The hospital was thrilled to have the creature gone. Their patients were awake and alright. Many staff members didn't believe H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. agents who explained to them. Others did. Regardless, the organization's operatives painted inconspicuous sigils around the doorways of the building so that no other mares could get in or out. A few staff members wanted to learn about the miracle "cure" for the sleep. In the months following this, there would be quite a few applications for positions amoung H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G.'s ranks.
Upon arriving home, the duo wanted to lie down. They weren't physically tired by any means, but were emotionally drained. Yet they were persistent in maintaining contact. After changing out of their work clothes, they merely laid down together on one of the sofas in their shared office. They hardly spoke, but they enjoyed each other's presence all the same. They needed it after what they had endured.
Occasionally, they would talk about what happened. They swapped a few stories about the things they saw and spared only a few details. Ciel did not tell his spouse about the Trancy estate and Alois didn't tell his about the sacrificial ceremony room. It was decided on their own that personal details about each other would not be discussed unless brought up.
"You saw a clone of me?" questioned the blonde, laying his head against his beau's chest.
"Two, actually." Corrected the bluenette. "The first one didn't fool me for a second. The second one almost did. I think I was just hopeful, at that point."
"Did you forget about sixth sense or something?"
"Yeah, and I just really wanted to see you. My judgement lapsed for a second. I'm sorry…"
"As long as you're still faithful, ya blue bastard." Alois said, poking the man's chest with his index finger.
"I wouldn't do anything unless I was completely certain. At the time, however, I wasn't in the slightest." Answered the Watchdog. "I'm sorry, love."
"I forgive you." The menace replied. "I'm no better. I saw a few clones of you as well. It was weird. They didn't look like you do normally."
"Oh yeah? What did they look like?"
"Okay, but you have to promise not to laugh or be weirded out." Spoke the menace, tilting his chin upward so that he could see the other's face.
"I can make no such promises." the bluenette warned, prompting his spouse to roll his eyes.
"Well, one of them was basically you, but dressed like a mobster." Alois began to explain.
"That's not unusual. You like it when I'm like that, don't you?"
"Well, tha- wait, how'd you know that?!" Suddenly, the blonde shot up and propped himself on his arm. His cheeks were red like a grave secret had just been revealed, when the very idea of screcy on this matter made the Watchdog to chuckle. Sitting up with him, the bluenette put his arms around the man's waist.
"I know you." he deviously grinned, flashing his fangs with a highly amused expression on his face. "Knowing your weaknesses is part of my duty as your husband!"
"You're a jerk." the other pouted.
"I know. Fortunately for me, you find that appealing."
"Keep it up, and I'll never tell about the second one..."
"Alright, alright. I'll stop..." Ciel answered. "For now, at least."
"Oh my god." sighed the menace, laying back down, regardless. He took a moment to get comfortable again, resting with his head on his beau's chest as the other man squeezed around his middle.
"That was the second one I saw." Alois finally said. "The first one was the weird one. It was like… Uh… There's not really any good way to say this, but it was like… you, but as a woman?"
"What?" gawked the bluenette, astonished.
"I said don't get weirded out, love." his beau said, cheeks slightly pink. "It was some weird shit, though. I honestly don't know how I feel about that."
"As long as you only have eyes for me..."
"I do. Don't worry. You're still the only one for me. I mean, we almost kissed, but..."
"Wait, what?"
"Not of my will! There was weird hypnosis shit goin' on. Not what I wanted. I still pushed her away in the end."
"Jim..." the other man said in a warning tone. Ciel was obviously miffed. While the Watchdog was a rational man, he could still get jealous.
"Relax. I don't want to be with anyone else but you." Alois replied. "I'm not going to have an affair with some pretty little thing in a dress. Besides, the only reason I found her even remotely attractive was because she was my type."
"And that is..?"
"Grumpy, mysterious, but still a total nerd, blueish hair, blue eyes, doesn't take any shit… Y'know. Traits that everyone has."
Ciel scoffed momentarily as he was only slightly more convinced. Indeed, he did trust his husband, and obviously so. He simply needed to have his ego reassured. His spouse shook his head.
"Don't worry. I'm not gonna leave you for a woman." Alois said. "I can't imagine myself with anyone else other than you, equipment and all." Propping himself up on his elbows, he smiled at the other man. "I don't even look at anybody else, especially girls. I don't even know what I would do with one." Pausing, the blonde furrowed his brow and thought, looking away from the bluenette for a moment.
"Wait… Am I gay?" he questioned aloud, prompting the other to snort.
"Jim… You're married to a man..."
"No, like, GAY. Bisexuality is completely different, even while in a relationship with someone of the same sex. Do I even like women? I mean, boobs look like they'd be fun to play with, but I kinda like dick..."
Now full-on laughing, Ciel sat up and wrapped his arms around the pondering menace. "Well, whatever you are, I don't mind as long as you only want me."
"I do. I mean, there's people who are cute, but I haven't seen anybody whose even close to your level."
"Good. I don't like being jealous." the bluenette stated. "The thought of you running off with someone else is downright painful."
"Would you try to stop me?"
"No? IF you don't want to be with me, then you don't want to be with me? Naturally, I would be devastated, but if that's what made you happy, then I wouldn't fight it."
"You would really do that?" questioned the menace, arching an eyebrow. His cheeks were slightly pink, but not as pink as his spouse's. The Watchdog floundered a bit as he seemed taken aback by the other's confusion.
"Well… Uhm… ahem… Yes. Of course." he reiterated. "I know that it's more acceptable to go after the person that one loves, but if it's at the expense of their happiness, I'm not sure if I can call that 'love'. That's merely holding someone against their will. I couldn't do that to you."
Slowly, a grin flooded the menace's face as he leaned against the other again. His expression was warm, and was all of the reassurance that the bluenette needed. With a sigh, he made his reply.
"You're sweet." Alois said. "I'm not sure if I deserve you..." Closing his eyes, he paused for a moment to reflect, but then his smile began to fade. It was sudden and unwelcome. A twinge of doubt was now present on the blonde's visage as the other Phantomhive held him.
"Uhm… Ciel?" he called, prompting his husband's attention. The calm on the older demon's face was replaced with worry as well. Looking down, he was not pleased with the disappearance of the blonde's content expression.
"Yes?"
"There was… There was another thing that bothered me with that clone, though, but it wasn't the clone itself..." the menace began to explain. The Watchdog waited patiently for the man to continue, and was more than happy to give him time to collect his thoughts. "It said things..."
"What sort of things?" Ciel asked. "You can tell me. If something is bothering you, I want to know. I learned a thing or two since Rio."
Letting out a nervous chuckle, the blonde attempted to conceal his embarrassment. "It's not really that bad. It's kinda stupid, actually..."
"If it was significant enough to manifest in your nightmare, then it may not be." the other replied. "Even if it isn't, if it bothers you, it's still important."
"And why's that?"
"I'm an assassin. And as such, I will eliminate your concerns."
An abrupt and loud snort escaped Alois at the lame attempt at a joke and the absolute seriousness with which the blueblood Phantomhive said it. There was an attempt made by the blonde to muffle the sound with his hand, but it didn't take, causing the bluenette to smile.
"That was so bad..."
"You like it when I'm bad, though." Ciel pointed out, inviting the menace to shake his head with a grin.
"Jesus fucking Christ..."
"I thought we clarified that you weren't interested in any other men?"
"Oh my god, stop." the blonde laughed aloud, throwing his head back for a moment before righting himself again. "Be serious again for a second."
"I'm sorry. I was trying to cheer you up." Ciel said, placing a kiss to the other man's cheek.
"Well, it worked." Alois answered, calming back down to the point of a small smile. His beau, however, didn't want to let him think that he could no longer discuss what ailed him.
"So what has been bothering you?" questioned the bluenette. "Let's fix it together." With that, however, the blonde's smile vanished altogether.
His lips pressed together in a thin line and he looked down, staring absentmindedly at the other man's chest. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to see the other staring back at him expectantly. The undivided attention almost caused him to falter, but he held fast in his mission, knowing that honesty was the best way.
"Well, I know she was probably just messing with me and trying to get me to give up, but..." Alois began, looking down again briefly before looking back up. "You see me as a man, right? I know 'manliness' isn't really just for men and all- I mean, look at most of the girls we know… But, I dunno… Do you see me as… well… tough and stuff? I mean, you tell me I'm 'beautiful' all the time and all, and I'm not complaining about that, but… Uh… I dunno…"
As he spoke, the menace fidgeted where he sat and his eyes wandered the room. He seemed to ramble and not give the bluenette his full attention, but he felt silly, asking for an ego boost. The more he spoke, the more ridiculous he felt, but fortunately for him, the other understood this feeling well, and smiled at him warmly.
"Jim, you're one of the scariest and most dangerous people I know." Ciel bluntly said. "You go into calls about murder cases and prep for supernatural raids like it's just another day at the office."
"Well, given what we do, it kind of is..."
"There it is. Right there. There are men who are twice your size who could not do what you do with anywhere near the same degree of nonchalance. Most would panic."
"I've been trained to do this, though."
"Not a lot." the Watchdog continued to insist. "People are not trained to get stabbed in the chest, have chunks of their heart torn out, and fall from a building only to think: 'Bah, this isn't much of a big deal. I'll just sleep it off.' You did that once, Jim."
Blushing, the menace looked surprised, but then the memory sank in. With a bashful smile, he chuckled. "I guess so, huh?" he said sheepishly.
"A lot of your toughness is just you." continued the other. "You may not look it at a glance, but you're just as bad as I am. When you start working, though, it becomes plainly obvious. I'll admit, seeing it sometimes gives me a small case of butterflies..."
"Really?" asked Alois, perking up a bit more.
"Well… by 'sometimes', I actually mean... 'a lot of the time'." Ciel answered, clearing his throat as his cheeks turned slightly pink again. "It's part of your appeal… I think all Phantomhives should at least be able to hold a gun, and the fact that you could probably beat me if you put your mind to it is both practical and… well…"
Alois grinned up at his spouse as the man trailed off. "You think it's kinda hot, don't you?"
"Well… Yes." the bluenette answered, clearing his throat. "It's very attractive to me."
"Is that your marital advice? 'Remember kids, marry someone who could kick your ass. That's the key to a happy marriage.'"
"It is when you're from a long line of assassins and criminals."
"I can't make you an heir, though, so I'm not sure what good that does."
"We're demons. We live forever. I don't think the line is dying out any time soon." Ciel stated. "Even if it was, I'd still rather have you than a woman."
"What if I was a woman?" Alois questioned.
"Then I'd have a wife, wouldn't I? Not much difference."
"I'm not sure whether to feel insulted or not..."
"You shouldn't. Phantomhive women are bold. A lot of them are more powerful than the men. If women headed families instead of men, we would probably be ruling Britain by now. Alas, we have been thwarted by patriarchy."
Snickering, the menace nuzzled into the crook of his husband's neck. He paused for a few moments to compose himself, all the while his spouse stroked his hair soothingly. The sensation was calming, and almost made him want to fall asleep.
"So what you're saying is, you'd love me either way?" he asked, feeling the bluenette nod. "And you still think I'm tough?"
"Yes and yes." Ciel answered. "I love you. You're one of the most brutal men I know, and if I ever need help on a mission, I know you've got my back every time. You're pretty dashing, you know. Cute and handsome."
"So in order to woo you, killing people helps?"
"Sometimes. Though, you're the full package, so all you have to really do is just exist."
Laughing, the blonde traced the outline of Ciel's collarbone with his finger. The bluenette was good at telling him things he wanted to hear, whether he knew it or not.
"The same goes for you, you know." he said. "You do stuff that's really attractive and cute all the time. You just don't notice."
"Really? Like what?"
"Exist." the blonde said bluntly. "Even just little mannerisms and stuff. How dare you."
"Quite easily." Ciel answered. With a chuckle, the conversation died down for a while, and the two men simply went back to basking in each other's prescence.
