Here is the second part to this oneshot! Thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited/read/alerted this story. Love you all!
Dislcaimer:The only Kuroshitsuji items I own are volumes three and four of the manga.
September 12, 11:15 PM
Ciel stirred in bed, blinking sleepily as he tried to focus on the clock. It read quarter past eleven. He laid there, trying to figure out what had woken him up. Sebastian wasn't supposed to get off work until midnight, but perhaps he had gotten off early. Ciel smiled as he slipped out of bed. If that was the case, then maybe the red-eyed male would be up for a good romp in bed before going to sleep.
He padded over to the bedroom door and reached for the knob. Movement in another room of the house was heard, and Ciel started to open the door when he heard a voice. It wasn't Sebastian's voice; he didn't even recognize it. Slowly backing away from the door, he threw a quick glance to where his cell was on the nightstand.
"Must be in the bedroom," a deep voice floated over to him.
"Yeah. If he's asleep, I'd like to give him a nice wake-up call," another man chuckled.
"Remember, we get to torture him as much as we want. The boss has had enough," yet a third man spoke up.
The blood inside Ciel's veins ran cold and he lunged desperately for his phone, accidentally knocking over the lamp in the process.
"Wait. You hear that? I think he's awake. Come on. We can't let him escape this time."
Ciel's eyes darted about anxiously, trying to find a place to hide. He dashed over to the window and hurriedly unlocked it. He pushed at it, but it wouldn't budge. With rising panic, he remembered that Sebastian hadn't fixed it yet. It was stuck.
The men were getting closer to the bedroom, and Ciel fled into the next safest spot he could think of, the bathroom. He shut the door and locked it, flipping his phone open and hitting speed dial number two with shaking fingers. It began to ring.
The bedroom door opened, and the three men entered. "Check to see if he went out the window."
Floorboards creaked, then someone answered, "Nope. The window won't open. That means he's either under the bed, which would be really stupid, or he's in the bathroom."
The first man chuckled. "Look in the bathroom. I smell fear radiating from that spot."
Ciel froze in horror, cell phone pressed to his ear. It was still ringing. Pick up, Sebastian. Dammit, pick up!
The ringing ceased, and Sebastian's familiar voice flowed over the line.
"Oh, thank God," Ciel breathed. "Sebastian, I'm-"
'Hey, you've reached Sebastian.'
Ciel's heart pounded heavily in his chest; it was the answering machine.
'I'm not here at the moment.'
Footsteps stopped right outside the door. "Hello, there, Ciel Phantomhive. We've come to play."
'I'm either at work saving people or at home screwing my boyfriend.'
Shoulders rammed into the door, trying to force it open.
'Leave a message after the beep.'
The door crashed open.
'I'll get back to you as soon as I can.'
The tone sounded.
A gunshot and a scream echoed throughout the room.
11:17 PM
Sebastian sighed as he drove down the road. He was on his way back to the station after responding to a domestic violence call. The woman's estranged husband had arrived back in town and had broken the restraining order. Sebastian, along with three other officers, had managed to subdue the man and arrest him.
The red-eyed male flicked his gaze to the clock on the dashboard. If he hurried, then he might have time to swing by Ciel's house before going back to the station. It was something that he liked to do whenever he had the opportunity, especially since he worried about Ciel living alone even though he did have a security system. But the string of robberies had the police fumbling around. Those guys were good, and so far they hadn't left any prints or evidence behind, almost as if they were ghosts.
Sebastian frowned, wondering if he would be able to convince Ciel to stay with him until the criminals were caught. He snorted then, knowing that Ciel would refuse to let some robberies scare him out of his house. Maybe Sebastian would add in some extra alarms, just to be on the safe side.
Ciel's house was quiet; the lights were all turned off and Sebastian knew that Ciel was most likely sleeping. A wave of disappointment crashed over him before he smirked. Even if Ciel was asleep when he got home, he could still have some fun with him. Ciel waking up to Sebastian screwing him was a very entertaining idea.
Sebastian leaned back a bit and smiled. He was glad that Ciel had extended an invitation to Sebastian to stay at his house whenever the older man had a late-night shift like he had tonight. Sebastian's house was further away, and driving while you were sleepy was not a good idea.
Static from the radio filled the car, and Sebastian turned his attention to it. He scowled upon hearing that it was another break-in. Sooner or later, they would make a mistake, and then they would be arrested. Sebastian just hoped that it would be soon. So far, they hadn't broken into any homes while people had been there. But there was always that chance that the thieves would be mistaken about the house being empty, or that the owner would come home unexpectedly.
Sebastian listened for more information, and he felt his heart plummet to his toes as the radio squawked out an address that was familiar to him. "Ciel..." He quickly made a U-turn, flicked on the sirens, and grabbed the radio. "This is Michaelis. I'm two miles away from there. En route now. Back-up requested. Send an ambulance."
His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he realized that what he had been dreading had happened. Ciel was in danger, and Sebastian had to get to him as fast as he could.
He didn't notice his cell phone lying on the passenger seat, screen blinking that he had one missed call.
11:19 PM
Ciel was pulled out of the bathroom by his hair, and he lashed out with his arms, trying to hit the tall man who was dragging him. "Let me go!" The wound on his leg caused a bloody trail to form on the floor.
"As you wish," the man laughed and threw Ciel across the floor. He gave a cry as he slammed into the wall, and a piercing pain raced through his head. Gasping as his vision blackened for a moment, he raised a trembling hand to his head. He didn't have time to plan his next move before a heavyset man came over and pushed his foot into Ciel's middle.
Ciel cried out in pain as the heavyset man kicked him in the stomach again. He tasted metal in his mouth and weakly spit up blood. "Y-you won't get away with this..."
The man who was obviously the leader laughed. "That's what you think, Kid. Don't worry. We'll make this as slow and painful as we possibly can." He knelt down beside Ciel, tapping the blade of a knife against his knee. "Now let's see. What shall we do now?" Raising the knife, he drew a thin line down Ciel's arm.
Ciel whimpered as he tried to pull his arm away without causing the knife to slide in deeper. He had never been good with pain, and he longed to escape from it as the knife sliced through his skin. His vision bled black, and all he could think about was slipping into the peaceful blackness.
The tall man reached over and yanked Ciel's head back by his hair. Ciel yelped, pain radiating through his body even more. "Don't think you can just pass out on us. We've been waiting a long time for this. Ever since your daddy did us wrong."
A confused expression stole over Ciel's face. "My father? How did you know him? Did you kill him?" Rachel had never told Ciel how he had died, and now he was wondering if this was the reason why.
The leader burst into laughter. "Do you hear that? He thinks we killed his father." His chuckles soon dissipated into a smirk. "No, there's no way we could've killed him. Want to know why? Because he's still alive." He watched as Ciel's eyes widened. "Didn't know that, did you? Your real name is Ciel Phantomhive. Your daddy is none other than the famous Vincent Phantomhive."
"You're lying," Ciel whispered. "My father died when I was three. My mom said so."
"Hate to break it to you, but your mom lied. Your father is alive and well." The leader etched another thin line on Ciel's arm, smirking when the young male hissed.
"What do you want with me?" Ciel asked as he tried not to focus on the pain or the small trickle of blood running down his arm.
"We've come to collect," the heavy man stated.
"Collect?" Ciel echoed, trying to remain focused when all he wanted was to sleep.
"Yup. Your father owes us money, and he hasn't paid us yet. He's deep in debt, way over his head, and has been for the past seventeen years," the leader replied, casually swinging his knife back and forth. "Ah, sorry. You don't know the full story, do you? Well, get comfortable because I'm about to tell you a fairy tale."
The tall man snickered, eyes glinting dangerously. "This should be fun."
The leader ignored him and plunged in with his tale. "See, your daddy had a gambling problem. He loved to place bets, and it didn't matter on what. Horse racing, who was going to win in politics. You name it, he bet on it. When the time came for him to pay up, he had no money at all. He had spent every last dime, even money that should have been yours when you got old enough. He kept begging for more time, and finally, our boss had had enough. He ordered Daddy dearest to cough up the money or his lovely family would suffer the consequences." He drew a line down Ciel's arm with the knife, and Ciel resisted the urge to scream.
"So of course he panicked," the leader continued. "Decided that he couldn't have you and your mom die on him, and he arranged for you two to die in a car explosion, making it look like someone else had done it. Like we had killed you. You two went into hiding while he continued on with his life, safe from us because we were sent to jail. We couldn't kill him, otherwise we'd never get our money back. Our only hope was finding you and keeping you as leverage."
Ciel's blood ran cold as the leader raked his eyes over him. "Although, maybe we could just sell you. I'm sure we'll get our money's worth out of you, and then some," he said with a smirk.
Horror rose in Ciel's face and his blue eyes widened. They were going to sell him? His gaze shot over to the digital clock. It was only eleven thirty. He still had a half hour before Sebastian got off work, and even then the older male had to drive at least twenty minutes to get here. By that time, the men and Ciel would be long gone. He had to escape.
Mustering his strength, Ciel jumped to his feet, swaying a bit. The room spun, and he couldn't tell which way was up or down. He took one step and collapsed into a heap. He managed to prevent himself from hitting his head again, but he had lost his opportunity to flee as he saw through double vision the men coming towards him once more.
Ciel screamed as the heavy man brought his foot down hard onto his arm. He both heard and felt the bone crack, and his vision faded out. For a few seconds, he was blissfully unaware of everything happening around him until he was forced back to reality when cold water was dumped on him.
"Stay awake," the leader growled.
Ciel sputtered and coughed, choking on some of the liquid. "Sebastian," he gasped out.
The leader laughed. "You honestly think he's coming to save you? We've been watching both of you for some time now, and we know both of your schedules." He paused, tilting his head as a glint appeared in his eyes. "We also know that you like to scream rather loudly when you two are having sex. But that was off topic. Sebastian isn't getting off work until midnight, and then he still has to drive here." He leaned closer to Ciel. "You're on your own here, Kid. And it ain't looking too good for you."
Ciel's face lost all color. Of course they would watch and learn their patterns. That's what stalkers did, after all. They waited for the perfect opportunity to catch their victim alone and then they struck.
Blue eyes slid closed. Help wouldn't get here in time. He was as good as dead.
11:33 PM
Sebastian slowly approached Ciel's house on foot. He had turned off the siren and parked in a driveway a few house's down so as not to alert the intruders to his presence. For one thing, they might panic and run away before he could arrest them. Also, Ciel was still inside, as far as Sebastian knew. He hoped that the younger male had been able to escape before being caught, but he knew deep down that it was highly unlikely.
Slipping his gun from its holster, he approached the back door, making sure to keep an eye on the windows in case a lookout was posted there. He noted that the lock was jimmied and surmised that they had used this door as their entryway. After studying the door to make sure it was free of any type of alarm, he carefully eased it open and slipped inside.
He had been in Ciel's house enough times to know where to step to avoid creaky spots. Even though he wanted nothing more than to race upstairs to find Ciel, he took it slowly. Any little noise could alert the intruders that someone was coming to help Ciel.
Upon reaching the bedroom door, Sebastian took a deep breath, exhaling softly through his mouth. He paused for a moment to listen; he wanted to know how many people there were in the room. He counted two unfamiliar voices, both male, and then he heard Ciel cry out in pain. His blood boiled and he leveled the gun at chest range, reached over, and swung the door open.
"Police! Drop your weapons!" Sebastian yelled, his gaze scanning the room quickly. One intruder, two intruders. He had visual on both of them.
And that was when the shot rang out. Sebastian hissed as a dull ache spread through his arm. He rolled to the side of the door to cover himself from any more bullets. Glancing down, he noted that it was just a graze. He tilted his head back against the wall, berating himself for jumping in before he had gotten more of a handle on the situation. He had failed to realize that there were three men, not two.
This was going to be more difficult than he had first believed. Not only was he outnumbered three to one, but they also had at least one gun, and who knew what other weapons they had hidden on their bodies.
Sebastian moved into the doorway, pointing his gun at the man who had the other gun. He didn't see Ciel at first, and as he opened his mouth to ask, he saw the younger male lying on the floor behind the intruders. A pool of blood surrounded his leg, and Sebastian noticed Ciel's blue eyes flicker open before catching on him.
Ciel mouthed Sebastian's name, struggling to sit up only to collapse again with a groan of pain.
Sebastian knew that Ciel needed help, and fast, but he couldn't do anything to help him until he took care of the three men currently staring at him. Sebastian's grip tightened on his gun. They were between him and Ciel. They had to go.
"Put your weapons on the floor and slide them over to me, then get down on your knees. Hands on your head," Sebastian ordered.
The three men exchanged glances, silently asking each other what they were going to do. Sebastian hoped that they would concede without a fight; the last thing he needed was for Ciel to get hit with a stray bullet. His finger twitched at the trigger, wanting to blast away at them for what they had done to Ciel. But he couldn't. Yes, they had shot at him before, but unless they made the first move now, he was stuck.
"You really think we're going to listen to you?" The tall man spoke incredulously. "We just got out of jail. There's no way we're going back there. We'll just have to kill you, I suppose." He raised the gun and pulled the trigger.
But Sebastian was faster. Within seconds, the man was on the floor, a bullet hole in his chest. "And what about you two? You want to be dead, as well?" He asked, tone cold.
The heavyset man grabbed for the pistol as the leader reached behind him for the gun tucked into his waistband. Sebastian grimaced. This was exactly what he hadn't wanted; three guns going off at the same time, and one bullet was sure to ricochet off of something. He didn't want Ciel to be injured more.
Another shot rang out, and Sebastian ducked back behind the door frame. He had to fire back, but he had to be careful not to miss. His aim had to be perfect, lest he accidentally hit Ciel instead. He breathed in deeply then whirled around to look into the bedroom, gun raised.
Locating one of the men, Sebastian squeezed the trigger. The bullet whizzed through the air, grazing the heavy man's arm.
"Dammit," Sebastian ground out, having to take cover again. At this rate, Ciel was going to bleed to death just feet away from him. He had to do something now, even if it meant taking another bullet or two.
He rose to his feet, noting that the barrage of bullets had ended. He'd noted that both men held .45 mil Glocks, which only carried seven to ten bullets. Since the shooting had ceased, he could assume that they were either saving their final few bullets, or that they now had to reload. Listening carefully, he heard the distinct sounds of magazine clips being taken out, and realized that this was his chance.
And he took it.
Sebastian stepped boldly into the room, aimed his gun at the leader, and fired. The leader jerked backwards, his hands immediately dropping his gun and clutching at the hole in his chest, before he fell to the floor.
That made the heavy man falter, his eyes glancing over at his boss and leaving himself open for attack. Another gunshot rang out, and this time, the bullet hit him square between the eyes.
Sebastian lowered his gun, shaking and breathing unsteadily from the adrenaline rush flowing through his veins. He quickly strode over to the criminals, checking each one for a pulse as he removed their weapons. They were all dead, he thought with satisfaction before turning his attention to a more serious matter.
Ciel.
The black-haired man turned towards Ciel, and his heart plummeted. The younger male's condition looked even worse up close.
"S-Sebastian..." Ciel rasped, weakly stretching an arm out towards him.
Ciel's voice broke through to Sebastian, and the red-eyed male immediately sank to his knees beside his lover, yanking off his jacket and pressing it to the gunshot wound on Ciel's leg. "I'm here. Don't worry. I'm going to take care of you," he murmured soothingly, assessing the rest of Ciel's body.
The younger man was drenched, shivering violently, and his right arm was clearly broken; Sebastian cringed upon noticing that a small part of the bone was protruding from the skin. Ciel also had numerous cuts on his arms and bruises in various places. He noticed a bloody trail running down Ciel's chin and carefully lifted his shirt.
"Dammit," he swore as angry black and blue marks became visible on Ciel's stomach. Internal injuries, no doubt, but how severe, Sebastian didn't know. If he had to guess, he would say at least a couple of ribs had been broken, and he sincerely hoped that they hadn't punctured anything.
Ciel coughed, more of the crimson liquid dribbling from between his lips. Sebastian gently wiped it away. "Hold on. Help is coming."
"S'tired..." Ciel mumbled, his blue eyes drooping.
"Ciel, don't you dare close those eyes," Sebastian ordered him, panic rising within him. All of the training that he'd had about keeping his cool during events like this did him absolutely no good when the victim was the person he loved. He could only watch helplessly as Ciel struggled to remain conscious.
In the distance, sirens could be heard, and Sebastian urged them silently to hurry. Ciel was fading fast, and he needed better medical assistance than what Sebastian could offer.
"Hold on just a few minutes longer," Sebastian breathed. "Help is almost here, okay? Just focus on me." His mind scrambled for something to say to keep Ciel awake. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"
"You work," Ciel muttered.
"I'll take the day off. I don't care. You decide what we do." Sebastian felt for Ciel's pulse and noted with dismay that it was weakening.
"Movies. We c-can cuddle, and you can make d-dinner," Ciel gasped.
"Dinner. I can do that. What do you want to eat?" Sebastian could see the lights flashing. Just a few minutes longer.
"Steak? A-and potatoes," Ciel's voice drifted off, and his eyes drooped even more.
Sebastian pinched Ciel's shoulder. "No. Stay awake, Ciel."
Faded blue eyes stared up at Sebastian. "Sorry. Tired..." He apologized.
Sebastian swallowed hard. Ciel wasn't able to stay awake any longer. He could hear the paramedics rushing to the front door just as Ciel's eyes slipped closed and remained that way. "Ciel? Wake up." Even as he forced the words past his lips, he knew that Ciel couldn't listen. He had already sustained so much damage that it was a miracle that he'd still been conscious upon Sebastian's arrival.
A few seconds later, the paramedics burst into the room, followed by several policemen, and Sebastian mechanically moved back to allow them space to work. He could only stare at Ciel, suddenly aware of how tiny and pale he seemed. And there was so much blood covering the floor, walls, Ciel, and Sebastian himself.
Ciel was quickly loaded onto the stretcher and carried out, Sebastian following close behind. He was basically on autopilot as he climbed into the ambulance and huddled in a corner to stay out of the way. The entire ride to the hospital, he didn't say a word but kept his red gaze locked onto the small form of his lover.
September 13, 12:36 AM
Sebastian watched as the stretcher carrying Ciel was wheeled into the operating room. He stood there for a time, hoping that the younger male would come back through those doors, laughing at how he had managed to trick Sebastian.
But the doors remained closed.
The red-eyed male slumped against the wall, dragging a hand down his face. He winced upon seeing the dried blood covering himself and headed to the nearest bathroom to clean himself off. A few minutes later, he was feeling a little cleaner and sat down on one of the chairs in the waiting room. There was nothing left to do now except wait.
But then Sebastian remembered that Ciel's mother had yet to be contacted. He had her number saved to his phone because Ciel had given it to him in case he'd had any need to call him there. He pulled out his cell phone to call Rachel and paused when he saw that he had one missed call. He frowned, not remembering hearing his phone ring, and began to listen to the message that was left. His heart stopped beating when he heard a gun fire and a scream. Ciel's scream.
The phone slipped from his hand, landing on the floor with a clatter. He didn't notice. All he could think about was how he should have heard it earlier. If he had, then maybe he would have been able to help Ciel a bit more. He could have told the blue-eyed boy what to do and how to get himself out of the situation. He would have gotten help there sooner, and Ciel wouldn't be in critical condition.
But brooding about it wouldn't change anything. He picked his phone up, checking to make sure it wasn't damaged, then dialed Rachel's home phone number. It was on the fourth ring before she answered in a sleepy voice.
"Miss Durless? This is Officer Sebastian Michaelis. I'm sorry to have woken you up this late, but it's concerning your son, Ciel Durless," Sebastian spoke.
Rachel was instantly awake, and she clutched the phone tighter to her ear. "Ciel? What happened? Is he okay?" She questioned fearfully.
Sebastian hesitated. "His house was broken into tonight. He's at the General Hospital, Ma'am, undergoing surgery as we speak."
A sharp intake of breath was his only reply for a few minutes. Then her unsteady voice came through the phone once more. "Dear God... Is he-? Oh, please tell me that I didn't lose him, too."
"As of right now," Sebastian spoke, choosing his words carefully, "that's as much as I know."
A moment of silence, and then, "Yes, thank you for letting me know. I'll be there as soon as I possibly can." And with that, she hung up.
Sebastian closed the phone and sighed, stretching his legs out and staring blankly at the far wall. This was going to be a long night.
1:42 AM
An hour after Sebastian had called Rachel, a blond woman with blue eyes, much like Ciel's, had come hurrying into the room. Her eyes quickly scanned the area before landing on him. He watched as her face crumpled and a hand flew to cover her mouth. He glanced down, cringing again at his uniform drenched in Ciel's blood. He hadn't left the hospital to get a change of clothes, instead preferring to stay here in case something happened with Ciel.
Sebastian stood and crossed over to her. "Miss Durless, I presume?"
"Yes, that's me. And you're Officer Michaels?" Rachel questioned.
"Michaelis, actually," he corrected her but was unsure if she even heard it. She had a distant look in her eyes, not that he blamed her. Her only child was in the hospital, and there had still been no news on his condition. He opened his mouth to say something of comfort to her when her phone rang.
She glanced at the caller ID before her expression changed, and she hurried away without a word.
Sebastian frowned, wondering what that had been about, and then returned to his spot he had vacated a moment earlier. Five minutes ticked by, and Rachel still had not returned. Sebastian gave a small snort. Apparently, whoever had called her was more important than her son.
Another fifteen minutes had passed before Rachel re-entered the room, and an hour slowly ticked by as Sebastian stared at the clock, willing the hands to move faster. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a nurse stepped into the room.
"Any family for Ciel Durless?" She questioned, glancing about the room.
Rachel stood, quickly followed by Sebastian. "I'm his mother." The nurse motioned for her to follow and she did, Sebastian not far behind.
The nurse, whose name tag read Hannah, stopped to look at Sebastian. "Are you family?"
"No, I'm Ciel's boyfriend," he replied.
"I'm sorry. Only family members are allowed in the conference room," Hannah apologized.
"Boyfriend?" Rachel gaped at him. She had merely assumed that he had just been waiting at the hospital until she arrived. "Ciel never mentioned anything about having a boyfriend. He never even told me that he was..." She faltered, not sure how to word it.
"Gay?" Sebastian supplied.
Rachel nodded, looking uncomfortable as she shifted her weight nervously.
"Ma'am? Sir? Are you both coming?" Hannah questioned as she glanced at Rachel.
The blond woman hesitated. She still wasn't too sure about Sebastian and the relationship he had with her son, but if the red-eyed man was indeed Ciel's boyfriend, then perhaps he did have a right to hear about his condition. "Yes, we're both coming," she said finally.
"Then if you would please come this way," Hannah directed their attention back towards her and led them to the conference room.
"How is Ciel?" Rachel managed to ask before Sebastian could even open his mouth. She perched on the edge of a chair, holding tightly onto her purse.
"He's in recovery right now. Your son is very lucky, Miss Durless. Aside from a mild concussion, he has a compound fracture in his right arm, a bullet wound to his left upper leg, some cracked and broken ribs, and nine minor cuts on his left arm," Hannah recited.
"Did the ribs puncture anything?" Sebastian wanted to know.
The nurse shook her head. "No, luckily for him, or else it would have been a lot worse."
"May I see him?" Rachel questioned.
"He's heavily sedated for now, so he probably won't wake up for another few hours. But I don't see why you can't go in for a few minutes. I'm sure you're anxious to see him." She looked at both Rachel and Sebastian when she spoke.
The male nodded. "I would like to see him. Miss Durless, why don't you go in first?"
The older woman looked relieved. "Thank you, Officer. I appreciate it." She still looked wary of Sebastian, as if unsure of what to make of him.
Sebastian merely smiled and inclined his head, watching as Rachel quickly exited the room before he turned back to the nurse. "If I give you my number, will you please call me immediately as soon as Ciel wakes up?"
"Of course," Hannah smiled gently. "Before you leave, though, I'd like to take a look at your arm. I'm sure it's probably infected by now, and I don't want it to get any worse."
Sebastian blinked. He had all but forgotten about the graze on his arm, but now that she mentioned it, it started to sting again. "That would probably be a
good idea," he grunted even though he would have preferred to be in the waiting room. With a sigh, he followed Hannah once more, his body protesting and crying for sleep. But that could come later. He had things to do before then.
September 14, 11:37 AM
Sebastian hurried down the hospital hallway, barely able to focus on not running into anyone. His mind was elsewhere, on a single person who had just woken up only forty minutes ago.
He'd received a call from Hannah saying that Ciel had awoken and was asking for him, and he had left his office as soon as he'd been able to and sped practically the whole way here. Now, as he neared Ciel's room, he slowed down and paused in front of the door. His hand rested on the knob, and his heart pounded. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Sebastian slipped into the room, his gaze instantly going to the figure lying on the bed. His lips lifted into a smile upon noticing that Ciel's eyes were open, even if only slightly. "Hey," he said softly.
"Hey, yourself," Ciel rasped. He frowned, trying to clear his throat which was sore from screaming.
The red-eyed male crossed the room in a few steps and quickly poured some water into a small paper cup for Ciel. He helped him take a couple of sips then set the cup aside. "How are you feeling?" He questioned, pulling up a chair to sit in.
"Sore. And tired," Ciel replied. He held out a hand, and Sebastian took it, squeezing it gently before pressing a kiss to the knuckles. Ciel tilted his head, wincing at the pain that washed over him. "What's wrong?"
Sebastian was silent as he bent over, closer to the younger male. "I'm so sorry," Sebastian murmured, face buried in Ciel's neck. He breathed in deeply; Ciel's scent was faintly there, masked by the antiseptic, but it still helped Sebastian know that the younger male was still alive.
"Not your fault," Ciel whispered back.
"I should have been there. When I think about what could have happened..." Sebastian trailed off, closing his eyes to banish the memory of seeing Ciel lying there on the floor, broken and bloodied.
"Hey, I'm okay, Sebastian." Ciel reached out and gently touched the older man's cheek. "I'm alive. You came in time to save me. That's all that matters."
"I don't know what I would have done if you had died," Sebastian continued, covering Ciel's hand with his own. "I just love you, so damn much."
Ciel's eyes widened before filling with tears, for it was the first time that Sebastian had ever spoken those words. "I love you, too."
Sebastian pressed a kiss to Ciel's lips, but quickly pulled away when he winced in pain. "Sorry."
Ciel managed to smile. "It's okay. Just swollen, and it hurts." He gently touched his jaw, where there was an ugly bruise from his cheekbone down to his chin. "I probably look horrible."
Sebastian smiled at him. "You look fine. I'll take a few bruises if it means you're still alive. You can't scare me away that easily."
"I don't think I want you to go away," Ciel breathed, staring up at his lover.
Sebastian longed to wrap his arms around Ciel, to kiss him senseless, but that would have to wait until Ciel was doing better and not in so much pain. So he settled for brushing his lips against Ciel's forehead.
Ciel didn't want to break the peaceful mood, but there was something on his mind that he needed to talk about. "My father's still alive," he said quietly. "Vincent Phantomhive."
Sebastian nodded slowly, processing the information. So his hunch had been correct. While he had been at work earlier, he'd run the three men's prints and discovered that they were the same men who had been placed in jail after Rachel and Ciel Phantomhive's deaths. "Is that so?"
"Yes." Ciel frowned as he stared at the older man, who had a knowing look on his face. "You don't seem very surprised."
Sebastian shook his head. "To be honest, I started to put the pieces together a while ago. I just didn't have any proof until today, and so I didn't say anything to you about it."
Nothing was spoken for a minute, then Ciel broke the silence. "She lied to me, Sebastian. My own mother lied to me. And my father... I guess he cared for us, but not as much as he did for his gambling."
Sebastian ran his fingers through Ciel's hair. "I'm sorry," he soothed, not sure what else to say to a person who had realized that he'd been lied to his whole life.
"It just makes me so mad," Ciel whispered. "Why didn't they tell me?"
"That's something you would have to ask them," Sebastian pointed out slowly.
Ciel nodded and grimaced from the pain, his blue eyes closing. Sebastian fought the urge to ask him to open them; he had spent many hours hoping that he could see those blue orbs again, and even now he was fearful that Ciel wouldn't open them ever again.
There was a knock at the door, and both males turned towards it. "Come in," Ciel said, his brow furrowing. He wondered if it was his mother since he didn't know who else it could be.
The door opened, and Rachel stepped inside, followed closely by a man Sebastian recognized as Vincent Phantomhive. The red-eyed male stole a quick look at Ciel, who was working to maintain a neutral expression, but Sebastian could see his jaw clenching.
"Mom," Ciel said softly.
Tears sparkled brightly in Rachel's blue eyes as she hurried to her son's side. "Oh, Ciel, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I thought... We thought that it was all over." She tenderly brushed his hair away from his face. "Can you ever forgive us?"
Vincent cleared his throat, glancing at Sebastian. "Rachel, I think this conversation should remain family business."
Ciel's gaze followed Vincent's, and he frowned. "No. Sebastian's staying in here."
"Ciel, I don't want to discuss this in front of other people," Vincent stated flatly.
"Why? Because you don't want anyone to know what a bastard you are?" Ciel spat out, glaring daggers at his so-called father.
"Ciel!" Rachel exclaimed, shocked by her son's words.
"Well, I have news for you. Sebastian isn't going anywhere. He's staying right here beside me, because I know that I can trust him with my life," Ciel declared, a tremor in his voice, as he squeezed the red-eyed male's hand tightly.
Vincent eyed their joined hands. "Please don't tell me that you two are..." He didn't finish his sentence, but he didn't need to. Ciel knew exactly what he was going to say.
"We're in love," Ciel said simply, smiling at his lover, who returned the smile.
Vincent looked like he was going to respond, but he just shook his head, not looking very pleased. "If you're going to be that way..."
"Besides, I'm not even sure what we have to discuss. It all seems pretty cut and dry to me," the blue-eyed boy stated.
"Now, Ciel, please, don't act like this," Rachel pleaded, wringing her hands.
"Don't act like what?" The youngest male's eyes flashed angrily. "What do you want me to say? That everything's just fine? That I'm not upset that I've been living a lie? Everything I've thought was the truth has been a lie."
"Ciel, not everything-" Rachel tried to say, but he interrupted her.
"You lied to me," Ciel whispered, the slight quiver in his voice the only indication of how he felt. "You told me that my father died when I was three. For seventeen years, you blatantly lied to my face. I don't know what to believe anymore."
Sebastian put a hand on Ciel's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "Ciel, take it easy," he murmured.
Vincent stepped forward. "Ciel, we thought it was for the best that you didn't learn the truth. If you didn't know, then you had a chance at living a normal life. You didn't have to constantly worry about whether or not you were found. You could live without fear."
"I think I would have rather known the truth than have my whole life be a lie," Ciel stated flatly. Hurt was evident in his eyes, and to his horror, hot tears began to form behind his eyelids.
"What can we do to make it up to you?" Rachel questioned.
"Nothing right now. I'm just confused. I don't know what to think." Tears filled Ciel's eyes.
Sebastian glanced at Vincent and Rachel. "I'm sorry, but could you please leave? The doctors don't want him to have a lot of stress right now." He leveled his red eyes at the two when it looked like they were going to protest.
Rachel bit her lip and sighed. "All right. I'll be back later, okay?" She leaned down and kissed his forehead.
Ciel murmured a quiet good-bye and visibly relaxed after they left. "I don't know what to do, Sebastian," Ciel whispered. "She lied to me for most of my life, and now she expects me to just forgive her?" His heart rate sped up, and he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.
Sebastian threaded his fingers soothingly through his lover's hair. "Shh, it's okay, Ciel. Don't worry about it right now. Just concentrate on getting better for now." He laid a kiss to Ciel's trembling lips, their mouths melding and tongues twisting together. Ciel did his best to ignore the pain; he just wanted - no, he needed to kiss Sebastian again. They both needed that physical contact after the traumatic event they had suffered through.
They remained that way until the need for air pushed them apart. Sebastian rested his forehead against Ciel's and smiled. "You should rest. You look tired."
Ciel stifled a yawn. "Sounds good." He found Sebastian's hand and laced their fingers together. His blue eyes soon drifted shut and he fell into a deep slumber.
September 20, 4:52 PM
"It feels good to be home," Ciel sighed as Sebastian carefully set him down on the couch then sat down beside him.
"It's good to have you home," he replied, nuzzling the younger male's neck.
Ciel chuckled. "When I asked you to keep an eye on my house while I was in the hospital, I didn't think that you'd take that as an invitation to move in."
"I could have moved you into my apartment, but I decided that your house was in a lot better condition than my apartment. Plus, we don't have to worry about nosy neighbors. We can be as loud as we want," Sebastian said with a devilish smirk.
Ciel rolled his eyes. "I still have neighbors, Sebastian. They'll call the cops if we're too loud."
"Ciel, I am the cops." The red-eyed male laughed when Ciel glared at him. "Okay, fine. So maybe you're not that thrilled about me living with you. But you'll get used to having me around. I'm a good cook; that has to count for something."
Ciel rolled his eyes. "I will admit that you are an excellent cook. But that has nothing to with why I will allow you to live in my house."
"Mm... Then it must be because of my skills in bed," Sebastian purred as he nipped at Ciel's ear.
Ciel shivered lightly, tilting his head to allow better access. "Nope, that isn't it, either."
Sebastian paused. "Oh? Then why are you letting me stay here?"
"Because I love you," Ciel answered, pressing a kiss to Sebastian's lips. They remained that way until Ciel pulled back slightly to murmur, "Although your talents in both the kitchen and in bed were also deciding factors."
Sebastian chuckled. "Is that so?" Ciel nodded, and then silence crept over them as they rested there, both content to be in the other's arms.
Ciel was almost asleep when Sebastian spoke. "Have you talked to your father recently?" He asked, watching Ciel from the corner of his eye.
"No, I haven't talked to Vincent since that day in the hospital. He may have been my father in the literal sense, but he was never truly my father," Ciel answered.
"You're not even going to give him a chance?" Sebastian leaned back on the couch, allowing Ciel to maneuver himself into a comfortable position on top of him, which was a feat considering he had a cast on his arm and a bandage on his leg.
"Why should I? He cared more about gambling before, so why should I believe that he wants a relationship with me now?" Ciel bit out, eyes flashing.
Sebastian considered that before replying, "Maybe he's changed."
Ciel snorted. "Yeah, and maybe pigs fly. Look, I don't want anything to do with him, so will you please just drop it? I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Sebastian held his hands up in surrender as he backed down. "Okay, fine."
Ciel waited a beat, and then spoke. "Sebastian, who am I?"
Sebastian cocked his head, a quizzical look on his face. "You're Ciel, my lover."
A head of gray-black hair shook back and forth. "No. Who am I?" He stressed. "All my life, I thought I was Ciel Durless, only child of a widow. Now I find out that I'm really Ciel Phantomhive, and that my father is actually alive."
A sigh fell from Sebastian's lips, and he tugged Ciel closer, wrapping his arms around his middle but being careful not to squeeze too hard. "To be honest, Ciel, I don't give a damn what your last name is, or whether your father is dead or alive. All I know, and all that I need to know, is that you're Ciel and we love each other." He tilted Ciel's chin up, gazing into blue eyes. "Understand?"
Ciel nodded and closed his eyes, basking in the warmth that surrounded him. While it still bothered him, and probably would in the months to come, that he had been lied to, he did understand what Sebastian was telling him. As long as they had each other, nothing else mattered.
"I've been thinking about something else, too," the blue-eyed male said.
"Oh? Aren't we just so philosophical today," Sebastian teased.
Ciel rolled his eyes, lightly smacking Sebastian on the chest with his good hand. "Oh, shut up. I just realized," he murmured, "that if you hadn't pulled me over that day, I wouldn't have met you, and I might not be alive today."
Sebastian's chest clenched at the thought, and his arms clutched possessively around Ciel. "Let's not think about that, okay?" He requested, his voice tight. He'd already had too many vivid dreams about Ciel dying; he didn't need to add anything more on top of that. "Instead, how about we focus on the fact that if I hadn't pulled you over, we wouldn't be so madly in love with each other."
Ciel's lips widened into a smile. "I like your idea better. You didn't just give me a speeding ticket that day. You gave me a speeding ticket to love."
Their lips met once more. It was just a simple kiss, but to them, it meant everything. It signified the start of a new part of their lives.