Thorns

Summary: AU. Sebastian, an aristocrat of the Michaelis family, one day came across a small, frail boy allowing himself to die on the middle of a pathway. Taking him in, he learns about the boys true past and his life-threatening illness.

Rated: T+

Chapter Two

Ciel's eyes flickered open before he shielded them from the light coming into the window. He felt oddly warm and comfortable, as if everything that had happened never happened, that he was still in the loving care of his mother and father.

Sadly, those things just don't happen. His eyes flickered as he covered his right one, his left one going wide. His eye-patch was gone and he could feel it twitching lightly. Sitting up slowly, he rubbed at his temples and looked round. He was still in that room and his eye-patch lay on the floor. It must have fell off when he collapsed…

Sliding off the bed and rising to his feet slowly, he clutched at his head and moaned lightly. His head hurt. It was a common thing, considering he was just a fragile human. He kneeled slowly to the floor, picking up the eye patch when he froze, hearing the door creak open as he swirled his head round.

That man had returned and was… bowing to him?

"So sorry for scaring you yesterday." he said, bowing low. "May I ask what your name is, or is the name you were sold off with the real one?"

"Ciel is my name." he confirmed shakily, closing his right eye quickly. "Can I leave, now?"

"Leave?" said the man clad in black, holding a tray in his hands. "Don't be stupid, you'll just get caught and sold off again, and next time you really might end up with someone who intends to use you for horrible purposes."

Ciel shuddered, his left eye going wide as he quickly covered his right one, the eye patch looping round as he tied it in a flimsy knot. He kept staring at the man, who approached him and extended his hand as if in greeting.

"My name is Sebastian Michaelis." he said warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ciel…?"

"My name is just Ciel." Said the boy warily, shaking the hand of man now known as Sebastian. A dark blue eye stared into deep red ones with caution. Sebastian could sense it. The fear that he was trying so hard to hide. Placing down the platter that had a couple of scones and a cup of tea on it, Sebastian brushed the boys hair away from his face, looking at the darkened bruises spread around his face and down his neck.

"They hurt you a lot, didn't they?" asked Sebastian with a calm aura, soothing Ciel a great deal. Slowly, he ran a finger across the boys face as he examined the injuries inflicted upon him.

It was obvious. The boy had been beaten into submission.

"I brought up some breakfast." said Sebastian, tilting Ciel's chin up and looking at the finger-printed bruises left on the pale flesh. Only slightly, he could feel the boys pulse race when his thumb traced over it. He was frightening the boy, so he pulled his hand away and pushed the platter towards him. "Eat up. I'll come up with some well-fitted clothes in around ten minutes."

Name: Ciel Phantomhive

Age: 12

Class: N/A

Info:

Height: - 152cm

Weight:-5½ stone.

Bought at an underground auction, Mr. Ciel Phantomhive seems to be a shy, nervous young boy. When questioned about his parents, he ran into a separate bedroom. When asked where he used to stay, he remained silent. Other information is N/A.

Sebastian placed down his pen and placed the piece of paper in a drawer where he kept all the information he kept on the children he saved. Getting to his feet, he brushed himself down for dust (as a true gentleman would), and walked briskly out of his office and went up a close stairway, climbing two steps at a time until he reached the room he had placed Ciel in.

Opening the door, his facial expression softened when he saw said boy sitting on the floor, eyeing the food with hunger but with total suspicious as to whether or not it was drugged.

"I promise you, there isn't anything in it." said Sebastian, walking over and looking at the cup of tea. "And I believe you tea must have gotten cold. At least try to eat something, you look rather thin."

"You expect me to eat that?" said Ciel quietly, bowing his head. "You want me to eat something when those… those people drugged my food and drink before pulling me onto a stage and selling me?"

"I can understand your worry." said Sebastian softly, kneeling down and breaking a cone in half. "I know it will be difficult to get you to trust me, but all I want to do it to help you."

"That's hard to believe, coming from an aristocrat." spat Ciel bitterly, tilting his head to the side as he watched the man before him eat half his scone to show it wasn't drugged. "Why would an aristocrat want to save a street rat?"

"I don't really know." said Sebastian thoughtfully, causing Ciel to go rigid. "I guess it's just a habit of mine."

Ciel hissed before getting to his feet, snatching a piece of scone and backing himself into a corner before curling up, unsure on what to do. he looked at his scone before nibbling it gently, his stomach growling with the irritation of wanting to be filled.

Sebastian got to his feet before looking at the clothes he had slung over his arm. He walked forwards, placing them on the bed.

"Get dressed and come downstairs. I'll get Bardroy to make some fresh tea." said the raven, his eyes glinting lightly as he watched Ciel take more scone into his mouth. "And perhaps I'll prepare a sweet treat for a sweet tooth such as yours."

Ciel looked up, a slight blush lighting his cheeks as he nodded slowly, mumbling something incoherent with the scone in his mouth.

Sebastian bowed low, a smirk on his face as he exited the room, murmuring to himself.

"An aristocrat saving a street rat? I think not, Ciel Phantomhive."

Sebastian felt an eyebrow twitch as he entered the dining hall, watching Finian run round in circles, giggling as Maylene chased him in attempts to get her glasses back. Bardroy was leaning against a wall, smoking on those forbidden cigarettes as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Sebastian, causing everyone in the room to freeze. Finian had already been tackled to the ground and Maylene looked at Sebastian with her blurred vision, so close to getting her glasses back. Walking forwards, Sebastian grabbed the glasses from Finian as he picked him up, handing the glasses back to Maylene before he grabbed the cigarette from Bardroy, scolding him.

"I want you to remain quiet. You must not make any sudden movements when Ciel comes down." he called out, watching the two teenagers and one child nod in agreement. They knew what it felt like to be scared, so they could easily comply with their saviors wishes.

The door opened slowly and Ciel peeked his head through, nibbling at his lip as he stepped in. He was wearing his stockings, an expensive wool coat with a sloppily buttoned up shirt with a cap resting atop his midnight blue hair.

Everyone stayed still as Sebastian frowned, approaching the boy and kneeling down as he started redoing the buttons on his shirt.

"Really now, I thought you would have known how to dress properly."

Ciel bowed his head. No, he didn't. His mother used to dress him and his father used to sort the eye patch and cap. Sebastian stood up before retying the eye patch around the eye it covered, watching the boy flinch slightly.

Sebastian seemed shocked when Ciel suddenly spoke up.

"Finian, why are you here? I thought you died in that house fire." Finian looked nervous as he twiddled his thumbs in an uncertain manner.

"A-Ah… you see, Master Ciel-" Ciel put his hand up, shaking his head.

"I am not longer your master." he said lightly. "I am no longer the head of that family."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow as a smirk came across his face. Oh yes, this boy was the one, the one who was to take over the Phantomhive family. And of course…

To become the Queen's watchdog.

Ciel remained still as Sebastian checked his coat over, seeming familiar with the process. He looked towards Maylene and Bardroy, but no recognition came to him.

"Ciel, these two are called Maylene and Bardroy." introduced Sebastian. "Maylene likes to call herself the head maid and Bardroy is learning how to cook."

Ciel nodded in acknowledgement. He was not to act spoilt here. He had already decided to drop his title so he would not look down on anyone. Well, he could try at least.

But when you deliberately try not to look down on people… it was as if his spoilt side was trying to jump out once more.

His name was Ciel, just Ciel.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Majorness, the snow has started once again *shock horror*

Leave a review? It would really cheer up my very cold, snowy day ^^