A/N: The three chapters after this one are three separate endings, so I hope you all get at least one ending you like ^.^
It's only been four days since Sebastian paid you a visit, but it already feels like a lifetime.
You've found yourself unable to sleep at night, for fear that he'll try and grab you in your sleep. As comforting as it may be to have Undertaker nearby, you can't help but think that he's too far away to act quickly, as he's been sleeping in a coffin. If Sebastian grabs you, and you don't cry out soon enough…
Well, you're not sure how you'd feel actually. Despite thinking it over, you're still undecided on how you want this to end. Even if Sebastian has been manipulating you this whole time, your feelings for him are genuine. You can't just throw away those feelings, as much as it would help. There's always going to be a part of you that cares deeply for him; the only question is that care worth submitting yourself to him?
On the other hand, Undertaker has expected nothing from you these last few days, giving you time and space whenever you need it. He's been so kind, and you'd be lying if you said you felt nothing for the man. The main issue is that you see him more as a friend than a partner, and as much as he claims to be in this for your sake, you're certain he's not the kind of man who would be satisfied with only one night together. If you can't give yourself to him completely, then surely it isn't fair to use him and leave him?
It's this conflict that's been tearing your mind apart, leaving you with a sore head and a heavy heart. At this rate, you won't be given the chance to choose; the ritual will finish, leaving you with no option but to return to Sebastian's side.
You need to make up your mind as soon as possible.
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It's been another uneventful day at Undertaker's shop. The few customers he's had have all been returning ones, eager to see Undertaker's creations. All of them left satisfied with the work they had commissioned, with one woman going so far as to burst into tears, exclaiming over and over again how pleased she was that her husband will be buried in such a fine coffin.
With the working day now over, you and Undertaker are eating dinner. It's beef and potato stew, a simple yet tasty dish that makes your feel all warm inside. One of the things you enjoy most about staying here is the food. Undertaker tends to make good that is more rustic than pretentious, something that makes a pleasant change to all of the fancy stuff you've been fed over the course of your life. It's but another reason to stay here, albeit a small one. Then again, when he gets it right, Bard is quite the cook too, which is a point in favour of returning to Sebastian. All of the staff are, really. You miss having a group of people to call friends, rather than just the one.
Are they missing you, too? You can't help but wonder…
Undertaker seems to notice you're distracted. 'Penny for your thoughts, dear?'
You give him a sad smile. 'I was just thinking of the staff back at the manor, the ones that aren't demons. They were always so nice to me. Even when Sebastian locked me away, Bard still thought to bring me cake. Mey-Rin can be a bit ditzy at times, but she's got a big heart. Oh, and dear Finny. He's the sweetest person alive, so kind and innocent. Even Tanaka was polite to me, despite his usual stiff appearance. If I don't go back to Sebastian, will I ever see them again?' Over the demon's dead body you suspect, but it's worth asking.
Undertaker shakes his head. 'That doesn't seem likely. Maybe if I were to contact the young Earl directly we could arrange a meeting of sorts, but something tells me Sebastian would try to use such a thing to his advantage. I'm sorry.' Ah, well that answers that. It's a shame that your friendship with the others is so linked to your 'relationship' with Sebastian. Maybe you'll meet again in another life…
Wait, if you're thinking that, does that mean you've decided to leave him for good?
Nah, it's fine. Nothing is set in stone yet. You just need more time…
All this thinking things over suddenly ruins your appetite. 'Would you excuse me, Undertaker? I'd like to retire for the evening.' Despite asking for permission, you stand up, making it clear that you're leaving the room no matter what.
Undertaker looks up at you, sadness in his eyes yet a smile on his face. 'Oh course, my dear. Sleep well.' You want to snap back and say it's not bloody likely, but you hold your tongue; it's not his fault you're not sleeping at night.
Inclining your head in acknowledgement, you leave the kitchen, and head straight to the bedroom, hoping that somehow tonight you'll be able to wrangle a few hours of sleep somehow.
As you enter the bedroom, the first thing that hits you is how cold you are. The chill is noticeable even through Undertaker's robe (which he's agreed to let you keep if you want it). The source of the cold seems to be the window, which is wide open. That's odd, you don't recall leaving the window open…
It must have been Undertaker. He probably did it to regulate the room's temperature, and help you sleep better. That must be it.
Smiling at how thoughtful your host is, you close the door behind you, not wanting the chill to spread to the rest of the house.
Even if his intentions were noble, the room is far too cold for anyone to sleep in. Shivering slightly, you walk over to said window, planning to shut it before lighting a candle or two for warmth.
As you inch forward, you catch something moving at the edge of your vision. Whipping your head around, your heart leaps as you see fabric moving.
It then slows down considerably when you realise it's the wind from outside blowing on a bedsheet.
Laughing at your own paranoia, you turn around, and keep making your way towards the window.
As you reach up to close it, you notice something unusual; the catch is broken. That's very strange indeed; had Undertaker broken it earlier?
You're about to call for him and ask, when you feel a cloth rag being forced against your nose and mouth.
You try your hardest to cry out or remove the rag, but the pressure on your face increases, and an arm wraps itself around you to stop your attempts at escape.
A rich and familiar voice whispers in your ear. 'Be a good little whore and fall asleep for me. You've been such a disobedient slut, but I forgive you. I'll have to punish for this, of course, but I know you can take it. After all, we both know that you belong to me. Now, time to take you home. Sweet dreams.' As he speaks, you find yourself growing weary. The room starts to spin, and your limbs feel heavy and weak.
Before you can fully understand your situation, everything goes dark.
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The headache that greets you when you wake up is almost unbearable.
It's feels like someone's let a heard of cows stamped across your skull. It's almost as bad as the pain Undertaker's injections (which you'd had the good sense to have just before dinner) prevent, only this pain is concentrated.
Thinking of the Undertaker suddenly triggers a memory. You were in his room, the window was open, then you felt…
Oh. Oh no. No no no no.
Sebastian?! He was there! He knocked you out! That's the last thing you remember…
Whatever he did after that can't be good. You need to move from wherever you are right now.
You try to sit up, only to find that your arms and legs can't move. Panicked, you open your eyes, only to be met by darkness; you've been blindfolded!
With no other options, you open your mouth to scream, yet the nose is muffled; there's something covering your mouth too!
Panicked, you try moving again, thrashing your arms and legs about as rapidly as possible, hoping you'll be able to at least shuffle slightly.
Just when you manage to wriggle, a hand presses down on your stomach, stilling you once again. 'What a pointless waste of energy. Do you really think your failing will save you? You're a fool.' The hand rips open the robes you're wearing, revealing the demonic mark on your stomach. 'Ah, the ritual is nearing completion. At a guess, I'd say by this time tomorrow you'll be mine. All that you are shall belong to me. I shall have you by my side until the day I grow bored of your insolence. Oh, but I don't foresee that happening anytime within the next century or two. After all, insolent or no, there is still fun to be had with you. If you recall, I once threatened to cut out your tongue; try to escape me again, and it's the first thing I'll do to you.' You whimper, and all Sebastian does is laugh.
Where is the Undertaker when you need him? Does he even know you've been taken? When will he realise? You'd told him you were retiring, so will he wait until morning to check on you? The afternoon at the latest? When he finally realised you're gone, will it be too late?
Well, at least you don't have to make a choice anymore; it's been made for you.
Sebastian's laughter dies down, and he rakes his nails over the bare flesh of your stomach. 'I have so many plans for us. You are going to be spoilt, my dear, so long as you behave. I'll have you dressed in the finest satins, gorged on the finest foods. You shall never want for anything ever again. In return, I want you to warm my bed and bare my children. An easy task really, and what I believe is a fair trade. Oh, and don't worry, you'll see your friend Undertaker again; when you're so swollen with child you can barely move, I'm going to take you to that hovel of his and rub his nose in my good fortune. Then again, fortune makes it sound coincidental, and I've been planning this since the moment I first saw you. It almost brings a tear to my eye when I think about how my plan is almost complete. I'm on the verge of having what we demons desire even more than souls; something that I can call my own.' His nails dig in form enough to leave little marks, and you try to breathe in to escape them. It doesn't work, as Sebastian counteracts by pushing down harder, only pulling away when another muffled cry leaves your lips.
He follows up his clawing with a surprisingly gentle kiss. 'Your skin is as soft as I remember it being. I regret treating you so poorly you took flight. At least it's almost over now. No man will ever touch you again. If someone tries to steal you away again, I'll remove their head from their shoulders faster than they can blink, and make love to you in their entrails.' The threat makes your skin crawl, but Sebastian mistakes the repulsion for arousal. 'Ah, so that gets you excited, does it? Maybe I should take you to Undertaker sooner then. We can conceive our first child in a bath full of his blood if you like. The blood of a reaper must have some benefits. I bet it would taste like the sweetest wine too, when you consider when it came from. After all, there is nothing sweeter than victory; especially when it means I'll no longer be denied a taste of you.' He licks your stomach then, before bringing his tongue lower, getting dangerously close to your centre…
A shrill voice echoes from down the hall. 'Sebastian? Where the bloody hell are you? I demand milk and honey this instant!' Sebastian growls in irritation against your skin. You're personally relieved; Ciel has expert timing.
Sebastian stands himself up with a huff. 'If you'll excuse me, my young lord calls. Be a good little whore while I'm gone, and I might remove that blindfold of yours. I do love seeing all the emotions that flash in your eyes when I touch you.' You hear footsteps, followed by a door opening and closing; he's gone.
The moment he leaves, you burst into tears. Why did you ever think that running away would work? Did you honestly think he wouldn't follow? You should have just sat tight and obeyed him, but no, you had to leave. Or, if you had decided to leave, you should have slept with Undertaker straight away, instead of dragging your heels and thinking about what you want. Now you're back to square one, only this time Sebastian is undoubtedly furious with you; will he ever forgive you?
Your tears stop when you hear something break nearby.
In an instant, your vision is restored, and completely consumed by one person; Undertaker.
He takes off your gag before he talks. 'Thank goodness I found you. I'm so sorry, my dear. I promised I'd protect you and I failed. I underestimated Sebastian, but I swear it won't happen again.' He begins to work on whatever is holding you down; rope, by the feel of it.
As Undertaker works, you speak to him in a whisper. 'How did you know he'd taken me?'
Undertaker blushes as the ropes on your legs are cut free. 'Well… I made you sandwiches. You barely ate a thing at dinner. I though maybe your appetite might have improved. I waited about an hour before I made them. When I didn't get a response, I thought you might have fallen asleep, but I had this nagging feeling that something was wrong; I'm glad I trusted my instincts this time.' He finishes freeing your arms too, and makes to scoop you into his arms.
You stop him.
He seems confused. 'What is it, my dear? Do you not want my help?' You're honestly not sure. Something has occurred to you…
You look to the ground as you speak, and realise that Sebastian had tied you to the bed; huh. 'It's just… this is my last chance. According to Sebastian, tomorrow is the day the ritual completes. If I go with you, then we'll have to stop the ritual the moment we're safe; if Sebastian lets us get that far.' You get the feeling that he'll break your legs and gut the Undertaker if he catches up, which he will; you know in your heart that he won't let you get away.
Undertaker nods, but panic is written across his face. 'I understand, and while I don't like the idea of rushing a lady, Sebastian will return any moment; you need to choose right now.' He's right, of course he is, but you're still so conflicted; what are you supposed to do?
As you consider your options, the bedroom door flies open. Sebastian is stood in the doorway, all the fury of hell itself in his eyes.
You're about to say something, to explain, but Sebastian speaks first. 'You don't quit, do you? Even when I have you beaten, you just keep on sticking your nose in. Oh, but I was happy to leave you be, now that I have what is rightfully mine. Now that you've shown yourself to be so… persistent, I'll just have to deal with you permanently. Undertaker, I hereby challenge you to a duel. The winner claims the whore as their own; the loser shall die.' Sebastian produces a set of knives from his sleeves, and gets into a fighting stance.
Undertaker sighs. 'Very well, Sebastian. If I have to fight you to ensure this woman's freedom then I will. I just hope you are prepared to walk away with more than just a wounded ego.' He produces a some kind of large stick from nowhere, and gets into a stance of his own.
You sit on the bed in shock, backing up slightly to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. It hits you that this is all your fault, but that takes a back seat to fear; neither man is going to walk away unscathed.
Almost instantly, Sebastian flings some of his knives at Undertaker, who blocks them with his stick. He swings his weapon at the demon in retaliation; an attack that is easily avoided.
After that, the fight begins in earnest, and the two men start attacking each other so quickly that the action seems to blur together into one big blob of flesh and weaponry. A stray knife here and there and the occasional breaking of furniture are the only indicators you have of the fight's progress.
A small amount of blood splatters over the room, but you've no idea who the blood belongs to.
After a few more moments, the fight slows down enough to give you a clear view of the situation; Sebastian has two knives embedded in Undertaker's stick, and is trying his hardest to break the reaper's weapon.
Undertaker, in a show of what can only be described as foolhardy overconfidence, turns his head away from Sebastian to address you. 'Have you come to a decision yet, my dear? I need to know if you actually want me to fight for you.' That's a fair point actually. You can stop this fight! If you choose Sebastian, then Undertaker doesn't have to fight, and this whole thing can be over.
Then again, is that what you really want? Do you really want Sebastian? If you don't, and you tell Undertaker that you want him to end the ritual, maybe he'll fight even harder than he is now. He's holding his own at the moment, but maybe that one push would tip the battle in his favour.
As you're thinking this through, Sebastian shifts his hands to the side, and uses the embedded knives to disarm Undertaker, and force the stick to one side. He delivers a firm kick to Undertaker's chest, knocking the reaper to the ground.
Before he can right himself, Sebastian uses his knees to pin Undertaker's arms to the floor.
Sebastian looks dangerously smug as he produces a different knife from his pocket, one that looks as sharp as it does old. It's handle is encrusted with blood red gemstones, and you're certain you can see dried blood on the blade.
Sebastian's voice is the essence of menace. 'A reaper is nothing without his death scythe, but we demons are just as powerful without a weapon. Still, that doesn't mean we don't have them. The moment I plunge this knife into that worthless heart of yours, I shall finally be rid of you, and free to pursue my desire. Oh, but don't worry, I'll take care never to forget you; I'll even name my firstborn son after you if you like. Imagine that. Your name shall live on as demon spawn. What do you say to that, Undertaker?' He raises the knife up high, and it hits you that this is the last chance you'll have to stop this.
All you have to do is choose what name to say.
You take a deep breath; you know what you have to say. One name. That's all it takes to end this.
You rapidly weigh up the options in your mind, balancing everyone you've seen over these past few months. All the good, the bad, the ugly, the sex, the violence, the shame, the torment, the deception… the consequence of your choice.
Another deep breath; you've made up your mind.
You speak your choice.