When I started writing this AU, I never knew I would get so attached to it, but it definitely holds a very special place in my heart now. At some point, I may add one more smutty drabble to this AU, but apart from that, this is the last major installment to it.
Thank you so much to everyone who read it, and to my lovely beta javajowgie for dealing with (and fixing) my inability to write dialogue that isn't archaic. 3
There were many questions that Sebastian wanted to ask as he gazed into his lover's pleading eyes.
Why did Ciel want to dance here, so suddenly, in the ruins of Pompeii? The younger man was notorious for his hatred of dancing; it had taken an entire day to convince him to dance at their wedding, let alone any other day. Yet, here he was now, asking for a dance beneath the summer heat without a single note of music for them to sway to.
It was a strange request for his husband to make, but he wouldn't pretend that the prospect of sharing a dance here-in this ancient, beautiful home-didn't excite him. He would gladly bend to Ciel's will if it earned him a rare moment of tranquility in their travels.
They were often far too busy to stop and savour quiet moments on vacation unless they were planned ahead. This was a welcome surprise that he was positive neither he nor Ciel had initially expected.
Despite his stunned state, he gave a small smile, and trailed a hand along Ciel's spine, warm skin brushing along sapphire fabric until his palm halted atop the regal arch of his lover's back. "It would be my pleasure."
Without awaiting Ciel's guidance, Sebastian nudged him gently, leading him into a calm rhythm of sways. There was little effort put into their footwork, any instructor would chastise them for their lack of grace and finesse in what would be considered a simple ballroom dance, but that didn't matter to him. All he could focus on was the warmth of the slighter form ensconced in his arms.
The sunlight fell upon Ciel's hair, causing it to shine as if it were hewn from fine silk and glistening shards of dumortierite. His eyes were lidded, thick lashes fanning over his cheeks as his lips curled in a serene fashion, unbothered by the hushed melody beginning to spill from betwixt his lover's lips.
The song the older man hummed was strange and yet familiar, astonishing not only Ciel, but Sebastian as well with the lack of similarities to their usual song preferences.
Ciel was clutched more tightly to the faintly sculpted chest before him, and when he glanced up, he swore he could see some new and previously untapped awareness building in Sebastian's gaze. He still moved alongside him freely, passion building anew as he led him into a slow turn, but he seemed far away. "Sebastian…?"
Lost inside his mind as deeply as he was trapped within his husband's stare, Sebastian didn't hear the tender call of his name, overcome by emotions and remembrance of a day lost to centuries of waiting. He peered into the lapis and lavender of Ciel's eyes, and it was as if he had been looking into them for far longer than they had known one another. Light blossomed around them as the scent of fresh flora grew more fragrant, and he was able to see everything surrounding them come to life as it never had in photos.
The wall was wet with paint; elegant curves of umber and sienna glistening beneath the early morning sunlight. The freshly painted branches stretched from the bottom of the mural's cerulean base to its barren centre, dotted with vibrant oranges and the flourishing leaves in which birds of all colours would soon perch and soar above.
Sebastian stopped before the magnificent painting, gazing upon its fetching new additions as he rubbed at his tired eyes, encouraging them to open wider as he secured his crimson cloak around his right shoulder. Silently studying the delicately painted leaves of a thriving fig tree on the scene's right edge, he pondered the hour, as well as how strange it felt to rise quite so early.
The sun had only just breached the horizon an hour prior, and yet, he had woken early to cold sheets and empty arms. It had taken him mere seconds to take in his surroundings and note that Ciel was nowhere to be seen, and a moment later, he found himself wandering from the bed's welcoming embrace in search of his missing lover.
He did not find him near the fountain as he'd expected, nor did he find him with a paintbrush in hand-though it was clear that he had added onto his newest creation less than an hour prior. Instead, the young man found him, curling thin arms around his waist from behind as he admired the ochre chest of a robin in the upper, left corner of the fresco.
"Do you like it?"
Turning in Ciel's embrace, Sebastian wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders, bestowing a soft kiss upon his crown as he held him close. "Of course I do, my darling. It's beautiful, just as everything else you create is."
"And here I thought I would be your comparison," Ciel teased, standing on the tips of his toes and tugging Sebastian lower by the front of his tunic, pressing a peck to his husband's smiling lips once they were within range. The kiss was short and chaste, save for the faint remnants of falernian clinging to their breath, greatly limited by Sebastian's drowsy mind and equally lethargic body.
"Your loveliness is without measure, and it is because of such that I felt it would be an unfair comparison to make. Your art is always a pleasure to behold, but I'm afraid even that would never be able to compare to you," Sebastian purred fondly, fingers dancing along the younger man's spine as he nuzzled into his ashen locks.
"Ever the charmer," the younger man chuckled, his thumb stroking along Sebastian's jaw as a gentle smile graced his face.
His lover twisted in his hold to press soft lips to his palm, warm breath fanning over his spread fingers as Sebastian spoke. "Are you alright? You usually don't open your eyes until I wake you myself."
"I am, I was just unable to fall back asleep. I thought I would make some progress on the mural, rather than laying in bed until you woke," Ciel placated, fingers drawing intricate spirals along the older man's chest. "You should go back to bed if you're still tired, it's quite early."
"I'd rather stay up with you," Sebastian smiled, releasing Ciel from his embrace, only to wrap his left arm around his waist once they stood side-by-side. "Tell me, darling, is there anything you'd like me to help with? I may not be as accustomed to painting as you are, but I could help with a few of the details if you'd like."
"You're more than welcome to help if you want to," Ciel assured, taking in the unfinished portions of his newest-favourite-artwork. "The base is completely finished now, as are the trees, fruit, and flowers, but there are quite a few clouds that need to be shaded. That is what I will be working on after I add the last birds."
"Very well, I shall work on the clouds," Sebastian promised, stepping aside to allow Ciel the time and space he needed to gather his palette and brushes from where they had been cleansed in a small, clay pot. A second palette was retrieved, bearing every shade of grey and blue that could possibly be needed to bring life and depth to the fluffy clouds. Soon, Sebastian had a brush in hand.
The pair painted together in tranquil silence for hours, every stroke awakening new textures and light in the garden of their own making.
The taupe feathers of robins were adorned with stripes of black, as were their elegant heads and beady eyes, and as Sebastian watched Ciel complete the last of the curious birds, he was struck with an idea. Wasting no time, he dipped his own brush in the onyx balancing atop his lover's palette, missing the confused frown he was given when the dark shade first made contact with the sky above the fig tree.
"Sebastian, there isn't supposed to be black paint there, what are you doing?" Ciel questioned, brows furrowed as long, languid strokes made the vague outline of… a wing?
"Fear not. I only thought it needed a little contrast. You said before that I could add something if I'd like to, so I am painting a crow like the one that roosts near Mallie's bakery," Sebastian explained, tone distracted as he became lost in the details of the first sable feather.
"I see," Ciel murmured, still unsure. Choosing to trust his lover, rather than question his sudden addition, the young man knelt to add his own final touch to the colourful fresco. At the bottom corner, near the flourishing petals of vibrant sunflowers at the painting's left edge, he began to create an outline of white, putting all of his focus into the pristine feathers that would lift the dove above the stems of flowers and overgrown foliage.
By the time that their respective birds were complete, and they took a step back to admire their work, the sun had fully risen, casting its noon glow upon the artwork that had taken months to create.
Sebastian knelt to appraise his lover's newest creation, smiling at the contrast between their finalizations as he studied each fine stroke that made up the flying dove's elegant plumage. It was a stark contrast to the greenery behind, and the jonquil flowers below-as light and airy as the breeze rustling Sebastian's hair when he stood.
"This turned out rather stunning... I dare say it's as beautiful as the one you painted in Herculaneum's thermae."
"I was lucky I could finish that one before we were caught. I was cutting it rather close on the last night," Ciel said thoughtfully, cheeks flushing with the memory of the nude mural splayed along the stone walls of the neighboring city's oldest bath.
Sebastian chuckled, a sly smirk curling his lips as he watched Ciel stand on the tips of his toes to study the flying crow. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to paint us. It was quite the surprise."
"A pleasant one?" Ciel asked, his hand settling atop Sebastian's right bicep to steady himself as he leaned closer to inspect the still-glistening paint.
"Why, of course," his lover crooned, hand settling on the small of his back to balance him. A gasp left the younger man when his eyes landed upon the corvid's dark form, and Sebastian could only beam with pride at the reaction his portion of the artwork garnered.
To Ciel's knowledge, Sebastian had never painted a bird before, and yet, this one easily rivaled the beautiful starlings painted by his mother when he was just a boy-long before his family had taken Sebastian in.
"Where exactly have you been hiding this skill?" Ciel breathed, taking note of the sapphire highlights woven within onyx plumage. His lover had been right about the painting requiring a bit of contrast, and he had added it masterfully. It looked as if the bird had always been there, a needed darkness in the garden, a perfect match for its alabaster companion. It was just what the mural required to be complete.
"I have not exactly been hiding it. It's true that I only paint when I join you, but I have used charcoal to draw crows a few times when you were away," Sebastian explained, his chest warming as he watched Ciel take a step back to view the fresco in its entirety.
"I would like to see them someday, I'm sure they're lovely," the younger man smiled, taking in the spectrum of colours with an air of pride. Setting aside his brushes and palette before returning to his lover's side, he gave an approving hum. "It's just how I imagined it would turn out. You really should join me more often, it looks far better when you help. Perhaps next time, you could choose what we paint?"
Sebastian claimed the noble's hand with a thoughtful noise, his fingers playfully prodding at Ciel's as he shook his head. "I enjoy helping you, darling, but I would never be able to lead a painting-I'm afraid that my skills lie elsewhere."
"Like blacksmithing? You have gotten rather good at it lately."
"I am getting better at blacksmithing, but that's not quite it," Sebastian supplied, a mysterious smirk tugging at his mouth as his fingers twirled ticklishly around Ciel's wrist. "Guess again."
"Well, I often see you baking with Mey-Rin, but since you always come home covered in flour, I am going to assume that it's something else," Ciel chuckled, leaning into his lover's flirtatious touch as those long fingers slid up his forearm.
Turning to face Sebastian, Ciel inched forward until his chest grazed the elder man's abdomen. "Is it a skill that only I would know about?" he purred, digits smoothing along the front of Sebastian's tunic, sinking lower until his fingertips brushed along Sebastian's left thigh.
His delicate touch garnered a pleased groan, however, his hand was quickly seized before it could drift further. He gave a disappointed huff, but only gained a laugh in response.
"Wrong again. But I can certainly show you those skills after we eat… Dessert, if you will," Sebastian trilled, his lips finding purchase between Ciel's neck and shoulder as he spoke.
"I wouldn't be opposed to that," the younger man murmured, head tilting to welcome the open-mouthed kisses along his throat and clavicle.
Nipping at the fading plum of a two-day old love-bite, Sebastian's arms coiled around the patrician's waist. Sighing into the waltz of narrow fingers along his nape, Sebastian gave a satisfied sound. "I'm pleased to hear that."
With a small peck to Ciel's earlobe, Sebastian continued. "Do you have any more guesses?"
Ciel merely shook his head, his arms tightening around his lover's shoulders when the man tried to depart. "I cannot think of anything else. What is it?"
"Dancing."
The nobleman's eyebrows raised as he relented his hold on his husband just enough to see his face. "Dancing? Did your mother teach you?"
Straightening to his full height, despite the way the patrician's alabaster skin beckoned him nearer, Sebastian tilted his head, fixated on the sun's reflection from his lover's curious eyes. "Your mother did, while you were with your father at a council meeting. She said that you were hopeless when it came to dancing, so she offered to teach me in your stead."
Ciel's mouth fell agape, in utter disbelief that his mother-his lovely, caring mother-would so boldly call him out on his shortcomings. "Did she truly say 'hopeless'?"
"Not in those exact words…" Sebastian trailed off, his tone overflowing with mirth, "but it was certainly insinuated."
"I knew it! My mother would never admit that I was terrible at following her instructions, even to you," Ciel growled, though the corners of his traitorous lips twitched. Landing a weak slap to Sebastian's bicep, he crossed his arms.
"Well? Do demonstrate what my mother taught you that she could not teach me."
Still amused by his husband's irate expression, Sebastian reached out to guide Ciel's left hand onto his waist, taking his right palm in his own as he mirrored the position. "Very well, but you shall have to dance with me."
"I cannot promise that I won't step on your toes, but I shall try," Ciel warned, allowing Sebastian to lead him into a simple pattern of steps.
The first turn, as well as the first few sways, were unsteady, shaky and off-rhythm as Ciel attempted to follow Sebastian's movements without tripping over his own feet. The second one, while flawed, was considerably better, save for the way the younger man all but stumbled over the third and fourth steps, clinging to his lover as if he would fall the second he let go.
"You could certainly use some practice, but you are not a terrible dancer," Sebastian assured, though Ciel suspected that he only said it out of pity, or a love-distorted view of his lacking skills.
A quiet hum left Sebastian's kiss-bitten throat, the rhythm of a song he had heard a traveler play on his cithara during their time in Rome a fortnight ago. He scarcely remembered what the man's lyre-strumming companion had sung, though he did recall her mention of wildflowers, much like the ones that grew in the garden nestled betwixt the halls of their home.
The glorious red of poppies and the vivid petals of violets looked stunning beneath the sun's rays, their living beauty as lovely as the painted roses and sunflowers-that still glistened wetly beneath daylight's glow. However, he found that he was unable to focus on the simple beauty of nature and art; all of his attention was on his lover's form, warm and serene, and held close to his chest.
Bright irises bore into his own, as blue as a clear sky and as purple as blooming wisteria, brimming with fondness despite the embarrassed flush flourishing along Ciel's cheeks when he missed a step. Unable to resist, Sebastian pressed a kiss to his husband's crown, his own eyes drifting shut as he breathed in the scent of flowers, the scent of his lover, the scent of peace...
With a jolt, and the faintest of gasps, Sebastian's lullaby ceased.
"Is something wrong?" Ciel questioned, eyebrows furrowed as his steps slowed before halting altogether. Carefully studying his husband's features, he cupped his cheek, patiently awaiting his answer. Sebastian seemed confused, frightened… longing?
"Nothing's wrong per se, it's just an odd feeling that I had…" Blinking in an attempt to clear his head of his strangely realistic recollection, Sebastian offered Ciel a weak smile, taking his hand with a small squeeze. He brushed off the invisible force that attempted to goad him into turning and studying both the fresco and overgrown garden in greater detail, thoughtfully glancing to the doorway across the hall instead. "Don't worry about it. Let's just explore deeper until it's time to stop for lunch."
"If you say so," Ciel agreed reluctantly, his suspicious gaze remaining on his lover as they dodged the crumbled slabs of marble statues and stone columns littering the ground. The confused glint in Sebastian's eyes was the same one that he himself had carried less than an hour prior, striking as he marvelled at the petrifying magnificence of Mount Vesuvius. It was a look of recognition and familiarity, one that easily sparked the belief that not everything was as it seemed.
As they crossed the threshold into the first of the home's rooms, it immediately became apparent that they were in a kitchen. It was far different from the kitchen in their London flat-which was to be expected, given the fact that this home was built over a thousand years before their own-and yet, it still shared a fair amount of features with the modern kitchen.
Pots, pans, and clay pitchers lined the wooden shelf that hung above a small cutting table, most of them miraculously unbroken and in place despite the tremors that had periodically shaken the city for hours after its initial destruction. A stove was nestled into the right corner of the room, surrounded by crates that were previously filled with fruits, vegetables, and other easily stored foods. A large earthen pot sat near the stove, where water was likely kept, surrounded by the tiny shards of plates and wine goblets.
In the midst of the shattered clay and crumbled stone, a broken wine pitcher laid.
As far as the design was concerned, it was nothing particularly special. In fact, it was rather plain in comparison to the intricately painted rims of nearby bowls and cups. However, it bore a distinct symbol, one that signified the wine's origin and variety.
"Can you read it?" Ciel asked, squinting at the odd characters in confusion. They were certainly not of Greek origin, or he would have at least managed a rough translation after the history classes he'd shared with his husband during their time in college. They did seem familiar however, if only by a small fraction.
With a somewhat unsure expression, Sebastian knelt, scrutinizing the strange writing as he spoke. "I think it's in Latin… I didn't take many classes involving Latin, but it seems to be the name of the wine." Several moments passed in silence before recognition rose from somewhere deep within his mind, leading him to give a small gasp as he deciphered the word. "It's falernian, love."
Ciel's eyes instantly widened, his lips parting and eyebrows knitting together, in utter disbelief at the words that husband whispered. The wine, its name… It sounded so eerily familiar. But where had he heard the name before?
"Falernian…?"
The air was warm, and the scent of blooming tulips hung heavily in the air. Tall grasses rustled as the pair waded through their peridot depths, footsteps falling into rhythm and fingers locked together as the bright foliage of at least three thousand grape vines came into view. As they reached the top of the hill, a welcome shadow was cast over them, shielding them from early summer's heated sunbeams. The leaves of the ancient elm towering over them caught in the breeze, susurrating as the evening light illuminated their venations.
Located at the farthest reaches of the vineyard, far from the owner's home, the aging tree offered the couple quite a bit of privacy, allowing them to share quiet moments in each other's arms, as well as not-so-quiet ones, in broad daylight without much fear of being caught. For that reason, it was where they often ventured on days when they were both free from other responsibilities within the city.
Without much grace, despite what was expected of him as a patrician, Ciel lowered himself near the tree's trunk, flopping back into the grass the second his legs met the ground. A laugh rang out from above him, but he simply brushed it off in favour of the clouds that he could faintly see past the gaps between leaves.
"Enjoying yourself already, I see," Sebastian teased, perching beside his lover, knees close to his chest and ankles crossed as he too looked to the vibrant skies above. He was not at all surprised by Ciel's joy at being here after being ill for nearly a fortnight, confined within their home while carefully monitored and tended to by Sebastian himself. This was the first time that he had been out since falling ill, and Sebastian could not have been more pleased at the younger man's reaction to his chosen location.
The fresh air seemed to settle Ciel's lungs, and if the soft curl of his lips was anything to go by, it seemed to lift his spirits as well; Sebastian was grateful for both of those things, as well as the opportunity to relax beside his lover.
"Smirk all you want, I am simply glad to be out of bed," Ciel chided, his smile remaining as he latched onto the back of Sebastian's tunic, an easy tug encouraging the man to lay beside him. "As much as I appreciate your care, it gets rather boring being idle for so long. I was not even bed-bound for a pleasant reason…"
Sebastian's eyebrows rose, his interest piqued as he turned on his side to face his lover. "A pleasant reason, you say? Do you care to elaborate?"
"I could…," he drawled. "Or I could give you a demonstration." Nimble fingers stroked down the hidden expanse of Sebastian's chest, their feather-light touches bringing heat to the skin beneath their softness. "Whichever you prefer."
"I would be a fool to turn down a demonstration." Without a smidgen of hesitation, Sebastian's lips crashed against Ciel's, his fingers spreading into the young man's silken tresses as he cupped his nape. His lover opened up to him all-too-willingly, teeth, tongue, and taste eagerly welcoming him with the sweet scent of falernian, silently begging him to lave and explore, to cherish and claim.
Pink and yellow flowers were crushed beneath the couple's flailing limbs as Sebastian sat up, his back against the tree, and his hands on Ciel's waist, pulling him to sit astride his hips. Those svelte legs framed his thighs, the proof of his lover's interest pressed against his stomach, and narrow arms curled around his neck.
"Two weeks is far too long to go without holding you this way," Ciel breathed, melting into the soft squeeze of tender palms upon his sides. "You took care of me so well while I was ill, gave me far more than I would ever dare ask of you. So tell me, how can I best show my gratitude?"
"In the way that you are doing so now, with your touch, your lips, your embrace…"
Shaking his head, Ciel could only give a quiet snort as he buried his mouth to his lover's moonkissed throat. "You are ridiculous, Sebastian Phantomhive."
"So you have told me, but that does not change my answer." Chuckling, Sebastian hitched up the hem of Ciel's tunic, leaving it to pool at the highest point of the man's parted thighs. He leaned into the series of kisses along his neck, giving the slightest buck of his hips as his left hand slipped into the basket that he had brought along to carry the wine they had purchased an hour prior. Pulling forth a small vial, he fumbled with its cork, generously coating his fingers in the oil it contained moments later.
A gasp briefly took Ciel's breath at the sweet friction Sebastian's weak rut offered, and the instant he felt his husband's forefinger prodding at his hole, he snatched the flacon from where it had been placed on the ground. Pouring the remaining essence into his right palm, he brushed aside the fine linen that masked Sebastian's arousal, careless of how the expensive fabric wrinkled and stretched as it was pushed out of place. Should it tear, he could easily have another tunic crafted for his lover.
Grasping Sebastian's prick as two fingers sank into his oil-dampened orifice, he spread the cool slickness along the man's shaft, tracing veins up to the rosy head-where his thumb stroked fondly over its weeping tip. A guttural groan was hummed against his forehead, and with the faintest movement, his erection grazed Sebastian's own, garnering a moan from each of them.
Sebastian made quick work of opening up his lover, his long fingers delving deep, though they were just shy of reaching where Ciel craved them the most. His right hand kneaded at the younger man's thighs, working their way to his stiffened arousal with a series of languid touches. Easing his lover's hand from his own hardness, he repositioned the man, sliding into him with little resistance as Ciel quickened the process by lowering himself onto his pinkened cock.
As always, it felt like heaven.
The squeeze of his Ciel's hole was warmer than the heat on a hot summer day, as damp as the water embracing them when they bathed, tighter than his hand could ever possibly grasp, and Sebastian was utterly lost to him-every fibre of his being at his lover's mercy. His hips rose and fell in tandem with the younger man's, and though his brow was furrowed from the pleasure heating his veins like molten fire, spreading through his chest like the butterflies hewn from a pair's first kiss, his eyes remained open, boring into the specks of sunlight reflecting from Ciel's eyes.
Glimmering like infinitesimal diamonds spattered and sparkling across the sea of impenetrable blackness making up the night sky, mismatched eyes were blown with lust, heavily lidded as Ciel's eyelashes fluttered like the flapping wings of a young sparrow.
Ciel's legs trembled with the effort he exuded as he rode his lover in the vineyards where his favourite wine was crafted and aged, surrounded by the chirping of birds, the gentle gusts of wind, and the enraptured moans that muffled into his shoulder. Slipping past the neck of his Sebastian's tunic, Ciel's hands flattened against Sebastian's sweat-dampened back-his thoroughly-worshipped skin still stained with the scent of lavender-feeling the way that lean muscles undulated and tensed as he was lifted and lowered from the man's lap, over and over.
"Do... ohh... do you know what I would give..." Sebastian murmured, chest rising and falling quickly, arms tightening around Ciel's waist when he felt Ciel's head lull against his cheek with a breathless moan, "to live an eternity... with you, my love?"
"An eternity, hm?" Ciel chuckled, his smile remaining beneath the way his lips parted in a silent cry. "I imagine that we… mmph... would look quite unsightly after that much time has… fuck… passed, Sebastian."
"I suppose you are right… But what if we were simply bound by fate?" A shuddering breath left his glistening lips, on the verge of becoming a guttural groan. "Just imagine it; being reborn again and again, only to hold you this way each and every… every time, for the rest of time."
"In that case, should it… hah… ever be possible, I would love nothing more than to stay this way forever," Ciel assured, kissing Sebastian's temple as the jolt of his hips quickened, sending endless waves of ecstasy through his small form as each slide of Sebastian's cock struck at the perfect angle to have him throwing his head back in a frenzied call of his husband's name.
Sebastian's lips captured his own, devouring his mouth with as much dedication as he put into driving himself deeper into his lover. Their passion's intensity expanded into a blazing inferno, searing everything in its path and overflowing just as Sebastian's seed did, dripping down Ciel's thighs when the older man reached his peak with a sound not entirely unlike a growl.
Ciel's release came mere seconds after, his body arching into Sebastian's chest as a loud, husky groan sounded between their open mouths. The calm wind cooled the sweat that beaded at his nape, as well as the white dripping down his stomach-from where it had soaked into his tunic, causing goosebumps to form as Sebastian turned them both onto their sides.
Peering past a pair of pink and yellow tulips that bloomed betwixt their serene forms, Sebastian brushed Ciel's sweat-matted hair from his eyes, giving a blissful sound when the man captured his hand, caressing bitten lips along his knuckles. "I would lie here with you for the rest of the night if we were able," Sebastian crooned, inhaling deeply to catch the hints of honey in his lover's sweet aroma.
"As would I," Ciel mumbled wistfully, resting their hands in the soft grass, still intertwined. "But even if we cannot do that, we can still lie here for a while longer. No one will come here to harvest grapes until sunset draws near." Both remaining shrouded by the elm's emerald leaves, Ciel nestled closer to Sebastian's chest, his eyes drifting shut for a moment as he focused on the sounds of nature and his lover's steady breaths. "And perhaps someday, we will be able to lie here all night."
Pressing a kiss to Ciel's forehead, Sebastian nodded in agreement, a peaceful smile curling his lips. "Someday…"
"Falernian…?"
"Mhmm. I remembered it being mentioned in one of my books. It had an extremely high alcohol content and was the sweetest wine made in that era, though not as favoured as some of the more well-known wines," Sebastian said, rising from the ground with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe food and wine would be a good subject to cover in my classes."
"I'm sure your students would enjoy the change in pace," Ciel agreed, albeit absentmindedly. Taking a moment to study the pots lining the shelf across from him, he managed to regain his bearings, his mind still muddled with images that, while peaceful, felt terrifyingly real to him.
The pair lingered in the kitchen for but a moment longer, studying the few remaining artifacts, before departing. Traversing the halls surrounding the garden, they found themselves standing inside a room that was bathed in sunlight.
It was of decent size, by far the largest room in the house, and despite its state of disrepair, it was warm, inviting; it felt like home.
A large bed was nestled comfortably against the far wall, the dark wood of the intricate, gargantuan headboard a stark contrast to the cream shade of the stone walls. A small, withered table stood to the left of the bed, another empty jug of falernian lying in tiny shards atop its wooden surface. The desk in the far corner of the room was in an equally poor state, however, it still bore a handful of items: from a shattered ink jar and a frayed feather from a broken quill, to the ashes of fine parchment and a tiny bundle of pressed wildflowers.
A painting of a lavender field hung proudly above the abandoned furniture, matching the style of the garden mural they had studied upon entering the house. The nearby window offered an unobscured view of the cobblestone streets and the glorious cerulean sky; if the tarnished hooks on either side of the window were anything to go by, it had once been shrouded by heavy drapes.
As Ciel roamed the bedroom, regarding the tatters of what looked to have been a poem at some point in time with great interest, Sebastian drank in every fine detail of the bed-canopy's structure. His eyes traced along the etching of blooming roses and sharp thorns, narrowing ever-so-slightly on the thin marks at its highest point; if he were to take a guess at their origin, he would say that they were scratches. "Not everything changes with time, I guess," he murmured to himself, amused as he turned to see if his husband had managed to decode any of the old writing.
He was stopped dead in his tracks by a glint of silver just beneath the bed.
With intrigue tugging at the threads of his mind, Sebastian hastily reached out, pulling something small yet heavy into his palm. Withdrawing from the floor, he opened his hand, only for his breath to catch in his throat when he caught sight of the ancient heirloom. "Ciel… Come look at this."
"What is it?" Ciel asked, abandoning his fruitless task when he caught the lilt of excitement in his lover's tone.
A shimmer of blue instantly caught Ciel's eye, beckoning him closer to the object Sebastian held. It was a ring, bearing a detailed band of pure silver and a vibrant, clean-cut sapphire, and it was beautiful.
"I thought everything like this had already been put into a museum decades ago. To think that we would find a ring of all things... This is incredible," Sebastian marvelled, brushing his thumb along the gem's smooth surface. Though he couldn't fathom why, the weight of it between his fingers was calming, serene, but that sense of peace was easily overcome by his urgent need to press it into his husband's hand instead.
Without questioning the odd desire, he offered the jewelry to Ciel, watching the man scrutinize it curiously, turning it in his hand thrice. His husband's fingers closed around it protectively, and his closed fist was brought close to his chest, close enough that Sebastian could see the way it thumped with every beat of his husband's heart.
"Love?"
"I have an odd feeling…" Ciel said, head tilted as he stared pleadingly up at his husband, still clutching the ring. Something in his chest stirred uncomfortably, a feeling that was both light and suffocating all at once, causing him to shift and his brow to knit. "Can we step outside for a few minutes? I think the heat might be getting to me."
Sebastian eyed him warily, but nodded all the same, ushering Ciel from the room to ease his discomfort. "Of course. Let's go eat, and then we can come back if you want to."
Wandering back onto the streets, they managed to find their way to the center of a square, surrounded by the fragments of stone columns. No other tourists were to be seen nearby-most of them gathered near the Temple of Jupiter's ruins-and so, they each took a seat on the ground, leaning against what remained of a single pillar.
Two sandwiches were pulled from their bags, alongside matching bottles of water, and as they ate in comfortable silence, they admired the sights around them. The city may have been wrought with eternal destruction, but it somehow remained captivating. For all the horror it had seen, for all the pain and brutality it bore, parts of it still stood virtually untouched, a testament to the buildings' strong bones.
Popping the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth, Sebastian looked to Ciel, taking in the way he stared at Mount Vesuvius with a thoughtful expression, having already finished his meal a few seconds prior. "Ciel," he said, gaining his lover's attention rather swiftly, "could you hand me the ring? I want to try something."
"Mhmm," Ciel agreed, dropping the metal band into Sebastian's hand, the smallest hint of remorse weighing him down when his hand was left empty without it. However, a gentle hand soon replaced the cold steel, seizing his left hand with a reverent stroke. His gold wedding band-decorated with small diamonds and garnets-was removed, placed securely inside Sebastian's wallet, before he felt the far older band brush along the tip of his fourth finger.
The ring slipped on easily, settling snugly in the exact spot where his wedding band previously rested, and as they both gazed down at it, in awe at its perfect fit, everything seemed to fall into place. The familiar scents, the disconcerting sense of déjà vu, the feeling that something wasn't quite right… None of them were mere scenarios conjured by the couple's creative minds: they were memories.
Sebastian had seen this place before.
He had seen the fallen columns, the looming form of Mount Vesuvius, but never before had he seen so much smoke. It was everywhere, masking the crumbling silhouettes of the homes and burning bodies of those he had visited with his mother as a young child.
He couldn't breathe. His lungs hurt, his throat burned, his nose stung, his head pounded. His vision was blurred with tears, his entire body shook with tremors from both his struggle to take in oxygen, as well as the sheer force of his rattling sobs. His legs throbbed from running, his ears were ringing from the rumbling wails of the wrathful volcano. But none of that hurt as much as much as the trembling of the form atop his own, the hoarse weeps parting his lover's chapped lips, the strained coughs sounding from deep within his chest.
The black remnants of smoke stained the spittle balanced beneath Ciel's lips-Sebastian imagined that it dotted his own Cupid's bow from the droplets departing his nose, as well. He tried his hardest to kiss away his lover's pain. They both knew it was futile, but at the very least, it was a distraction. They would not see the moment when their chests refused to rise and fall, nor would they see the final flutter of teary lashes as they faded in each other's arms.
They would only feel the heat around them, their limbs intertwined, and the grieving shifts of loving lips.
How he wished that their embrace was not brimming with melancholy. If he had it his way, they would be far from the pain ensconcing them-similar to when they mourned the loss of Ciel's parents-and closer to the joy they shared when he first presented Ciel with his ring.
His lover's eyes had practically sparkled that day, rivaling the light's reflections from the sapphire adorning his finger. What a lovely sight he had been, grinning ear to ear as the band was slipped onto his fourth finger, where it would rest each night when they rested together beneath the slivers of moonlight.
The memory made Sebastian's heart ache more fiercely as he recalled the way Ciel had screamed his throat raw upon finding it missing from the chain that often carried it around his neck.
Hugging him now, in the fiery shambles where they made love once, several years prior in the dead of night, Sebastian noted the way that Ciel's thumb grazed along his bare finger.
On any normal day, his ring would have already been there once more, and its absence left him hollow. But Ciel knew that it was useless to waste precious moments bemoaning the loss of a possession, no matter how much it meant to him. His lover was far more important.
With what remaining strength he had, Ciel clung tightly to Sebastian, giving a soft call of his name as he relented his struggle against fate. Though he felt flames beginning to singe his legs, he did not jolt away, instead he stole one last glance at the love of his life, allowing time to slip away without complaint as gentle hands spread over his back. Memories coursed through him as the darkness closed in; their presence was a pleasant warmth, similar to the one he felt after one too many glasses of wine.
He recalled the first time that they had sparred together, only nine years of age and terrified of hurting one another. Though the recollection was old, faded with time, he could still remember the shock on Sebastian's face and the panic filling him when he noticed the tiniest of pricks upon Sebastian's forearm. Though the minor injury had drawn only a single drop of blood, healing within the span of four days, he had refused to spar with his closest friend again for two months after, afraid of hurting him again despite Sebastian's assurances that he was alright.
The memory had yet to disperse when another took its place, this one having taken place several years later, during the celebration of Sebastian's fifteenth year. After much begging on Ciel's part, his father had gifted Sebastian a horse from their stable, a spirited chestnut mare with a mane as flaxen as his mother's own hair. They had learned to ride together that summer, leading to the discovery of their favourite meadow near the vineyards.
Ignorant of his lover's slackening embrace, and the lost breaths from his own lips, Ciel tried with all his might to fight through the fog clouding his mind, grasping at the bleak image of the day that he lost his parents.
Through tears, so many tears, he had begged Sebastian to stay with him in the home that felt far too cold and empty without his family beside him. As he caught sight of the urns respectfully placed alongside twin candles upon a shelf near the entry, he had sworn that it would never feel like home again. But the moment warm lips pressed to his, consoling him in the way that Sebastian had longed to, for what felt like an eternity, he began to doubt that his words were entirely true. It would take months for him to begin to appreciate the house in which he'd been born again, but slowly, surely, he would with Sebastian's continued presence and his whispered promises of eternal love.
Over the following months, things had improved greatly, and by the time he reached his eighteenth year, he was able to bask in the sunlight bathing their bed with a smile on his lips and his lover's forehead pressed to his own.
They had stayed in bed all evening that day, only rising to dress before going out to gather the baked goods that they had requested a day prior from Mallie and Mey-Rin's bakery down the street. The ticklish touches grazing along the notches of his spine and down the expanse of his thighs-thoroughly marked by both fresh and fading lovebites-had almost convinced him to forget the pastries he desired, and apologize to their friends the following afternoon for their late arrival.
Unfortunately, despite his tempting touches, Sebastian had encouraged him to don his tunic, and even aided him in draping his cobalt abolla before they departed, their hands brushing with every step through the crowded street.
Those reminiscences, combined with the more recent ones, such as the euphoric heat of the night before, and the serene morning that greeted them when they awoke near noon, were all that he needed to exhale peacefully one final time.
He heard Sebastian's feeble, yet fond whisper of his name just before oblivion claimed him.
A sharp gasp shattered the terse silence, startling Ciel from the trance he'd unwittingly fallen victim to. Anise eyes locked with lapis and violet ones, and within them resided a new light, a reawakening of days lost to the endless maw of time and the cruel erasure of memories upon being reborn into a world so far from what they had known.
The younger man's lips remained partially open as he started up at his husband, his eyebrows furrowed in silent query. Had he seen it too? Had he felt the flames upon their flesh, the crumbled stone against their backs, the consoling weight of arms around his neck?
In all his years of dreaming-remembering-this was the first time that his husband's face had been clear, leaving him without doubt that the images plaguing his sleep had been as real as the raindrops dripping from his matted hair the first time he had met Sebastian in thislifetime.
Clearing his throat in hopes of masking its shaky quality, Sebastian asked the question that his lover dared not speak. "Ciel, that… that day in London ten years ago, it wasn't the first time we met, was it? Not really."
"No, I don't think it was," came Ciel's hesitant reply. "I think we've known each other for a lot longer than we ever could have imagined."
"I used to have dreams when I was little, about leading a boy near my age to the edge of a farm to try catching fireflies beneath an olive tree. I think it was you," Sebastian admitted, turning to the ring on Ciel's finger with a wistful sort of smile.
He was buzzing with a nervous sort of energy, his eyes just a bit too wide as he dragged his finger along the ring's silver band. He couldn't fully grasp the fact that they had been here once before, that they had fallen in love so many centuries before their paths ever crossed in London, but he knew it was real. Such profound memories, shared ones at that, could never be conjured by mere chance. There were too many for that to even be an option. Sebastian trembled with the thought, his voice unsteady when he spoke again. "I remember making this ring for you, too."
The air was tense, and for a moment, Sebastian didn't know if Ciel could even muster the words he wanted to speak. His ocean eyes were unsure, brimming with emotion, and Sebastian couldn't bring himself to tear his gaze away.
"Most of my dreams began after we met, but... the first I remember was of the beach. I was just a teenager, I think. I had ridden there on horseback, and sat in the sand beside someone," Ciel said, forcing the words out past the lump in his throat. He could hear the beat of his heart in his ears, but tried his best to ignore it, swallowing thickly as he continued. "I never saw his face or heard his voice, but his hair was dark and the way he sat was so familiar. It's been so long since that night that I had forgotten about it until now. But it was you. It had to be you."
A spark of recognition flared within Sebastian's chest. "I had that same dream a few years ago. Your father chased after us for hours before he found us, he said your mother was worried sick when we disappeared." Scooting closer until his leg was pressed against Ciel's, suddenly desperate to close as much distance as possible, Sebastian lowered Ciel's hand onto his knee. His own palm remained curled around it affectionately, helping ground them both. "I don't think we got dinner that night," he said, chuckling at the image of Rachel Phantomhive, pink cheeked and narrow-eyed as she sent them both off to bed, unaware of the meal they had shared shortly before returning.
"I'd assume we wouldn't… Not at home anyway," Ciel snorted, his gaze filled with wonder as he took a look around them to silently note where things had once been. A fruit cart once stood across the street from where they sat, an herb merchant to its left, and a jewelry stall to its right. Here, only a column had stood, lining the path to the Temple of Jupiter.
They didn't speak for several long moments, allowing everything to sink in as nostalgia took hold. This place had once been their home, and in a few short hours, they would have to leave it once more. The thought caused an unfamiliar, gnawing ache in their chests, dull as it was. They had just returned, and though it had been buried beneath ash and left in shambles for so many years, it still hurt to leave. However, they would part with a new understanding, one that would continue to awaken as years went by and more memories were reawakened.
It was likely that many years would pass before they would return, though they surely would at least once more in this lifetime, and again in their next ones-for the lovers of Pompeii would always be together.
After what felt like both a single second and an eternity, Sebastian finally spoke, drawing his husband's attention from the reverie he had wordlessly fallen into. "Ciel, there's something I think we should do before we have to go back to Rome. Follow me?"
"Always."
Ciel trailed after his husband without question, walking along cobblestone roads until he was led back into the ruins of what he now recognized as their old home. He was halted when they reached the garden mural once more, and offered a black marker that Sebastian had procured from his bag. "All great art deserves the artist's signature. I may not have any paint, but I think it's time you claim the mural as yours."
"I guess you're right, though I should have signed it when I made it. But you have to add your signature too since you helped paint it," Ciel said, accepting the marker before kneeling at the right corner of the fresco. With a flourish of his hand, his name was written upon uneven stone; Sebastian's soon joined it at the bottom, left corner.
Stepping back, Ciel snapped a quick picture with his phone. He hoped to recreate it on canvas and hang it in the sitting room of their London townhouse once they returned home, and he didn't want to forget any of its details.
Little did he know at the time that Sebastian would include it in one of his classes at the university the following year, alongside the story of two lovers who were found in the ruins during the first Pompeian excavation, still embracing long after death had claimed them.
They departed after a few more minutes of admiring their oldest creation-revelling in the warm memories surrounding it-before bidding farewell to their first home before finding their way back to the path they had taken when the cab dropped them off that morning. But just before they reached the edge of the city, they stopped, gazing upon the ruins one final time as Ciel took Sebastian's hands.
"Nearly two-thousand years ago, you asked me to spend an eternity with you…" Ciel breathed, his fingers threading with his husband's, squeezing faintly as he stood on his tiptoes to pull Sebastian into a tender kiss. "I think it's time that I accept that offer."