The aftermath of Preston's death reached further than one would initially think. The Phantomhive family returned home and contemplated the matter while keeping a stiff upper lip for the younger ones in the household. The rest of their friends were eventually informed when Alois got around to telling Kristopherson. Then, as the chain of communication goes, it soon spread to the others. Hellsing documented the death extensively along with the mayhem that surrounded it. Gehenna reported on it as well.
"The Leader of the Scarlet Order is DEAD!" was printed on the front page of the newspaper, and it sold out almost immediately. The demand was so high that the print shop had to print more. There was cheering by the citizens who remembered the terror of the order in their home, and cheers, some a tad half-hearted, from former allies of the order who lived there.
Careful evaluation of each of the members of the Prudentia were carried out, especially on the captain. It had to be done before it could be decided where they were allowed to go. Additionally, there were quite a few turncoats, and increasingly smaller space to put them. Gehenna was starting to run out of room. This was a matter, however, that will be discussed at a later time.
Then there were Preston's parents. Oh, his parents… They didn't know what to feel. They were sad, they were angry, they were happy, and they were longing for better times all at once. Naturally, they did not approve of what he has done. They weren't happy with how he lived, or even how he died. A bit of anger was directed at the H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. organization for this, but then there was the fact that he made this choice. Their son was finally home, even if it wasn't in the most ideal of circumstance. There were tears when they first saw him. They came slowly, but then all at once.
Those at H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. sewed the man's severed arm back on and removed the growths on his skin. In some places, skin had to be replaced with latex or something else to conceal gore. They made him up before showing him to his family, and then he was made up again for the funeral. Despite everything that happened, his friends were invited and they went, clad in black. In fact, Audrey bought a suit specifically for the occasion, thinking that his H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. formal wear would be monstrously inappropriate.
The demonic duo went, despite knowing what had transpired. They hadn't quite recovered from it all just yet, either. There was still much to discuss between them. Looking into that open casket and seeing Preston lying peacefully inside was almost too much to bear. Even demons as grizzled and accustomed to death as they were had their limits.
"He looks just like he used to." Ciel observed, holding onto his spouse's hand with a firm grip. "They did a really good job."
"It's kind of nice to see him at peace." added Audrey. "I remember him being so sickly, before. It's horrible, but he looks healthier now."
"Keep your voice down. Don't let anyone hear you say that." Kristopherson scolded.
"Sorry. I just really don't know what to say..."
"I don't think any of us do." said Travis. "It's hard to know what to say at times like this, and most people just don't."
"Have you been to a lot of funerals, Travis?" questioned the reaper.
"My dad's wrestler friends, usually." Sullivan answered, prompting no further questions on the matter.
It was difficult to see. For the most part, the blonde Phantomhive kept his eyes dry throughout the ordeal at the expense of saying nothing. Yet when they arrived at the grave site and prayers were made, his could not help but allow his tears to fall as he stifled a whimper. He knew that Preston's fate had been decided. He knew that prayers would not help him reach nirvana. With his knowledge of how life and death works in this world, it was no difficult feat to speculate on what the Omid's fate would be.
And yet, right then and there, as he heard the prayers of his former friend's family, he wanted to believe that they would make a difference. He wanted to believe that Preston's suffering was over, despite everything he had done. His rational mind that could not forgive Preston for what he had done, using hundreds as pawns and leading them to a battle that could not be won, taking land, terrorizing innocent people, and perhaps most of all: summoning Araneus Trancy, was gone if only just for today.
Now was the time to remember Preston for the goodness that he did have in his heart. Now was the time to look back on fond memories with the man in their youth. It was the day to remember the Preston who would leap in front of a supernatural monstrosity in order to save the life of his friend; the Preston who liked gadgets and playing ping-pong.
These are the memories that would linger in the hearts of his friends and family, even if he would go down in supernatural history as a monster. His files at H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. would have no kind words, and the Gehenna newspapers rejoiced. Even though the organization would berate his death and complain about all of the cleaning up they would have to do as a result, moving citizens, screening new residents, and trying to drum up housing for them, Preston would be missed by at least someone. There were people who cared and wished that they had done better for him. Surely, if he had gotten the help he needed long ago, things would have happened differently.
Tears were shed and ties were mended, even if it was temporary. Alois wasn't the only member of the original Sensational Seven to cry for him. Almost all of them shed a tear for Preston. It was only Ciel who stayed stoic, or rather, numb to what was happening.
He killed this man. The man whose family and friends were mourning was put in that box by Ciel Phantomhive. It was a lot to take in. He felt directly responsible, even though there was nothing more that could be done. Preston needed to die. It was unavoidable, and yet Ciel could feel this weight on his shoulders and chest. It was guilt. Once more, Ciel had killed someone that affected himself personally. Once more, Ciel could see the affects afterward. Even his husband was crying because he thrusted his blade.
Preston's parents didn't know. The seven did, but not the gruesome details of it. In the heat of the moment, some of them wondered if there could have been another way. Could Preston have been spared? Their realistic minds said "no". He had done too much harm and continued to do harm until his end. They wanted to believe that he was good, but in truth, none of them knew. Not even Ciel himself knew for certain. It was a horrendous place to be.
Before they had all agreed to get together once the funeral was over, but when the time came, none of them did. They didn't want to talk about it anymore, especially when the man's killer was amoung them. None of them said it, but Ciel knew it. To his surprise, it actually stung a bit.
Thus, the Phantomhives had no other option but to return home. The trip was deathly quiet, although Alois wanted to talk. He knew the full gravity of the situation, so he understood what Ciel had to do. He didn't blame him for it in the slightest, but knew the bluenette felt as though it was completely his fault; like he didn't try hard enough to think of another way.
In the corner of his eye, Alois could see his husband slouched while leaning against the car door, wearing the most melancholy of expressions. With this, the blonde decided that he could stand this quiet no more. He took in a deep breath to collect himself.
"Are you okay over there?" he asked, prompting a shrug from the other.
"I haven't been this sad after a funeral in a long time." the other answered. "I forgot what it's like."
"That's normal, I guess." nodded the menace. "But are you okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"I think you know what I mean..."
Ciel stiffened at the suggestion, sitting up slightly. He didn't answer right away, but didn't feel particularly threatened by his husband asking. "It was a lot..." the bluenette said. "I couldn't help but feel like they all knew..."
"None of them did. Everything is under wraps." Alois stated. "You're not a bad person or anything. You did what you needed to."
"It's getting harder to see the families as time goes on… Probably because I knew the person..."
"That's understandable."
"It was my duty and there was no way around it. Preston would have suffered if time went on." Ciel began. "I just can't help but feel guilty, however..."
"That's also understandable." his spouse replied. "I don't blame you. You're not a bad person. It's okay to feel like he was still a friend; at least I hope so. I kind of feel that way, myself..."
"Even after summoning you-know-who?"
"I don't think he was aware of the kind of person Araneus was." Alois replied. "He probably got a vibe, though. I'd be pissed if he got a funeral."
"Hobbs won't be getting a funeral, either." the bluenette said. "His body was altered beyond repair, so his family can't bury him."
"What happened to his research?"
"H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. kept it. He created a few subspecies of werewolf. That has to be kept. There's still new developments coming in regularly. I just want it to end..."
"Are you talking to that bunch that keeps trying to radio in?"
"Yeah… Blackwood is amoung them, I think. They're still somewhere in Norway, but we don't have any coordinates."
"It's out of our hands, for now." said Alois. "We did everything required of us."
"Integra wants us to come in and talk about what to do with the influx of supernaturals in Gehenna, though..."
"Shit… I forgot..."
"We'll deal with it later…" answered Ciel. "For now, let's just go home and relax for a bit..." Pausing, his eye wandered over to the menace, looking the man over.
"By the way, how are your scars doing?" he questioned, unexpectedly prompting a cheerful response from his spouse.
"They're going away nicely. Just a little longer, and they'll be completely gone." With a sly grin, he added: "Why? Want me to show you later?"
"No, I'm sorry. I'm not really in the mood."
"Neither am I, really. I just wanted to mess with you." the menace said, turning his attention back to the road ahead. "Didn't work, though, it seems."
"Sorry." his husband said insincerely with a smile of his own. It was brief, however, as the man's thoughts wandered further. "I didn't think you'd be up to anything like that for a while."
"Why? Because of Araneus?"
"All of it, really."
"Probably not." Alois answered truthfully. "This has all been a lot to handle."
"Well..." the bluenette began, reaching over to hold the other's hand, even if it was for a brief moment. "I'll be here for you if you need me."
"We'll talk about it in detail some other time." Squeezing his husband's hand back, Alois kept his eye trained on the road. "Just not today. A lot has happened for today."
The Watchdog nodded and agreed with him, and the pair left things as they were, for now. They would talk to each other about what had transpired and how they felt about it all soon. Right after the funeral of their former-friend was simply not the time.
As they drove, Alois' smile eventually faded. Like the demon at his side, his mind was racing with thoughts on everything as well. He thought of Preston and he thought of the man's family. He thought of Araneus and he thought of Ciel. Then his thoughts lingered on those two and the heir that Araneus allegedly held. If Araneus wasn't fibbing, then Alois had killed it along with it's host. In truth, Araneus' words did get to him a bit. Indeed, it would have been an heir to Phantomhive of pure, blue blood, but Alois couldn't bear the thought. There was guilt and Alois knew that if he didn't tell Ciel, it was going to eat him alive.
Would Ciel react negatively? Would he feel a loss? Would he be angry at Alois for doing what he needed to in order to maintain his sanity? These were all questions that would need to be answered on another day. For now, however, the pair would return home to the Phantomhive estate, where Alois was the red blooded nobleman who was loved and praised by blue.
A/N: We're gonna be doing this for a while, I'm afraid.
This isn't one of those arcs where it's like "boom! There's the end, next thing now." The aftermath is going to impact things long afterwards. Look forward to that.
Slowly, things are going to return to normal...
Also, I'm out of Character Shet questions, so if you have them, go ahead and leave them in the reviews.
Shit has happened.
Until the next chapter, my duckies~!
