CONTENT WARNING: This chapter has some issues in it that may be touchy to some people, so a bit of caution may be advisable while or before reading.
The air was heavy on this particular morning at the Phantomhive estate. It was sombre, even if the residents tried to fight it. Alois tried to keep his spouse in bed for as long as he could, but duty called. The blonde wanted to hold his husband a little longer before he left, but he wasn't sure if it was for Ciel's sake or for his own. Perhaps it was both. Either way, he couldn't win. Ciel had to leave, although he would be back in a matter of hours. It would feel like an eternity to Alois, and the Watchdog hated that, but today was the day.
Ciel put on his work suit and double-checked his equipment. He took along a black suitcase, but did not put on the matching gloves just yet. No, he would wait a while longer. He would put them on after he bid farewell to his husband and set off. Until then, he was still Alois'.
The menace followed him down the stairs in his pyjamas, as he had no intention of going anywhere, that day. He simply wasn't up for it. In truth, he wasn't sure if he was up for being out of bed that morning, but he needed to see his beloved off before the other man went to work.
"Have you got everything?" the blonde asked as they both descended the stairs. "Did you make sure you have all of the pictures printed out? The envelope?"
"Yes, and yes." Ciel replied, actually using the menace's concerns as a mental checklist for himself.
"You have rope? Something to install it?" Alois pried further. "What about the padded handcuffs?"
"Yep. I'm all set." answered the Watchdog as he reached the bottom step. The pair made it to the front door before Ciel handed the briefcase to the butler, who wandered off to put it in the car. The bluenette then turned his attention back to his spouse and placed his hands on the man's shoulders before running them down his arms and stopping at his elbows, as his arms were crossed. "I'll be back in a few hours."
"Okay..." answered the blonde Phantomhive, unfolding his arms in order to place his hands on his husband's shoulders. In a rather mundane fashion, the pair leaned forward and pressed their lips together as many married couples do when going to work for the day. It lingered a tad longer than most, however, as Alois found comfort in it.
"Be safe." the menace said, prompting a warm smile from the other and earning him another kiss on the cheek.
"I will. Don't worry." Ciel said softly, his voice soothing. In truth, he didn't want to leave either, as his husband needed him as well, but time was of the essence. No one knew when the opportunity would be this perfect again.
"Love you. I'll be back soon." he added, kissing the other cheek.
"Love you, too." Alois replied. He was pained as the other man let go and pulled away, walking backwards a ways so that he could still face the menace. "Hurry back."
"I will." his husband called out as he stepped out the door. "Bye, dear."
"Bye." said the blonde as he watched his beloved step into the awaiting car with a wave. He stood for a moment longer and watched the car make its way down the driveway a little while before finally shutting the door.
He had no idea what he was going to do now. Really, he didn't want to do anything. He just wanted to curl up in bed with his spouse in comfort. It would have been an effort to remain calm and not think about what troubled him. He knew that. He knew it wasn't good for him, either, but he wanted it more than anything. Somehow, Alois was going to have to find another way to occupy himself, as his husband had a job to do.
For the first time in a while, Ciel was going to carry out a job with Sebastian. The Watchdog knew that he might have needed the extra hands, but he also knew how Alois felt about it all. There was no need to subject the blonde to that. Besides, the butler seemed keen, as he sat behind the wheel of the Rolls Royce and tried not to smile. The older demon was glad to finally go on a mission again, and felt somewhat nostalgic, going on a mission with his master.
"Cheer up, master..." Sebastian finally piped up, noticing the particularly displeased expression on the bluenette's face. "It's nothing to worry about. This should be a fairly easy hit, if all goes accordingly."
"It's not the job I'm worried about..." sighed the younger.
"Alois?"
"Yes… He feels dreadful about the whole thing."
"Understandable." the butler answered with a small nod. "Master Alois is quite sensitive. I am sure that it's just inexperience. Are you sure it was a good idea to have him sit out?"
"I don't want him to go through with it if he hasn't accepted it, yet." Ciel replied. "It's never good to make someone undergo such a burden while being ill-prepared. Now that I say that, though… I wonder why he didn't object. Usually, he's so insistent that he can do things himself."
"True, but he also knows when he is in over his head."
"I know. I just worry."
"Your heart has grown over the years. It's good."
"I suppose..." said the bluenette, resting his elbow on the door and his hand in his hand. He seemed intent on getting this operation over with, although the butler was somewhat looking forward to it.
"I must admit, however, I very keen on getting out of the house, if I may say so." Sebastian stated as he tried not to smile too wide. "It's been a while since I last accompanied you."
"I can tell." Ciel answered, smiling slightly, himself. "Perhaps I could just leave it to you."
"Really?" the butler questioned, looking away from the road in front of him for a brief moment. His tone and expression were laced with a twinge of excitement at the possibility.
"I said I would go, however, so I must." stated the master. "You may do the dirty work, as long as you're careful, if you like."
"As long as you are alright with that, sir." grinned the older demon. "I will do as you wish."
"It feels strange to hear you call me 'sir'..." Ciel mused, glancing over to his servant, but the other man continued his good mood.
"It is part of the butler aesthetic." Sebastian said. "Pay it no mind."
"Is that an order? I thought you were a butler." jested the bluenette, mouth turning upwards as the butler's smile fell. Sebastian sat there for a few moments, trying to come up with something to say. Ciel was right. What had he done? Fortunately, the Phantomhive wasn't serious.
"I'm joking." the bluenette said. "Pay it no mind."
Sebastian almost looked relieved at that. His face had the appearance of a sigh as his smile returned, uttering right on cue: "Yes, my lord."
The rest of the drive was uneventful, for the most part. All the pair did was go over the plan at that point. Everything had been carefully timed so that Mister Westley was actually at his home, for once, occupying the house on his own. Missus Westley was in Spain on holiday with her friends for giggles, and Samantha was at school. Later, she would be going to Geraldine Midford's house for a sleepover, while the eldest son, Nathan Westley, would come home later that evening to find the body. The demons' target timed this as well, as he was expecting an "escort" around noon. It wasn't unusual for him to cheat on his wife, but it was uncommon for him to do it at home. According to his staff at the office, he was seeming particularly giddy, which no one wanted to speculate upon any further.
The Round Table had arranged for the power to go out on the block, so that security cameras would not detect the demons entering the building. As they pulled into the garage, they waited until the lamps overhead went out all at once, and then they moved in. Ciel led the way while his butler followed with suitcase in hand. Since the elevator was out of order, they took the stairs. The Westley's residence was on the top floor, so it was fortunate that the assassins were demons. A human would have been too tired to carry out the hit properly once they arrived to their destination!
Everything was moving like clockwork. There were no problems thus far, but this was only the easy part. Next, they had to get through the front door. This would be easy as well. Mister Westley would open the door for them, as the hallway was too dark to see anyone through the peephole. Their suspicions were correct after they knocked on the door and saw the man's expression when he answered. Mathew wore a big smile, but it immediately fell as the natural sunlight from the room poured into the hallway and illuminated the demons' face.
"Phantomhive?" Westley questioned, arching an eyebrow at the appearance of the demons. As he recalled his appointment, however, his tone faltered. "U-uh, what brings you here?" he asked rather nervously.
"Official business, I'm afraid, Mister Westley." answered the bluenette with a smile. "May I come in?"
"Uh… certainly..." the politician replied, stepping aside as he allowed them in. As he shut the door, he checked his watch and hoped that the two would leave before his appointment would arrive. It would never come, however. It had been canceled without Westley's knowledge. "So, how can I help you?"
"I'm afraid that this is rather serious, Sir." said the Phantomhive as his servant set the suitcase down. He waited until Mathew took a seat before continuing. All the while, he was careful not to look toward his butler and direct attention to Sebastian, as the older demon inched toward the door.
"You see, the Council has made a shocking discovery." the bluenette continued. "Someone is has been stealing money from the council's funds, which is a situation that is not to be sneezed at."
"I could imagine..." Westley answered, his worry growing. This time, it was at what was being said.
He knew very well where that money had gone. It had gone into vacations, boats, cars, and even less than savory places, like into the buying of narcotics or people. He didn't know what all the Phantomhive was aware of, but even the mention of it was a cause of concern. From Ciel's tone, he didn't let on what all he knew, but the man was tricky. In fact, the simple observation that Ciel had not taken a seat yet was a cause of concern. Then he realised that the other one was not in his view, but it had come far too late, as he heard the click of the lock. Westley's head whipped around to face the direction of the sound and found it's source. Sebastian was now walking toward him from the door and stepped behind him on the couch, placing his hands on his shoulders.
"Wh-what's going on?" nearly demanded the politician as panic started to sink in. "What's all this?"
"Fortunately for us, but less fortunate for you, we discovered just who was taking the money, Mister Westley." continued the Watchdog, his tone soft, but but with the biting coolness of ice. The man didn't even bat an eyelash when the Westley tried to stand up, only to be forced back down into his seat by the hands on his shoulders.
"What is this!?" the human demanded with a scowl on his face, but his voice gave away the fear that was taking hold of him. "You don't think it was me, do you? I'll have you punished for this!"
"On the contrary, Mister Westley, you are mistaken." Ciel answered. "It has come to the attention of the council that you do not understand how the Round Table operates. This is an unfathomable shame, as you have worked on the Council for almost a year."
As he spoke, Sebastian shoved their target so that he was laying on his side before the butler forced him onto his stomach. Mathew uttered a sound of surprise and then groaned in pain as he was pinned down and his hands were forced behind his back. The Phantomhive then proceeded to walk over to the briefcase on the floor before crouching down and opening it. He retrieved a pair of padded handcuffs, which he then handed over to his servant, who expertly managed to get them onto the politician's wrists.
"Are you comfortable?" the butler questioned, earning a rude response.
"No, you fucking idiot!" barked Westley from his humiliating position. "Let me go! That's an order!"
"We no longer take instructions from you, Mister Westley." Ciel explained, looking down on their target. "As of today, you are alleviated of your position on the council. I would like to explain the procedure, but I would highly recommend that you stay as you are until I am done talking."
"You bastard!" Mathew snapped as he up at the demon, once again oblivious to the movements of the one behind him. Sebastian picked up the suitcase and disappeared further into the house with it and its contents. The master, however, only sighed.
"Now, I'm not too thrilled about this either, Mister Westley, so I would appreciate it if you were cooperative." replied the Watchdog while folding his arms. "This isn't exactly the high point of my day, either. But, I will have to make do with it."
"Why are you doing this?" demanded the politician. "Tell me!"
"Because it's my job." the bluenette answered bluntly. He hadn't told a single lie thus far, and he wasn't now. "I'm under orders from the Round Table Conference, Mister Westley. I have no personal vendetta against you. It is my duty. Unfortunately, you have forgotten yours, which has put you in your predicament." He paused for a moment to see if the other man had anything important or insightful to add, but when he was met with silence, he continued.
"You seem to have forgotten the nature of the conference, which is a shame." he said. "Loyalty is of utmost importance, therefore we cannot lie, cheat, or steal from it. It's nature is that of loyalty, duty, and secrecy. It is not like regular politics, I'm afraid, Mister Westley. You can't hide your misdeeds, and you cannot expect leniency."
"Am I under arrest?" Mister Westley asked in an almost groan, but he was baffled by the answer.
"I'm afraid not." replied the Phantomhive. There was a graveness in his tone that frightened the mortal man, causing his body to tense. "You are aware of the sort of subjects that are debated within the Round Table Conference, yes? They are matters of utmost secrecy, however, a lifetime sentence is not the most practical way of keeping them. Fortunately, because of this nature that the Conference has, it is not restricted to the usual means of insuring that secrets stay hidden."
Sweat began to collect on the Westley's skin and run down the side of his face as he looked up at the bluenette with wide eyes. He couldn't process the gravity of what Ciel was saying right way. It all felt so surreal. Mathew almost felt as though he were having a nightmare as he desperately refused to believe what the Watchdog was implying in his head. He didn't want this to be reality. He wanted to wake up. In a way, he did, as he heard the sound of tape being pulled out behind him, and felt the butler place it over his mouth. Suddenly, Westley found his voice and was able to scream and protest, but the barrier prevented him from making anything above a muffled yell.
"Is it ready?" Ciel inquired ofa Sebastian, turning his gaze toward the butler. The older demon nodded with a small smile.
"Yes, all of the preparations have been made." Sebastian answered, sounding quite pleased with his handiwork. "I believe I arranged everything according to your instructions."
"Very good, Sebastian." the Watchdog said. "Would you please help Mister Westley to his room?"
"Yes, my lord."
With that, two strong hands gripped the Westley, causing him to thrash and cry out with all of his might to no avail. The demon was too strong, and Mathew soon found his efforts to be fruitless as he was carried further into the dark house. Tears fell down his face and snot dripped from his nose as he panicked, not being able to see anything at all and knowing that he was in danger. When he finally did see something, it was a faint light coming from the walk-in closet he shared with his wife in their bedroom, where a flashlight was placed on one of the shelves that held shoes. The light pointed toward the center of the room, and when the politician witnessed the scene, he was sobbing and shaking his head frantically while crying out for mercy. His arms ached from fighting the restraints and the rest of him hurt from fighting the butler.
Hanging from the light fixture in the center of the closet was a rope, and beneath it was a small step stool. The way it hung in the middle of the dark room, being the only thing illuminated only amplified the man's terror. Westley knew what it meant. He knew what the demons were sent here to do, and he wanted no part of it. This is not how he wanted his story to end.
He made his choice, however. He had committed treason against not only his country, but against the Round Table Conference, knowing what the organization was capable of. His arrogance, however, deluded himself into believing that he would be permitted leniency, which was a sad mistake. There is no mercy for those who betray the Round Table. This rule holds true for even members of the Conference itself. Had Westley thought for even a fraction of a second, he could have avoided this fate, but alas, it was not to be.
His feet touched the surface of the stool as Sebastian set him down, but the demon did not let him go just yet. With one arm, he held the man still, while with the other, he slipped the loop of the rope around Westley's neck. It was a clumsily made noose, but not because Sebastian was unskilled. Oh no, it was because Mathew Westley himself was, so the demon tried to make the set up realistic.
Once the rope was tight, Ciel reached up and ripped the tape off of the man's mouth, but the Westley did not scream. He had no voice, as his tears and his whimpering had taken it away. Mister Westley stood there and sobbed, facing downwards toward the floor with his eyes shut, trying to muster the strength to beg for his life.
"Please..." he whimpered, hyper ventilating as his tears blinded him. "I'll-I'll do anything..."
"I'm sorry, sir, but it isn't within our power." Ciel replied, crumpling the tape in his hand and placing it in a plastic bag from the suitcase to dispose of later. "We know what happens when you defy the council."
"I won't tell anyone..." Westley sobbed. "Honest… I'll go away… You'll never hear from me again… Please… Please… Please don't do this..."
"I'm sorry, Mister Westley. It's just business." Ciel's eye then looked past the groveling creature to address his butler.
"Sebastian..." he began. "Do it."
Smiling, the demon answered: "Yes, my lord." before releasing Westley and giving him a gentle push off of the stool.
Truly, it was a grotesque scene, watching the man flail and choke. Because the knot was intentionally improper, it didn't break the man's neck like most nooses, and instead asphyxiated the man with his own weight. The rope dug into his skin as he frantically gasped for air, but it was of no use. No one would help him. The only ones there didn't lift a finger.
Sebastian smiled at the display, taking delight in the way the man suffered, but Ciel did not. The Watchdog almost looked through the man as he hung there, shutting out what was happening. It came from experience. Had Westley not been related to a personal friend of Ciel's, it might have been different. Ciel might have found amusement, but here, he felt nothing but ice. He heard nothing, having drowned out the sound of gasping and choking, until it dawned on him that the man was silent.
Seeing that the man was limp, Sebastian reached out and carefully removed the cuffs before carefully placing them back into the briefcase. Westley did not respond. While Sebastian was crouched, he took out an envelope with all of the evidence that Blackwood had complied inside.
"I'll go plant this." the older demon said, shutting the case and standing up.
"Good. Then we can leave." Ciel answered as his servant walked past him and out of the room. While Sebastian planted the photographs and documents carefully strewn about on the man's bed, Ciel looked up at the victim and allowed it all to sink in.
This was not the first time he had done this. It wasn't even close. Ciel had killed the family members of people he knew- of people who were kind, and he held no disdain for. He had killed comrades with discretion, holding no ill-will against them. Sometimes, he even understood why they did what they did to require the order, but he could not fight it. This is true now more than ever, as it's no longer himself that he is protecting.
He has loved ones, himself, now. He wanted to protect them. He also wanted to stay alive for them. Sometimes, he wondered if this would be used against him, however, as is in war. Ciel hoped with all of his heart that it wouldn't, as he no longer had the capacity to surrender his love.
All of this was merely business. It was a transaction- nothing more, and nothing less. While Ciel did think that Westley was scum, he wouldn't wish death upon him out of respect for his friend, Daniel. The preservation of the things he cares about, however, trumped the cost of this man, to Ciel. It was for this reason that the Phantomhive had no objections to killing him.
The demons left as swiftly as they came, leaving the place as they found it, with one extra detail. They even locked the door before they left, using the key under the mat before putting it back. The building was still dark as the power was not turned on quite yet, giving them ample cover.
The operation was quick and simple, taking them a matter of minutes. Once they were on their way out, a call was made, and Integra picked up the phone. She said nothing, having known who it was and merely waited for the agent to speak.
"It's done." Ciel informed her while he and his butler drove home. That was all it took to satisfy the woman, prompting her to be brief.
"Good work." she replied. "I will inform the Round Table and make the proper arrangements."
With that, she hung up, ending the conversation. She had left the demons in silence as they made their way back home, knowing what the evening had in store for the Westley family. Indeed, Ciel felt guilty. He felt as though he needed to clean himself, as common after missions of this particular nature.
He felt tired although he gave no physical effort in his mission, and shuffled through the doors of the mansion upon returning home rather lazily. After taking off his coat and putting it away, he went to find his spouse, who was already aware that he had returned. The Watchdog had the desire to hold the blonde, as he found it comforting. Even this was enough to replenish his energy, so it was essential that he sought him out.
Alois, however, knew quite that Ciel would come looking for him, so he made no effort to move. He did not know how the bluenette needed to hold him just yet, since he was still focusing on his own guilt, and the knowledge of what Ciel's return meant made his chest ache. He knew that the deed was done, and he knew of what was surely to come next. While he tried to distract himself by organising the bookshelf in their shared office, he was still nervous. As the door opened behind him, his body tensed momentarily before relaxing again. Without even looking, he knew that it was his husband, although he was pleasantly surprised when the bluenette wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. Ciel held him securely and rested his head on the blonde's shoulder while uttering a long, loud, but very content sigh.
"Hey, babe." greeted the menace, not being able to help cracking a bit of a smile. He reached up behind him to cradle the bluenette's face while the man kissed his cheek and readjusted so that he could reach.
"Hello, my love." Ciel said back, enjoying the hand in his hair and the feeling of his husband in his arms. "What are you up to?"
"Needless distraction." Alois answered honestly with a sigh of his own. "I'm having trouble finding things to do. I ran out of episodes of Bob's Burgers on Netflix, and I figured I shouldn't watch Call the Midwife without you."
"That sounds nice." the Watchdog stated with a tired grin. "Though I feel more like comedy right now. I was honestly hoping to hold you for a bit." Alois could hear just how much he needed it just in his voice, and both knew that the menace himself needed it as well.
"I think I can arrange that." stated the blonde. He couldn't help but smile a bit at how cute his spouse was when he's clingy. "I can probably stand a few reruns, too."
A/N: Yikes.
I hated writing this chapter. It's kinda fucked up, and I feel like it might be a bit more than usual?
Nyeh...
I was wondering how to carry this out for a while, actually. I didn't think that busting in and blowing his head off is a good way to carry out an assassination, so the idea ended up being: "People will believe what they can see."
It seems like "sight" has been a theme in this arc. People only know what goes on in their heads. They can't see everyone's true nature and intentions at a surface glance. Then there's just Blacwood's power. It's kinda rad, yo. Shame he's such a dick.
Clearer skies, some other day...
Although this is set in Britain...
Dammit...
Until the next chapter, my duckies~!
CHARACTER SHET
Question: "Question for Sebastian, Revy, Luka, Ciel, and Alois: I just wanted to know how everything's going back at Phantomhive manor. It feels like I haven't heard anything from my favorite supernatural family in ages." by marleyrockstar
Ciel: "I've been alright."
Alois: "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
Sebastian: "Same nonsense as usual. I haven't been very busy lately, aside from maintaining the manor! The master told me that I should take a class, but I have no idea what I have time for..."
Revy: "Fine, but I've been having some trouble lately. Mostly with work. Mostly with getting to work. I have to take so many trains to get near it. Then I have to walk all the way to the Police Station and check in by a certain time. It takes forever. I don't wanna move out 'cause I'll miss everybody, but I'd like to be closer to work... I think I'd be lonely by myself..."
Luka: "I've been good! Sebastian's been teaching me lots, and he says he's not sure what else I should be learning, 'cause he doesn't want me to be bored when I start school. We dunno when that'll be, though, 'cause I can't hide my horns. Jim and Ciel have been talkin' about me going to learn at the church in Gehenna with other supernatural kids so I can make friends, but I'm really nervous about it and not sure if I want to..."
