A/N: Happy (late) Preakness! Really hoping for a Triple Crown winner this year :) There's two terms in this chapter that are mentioned but not described because I thought it broke up the flow. For those curious, I've listed them below ^^ Thank you everyone for the alerts, favorites, and reviews! ^^
Many, many, many thanks to Kitty Gets Loose for reading through this story and giving me advice. And to Imperial Mint and Eien. Ni for encouraging me along the way ^^
Warnings: Language
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji
Terms: Dally - the part of the rope that loops around the horn of the saddle. Honda - The loop knot in the rope that allows the rope to slide freely.
As a rule: change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
Hot wind blew across the ring, kicking up the fine dust and making it curl on the surface of the ground. The sun beat down harshly on the land and cast a bright glare, making blue eyes squint as they tried to focus on the two males at the far end of the ring. The Blue Roan under him shifted and Ciel patted her neck, muttering softly to the mare.
He urged her into a jog, wanting to get closer. Her ears perked as she sensed the excitement in the air and her gait lengthened as she approached the two stallions at the end of the arena. Crimson eyes watched them approach and Ciel slowed Lilith down as Sebastian spun the lariat around, testing the rope while Belial shifted his weight slightly.
The National Finals Rodeo was in December, and Sebastian and Claude had already qualified for the finals earlier that year. They trained every few days, despite having qualified, and Ciel looked forward to watching them practice for the first time. The past few weeks kept Ciel busy with projects for class and last minute chores that he worked to finish while the two cowboys trained.
Today, Ciel finished his projects on time and wasn't about to miss another practice session. Already, things proved more exciting than the time Ciel watched Sebastian perform at the rodeo. Nothing kept him from the action and Sebastian let him help this time around, suggesting he ride Lilith so Ciel could push the calf to the gate after the run.
The calf inside the chute banged against the metal bars, pulling Ciel from his thoughts. Lilith tensed under him, ears perked and ready to go to work. He calmed her down as Sebastian guided Belial into the starting box so they could get set for another round.
Bard operated the gate leading into the chute while Finny stood near the back, making sure that the remaining calves were calm. Alois sat perched on the rail next to him, looking bored but light blue eyes gave him away. They shined with excitement as he watched Claude change his grip on his lariat while Sebastian settled Belial in the corner before calling that he was ready.
Claude shifted his weight slightly and glanced at Sebastian. Their eyes locked as they waited for Sebastian to make the final call before springing into action. The calf bolted from the chute and snapped the barrier as Belial leapt forward. Powerful muscles and legs drove the horse forward, Sebastian already swinging the lariat over his head.
The rope left Sebastian's hand quickly, settling over the steer's horns and Belial turned sharply to the left as Sebastian looped the rope around the horn of his saddle. He finished the dally as Claude tossed his lariat towards the ground, the calf stepping into the loop before Claude pulled back tightly and made his own dally.
The two horses backed up quickly, pulling the steer taunt before Mey-rin's arm rose as she stopped the clock. The rope fell slack and the calf relaxed before Mey-rin moved over to pull the lariat away from the horns and removed the horn wraps. Snorting, the calf trotted away from them and towards the other end of the ring.
Ciel watched it go, knowing that his job was to let the calf out, but for now, the animal could wait. He wanted to hear the time before he did anything else. Even Alois seemed anxious to hear the time, despite the claim that he disliked roping. Alois stood on the lower rail next to Finny and they both watched Mey-rin move over to Sebastian and Claude with the stopwatch.
The practice run helped Claude and Sebastian see where they stood, even if the times were slightly off. The finals were less than six months away, giving them more than enough time to correct anything they found wrong with their technique. Their practice times varied each week, balanced between work and making sure the horses received enough rest.
Too much practice dulled the desire until the horses became bored and burnt out due to multiple sessions. It was best to rotate horses for both work and practice in order to keep the horses on their toes while providing a break for them at the same time. In a sense, they were like humans and Sebastian made sure to treat them the same way when it came to days off.
Ciel admired that about Sebastian and it showed that Sebastian was an excellent horseman. He cared for his horses no matter what and always looked out for them. Even if the horses were going to auction or bred for someone else, Sebastian made certain the animals were well cared for and that the owner came from reputable background.
Mey-rin lowered the stopwatch and trotted away from the duo, leaving Sebastian and Claude to talk with each other about their ride. As soon as Mey-rin made it back to the boxes where the horses had started from, Finny started bouncing up and down on the rail.
"What was their time?" He asked excitedly. Everyone shared in his excitement and for once, it seemed as though no one could chastise Finny for his childish behavior.
"Around four to five seconds. I rounded up like Mr. Sebastian asked me to," Mey-rin answered. "It's a little slower than their time in San Antonio, but this was just a practice run and I know that if I hadn't rounded up, the number would've been a four. Maybe a high three even."
Bard smirked as he patted the chute. "That's still a good time for practice. They've been averaging four's and five's on each of their practice sessions," he stated and lifted his hat to wipe away the sweat that had formed on his brow. "I say that we've got the NFR's this year. They're more than ready."
Finny nodded and continued to bounce on the rail. "I can't wait until December. It's going to be so much fun watching them on television." He paused and sulked slightly. "Too bad we have to stay here for it though."
"When in December is it?" Alois asked.
The question made Ciel look at Alois, shock spreading across his face. He hadn't expected Alois to take an interest in roping, especially after moaning about it while Sebastian and Claude were warming up. Alois had masked his excitement while the two cowboys were practicing, but to ask about it aloud had Ciel surprised. He smirked; Alois was really digging to please Claude and Ciel was just fine with that.
"It's the first week and a half in December," Bard answered, tilting his head back to look at Alois. "They'll leave on the first of December to get there before the roping starts. We have to stay and watch the ranch but we'll still get to watch them on television at least."
Ciel hummed. "That's finals week for us. We can't go either," he said, a twinge of disappointment racing through his body. He glanced over his shoulder as Sebastian called his name and he urged Lilith into a jog, pushing the thoughts aside for now. Work came first.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Claude watched as Ciel moved away, guiding Lilith over to Sebastian's side to help him with the calf. He let them handle the calf as he coiled his lariat again, pausing for a moment as Alois approached him and stopped next to his horse.
"Do you think you can teach me how to rope?" He asked, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. He wanted to impress Claude somehow and showing an interest in the thing Claude enjoyed seemed the best way to start. With any luck, Claude would praise him more.
Claude's eyebrow arched slightly. "If you want to start roping, you have to master the basics on the ground before you can move up to the horse. Even then, you have to be comfortable with your riding skills. You have to trust the horse completely and know what you're doing or both you and the horse can get hurt."
A small pout settled over Alois's lips. "That's why I'm asking you to teach me. I know I'm not the best with the horses now, but I've come a long way. I'm serious about this and I want to try." He paused and flushed slightly. "I want to show you that I can do this."
"It won't happen overnight," Claude cautioned as he focused on Alois. "It takes a while before you can move from working with a stationary model to a model that moves. And only then can you start trying your hand on an actual animal."
Alois nodded. "I know that and I'm ready to learn no matter how long it takes. I want to try what you like so I can understand roping better. That way I'm not just watching but also understanding."
Claude chuckled. "I can't argue with that logic," he stated, feeling warmth flood his body at the words. To know that Alois wanted to understand roping stroked his ego and Claude found that he couldn't turn Alois down. "Very well. We'll start practicing tomorrow when we have time, but we'll still continue your lessons. I don't want you slacking in those."
"Of course," Alois said, beaming brightly. "I'll practice hard on both."
"That's what I want to hear," Claude murmured and ran his fingers through blond locks.
"Careful Claude," Sebastian drawled as he jogged over to them. "It might have lice," he teased and curled his lariat around his arm again before settling Belial in the corner of the starting box.
Claude snorted but withdrew his hand and waved Alois to go sit on the rail. This was their last steer for the day before they would finish the rest of the chores. This run felt different though. He was performing for someone and it made Claude sit taller in the saddle, wanting to put on a good show for Alois.
A few moments passed as they steadied their horses and prepared their ropes before Sebastian nodded, giving the signal. The steer burst from the chute again and Sebastian moved into position with Claude right behind him. It seemed like only a blink of the eye before they stretched the steer out and Mey-rin held up the flag to signal that she had stopped the watch.
"Three point seven seconds," she called out happily.
Claude grinned as he loosened his lariat, allowing the calf to trot away once free from Sebastian's rope. They drew closer together and gave each other a high five, pleased with the timing on their last round. Claude leaned in closer, the brim of his hat bumping Sebastian's as he smirked slightly. "This year, those buckles and saddles are ours," he stated, his voice filled with adrenaline.
Sebastian chuckled and tightened his grip on Claude's hand. "As it should be each and every year. We will take these finals and they'll remember us for the rest of the year," he commented. "Because we're the perfect team, just as we were during high school and college. Nothing is going to stop us."
"Nothing," Claude echoed as he straightened up. With a grin, he reached out to grab Sebastian's hat and tossed it across the ring. "Now go get your hat, you arrogant bastard," he said with a chuckle before spurring his mount on. His chest felt light and for once, it felt as though everything was right between them as he let Eligos gallop around the ring while Sebastian grabbed his hat, crimson eyes dancing with amusement.
No lust or arousal swam in those eyes as they looked at him and in them, Claude could only see the deep-set friendship that they had shared before they became lovers. It made a warm, content feeling rush through him after seeing that look directed at him again after going so long without it.
Usually Sebastian would look at him with smoldering eyes that told Claude he felt horny and Claude was all too happy to answer that call. And when they weren't rutting, those crimson eyes would look at him with a strange mix of affection and friendship, as though Sebastian didn't know what he was feeling at the time.
Claude knew that he wasn't any different. He gave Sebastian his own looks of arousal, hoping to coax him into bed so they could spend the night tangled together in passion. They filled those nights with pleasurable feelings, leaving them both sated and exhausted until the next round. They were the only times that Claude felt as though something more than friendship existed between himself and Sebastian.
Because while they were affectionate with each other outside of the bedroom, the emotions they felt during sex weren't present in their day-to-day life. At times, it felt as though they were still friends instead of lovers. However, those feelings came back the next time they had sex, when lust and arousal overtook them again.
Recently though, those feelings weren't washing over Claude as they usually did when they had sex and it left him feeling confused. He enjoyed watching Sebastian's face flush with arousal when they were younger. Now though, he found that he enjoyed the look of brotherly affection on Sebastian's face compared to arousal.
The thoughts were confusing and Claude pushed them to the side as Eligos came to a stop in front of Sebastian, snorting lightly. "You're thinking too much again," Sebastian stated as he grabbed the reins. "We'll be fine at the finals, so long as we keep practicing and stay on our toes."
Claude nodded, choosing to hide the truth about his thoughts from Sebastian. For now, it was best to stay silent about them until he could figure out what he was really feeling and then go from there. Because no matter what, he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Sebastian. Those feelings were something he held close and refused to let go of.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Ciel grunted as he peeled off his sweaty jeans and tossed them to the side. It felt good to feel cool air on his body after staying out in the sun for so long today and he couldn't wait to take a shower. He would've already been in the shower if Alois hadn't beaten him to the bathroom, resulting in them yelling at each other through the door for a good five minutes. It was childish and looking back on it now, Ciel couldn't believe that he had resorted to that, but he brushed it off as the heat getting to him.
With a sigh, he slumped to the ground, not wanting to sit on his clean bed when he was still sticky and dusty. He felt disgusting and Ciel didn't want to sleep in a dirty bed; he liked being clean. He glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand and drummed his fingers on his knees, trying to stay patient as he waited for Alois to finish in the shower.
After watching Sebastian and Claude practice, they had to take care of the horses and finish the afternoon chores. Tack needed cleaning and someone had to check the herd. By the time that was done, the horses finished eating and, Sebastian and Claude released them into the pastures once more before they cleaned the stalls.
They gave hay to the horses before the chores were finally considered done and they were allowed back in the house. Sebastian told them to clean themselves up before dinner, as they were all sweaty from working outside that day, and Ciel had been more than happy to agree with him.
Ciel glanced at the alarm clock again, jumping slightly as the door burst open and Alois padded in with a towel tied around his waist, water dripping from his hair. He glared at Alois before standing up, grimacing slightly as his boxers clung to his legs. "Took you long enough," he snapped.
Alois shrugged. "I was thinking about my next lesson with Claude," he admitted. "Claude said he's going to teach me how to rope. You have to admit that even though Sebastian's a bastard, they're still a really good team."
Blue eyes blinked at Alois and Ciel nodded slightly. "They do make a good team," he stated. "They've probably been working together for so long that they know what the other one is thinking and their friendship only helps their teamwork."
"And you want to break that up," Alois murmured as he moved towards his dresser to grab some clean boxers.
Ciel shook his head and inspected the dirt under his nails. "Don't assume as though you know everything, Alois," he said nonchalantly. "I'm not as cruel as you make me out to be. I simply want to break up their romantic relationship, as it's obvious that neither one care for the other that way. It's simply deep friendship, that's all. If anything, I'm saving their relationship."
Alois's eyebrow arched slightly. "How do you figure that out?" He asked, slipping some loose shorts on and rubbing the towel through his hair.
A grunt left Ciel's mouth. "If they continued dating, Claude would eventually become too overprotective of Sebastian and Sebastian would finally have enough that he would snap at Claude. They'd get into a fight and ruin not just their romantic relationship but their friendship as well. Meaning their business would fall apart and they wouldn't be able to rope together again." He paused to see if Alois followed before continuing. "I'm sure you haven't noticed, but they've been acting more like friends than lovers and seem happier because of it."
"And once Sebastian and Claude are back to being friends, you'll swoop in and take Sebastian as your boyfriend," Alois drawled.
Ciel smirked and stood up, brushing the imaginary dust off the seat of his boxers. "Now you're starting to follow along," he said. He moved towards the door and glanced at Alois over his shoulder. "Sebastian will be mine, no matter what. And maybe if you're lucky, Claude will fall for you and you can have your own cowboy. Wouldn't that be nice?" He teased.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alois asked, harsher than he meant.
Ciel shrugged slightly and leaned against the door. "You two are getting closer, whether you realize it or not. And deep down, I think he wants you just as much as you want him."
Alois smirked. "Does that make you jealous?" He asked. "That I'm showing interest in someone else other than you for once? That I might be getting over you and falling for Claude?"
A laugh left Ciel's mouth. "Don't delude yourself, Alois. No matter who you date, I will never come crawling to you in hopes that you'd date me instead. I still want Sebastian. It's in your best interest to accept the praise and affection that Claude gives you, because you won't get that from me." It was the harsh truth, but Ciel found it annoying to keep putting up with Alois's hopes that one day he would fall for Alois. The way Ciel saw it, they both won if Alois accepted what Claude offered.
"You're still the only one for me," Alois stated firmly.
Ciel shrugged. "Suit yourself. But you'll be left behind while I move forward, and you'll be wishing then that you had listened to my advice," he stated and slipped out of the room, humming softly to himself while he left Alois to mull over his words.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Blue eyes glanced briefly at the paper that sat on the desk before flicking up to look at the man reclining on the chair in the corner of the room. The book Sebastian held in his hands looked boring and Ciel cocked his head slightly, trying to read the title before giving up. It looked as though it was in some foreign language and Ciel didn't want to deal with it at the moment.
As though feeling his gaze, Sebastian looked up and away from his book, focusing his sight on Ciel. "Are you done with your report?" He asked, closing the book after marking it with a bookmark. "Or are you simply stuck with a problem?"
Ciel shook his head. "I'm almost done, but I can't focus anymore. You have to admit that business facts and writing reports for business class can get boring after a while," he stated, pushing the papers aside. He leaned back in Sebastian's chair and regarded the man calmly. "That and I find myself curious about something that I've been meaning to ask you since yesterday."
Sebastian's eyebrow arched. "Oh? And what question might that be?"
"How did you get into roping?" Ciel asked, spinning a pen around his fingers. "You're really good at it and I can see why y'all are ranked so high in the nation. I can't wait for y'all to win the finals."
A hum left Sebastian's mouth. "Tanaka was the one who first introduced roping to me. I knew how to ride when I met him and I already enjoyed business so I helped him with the business side of the ranch and he taught me more about the cowboy part," Sebastian answered. "I learned quickly and practiced often on the few steers that Tanaka owned."
Ciel nodded and leaned forward slightly, wanting to know more. "When did you meet Claude?"
Sebastian tilted his head back in thought as he silently counted the years in his head. His fingers brushed over the title of the book as he thought before the number came to him. "Two years after I started working for Tanaka," he stated. "I told you before that Claude moved to Texas when he was around fifteen and we met a few months later. Tanaka let him ride in exchange for helping me with the chores and anything else. He was getting old by then, in his sixties I believe."
"I'm guessing y'all started to train together after that," Ciel commented.
Sebastian nodded. "I taught Claude how to rope, just as Tanaka taught me. At first, it was necessary because we needed it in order to work the cattle. But we found out later that there were amateur rodeos we could compete in and that's when we started to try our hand at team roping. In the past, we were too competitive and it caused some problems between us." Sebastian paused and his left hand tightened around the armrest of the chair as he recalled a bad memory before continuing. "So I suggested team roping."
Ciel hummed. "How did you settle on who became the header and who was the heeler?" He laced his fingers together and propped his chin on them. "I imagine each position has their pros and cons to them."
Sebastian nodded. "They do. The header has to be fast enough to get the rope around the steer and set the animal up properly for the heeler, but he can't be too fast that he breaks the barrier and incurs a penalty. But at the same time, the heeler has to make sure the rope is in the correct position for the steer to jump into the loop by making sure the rope is on the ground as the steer's legs are going forward." He leaned forward slightly. "Both positions are rough but I believe that the heeler has the hardest job because the timing is harder than the headers."
"That seems odd to say considering you're the header," Ciel commented. "Usually people claim that their position in a job is the hardest because it makes them look better. What makes you say that Claude has the harder position?"
Sebastian shrugged. "Because I've been both the header and heeler before," he stated. "When we first started, I knew how to do both so we switched to find out which one we were better at. Because Claude was new to roping, we thought it was best that he tried the header position but he would either break the barrier or leave too late so our times were often slow. He didn't have that instinct to know when the steer was going to run."
Blue eyes focused on Sebastian once more. "But you did," Ciel finished.
Sebastian closed his eyes as he shrugged. "Usually I can tell when the calf is going to be released by watching the person controlling the chute. It allows me to break right after the steer without accruing time penalties or leaving too late that our time is too slow," he stated. "After that, we just had to work on Claude's timing as a heeler. It was difficult as he was still green at the time. But once he knew what to look for, he seemed to get the hang of it. Not as though it's any easier now just because he's gotten better at it."
Ciel nodded. "I never expected it to be easy. Anything that requires perfect timing is difficult, no matter how easy y'all make it look." He tapped his pencil on the desk before asking his next question. "Did y'all compete a lot during school?"
"Until he was sent away, yes," Sebastian answered. "We trained during the summer leading up to our sophomore year and went from there. Claude's parents caught us near the end of our junior year and sent him away for his last year of high school. We didn't get a chance to train then and our standings went down. But after we graduated high school, we started practicing together again and still trained when we could while I studied at A&M."
"Sounds like it was a rough road," Ciel stated, propping his head up on the heel of his palm. "But at the same time, y'all are nationally ranked and set to win the finals. I guess in the end, everything worked out and was okay."
Sebastian chuckled. "You could say that. Although the pages to this book can't close until December. That's when everything comes to an end and will decide if all the work we put into this will bear fruit or not." He turned his attention back to book he had been reading. "But I'm certain that everything will work out the way we hoped for it to."
Ciel blinked before shaking his head. "Don't get too cocky," he warned but smiled nonetheless. "But I'm sure it will. You two are a good team and y'all will win for sure."
The words made Sebastian smile as turned a page in his book. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, Ciel," he said lightly and waved his hand. "Now, continue with your project so you can finish it. Neither of us want to stay trapped in this room all day."
"One last question," Ciel said quickly, making Sebastian's eyebrow arch at him. "What are you reading?"
Crimson eyes glanced down at the book in question before shrugging slightly. "Just a book detailing the list on the rules of life," he answered. "It's a rather humorous book that details all the rules everything living thing in this world must abide to."
Ciel's eyebrow twitched slightly. "Aren't those things bogus, just like horoscopes? Written by people who think they understand the mysteries of the world."
"And beyond," Sebastian finished with a small smirk.
A laugh left Ciel's mouth. "Of course, how could I forget? Demons, fairies, and the like," he stated and waved his hand. He got up and circled around the desk, approaching the chair Sebastian reclined on and perched himself on the armrest. He glanced at the text, trying to read the foreign language and frowned when he couldn't figure out the books origins. "So what does the wise book say?" He teased.
Sebastian glanced at the book before flipping a few pages until he was near the front. His finger tapped a small paragraph. "Humans are a flesh body and a soul. If you bring these two together, one can exist amongst the living and keep on documenting their life's memories in a record." He paused and reread the sentence to himself before continuing. "And when the flesh body withers, and the soul has been collected, the record ends there and the living become the dead."
Ciel snorted. "I could've told you that without all the fancy words and made up language. You have a body and a soul that collects memories as you live. Then one day you die. Simple as that and I didn't need some rule book to tell me that." He gestured at the book. "What language is that anyway? Demonic?"
"You said it, not me," Sebastian teased, his voice light and airy but holding a hint of amusement.
"I still don't understand why you read that; it's just made up information made to shock and awe the masses," Ciel grumbled and circled back around the desk so he could start to work again.
Sebastian chuckled. "It amuses me, that's all. Am I not allowed a little humor in this world?"
Ciel glared at Sebastian. "No you are not allowed to have humor," he stated, but the laughter in his eyes gave him away. "So long as you don't pretend to be a vampire or start sacrificing your cattle in hopes to summon a demon, I think we'll be okay."
Sebastian grabbed the blanket resting behind him and draped it over his body. "I vant to suck your blood," he hissed.
Ciel snorted slightly with laughter. "I'd much rather have you suck something else," he stated without thinking. As soon as he realized what he had said, he slapped a hand over his mouth and stared wide eyed at Sebastian, hoping he hadn't made Sebastian mad. He relaxed slightly as Sebastian started to chuckle and Ciel murmured a soft sorry before getting back to work while Sebastian continue to chuckle to himself.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Alois stared at the rope in his hands before looking back up at Claude. It was still early in the morning and Sebastian and Ciel were inside, working on Ciel's project, which meant that they wouldn't bother Alois as he tried to learn how to rope. The last thing he needed was to have either Ciel or Sebastian teasing him or making jokes when he simply wanted to impress Claude.
He knew he could do this but Ciel and Sebastian had a talent for making Alois's confidence vanish. Their personalities were similar in a way and they seemed to feed off each other's actions, making Alois's life miserable when he crossed their path. But Claude would make them stop if they did show up and tease him. Because Claude seemed to take care of Alois no matter what. It made butterflies fly around in Alois's stomach and heat curl through his body until Alois didn't know what he felt anymore.
Alois never felt anything like it before and he debated calling Hannah last night in hopes that she could help him. But Hannah had her own problems to deal with. She didn't need to know the problems in his life right now, as it would only make her worry and with an approaching court day looming in the future, Alois didn't want to add any more stress to his sister's life. She had enough of her own problems.
But the upcoming court date made Alois nervous and stressed as well, even though Hannah told him not to worry about it. She had a good lawyer and they were both confident that they could clear her name. All the 'what ifs' popped into Alois's mind though and he found himself thinking about them during the night until he had to get up for a glass of water just to clear his mind.
He lost sleep over the trial and if Alois felt so nervous and worked up over his sister's trial, he didn't want to think how Hannah felt. It was her trial after all, her life ultimately on the line. Hannah had no one there to help her, besides her lawyer. Alois had never met him before, but Hannah told him that her lawyer was the best and he didn't have to worry. But the thought still sat in the back of his mind, always there and constantly ticking; like a bomb waiting to go off.
The trial was one of the reasons Alois had asked Claude to teach him how to rope. Learning and practicing roping would give Alois something to keep his mind busy during the down times at the ranch. It would keep the thoughts at bay and Alois clung to that hope. With that thought in mind, Alois looked back at the model steer that stood still before him.
"Promise you won't laugh if I miss?" He asked one more time. Alois knew the answer but hearing Claude say those words helped calm him down.
Claude shook his head. "I won't laugh no matter what; if you miss by a lot or by a little. Even if you get it on your first try, I won't laugh." He rested his hand on Alois's shoulder and adjusted his glasses. "But you'll never know what will happen until you try." He stepped back again, giving Alois the room he needed and crossed his arms across his chest as he waited for Alois to start.
"Right," Alois murmured and silently took comfort in the words.
Hesitantly, Alois raised his right arm and swiveled his wrist, making the rope twirl over his head slightly. He glanced up at it and felt his arm shift. He raised his elbow up, causing the rope to kink together, and the loop collapsed on itself. Alois huffed as he lowered his arm and tugged at the rope until it the large loop was present once more.
"Remember to keep your elbow at the same height throughout the whole throw," Claude said, coming up behind him. He leaned forward and placed a hand on Alois's hip while his other hand grasped just underneath Alois's right wrist. "Keep it level and don't rush the spin. Even when you let go of the rope, your arm needs to reach forward and your finger needs to follow through. That will help direct where you want the rope to go."
Alois nodded and let Claude help him start swinging his arm, keeping his elbow level and his eyes focused on the target. He knew what he wanted and he made sure to keep it in his sights. Any hesitation or lack of focus would make the throw go wide and it wouldn't work. He focused intently on the target and barely noticed when Claude slipped away right as he tossed the lariat forward.
The rope arched through the air and circled around the horn of the fake steer, sitting there innocently while Alois could only stare at it. It took a few moments for Alois to realize that he made a successful attempt before he dropped the rope and jumped up and down excitedly.
"I did it!" He exclaimed happily and tossed his arms around Claude's neck. "Did you see that? I roped it!" He stated and let go long enough to point back towards the plastic cow head, proud of his accomplishment.
Claude smiled slightly and brought his arms up to loop around Alois's waist, pulling him closer. "You did and I'm very proud of you," he said honestly. "I knew you could do it, Alois."
Alois shivered at the way his name rolled off Claude's tongue. He wanted to hear it again and he reached up, cupping Claude's face between his hands. "Say it again," he ordered softly.
"I'm very proud of you," Claude said without hesitation.
Alois shook his head, blond locks swaying back and forth. "No. Say my name again."
Claude's eyes softened slightly and he reached up cover Alois's hand. "I'm very proud of you, Alois," he murmured lowly, golden eyes watching the emotions that played across Alois's face.
Alois beamed happily and pride washed over his body at the words. He yearned to hear Claude say them again so he could feel that feeling once more but he restrained himself from asking for more. Alois wanted to earn the praise he sought. It would only make them sound that much sweeter when Alois heard them again.
"Let's try it again," Claude said and slowly pulled Alois's hands from his face before reached down to pick up the rope that Alois had dropped in his excitement. "Remember to keep your eyes on the target. You want the Honda to land right where your target is. It's good that your loop hit the target, but this time, you want it to go around the head of the steer, not just a horn."
Alois nodded and started to rewrap the rope again, making sure to keep it looped neatly so kinks didn't form in the material. "The whole head, got it," he stated and shifted his grip until he was holding it up near the Honda. He focused on the plastic steer head and wiggled his body slightly so he wasn't so stiff before starting again.
Alois pushed all thoughts of Ciel from his mind as he brought the lariat up and started spinning it. Everything else vanished from his thoughts as well until there was nothing left but Alois and the fake steer before him. The fake steer was the only thing that mattered right now. It kept Alois's mind occupied from all the other troubles that plagued his life.
Hannah's upcoming trial, her future that hung by a string, and everything regarding Hannah in general. They all vanished with each flick of wrist.
The debt Ciel held over him and the annoying plan that Ciel had concocted fled from his mind as the rope arched through the air again, landing around the desired target. He stared at the rope around the plastic head and before he could stop himself, wondered what Ciel would think or say to his new skill.
No doubt, Ciel would scoff at him and make some dismissive comment, disregarding the accomplishment as nothing.
Alois scowled and his fingers tightened around the rope. What would happen if Ciel's neck were the thing the rope wrapped around instead of the bale of hay? Without thinking, Alois pulled back on the rope until it tightened and for a brief moment, Alois could pretend that he was tightening the rope around Ciel's neck instead.
All it would take was one more hard pull for that fragile neck to snap, and all Alois's troubles would vanish.
A hollow laugh left Alois's mouth as his shoulders slumped and tears started to prick at his eyes. If only it were that easy. If only he hadn't lusted after Ciel so much that his faults blinded him, then none of this would've happened in the first place. If only he didn't still want the younger male.
If only, if only.
.:|As a Rule|:.
A low hum left Ciel's mouth as he moved down the hallway the next morning. Despite it being Monday and the start of the week, Ciel found himself rather content with the day. Yesterday had been a good day. He had finished his project with Sebastian and safely tucked it away so Alois couldn't find it. Alois still believed Ciel had ruined his last two projects and Ciel didn't want to take any chances in case Alois decided to destroy his project as revenge.
After finishing the project yesterday, Ciel had some free time and had every intention on driving into town to buy some pastries for Sebastian and himself. A happy cry that could only come from Alois's mouth sidetracked him though and Ciel found himself pausing at the noise. What could've happened to make Alois that happy?
The only time Alois sounded that happy was when he came back from his camping trip with Claude.
Curiosity overcame him and got the better of Ciel as he made his way to the side of the barn where the noise had come from. His eyes widened slightly, surprised to see Alois standing before a bale of hay with a plastic steer head mounted at the front. Ciel found the sight humorous, knowing that Alois only asked to do this so he could earn more praise from Claude.
Claude stood behind Alois though, looking proud at what Alois had done. He even went as far as patting him on the shoulder before moving forward to unhook the lariat from the bale of hay. He told Alois to do it again before stepping back and watching as Alois readied himself once more.
It seemed odd to have Alois so focused on something, especially roping and Ciel found it hard to believe that Alois had even asked for lessons. Alois was the one who thought this whole internship was a bad idea and didn't want to come from the start. But here he was now, learning how to rope and looking as though he was enjoying it.
Ciel tucked the information away so he could use it when needed and now, Ciel deemed the information ready to share with Sebastian. He didn't want to tell Sebastian yesterday as they had been busy in the afternoon but now was a good time and Ciel planned to use it for his advantage.
Poking his head into the kitchen, Ciel quickly found Sebastian standing before the stove. The smell of eggs floated through the air and a plate of sausages were already sitting on the table. "Good morning," he chirped and padded into the kitchen, wanting to grope the tempting ass but Ciel restrained himself as he took a seat.
"You're awfully chipper this morning," Sebastian commented and glanced at him briefly before turning his attention back to the eggs, wanting to make them light and fluffy. "Any reason why?"
"I was just hoping that you'd teach me how to rope today," Ciel commented. "You had mentioned it last weekend and I was wondering if you were still going to teach me."
Sebastian cocked his head slightly. "I don't mind teaching you roping, but I figured that you'd much rather do something new on horseback. Learning to rope takes a while and you have to start on the ground before you can even try it from a horse."
Ciel pouted in mock disappointment. "But Claude was teaching Alois yesterday," he stated, trying to make himself look as though he were truly upset. "I was hoping that I could learn too."
"Claude was teaching Alois?" Sebastian asked curiously and turned from the stove briefly as he spooned some eggs onto the plate that sat before Ciel. "I'll have to talk to him about that," he murmured to himself as he moved back to the stove.
"So does that mean I won't be able to learn as well then?" Ciel asked, his fork hovering over his eggs.
Sebastian shook his head. "I have no problem teaching you how to rope. I told you before that I would teach you more things and that you only had to ask. The more things you learn, the more comfortable you'll be with the horses and ranch life itself." He turned the stove off and placed a piece of buttered bread into the pan so it could toast slowly. "We can start whenever you would like, so long as we still finish all the chores first."
Ciel nodded. "I understand," he answered.
Sebastian removed the piece of bread from the pan and set it on the edge of Ciel's plate before he moved towards the kitchen's entrance. "We'll start the chores when you're done with breakfast. Make sure you clean up the dishes when you're done."
Ciel waved Sebastian away, promising him that he would before Sebastian vanished from the room. With a small smirk, Ciel bit into the toasted bread. Today promised to be a good day.
.:|As a Rule|:.
It didn't take Sebastian very long to find Claude in the stables. Claude had just come back from wheeling out some soiled bedding to the muckheap and was getting ready to start loading up the truck with the supplies they would need for the day's work. Sebastian waited for Claude to set the wheelbarrow in the proper place before clearing his throat lightly and drawing attention to himself.
"You're here early, Sebastian," Claude stated. "I haven't loaded everything up yet."
Sebastian shook his head. "That's not why I'm here," he said and walked closer to Claude, his eyes dancing slightly. "You didn't tell me that you were teaching Alois how to rope. You know what that means? You have a little fan boy," he teased.
Claude scoffed and shoved Sebastian's shoulder lightly. "I do not. He just wanted to learn how and asked the other day if I could teach him. He was really impressed from watching us the other day. If anything, I'd say that we have some fan boys."
A low laugh left Sebastian's mouth as he pushed back at Claude's shoulder. "But he asked you, not both of us. So that means he likes you better." He shoved his hands into his pockets and cocked his head slightly. "Just make sure you don't teach him so well that he becomes a threat to us later on in our careers," he stated with a grin.
Claude smirked and ran a hand through his hair. "You're insufferable, Sebastian," he said with a sigh. "But don't worry. I'm just teaching him the basics and our secrets to roping are still that; just a secret."
"Good, because I'd hate for him and Ciel to make their own team and try to run us out of town," Sebastian joked as they started to walk back to the house. "I would have to kill Alois if you had told him our secrets."
Golden eyes rolled slightly. "Always the dramatic one," he said. "You wouldn't kill that boy. You'd have no place to hide him, especially since there's a paper trail that leads him straight to you."
Sebastian shrugged. "Who said I was joking?" He questioned, eyes filled with cruel humor. He shrugged at Claude's glare. "I can always blame the wild animals out here."
Claude chuckled. "If I didn't know any better, Sebastian Michaelis, I'd say that you were jealous that I was showing Alois how to rope." He paused and his eyes flickered to Sebastian. "Are you?"
Sebastian paused and seemed to think over the words before shaking his head. "Not really. Because I know he'll never be as good as either of us, so there's no worry that he'll try to replace me," Sebastian stated with a grin. "Plus, roping will always be our thing. It's what brought us together as friends and then business partners and I don't think you're willing to replace me after all that just for some brat."
Laughing, Claude pushed his glasses up on his nose. "You never change, Sebastian," he stated and gave Sebastian a push towards the house. "Go finish getting ready so we can get started on the chores for today."
Sebastian shook his head and batted Claude's hands away before starting towards the house, glad that that he had taken care of that little problem. They had already agreed never to tell anyone about their roping style so they wouldn't have to worry about competition. It was childish and something they had done when they were younger, but even now, years later, they still stuck to that promise.
And while Sebastian never lied, he couldn't say the same thing about Claude, and Sebastian just wanted to make sure. But it seemed as though his worries were for not and everything was still the same. As it should be.