A/N: Thank you everyone for your support! :3
Warnings: Language
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji
As a Rule: People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what's bitter and move on ~ Bill Cosby
Ciel drifted through the following days in a haze and he found that after a while, the tears no longer fell. He realized the tears had dried up on Tuesday night and for the first time since the fiasco started; Ciel felt as though he could think with a calm and level head. He still worried that Sebastian would leave him, but his mind could focus beyond that as he wrestled his emotions under control.
He moved through the rest of his days without effort, feeling as though a fog had lifted from his mind and Ciel felt in control once more. The nightmares still plagued him but he could fall back asleep after waking up and his dreams would grow peaceful afterwards.
Even now, as he waited for Sebastian to call him, Ciel felt that he had everything under control. His thoughts were in order and he didn't feel that he would breakdown at any given point. He was anxious, yes, but it wasn't nearly as bad as last week or the weeks prior. It was a sense of understanding, because Ciel knew that, while not everything was his fault, parts of it were and begging Sebastian to forgive him wasn't going to help.
The program on the computer started to ring, pulling Ciel from his thoughts and he let out a long sigh before clicking the talk button. He could do this; he knew he could. Ciel was a Phantomhive and they could handle themselves, no matter what. A small smile spread across his lips at the sight of Sebastian and warmth trickled through his chest.
"Hey," he said softly.
Sebastian smiled back at him. "You look better this week," he commented. "More relaxed and sure of yourself. Did something happen since the last time we talked?"
Ciel nodded, wanting to tell Sebastian everything. "I accepted I'm responsible for certain faults, no matter how I look at it. No one forced the thoughts into my head and they were all my own. Alois might've tricked me into going, but I fell for that trick and let my thoughts get away from me. They let me believe that you were nothing more than someone to have sex with and kept me from seeing you in the light that I see you in now," he answered, surprised to find that he wasn't trembling compared to the last times.
Sebastian nodded but stayed silent and Ciel breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to lose his nerve if Sebastian started to talk and ask questions during his explanation.
"There's nothing to excuse my actions or thoughts, and I can't beg you to forgive me, even if I may want to. What I did was wrong and cruel to you, and for that, you have every reason to remove me from your life," Ciel said carefully. He hoped that Sebastian wasn't considering that as Ciel still wanted Sebastian to stay with him, but he wouldn't beg.
The time for that was over and he had accepted the truth that whatever happened was his fault. He would have to handle the consequences of his actions with the grace and maturity that Sebastian wanted to see from him. He needed to prove to Sebastian that he was mature enough to receive another chance.
"If I were to ask how you thought and felt about me now, what would you say?" Sebastian asked, urging Ciel to continue with his thoughts and to know what else was on Ciel's mind.
Ciel offered a small smile. "I would say all the things that I should've said when I first saw you. That you're attractive yes, but you're more than just a nice face to look at. You're smart, and I know that you're just as smart as the people who work for my father. You could easily put them to shame because you can look at things outside of the box." He chuckled. "And you're talented. I look at what you've done and I know that you keep to the goals you set. You're self-driven and you know what you want. It's something that not many people have."
He wet his lips and pondered his next words, glad that Sebastian remained quiet and gave him the chance to collect his thoughts. Ciel wanted to get out all the words and feelings on his chest before they left him. What he wanted to say wasn't exactly easily and it took time to form the thoughts into the proper sentences as well as to build up the courage to say them.
"What I feel for you now is what I think most people feel when they're in a relationship. I'm happy when I'm with you and since we're apart, I enjoy the chances we get to talk even more. Even if it's just hearing your voice, that's enough for me," Ciel swallowed to keep his voice from cracking as he forced himself to continue. "I know what I feel for you, but it's something that I can't put into words and I can't say 'I love you' yet."
Ciel watched Sebastian carefully, not sure how Sebastian would react to his words. To say those three words, something that Sebastian and Claude had never said to each other, was something Ciel didn't want to take lightly. They were heavy words, ones that people said without pause or thought as to the weight that they held. After everything Ciel had done to Sebastian, he had no right to say those words.
Sebastian remained silent on the other screen, taking in the words, and Ciel couldn't help but feel the nervousness swell inside him. He knew that he would have to accept whatever Sebastian told him, but it didn't mean that he would like the news if it were bad. It was already bad enough that the words he wanted to say could never leave his mouth. Maybe it was something to do with being a male, or perhaps Ciel just was just terrible at apologies. Seeing as he rarely gave them.
"Your words, while tried and true, are still lacking," Sebastian said, focusing his gaze on Ciel. He could see the disappointment fill the blue eyes and pain flickered across Ciel's face, but Ciel, for his part didn't breakdown and cry. Nor did he ask for a second chance. Instead, his eyes simply lowered as he accepted the words, as he should. It was something Sebastian hadn't expected from Ciel after the last time they had tried to talk about the problem but Sebastian found it pleasing that Ciel had grown in such a short period of time.
It showed that Ciel had matured, accepting the things that were his fault; as there were other people to blame for the whole fiasco. And at the same time, while words held a heavy meaning, actions often spoke louder than words. And these actions were enough to tell Sebastian exactly what Ciel couldn't tell him.
"Friday, I want you to go to your classes and when you finish them, come up to the ranch to see me," Sebastian stated, watching as Ciel's head shot up in surprise. "You can show me just how sorry you are then, but know that just because I'm giving you this chance doesn't mean that I'm forgiving you just yet."
Ciel nodded. "But it's a start," he said hopefully, carefully guarding his emotions. He didn't want to end up ruining his only chance. Despite how happy he was, Ciel needed to keep a level head and use this chance to show Sebastian that he was indeed sorry. That he would do anything to make things right.
Sebastian hummed and shifted in his seat, making Soot mew at him in protest before she settled down again. "It's a start," he confirmed. "But nothing more than that. A small step in the right direction, but it's always easy to fall into temptation along the way."
A smile spread across Ciel's face. "That's impossible. You're like a drug to me. One that I can't get enough of and the thought of getting back to you is enough to keep me on the right path. You are the only temptation I need."
Smirking at the words, Sebastian leaned forward to look into the camera. "Flattery will get you everywhere, but in this case, they're just sweet and flattering words, nothing more." He chuckled as Ciel shook his head, rolling his eyes slightly. "But until then, I will see you on Friday where I'll let you show me how you feel."
Ciel bobbed his head. "And I'll make sure that you won't regret it," he said boldly before Sebastian signed off, leaving Ciel alone in his room to grin like an idiot. He needed to make sure that he proved to Sebastian that he was worth the second chance, even if it meant doing something that Ciel wouldn't normally do.
He stood up and moved away from the computer, surprised to find himself shaking. Although this time, it was from relief instead of fear. Because for the first time since the disaster started, Ciel found that he could see a small light at the end of the tunnel. But he wouldn't let the hope get ahead of him. He refused to let himself believe that just because Sebastian was giving him another chance that everything would be all right.
Because in the end, Sebastian could still turn him away. In the end, Sebastian held all the cards and Sebastian would make the final choice. Not Ciel, but Sebastian. And he would do well to remember that.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Ciel shifted in his seat as his car quickly approached the ranch and his foot moved to the brake, pressing it lightly to make the first curve on the road that led to the entrance. He was nervous again, but knew that he could prove himself worthy of another chance.
Slowing down more, Ciel felt his heart race as the familiar fences came into view before the entrance gate finally reached his line of sight. He made the turn slowly, careful not to throw up too much gravel and dust in case some of the horses spooked. They grazed peacefully along either side of the driveway as Ciel guided the car down the drive.
It was late afternoon and it felt weird to come so late on a Friday. Under normal circumstances, Ciel would've arrived late yesterday thanks to the debt. Now the debt was a thing of the past and Ciel no longer relied on it.
In a way, he felt better because of it. Ciel had never realized how much he had relied on Alois to do things for him and how lazy it had made him become. He had to learn how to manage his time again and while it was slightly annoying, it felt good to be in charge of everything in his life instead of leaving things to Alois.
It had taken some time to get used to but Ciel learned quickly and he was proud of himself for that. He knew it was a step in the right direction and in the end; it would help him get his life back on track.
But whether or not Sebastian would see it that way was another thing and was one that Ciel didn't want to think about now. He had other things to focus on and as the car came to a stop, Ciel pushed Alois and the debt from his mind. He was here to focus strictly on Sebastian and that's all he was going to do. Sebastian deserved that and more.
Sebastian was already outside as Ciel turned off the engine and climbed out of the car. He sat on the porch, examining something he held between his fingers before pocketing the object as Ciel moved closer. Ciel stopped at the foot of the steps and for a moment, couldn't do anything but stare at Sebastian, taking in maybe for the first time how Sebastian truly looked. It made him realize what he stood to lose and Ciel found a sense of agony tear at him.
Sebastian cocked his head at him. "What are you looking at?" He asked. "You act as though you didn't just see me on Wednesday."
Ciel shook his head. "It'll sound cheesy, but I feel as though I'm looking at you for the first time again. But this time with clear eyes and you're just so damn…"
"Handsome?" Sebastian teased smirking slightly.
"Cocky," Ciel answered and could only roll his eyes. It was nice to fall into this easy banter with Sebastian and pretend that nothing had ever happened between them. He went to take a step towards Sebastian, wanting to get inside the house so he could put his bags down, but stopped as Sebastian held up his hand.
"A few rules first," Sebastian said, his voice serious once more. "First, you won't stay in my room. You'll stay in the bunkhouse. Second, there will be no touching unless necessary for work or otherwise. I said I would give you a chance, but that doesn't mean that I'm accepting you back into my bed."
Ciel nodded, understanding the words completely. He had expected as much and had refused to let his hopes get up even that much. In a sense, they were back at square one but without the awkward first meeting. "I understand," he answered. "The fact that you're letting me do this much is enough for me."
Sebastian hummed, accepting the words and stepped to the side to let Ciel pass. "Go put your things in the room and then come out to the barn so we can start with the afternoon chores. Claude went down to see Alois in hopes that they could work things out while we're sorting through our problems."
"Did you two sort out everything between y'all?" Ciel asked, glancing over his shoulder to look at Sebastian. He couldn't imagine Sebastian and Claude ending their friendship over something so small compared to the rest of the problems circling their lives. Especially with the competition starting in a month.
Nodding, Sebastian shoved his hands in his pockets. "We did and understand once and for all that the feelings we had between each other was nothing but lust. We were horny teenagers at the time that had nothing but sex on the mind. We thought at the time that what we felt was affection but I think we knew it wasn't." He chuckled. "There comes a time when you keep pushing at something, hoping that in the end it'll give way, but that never happens. I think we kept hoping something more would come from it but it wasn't there in the end."
Ciel's eyes darted to the porch, taking in the cracks and whorls that etched into the wood. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out between y'all in the way that y'all hoped. And I'm sorry for helping to end the relationship before it should've happened."
Sebastian waved his hand. "It's better that it did. If it had continued, there is a high chance that it would've ended badly and I'd rather have it end early and still stay friends than lose Claude as a partner. There are just some things that are hard to replace no matter how annoying they are."
A laugh left Ciel's throat and he pushed his way through the door so he could set his bags down. He wanted to get out to the barn so he could settle back into the familiarity of working with Sebastian again. He missed working the chores and Ciel sorely missed Furtur. Ciel knew the mare wasn't his horse, but it still didn't mean that he couldn't pretend that she was.
Shoving his boots on, Ciel jogged out of the house and down to the barn. Sebastian was already measuring feed into the buckets and without prompting, Ciel grabbed the first stack to take to the stalls. He knew the process well enough that Sebastian didn't need to hold his hand. And while it wasn't exactly showing Sebastian how he felt, it was a start. Not many people would willingly come out to shovel dirtied hay and help with chores to show how they felt.
But this was a different situation than most people had to deal with. Sebastian wasn't one who wanted flowers or chocolates when he was mad, or even an expensive gift. Sebastian simply looked out for his ranch and in return wanted someone who would care for it just as much as he did. Sebastian wanted hard workers who could help with the chores and someone who loved the horses with everything they had.
And Ciel could offer all that and more. He knew the business side of the ranch as well and even though he didn't enjoy it, he could help Sebastian with the books if needed. Anything that would show Sebastian how much he cared. Because Ciel cared about not just Sebastian, but also the ranch. It had become a second home to him and one that Ciel found he enjoyed returning to more than his home back in Houston.
He returned to gather more buckets, brushing past Sebastian as Sebastian moved through the door. Their arms rubbed against each other but Sebastian didn't say anything, continuing without a word, and Ciel followed the example. There was nothing to say about that action and was best to ignore it, as it had been nothing more than an accident and wasn't worth mentioning. It hurt that things had come to this but Ciel hoped to right his wrongs and prove to Sebastian that things could return to the way they used to be.
.:|As a Rule|:.
A low groan left Ciel's mouth as his alarm went off the next morning and he couldn't help but feel as though it was summer all over again. His body wasn't used to waking up this early and it was with unwavering effort on his part that Ciel rolled out of bed. It was still dark outside as the days were getting shorter and the nights longer in the process. Ciel looked forward to daylights saving when he would get another hour of sleep but for now that wasn't going to help him.
He stumbled into his pants before walking into the main part of the house to find Sebastian already awake. Sebastian chuckled at his rumpled appearance and Ciel grumbled at him, not happy that Sebastian teased him so early in the morning. But he found that the more he walked around, the more awake he became and after rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he turned to Sebastian, waiting for the day's assignments.
"We have morning chores of course before breakfast, and after that, there are a few horses that need schooling before they head off to auction next week," Sebastian answered.
Ciel glanced up quickly, his heart clenching at the word auction. "You're not selling Furtur are you?" He blurted out, worried that Sebastian might sell the mare that had his heart.
Sebastian shook his head. "No, she's a good mare and her training is coming along nicely. Furtur is well worth the investment we put in her, although were we to sell her, she would bring in more than what we paid for her." He grunted and moved towards the door, grabbing a light jacket in the process. "But only a fool would let go of her just for money."
"Thank you," Ciel breathed, relieved to find that Furtur was safe for the time being.
Sebastian nodded at the comment and continued out the door. "After the chores, I'll need your help lunging the horses. I have to watch them to make sure their gaits are sound and with you lunging them, I can work without distraction." They moved through the crisp morning air. "I won't sell a horse that doesn't have a sound gait and a steady disposition."
Ciel nodded. "I don't blame you," he answered as they approached the barn. "Your reputation as a breeder is on the line."
They entered the barn and hungry cries greeted them, making Ciel chuckle as he made his way to the feed room. He started to set out the buckets that they would need while Sebastian began to measure out the feed. Ciel was anxious to get started, as he wanted to lunge the horses with Sebastian, knowing that it was another way to spend time with Sebastian and he would take any chance he could.
"When's the auction?" Ciel asked, breaking the silence as he stacked buckets.
Sebastian closed a barrel and moved to another one, scooping a cup out before answering. "Wednesday. Claude and I will leave that morning to make it to the auction by the afternoon. We're not looking to buy but simply sell. There are several people who have expressed interest in the colts we're selling so I know they'll go to good homes."
Ciel nodded, happy to hear that as well. "I'm sure you have people waiting in lines to buy your horses," he commented.
Chuckling, Sebastian leaned down to grab a stack of buckets before heading to the main barn. "It seems like that at times, but it's never easy to part with a horse, no matter how it may seem on the outside. It takes a lot of time to raise them and in a way, they're like kids. It's hard to let them go at times."
A small hum of sympathy left Ciel's mouth as he dumped the first bucket of feed into a bin, stepping out of the way so the horse could eat. Soon the barn had quieted down and the only sound that that filled the air was the loud munching of food. Ciel followed Sebastian to the fields so they could check on the cattle and the grounds in general. They needed to check fences and make sure the gates were secure before letting the stock out.
It didn't take long to finish the rounds and by the time they finished, the horses had finished eating. Ciel started to let the animals out, leading them to the pasture and giving each one a good pat on the neck before letting them go. There was something about working with the horses that put him at ease in a way that Ciel couldn't describe. It just made him feel relaxed and happy.
"The horses in the last four stalls need to stay in," Sebastian said as they passed by each other. "They need to be lunged before going to pasture. After that, we'll need to draw up the papers and prepare everything for the auction."
Ciel nodded and grabbed the next horse, leading the prancing stallion away from the barn. To anyone else, it would seem as though Sebastian was taking advantage of him. Using the offered help as a chance to have free labor, but Ciel didn't see it that way. This was something he wanted to do and was happy to help Sebastian. It was just a small thing that he could do and hope that it was a start back on the right path to show Sebastian how he felt.
They cleared out the barn and Sebastian met Ciel as he came back into the building. Sebastian held a lunge line in his hands and Ciel accepted it without asking. "Tack up the first horse and meet me in the ring. I need to watch them so you'll do the lunging today."
"I'll be out in a bit," Ciel answered, already walking towards the first stall. A dark brown horse snorted at him as he slipped a halter over his head before leading him to the crossties. It didn't take long to tack the horse up and within moments, Ciel stood in the center of the ring while Sebastian watched from the outside.
It made a small spark of pride swell inside Ciel as he urged the horse forward. The fact that Sebastian still trusted him for something as important as this gave him hope and Ciel clung to it as he moved with the horse. He already had plans to cook dinner for Sebastian tonight as another way to show that he was sorry. It was something he didn't do often and Sebastian knew that all too well after the last disaster when Ciel tried to cook. But for Sebastian, Ciel was willing to do whatever it took, so long as he didn't come off as being desperate.
"How's he looking?" Ciel asked as the horse moved around the ring at a slow jog. He knew this colt from the summer as Sebastian often worked with the horse before the afternoon chores. It was sad to know that within a few short days, the colt would leave the ranch for good.
Sebastian glanced up from his notes and nodded slightly. "He's looking good. He's sound and moves in the proper way a Western horse should handle his gaits. Slow and without fuss." He flipped a page to look over the rest of his notes. "The buyer who is most interested in him has a daughter who is looking to start riding soon and he wants a horse who has a good temperament and can grow with his daughter."
Ciel smiled as the horse moved into a lope. "He'll be perfect for her then. He's still young and can bond with her as they both grow. That's the best relationship for a horse and rider."
"It is," Sebastian answered with a small smile.
Slowly, they continued to move through the horses that would go to auction until it was well past noon and Ciel could see storm clouds coming in on the horizon. They grew darker as they drew closer and if Ciel squinted hard enough, he could just make out the pouring rain that came down in streaks across the land.
Luckily, they would work inside for the rest of the day, figuring out the business side of the auction. But the coming rain made everything dark until Ciel could feel the pull of sleep. It urged him to give into temptation but Ciel fought against it, wanting to give a good impression for Sebastian.
"We'll eat first and then start to work," Sebastian commented and gestured to the kitchen. "Pull out what you want to eat and I'll start cooking when I get back. I need to make a few calls first."
Ciel nodded and glanced around the kitchen, searching for something he wanted to eat but found that he wanted to surprise Sebastian instead. Sebastian had skipped breakfast, as was his norm, but by now Sebastian would be hungry and Ciel could make him something simple. It wouldn't be as extravagant as the meals that Sebastian made but it was better than nothing was. He pulled out bread and some cheese, knowing that at the most he could make grilled cheese.
It didn't take long to make the simple meal and all too soon, a perfect grilled cheese sat on the plate. Proud of his accomplishment, Ciel walked to the study where he could hear Sebastian talking on the phone. He could hear Sebastian mentioning numbers and Ciel knocked on the door lightly to draw attention to himself. Sebastian waved him in and Ciel moved forward softly, placing the plate on the desk before Sebastian.
An eyebrow rose at the sandwich and Sebastian glanced up at Ciel, silently asking what it was but Ciel just smiled and pushed it closer. "Lunch," he mouthed before backing out of the room and leaving Sebastian to his phone call. He would ask later if Sebastian liked the sandwich but for now, he would let Sebastian eat in peace
Once alone, Sebastian shook his head and smirked, finding the whole situation humorous. "How ironic," he murmured before turning his attention back to the phone call at hand, but not before his eyes flickered to the chess set that sat in the corner.
Half an hour later, Ciel entered the office again, this time with a meal for himself. He didn't want to waste Sebastian's time and had settled with making a simple salad for himself, topped with some strips of grilled chicken he found in the fridge. It was easy and wasn't too messy to make, something that Ciel was grateful for as he took a seat across from Sebastian.
Sebastian was still on the phone but looked as though he would finish soon and Ciel glanced around the office, taking in the familiar books and binders around him. Everything was the same, just as the day Ciel had left, except for the chess set that sat tucked in the corner of the room. With a quick glance at Sebastian, Ciel set his bowl on the desk and moved over to the board, looking over the pieces with a careful eye.
There weren't many pieces left on the board and Ciel's fingers itched to finish the game as he could see the moves needed in order to win and capture the king. He wasn't sure whom Sebastian played against with but someone was very close to winning and Ciel wondered if he could ask to play the winner once it was over.
He looked away from the game as Sebastian placed the phone back on the cradle and called his name. Giving the board one last look, Ciel moved back to the desk and took a seat across from Sebastian. "Who is the other player?" Ciel asked curiously.
Sebastian shook his head. "Someone I've been playing for a long time." He glanced at the board, taking in the remaining pieces before focusing once more on Ciel. "Why? See something you like on the board?"
Ciel nodded. "Whoever is playing the black pieces is about to win," he commented. "The knight is about to capture the king and win with checkmate."
A pleasured purr left Sebastian's throat. "That's good to know, seeing as I'm playing the black pieces," he answered, looking pleased with himself. "It's been a long game, one that I intend to win."
"You'll win," Ciel stated. "There's no other way your opponent can escape."
Sebastian clicked his tongue. "I've learned before from the past not to accept victory when it's still several moves before you. Just because you can see the victory doesn't mean that you can win it. In the end, something unexpected can happen and someone can steal the victory from you, right under your nose."
Ciel shivered as red eyes pierced his and he couldn't help but glance away. "That is good advice," he murmured and gestured to the books in front of him. "Shall we get started? I'm sure this will take a while to sort out all of the paperwork before the auction and it would be nice to finish it up before than I'm sure."
Sebastian nodded and opened the binder before passing over the needed forms to Ciel. "You know what needs to be done. Go ahead and get started with this one and I'll work on the mare. I'll check over everything tonight."
Shifting slightly in his chair, Ciel glanced up from his salad. "I was thinking that tonight I could make dinner for you, if that's okay?" He asked. "I know you like cooking and everything, but you always cooked for me and I want a chance to make something for you. Something that's better than a grilled cheese sandwich and something that won't go ignored because of other pleasures." The last time Ciel had cooked dinner for Sebastian, they had ended up spending the evening together and the food went to waste because of it.
A small smirk slipped across Sebastian's face. "And what would you make me when I have such a picky appetite?" He asked, looking curious.
Ciel shrugged. "Anything you want, I would try to make it if I could."
Sebastian chuckled. "What I want is something you cannot make. I appreciate the gesture and understand what it is you're trying to do, but I don't think it would work as I'm not hungry for food."
Crestfallen, Ciel turned his attention back to his food after mumbling a soft sorry. It wasn't as though Sebastian had denied him because he didn't like the idea but instead because it wasn't something practical and they could spend the time doing something else. He wondered if Sebastian would want to go into town after they finished working. He wouldn't mention it now, as they were working, but perhaps after dinner.
Taking a bite of his salad, Ciel started to work, his eyes glancing over the papers that sat before him and writing down the information that he needed. He made sure to focus solely on the work, not wanting to make a mistake that would cause them to start over again. That was the last thing they needed and Ciel doubled checked his work after he completed each section.
Time passed by in silence as the papers stacked on top of each other. It started to rain outside, the heavy drops splattering against the windows while they worked. It was a comforting sound and helped to ease the silence that had settled over them. It wasn't an uncomfortable one but rather a relaxed silence that came about by something familiar and Ciel couldn't help but feel grateful once more that Sebastian gave him this chance.
They finished around dinnertime and by then, the rain had tapered down to a light drizzle as they started the afternoon chores. The drizzle was still annoying and the horses came in from the pastures covered in mud after rolling around in the grass. Clumps of mud scattered throughout the aisles as the horses headed to their stalls and Ciel knew that they would have to clean everything up, making him curse the rain.
Once they fed the horses, they started to clean up the aisles and Ciel could hear the ranch hands helping to sort out the hay into the hay nets for the horses. They were lucky that the weather was still fairly warm that the horses didn't have to wear a blanket at night, otherwise they would need to groom the animals before they could wear their blankets. Something Ciel was glad they didn't have to do.
"We need to wash and groom the horses that are going to auction before we can finish for the night," Sebastian said as he walked by with a wheelbarrow, passing it off to a ranch hand. "I don't want their coats bogged down with mud, just to be on the safe side."
Ciel nodded and silently groaned as he swept up some more mud into his wheelbarrow. His stomach growled for food and Ciel wanted to eat but the horses needed to come first no matter what. They needed to clean hooves so they didn't stay damp and muddy, developing unwanted problems in the future. While it was doubtful that thrush or any other problem would develop so quickly during the night, Sebastian didn't want to take any chances. Sebastian was already picking hooves and making sure that the horses were all right.
Mud collected outside the stalls where Sebastian had already cleaned the hooves and Ciel grabbed a pick so he could help Sebastian with the cleaning. It would take a while as there were plenty of horses to handle and only the two of them to handle the job, as the ranch hands were busy cleaning the aisles off mud and collecting various other items that they would need for the night.
Ciel was a muddy mess by the time he finished as Furtur had decided to rub against him while he picked her feet in her stall. She was in a playful mood, making it hard to clean her feet as she kept prancing in spot and lipping his hair. She knew that she was causing him trouble and would only stop when Ciel tossed her a dirty glare. But even with the horses cleaned, or at least their feet, they still needed to bathe and groom the remaining horses that would go to auction.
A quick check of the clock that hung near the tack room showed that it was past seven and Ciel could barely keep the groan to himself. He was hungry but didn't complain as Sebastian passed a horse off to him. The mud on the colt wasn't too bad and they wouldn't need to give him a bath, just a long grooming that in the end, took over an hour to brush out the clumps of mud that had accumulated on the tail.
By the time they finished and settled the horses in their stalls, Ciel felt disgusting from all the mud that had accumulated on his body. And he was far from hungry. Instead, he was starving and he slumped against a wall, letting out a heavy breath. Sebastian was making one final round to check on the horses while Ciel caught his breath and he closed his eyes, wanting to relax for just a moment. His eyes snapped open though when he felt rough fingers brushing over a patch of dirt on his cheek.
"Shall we go get you something to eat?" Sebastian asked, pulling his hand away and moving towards the entrance.
"Yes please," Ciel practically begged. "I'm so hungry right now."
Sebastian chuckled as he closed the door behind Ciel and they made their way towards the house. "Go change quickly and we'll go into town for something to eat. You deserve something nice after working so hard and without complaint."
Ciel glanced at Sebastian. "Maybe after dinner we can go see a movie? My treat?" He asked. "After today I think we both deserve some downtime to relax after everything we did."
Sebastian hummed as they entered the house and kicked off their boots. "I suppose that's fine. A few movies look interesting that I wouldn't mind seeing. And today has been a hectic day."
Beaming, Ciel nodded before jogging through the house so he could shower and change. He didn't want to take forever as his stomach cried at him, demanding food. But he couldn't stop the grin from settling across his face despite the hunger that settled low in his stomach. Sebastian was giving him another chance, and while it was something simple, it was still time that they could spend together. If Sebastian didn't want to deal with him, he could've turned down the request, simply saying that they would stay at the ranch tonight and go to bed early after the long day.
It gave Ciel more hope, but he made sure to keep a close eye on it, not wanting to let it grow into something that could balloon out of proportion. It wouldn't do to get his hopes up only to have them crushed at the last moment. Because as Sebastian had said before, this was something that would take a while and couldn't happen overnight. Already a month had passed since the problem first arose and they only had small progress to show for everything.
But a little progress was better than nothing and Ciel would take anything given to him. If anything, Ciel hoped that everything would settle, for the better, by his birthday. He had looked forward to spending that day with Sebastian, as it would be the first time Ciel could spend it with someone special besides his parents.
He stepped into the shower and sighed as hot water rushed over his body, helping to wash away the dirt from his body. He would take everything one day at a time and never look too far into the future where things remained so uncertain. To do that was asking for disappointment and Ciel had already had enough pain and agony with everything so far to last him a lifetime. He had never felt so lost or hurt before, even when his grandparents had died.
It scared Ciel slightly to see how close Sebastian had become to him. But at the same time, it was comforting to know that he had someone that he could feel so strongly for, and Ciel could only hope that it wouldn't come back to bite him in the end.
.:|As a Rule|:.
Downstairs in the study, Sebastian ran a hand through his wet hair, still warm from the shower he took earlier. Ciel was still in the bunkhouse, getting ready and outside, the rain had finally stopped coming down. It left for a silence in the study that enveloped him while crimson eyes stared at the chess set before him, silently pondering his next move.
He reached down to pick up the white king and examined its smooth surface before replacing it with a small smirk as he pulled his fingers away. "Soon."