Methods of Entertainment
Ciel stretched and smiled slowly, enjoying the way his demonic form shifted. He was lithely muscled, he fancied, like an acrobat. It fitted his form; he was slender and not tall by any means, but fitted nicely beneath Sebastian's chin. Ciel found he could leap very high and had complete trust of his body's capabilities to ensure his balance. He could fit through small spaces and move in silence. He regarded himself in a mirror and smiled again. His canine teeth were more pointed than before and his eyes were more almond shaped, giving his face a more feline appearance. His demon form had cat ears atop his head that were rather...expressive if he were not careful to remain aware of them. He had found that he could lay them flat against his skull and cover them lightly with his hair if he wished to disguise them, though he could not imagine why he would wish to. If he wanted to blend in, his human form would be more suited.
In all, Ciel was content now he was no longer a child. His home had become a fascinating place in which he could create most anything he could imagine. He found altering the layout of the house and grounds amusing for a while, finding somewhere where he could watch Sebastian's reaction with interest. The raven seemed to be impressed at first, Ciel showed a level of mastery not common amongst new adults, then he merely showed amusement before finally growing frustrated with Ciel's continued alterations. Going to tend the roses only to find a large hole filled with glowing fungi was not as amusing after having chased them around the garden to different areas for the past three days.
Two days after Sebastian started showing irritation, Ciel found himself standing before the swirling blackness outside his gate. Sebastian stood beside him, looking down at the Hell Cat. "We are going hunting." He said, taking Ciel's hand. "And you are going to take us to Earth. I will guide our time, you must choose our location." Ciel blinked and looked to Sebastian in confusion.
"Our time?" he queried, a cobalt eyebrow quirking. Sebastian hummed in affirmation, looking at the feline demon to watch his reaction.
"We exist apart from the mortal realm, our time travels differently and it means we are able to traverse mortal time flow freely. Time is not linear, it is far more varying and complex. It exists all at once and you only really feel it as you once did whilst flowing with it. I am going to choose a time further ahead than the one we left, incidentally, it is why we are dressed in these clothes."
Sebastian was wearing black. Black jeans that clung to his legs, a black shirt open over a black tshirt with a grinning white skull on it. Ciel wore dark jeans, though they were blue rather than black. He wore a plain blue tshirt with a hooded soft jacket over the top. It was purple and comfortable. He had also been given some odd spectacles that altered the colouration of the world through the dark lenses. Sebastian said that it would be more inconspicuous than an eye patch or an eye with purple filaments shot through it. Ciel approved of Sebastian's choice in clothing, though he felt conspicuous and uncertain in his, no matter how comfortable.
Ciel listened carefully as the older demon began to explain the steps he would have to take to transport them. Not only would he have to have a destination firmly in mind, he would have to maintain awareness of Sebastian and their general direction, steering them to a secluded spot to emerge in the mortal realm. It would be more like guiding a carriage than moving under his own power. After listening to a few of the finer points twice, Ciel tucked himself against Sebastian's side, holding onto him with an arm around his waist and his free hand tangled with Sebastian's. The avian demon's presence was reassuring.
Closing his eyes, Ciel pictured Paris. He had been told not to remember it as it looked, but to recall the way it felt. Despite the ambiguous nature of that instruction, Ciel found the feel of France's capital quite easily. Pausing to wrap his mind around Sebastian too, Ciel tugged the taller demon forward a step into the swirling black and purple. Guiding them through semi corporeal buildings, people and vehicles, Ciel tugged them free of the veil between realms with a little pop, emerging somewhere dark and smelling strangely lemon-like. Opening his eyes, Ciel blinked at his surroundings and looked to Sebastian who was smiling at him.
"Well done little one." Sebastian said, squeezing Ciel's hand gently. "You found a good space to emerge, and though you were a little forceful in your re-entry, you were very controlled and it was an admirable first journey." Ciel took in Sebastian's words, but was more confused by his surroundings than focused.
"This...is a bathroom?" he asked uncertainly, eyeing the rows of sinks and the cubicles containing toilets. Sebastian snorted softly and nodded.
"Yes, and if I am not mistaken, it is the female public bathroom, so it might be best we left rather promptly, without being seen if possible. I am not certain that anyone witnessing our exit could think of many innocent reasons for our being here." He said, towing Ciel behind him as he slipped swiftly from the building and into a small park, not giving Ciel a chance to ruminate on his words, nor to question them.
Ciel wasn't sure about this world, this time. It was beautiful and breathtaking, but ugly and dirty at the same time. Things were bigger, louder and busier. The people bustled around, barely paying notice to one another. There were no horse drawn carriages, everything was lit up with moving images and flickering colour. It was overwhelming and strange, but it was exhilarating too. Ciel walked close beside Sebastian, listening to everything, eyes bright and curious behind the dark lensed glasses.
They wandered around for a long time, Sebastian simply following the route Ciel took, guiding him when it came to roads or when the younger demon randomly chose to travel on the bus or the underground train. Ciel didn't think much of it, he was too busy acclimatising to the new surroundings, being around people, people who felt more familiar than the demons he'd met.
After a while, Ciel began walking with more purpose than his initial meandering. Sebastian began watching him with interest. The younger of the two began focussing more, no longer looking around himself. He turned down an alley, moving like a hunter, all slow purposeful movements, leaning forward marginally. Sebastian watched, eyes gleaming as Ciel smoothly transitioned into his demonic form, throwing the sunglasses to one side as he reached a jumbled pile of crates and boxes.
An elderly man lay there, breathing erratic. Ciel stared at him, eyes narrowed. "You're dying." he stated, eyes studying a kind of glowing nimbus about the man. It was flickering and pulsating. The man looked up at the boy and blinked slowly. He had a gash above his eye and was clearly in a lot of pain. He had been beaten, everything of any value he'd had on his person had been taken. Ciel eyed him curiously, watching the movement of colour around the man as it became slowly more erratic and vibrant.
"Ange? s'il vous plaît ... " his voice was weak and croaking. "Faites que ça s'arrête. Je suis dans la douleur." A shaking arm reached out towards the demon. " S'il vous plaît. Je suis fatigué. S'il vous plaît." Ciel looked at the man dispassionately. He found that, though he felt a vague sense of pity for the man's plight, he did not feel the near sickness or need to help that he might have in his past.
"Je ne suis pas un ange. Voulez-vous toujours pour moi de mettre fin à votre douleur? Je donne ma parole, il sera rapide." The man looked at him a little more clearly, taking in Ciel's ears and eyes.
"Démon? Vous êtes jeune pour être un ..." the man sighed and let his eyes close. "Je suis fatigué, juste faire vite." he murmured, going lax as he seemed to give in and accept what was happening. Ciel blinked slowly and leant closer to the man. He didn't know what it was, he smelled of blood and fear. Not particularly pleasant, but something about him made him hungry.
Hovering over the man, Ciel tilted his chin upwards with a gentle hand, feeling the rasp of stubble there and the wetness of blood when his touch opened a half closed wound. He paused momentarily before encouraging the man's lips to part with a thumb. There was no need to seal their lips together as Sebastian had done when feeding him - for which he was glad as it still felt quite intimate to him - all he had to do was focus on the pulsating energy within and around the man before breathing it in.
Strangely, the taste reminded him of fried mushrooms, musky and earthy with a tinge of sweetness. It was pleasant and sent a faint flush over the young demon's skin, a tingle of energy flitting through him. He laid the man back gently and stood. Turning, Ciel met Sebastian's gaze and read the pride there. "Well done." the two simple words filled Ciel with pleasure. He moved to Sebastian's side and took his hand.
"I wish...to visit your parents." he said slowly, trying to figure out the reason he wanted to show Alkippe how he had matured. Sebastian smiled.
"As it happens, we have been invited to visit." he said, pulling Ciel in against his side and wrapped his arms around the cat demon. "I shall take us now." he added, feeling bizarrely elated when Ciel pressed against him tighter before leaving the human realm.
Immediately upon entering Alkippe and Artair's home, Ciel felt an odd, lifting sensation focussed around his stomach. He pressed a hand there anxiously, frowning as he tried to figure it out. Sebastian's chuckle made him glance upwards to meet a reassuring smile. "Meri has not yet matured." the elder demon explained. At Ciel's puzzled expression, Sebastian elaborated. "You're instinctively suffusing Mother's home with a portion of the soul you consumed."
Ciel nodded and walked beside Sebastian as they approached the house. "I thought that Meri was living with Verdelet again?" he queried.
"Verdelet has many duties to fulfill." Sebastian's attention was focussed on his mother who was exiting the house with an eager expression. "Mother and father keep an eye on Meri intermittently. Though I would have thought that Meri..."
"CIEEEL!" A small form with a high pitched voice bounded from behind Alkippe's skirts and promptly affixed itself to Ciel's leg. The small creature was blue skinned with a mop of astonishingly blonde hair. Wide red eyes peered up at Ciel and a flash of white split the chubby cheeked blue face before dropping off at the sight of Ciel's questioning glance. The familiar call of his name in such a high pitch reminded him of Lizzie and it was a shock to feel no pain or longing, just curiosity and a slight wince as the tone hurt his sensitive ears.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean for you to eat me! I didn't mean it! I know I look tasty, but I...I didn't want you to be hurt! I thought I killed you! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Ciel stared at Meri's toddler-like appearance and looked to Alkippe. The woman was gazing at him affectionately. "You are stunning dearest." she complimented, making the young demon blush faintly. "I am so very proud of you both." Meri was still babbling apologies at Ciel, oblivious to the fact that he was not longer paying attention.
"Thank you." Ciel responded with a hint of bashfulness. Changing the topic from himself swiftly, he asked why Meri was going through the second childhood as he had.
"Meri has not had much time to acclimatise to his life here, it is far different from his previous home..." Alkippe began, swinging Meri up to seat him on her hip as she led her guests inside...after prying the little demon's slightly sticky fingers from Ciel's leg. "And with Verdelet so busy, Meri has not really experienced a demon's childhood. Verdelet has struggled in being a mentor as his mind flits quite erratically. As much as he dotes upon young ones, he has not had any prior interest in caring for one. Artair and I have been given charge of Meri until he matures. He is growing much more slowly than you did Ciel, dear. I think he needs this. And it's nice to have a child around the house again.
Ciel sat quietly as Sebastian and his parents conversed. His attention was diverted frequently by Meri who seemed quite fixated on apologising to Ciel. The blue skinned child brought the cat-demon a number of small gifts, ranging from tail hairs from the horses, to a flower or a stick, a bouncy ball and once tiny iridescent scale which quite clearly came from a fish the child had pilfered (and eaten) from Artair's cool box.
It was odd to watch the small being concentrate so hard on Ciel as his attention span actually seemed quite sparse. He flitted around the room between gifts, playing in the corner, cuddling up to Alkippe and bounding around like...well, a frog. He was clearly excited by the visitors, but found it difficult to express this and ended up avoiding eye contact, watching them when he thought they would not notice. His energy seemed endless until, quite abruptly, Meri patted Ciel's knee and looked up at him with sleepy red eyes.
"Will you read me a story?" he asked sweetly, lifting a book up to the young demon with one hand as the other covered a yawn. Ciel blinked slowly before glancing to Alkippe. Before anyone could say anything, Meri's voice piped up pleadingly. "Please?"
Ciel soon found himself sat beside Meri's bed, the child snuggled under a silky green blanket so that only his eyes showed above the edge. Ciel was unaccustomed to reading aloud, but Meri did not seem to mind his faltering. The story was short, about a tadpole's adventures as it grew into a frog. Ciel found it dull, but Meri seemed to enjoy it, despite falling fast asleep before the frog had even grown it's front legs.
Leaving the child demon's room silently, with a bemused expression, Ciel was surprised to find Sebastian waiting outside the bedroom door with a...fond expression softening his features.
"Are you ready to leave?" he questioned softly, still looking like a doting parent or love stricken woman. Ciel nodded and led the way out, bidding farewell to Sebastian's parents.
"Was...I quite like that, when I was young?" he eventually asked as they wandered slowly up to the gate. Sebastian's smile grew wider.
"You were much more...forgive the wording, but adorable. You were sleepier and more playful. I find it strange that Meri seemed to take to you so quickly, I am told it's hard for a demon going through their second childhood to recall their past. It seems like Meri was clinging to his memory of you, perhaps out of guilt?"
Ciel's nose wrinkled at the word choice to describe him, however he recalled it had often been used to describe him as a child, admittedly by women. "It is hard to remember. It seems like a dream, and also unimportant. Even now, though I can remember, I feel very far removed from my past." Sebastian nodded thoughtfully.
"It would make sense. You are supposed to be molded on your childhood, not your past. I suppose it gives the child chance to become what their past took from them.
Ciel look thoughtful as he absentmindedly took Sebastian's hand in his own, stepping together into the swirling darkness and thinking of home. It was strange when he thought of how little he really considered his past, it was all there and he could recall it clearly, but what had seemed so pivotal and important was now inconsequential. If he really cared to consider, Sebastian was the most important thing to him these days.
And that was not something he would have expected of himself.
Translations (thanks google translate!):
Ange? s'il vous plaît - Angel? please
Faites que ça s'arrête. Je suis dans la douleur - Make it stop. I'm in pain
S'il vous plaît. Je suis fatigué. S'il vous plaît - Please. I'm tired. Please
Je ne suis pas un ange. Voulez-vous toujours pour moi de mettre fin à votre douleur? Je donne ma parole, il sera rapide - I'm not an angel. Do you still want me to put an end to your pain? I give my word, it will be fast
Démon? Vous êtes jeune pour être un... - Demon? You are young to be a...
Je suis fatigué, juste faire vite - I'm tired, just do it quickly
A.N - guys, I am so sorry for the delay with this. 8 months is appalling. I have a few excuses. I've been unwell, anemia properly exhausted me and though my iron levels are back up where they ought to be, I am still finding myself tired and mood swingy and think there may be something else the Docs have missed.
Apart from that, I am now an adult. At 22, I have a proper grown up job and I work from 9 - 6. Since I get up at 6:30 and am home a good 12 and a half hours later, I find it difficult to sit down and write. I have been trying, but barely get a few sentences out before I lose all motivation and want to sleep or vegetate.
So, I am very sorry and hope this hasn't impacted the quality of my writing. Thank you for all of the reviews and suggestions, I couldn't have written this without you guys! xxx Dreamy
