Ciel awoke the next morning feeling as though he had been slammed repeatedly against a brick wall. Every single one of his muscles felt tightly coiled, like springs rusted into place. He sat up in bed; his head pounding and the room swam before him. He flopped back on the pillows, eyes squinting at the sunlight seeping into the room as Sebastian drew back the curtains.
"Close those," He groaned, flinging an arm over his face.
"Young master, it's time to wake up," Sebastian said. "You have a busy day ahead."
"Doing what?" Ciel asked. He couldn't imagine anything that could be so important it needed to be tended to immediately, outside of the vampire of course. That matter, though vital, was not going to be taken care of today. He was going to rest and that was final.
Sebastian began to speak but Ciel barely heard him. He was not interested in studies or lessons, or managing the company. Not for the day at least.
"No."
Sebastian was silent for a moment and Ciel suspected that he had cut him off in the middle of a sentence though he hadn't been listening to anything that had been said for the last two minutes.
"Pardon, young master?"
"I said no," Ciel repeated. "Shut the curtains. I want to rest today."
Sebastian regarded him for a few moments, and then he bowed and moved to draw the drapes. Ciel sighed as the bright sunshine was once against shut away and the room dimmed. It felt much better on his tired eyes. Now if only the rest of his body would feel the same way.
"Do you care to have any breakfast, my lord?" Sebastian asked. "This morning I've prepared kippered herring with poached eggs and—"
"Not yet," Ciel said. "Come here."
The butler hesitated for only a second before he crossed the room. The Earl knew he would. Sebastian had learned what to expect when he requested this. Ciel pulled the demon into his bed, wrapping his arms around the older man's slender frame.
"Young master, you really shouldn't stay in bed," Sebastian commented.
"Shouldn't I?" Ciel whispered. "I imagine I could stay in here all day with you."
The Earl tightened his hold and his lips found Sebastian's neck. He had quickly come to realize that this was one of the demon's most sensitive spots and so he often gravitated towards it. He sucked on the flesh for a few moments before he used his teeth, teasing a little and then fully biting down. Sebastian groaned and the Earl pressed down harder, wanting to draw more from the demon.
"You quite enjoy that, don't you?" Ciel asked as he pulled back slightly, running his tongue along the reddened skin. "Don't want me to get out of bed now, hmm?"
Sebastian responded by pinning Ciel down against the sheets. His hold was gentle. "You really shouldn't let your breakfast go to waste."
The Earl could tell by the glint in the demon's eyes that he was only half-serious about the statement. He smirked himself, and pulled his arms out of Sebastian's grip. He moved forward and straddled the other's lap, bringing his lips close to the butler's ear. "Maybe I wish to do something else this morning."
Ciel knew that would make Sebastian forget whatever annoying things he was going to tell him. He didn't want to go to lessons, or deal with his company, or spare one more thought about those damn vampires. He knew that it was naïve to hope that Marina had simply fled and wouldn't come back. She would return and she would be even more of a pain than before, considering Sebastian had slaughtered all but her.
Sebastian wrapped his arms around the Earl as the boy worked on his shirt, hurriedly undoing the buttons. Ciel enjoyed the feeling of being held. The demon's arms were slender but strong, and one of the first things Ciel had noticed that he found attractive when they had begun having regular relations.
He pushed the shirt off Sebastian's shoulders, taking in the pale chiseled skin and moving forward to cover every inch he could with his lips, teeth, and tongue. He had learned a lot over the last couple of months, though he knew that there was more.
There was still one last, big thing that they hadn't yet done. He'd read about it, but the book only offered information on contact between a man and a lady, and though he had found that a bit fascinating as well, it obviously wasn't helpful. So he'd eventually had to ask Sebastian to explain the finer points of how that would work between them and immediately wished he hadn't. He felt as though his face might melt off from embarrassment, and Sebastian had thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing as he described in great detail, watching the Earl become more uncomfortable and squirmy by the second, but in the end Ciel had been curious to try it. Eventually.
Of course he was withholding that information from the demon, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy doing other things. Only something seemed a bit different about Sebastian that morning. Normally he was a lot more enthusiastic. Perhaps he was still tired from the previous night's events as well, though Sebastian didn't need sleep and he always seemed to have unlimited energy. Regardless, the incidents of the previous night had left everyone a bit shaken.
Ciel sighed. He drew Sebastian down onto the bed with him, letting the demon's arms slip around him and settling into them.
"My lord?" Sebastian asked after a moment.
"Don't speak," Ciel said. He nestled further against the demon's chest. Sebastian's skin was warm, a bit warmer than normal, and Ciel wondered if his butler could adjust his body temperature at will. It was something he wouldn't put past him; Sebastian was always full of random skills.
"I want to sleep a while longer," Ciel said. "Then I want you to go take Adeline and Edmund's body to Undertaker. Let her pick out whatever she wishes for the burial, spare no expense."
Sebastian didn't say anything, but Ciel knew he was listening. The Earl ran his fingers down the arm wrapped around his waist. He never shared a bed with anyone other than his parents, and that was so long ago. There had been that one time with Sir Arthur, when he'd been accused of murder, and Doll at the circus, but this was entirely different. Sebastian was what made it different.
He caught sight of Sebastian's hand, entranced by the shininess of his nails. The Earl sighed, running his fingers over the contract seal and then threading them with Sebastian's own. He was so tired and if he really dwelt on it, a little afraid that the vampire would come back. However, being there, in the quiet of the morning with the demon, he felt oddly safe. And that was something he wanted to hold on to for as long as he could.
Sebastian could never remember having cuddled with anyone. Ever. He was sure that there probably had been the odd maiden here or there who might have tried to get him to remain after the deed had been done, but he'd always declined and disappeared, never to be seen again. That was how he liked it. Being this way with the Earl was very odd, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to dislike it.
Even though he was a demon, he'd always been different than other demons and he supposed that this was part of the problem. Perhaps Silas was right and he had become soft, though he would never admit that to anyone. He couldn't be sure if it had happened over time, or if it was something that had always been inside him, lying just beneath the surface, waiting to rise up.
First and foremost, demons were creatures of darkness and trickery. They desired souls and didn't much care how they obtained them. Maybe it had something to do with the Earl. He'd never experienced a connection like the one he now shared with any of his previous contractors, or indeed anyone in general, within Hell or on the surface. It was frankly alarming and something he wasn't quite sure how he felt about. This was completely out of character for a demon. He wasn't supposed to care for his charge, outside of making sure they didn't get too ruined before it was time to collect payment. But he did and it made him uneasy.
In a way he was relieved to just have to lie in the bed. He had awoken from his unexpected rest the night before not feeling any better. He supposed that whatever toxins Silas's fangs had infected him with were simply working their way through his system. It wasn't pleasant but he imagined that it would soon clear up. At least he hoped so; it was causing him to become uncomfortable and hypersensitive. Earlier, when the Earl had bitten him it had hurt, and not in a good way. Sebastian was not opposed to pain, but this had been unusual.
For the second time, he found his eyes slipping closed. The Earl had dropped right off to sleep again; his small body nestled against Sebastian's. The demon sighed softly. He supposed that there were worse ways to be spending his morning, even if breakfast was getting cold.
Later, they awoke and Sebastian dressed the Earl, trying not to think about how far behind schedule they were. But, he reasoned, the Earl had decided that there was no schedule that day, so therefore, they were neither late nor early. He prepared the lunch, feeling himself moving a bit slower than usual, but still more quickly than a human.
The young master had declined visiting Undertaker, so Sebastian set off alone with Adeline. The girl was uncharacteristically silent, but the demon knew that death was hard on humans. Besides, he wasn't in the mood for chatting. He had other things on his mind.
They reached the shop in what seemed like no time at all. Adeline went in while he unloaded Edmund's body.
"I wanted to thank you so much for helping us out," She was saying when he entered.
"Was no trouble at all, dearie," Undertaker replied. He caught sight of Sebastian. "Ah, if it isn't the butler. Where's the Earl?"
"He decided to stay home today," Sebastian replied. "He had some urgent business to attend to."
"Pity, I should have liked to see him," Undertaker said. He glanced at the body. "You brought a guest?"
"My brother," Adeline said. "Your—your gift helped me give him peace. The Earl told me to come…pick out something for him."
"I understand that you don't care for the Queen's coin," Sebastian said. He produced a bag of money that they Earl had given him. "However, the Earl insisted that the lady select whatever she desired and he'd fully prepared to pay for—"
"No," Undertaker waved him away. "Even if I took currency, she wouldn't have to pay. Go on, choose what you wish."
Adeline moved to look at the coffins, her expression thoughtful. Sebastian waited, thoroughly wishing that the Earl had sent Adeline alone. He was…tired. That didn't seem correct but it was the only way to describe how he was feeling.
"So, you had yourselves a little run-in with the vampires," Undertaker said. He was crunching on some of those strange bone-shaped biscuits he was fond of. "That must have been interesting. How did you make out?"
"We dealt with most of them," Sebastian said. "A couple proved to be a little more difficult."
"That's purebloods for you," Undertaker replied. He glanced over at Adeline. "Are you finding anything you like?"
Adeline nodded. She indicated a black coffin with purple silk lining. "This one."
"An excellent choice," Undertaker grinned. "Alright, I'll begin the preparations immediately. You can come back tomorrow. I'll have everything ready."
Adeline paused. She looked over at Sebastian and cleared her throat. "Would you mind if I stayed?" She shifted her eyes toward Undertaker. "That is, if that's alright?"
"It is a bit of an odd request, but why not?" Undertaker said. "It's not often I find a lady interested in my work. Butler, you can leave her here, I'll send her back in a carriage. Tell the Earl to come see me soon. I suspect he might have need of my services in the near future."
Sebastian didn't ask him to elaborate on this. The Undertaker was bizarre and the less he had to deal with him the better. Adeline could stay if she fancied. He wanted to get back to the townhouse. It was time to get started on dinner and perhaps he could find a few moments to relax again, odd, as it was to desire that. He bid the lady and Undertaker goodbye and returned to the townhouse.
The butler had barely walked through the door when the pain started again, the same as before. He tried to ignore it and made his way toward the study. The Earl had said he was going to try to formulate a plan to track down Marina. He was quite sure that the vampire would be the one to track them down when they time came, but he hadn't said so. The young master liked to be in control.
He knocked tentatively and waited. A voice called from the other side, giving him permission to enter. The demon swept into the study. Ciel was behind the desk, an array of papers strewn about as usual. He glanced up as Sebastian drew closer, frowning.
"How did it go at the funeral parlor?" He asked.
"Interesting," Sebastian said, because that was the only way to put what had happened. "She selected a coffin and then decided to wanted she to stay for the evening."
Ciel raised an eyebrow. "Stay? Like…with Undertaker?"
"Apparently so," Sebastian said. He still didn't understand it either. "She seems to have taken a liking to him."
"That's unusual," Ciel replied. He shrugged. "Did he say anything else?"
"Nothing of great importance," Sebastian said. "He does want you to visit him soon however. Says you may be in need of his assistance."
"It's possible," Ciel pushed back from the desk and made his way from the room. "Things are never quiet for long in London's underbelly."
A/N: And so the journey continues. We are more than halfway done with this story at this point. It ended up being just a bit shorter than I thought it was going to be in terms of chapters, but I felt the point where it ends is good, otherwise it would have felt draggy. Thanks to all of my lovely followers, lovers, and reviewers.
promocat: He should do that, but since when does Sebastian ever do things he should? Actually looking back on this now, it would have pushed the plot in a completely different way, which would have been quite interesting. Undertaker still has a small part to play in this one though.
dardar1: again, someone putting up an idea that would have shifted things in a different way. You'll just have to wait and see what happens. ;)
Jenmoon1: thank you for the follow and your kinds words. I actually wasn't familiar with that one, but after a little research I do believe it's entirely possible. Why do you ask?
