H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. arrived on the scene and took off in pursuit. They found nothing, however. Araneus got away. All that was left was an irate watchdog and a frightened lion.
Alois didn't go back to school the days immediately after that. Who could blame him? He didn't want to face the man again, at least not yet. He still hadn't come up with a plan for his attack. That's what he spent time pondering on the days he stayed home, even after the Phantomhive returned. The only difference was that when Ciel came home, Alois curled up beside him, maintaining as much contact as possible.
It was easy to understand. Ciel made the menace feel safe. There was nothing that could harm him, so long as he was in the arms of Ciel Phantomhive. It was the only time when he felt as though he could truly relax again. Since they didn't know the whereabouts of the former Earl of Trancy, the Macken feared as though he would turn a corner and see him there, even inside the walls of his own home. The demon jumped at sudden noises, and his senses were clouded. He couldn't tell who was sneaking up on him, so it was wise for the other residents to remain conspicuous.
As the menace laid sprawled out on top of the bluenette, his face resting in the crook of the other man's neck as they held contact on one of the sofa's in the Phantomhive's office. He did not speak; only cling. His mind wandered as he breathed in Ciel's scent while the man's body heat seeped through their clothes and pressed up against the menace's cheek, causing the tension in Alois' body to melt away. He tried to think of a way to track down his "father", but he kept finding himself pondering all do the possible ways he could make the man suffer.
Revenge. That's what Alois wanted. He wanted Araneus to suffer as he had suffered tenfold, and he knew that he had it within his capacity to fulfil this desire. The only thing that stood in his way was fear. The sight of the man, the sound of his voice and his sickening choice of words were enough to cause the menace to break down. How was he to know if the same thing would happen again? He didn't want to risk it, but at the same time, it was necessary. It was he, who had to kill the Trancy. No one else could. He wouldn't let them. For once, the menace felt a sliver of what the bluenette would refer to as "honour" or "a sense of duty". Trancy was his monster, and he was the man who needed to kill it.
For now, however, he needed both a plan and the will to do it. He certainly had the drive, yes, but did he have the courage? He didn't know. As he basked in the warmth of the bluenette, closing his eyes at the gently feeling of having the other demon's hands running through his hair, his thoughts were in utter darkness, his reputation for being a fun-loving goof being dragged through mud without anyone suspecting a thing. Could he break the Trancy's fingers and toes? Could he tear them off and let them grow back before lopping them off again? Could he peel off his skin? Could he impale him on spikes? Could he rip out his teeth before shoving them underneath his fingernails? There were so many possibilities. The list of methods Alois could employ to punish his foe was practically endless
Slowly, his eyes opened again to see that he was still in Ciel's office. He hadn't moved an inch and neither had the watchdog, who faithfully stayed with the menace the entire time. Although he had the menace laying on top of him, if he really wanted to, Ciel could have moved. He didn't, however. He wanted to calm his beau and make him feel at ease, so even if he had things to do, he would stay.
The watchdog was thinking similar thoughts, only he wondered what the blonde would eventually decide on. Although he would never tell the menace, he would never reveal to him anytime soon that he hadn't informed Integra of the situation. How could he? If he did, Alois would be taken off the mission. That was the last thing he wanted.
Revenge. That is what Alois wanted. He deserved it, too, and the bluenette would do anything within his power to ensure that the menace succeeds in this pursuit. Revenge was something that Ciel knew entirely too well. While he knew that the menace needed some time to regain his calm, he did wonder when the fair-haired demon would strike.
"How are you feeling?" he finally asked, his voice soft as not to startle the blonde, to which Alois' immediate response was to adjust himself and get comfortable again.
"A little better." He replied, his eyes flickering up to the bluenette who simply stared at the ceiling. "It's easier when you're here. You're like a security blanket or something."
"Glad I can help." Ciel answered with a small smile. There was a slight hesitation before he continued. "So…. Uh… Do… do you have any ideas, yet, or…?"
"Too many." Alois said, his eyes closing again with a sigh. "There's too many options, and… They're all so horrible…" he stated, hiding his face in the watchdog's neck again. He was ashamed to admit it, but the idea of enacting such heinous acts of violence on that man brought him a sick, twisted delight. Yes, he was a bit afraid of what his partner would think of him, especially since he was supposed to be in the "right".
"Isn't that the point, though?" questioned the Phantomhive. "After everything he's done, isn't the point to make him suffer? For one to truly 'get even', one has to inflict an even amount of pain. That is revenge."
"So you think I should be as harsh as possible?" the blonde asked, tilting his head to look up at the bluenette.
"I would be." Ciel stated. "If you didn't already call 'dibs', I definitely would. This is your fight, though. It wouldn't be right for me to interfere."
"I'm not sure what to do…"
"What do you feel is a suitable punishment?"
"Something painful…" Alois answered softly, clenching his fists while gripping the fabric of his beau's shirt. "Something that… would cause him such agony… that even if he lived, he would never be able to function again because of it."
"Letting him live to suffer the consequences… That's pretty good…" Ciel pondered, still running his hands through the menace's hair. "How would you do that?"
"I don't know…"
"Surely you have a few ideas…"
"I don't know which one…" clarified the Macken. "There's so many ways I could do it. I just can't decide on just one…"
"Well… as long as you don't hit his head or his heard with an antifreak weapon, you don't have to…" The blonde sat up a bit at that, propping himself up on his elbows as the bluenette looked up at him. "No good?"
"No… I feel like one good one would be enough…" the menace said. "One that will make his skin burn and crawl forever afterwards…"
"You could tear his skin off." Suggested the Phantomhive.
"Perhaps… But I also want something with a little… finesse?"
"True… You're a man, not an animal…" noted the bluenette. "Your goal is to show him that. It takes a man to kill a monster, after all. But still… How to make his skin crawl and force him to writhe in agony…?"
The duo thought in silence for a few moments, trying to concoct a solution. How were they to put a monster in its place—make its skin burn, and make it fear even a brief mental image of the blonde's face? How were they to restrain it, bounding it and make it feel stinging hopelessness and aching despair? Tear it apart? Put it back together? Tear it apart again? A monster should feel the helplessness of being bound by the true nature of what it sought to break.
"I have an idea…" the blonde finally said. "It's going to take some practice, though..."
"Go for it. I'll have your back the entire way." Ciel answered.
"Even if it's grotesque and cruel?" questioned Alois.
"Especially if it is so." Stated the Phantomhive. "I love it when you flaunt your power. I look forward to it." With that, the blonde smiled, leaning down to peck the bluenette on the lips.
"I'll show him just how weak he is in comparison to me. In both physical strength, and power of will." The Macken replied. "Once I'm done, he'll understand what it's like to truly be broken by someone."
"God, I love you…"
"I love you, too, muffin~"
