Bet y'all didn't expect me to actually update in September like promised, huh? This chapter was also inspired by the 4th day of the Autumn Sebaciel Event (Fireside Snacks). This isn't technically autumn based, but soup near the fire still counts, right?
Sebastian had spent the entire night anxiously awaiting sunrise. Tomorrow would be the day he would entice Ciel to let him share estrus with him, he just knew it! He could prove that he was resilient and as capable of care as any other if it took all of his energy and the entire night to do so. He'd spent the entire day on another hunt with Ciel after their splendid dinner two days ago, and had made plans for the following day as well, only this time they were to visit the lake to attempt some ice fishing.
The little tod was drawing nearer to his season whether he realized it yet or not, and the wolf's composure was slipping further from his hold as his sweet scent grew more pungent and alluring; It was as if his pale skin was bathed in honey. The boy's hips now swayed seductively when he walked and the irritated sounds he often made in the back of his throat were beginning to transform into something more animal-wanton. All of it was a tale-tell sign of his impending heat, and each made Sebastian's nervousness and intrigue increase tenfold. He was eager to see what the next subtle change would be and savoured the ones already happening, but he feared that his timeframe to gain Ciel's consent to mount him was growing more slim.
He hardly slept a wink that night, but for the few hours he managed to stay beneath the heavy blanket of slumber, he dreamt of summer days and sapphire eyes, violet bluebells and tiny swaying tails of curious pups. It was an odd thing to imagine to say the least, he often didn't dream, but the few times he did, it was of his long lost littermates or past hunts. But he didn't question the recollection of his nightly images when as he rose slightly later than usual, the blessed sun of the prior day now nowhere to be seen when he made his way from his den on the hill.
It was significantly larger than Ciel's, but he found it far less comfortable than the omega's; Though that could have been due to the vulpine's absence. He still had a while to kill until he was to meet Ciel, proved by the snow-muted daylight that was still yet to fully brighten, and so he took that time to sit near a hastily built fire and ponder what gifts may please Ciel. It was tradition in his family's pack to give the one you are courting a treasure of sorts, after all. He simply needed to figure out what the omega liked. That couldn't be too hard... Right?
Flowers were always a safe gift, every creature held some level of appreciation for blooms whether it be for the sight, scent, or taste, but apart from the toxic helleborus, he didn't have many options to work with there. Besides, Ciel could be allergic to them for all he knew. Despite his affinity for tracking prey and efficiently bringing powerful beasts to their knees, his body seemed rather frail; That was something that often caused hybrids to be more susceptible to illness and ailments.
A hare could also be seen as an acceptable token of appreciation, but it could be taken the wrong way by one so very headstrong; He didn't want Ciel to think that his offering was one insinuating that he was a more adept hunter than the omega - which both knew simply wasn't true given their matched skillset and distinctive strengths during hunts.
So what did that leave? A diadem of leaves wouldn't do given the fact that all were brown and mulched at this point in the season, and berries were something far too easy to gather by oneself. There was nothing unique or flattering about a lacklustre gift nor a basic snack.
With a sigh, Sebastian stood and began to pace while searching the dreary landscape surrounding him in an attempt to spot any useful objects or materials hiding in plain sight. He just so happened to catch an ivory glimpse from his peripheral vision when he was close to giving up and resigning to an unproductive morning, his attention drawn to the narrow materials residing near the stump opposite of the dying fire.
He strode closer to the stark contrast against the dark twigs and heavy wood, the delicate antlers of the elk from their hunt shining like a saving grace beneath the bright white sky. He'd harvested them after all meat was picked from the creature's bones and as he raised his forefinger to his chin in thought, he was forever grateful that he brought them home.
Bone could be melded and etched into many forms, practical yet beautiful if crafted correctly. It would not only prove his dedication and show his interest was genuine, but also aid Ciel in small yet useful ways if he chose the right trinket to create.
A dagger would make for a fine gift. He seemed to use his claws for many things more suited to a carving blade and had seen him huff in irritation the night before upon catching his knee with the jagged edge of one. The image that briefly flashed in his mind had him tossing aside the idea without hesitation, however. There was a fine dagger already laying near the entrance to his den-one far more exquisite than what he could ever hope to hewn from a cervae rack.
Sable ears twitched curiously while the wolf gathered one of the pale horns, trailing his sharp claws over the faint ridges decorating their length. It would normally take him a day to carve something intricate from them, but given how keen he was to present the little fox with a gift today, he could surely hurry it along so long as the design wasn't too complicated!
With a spark of inspiration, he remembered that the tie on the cloak Ciel wore yesterday was wearing dangerously thin and ragged... It wouldn't hold together much longer without repair, but if he had a clasp in its place, he would never have to patch it up again or rely on the thin vines that easily came undone.
He quickly snapped the upper left tip off of the antler he held and plopped down on the snowy ground without a smidge of his usual grace, his knife in hand and a great patience settling in his chest. He had plently of time to work before he needed to leave.
By the time he was finished with the item he planned to bestow upon his intended, Sebastian felt like crawling back into his den and sleeping for the rest of the day. When he'd finished sculpting the bone into the fine silhouette of a Japanese Maple leaf and etching its midrib and veins with deadly precision, he could only sigh in relief as he balanced it atop his palm. He studied it closely in search for imperfections, smiling proudly when he found none in the ivory trinket. After checking that its bottom half could snap around fur without breaking or failing to hold it in place, he stood with a prolonged stretch to relieve his stiff legs.
Though difficult to make out the time with the clouds masking the sun, he assumed it was nearing the hour to meet with the lovely tod. The thought put a bounce in his step and a fang-filled grin on his face, his tail wagging excitedly behind him as he wrapped the charm in velvet scraped from the spare antler. Leaves and snow crunched carelessly beneath his toes as he practically bounded through the woods, the precious cargo grasped securely in his palm. His cheeks were glowing, alight with a radiant blush as his anticipation mounted. He hoped Ciel would like his offering and that he would put it to good use. If it pleased the fox enough for him to show even the tiniest of smiles, Sebastian would make him a hundred more if he desired, if only to see joy sparking in his captivating eyes. Such lovely pups they could have! Little white-tipped ears and sapphire eyes, soft hair and the cutest pouts to match their mother. He knew he was getting ahead of himself, Ciel hadn't so much as tried to scent him despite his increasingly flirtatious behavior, but if he did...
His thoughts were halted when he reached the incline overlooking Ciel's territory. As he carefully descended the hill, he decided to greet him as pleasantly as possible instead of teasing him relentlessly today. He wouldn't pretend to be a saint, it was in his best interest to show who he truly was instead of sugarcoating it as if all of his intentions were as pure as the freshly fallen snow, but he would use his natural charm today rather than sly comments unless the omega made any sign that he preferred otherwise.
The brightness in his eyes dimmed upon reaching the space where they had dined the night before. How strange... It looked to be nearly noon, meaning he was most likely late himself, and yet Ciel was nowhere to be seen. He scanned the area slowly, taking note of every tree and footprint in sight to see if there was any possibility that the vulpine was pranking him or that he'd left in search of him when he arrived late. But he couldn't see a single foot or pawprint other than his own and there was no trace of a slate tail or sneaky omega anywhere in sight. Perhaps he chose to stay inside his burrow because of increased amount of snow and plummeting temperatures? His scent was still heavy in the air, but it seemed different somehow, twisted and sour, and so utterly unlike yesterday. The wolf dared to venture closer to the fox's den where majority of his tampered scent was emitting from, confusion coiling in his chest when he heard a strained moan. Surely he wasn't going into heat already?
When Sebastian arrived at Ciel's den, he saw the omega still burrowed inside, but something was wrong. He was unmoving save for the harsh breaths leaving his lips, cheeks flushed red and ears laying flat atop his head. The cold was not making him reluctant to leave his warm nest, he was sick. "Vixen?" Sebastian ventured into the small enclosed space hesitantly, nose immediately met with the pungent miasma of illness. How had he missed this? He'd seen the boy's fatigue yesterday; He was slow moving all throughout the day and his mood dreary, eyes missing their determined gleam and lips bare of that cocky smirk whenever Sebastian made a fool of himself tripping over a root whilst attempting to show off. He was clearly lacking focus and energy, but Sebastian had chalked that up to a lack of proper rest-It wasn't uncommon to have trouble getting comfortable at night upon occasion. But seeing him now, fevered and suffering, he couldn't help but blame himself for not calling off their hunt as soon as he noticed Ciel's uncharacteristic silence.
With more gentleness than he thought he could ever muster, he delicately brushed aside Ciel's sweaty bangs and laid the back of his hand upon his forehead. He was burning up. "Shit..." Patting the fox's cheeks, Sebastian encouraged him to wake, shift, or to simply make a sound so that he knew he was capable of regaining consciousness, but when said man did none of those things, the wolf felt panic well in his chest for the first time since he was a tiny pup. "Ciel, please wake up..." He murmured, leaning closer in hopes that the fox would catch his scent and awaken, but as before, he remained as still as stone.
Fangs sank anxiously into the wolf's bottom lip, a pin-prick of blood beading beneath the pearly whites as he absentmindedly crushed a leaf beneath his hand, fingers unsteady with his worry. Wheareas Ciel was strong in mind and a rather resilient hunter as well, was his body as capable of handling and dealing with illness as a larger being would be? Even for a fox, an omega at that, he was rather small... Before full realization of how dire this situatuon may be was able to sink in, he snapped out of his stunned inaction and sat back on his knees. He needed to help him. 'Breathe, Sebastian,' He thought to himself, inhaling deeply to clear his mind of the whirwind of thoughts threatening to swallow him whole. "He's overheated. I just need to get his temperature down, that should be simple enough."
Standing once he was outside of Ciel's burrow with limbs faintly trembling from nerves, Sebastian untied the small satchel from where he'd secured it to his cloak's closure, opening it to reveal the sweet berries they'd picked together a day prior. The leather pouch was the last thing his sister made him before her disappearance, but that mattered not now. Ciel needed it worse than he did at the moment. He emptied the berries into a small, wood-carved bowl he found near the stump where Ciel usually sat whilst he built a fire, he then filled the bag with packed snow, checking that its coldness could be felt through the thick material in which it was hewn from. Satisfied when it cooled against his palm without growing heavy with its contents, he returned to the omega's side and slowly placed it upon his forehead. When he woke, he would have to find a way to get him to eat as he was sure to refuse food in this state. Pulling the heavy furs he used as blankets closer to the omega's chin, he sighed and leaned against the wall behind him, keeping a close eye on the tod as he slept. Ciel was okay, he had to be.
The sky had darkened considerably by the time Sebastian heard the den's main occupant groan, his ears twitching uncomfortably atop his head and his tail curling under as his eyes opened slowly. The snow inside the compress had metled and had to be replaced four times since he first applied it at the peak of evening, but he didn't mind in the slightest. The little fox was worth it.
As he watched the orbs of azure and hazy violet blink slowly, Sebastian moved quietly to avoid startling the disoriented man. "I'm glad to see that you're awake, vixen." He crooned softly, adding the nickname as a means of both notifying him that it was only he who welcomed himself into his den as well as testing how well he really was in case he fibbed; Ciel was ever so fond of lying while making Sebastian swear not to do the same. He frowned when he received no complaint on the title Ciel despised on any other day. He truly did feel as awful as he appeared.
The smaller hybrid sluggishly propped himself up on his elbows, a hand near his hair catching the satchel of snow before it had a chance to slip onto the arm of the ailing tod. Ciel looked over his shoulder with wrinkled brows, confused to find Sebastian readjusting a blanket swathed around feathers beneath his head. Is that what was cradling his head ever so tenderly as he rested? "Sebastian...? What are you doing here?" He asked weakly, nuzzling back against the plush makeshift-cushion. He was exhausted.
"I came to see why you didn't show up this morning and found you ill. I couldn't leave you here alone this way, especially with your temperature," Sebastian explained, touching the cheek nearest to him with a sigh of relief. His body temperature was still more elevated than usual, but at least it was no longer dangerously high. "How do you feel?"
While closing his eyes briefly, Ciel tucked his hands against his chest, trying to warm the digits that felt as if they were freezing despite the sweaty heat they emitted. It had been years since he had been this poorly. "Not very well," He admitted, knees curling to his chest as he whimpered quietly, the sound followed by a string of quiet coughs.
Sebastian unintentionally keened in sympathy, stroking through the slate locks that were now damp with perspiration. Had Ciel's hands not been beneath the blankets that he refused to pull from the shivering fox, he would have taken them in his own to warm them more sufficiently. How sad it was to see the fire in the omega's eyes dulled into mere embers by his weakened state... "Do you think you could eat something? You really need some food to help you regain your strength. I could make you some sort of stew?"
This was a side of Sebastian that if told of, Ciel would have hastily dimissed its existence. The alpha was proud, teasing, arrogant, even seductive. But caring? He found it hard to believe than any wolf could possess such a quality, but as he took into account the worry and sincerity in the man's words, he felt some of the ice wound tightly around his heart thaw. Perhaps... Perhaps, Sebastian wasn't heartless as he'd previously pegged him as. He was simply guarding himself, something that he himself had no right to judge him for. For while Sebastian hid his affection with jibes and taunts and he himself masked his own with glares and sharp words, they weren't so different after all. Maybe it was time to stop being so harsh on him and give him a fair chance. "I thank you for that, but you have done far too much for me as it is. Besides, I don't have much of an appetite right now."
Giving an understanding hum, Sebastian sat in silent contemplation, wracking his brain for ideas on what he could make to help Ciel without upsetting his stomach. "I would do anything for you, please don't fret on my behalf; I am more than capable of providing whatever you may require in this trying time. But I'm afraid that I must ask you to at least eat a bit of what I manage to create. It will help you greatly."
Relenting with a sigh and a defeated gesture of his hand, Ciel snuggled back into the mass of leaves, furs, and feathers bedding the ground he laid upon. "Alright, just don't go to too much trouble on my account. Please try to work quickly though so I can go back to sleep, I'm terribly tired."
Reaching just far enough outside of the den to retrieve a handful of ice, he stuffed it into the pouch after emptying the melting slush inside. "I understand, just leave it to me. Leave this on for a bit longer. I know you feel cold, but we need to get rid of your fever," Sebastian said, balancing the replenished pouch on Ciel's forehead.
"Alright," The omega mumbled, watching the alpha's departing form.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Sebastian broke off into a sprint, ears tipped back in determination and eyes narrowed in focus. He easily dodged low-hanging branches and slick patches of ice when he caught a sharp scent, coming to an abrupt stop upon hearing crunching of leaves to his right. As he crouched behind a winter blooming shrub, a victorious smirk crept onto the alpha's lips when he spotted a fluffy white mass peacefully gorging itself on a few partially crushed berries. Perfect. Creeping from his hiding place, he easily navigated his way around the small animal, no hesitation to be found as he quickly snatched the being from the ground when its head jerked in his direction and made an attempt to dart. He hastily snapped its neck to prevent it from suffering or escaping his grasp, and carried it by the ears back to the fox's territory after gathering a few berries and herbs along the way. If there was one thing he'd learned in his years alone, it was how to make a soup to aid in fending off a chill or soothing a sickness.
Sebastian placed the rabbit aside to skin and began to build a fire, fanning its miniscule flames to a reasonable size before setting a wooden bowl filled with snow in its vicinity to melt-far enough away to not catch fire, but close enough to warm significantly. He then set about removing the fur from his kill, discarding its pelt and impaling it on a spit once he was finished. A few of the berries were squeezed over the hot water while others were cut in half before being dropped into it.
While waiting on the rabbit to finish cooking properly, he scooted closer to the den's entrance to check up on the omega, finding that he had dozed off again while waiting for his meal. With a soft smile, he studied the omega carefully, his tail twitching in interest. Even while sick, he was rather adorable when he slept. His cutely arched nose was bright pink and twitching as he slumbered, lashes fluttering faintly and lips pouted. In his fetal position, he appeared even smaller than usual, sparking a fierce desire to protect the little thing within Sebastian's chest. How precious he was...
He reluctantly tore his eyes from Ciel's slumbering form and faced the meal instead, shredding the meat into small pieces in the thickening liquid the bowl contained. He let it heat near the flames for ten minutes more before carring it to the fox's burrow, tenderly carding a hand through Ciel's hair to rouse him from his nap. "Ciel, your dinner is ready."
The boy whimpered, opening bleary eyes to see the sharp-jawed alpha leaning over him cautiously, careful to keep enough space between them to avoid frightening the drowsy fox. He lethargically pushed himself into as much of an upright position as he could manage, muscles he didn't know existed protesting the movement with harsh throbs. Swallowing thickly passed his sore throat and pinched expression, he shakily reached out for the bowl Sebastian grasped. It never met his hands, however.
"You're trembling, I don't want you to spill it and burn yourself. Let me help you." Before he could think to deny Sebastian's assistance, the wooden dish was raised to his lips and pushed between them gently before tilting marginally to allow the first traces of soup to drip into his mouth. It's flavour, while dulled by the lingering bitterness his illness left behind on his tongue, was divine; Sweet yet savory all at once. Luckily, its aroma and taste were light enough to prevent it from overwhelming him and causing him to gag.
Sebastian was patient as he slowly managed to feed him almost half of the dinner made special for him, stopping when Ciel's eyes began to droop softly and he was feebly pushed away. The wolf was worried that he had lost so much of his appetite, but didn't push the matter. With his fever decreasing, he would surely be on the mend by tomorrow morning. "Is there anything you need? I'm afraid the ice in your compress will still need to be changed every few hours until your fever is completely gone, but at this rate you should be completely well again by the time the moon is halfway through the waxing gibbous phase."
"Thank you for everything you've done for me, but I'm alright. I just want to rest for the night... It seems that I am once again a rather poor host to my den's invader." The teasing lilt in the omega's voice made the wolf grin. It was reasurring to see a twinge of his normal self still remaining despite his discomfort. "I shall have to make it up to you once I'm well again. And though I loathe admitting it aloud, your ego certainly doesn't need the boost, the soup you made was exquisite. If you would be interested, I could make a meal of my own creation for you once I can hunt again to make it up to you."
Sebastian readjusted the satchel on Ciel's head when he turned to see him better, stroking his cheek in a lapse of restraint-or a lapse in giving a damn about personal space. "I'm glad to hear it. And as nice as that sounds, you have no need to repay me with dinner. But if you insist on giving me something... A kiss would be just as suitable."
With a snort and a roll of his eyes, the vulpine pulled his furs up to his nose to hide his amusement. "If that's the case then do lean closer and we will test how well your immune system works."
Unable to resist a jab at the surprisingly playful hybrid, Sebastian tilted his head and flicked his tail in a flirtatious manner. "Oh? Worried for the sake of our future pups or what they may inherit from me? I can assure you, my genes are quite strong, just as our children will be."
Ciel froze at that, cheeks glowing the loveliest shade of holly and his expression twisting into one of disdain and embarassment. "Ugh, I can't believe the audacity you have, dog!" The fox exclaimed, trying to pretend that his blush was born from his fever and not the alpha's words. He immediately regretted his tone when it sent him directly into a harsh coughing fit and made his throat throb painfully.
He buried his head against his arm to muffle the hacking sounds while his other hand hovered over his sore throat, barely able to take note of the hand on his back as he swallowed thickly. When his fit subsided, he could only whine and hunker deeper into his nest, breathless and exhausted. It seemed the time for joking was over for tonight.
"Easy, vixen, don't strain yourself," Sebastian crooned, rubbing his back until the rapid rise and fall of his chest had calmed to a more steady rate. "I shall leave you to sleep without disturbance. If you don't mind my continued presence, I will be resting outside so that I may check up on you in a few hours."
Just when he sat up on his knees and turned to leave the burrow, Ciel's hand caught his wrist in an astonishingly gentle grip. "Sebastian... It is rather cold outside and I don't have the energy to shift for more warmth from my fur. Stay here for the night. Keep me warm."
Sebastian wanted to tease the usually ferocious little beast with more jokes from his never-ending supply of suggestive puns, but upon catching the hint of longing in the pair of tired sapphire and moonstone eyes, he quickly changed his mind and instead offered a fond grin. "Of course. I will happily stay beside you and keep you warm." It was strange to lay beside the creature whom he relentlessly lusted after, so close and yet with such innocent intentions, but it pleased him all the same-enough to make him purr deeply.
The sound drew a lighter purr from Ciel, who snuggled close to the wolf's chest the second he was in reach. His smaller form pressed flush against the alpha, skin burning feverishly despite his search for extra bodyheat. The boy remained relaxed as Sebastian's arms ensconced him, his sable tail draping over his intended's thighs in a show of comfort.
"This is comfortable," Ciel murmured while his own fluffy tail curled around Sebastian's, its white tip thumping faintly as he found the warmth he was searching for. His eyes fluttered shut and he tucked his hands against the taller man's toned, milky stomach, releasing a contented noise as his ears tipped back tiredly. "Just don't try anything strange, got it?"
Holding the smaller being so close to provide warmth and protecting him while he was weakened soothed an inner yearning inside the alpha, making him glow with pride and a primal satisfaction at caring for the sickly omega. The purr rumbling in his chest continued as he settled down and closed his eyes as well, wrapping his cloak around the shivering fox to aid him in sweating out his fever. What an interesting turn of events this day had held... He supposed he would have to give him his gift tomorrow. "Nothing strange, I promise. Now, sleep well, little vixen. I'll be here for you if you need anything..."