my chance of hire along with a master's degree." He stuck the straw into the glass. "Besides, a master's is only two more years. That'll go by quickly."
"If you say so," Alois mumbled and looked around the room.
"What about you?" Ciel questioned. "Any plans? I know it's still a few years away for you but I'm sure you at least have an idea."
Laughter left Alois's mouth. "Nah. Why would I look now? I still have time and I'm not in a rush. Besides, it's already hard enough with just classes. I had to drop my part time job earlier." He paused to give his order to the waiter. Ciel gave his and the waiter left. "But yeah. I'd rather spend my time enjoying my college experience than worrying about work and all that. Why work now when I'll have to do that for the rest of my life?"
Ciel's eyebrow twitched at the nonchalant attitude. "What about your student loans and tuition?"
Alois waved a hand. "I have enough to cover what I need." He cocked his head at the look Ciel gave him. "Relax, Ciel. I got all this figured out. I promise. I study and get the grades I need, and enjoy myself. Isn't that the grand college experience?"
Ciel grunted. "For some I guess."
"Come on, Ciel. Don't tell me you didn't go out and party at least once during your college years?" Alois said.
"I did," Ciel answered. "I went to my fair share of parties and had fun, but I also knew how to balance everything. I had several scholarships to worry about as well. If I failed a class or dropped below a 3.0 GPA, they cut me off. I couldn't afford that." He had worked too hard to make it through college without student loans, applying to every scholarship available. Time consuming, but well worth the effort when he graduated without debt.
Alois clicked his tongue. "You're just an overachiever," he teased.
Ciel's hand tightened around his drink briefly. "It's what I wanted," he said. He didn't add that he would rather be an overachiever than be in the position Alois had put himself in.
"I suppose," Alois stated and then leaned forward, a sly leer on his face. "Did you at least get laid?"
Ciel sputtered and coughed to clear his throat. His face burned from the bluntness of the question and he looked around quickly to see if anyone had heard Alois's question. "Did you have to ask that now?" he hissed. "Why couldn't you have waited until we were in the car at least?"
Alois huffed. "Is that a no then?" He shook his head and looked around the restaurant. "We'll have to fix that then while you're down here. Edgar said no male should remain a virgin after age sixteen."
"Where did he derive that brilliant deduction?" Ciel asked sarcastically. "The Internet?"
"His uncle," Alois answered. "He works for a fashion magazine and knows everything. He always has the most attractive women hanging from his arms."
Ciel rolled his eyes. "So that automatically makes him the expert?" he drawled.
Alois nodded. "Of course. Now let's see what we have," he said looked around the room. His eyes briefly landed on a pair of women sitting close together in the corner of the room. "Not those two. They're lesbians," he said and his nose crinkled slightly before he turned from them, eyes narrowed.
"Alois, its fine, really," Ciel started, trying to stop Alois from setting him up. That was the last thing he needed.
Alois waved a hand at him, ignoring his words. His features smoothed out as he paused at a table with two more females sitting across from each other. "There we go. Much better," he said. "The one on the right would work but not the left."
Ciel glanced at them but he couldn't find anything wrong with either of them. They both looked normal and like nice women, provided he liked that gender. "What's wrong with the one on the left?"
"Her boobs are too small. Women aren't attractive when they're that size."
Ciel's head smacked against the table and he sucked in a deep breath before lifting his head again. "Alois," he started. "Let me save you the trouble. I've already lost my virginity, I promise. I had a few relationships in college, okay? I just don't like talking about that in the middle of a fucking restaurant."
Alois stopped looking and turned his attention back to him, a wide grin on his face. "Why didn't you say so earlier then? I was a bit worried for you. Thought you hadn't popped that cherry of yours yet." He winked. "Just looking out for ya, Ciel."
"Thanks," Ciel said and massaged his temples. "But trust me; you don't have to worry about that. I can take care of myself in the dating department, thanks." He already had Sebastian and that was more than enough for Ciel.
He looked up as the waiter came back to their table with their food, effectively cutting off whatever Alois wanted to say next. Ciel tossed the man a grateful look and hurriedly tucked into his meal even though his appetite had waned ever since the start of their conversation. He didn't want to continue their current discussion. It left his stomach churning with something he couldn't quite place.
Disappointment or disgust, he wasn't sure. It varied between the two feelings and others, but Ciel tried his best not to dwell on them. Thinking about it would only make him annoyed with Alois for his way of thinking. Ciel didn't agree with Alois's logic, but maybe straight men looked at things differently?
Ciel snorted to himself. Keep telling yourself that one, Ciel. Maybe you'll convince yourself. You're only trying to make an excuse for him because he's your friend.
He pushed a piece of pancake around the plate, soaking up the excess syrup. Ciel didn't bother to argue with himself, he already knew he spoke the truth. Some part of him strove to overlook Alois's flaws as best he could in hopes it would keep their friendship afloat.
"This is good," Ciel said in an attempt to keep his circling thoughts at bay.
"Yeah," Alois said and stabbed a piece of sausage. "And price wise, they're not too bad. Considering all that you get. This place is really popular with athletes after morning practice."
Ciel nodded and passed his empty plate to the waiter. All that remained were the pancakes but looking at how large they were, he had a feeling he wouldn't finish them all. "I can see why," he said and took a bite of his pancake.
The rest of their breakfast passed with small snippets of conversation and by the time they left, Ciel swore he had gained at least five pounds. His stomach protested loudly and Alois snickered as they climbed back into the car. "Don't worry. It'll take an hour or so to walk around the campus and then we'll catch a bus up to the Galleria." The car pulled out of the parking lot. "We'll walk around there for several hours. That'll help quiet your stomach."
"Hopefully," Ciel said as the buildings flashed by outside. "I don't know how anyone can finish all that in one sitting."
"You've never seen a hungry football player after practice," Alois said and laughed. He glanced at Ciel from the corner of his eye. "Are you sure that you want to see the campus though? I know we talked about it, but I don't see anything exciting about it. It's just another campus."
Ciel shrugged. "They have a good graduate program that I looked at. And I don't mind walking around your campus. I've wanted to see it since you came down here." The car turned down another road. "You never tell me anything about it when I ask."
Alois gave a vague gesture. "Well, I didn't think there was much to talk about. It's just a college, you know?" His nose crinkled. "Nothing exciting about that."
"We just have different opinions on things I guess," Ciel murmured.
A sign for the university flashed by and Ciel leaned his head against the window. Once before, he thought about coming to the university for graduate school. It had the right programs he sought and as an added plus, Alois went to the same school. But as they seemed to grow further apart, Ciel found himself questioning the choice to apply or not.
Still, since he was here, Ciel didn't want to pass up the chance to see the program for himself. The campus looked beautiful, covered with lush, mature trees that offered shade. A flowing fountain bubbled in front of a nearby building and Ciel had to admit that the university took wonderful care of its grounds.
"Shall we?" he asked and looked at Alois.
Alois sighed heavily; no doubt unhappy to that he was back on campus when he had no need to be there. Ciel ignored him and started forward, anxious to see more of the tastefully designed college.
.:|Seeing in the Dark|:.
People milled around the food court, their voices mingling together and filling the air. Ciel watched them move around as he nibbled on an ice cream cone. Next to him, Alois dug into a sundae as they enjoyed each other's company.
True to Alois's word, they had spent hours exploring the large mall. Ciel hadn't spent much time at the Galleria when he first went, too guilty over how he had treated Sebastian to enjoy himself. This time around though, he enjoyed the sights much more and had spent most of the time laughing with Alois.
Things felt normal and Ciel couldn't keep the smile off his face. "What are we doing tomorrow?" he asked and took another bite of the cone.
Alois hummed. "I'm not too sure."
"Do you want to head out to one of the districts?" Ciel questioned. He had already been, but he wouldn't mind going again with Alois.
"Well," Alois started and leaned back in his chair. "Tomorrow might not be good. The guys want to go out tonight and since I couldn't stay out late last night, I missed out."
Ciel's smile fell and suddenly the rest of his ice cream cone didn't look as appetizing. "You go out with them every night it seems like," he pointed out.
Alois shrugged. "Yeah, but I like hanging out with them. They know how to have a good time." He took another bite of his sundae. "But how about this? Not tomorrow but the day after, we'll all go out somewhere. There's a water park about forty-five minutes or so from here we could all go to."
"Do your roommates have to come?" Ciel asked. Alois gave him a strange look and Ciel pressed on. "Look, Alois. I came down here expecting to spend time with you. Not you and your roommates, but you. And so far, I've only spent one day with you. It's really frustrating."
"They're my roommates though," Alois argued. "Of course I want to spend time with them. It's not like I can ignore them. I live with them."
Ciel scowled. "But it's okay to ignore me? I've known you longer than anyone in that apartment and I'm your guest." His hands balled into fists and his voice quivered with anger. "You can't go a month with constantly being attached to the hip with your roommates?"
"That's not fair to them," Alois stated and jabbed his spoon into a scoop of ice cream. "What do you have against them anyway? I know you don't like them but I don't understand why."
Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose and tried his best to will his anger away. It wouldn't help in a situation like this and he would only end up snapping even more at Alois. That wouldn't get them anywhere, to say the least. But knowing that didn't help keep his lips from twisting into a scowl and his eyes narrowing.
"Because I think they're a bad influence, Alois," he said and tried his best to keep from crossing his arms across his chest. That would give him a hostile and threatening appearance, putting Alois even more on edge. "You never acted this way before you left home. Now you're skipping classes all the time, always going out, and…," he trailed off.
"And what, Ciel?" Alois snapped.
Ciel bit his lip before deciding to plow forward. "You've changed, Alois. I think for the worst." He leaned forward. "Like what you said this morning. You would've never said those things before."
Alois's eyebrows furrowed. "Everyone changes. It's part of life. You can't stop that, Ciel." He shook his head. "And so what if I changed? I'm happy with how things are right now. I don't see anything wrong with it at all and neither does anyone else. The only person who has a problem with it is you."
"Because I'm worried about you," Ciel growled. "You're my friend, Alois. You think I want to see you flunk out of college because your grades are too low? Or end up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning or something else? Why can't you see that I'm just concerned about you and actually listen to what I'm telling you?"
"And why can't you just accept that I've changed a bit?" Alois argued back. "This is my life. I don't need you trying to tell me how to live it or trying to control it."
Ciel scowled. "I'm not trying to do either of those things," he said and his nails dug into his palms. "I'm just…" he stopped and shook his head, feeling the frustration swell and press against him until his head spun. He didn't want to debate this anymore, it wasn't getting them anywhere and Alois remained steadfast in his claims. He wasn't going to change no matter what Ciel told him.
It hurt but more than the pain, it left Ciel feeling disgusted. He couldn't understand why Alois couldn't and wouldn't understand what he tried to tell him. He was only looking out for him and trying to be a good friend. But somehow, that had backfired against him and turned Ciel into the bad person.
"Just forget it. Forget I said anything in the first place," he said and stood up. The ice cream had melted in his cone and Ciel tossed it into a nearby trashcan, gazing at the bin in disgust. "Let's just go back to the apartment. I'm sure you want to go out with your roommates and I'd be a horrible friend to keep you from them," he spat.
"Works for me," Alois said and stood up as well. He threw his sundae away and shoved his hands into his pockets as they started to walk out of the food court. "You know, maybe it's not me so much that has changed but you," Alois stated.
Ciel didn't say anything and simply made a noncommittal sound. He didn't want to think about their strained friendship anymore. It hurt too much and left his vision swimming with anger.
The ride back to the apartment remained in silence and thick, awkward tension sat heavily in the car. It suited Ciel just fine, as he still didn't want to talk and the only thing on his mind was calling Sebastian after everyone left. His resolution not to bother Sebastian had already started to crumble and this incident earlier had it falling apart even quicker.
He hadn't even stayed with Alois for a full week and already Ciel felt miserable. This wasn't what he wanted when he agreed to visit Alois and he almost found himself regretting his choice to come down. The only thing that made the whole situation better was Sebastian.
The car pulled into a parking spot at the apartment and Alois wasted little time scampering inside the apartment. Ciel followed at a more leisurely pace and wasn't surprised to see bottles of liquor already sitting on the kitchen counter. He muttered an excuse and slipped into Alois's room so he didn't have to deal with anyone.
On the other side of the door, he could hear someone – probably McMillan – mixing a drink for Alois as they talked about where they wanted to go for the night. By the sounds of it, they would hit up a few clubs before heading back home. It gave Ciel several hours alone once they left in an hour or so and he fished out his phone from his pocket.
His fingers easily dialed a familiar number and a few rings later, Sebastian's voice filled the speakers. "My, my, you're calling much earlier tonight," he teased and Ciel's shoulders relaxed at the soothing voice. "I thought you two had grand plans for today?"
Ciel shook his head. "So did I," he said and sunk onto the air mattress. "But we hit a snag at the mall and came back early."
Sebastian hummed. "A snag, huh? Why do I feel that there's more to that statement than what you're really letting on?"
He laughed lightly. "Always the mature one," he murmured. "We had an argument, oh wise one, and then we came back early because Alois wanted to go out tonight since he couldn't yesterday. And here I am." His voice hardened and Ciel glared at the wall.
For a long time, Sebastian didn't say anything but Ciel didn't push him for an answer. He knew that Sebastian took time to compose his thoughts at times, mainly when it regarded serious topics. Ciel took comfort in the silence though and if he strained, he could just hear the faint sounds of Mey-rin cooking in the background and a slightly louder jingle of Soot's collar.
"I'm going to guess that y'all aren't going to do anything tomorrow then," Sebastian finally said carefully.
"Not really. Alois offered to go to the water park the day after, but he wanted to bring his roommates along," Ciel said bitterly. "I just wanted to spend time with my friend this summer. Just the two of us but he seems to think it's a travesty to ignore his roommates for even a day. Even though it's all right to do the same thing to me."
Sebastian clicked his tongue and in the background, Soot cried loudly. He soothed her with a quiet noise before speaking again. "Ciel, do you want to come over tomorrow?" he asked. "You're not happy; I can hear it in your voice. Staying there is only making things worse for you and I think you're only torturing yourself that way."
Ciel's eyes closed and his mantra of 'don't bother Sebastian' brushed against his mind like waves lapping at the shore. Beforehand, it crashed violently against his thoughts and kept him from wavering. The words screamed loudly in his mind, steeling his resolve. But as the days passed, the words had seemed to scream themselves hoarse and the aggressive waves had calmed.
It remained harder and harder to convince himself otherwise and Ciel gripped the phone tightly. "Are you sure?" he whispered. A stark contrast to when Sebastian first offered him a helping hand last week.
"I'm positive, Ciel." Sebastian's voice soothed the words and finally stilled them until they resembled a calm lake. Still and tranquil. "You won't bother me at all and truthfully, I could use the company. Mey-rin has a seminar over the weekend and she has to leave tomorrow morning since it's out of state."
Ciel chuckled. "Ah, and now the truth reveals itself. You just want the company, not that you miss me or anything," he teased.
"If only it were that simple," Sebastian said and Ciel could almost hear the smirk in his words. "As it is, Mey-rin is listening from the kitchen and what I really want to tell you are for your ears alone." From the background, Ciel heard Mey-rin shout. 'I am not!' before a pan clattered against the floor.
"You've made your point," Ciel said, a smile stretching across his lips. "I suppose I'll have to wait until tomorrow to hear what you wanted to tell me."
Sebastian nodded. "Gives you something to look forward to," he said and shifted on the couch, the material rubbing against his clothes. "So, I'll take that as a yes that you'll visit tomorrow?"
Ciel hummed. "Yeah, I'll be there." He paused. "How exactly am I getting there?"
"Claude can pick you up tomorrow on his way to work," Sebastian said. "I'll double check with him after dinner and call you with the details."
"Sounds good," Ciel said and winced as a door slammed. The apartment filled with silence and he sighed, leaning his head against the wall. "That sounds really good. Thank you, Sebastian."
Sebastian made a soft noise. "It's not a problem, Ciel." He paused and his voice lowered considerable. "I've missed you too, so this is just as much for me as it is you."
Ciel laughed at that but his heart started to race a little faster at the words. "I've missed you too," he said. "What's Mey-rin making for dinner? Oh, and speaking of food. There's this restaurant here that Alois took me too this morning. I need to take you there, it was really good," Ciel said, easily slipping into a comfortable conversation with Sebastian.
If he closed his eyes and let his imagination go, he could almost pretend he was back in Sebastian's apartment. That Sebastian sat next to him on the couch and they could enjoy each other's company. The image surrounded him, enveloping his senses as Sebastian answered his questions and responded with a few of his own, and Ciel's shoulders relaxed.
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
A/N: One last note ^^ I'm taking requests or prompts for drabbles! I'm currently wrestling with writer's block and a friend suggested that I write some drabbles to help overcome it. So far (knock on wood) it's working a bit, lol. So if you have any ideas that you'd like to see, feel free to drop me a message! ^^