Yes! 8D I remembered! Here is the next chapter, updated on the correct day!
Disclaimer: Neither Disgruntled Minion nor I own Kuroshitsuji or its characters. We borrow them, but at the end of the day, we sadly have to give them back to Yana.
A small yawn left Sebastian's mouth as he unlocked the front door and let himself into the small foyer. The sound of a small bell ringing through the house alerted him to Soot's arrival a few moments before the kitten was weaving her way between his legs, crying for attention. Laughing slightly, Sebastian leaned down and picked up the kitten after toeing his shoes to the side.
He moved further into the house, calling for Ciel as he scratched the kitten under her chin. He cooed at her before yelling Ciel's name again, and he frowned when no response came. The younger male should've been home well before Sebastian today as he'd only had a meeting in the early morning and then had the rest of the day off.
It was the sight that met his eye in the bedroom that brought to his attention that something was not right. Clothes were strewn haphazardly around the room, and as Sebastian glanced into the adjoining bathroom, he saw items lying on the counter. With closer examination, he noted that Ciel's toothbrush and toothpaste were missing.
His frown deepened, and Sebastian moved towards the closet where Ciel had stashed his suitcase once he had finished moving in. Opening the door revealed that it was gone, and Sebastian felt as though a bucket of cold ice had been dumped over him. A part of his brain didn't want to believe that Ciel was gone again, but the evidence was right in front of him, and by the look of things, Ciel had left in a hurry.
Shaking his head, Sebastian held Soot tighter to his chest as he moved through the rest of the rooms, hoping to find a note that Ciel might've left. Something that would at least explain where the younger male had taken off to in such a hurry, or at least why. But with each room that was checked, the hope faded quicker and quicker until Sebastian was left standing in the bedroom alone once more, looking over the mess that was scattered around the room.
Soot was set on the bed before Sebastian sat down next to her, feeling a mix of emotions racing through him. Pain and confusion were present, mixed together with anger at Ciel for leaving him again. After everything that had happened the other night at the park; had it all been a lie, or Ciel looking to get one last fling in before leaving again?
Sebastian shook his head as he pulled Soot closer to him. No, Ciel wasn't that heartless, and there had to be a reason why the younger male had left. Sebastian just needed to find out why and where Ciel had run off to.
Sebastian's cell phone rang, and he glanced at it, noting that it was Claude. He debated about ignoring it but realized that the older male would just keep trying to reach him. With a heavy sigh, he answered.
"Have you seen the news?" Claude said before Sebastian could speak.
A grunt left Sebastian's mouth, and he rolled onto his stomach. "That wasn't my main concern when I came home," he stated and glanced around the room. He didn't have a television in his room, finding it pointless to have one in his room and one in the living room as well.
"Well your face is plastered all over, along with that Phantomhive brat." Claude scowled. He wasn't too thrilled about Sebastian allowing Ciel back into his life, what with everything the young male had done to Sebastian.
Sebastian sat up, his hand tightening on the phone. "What do you mean?" He asked and rolled out of the bed. With slow steps, he moved into the living room, clicking on the television before dropping down onto the sofa.
The TV came to life, and the red-eyed man soon saw what Claude had been talking about. Flashing across the screen were pictures of Sebastian and Ciel kissing in the park, and the news anchor was talking about who they were.
"Fuck," Sebastian cursed and felt annoyance trickle through his veins. The only good thing was that they hadn't been followed to the pond, where the photographer would've gotten pictures of them doing something other than kissing. "When did this start?"
"Pictures started popping up yesterday sometime, but the news has just caught on to it. They hadn't been sure if it was a prank or not. Photoshop can make convincing pictures," Claude spoke.
Suddenly, the news anchor paused. "Hold on. I'm getting word that Ciel Phantomhive has just arrived in England. Presumably, he's there to visit his father, Vincent Phantomhive, who had been taken to the hospital earlier this morning due to a heart attack."
Sebastian sat up quickly, feeling his body tense at the latest update. It wasn't good news, and he swallowed, knowing how close Ciel was with his father. And if Vincent had seen those pictures, Sebastian could only imagine how the older male would've reacted. Perhaps the only good thing about the news was that they had given Sebastian the information he needed to find Ciel.
"I'm going to have to ask for a favor, Claude," Sebastian said slowly. He stood up, feeling as though his body was running on autopilot. He didn't want to leave Ciel alone with his father; who knew what nonsense the man was forcing down Ciel's throat, and Sebastian didn't want to lose Ciel again. Not this time.
"What kind of favor?" Claude asked and then fell silent for a second. "Wait a minute. He didn't tell you he was leaving, did he?" He snarled.
Sebastian shook his head even though Claude couldn't see. "When I came home he was already gone. His mind was probably too busy thinking about his father than worrying about anything else." It still didn't help to ease the pain, and Sebastian tried to push it to the side, saving it for later.
"He's just going to leave again, you know. If his father had a heart attack because of the pictures, then Ciel will do anything to keep him healthy. Even if that means leaving you. He's done it before, and he'll do it again. What did I tell you?" Claude said. "He's no good. He's too loyal to his family."
"He won't this time," Sebastian argued, trying to make himself believe the words as well. He knew all too well how Ciel felt about his family and had been on the receiving end of it each time. "He won't," he repeated.
Claude snorted. "Believe what you will. I'll look after the business while you're chasing him down, although I think it's pointless. You ever hear the saying 'history repeats itself'?"
Sebastian grunted softly. "I know the saying. But I've also heard the saying that third time's the charm," he answered and pulled his own suitcase from the closet.
Claude said nothing to that. He just wished that Sebastian would forget about Ciel and move on, but he was too addicted to stop. Ciel had caught Sebastian in his web, and he continued to draw him in and hold him tightly, even while remaining non-committed himself. "Just be careful."
"I will," Sebastian answered and started to dig through the dresser, tossing out the clothes he would need for his impromptu trip. He wasn't sure how many items of clothes he would need, but he still had friends in England who would take care of him and offer help if he needed it. "Take care of Soot for me while I'm away, too."
"Okay." There was silence for a time, before Claude spoke again. "I really hope you're right and not just chasing after dreams and fairy tales."
Sebastian paused and glanced down at the bed. "Me, too," he said lowly. Because this time, there might not be any coming back, and Sebastian didn't know if he could handle Ciel turning him down again.
The silence was unbearable after a few hours, Ciel thought as he sat in his father's hospital room. Leaning forward, he buried his face in his hands. Everything was so messed up, he could hardly think straight.
His mind flashed back to the call he had received from his mom. She had been frantic, nearly hysterical, as she managed to force out between sobs that Vincent had had a heart attack. Blue eyes closed, recalling the hesitant question that Rachel had asked.
"Ciel," she'd said slowly, "are the pictures of you kissing another man real?"
He hadn't replied.
On the flight over to England, Ciel had put together the pieces. Apparently, someone at the park had managed to snap a picture of Sebastian and Ciel together and posted it online. Someone in Funtom Company had stumbled across it and told Vincent, who in return had called Ciel's cell phone. That had been the call that Ciel had missed while having sex with Sebastian. Vincent had only left a short terse message telling Ciel to call as soon as possible, and Ciel had decided to wait until the following day to return the call.
Unfortunately, Vincent had had a heart attack early the next morning, most likely brought on by anger towards Ciel. And for that, Ciel felt guilty. He'd thought that by being across the ocean, he could hide his relationship with Sebastian from his father. That had completely backfired, and now Ciel was paying the price.
With a sigh, he stood and crossed over to the window, staring blankly outside. Reporters were camped outside, hoping to be the first to get a big scoop to report to their listeners, and Ciel found himself scowling in annoyance. It was people like them who had led to his father finding out about Sebastian, and Ciel knew it was only a matter of time before Vincent realized where he knew Sebastian from, and that he was the same man who had tutored Ciel years earlier.
Ciel leaned his forehead against the windowpane. He was dreading that moment, but for now, all he could do was prepare for the worst.
Finding a flight at the last minute to England hadn't been the easiest thing to do, but Sebastian had managed to purchase a ticket before rushing off to the airport. He had shrugged off the stares that he had received while standing in line, as no doubt people recognized him from the news. They were easy to ignore, though, and as soon as he was through security, Sebastian had his headphones on, successfully keeping people away.
Things were easier on the plane, seeing as how everyone wanted to sleep since the flight was a late night one. It was easy to pull up the hood on his jacket and just ignore everyone around him as he thought about everything that had happened in the past few hours.
It seemed crazy that just a few hours ago, Sebastian was heading back from work, anxious to see Ciel, only to find that the younger male was gone. Now though, Sebastian felt as though he was in a race against time to reach Ciel's side. Who knew what Vincent was telling Ciel, and Sebastian could only hope that this time the younger male wouldn't listen to his father.
It made Sebastian wish that the plane would go faster as the feeling of helplessness made Sebastian uneasy and anxious. His fingers clenched around the armrests, and he had to resist the urge to scream. Everything was unfair, and Sebastian wanted nothing more than to pull Ciel back into his arms and never let him go.
But as soon as the frustration came, it ebbed away until Sebastian felt the pang of sorrow clawing at his chest. It hurt that Ciel hadn't called him to let him know what was going on. He knew that it was a big deal and Ciel had probably been busy, but there was still time when Ciel could've called but didn't. It hurt to know that Sebastian wasn't in Ciel's thoughts at all, even now.
Perhaps it was selfish of Sebastian to think like that, but Sebastian had always put the younger male first when it came to Ciel. He had let Ciel go, knowing how much his family meant to him. He had agreed to help with the wedding because Ciel had asked. He constantly let Ciel back into his life, despite the chance and knowledge that doing so would eventually cause him pain.
So was it wrong to ask that Ciel put him first for a change? Or was that just his greed speaking, and if so, then what would Ciel say when he saw Sebastian again in England? Would he scoff and call Sebastian selfish for wanting to take Ciel back even though his father was ill? Or would he simply turn Sebastian away, acting as though he didn't recognize him, for sake of keeping up appearances for his father?
Swallowing, Sebastian rested his head against the window. He didn't want to know, and for the first time since he'd left, he was starting to doubt that this was a good idea.
It was mid-afternoon in England the next day, and Ciel felt like screaming. His father had barely regained consciousness, only managing to stay awake for a few seconds the rare times that his eyes opened. Each minute that ticked by seemed like an eternity for Ciel, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take.
He was certain, however, that there would soon be a path worn into the floor by his pacing. He just couldn't sit still any longer, and he decided to take his mother's offer to go grab something to eat.
Now as Ciel walked slowly towards the front door of the hospital, he couldn't stop thinking about his father. Vincent looked so old and pale and weak lying in the bed, and Ciel desperately wished that he could do something to help him. But for now, there was nothing.
Pushing the doors open, Ciel squinted as he entered the bright sunlight and shielded his eyes with his hand. A commotion to the left caught his attention, and he glanced over. A taxi was pulled up to the sidewalk, and the swarm of reporters had surrounded it, all talking at once and snapping pictures.
Curious, the blue-eyed man slid closer, wondering who the celebrity was. His eyes widened upon seeing a familiar head of black hair. "Sebastian."
The older male pushed through the throng of people, ignoring all the questions being shouted out him, and he kept his face blank, allowing no emotions to pass through. He wasn't here to see reporters or anyone else, just Ciel.
Upon reaching the doors, Sebastian was met by a few police who had been placed at the entrance to keep the reporters and anyone else at bay. He scowled at them, wondering if they were going to keep him from going inside the building. For a moment, they looked as though they were going to deny him, but at the last minute, created a small opening for him to step through.
A police officer followed him inside and waited until the doors shut before speaking again. "We're only doing this to help keep the calm around the hospital," the man spoke. "If we were to publicly deny you, the press would have a field day. So it's best to detain you in the waiting room and let Mr. Phantomhive decide whether or not he wants to see you. We'll determine our course of action from there."
Sebastian nodded. "I understand," he said, even though he could feel anger and apprehension twisting through his body, knowing that Ciel could still turn him down even after he came all this way.
Ciel stood quietly as a police officer walked over to him, his mind swirling with thoughts. He had completely forgotten to call Sebastian and let him know where he was going. But in Ciel's defense, he hadn't exactly been thinking straight. All he could think about was his father in critical condition. Sebastian, however, most likely wouldn't see it that way and would be pissed. Sighing, he ran a hand down his face as the officer began to speak.
"Mr. Phantomhive, Sebastian Michaelis is here to see you. If you don't wish to see him, then we can make him leave."
Ciel bit his lip as he tried to think of the different possible outcomes. It could end with an argument and either Sebastian or Ciel storming out of the room, or it could end peacefully and civilly. It all depended on whether or not the two of them could keep calm and not fly into a rage.
"I'll see him," Ciel decided.
"Mr. Phantomhive, would you like an officer to stay with you?"
Ciel shook his head. "No, this is private. And besides, Sebastian wouldn't hurt me." Not physically, at least, he added mentally. With words, he could hurt Ciel very much, but Ciel didn't want to think about that right now.
The Phantomhive heir fell into step beside the officer, who led him to the room where Sebastian was waiting. "Just call if you need anything, Mr. Phantomhive."
"I will." Ciel nodded at the man, then took a deep breath and turned towards his lover. "Sebastian."
Sebastian turned his head slightly to look at Ciel, struggling to control his emotions. They all warred with each other, trying to come out on top and be the emotion that dictated his next action. He wanted to yell at Ciel. Pull the younger male into his arms and kiss him deeply. Take him away so no one could find them. Or some combination of the three.
In the end, he settled with nodding his head as Ciel shut the door behind him. "Ciel," he said evenly.
Ciel stepped further into the room until he was directly in front of the older man, tilting his head back so he could look at him. "I think we both know why you're here, so there's no sense beating around the bush. Go ahead and say whatever it is you want to say."
"There are a lot of things I want to say," Sebastian murmured. "But I don't want to fight. I know why you left, but what I don't know is what's running through your mind right now. So maybe it's best for you to speak first, and then we'll go from there."
Ciel closed his eyes. "My father has barely regained consciousness, Sebastian. All I can think about is what if he doesn't wake up? What if what happened to him was my fault?" The words tasted like acid upon his tongue, for it was the first time he'd dared to speak them aloud. "Could I have prevented his heart attack?"
Sebastian chuckled. "I'm sure he'll wake up. He hasn't had a chance to yell at you yet for creating such a large scandal. He wouldn't just let that go." It was a sad fact that was probably true, for the moment Vincent woke up, he would no doubt tear into Ciel for what he had done.
"And that's another thing," Ciel said softly. "I'm worried about what he'll say or do. I know that I'm old enough now to make my own decisions, but his approval is still, and always will be, important to me." He wrapped his arms around himself and glanced to the side. He had to be careful with what he said. Otherwise, Sebastian might misinterpret what he said.
"You told me before that you didn't care what he said," Sebastian stated coolly. "That you wanted to be with me despite what your father thought. Or has that changed now because of everything that has happened?"
"That hasn't changed, Sebastian. I know I said that I don't care what he thinks or says, but there's still going to be that small part of me that longs for his approval. I know that he's disappointed in me, and that hurts. I'm his son, and he probably won't stand by me and offer his support," Ciel whispered.
Sebastian shook his head. "Then that's wrong of him. If he would turn away his own flesh and blood, then you don't think there's something wrong with that. As your family, he should want to stand by you no matter what." His fingers clenched into a fist. This conversation was sounding too familiar to ones that they had had in the past. "But then again, I don't know anything about family. But if my child came to me with a situation similar to ours, then I wouldn't turn them away. I always thought that families were supposed to be there to support each other."
"I'm supposed to be the dutiful son and support my father, and my mom has to be the perfect wife," Ciel replied. "That's the way it works with my family. But yes, I do see your point." He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling very tired.
A snort left Sebastian's mouth. "And what's your father supposed to do? Be the person who sits on a throne and dictates how you two are supposed to live your life while he gets to live the way he wants?"
"In a word, yes. Granted, he's not as strict as he used to be, but he's still demanding. Especially when it comes to me, since I'm the heir. He's trying to mold me into another version of himself." Ciel stopped then, and looked up at Sebastian. "I don't want to be him. I want to be me."
"So don't let him take control your life," Sebastian snapped, feeling his patience growing thin. He let out a low sigh, trying to control his emotions once more. "How is it fair that he gets to choose his own life but you don't?"
"It's the way I've always lived," Ciel retorted. "I'm sorry, but old habits are hard to break. For so many years of my life, I strove to please him, and it's just second nature to stop and say to myself, 'what would my dad tell me to do'?" He laughed, shaking his head slightly. "I feel like I'm stuck in limbo between two ways of life, living the way my dad wants me to, or living the way I want to."
Blue eyes closed. "Do you remember that promise you made to me, Sebastian, during the first time we had sex in my hotel room?"
Sebastian nodded his head. "That I wasn't going to let you go this time. Which is why I came here, to bring you back home and to make sure that you don't let your father persuade you to choose his side when it's not what you want." The words were spoken easily but Sebastian felt fear clawing at his chest, not knowing how Ciel would take them.
Ciel stepped forward, leaning his head against Sebastian's chest. Fingers curled into the material of his shirt, and Ciel breathed in his lover's scent. "I don't want to go back to my life without you. I always felt like there was a part of me missing, and that piece was you." He chuckled lightly. "As cliche and sappy as it sounds, you complete me."
Pale arms came up to pull Ciel closer and Sebastian slowly rocked them back and forth. "Then don't go back to that life. Keep living this life with me in it and let us both be happy." He buried his face into Ciel's hair, not wanting to let the younger male go. Too many times Ciel had been pulled from him, but this time Sebastian was holding tightly and not letting go.
"I'm staying right here with you," Ciel whispered. "This is the only place I want to be." He tilted his chin up, capturing Sebastian's lips with his in a searing kiss. "I love you."
A low hum left Sebastian's mouth as their lips and bodies pressed together. Familiar warmth passed between them and in this moment, it was easy to forget about everything that was going on around them. They weren't dealing with Ciel's father, the press, or the uncertainties that the future held. It was just them in this moment, nothing else.
Ciel wound his arms around Sebastian's neck and deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into the older man's mouth. What he told Sebastian was true. He loved the red-eyed man, and he knew that there was no way he could just up and leave again. It would be even harder than the first two times, and Ciel had a suspicion that he wouldn't be able to recover emotionally, and mentally, from another break-up with Sebastian.
When they parted for air, Ciel rested his head on Sebastian's shoulder. "Are you mad at me?" He asked quietly.
Sebastian fell silent and struggled with the thoughts on his mind. He wasn't sure what he felt at the moment, and while he had been mad when he left America, the anger had ebbed away now that Ciel was held comfortably in his arms. "I was," he admitted. "I didn't know what had happened but then Claude called and told me the news. I put two and two together after that."
"I'm sorry I didn't leave a note. I just wasn't thinking straight. I'm pretty sure that I left a lot of my decent clothes back home, that's how distracted I was while packing," Ciel said, shifting closer to Sebastian. "All I could think about was getting here to see my father and help my mother. I know that I should have called when I got here, but I had no idea how pissed you would be, and I was afraid to find out. I'm sorry. I should have let you know somehow."
"Hush," Sebastian cooed, lowering them to a nearby chair. Ciel didn't need anymore stress right now and the best thing to do now was to offer his comfort the best way he could. The younger male was already a mess and was confused as to what would happen next. His future was uncertain, and it was putting Ciel on edge. "I'm not mad right now," he soothed, trying to smooth out Ciel's fears.
Ciel sighed, the air warm against Sebastian's neck. "Thanks." A couple of minutes ticked by in silence before he spoke once more. "I'm not sure how long I'm staying in England. I definitely know that I won't go home until Dad wakes up fully. That could be today or tomorrow or a few days from now. I have a hotel room, and you're welcome to use that, too. Unless you're flying back to America soon," he added.
Sebastian shook his head. "I didn't buy a return ticket yet because I wasn't planning on going back without you. I'm not leaving your side, either, and letting you face your father alone." Who knew what lies Vincent would try to force down Ciel's throat in order to get Ciel to turn away from him.
"Don't you need to get back to the shop? You are the owner, after all, and you do most of the cooking yourself," the blue-eyed man stated. "I don't want to get in the way of the success that you're having now."
"Claude is running things for a while, but I know that I can't stay for too long," Sebastian admitted. While he had people under him that could cook and handle certain things, he preferred to do the cooking himself to make sure it met his standard of quality.
"A week at the most, then?" Ciel murmured, closing his eyes. It felt nice to be back in Sebastian's arms, and his gentle touch was doing wonders to ease the stress and tension in his body. He could feel himself relaxing more and more with each passing second.
Sebastian nodded. "That sounds reasonable." He leaned back into the chair, pulling Ciel with him as his fingers kneaded the muscles in Ciel's back. "But sleep for now. It's been a stressful few days, and I'll be here when you wake up."
Ciel hummed in reply, already feeling sleep tugging at him. "Sounds good," he muttered, burying his face in Sebastian's neck. He would worry about everything else when he woke up. For now, he would just enjoy having the red-eyed man by his side again.
Sebastian ran his fingers through Ciel's hair, smoothing out the tangles while the younger male sat happily on his lap. They were sitting in Vincent's room, waiting for the man to wake up after sleeping through the rest of the day yesterday. It had been quiet for most of the day, and Sebastian couldn't help leaning forward, licking at the shell of Ciel's ear.
"Sebastian," Ciel hissed, "this isn't the place." He glanced over at the door, as if expecting it to burst open at any moment.
A low hum left Sebastian's throat. "But you like it," he murmured and nibbled at a soft earlobe. "Just like you like it when I take you deep in my throat and swallow around you."
A low groan left Ciel's lips, and a shiver coursed through his body. "S-Sebastian... Stop talking like that." He could feel his cock twitching slightly with interest and cursed silently. Of course, Sebastian's words and voice always had that affect on him.
Sebastian's hand drifted down to press against the covered cock, making Ciel moan softly, and Sebastian smirked slightly. If there was one thing that could take Ciel's mind off all the stress that was going on in his life, it would be some small flirting. "Or do you like it more when I kiss you softly as my hands roam all over your body?" He chuckled lowly. "Or perhaps when I take you long and hard, making you scream out my name in pleasure."
"Oh, God," Ciel gasped as his hips bucked into the touch, fingers gripping the older male's shirt tightly. "St-stop teasing me." His sentence trailed off with a groan as Sebastian pressed more firmly on his length. "Dammit..."
"So this is the demon that corrupted my son," a weak but furious voice spoke from the nearby bed.
Sebastian's hand paused, and his head shot up to look towards the bed, slightly annoyed that Vincent had chosen now to wake up and slightly worried that he had woken up to such a thing.
Blue eyes opened wide, and Ciel jerked his gaze over to Vincent. "Dad?" Relief flooded his tone, and he quickly stood up and made his way to the bedside. "You're finally awake. How do you feel?"
"How do you think?" Vincent snapped. "I was hoping that those photos were fake, but I have all the evidence right here in front of me. Did he force you into this, or was it something that you went into willingly, Ciel?"
Ciel stared in shock, trying to comprehend what his father was saying. To be this pissed already after having just woken up wasn't what Ciel had been expecting. Then again, Vincent had chosen the most inopportune time to wake up. "I... N-no, he didn't force me," he answered slowly, the words feeling thick on his tongue. He swallowed, suddenly wishing for a glass of water to soothe his dry throat.
Vincent turned his head to look at Ciel, his eyes narrowing briefly at Sebastian before focusing once more on his son. "Why would you do this to me, son? I gave you everything you could've wanted. An elite life, a beautiful fiance, and the business when I retired. Your future was set, but instead you tossed it all aside for this thing?" He spat.
"Sebastian is not a 'thing,'" Ciel said, fists clenching at the way his father was speaking. "He's a human being, just like you and me. And it just kind of...happened." He shrugged helplessly. "I hadn't been looking for a relationship when I met him, but somewhere along the way, it came out of nowhere."
Sebastian met Vincent's glare with one of his own, not willing to back down from the harsh look in the man's eyes. The man could yell and scream all he wanted, but Sebastian wouldn't waver, not until Ciel was back at his side again.
"He was the caterer at the wedding," Vincent finally said, his eyes narrowing more as recognition sparked in the depths of them. "Did he soil your innocence there, or were you just cheating on Elizabeth the whole time before running off to live with him in America after you divorced her."
A small snort left Sebastian's mouth. "We did no such thing," he snapped. "I left for America right after my duties as caterer was done. I was on a flight and halfway across the ocean by the time the thing probably ended."
"We met before then," Ciel said, feeling a twinge of guilt at his father's words. While he and Elizabeth hadn't been married at the time when Ciel and Sebastian had rekindled their relationship, he had still technically cheated on her.
Vincent's eyebrow rose slightly, and his eyes darted back and forth from Ciel to Sebastian, wondering how long the whole thing had been going on. He pushed the thoughts aside, not wanting to think about them as they were already giving him a headache, and he supposed that it didn't really matter.
The only thing that mattered now was the future and how he was going to fix this mess. How he was going to get Ciel away from this demon that had brainwashed him into doing something stupid. "Ciel," he spoke low and firmly. "I forbid you from seeing this man ever again."
Ciel hesitated, carefully thinking through what he was going to say. "With all due respect, I am twenty-eight years old. I think that's certainly old enough to make my own decisions."
"Obviously they're not the right decisions," Vincent snapped. "You threw away a perfect life for some caterer. A male at that. The press is having a field day about this."
"What makes you believe it was a perfect life?" Sebastian asked. "You controlled his every actions and practically brainwashed him to do what you wanted. That doesn't sound like a very good way to live if you ask me."
Vincent bristled. "You stay out this, you demon. This doesn't concern you. As far as I'm concerned, you're no longer in his life."
"You have no say as to whom I have or don't have in my life," Ciel spoke up. "I'm perfectly capable of choosing my friends and lovers."
"Perfectly capable, yes, but it doesn't mean that you they're the right people for you." Vincent sniffed and pressed a button on the side of the bed to make it incline more. "The friends and fiance I had introduced to you and chose for you were perfect."
Ciel shook his head. "But they weren't who I wanted by me. Yes, they're nice and pleasant company, but I feel so fake around them. Like I can't be who I really am." He glanced over his shoulder at Sebastian. "At least with Sebastian, I know that I can truly relax and be myself because I know he won't judge me."
Vincent grunted lowly. "And how do you know that he isn't using you for your money?" He asked. "There's an age gap in there that you can't overlook, and he's not on the same par with us when it comes to money, even if he has a successful company."
"He's not after my money, so you don't have to worry about that. If he were after my money, he would have tried harder to get me, instead of waiting for me to make the first move," Ciel defended the red-eyed man. "And besides, not once has he ever asked me for money."
Dark blue eyes narrowed slightly. "So you were the one who made the first move, not him," Vincent stated coolly. He could see Ciel stiffen slightly, realizing his mistake, and he clicked his tongue. "I'm very disappointed in you, Ciel."
Sebastian stood up and moved towards Ciel side, feeling as though the comment was unnecessary. "Don't you think you should be disappointed in yourself for how you're acting? He's your son, and you should stand by him. It's not as though you caught him murdering someone or doing something illegal."
Ciel shot Sebastian a grateful look, and he began to stretch out his hand to take hold of Sebastian's when he suddenly stopped, his fingers twitching slightly. He stared down at their hands, knowing that he shouldn't have stopped like that since Sebastian might get the wrong idea. And yet Ciel couldn't bring himself to move his hand any further. Blue eyes looked up into red, pleading with the older man to understand.
Crimson eyes hardened, and Sebastian tore his gaze from Ciel to look at Vincent. "As you can see, you've brainwashed him well enough. He can't even make his own decisions without thinking first what you would think. You've stunted his growth that way, and as a parent, you should be ashamed."
Vincent growled. "And what would you know of parents? If I'm correct, from all the interviews you did with the papers, you told them that you were an orphan. How would you know how a parent should raise their child?"
Sebastian shook his head. "I may be an orphan, but even I know that you shouldn't influence your child's mind in such a way."
"How I raise my son is really no business of yours," Vincent snapped. "I have no idea when or how he met you, but his life would have been better if you'd never weaseled your way into his life."
"He didn't weasel his way into my life, Dad. He was my tutor in my senior year of high school," Ciel stated, shifting uncomfortably. He wasn't sure how his father would take this news. "We became good friends, and then it just grew into something more."
Vincent grunted, clearly not happy with the new information. "So this has been going on longer than I thought. I don't even want to know how long you fooled around." His eyes suddenly brightened, and he focused on Ciel once more. "That's all this is, isn't it? You're just going through a stage, some late rebellious stage in order to get my attention. You're just fooling around with him and don't really care for this man."
If ever there was an opportunity for Ciel to get out of this mess he had found himself in, this was it. It would be so easy to open his mouth and tell Vincent that he was right, that this was simply rebellion on his part and Sebastian meant nothing to him. But Ciel knew that he couldn't do that. He fully had Sebastian's trust now, and he didn't want to do anything to destroy it.
"I love him." The confession was quiet, and Ciel wanted nothing more than to hide, but he forced himself to face his father, chin held high and eyes meeting his gaze.
Silence settled in the room, both Sebastian and Vincent surprised at the words that fell from Ciel's mouth. In the back of Sebastian's mind, he had been expecting the worst, knowing that the younger male could get out of trouble by just denying it. But to hear Ciel openly admit to it warmed Sebastian's chest, and he reached for Ciel's hand, giving it a small squeeze.
"You're serious," Vincent spoke, breaking the silence.
"Yes, I am," Ciel replied, holding on tightly to Sebastian's hand. "I've loved him for a while now, but I've always chosen my family over him. Until now." He glanced to the side, a soft smile on his face. "I love Sebastian, and I can't live my life without him in it any longer."
Vincent's face turned hard and his eyes grew cold. "Get out," he hissed lowly. "I can't stand to look at you now. I pray that you'll come to your senses sooner rather than later."
Ciel blinked. "What?"
"You heard me," Vincent snarled. "If you're going to stand by your foolish decision, then leave. I don't want to see you right now. Come back in a few days when you change your mind, as I know you will."
Ciel opened his mouth to say something, but closed it soon after. It would do no good to argue with Vincent right now when he was so angry. He would come back in a few days after his father had time to calm down. "Okay. I'll leave." He turned, then paused. "I'm glad you're awake. You had us all worried." A snort was his only reply, so Ciel quietly left the room, Sebastian following close behind.
Once the door was shut, Ciel leaned against the wall and lifted a shaking hand to his forehead. "I have never stood up to my father like that before."
Sebastian reached for him, grasping his hand and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it before leaning forward to take Ciel into his arms. "I'm so proud of you, Ciel," he murmured. He could feel the younger male trembling against him, and he slowly guided Ciel to the empty room next to them. Once inside, he lowered them down to the ground and clutched at Ciel. "It'll be okay."
Burying his face into the man's chest, Ciel tried to calm himself down by breathing in his familiar scent. "Just hold me," he whispered, and as Sebastian's arms wrapped even tighter around his slender frame, he knew that no matter what happened in the next few days, he could face it with Sebastian by his side.