Sebastian did not care. He had been cheated of a soul, even if it was his own mistake. Sure, demons could love. How could this thousand year old, extremely powerful devil have a soft spot for a needy child? After all, that's what Ciel was. A helpless, useless child who knew nothing about the world he'd just been thrown into. Now, Ciel had a choice. Continue as they had been, most likely fueling sebastian's hatred for him even more so, or let the devil go. The kid had no idea how to break the contract though.
"Good morning, my lord." That smooth too perfect voice rumbled in his ear. What had once been svelte tones of fondness, were now tainted in disgust. "Your tea, earl grey. I have prepared-"
"Stop." Ciel called, in his signature condescending, commanding voice. "Haven't you done enough, Sebastian?"
The devil replied, eyebrows pinched together in clearly barely restrained rage. "I have told you, my name is not Sebastian."
After a lengthy pause, "My apologies. Michaellis." Came as Ciel started again, this time much more subdued. Sebastian would have never spoken to him like this on earth. This man wasn't his Sebastion. Then again, nothing would ever be the same again. Ciel could lie to himself all he'd like, but everything he'd ever known and loved was gone.
It was tiring, not knowing what you were. Going through changes he couldn't read about in a book. Living a life where information was hard to find. For those in power had no interest in seeing their thrones upseated. The Seven would never allow a mere child knowledge to grow.
He couldn't live in denial any longer. Ciel could not hide the tail, and soft ears that had sprouted a few months of being down in this place. Those new appendages that mocked him in every mirror. A black, silky tail that followed him around, teasing the edges of his vision. Whispering to him about what he had lost. Nor could he deny the pain in either temple as hard kiritin pushed against skin to form horns. Ciel was a demon now, and this place was hell. A dainty hand came up, Ciel touched the patch concealing his eye. "Leave, and break it." The child muttered. Not meeting Sebastian's eyes at all. This needed to stop.
"Excuse me?" Sebastian responded, his form now crowding into the child's personal space. A smirk, one utterly sinful and full of nothing but greed alighted on the man's face. "Care to repeat that, child?" Sebastian would have never called him a child. Never back on earth would Sebastian have treated him with such disdain. This wasn't Sebastian, this was Mephistopheles. The Sin of Wrath. Or at least, that's what Mephistopheles had told Ciel. It could be just another lie.
"I said, leave, leave me alone. Once you have, break this accursed contract." Ciel demanded. His nose turned up in the air as an aristocrat was taught to do. Oh how the words upon ciel's tongue differed from what he had thought. He wished to tell what was Sebastian, but not, that he mustn't make Ciel repeat himself. The devil had liberties down in hell. The ambient deceit of the damned made a contract easy to slip through. The binding magic frayed from those who are impure.
"Oh but I can't, Young master. After all, you would not be safe without me." The `young master' bit was said patronizingly. Mephistopheles had no care if Ciel was hurting or not. A devil would thrive on misery and pain. "You know as well as I, Young Master, that it is you who must break the contract. You always were rather. slow to catch on." Respect dipped in honey. A coating of sweet tones ripped apart by a casual insult. One that couldn't really be called direct.
Ciel's fingers clutched the eyepatch. Balling the fabric into his delicate palm. That stubbornness, that unruly part of Ciel he could never restrain roared in defiance at Mephistopheles' indirect taunt. "Show me how. Let it end. We've both suffered enough of this." The kid ordered. The contract flowed a brilliant purple inside of a cerulean eye.
Looking down at that useless piece of fabric, Ciel could not contain the self loathing. He was weak. When he'd come down here, half human, half devil, the citizens of hell had swarmed. Wanting a piece of that new soul just to taste. He'd never been a true sinner. The world has always been filled with many shades of grey. Ciel had had to do what he had to do to live. It was never out of malice, he'd simply wanted to do what he thought was right. Make sure no one else had to suffer like he had. The brand burned into his back throbbed. A house burnt down, circus music, everything was far too bright, far too much it burns! Help...
Ciel always tried to have a solid moral compass. He'd always wanted to know more. To find out what was truly wrong, and what was truly right. The child had already lived through hell. No book written by flawed humans could ever compare to real experience. Two sides to a story, a balance. God would take pity on him, and in that way inevitably curse Ciel. For a soul in the middle of human and demon was powerful, and any demon would want to consume the easy prey.
When Sebastian (not Sebastian) brought him down to hell, he'd fought the others off on ciel's orders. In fact, the devil revelled in the carnage. Burning, fire, help anyone please The devil had used his great power to then create a replica of Ciel's human mansion. Going so far as to bring imps in to act as Mey-Rin and baldroy. It was a lie. Ciel couldn't live with it anymore. His skin itched merely being in this place. It couldn't go on like this anymore.
"Ciel." Sebastian said, his eyes blank. It wasn't Sebastian. Sebastian had a heart. "All you must do is say it. I will gladly leave." So, Ciel did. Not before having Sebastian plant him far away from the accursed mansion. Sebastian had been human once. In some limbo place outside of the seven rings of hell. Please. come back. Then commanded the devil to run as far away from him as possible. Don't leave. Sebastian left. He wasn't Sebastian. You cared, once. The man had left with not even a word. Simply with eyes too blank, and tense movements. Throwing a sadistic smile over his shoulder, he stared Ciel down. Looking at the child as though he was simply a pebble to crush under high heeled leather boots. With a dramatic transformation to show off his demonic form, the distorted crow cawed. A cry of nightmares, goosebumps and chills. It rang out like nervous sweating, hands clammy, shaking, and unsteady. The fear in Ciel's eyes only seemed to inspire the mockery of a crow to cackle in seemingly deranged satisfaction, with a hint of self loathing. Do you regret what you did?
Shaking, Ciel's eyes were wet. He refused to cry, but at that moment he'd lost everything. Nothing seemed okay, and the cries of the damned, tortured souls lost in limbo just seemed to accentuate that. If he wasn't human, why did he still feel? Sniffling, he rolled his shoulders. Straightening up, the kid steeled himself. He had a long trek. Ciel looked around for a bit, a little stunned and lost. What was there to do down here? How could he get strong so that demons like Sebastian couldn't hurt him? There were no obvious answer. The citizens of hell would tear him apart before helping him. For the first time since summoning Sebastian, he was well and truly on his own.
Ciel prayed to god, although he knew the deity wouldn't listen, that luck would be on his side. Only luck could possibly allow him to survive.
Chapter one: Contract
Heavy breathing sounded in the bush to his right. An obese man groaned, phlegm clogged his nasal passages as he lay in the warped forest foliage. "Hello?" That nasally voice called. Shuffling could be heard, a thump, and then a pitiable groan. "Shit. God damn Peter, can't ever just let a guy simp for the cross. Piss." There were steps that sounded uneven. The man had a limp.
"God, I did it again! Shit! Oh, dear father may I repent for using thy name in vain. Doesn't fuckin matter anyway I'm stuck in this cesspool, FUCK!" With that the voice now had a face to it as the large man bumbled his way out into the open. There were no demonic features present in him. Even Ciel with his limited demonic capabilities could sense that this man was lacking in any sort of sin. Maybe he was just. a bit empty when it came to the soul side of things? Ciel wouldn't be able to tell.
The man was stout, round, but strong in upper body strength. He couldn't run a mile, but lifting a full barrel would be no sweat for him. The face, unkept and dirty, had a naturally jolly lilt to his lips. Shining, warm brown eyes peered out from short but full eyelashes. A grimy hand came up to push stray strands of mousy brown hair behind an ear.
Two sharp snaps brought Ciel out of his stupor. "Any light bulbs in there, kid? Actually, wait, you even a kid?" The man questioned, his eyes hard. Muttering under his breath he said something that sounded like, "Please oh father don't let it be another bloody loli." He then proceeded to wave a hand in front of ciel's face as the kid stood there blankly staring at this guy in disbelief. Clearly the years in the realm of sin had driven this guy batshit.
"Wakey wakey eggs and bacy~" The man was being rather obnoxious. Could he not see Ciel was in the process of, well, processing? Everywhere he looked was full of color. The inbetween warped and shifted, no tree leaf stayed the same. Clouds were neon green, and then swirled together to mix with the non-existent bubble gum pink sky. Tilting his head, Ciel actually flicked an ear in annoyance. Yes, his ear twitched. Black, dainty cat ears replaced what had once been a normal human ear. Another reminder that Ciel had lost everything. Including his humanity. I still have a heart.
"What?" Ciel finally snapped as the man waved a hand in front of his face for the millionth time. "Can't you see your presence is unwanted? Leave." The child demanded, clearly used to being the one with the power.
Those eyes sharpened. "Watch it, midget." It was said in good nature, but that happy go lucky gleam had disappeared in an instant. The man straightened up. Shoulders back and strong. "Although I guess I could," he said as he mock thought about it. Rubbing his beard in his hand deliberately slowly. "Eh, sounds like effort. I'd have assumed you'd want to know something. You're lookin a little. lost. But whatever kid. Cya round." Shrugging the man casually started to limp off. Throwing a hand up into the air to wave goodbye whilst he pushed past a rather thick chunk of foliage. "Shame really." Was thrown the kid's way in casual disappointment, the guy didn't even look back at Ciel. It was clear he was baiting the kid. Still, Ciel couldn't help but to stop him.
"Know what?"
He shrugged again. "Can't say. You could always ask, though." That hard glint in murky brown eyes was gone. There was a softness, empathy there that no demon could have. Sebastian had once. Yet, it still seemed as thought this guy was teasing him.
Ciel was tempted to stomp a foot. To throw his hands in the air and be done with everything. If someone had something to say, they ought to say it. He didn't. Restraint was a good measure of patience, though. Plus, it was unbecoming of person of his stature. It was still extremely hard for Ciel to actually ask for help. To admit that he was weak. He did though. "What do I do?" Those words came like a fading breeze. As if Ciel himself hadn't expected the sentence to actually come out.
uproarious laughter belted out of the man. "Hell kid! You think I know? Haaaah!" He guffawed. Ciel's eyebrows pinched together. Anger flashed in luminous cerulean orbs. The young demon opened his mouth to make a retort when the man suddenly cut off his laughter. Seriousness replaced the playful look, sharp intelligent brown eyes gazed levelly at the young demon. "Can't say, kid. But it's never been about what you can't or can. It's about what ya want. So, let me ask you a question." The guy's hand landed heavily onto ciel's head. The young aristocrat's lips curled, how dare he touch him without permission. Respect kept ciel's mouth shut. He needed information, and an ally would do ciel a lot of good.
Plus, there was something paternal or older sibling like in that movement. Being human had never been easy.
"What do you want?" Those brown eyes gazed into ciel's electric blues.. His large hand came down to rest on the young demon's shoulder, after thoroughly ruffling the child's hair.
Staring, Ciel had to take a moment to ponder that. What did he want? He had got what he wanted, and then been forced to become this. "What I want?" The young demon repeated absently. The quiet question lingering in his mind with a complexity he struggled to understand. The universe had never allowed him to have a choice. "I don't want this." He whispered, fists clenching hard. He didn't want any of it. Everything had to change. He needed to change. Dainty little fingers turned white from the pressure. Ciel did not want to be weak. He did not want to be here. He did not want to rely on anyone anymore. He did not want to be chased after, and looked at like some sort of prize for demon kind. Watched and preyed on like a lamb for the slaughter. No, he wanted what he had on earth. Respect, and the power to gain respect.
Most of all, he did not want to be hurt ever again. Be Alone ever again.
"Kid. My name's Simon." That hand on Ciel's shoulder was removed. There was a ring as the guy said his name. Like something clicked, and the ambience had shifted to something much more sinister. "If you'd like, we can make a deal."
Ciel knew deals meant a lot amongst the land of sinners. "A deal? Mister Simon, do not jest." Of course, the kid had mastered the look of haughty arrogance to a tee. Using that look of "you are but a pebble in my presence" on Peter didn't have much of an effect. The man actually had the audacity to laugh.
"Right to be bloody well cautious! Good on you. But no, I do not kid, kid. I want to fucking take back what is mine. Like every demon, of course I have an ulterior motive in helping you!" Simon kneeled down. Getting down on Ciel's level. "You and I can help one another out."
"How?"
A glimmer of something sparked in the man's murky eyes. As if the cogs in his brain were turning at a rate no human could accomplish. "I can train you, teach you. You can help me get back what was taken."
"How long? When does the contract end?" Ciel didn't want to be roped into a contract he couldn't void. Especially not after Seba- Mephistopheles.
"Long as it takes to take it back."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you once the contract is made." He made a shushing gesture. Interrupting ciel who had opened his mouth once again to tell the man off. "Look, Ciel," how did he know his name? "You know for a fact that you are demon cat nip right now. No sinner down here is good without reason." Why was Simon? "You'll have many questions, but right now I'm your best chance at not being turned into some succubus's toy. Serial killers, sadists, you name it and if it's bad it's down here. I can teach you. So, kid, I can promise you on my name and heart, Simon, that if I should lead you to harm, I should lose my right hand." The air rippled, and shone. The words and name binding the man's oath. For down in hell punishment was dished out. This was purgatory, a place to punish sinners, and their chance to repent.
Names had power. Simon extended his hand, eyes of stone and earth were hard. "Do we have a deal?"
Ciel couldn't argue, he did not have much of a choice. The snarls and growls of lower demons nearby sent a shiver down ciel's spine. What if they were sniffing him out? The kid did not hesitate a moment longer. Clapping his small, fragile hand into Simon's own, the young demon replied, "it's a deal." With that the deal was sealed. A contract formed in a flash of blue and green electricity. Green driving itself down Simon's arm, and passing over to meet with ciel's cyan blues. Matching marks appeared upon their hands. A panther chasing a frog endlessly. Circling an eye wide, open and searching for something to take. One blue, and one green.
Simon's lips twitched briefly in some sort of grimace, or maybe a smile? Ciel did not quite understand why he seemed to emanate loss, or something of the sort. Like he wasn't looking at Ciel, but at someone else.
"Mister Simon. Now what?"
Simon started walking. Not saying a thing until he was out of sight. "You'd best hurry it up, kid. Wouldn't want you to be demon chow so soon." Ciel's ear flicked. He grabbed it and tugged. The ears were annoying. His tail lashed. So was that. Resisting a groan, and annoyed eye roll, he did his best to keep up with Simon.
"Are we going somewhere?"
"Mm, somewhere." Can the noncommittal response. "Anyways. You know what sin is?" If nonchalance didn't have a dictionary definition, Ciel would simply point out Simon.
"Of course." Ciel would scoff, "I've read the Bible."
"Fat lot of good that did ya." The man crushed a curling vine under his foot. "No, not that kind of sin. It's how devils get their power." A meaty first cracked a rather large, bushy branch in half, clearing the way. "What I'm saying is voodoo dolls and ouija boards exist for a reason. Crossroad demons, how you make deals, all of that can be classified by your sin. What, you think a bloody tattoo artist appeared and gave us these cult signs? Naaaah. It's your sin, or corrupted magic." Simon cleared his throat, and brushed sweaty strands of hair out of his face.
"Okay." Ciel drew out slowly as the sudden lecture sunk in. "So, there are multiple forms of sin? How do I know what mine is, and how do you know I could even use it?" He wasn't quite a full demon, after all. The kid kicked a pebble, eyebrows knitting together as he thought.
Simon waved his marked hand in the air. It glowed a soft, but brilliant green. "That's how." He said as if that answered everything. "Guess we start tryina figure out what type of demon you are. anyways. There are seven sins. You'd know them as Wrath, Lust, Pride, Sloth, Envy, Gluttony, and Greed. Course, the overgrown chickens have their special brand as well. Humans can have a little bit, too. Rather rare though. Even rarer for living folk to be able to use it."