Warnings: Mentions of past character death as well as possible suicide. Oh yes, and Ash.

Chapter 32

Sebastian felt like a traitor when he went to Ash a week after he'd said he would never come back again.

To him, it wasn't what Ash might think it was, but Sebastian just felt the need to check on that man, to make sure there was no worsening of the situation. Whatever that situation was. Sebastian had the feeling that somewhere, he hadn't done enough, and that it was partially his fault that Ash had become like that. After all, he had been a pretty normal person before Sebastian had stepped into his life.

Ash ushered him into his house, siling widely. Only when the doors closed behind Sebastian did Ash ask why he was here.

"I'm going to draw your portrait," Sebastian said, and he really didn't want to, but he did.

Ash grinned. "Coming to your senses, aren't you?"

Sebastian remained silent.

OOO

William invited himself into Sebastian's house a lot. It was strange how they had suddenly stopped quarrelling, but that didn't make them friends, either. They didn't talk. Sebastian made him tea, and William drank it without a fuss, always insisting on visiting another room in the house. He knew them all, but Sebastian indulged him.

"Any news?" William would ask.

"No," was Sebastian's regular answer. It was true. Lau hadn't called so far, hadn't provided Sebastian with any information, useful or not. It was as if he disapproved of William knowing about their deal. But it couldn't be. William had had people search Sebastian's house for hidden listening devices and cameras, but nothing had come up.

Lau didn't know of William and Claude.

Claude, for that matter, was constantly absent. When William shared a few words with Sebastian, it was usually an update on Claude as if it actually interested Sebastian. "He wants Alois back." Usually, it's a variation on these words.

Sebastian never answered. He missed Ciel a lot, but that was not William's business. They were family, but they weren't friends, and they weren't close. If William wanted someone who actually wanted him around, he should go to Grell. Grell texted his boyfriend a lot. William would roll his eyes after the twentieth time that his phone vibrated and finally took the mobile out to check his messages.

Ciel was still missing. And that was the most important thing that occupied Sebastian's mind these days.

OOO

"I have thought about this," Ash said one day, sitting there and staring out the window. Sebastian actually didn't have to look up for reference, and he didn't have to draw that slowly. He couldn't tell why he did both things nevertheless.

"Am I your muse again?" he asked.

"Do you want to?" Sebastian countered, disinterested.

"Yes. Yes, of course." Ash got up and approached him. He walked with a different kind of confidence than before, and Sebastian wondered what the reason could be. "All you need is ask."

"All my muses have died so far," Sebastian said.

"Your cousin hasn't." Ash smiled. "I haven't."

"Ciel hasn't, either."

Ash almost pouted. Sebastian was pretty sure he knew that technique, thus he was immune. "And where would you know that from?"

"Ciel being dead is not an option."

Ash smiled, nodded. "Talking about death… Would you mind if I made a marble coffin for you?"

Well, if that hadn't caught Sebastian off guard. "I… excuse me?"

"It would be white, of course," Ash continued. "After we've purified that soul of yours, you wouldn't need a black coffin."

"Uh," Sebastian said, which wasn't very intelligent. "Actually, Undertaker has already made one for me." That, while very weird, was just as true. Funny how Sebastian didn't mind it in the least when he remembered how Undertaker had presented that coffin to him (he had asked him to test it, and Sebastian, seventeen and drunk, had agreed). He did, however, mind it a lot when Ash talked about anything that had to do with his death.

Before Ash could answer, Sebastian's mobile went off. Sebastian excused himself, ignoring Ash's annoyed expression, and answered it when he exited Ash's study.

"Hello there," said Lau's voice.

Finally.

"Yes. Can you call again later?"

"Not a good time to talk?" Lau laughed. "Alright, half an hour, and I'll be at your house. No calling you again, this is personal. Remember what I said about keeping an eye on everyone? I know where you are right now, Sebastian. Be especially nice to that one."

The line went dead.

Sebastian took a deep breath, let it out, and re-entered Ash's room. He wordlessly gathered his utensils and as he wanted to leave, Ash put a hand on his shoulder. Sebastian stilled, revulsion thick in his throat, and waited.

Ash turned him around, smiled at him. "Do you want to know who Angela's murderer was? There was once a man who preferred not to have his cars driven by his personnel. He killed her one day, when she ran on the street."

"She ran, knowing that there was a car coming?" Sebastian asked. He remembered the woman's serious depression. The next conclusion seemed logical, and as Sebastian sometimes lacked a sense for the social norms (much like Undertaker, but only less severe), he immediately blurted out his assumption. "What if she killed herself?"

"SHE DIDN'T!" Ash roared. Even Sebastian had to flinch at this. "HE killed her, do you understand that? HE DID!"

Alright. Sebastian had to think. He needed to calm Ash down before things got ugly. He trusted that this man was capable of anything, especially now. Sebastian shouldn't have talked about Angela in that way. Although it seemed likely that maybe it had been suicide in the end.

"He drove away," Ash said, suddenly whispering. "But I've seen his face already, you hear me? I've seen his face."

Sebastian didn't move an inch.

"Do you want to know his name?" Ash asked. "Do you?"

"You need to rest," Sebastian said eventually. He was not going to play this game right now. He wasn't sure if he was ever ready to play it. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"Really?"

No.

"Yes," Sebastian forced himself to say. "I will." He awkwardly patted Ash's shoulder, trying not to flinch every time he felt the man's body clad in the sweatshirt. Ash hugged him. Oh god. Sebastian remembered that being their usual way to say goodbye. But that had been when Ash had still been his muse! Sebastian didn't even hug Undertaker that often, and Undertaker was his childhood friend.

He endured the embrace and said goodbye before he went to leave the house, glad that Ash hadn't asked him to stay and visit Angela. He loaded his things into his car and drove back home.

He failed to notice the other car hidden behind one of Ash's oversized statues. It remained where it was and its motor wasn't turned on once.

Despite having claimed that he'd be there in half an hour, Lau was already there, waiting for Sebastian by the entry. Sebastian didn't ask how Lau had managed to get past the security system, but simply parked his car in the garage and then opened the main door to let Lau in.

"You wanted to talk?" he asked.

"That I did," Lau said pleasantly. Sebastian wanted to remind his friend of the situation they were in. This was very likely about Ciel, and Lau might have information on the boy's whereabouts. It wasn't about a stroll in the garden, yet Lau certainly behaved as if it was exactly that.

It all ended when they actually entered the house. Lau stopped in the middle of the entrance hall, watched by Sebastian's parents, and handed his hand pistol over to Sebastian. "You trust me, right?" he asked.

Sebastian, dumbfounded, nodded. "Yes, I guess I do. Though you shouldn't entrust me with a thing like this. I was trained to hold pencils, not guns."

"You'll manage," Lau said patiently.

"What is this about?" Sebastian asked.

"I will tell you something," Lau said. "And afterwards, I will tell you something else. It is up to you to believe my words then."

"I don't follow," Sebastian said. "Are you test-"

"I betrayed you," Lau cut in. Before Sebastian had time to process that, he held up a hand. "Ciel is alive. I have confirmed Ash Landers as Ciel's captor as well as the cultist that we have been looking for."