Get your tissues ya'll.
It had been three days since Adeline's visit. Ciel had thought hard about the options presented to him. He'd stared at the scrap of paper with that cryptic message on it until he'd unfolded and refolded it so many times it was in danger of tearing. But there was nothing in it. Just a lot of colorful language.
He rose from the bed. He felt disgusting, but he'd had no urge to do anything for over a week. Now he rang the bell to alert those downstairs he required their services. He reflected how different it was, having to wait for the humans to attend to him. He had become so used to Sebastian appearing at a moment's notice.
Tanaka appeared. "You called, my lord?"
"Yes," Ciel said. "I require a bath. Tell Bard to prepare a light, early dinner, and have Mey-Rin in to change the sheets."
"Of course."
Ciel went through the motions without really registering anything that was going on. He stepped into the bath, feeling over week's worth of filth being washed from his skin. Tanaka dressed him; it felt a bit odd having actual clothing on. He'd been wearing the nightshirt for the better part of the past three days. He ate his dinner, which was surprising good and not burnt, barely tasting the food as it slid down his throat. He chewed slowly as it had been days since he'd had a proper meal and he didn't want to risk being sick.
"I want you to take the others and go to the townhouse for a couple of days," Ciel instructed after dinner. He and Tanaka were in his study. "Sebastian should be returning from his business tonight and I want the manor undisturbed."
Tanaka stared at him, and Ciel could tell that he was confused. However, as a true Phantomhive servant, he would not question his master's orders. He nodded, bowing low, and went to go and make preparations.
Ciel knew his behavior was strange. He'd been languishing in bed for days, not eating enough, sleeping entirely too much, having no interest in any of the things he needed to do to remain a respectable noble. Now he appeared to have flipped around completely, and he was ordering everyone to leave. However, he needed everyone out of the manor. He needed to keep those who remained safe, in case things ended badly.
He watched the carriage disappearing up the road in the dark through the window. Night was falling fast and the horses were soon swallowed up in the darkness. He shivered, but not from the cold.
Ciel descended the steps to the cellar slowly, mind swirling with thoughts. He considered turning back, but it was better he deal with the problem sooner rather than later. After all, Sebastian was probably going to live a long time no matter what form he was in, demon or otherwise. And he had wasted enough time being indecisive. It wasn't a good look for an Earl.
He ran his hand along the wall of the winding staircase, feeling the stone beneath his fingers, drawing out the inevitable for as long as he could. He hid the iron stake underneath his cloak. The edges were sharp like the blade of a knife. He hoped that Undertaker was right; that Sebastian wouldn't feel a thing. That was what Adeline had told him anyway, and he was inclined to believe her, mostly because he didn't want his butler in any more pain.
Ciel paused outside the room where Sebastian was, collecting himself, and then he stepped through the entrance. The demon was curled in the same corner, as he had been the last time he'd seen him. Sebastian was perhaps a littler dirtier but that was to be expected after spending weeks in the cellar.
"Sebastian."
The demon's head jerked in his direction, the chains clinking faintly. Sebastian's eyes were glowing. Ciel noted with a slightly sick feeling that they were not his usual ruby, but that lemon yellow that the vampires' had. He wondered when that had happened and if there were any other changes he didn't know about.
"Sebastian," Ciel said again. He forced himself to take a step forward, and then another. He could see the fangs glistening behind the muzzle. It seemed that the additional ones had appeared for good as well.
He bent down close to the demon. He knew it was risky, especially since he hadn't been around the other in days. Drawing his cloak closer around himself, he reached out his other hand. The demon's hair was soft in his fingers. He felt tears pricking his eyes, but refused to let them fall. He hadn't cried in a long time and was sure as hell not about to start. Now was not the time to be weak.
Ciel wished there was something he could do outside of the unavoidable. But Sebastian was no longer fit to be his butler. He couldn't be anything to him in this state. The young lord had put it off as long as he could, but he had supposed he knew that in the end, this was the way that things would turn out. It didn't make it any easier.
"I haven't been to visit you," Ciel said. "I know I probably should have, but I've been having a lot to think about."
The demon stared at him, his eyes two permanently burning coals. Ciel had no idea if he even comprehended what he was saying. Maybe the demon's mind had changed as well. He supposed that it was perhaps good if Sebastian didn't understand.
"You've been at my side always," Ciel continued. "You're my most faithful servant. It's unfortunate that this has happened to you."
He fell silent for a moment. Memories were rising in his mind. When he'd begun things with Sebastian he truthfully hadn't thought that it would progress as far as it had. He'd thought maybe he'd give things a go, seeing as he couldn't seem to stop shaking the dreams and the desires that came with them. What he hadn't counted on was liking it. He didn't think he'd end up feeling the things he had. And he certainly didn't think that it would culminate in the situation he was now in.
Just a month prior he'd been at the play, and he supposed that was when things had really started to shift for them. Sure there'd been relations previous, but that night was different. Going to the manor, removing Sebastian's gloves, finding himself becoming more accepting of his demon as he was.
Ciel wished once again that he could go back to that time, but he knew he couldn't. He had to keep moving forward, to accomplish his revenge, even if that included Sebastian no longer being with him. Although, how was he accomplish anything without Sebastian's help?
He grabbed the back of Sebastian's head and drew it to his chest. It was dangerous he knew but he would be quick. He could feel the hard cage of the muzzle dig into his ribs as he drew the stake from beneath his cloak. It glimmered faintly in the light of the candles.
"I'm sorry," He whispered. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."
He was about to plunge it into Sebastian's back when he paused. Adeline had said there was another way, according to that book at Undertaker's. But what way was that?
Ciel held the demon to him. He would have given anything, anything, to have Sebastian go back to normal. To make him better. But he didn't know how to help him. He'd thought it about it so many times before then, ever since that night when he'd walked into the bathroom and the whole ugly secret had spilled itself into existence.
Sebastian, at the heart of it, was a beast of desire. He lusted after things and took them whenever convenient. And he'd wanted many things from Ciel over the course of their contract. First he'd desired his soul, and that was still established, though not prevalent as it had been. Then Ciel had opened the door to being physical and it was clear that the demon desired his body as well. Only now…
He flashed back to the moment in Sebastian's room, after he'd come back from London with the restraints. He stared down at Sebastian's hands now; the butler's nails looked a bit too long and pointed but he found he didn't really mind. The contract symbol glowed faintly. Of course they were still connected, until the very end.
Do you want it, my blood?
He'd asked Sebastian that and it had been clear that something else had taken over. He remembered the claws scraping his neck. How he had been quite sure the demon was going to kill him right then and there. Because Sebastian wasn't just a demon anymore, he had other things coursing through him. And if that's what he needed, Ciel was now prepared to give it to him.
Ciel drew back and let go of Sebastian. Then he touched the tip of the stake to his arm and slashed across his skin. Blood burst forth immediately, running in crimson streaks down his forearm. It dripped onto the stone floor of the cellar.
He tossed away the blade. It landed with a clatter a few feet away. He moved closer to his butler.
"Sebastian," He said, untying his eye patch. He let it flutter to the floor as well. "Drink my blood. That's an order."
Sebastian stared at him. Then he shook his head slightly. Ciel could see though that his eyes had found a new glow, that he was resisting his urge with every fiber of his being.
"Please, Sebastian," Ciel said. Desperation welled in his chest. He produced the key to the lock on the muzzle and within minutes was fumbling with the lock, undoing the straps, and tearing it away. "Undertaker said this might work. You have to do it. I command you."
The demon blinked his burning eyes. Ciel held out his arm. He hoped this wasn't a mistake. But honestly he didn't care. He'd never been one to value his life after the deaths of his parents that much were obvious. He figured he'd have his revenge and die satisfied. Maybe he would die now, earlier than planned, anxious to save the one who would be his end.
He didn't even know if this would save Sebastian, but he was out of options. He did know though, that vampires needed blood, and if that was what Sebastian was now, at least in part, that he needed it as well. The thought sickened Ciel, but he stayed rooted to the spot. If this was how things had to be, then he was prepared to pay the price.
The blood was still running down his arm and the wound throbbed dully. Ciel barely felt the pain. He concentrated on the figure in front of him.
"Please!"
Sebastian moved with lightening speed. He grabbed Ciel's arm and a moment later the Earl felt the demon's teeth against his skin. Fangs pierced into him and more fiery pain spread down his limb. He grit his teeth and looked away, hoping it would be over quickly. He could feel himself becoming lightheaded as Sebastian sucked his blood, but he was surprised by how calm he felt.
Sebastian released his grip a moment later. Ciel pulled back, surprised. He had been sure that he was going to be drained. And in a way he had come to terms with that the moment he'd pierced his arm with the blade. All that had mattered to him was that Sebastian got back to normal.
The Earl's breath was coming in short ragged gasps. He felt dizzy and slightly nauseous. The wound in his arm was still dripping, but he ignored it. He raised his eyes, preparing for the worst.
Sebastian's eyes weren't glowing anymore. No, they looked quite ordinary. They were also no longer yellow, but that odd coppery red shade they always were. He was looking at the Earl in disbelief. There was a trickle of blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth, but otherwise he looked the picture of most able butler that he had before.
"My lord," He whispered.
Ciel didn't respond. He didn't have anything left to say. Heart hammering in his chest, he leaned forward and closed the distance between his and Sebastian's faces, pressing their lips together. He could taste his blood on the demon's mouth, but he didn't care. For that moment, it felt like the only thing he wanted to do.
A/N: Hello everyone! This chapter was just a full rollercoaster. And quite honestly, from the moment Ciel is walking down to the cellar to when he almost stabs Sebastian-that was a scene that came to me early on in writing this. I had no idea that vampire infection was going to be the cause, but I am happy with how everything turned out.
promocat: No, I don't think Ciel realizes this yet. He's really quite dense at feelings.
Minight51: No, I may do horrible things to Sebastian in my writing but he is my ultimate favorite and I don't enjoy it. However, I DO enjoy other peoples' reactions to it, and the characters in the story. Especially when we can get some SebaCiel fluff (or smut) going.
Madison Angel Kaiba: Thank you so much. I saw you found my new work as well, so thanks for the follow there too. The poem in hindsight is rather obvious, but Ciel was just too emotional to work it out. Lemons will actually be forthcoming.
animexxfan: Thank you!
Dardar1: I think so too. There is definitely a certain romance to blood drinking. Though I don't know that it was all that romantic this time haha.
Merka: Thank you so much! I am honored my story was worthy of a binge-read haha. I tried to keep them as close as possible in this one to their original characters but exploring other emotions as well. I hope to pursue writing professionally one day so it's good to know that my work appears to meet those standards. This story is almost done but there will be a sequel.