A/N: I'll get to reviews tomorrow, promise! My friends threw me a late bday party and just now came back D8. Thank you everyone for your support! :3
Many, many, many thanks to Kitty Gets Loose for reading through this story and giving me advice. And to Imperial Mint for encouraging me along the way ^^
Warnings: Language, light mentions of sexual interactions with Claude/Alois
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji
As a rule: It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway across the world ~ Chaos Theory
Claude jerked awake in bed as his phone danced across the nightstand, singing loudly in the middle of the night. He kicked at the sheets that had curled around his legs while he slept and reached out for the phone, only to knock his alarm clock off the nightstand table. The glowing green numbers read one fifty-three and Claude growled at the clock on the floor before finally grabbing his phone.
He looked at the unknown number and for a moment, debated answering it. There was a chance that someone had the wrong number and knowing Claude's luck, the person on the other line would be drunk. That was the only thing he needed right now.
But there was still the chance the call was serious.
Human life was fragile and hung by a thin string that dangled in the harsh wind. Despite the advances in medicine and science, nothing could hold off the inevitable death. In the end, death's hands found everyone and no one was immune to its cold grip.
Claude was only human and with Alois three hours away from the ranch, Claude's fears increased. A phone call in the middle of the night could mean anything. It could be a wrong number but it could just as easily be something else, something dangerous, and Claude would never forgive himself if something happened to Alois.
He brought the phone closer and hit the talk button, silencing the loud ringer. "Hello?" He answered; voice rough and still thick with sleep. He cleared his throat and spoke again, the words coming clearer this time.
"Claude," a soft voice said, choked with emotion and trying to hold back the tears. "I need you to come down right away, please."
Claude trembled at the tone and clutched the phone tighter. "Hannah," he murmured and picked up the clock he knocked over earlier. "What's the matter? What happened?"
Silence settled on the other end of the phone as Hannah tried to collect herself before speaking again. "The police came by tonight and said that they had a warrant to bring me down to the station, claiming they found some new evidence." She choked back a sob. "I'm back at the prison while they run tests on whatever it was that they found. But I don't know anything else that's going on. I'm worried," she admitted.
Shaking slightly, Claude rested his forehead on his palm, trying to think. "Have you called your lawyer yet?" He asked.
That was the first thing Hannah should've done instead of calling him. Her lawyer would know how to handle the situation better than Claude would and right now, Claude was in no shape to handle anything. This was something he had feared ever since Hannah's lawyer struck a deal with the judge to have Hannah released on good behavior until the court could find something to hold her guilty to the murder.
Before, they had nothing physical to pin the murder on her other than her lack of an alibi and the fact that she was in the area at the time of the murders. She was the prime suspect but with no evidence, they couldn't hold her or put her in jail.
But now, something had surfaced and the police held it against her. Claude didn't know what to think and he felt the situation quickly spiraling out of control. He knew Hannah wouldn't kill her parents, no matter how much she disliked them.
"I haven't called him yet," Hannah admitted. "I don't think he could come this early anyway and they said I could call him in the morning, but I needed someone to talk to now."
Claude rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache starting to form. "You should've called him Hannah. He's your lawyer and is supposed to be on call for you. That's what you pay him for." The smallest bit of annoyance crept into his chest but he pushed it aside. He couldn't blame Hannah for feeling scared and wanting to talk to someone familiar compared to her lawyer.
Hannah was silent on the other line, nibbling her lower lip in thought as she tried to calm down. "I'll call him after this but I wanted to let you know. I wanted to tell someone who wasn't family related. You're old enough to understand everything going on and you aren't under as much stress as Alois is."
Claude stiffened slightly and he gripped the phone tighter. "Have you called him yet?" He asked, unsure how Hannah was going to approach the topic with Alois.
"There's no need to tell him something if the judge will dismiss it," Hannah stated. "But if I need to, I'll inform my brother about it. Although it's not something that I look forward to, since stress and work have Alois stressed already. He had a summer free of Ciel while he stayed in Austin and I don't wish to ruin that with my news."
Claude flinched slightly and his eyes darted around the room, finally settling on the clock. "Is there anything you need me to do?" He questioned, changing the subject as he sank back onto the bed. "I know this is hard for you and I don't want you to feel as though you're alone right now."
"Do you think you can come down this afternoon when my lawyer comes? I want someone else there that I can trust when we figure out what's going on." She sniffed delicately before continuing. "I'm an independent woman, don't get me wrong. I'm not scared of my lawyer or anyone because I know I'm innocent. But it's always helpful to have a friend next to you in times like this."
Claude chuckled. "Of course. I would never think any less of you or believe that you were dependent, Hannah," he stated. "I'll be there when your lawyer comes by. Would you like me to call him for you? That way I at least know what time to be there?"
Hannah nodded. "That would be nice of you and would allow me stop worrying." She paused and cradled the phone closer. "Thank you for this Claude. I owe you. Not just for this, but for our other agreement as well. I still have to pay you for everything you've done."
"We'll discuss that later," Claude said quickly, changing the subject back to the lawyer. "I'll see you later today, Hannah. Stay safe there and don't let them get to you."
The phone clicked after that, Hannah was never one to say goodbye, and Claude stared at his phone. He cursed silently at the situation and scrolled through his contacts, searching for the number that Hannah's lawyer gave them both when he first met them. A part of him felt bad for calling so early in the morning, but he pushed the guilt aside. That's what lawyers were for and it wasn't as though Claude was asking him to come in now.
The line picked up and an annoyed, tired voice filtered through the other end. "Faustus. Should I ask why you're calling me at such an ungodly hour?" The man asked.
"The police removed your client, Hannah Trancy, from her place of stay tonight on the premises that new evidence had been found linking her to the murder of her parents," Claude stated. "She's currently being held and is need of your advice and help."
"I'll be there by eleven," the man answered and hung up, clearly not happy that someone woke him up so early.
But Claude couldn't care as he set his phone to the side and stretched out on the bed again. He would have to tell Sebastian that he needed to drive to Houston today to see Hannah but would be back in time for the afternoon chores. Pulling the covers over his head, Claude groaned lowly. This wasn't the way to start a Thursday morning.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Claude shifted in his chair, ignoring how hard and uncomfortable it was as they waited for Hannah's lawyer to arrive. The man was late and each pass of the second hand had Claude's fingers drumming along the surface of the table.
The minute hand clicked past the fifteen on the clock and Claude had just pulled out his phone to call the man when the door opened, admitting the person they waited for. He looked comfortable and collected in his suit, as though the Texas heat wasn't bothering him despite the full three-piece suit.
"You're late," Claude grunted, annoyed that they had to wait and no doubt, her lawyer would still charge Hannah for the whole time even though he was late.
"Hush Claude," Hannah cooed, not wanting to upset her lawyer. "Jeremy is a busy man and he came on such short notice. He didn't have to come at all today since it was so rushed, so be grateful that he's here."
Jeremy nodded at Hannah before grinning at Claude. "Exactly. No one likes hearing that their client is in the spot light once more, especially at such an early hour." He looked pleased with himself and turned his attention back to Hannah. "The police are allowing me time to talk to you so I can explain what happened before you speak to them. It is your right to remain silent on all matters if you wish, especially those that you don't understand."
Hannah looked annoyed and crossed her arms under her chest. "What exactly did they find that they're holding me for?" She asked. "I know that they found something but I refused to speak or answer any questions regarding it until you arrived. I know at least that much," she said haughtily.
A low chuckle left Jeremy's throat. "You did very well, Hannah. As to the situation, it's very different for the officers as they usually have an officer in the room with you to ask the questions while we debate how to answer. But I was able to pull some strings and get us a few minutes to talk in privacy."
"Aren't you the smart one," Claude drawled. "Who's dick did you suck to get this moment of privacy?" He ignored Hannah's glare and instead focused on Jeremy, not liking him one bit. Not only was he late, but his personality reminded him of Sebastian when he first met him. Proud and full of self-confidence. Sebastian always knew what he could do and strove to achieve what he wanted.
Jeremy smirked. "No sucking of cock was involved. I'm simply one hell of a lawyer," he answered and his smirk grew, as though he was sharing an inside joke with them. "However, if you wish for me to demonstrate my skill with my mouth, I can always offer to show you just what I can do." He winked teasingly at Claude, his smirk still firmly in place.
Claude scowled at the comment and action. "I have a boyfriend already," he hissed, not at all pleased about having Jeremy suggest that to him.
"Right, right," Jeremy answered, waving his hand. "Sebastian was his name if I'm correct. Unless something's changed in the past few months." His eyes pinned Claude to the spot, hinting that he knew something that only Claude knew.
Flinching slightly, Claude held Jeremy's gaze. "That's none of your business," he seethed.
"Boys," Hannah called, sounding exasperated. "Need I remind you that we're on the clock right now and don't have all the time in the world for you two to flirt with each other?"
Jeremy nodded his head. "Hannah is correct. We don't have the time right now to be playing around. We need to be focused on the task at hand." He gave Claude a look, as though he had caused the whole the situation.
Rolling his eyes and ignoring him, Claude leaned forward as Jeremy started to pull out his papers detailing the case so far. It was all lawyer information and for the most part, Claude didn't understand much of it. But he could still listen and look for something that stood out as fishy. If he could help in any way, then he would offer his help and hope for the best by the time their meeting finished.
.:|As a Rule|:.
The phone call came late at night, after Alois was back from work and getting ready for bed. In the living room, Ciel worked on his homework and Alois had pointedly locked his door after picking up the phone. He didn't want to give Ciel a chance to sabotage anything else in his life.
Three days had passed since their last argument where Ciel had deleted his project and since then they had barely spoken to each other. Claude had been as helpful as he could, considering they could only talk on the phone. Alois couldn't stand to look at Claude over Skype anymore and knew he would fall apart the moment he saw Claude's face. It didn't help that each day that passed; Alois could feel the guilt building and mounting even more.
However, it seemed as though life liked to throw multiple curve balls at Alois and as he listened to Hannah talk to him on the phone, Alois couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
He clutched his pillow, hoping beyond all belief that this was just a horrible nightmare and it wasn't real. He didn't want to hear Hannah telling him that the police were holding her in conviction of their parent's murder. They had been so close to winning their trial but this new piece of evidence could ruin everything.
It couldn't have come at a worse time, either. In between his arguments with Ciel and the guilt he felt with Claude, Alois felt as though he would break.
This new piece of information though had done the trick and Alois could feel everything shattering around him, falling to the ground like a broken frame of glass. It crashed loudly to the ground and was dangerous to move, because no matter where he stepped, Alois was bound to get hurt. He felt hollow and he couldn't think straight as he tried to sort out everything that Hannah was telling him.
"What about your lawyer?" Alois finally croaked, finding the strength to speak. "You said he was the best there was and he promised to prove that you are innocent."
"Alois," Hannah cooed over the phone, trying to sound calm for him. "He just found out this morning along with me. The officers explained everything they found and he demanded to see their files. He has to look over everything before we can move forward. Things can't happen overnight."
Alois shook his head even though Hannah couldn't see him. "That still doesn't help you. Did he at least tell you when he would know the answers?" The longer it took, the more the case would drag on and Ciel would have to pay lawyer fees. Which in turn would reflect on Alois's ever growing debt.
Alois knew that the moment Ciel heard about this new development, he would say something. Ciel would tell him that the price of his debt just increased or if Alois were extremely lucky, Ciel would add interest to the debt instead of directly increasing it. Either way, the price would increase and Alois wasn't looking forward to seeing Ciel.
"He didn't say how long it would take, there was a large stack of folders to shift through," Hannah answered. "But he promised me that he would make it his top priority and try to finish it as quickly as possible. He won't let me stay in their custody for long, Alois. Don't worry about me. He'll take care of me."
"Did you have someone else there with you at least?" Alois asked. "It would be awful if you were alone the whole time while you waited for your lawyer to arrive."
Hannah hummed. "I had someone with me until he arrived so I was well taken care of." She pressed the phone closer to her ear. "But please don't worry about me, Alois. Things will get better quickly, I promise. I only called to inform you about what happened, because I didn't want you to hear it from someone else first."
Alois nodded. "Thank you," he mumbled softly. "Make sure they keep treating you well."
Hannah laughed lightly before the line clicked, signaling the end of the call. Alois lowered the phone and looked at it before moving away from the desk to collapse on his bed. He couldn't think or feel anything as he pressed the speed dial button for Claude and brought the phone up to his ear.
It rang several times before Claude picked up and Alois nearly burst into tears at the sound of Claude saying his name. The sound comforted him and Alois felt as though he didn't deserve such compassionate words after everything he did to Claude. He gasped and shuddered for breath as Claude called his name again, a hint of worry creeping into his tone. Finally, Alois answered, sputtering Claude's name as he tried to collect his emotions and failing horribly.
"What's the matter Alois?" He asked.
"Nothing," Alois rasped and pulled the blanket over his body, shivering despite the heat outside. "Just…just talk please. I want to hear your voice. Tell me something, anything. Tell me about your day. What are you doing now?"
"I'm driving back from seeing a friend," Claude answered. "I was supposed to return earlier for the afternoon chores but things took longer than I thought and I'm headed back now. I called the ranch earlier to tell Sebastian that I would be late but one of the ranch hands said that they didn't know where Sebastian was and that they had barely seen him all day."
Alois chuckled lightly, feeling better at Claude's words. Just listening to Claude helped soothe his frazzled nerves and he found himself wanting more. "What else?" He asked.
Claude hummed as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as he coasted down the highway. "Let's see, I realized how much I hate city traffic," he said with a laugh and glanced up as the lights behind him flickered. His eyebrows furrowed, wondering what the driver was trying to signal before something sped past him at such a high speed that Claude felt his truck shake as the wind buffeted it. He cursed and straightened his truck out, his eyes straining to see what had passed by him. But whatever it was, it already passed and he couldn't see in the dark night.
"What happened?" Alois questioned, pressing the phone tighter to his ear. His heart raced in fear that something had happened to make Claude curse so much.
"Something just sped by me and I have no idea what it was," Claude answered, feeling uneasy. It had happened so quickly that Claude couldn't make out a figure or even a shadow. The only thing he saw were the lights flickering behind him before something flew by him. "It wasn't a car, I know that much. There was no engine noise. Otherwise I would say that someone was being reckless on a motorcycle."
Alois snickered, trying to ease Claude's worry. "Maybe it's a ghost and that road is haunted during the night. It's the ghost of someone who died on the highway while riding their motorcycle too fast and now they race up and down the roads, trying to scare people."
Claude chuckled, finding that he couldn't help himself. The story helped take the edge off what had just happened and he couldn't help but tease back. "Either that or the government is testing a new invisible car."
"Don't say that, Claude! The government is tapping our phones and if they hear that you've seen their experiments, they'll come after you and drag you away. And probably me because you told me," Alois exclaimed sounding serious and worried before breaking down into uncontrollable giggles. His mood lightened and Alois felt as though he could breathe again after the bad news from Hannah. It felt good to laugh without thought.
"Then the government has heard some very explicit conversations in the past few weeks," Claude stated, humor filling his voice. "Or at least in the past years since they started tapping the phones. No wonder they're all so corrupt."
Alois's eyes closed as he laughed, unable to help himself. If he kept his eyes shut, Alois could almost imagine that Claude was in his room, sitting next to him and playing with his hair as they talked about nonsense. But as he opened them again, Alois knew that the thoughts were just his imagination and Claude was still hours away. "I want to see you," he said softly. "I want you to hold me."
"What's the matter Alois?" Claude asked. "And don't tell me that nothing is wrong because something is bothering you."
Alois hesitated, torn between wanting to tell Claude about Hannah's case or staying silent on the subject. Claude knew about his sister, even though Alois had never given Hannah's name. He felt as though it was unfair for his sister and just referred to Hannah simply as 'my sister.' Claude knew Hannah was in some trouble that involved lawyers but he didn't know her crime and Alois was content to keep it that way.
He wanted to keep that as a family secret and Alois feared that once Claude discovered the truth, he would leave him. Who would want to date someone related to a convicted killer?
"Something came up today for my sister," Alois said finally, wanting to get the words off his chest. "And they had to call her lawyer back, which means more money. They don't know what's going on with her case right now and I'm worried that the tide will turn against her and the case will drag on even longer. I just want her back so see can help me like she used to."
Claude was silent on the other line, trying to think of something to tell Alois. "I understand what you're going through, Alois," he murmured. "But you have to believe that her lawyer will do his job and keep her from being found guilty. I'm sure that they'll smooth everything out and it'll be over quicker than you realize it."
Alois cradled the phone close. "I hope so. The longer this case drags on, the less I see of my sister and the more expensive it becomes. That's just something that I don't want to deal with right now." He sniffed. "I miss seeing her whenever I want and talking to her without having the law hovering over me when I visit. I just want things to go back to the way they were before this whole mess started."
It was the first time Alois admitted that aloud to someone other than his reflection. He refused to show weakness to anyone, especially Ciel, but when Alois talked to Claude, he found that he couldn't stop the words. Despite only knowing Claude for a few short months, Alois felt that he could trust Claude and that was enough to lower his guard.
"They'll clear her soon, Alois," Claude murmured, trying his best to calm Alois down. "And then you can see her as much as you want and next thing you know, she'll get on your nerves because that's what siblings do." He forced a laugh, hoping that it would help ease Alois and make him laugh again.
A moment passed and Alois laughed lightly. "This is true," he said and rubbed at her face. "But I'd rather have that compared to her sitting in jail."
"If you want, you can always come visit me this weekend. I'll never turn you away and when you come up, I'll simply hold you if that's all you wish for," Claude said softly. He didn't know what more Alois wanted from him and for now, this was the best that Claude could offer Alois.
Alois nodded, even though Claude couldn't see. "I would like that," he answered. "I just want to see you and get away for the weekend. I don't want to be around Ciel or even think about him."
Claude hummed. "I can do that. I can make you forget everything. We'll get away for the weekend, away from the ranch so you don't have to see Sebastian either. I just want to see you happy," he murmured.
A warm flush worked its way over Alois's face but the guilt rose once more to suffocate him. Once again, Claude was offering everything to Alois without knowing what Alois did to him in the past. It didn't seem fair and for a moment, Alois considered changing his mind but the thought of seeing Ciel the next day was enough to hold Alois to his choice.
"Thank you," Alois muttered, knowing that he didn't deserve such warmth from Claude and hating himself that he couldn't turn Claude down. That he had to cling to him because he was so weak.
Claude's lips twitched into a smile as he turned off the highway and onto a familiar road. "It's not a problem Alois and never believe that it is. I'll see you tomorrow. But for now, try to get some sleep. It's late for you and you have class."
Alois grunted, not happy for reminder but he knew Claude was right. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, feeling a strange mix of happiness and guilt as he hung up the phone. He set it aside and Alois rolled onto his back, gazing up at the ceiling and trying to sort out the feelings that raced through him.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Friday morning dawned hectic for Alois, as he willed the clock to go faster and tried to avoid Ciel at the same time. It was hard when they shared a class together but Alois managed to arrive right as class started so that the only seats left were the ones further away from Ciel. He ended up sitting near the front and his eyes stayed glued to the clock almost the whole class period.
He could feel Ciel's eyes drilling holes into his back, no doubt wondering what he was up to, but Alois couldn't bring himself to care. Despite the guilt, Alois yearned to see Claude again and firmly ignored the feeling as best he could. He wasn't sure how well it would work, but it was always worth a try.
The moment class finished, Alois bolted for the door and made it as far the front door before a hand wrapped around his wrist. Grimacing, Alois peeked over his shoulder, unsurprised to see Ciel standing behind him; cheeks slightly red and puffing as he tried to catch his breath from sprinting after Alois.
"What the hell is your rush?" Ciel snapped. "You come into class late and then you leave as quickly as you can. What are you planning?" He asked, his guard raised and his suspicion high.
"I…" Alois stammered, trying to find a lie quick enough but none were forthcoming. "I'm going to see Claude this weekend," he finally admitted.
An eyebrow rose slightly at the comment. "And you were planning on telling me this when?" Ciel asked and moved to the side so they weren't standing in the middle of the doorway.
Alois felt like diverting his eyes but held Ciel's gaze at the last minute. He wasn't going to back down to Ciel again, even if it meant facing Ciel's wrath in the process. He was tired of the way Ciel treated him and living by Ciel's rules instead of his own. For too long, Ciel had dictated his moves but not anymore.
"I wasn't. I planned to leave to see Claude without you knowing because you don't care. You go see Sebastian all the time so I think that for once, I should be able to go visit Claude," Alois hissed, keeping his voice low so the students around them didn't hear, but at the same time, made sure that Ciel could hear the anger in his voice.
Ciel jerked back slightly, the action barely noticeable but still there. "And I guess you planned to use the car?" He asked.
Alois nodded. "Of course. I wasn't going to walk up there now, was I?" He snapped; feeling irritated that he was wasting time by standing here and arguing with Ciel.
Ciel's lips curled, not pleased with the way Alois was speaking to him. "Fine. Go see your stupid boyfriend," he snarled. "At least with you gone, it'll give me time to myself. But don't think that running away will keep your debt at bay. I received the call last night about Hannah, so don't believe for a second that I don't know what's going on right now."
Swallowing slightly but refusing to back down, Alois nodded before pushing past Ciel. "I understand. I'll see you back at the apartment," he stated and walked away from Ciel before he did something he would end up regretting. Ciel had the car and Alois didn't want to ruin his chance because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Alois grumbled low under his breath and made his way to the bus stop, hoping to give Ciel some space and allow himself a moment to cool down. He couldn't afford to stay mad at Ciel and hold a grudge. The car was more important than that.
It didn't take long before the bus came and after a short trip, Alois arrived back at the apartment. He searched for the car and was pleased to find it in the normal parking spot. At least Ciel wasn't acting childish by hiding the car. With a low grunt, Alois made his way up the steps and to the apartment so he could grab his things.
Ciel wasn't in the apartment and Alois could only guess that Ciel was sulking in his bedroom. Alois was perfectly fine with that. He didn't want to see Ciel anymore than he had to and already the short encounter with Ciel at school was enough to bring Alois down. He just wanted to see Claude now more than ever and with that thought in mind, he made his way down to the car.
He threw everything inside without care and the car started with a low purr before Alois backed out of the parking spot. He merged onto the highway and relaxed into the seat as he moved with the flow of traffic.
Minutes bled into hours as the time blurred together and an hour away from reaching his destination, Alois felt the car shudder as a light blinked on the dashboard. Cursing and pleading with the car to keep going, Alois eased to the side and felt his heart clench as the vehicle started to slow down before stopping and dying.
"No, no, no," Alois pleaded and frantically tried to start the car again. The engine refused to start and in the end, the gears simply growled at him before Alois slumped forward against the steering wheel. He had been so close, just an hour away before the car gave out and Alois couldn't help but feel upset. Whatever was the problem, it would delay him even more and Alois felt like hitting his head against the steering wheel.
With trembling hands, he pulled out his phone and quickly called Claude, hoping he would answer. Knowing Alois's luck, Claude would be out working in the fields and wouldn't have his phone.
Alois felt his heart race though when Claude answered the phone and clung to the hope that everything would start looking up now. "Claude," he gasped. "Something's wrong with the car. It started to slow down and now it won't start."
"Where are you?" Claude asked, his voice firm and sounding in control compared to Alois's frantic tone.
"I'm about an hour away," he looked around and found a mile marker, quickly giving the number to Claude. "I don't know what to do."
"Just stay there. I'm coming out to pick you up and we'll bring the car back so we can figure out what's wrong with it," Claude answered. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
Alois nodded and said a soft goodbye before leaning back in the seat. It wasn't fair and just for once, Alois wanted something to go his way. The car ran fine the week before and had never shown a sign of breaking down until today. A day when Alois needed it the most. A frown worked its way on Alois's face and his mind instantly supplied him with the answer he silently sought.
The only person who used the car the most and had access to it today was Ciel. And Ciel always tried to 'punish' him whenever Alois resisted. This sounded like something Ciel would do but at the same time, Alois found it rather impractical. If the car broke, they would have to pay for repairs, which were usually never cheap.
Seeing as it was something that was mechanical instead of an accident, Alois couldn't be at fault for it and wouldn't have to pay for the damage. Ciel would have to front the money to pay for the repairs, all because he wanted to teach Alois a lesson. A rather expensive lesson in Alois's opinion.
Grunting slightly, Alois turned around in his seat to grab his backpack, knowing that if he had to wait, than he might as well get some work done. It would be an hour at most before Claude would get to him and that would give Alois enough time to finish his math homework, giving him more time with Claude. It was enough to keep Alois's mind occupied during the wait and he settled down for the long haul, hoping Claude would get there soon.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Hot water beat down on Alois's back as he pressed his hands against the shower wall while Claude lapped at his cock. He trembled harshly and felt his legs shake as his orgasm churned low in his body, coiling and tightening until it was ready to snap. One of his hands left the wall to press against his mouth, covering the moans and other sinful noises that fell past his lips.
"Cl-Claude," he muttered, hips thrusting forward into that talented mouth. He felt Claude's lips smirk around him before a sly finger prodded his entrance and slipped in slowly. The added sensation of Claude rubbing his insides made Alois curse and his hips jerked forward as he thrust harshly, biting his fingers to muffle his cries as he came.
Claude swallowed every drop and pulled away with a smirk, licking his lips and looking far too pleased with himself. He guided Alois down to the shower floor, holding him close as the water rushed over them and washed away the scent of musk that had filled the small room. Alois continued to tremble in his arms and Claude pressed a light kiss to the side of his temple, stretching out his legs to cocoon Alois. He was still hard but he would deal with later. His first concern was Alois and he ran his fingers through soaking wet blond locks.
"How are you feeling?" He asked lowly, gazing down at Alois.
"Good," Alois slurred and reached for Claude's hand before guiding it down lower until it brushed against the spot where Claude teased him earlier. "I want to feel more," he begged.
Claude stiffened at the words and couldn't help but let out a lust-filled groan. "As much as I would like to, I'm going to decline," he murmured. "And not because I don't want you, don't ever doubt that." His hips bucked and his erection pressed into Alois's stomach to let him feel just how much Claude wanted him. "But right now you're not emotionally stable enough to do that. I don't want you to confuse your feelings and end up regretting what you did because you thought that you wanted this when you really didn't."
Alois shook his head and reached down to grasp the throbbing cock in his hand. "But I do. I know what I want, please Claude." He nearly sobbed, wanting to find something pleasurable to ease the pain he felt. He could barely think straight after Claude had picked him up Friday afternoon and took him back to the ranch before fixing the car. Turned out that the radiator was low on water and had overheated. An easy fix and one that Claude took care of himself before taking Alois away to a familiar cabin near the lake.
Now it was Saturday night and Alois would leave tomorrow afternoon even though he wanted to stay here in Claude's arms no matter what. Claude made him feel safe and wanted in his arms, something Alois knew he didn't deserve but he couldn't make himself push away. Instead, he pressed further into the arms, seeking more warmth and more affection in hopes that it would smoother the guilt.
Claude reached up and cupped Alois's face, bringing him closer so he could gaze into pain filled eyes. "Alois, I will not go any further with you now because you're not emotionally stable enough to handle it. I want your first time with me to be something you remember. Not something that you used to escape your pain. It would only taste like ash in your mouth and you would never forget it." His thumbs brushed over flushed cheeks. "I don't want that for you. You deserve so much more than that."
The words made Alois fall limp in Claude's arms and the dam that he had held back broke before he could stop himself. Hot tears fell from his eyes and Alois's chest heaved as he struggled to deal with his emotions.
Claude didn't deserve him but Alois was too greedy to let Claude go and Ciel's strict words kept Alois from telling Claude the lies that their relationship had formed on. It was all too much to handle on top of the newest development with Hannah and for once Alois couldn't hold it all back. He was only human and every human had his or her breaking point.
"I don't deserve you," he gasped, burying his face into Claude's strong chest. "You do so much for me and I give nothing back." It was all Alois could say, as anymore would give away the lie he had to keep and even saying that much wasn't enough to ease the guilt. If anything, it made it grow more because it felt like just another lie.
Claude shook his head and held Alois close as he tried to soothe the sobs that him. "You do plenty for me Alois, you just never realize it. I enjoy talking with you at night and during the weekends, and I always enjoy the times we get to spend together. So never feel as though you have to give me something. You do it all the time by just being you." He grimaced at the words, feeling as though they were cheesy but he couldn't think of a better way to express how he felt now and could only hope that they made everything better for Alois.
The words made Alois tremble harsher, knowing that Claude didn't know the whole truth. He believed that Alois had come to him with honest intentions and wanted a real relationship. Not a one-sided fling where Alois leeched away everything Claude had to offer before dumping him and leaving him behind without a second thought. Something Alois had been prepared to give Claude until he realized just how much he had grown to care for Claude.
"Don't…just don't," Alois said, shivering in Claude's arms. "Just hold me please, and don't say anymore." He feared that if Claude spoke anymore, then the rest of the truth would come pouring out, jeopardizing not only his relationship with Claude, but also the precarious position that Hannah hung in.
Ciel had won, that fact was clear and easy for Alois to see. Because no matter what move Alois would try to make, it would only end in his utter defeat.
But if Alois stood still and accepted the fact that he had lost, then he wouldn't lose everything that he held close to him. It was a cruel fact but one that Alois had to accept if he wanted to keep both Claude and Hannah in his life. There was no other move for Alois to make and it made him wail even more because of it.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Alois stared at his phone, feeling an odd mix of relief and guilt churning through his body. Hannah had called thirty minutes ago to inform him that the courts had dismissed the evidence thanks to her lawyer; as he claimed that they didn't follow correct protocol when searching the house.
They released Hannah and let her return to her place of residence, making Alois happy. He was pleased that her lawyer had cleared Hannah's name of the new charge placed against her and was even happier that it hadn't taken weeks or months for the verdict to pass.
But it made the guilt increase more, as Alois had caved and sought out Claude's company during that time. Then tried to force Claude to do something that they both knew Alois wasn't ready for at the time.
Claude had been patient and understanding enough to turn Alois down, preventing himself from being hurt in the end. It would've been easy for Claude to take what Alois offered. Alois wasn't thinking properly at the time and Claude was more than wanting. Claude could've sated his urges and gotten something he wanted. Instead, he held Alois through his breakdown, calming him until at last the tears faded away and Alois had passed out in Claude's arms in the shower.
He slept the rest of the night and woke up in Claude's embrace the next morning. He felt bad for leaving Claude hard and aroused, but Claude had assured him that everything was fine. Now though, the feeling of guilt came back as Alois had overreacted for nothing. Hannah was out of police custody and had only stayed there for a short week. Nothing further had happened to her and in the end, Alois had panicked, seeking comfort from Claude and had nearly done something he would've regretted come morning.
If Claude didn't care so much about him, then Alois had no doubt that Claude would've gone through with what Alois wanted. The fact that he didn't only showed how much Claude did care for him and made the guilt rear its head once more. And each time it showed itself, it grew harder and harder to control until Alois knew that he was only holding on by a thread.
And when that thread finally snapped, all hell would end up breaking loose.
