To make up for last week's almost late update, I am posting this chapter earlier in the day! Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Read and review, flame if you must.
Akiru Chan and I have limited medical knowledge, so please forgive any errors you might find.
Disclaimer: Neither of us own Sebastian or Ciel, or any of the other Kuroshitsuji characters.
It was now Monday, three days after the incident in the hospital room and the day that Ciel's treatments were to start. His mother had dropped him off at the hospital fifteen minutes ago on her way to a charity fundraiser for children who were blind. Now he was sitting alone in an examining room, his body stiff and tense as he waited for Sebastian to come.
Seb lay on the floor close by, eyes trained on his master who seemed to be distraught. His tail wagged weakly and he let out a low whine. Ciel gave a small smile and hopped off of the examining table. He knelt beside the dog, scratching behind his ears, and pressed his face against the top of Seb's head.
The door clicked open then, revealing Sebastian in his white doctor coat and a clipboard. He blinked, looking around the room until his eyes settled upon Ciel on the floor. "I thought I had the wrong room for a moment. Didn't see you sitting there," he joked, and let the door shut behind him as he made his way fully into the room.
Today promised to be an easy day. Sebastian just had to run some standard tests that would be quick and easy, or so he thought. The last appointment should have proved that things never quite happened the way they should where Ciel was concerned. The concept both excited and scared Sebastian, although he would never admit it, not even to himself.
Ciel stood, keeping one hand on Seb's head. He was still slightly embarrassed about his behavior a few days ago, but he decided that he wasn't going to bring it up unless Sebastian did. "So what are we doing today?"
"Just some tests, nothing too big. I want get an MRI of your brain, and then we'll just take a look at your eyes to make sure that they haven't sustained any damage." Sebastian moved over to the counter and cabinets in the room. His clipboard was placed by the sink and he went about getting a variety of instruments to check on Ciel's eyes.
When he turned back to Ciel, Sebastian patted the examination chair, getting Ciel's attention. "Come on, I need you sitting up here." He patted the chair again to show where it was located so Ciel could easily find it and situate himself.
Ciel walked over, managing to find the chair pretty easily, and sat down. He fidgeted nervously, not sure what to expect next. He kept jumping at the littlest sounds, which seemed magnified to his sensitive ears. His sightless eyes jumped from place to place as if he half-expected something terrible to suddenly appear.
Sebastian approached slowly as if facing a frightened animal. "I'm going to touch your face, okay?" He said. "I'm just going to be checking your eyes. If you feel uncomfortable, then tell me and I'll stop." After a moment and receiving a nod from Ciel, Sebastian moved forward and began examining Ciel's eyes.
Ciel sat perfectly still, belying the tenseness of his muscles and the slight quivering of his body. He was ready to flee if need be. To help calm himself down, he started to recite the multiplication tables in his mind. He hardly flinched whenever Sebastian touched his face, but he knew that that wouldn't be the case every time. He was slightly comfortable around Sebastian since they had met a few times already.
His mind drifted to Sebastian's lips, and he wondered what the doctor would think if he were to touch Ciel's lips. He blushed and quickly withdrew from that train of thought, unsure as to why he was even thinking about it in the first place.
After checking to make sure Ciel's eyes were dilating properly, Sebastian withdrew and began to write things down on his clipboard. "All done," he said and patted Ciel on his thigh, quickly removing his hand when he thought better of the action. "Your eyes look great. Now to see your brain."
Ciel panicked.
He jerked away from Sebastian, his heart rate escalating. His breathing became erratic, and his body started to shake. The hand that had been on his thigh, it had been close; too close. He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, his arms coming up to wrap around his middle.
Seb started to pace back and forth, every once in a while nudging Ciel's arm with his nose. He turned towards Sebastian, as he often did when Ciel wasn't acting normal. After all, there was only so much a dog could do.
"Ciel," Sebastian called, trying to rouse the boy without touching him. "Ciel, it's okay; I'm sorry." He tried to apologize.
There was still much to learn about Ciel. He wasn't sure what was okay and what wasn't when it came to the young man. Touching varied, and these attacks seemed to be ticking time bombs. Curiosity perked at Sebastian's mind as he wondered just what could have happened to this boy. It was obvious Ciel had gone through something traumatic, but Sebastian had been reluctant to snoop through records that might tell him more. He only ever took the information he needed, and respected his patients' privacy.
"Ciel, can you hear me?" Sebastian tried to get Ciel's attention one last time, making a wild gamble as he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. He was hoping the gesture was becoming familiar and would focus Ciel's attention on him.
Ciel, from in the midst of terror, heard someone speaking and struggled to focus on the voice. The person's voice was calm, soothing. Then he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder. Desperately trying to get back to reality, he grasped onto the closest thing he could, which turned out to be Sebastian's hand. Gripping it tightly, he could sense the memories receding, now waiting for the next moment to strike.
Sebastian's hands grasped at Ciel's own, holding them reassuringly as the boy came back to reality. Sweat beaded upon his forehead and Sebastian tried to wipe it away. "Are you okay?" Sebastian tried to gain Ciel's full attention, bringing him fully out of his thoughts. "Ciel," he whispered the name and sucked in a breath as intense blue eyes bore into his own.
Ciel appeared to be slightly dazed, but he nodded in response to Sebastian's question. "Yeah, I'm okay now," he whispered. His breathing evened out, and his body relaxed. A dark red blush appeared on his face. "I'm sorry. I always seem to freak out."
"It's no problem," Sebastian quickly said. "I'm just glad I could snap you out of it. You worried me." The admission made Sebastian blush, but he was fortunate that Ciel could not see.
Ciel gave a slow nod. He'd only known Sebastian for less than a week, and already he'd had two meltdowns in front of him. He hoped that that wasn't an indication of things to come. He would hate for the doctor to have to constantly be on guard, wondering what he should say or not say, what he should do or not do. He debated about writing up a list for him, just to help him out.
"You said you have to check my brain now?" He quickly changed the subject.
After a tense moment, Sebastian nodded and released his hold on Ciel's hands. "You'll need to have an MRI, but it's nothing to worry about. You just have to lay there," he explained quickly so that he didn't alarm Ciel again. At the moment Sebastian felt as if he were walking on egg shells.
"Okay." Ciel wasn't a stranger to MRI's. After he had been blinded, he'd had multiple MRI's. They didn't frighten him, not as much as the needle treatments did. "Oh, Sebastian? I have a question about the needle treatment."
"Yes?" Sebastian stopped as he picked up his clipboard, turning around to look at Ciel with calculating eyes.
Ciel took a deep breath. "Where will the needles be injected?" He nervously tugged at the hem of his shirt.
Sebastian hesitated, unsure of how to answer the boy's question. He knew however it was worded, Ciel would react badly to it. "We'll have to inject through your eye and to your optic nerves," he explained slowly and cautiously.
Ciel blinked. "My eye?" He echoed. He wasn't sure if he was relieved that the needles would be going to his eye as opposed to other places, such as his back or arm. Subconsciously, he rubbed his forearms, aware of the tiny needle marks one could see if they looked close enough.
With a slow nod Sebastian confirmed. "We'll need to give injections in both eyes, but we'll be sure to treat you with eye drops to numb you. You won't be able to feel much." His words were meant to reassure but the tenseness of Ciel's body showed that Sebastian's words did not help to easy the anxiety.
Ciel was silent. He was beginning to regret his decision to go through with the treatments, but he knew that if he backed out now, he might not get another chance. He would just have to tough it out and expect anxiety attacks regularly. At least Sebastian didn't seem to be annoyed with the attacks. At least, not yet anyway. Give him a few days, and he would most likely be irritated with having to be so cautious around Ciel.
"If you want, I can always give you something to relax you if you'd like. Would make things less stressful," Sebastian suggested when Ciel continued to look apprehensive. He wanted to see the boy relaxed; the turmoil and fear in his eyes did little justice for Ciel. Sebastian liked the boy best when his blue eyes were clear and bright.
"What would you give me?" Ciel questioned. He hoped that he wasn't asking too many questions, but he wanted to know what he would be dealing with so he knew what his reactions would be.
"Just a weak sedative," Sebastian said and moved towards the door.
Ciel's face paled. A sedative. Sebastian wanted to give him a sedative. He closed his eyes, concentrating on breathing in and out. When he felt that he was calm enough to talk, he opened his eyes. "I'm not sure a sedative is the best thing to do, but that might be better than nothing," he said quietly.
"I'm not forcing you into anything," Sebastian reassured as he opened the office door. "You'll have a week to think it over, but first you need an MRI." He waited for Ciel to hop from the table and hold onto his dog's harness. Sebastian knew that he could just as easily help Ciel to the needed room without the dog's help, but he reluctantly allowed Ciel that small bit of reassurance. Unbeknown to Ciel, Sebastian was not a fan of the canine variety.
Ciel stood to his feet and let Seb lead him from the room, following Sebastian. They soon arrived at the room where the MRI's were held, and he stood still, awaiting further instruction.
Sebastian toyed around with some things, the clicking and clanks reaching Ciel's ears. "You'll have to leave Seb in here," he said after a moment, coming to stand next to Ciel. His hand was once again on the boy's shoulder and he gave it a comforting squeeze. "I'll lead you to the MIR and get you settled it."
Ciel released his hold on the harness. "Sit, stay," he commanded Seb. The dog obeyed, eyes never wavering from his master's face. "I'll be back." Ciel reluctantly took a step then halted, not knowing the layout of the room. The last thing he wanted to do was trip over something and make a complete fool of himself in front of Sebastian. Why he cared so much, he didn't know. All he knew was that he really wanted Sebastian to like him.
It was only a moment later before Sebastian had a hold on Ciel's hands. "You can trust me," he said as he slowly began to lead Ciel forward and through the door that led to the MRI. Every movement was careful and slow, allowing Ciel a chance to feel the emptiness around him. When they reached the table Ciel would lay on, Sebastian's hand moved up Ciel's arm. He lifted it up and placed it on the table for Ciel to feel. "Can you get up?" Sebastian asked, unsure if he should help further.
"I should be able to," Ciel said. Keeping his one hand on the table, he turned his back to the table and placed his other hand on the flat surface. He lifted himself up and situated himself so he was comfortable, pleased with how easy that had been. Having been blind for eight years, there were different things that were easy or difficult to do, and he had learned to distinguish which tasks he could accomplish and which ones he couldn't. Getting onto a table was easy now that he was older and therefore taller.
Sebastian positioned Ciel's legs and arms into a proper pose and moved back from the table. "Just stay still and it'll be over soon enough," he said as he went to reenter the small room with the controls. Seb's head lifted from the floor when Sebastian came in, and the dog wagged his tail in a happy greeting. Sebastian ignored him and went to conduct the MRI as quickly as possible.
Ciel was left by himself, and he waited patiently for everything to get started. He was on high alert, listening for anyone to enter the room aside from Sebastian. He would be able to tell it was Sebastian due to the scent of the man's cologne.
He frowned, recalling the hospital room ordeal. What had possessed him to blatantly touch Sebastian's face like that? He should have immediately removed his hand upon realizing what he'd been doing. But he hadn't. Why? That question troubled him, and until he found an answer, it would keep bothering him.
The machine began to make a whirring sound, and Ciel closed his eyes, allowing his body to relax.
In a short few minutes, the MRI was over and Sebastian was coming out of the room. "All done," he announced as he approached the table and put his hand on Ciel's shoulder, being careful not to touch anywhere else without the boy's permission. With easy hands, he helped Ciel to sit up and turn to allow his legs to dangle above the ground.
Ciel smiled. "So, how did I do?" He slid to the ground, keeping a hand on the table until he was steady on his feet and wouldn't fall over. He was anxious to get back to Seb. He always felt out of sorts whenever he and the dog were separated.
Sebastian didn't move, keeping the two of them standing near the MRI. "You did fine. I just need to look over the images taken and I'll call you with the results." Once more, Sebastian's hand sought out Ciel's own so that he could lead the boy back to his dog. He didn't move right away, wanting to make sure Ciel was ready. Even though in the back of Sebastian's mind he thought that he might enjoy this moment, not wanting it to end so soon.
Ciel tilted his head. "Um, are we going now?" Sebastian's hand in his was a nice feeling, and he was distinctly aware of the soft texture. That thought made him want to quickly yank his hand away. He didn't know why he was having these thoughts about his doctor, but it was scaring him.
They moved forwards after that, Sebastian's hand tightening over Ciel's as he pulled him along. "We'll be done after this," he began to say. "You are welcome to wait in my office with me until your mother comes to get you. I don't have an appointment until this afternoon, so you're no bother." The door was opened and Seb rushed forward to greet Ciel. Sebastian easily guided Ciel's hand to the dog's harness and proceeded to put space between himself and his patient.
Ciel found that he missed the warmth of Sebastian's body next to him. He bit his lip, worried about the thoughts that seemed to be present in his mind. Was he becoming obsessed with his doctor? No, he decided. Sebastian was the one person he was most comfortable with in the hospital, so it was only natural for Ciel to want to be by him. He breathed a sigh of relief. He had figured it out.
Sebastian stood, shifting from foot to foot as he awaiting Ciel's answer. The boy looked deep in thought again, but his eyes were clear and Sebastian was sure that it was indeed deep thinking and not terrors that kept him oblivious to Sebastian's words. "Ciel," he said, hand once more going to the boy's shoulder. There was no longer any tension for the touch and Sebastian saw it as a small victory. Bit by bit he was getting closer to this boy.
"Huh? Oh, sure, I'll wait in your office," Ciel replied with a tiny smile. The hand on his shoulder was comforting, and Ciel, much to his surprise, had begun to crave the simple gesture. To him, it showed that Sebastian cared enough to want him to be comfortable and to make sure that he was okay.
They moved out of the MRI and Sebastian led them back down the hall the way they came. The examination room was passed by and Sebastian walked towards his office, holding the door open for Ciel and his dog. "Feel free to look around and get a feel for the layout before you settle yourself," he suggested, knowing Ciel would want to know what the room looked like before feeling comfortable sitting in it.
Ciel nodded and slowly began moving around the room. There was a small couch in one corner of the
room with a side table beside it, and two chairs were in the middle of the room, in front of Sebastian's desk. A bookcase lined a wall, and Ciel ran his fingers over the shelves, feeling that some of the books seemed old. He finally settled down on the couch, ordering Seb to lay at his feet. The dog did so, but his eyes were alert as he glanced about the room.
"How long have you been a doctor?" Ciel asked, breaking the silence.
"More years then I care to remember," Sebastian said at first as he fell back into his desk chair. He thought the question over, wondering just how long it had been since he had been in school. "About five years now." He thought back to university, summer classes, and a dedication to his work and school work. Sebastian had been able to boast about being a published doctor before he had graduated with his PhD when he was only twenty-four.
"So you're in your thirties, then?" Ciel guessed, not really caring if it wasn't exactly every day conversation to discuss ages. He was curious about who his doctor was, and if he was going to trust him, he would have to know more about him.
Sebastian smiled in grim acceptance. "Just turned thirty." Never mind that it had been months since his birthday. "Still young," he added for his own benefit.
"Thirty isn't that old," Ciel agreed. "Are you married?" Again, Ciel disregarded any etiquette rules he knew.
With a quick shake of his head, Sebastian laughed. "No, no. Job doesn't give time for pursuing a relationship." He had tried but no woman could stand being second best to Sebastian's job.
Ciel was silent for a time. "Does it get lonely?"
"I have work to keep me busy and patients to keep me company." He smiled towards Ciel as Sebastian shuffled through random papers that demanded his attention.
Ciel frowned, thinking that being a doctor sounded very boring and lonely. Sure, there were opportunities to help people, but working long hours and having no one to go home to at night sounded like a very dull existence. "Any other family?"
This time Sebastian took a moment before answering. Family was a touchy subject and one he often didn't discuss. "None that I would consider family," he said after a moment.
Ciel immediately picked up on Sebastian's hesitance to answer and backed off of the subject. He didn't want Sebastian to get mad at him, but that was mostly because he'd had a bad experience with people who were angry because he'd not done something right. Ciel shook his head to clear the thoughts away. He wouldn't have another anxiety attack.
"Enough about me," Sebastian said to change the subject. "Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do?" He asked, very much curious.
"I like to read. And I also like to eat sweets," he answered, laughing a little. "I play with Seb quite a bit, but that's it."
"I make a mean creme brulee." Sebastian patted at Ciel's shoulder and chuckled. "You do good for the treatments and I'll make you some." he promised.
Ciel smiled. "That sounds good. I haven't had creme brulee in quite a while." He hesitated. "When I was younger, I wanted to be a chef. But now..." He trailed off.
"You'll become a chef," Sebastian reassured with a squeeze of Ciel's shoulder.
"You're too optimistic," Ciel replied. "It all depends on if I get my sight back or not."
Sebastian waved him off. "There are many great men out there who pursued careers that their disabilities made it nearly impossible to succeed at, but they never gave up and broke past those walls. Look at Beethoven; he composed while deaf. I have faith that you will do great things whether blind or not." Ciel was given one last smile before Sebastian turned back to his papers.
Ciel was left to his thoughts, and he sat there in silence, petting Seb. Sebastian had been right; there were many people who had overcome their disabilities. However, he wasn't convinced that he would be able to become a chef if he was still blind. There were some jobs that you needed your sight for, and that was one of them. Sighing, he leaned back against the couch and settled in for the hour long wait until his mom arrived.
"Don't worry over it. You're here to get your sight back and I will do just that," Sebastian promised as he tried to lift Ciel's spirits.
"Thanks," Ciel said softly, but his unseeing eyes still held glimmers of doubt.
A few moments passed by them in silence as Sebastian worked, only the shuffling documents could be heard. The clock inched by and the atmosphere tottered on uncomfortable but Sebastian for his part could not think of more to say. Finally he settled on something mundane and uninteresting, at least for himself. Sebastian had become far too familiar with the object he pulled toward himself. "Would you like to know what you brain looks like? I can even show you what part we'll be fixing," he asked.
Ciel turned his head in Sebastian's direction, not sure if his ears were now not working. "...I don't think that will work," he said at length. "I can't see, so how can you show me what my brain looks like?"
Sebastian chuckled and waved Ciel over. "Come here," he said without much explanation.
Ciel was curious, so he rose to his feet and slowly made his way over to the desk. He stood awkwardly off to the side, not certain where Sebastian wanted him to be.
"Give me your hands," Sebastian asked as his own were placed for Ciel to take.
Ciel grasped Sebastian's hands and willed himself not to freak out or blush. He was unsure of what Sebastian was doing, and he was ready if he had to quickly run out of the room.
With careful movements Sebastian moved Ciel's hands over towards the model brain, allowing the boys fingers to splay over the rippled surface. "This is, relatively speaking, what your brain looks like." Sebastian released Ciel's hands so that the young man could freely explore the model in depth.
Ciel trailed his fingers over the model, feeling every inch. "Where is the part that you will be fixing?" He asked.
Sebastian took Ciel's hands again, moving them down to the bottom back of the brain. "This is your Occipital lobe," he said.
Ciel felt the area before quickly withdrawing his hands. He remembered all too well the pain that had radiated from that spot eight years ago. It had been terrible, excruciating. And the laughter that had accompanied the pain had only made it worse. He wiped his palms on his jeans, sweat beginning to form on his forehead. "That...That's the area that stopped me from being able to see."
"It is," Sebastian confirmed and set his hand comfortingly on Ciel's shoulder.
Ciel retreated from the touch, unlike he had done a few previous times. He didn't want any contact right now, knowing that it would only end disastrously. He hugged himself, suddenly feeling very claustrophobic. He couldn't wait for his mom to come and take him back home to safety.
The memories were threatening to overwhelm him, and his breaths were coming in short gasps. "T-talk to me," he whispered, needing someone's voice to remind him of where he was.
Sebastian immediately opened his mouth to begin talking, knowing just what was about to befall Ciel. "Have you ever been to the park in the midst of spring when the Bradford pears are in bloom?" he asked, but expected no answer. "I always try to go, not so much to see them, but to smell the sweet smell that seems to linger in the air, and just listen to the sounds of the wind rustling through the tree tops."
Ciel seemed to calm down, if only a little. His face began to regain some of its color, and his breathing started to even out. He still clutched his arms tightly, but he didn't have that panicked look that he'd had only a few minutes prior. "Sounds nice," he managed to say through gritted teeth.
Seb trotted over to his master's side and nudged his arm, only to be swatted away. He shifted backwards and whined, visibly upset that his attempt at comfort had been rejected.
"It is nice. Perhaps you can go this coming spring." Sebastian moved way from Ciel, putting the model up as well as keeping some space between himself and the boy. There was no telling how Ciel would react to an accidental touching.
"I don't really remember the park. It's been a long time since I've been there. The last time I was there was..." His face drained of all expression, and his eyes became unfocused.
"What's your name, little boy?" A man asked. He had stubble on his chin and a hat pulled low over his eyes.
"My name is Ciel," he said happily, smiling at the stranger.
"And how old are you, Ciel?"
"I'm nine, but my birthday is in a few days!" Ciel grinned, displaying a missing front tooth.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Rachel hurried over towards them, an apologetic smile on her face. "Let's go, Ciel. Your father will be home soon."
"It's no problem," the man spoke as he watched the mother and son walk away.
Ciel twisted around to glance back at the man and waved. He waved back, a smile present on his face, and Ciel turned his attention back to his mother as they headed towards home.
A scream tore through the air as Ciel grabbed his head, lurching backwards and nearly falling over a side table. He squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to black out the memories that refused to leave.
In an instant Sebastian was there, arms around Ciel in a protective hold and mouth pouring out comforting words. He didn't care if the boy would push away any contact or if what he was doing was highly unprofessional. Sebastian just needed to bring the boy back to reality. "Ciel, it's me. It's Sebastian," he kept saying, hoping to bring the boy from his terror.
Ciel struggled against the hold, frantically attempting to get away. The grip was strong, and Ciel found himself panicking even more. "Let me go!" He begged, tears gathering in the corner of his blue eyes. "I don't want to be here!" He tried to push Sebastian's arms away with his hands. He latched onto the doctor's hand, and, in a last-ditch effort, he brought the hand to his mouth and bit down.
Sebastian had to hold back his own yell at the pain that shot through his hand. "Ciel," he screamed at the boy, trying to get his voice through to him. "It's Sebastian, I'm not going to hurt you. It's okay, you can trust me." His voice was strained and Sebastian could feel small trickles of blood running down his hand.
Ciel froze, his breathing harsh and heavy and his heart pounding from the adrenaline. The present time came rushing back to him, and his knees nearly buckled from the relief that he felt. He was in Sebastian's office, being held in his arms. He became aware of a coppery taste in his mouth and recognized that it was blood. Lifting a hand to his lips, he wiped the blood away. He didn't recall biting himself, so that meant that he had bitten Sebastian.
He closed his eyes, his voice coming out in a tiny squeak. "I'm so sorry..."
"No, no. I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to cause this." Sebastian's face was buried into Ciel's hair and he continued to hold the boy. Relief flooded him and he felt grateful for the attack to have passed. This was by far the worst one yet.
"It's not your fault. I'm just so sensitive to everything," Ciel mumbled, exhausted now that the adrenaline had started to fade.
Sebastian shook his head, this wasn't Ciel's fault. "You have nothing to apologize for," he assured as his arms loosened so that Ciel could move away if he wished.
Ciel stepped away, keeping his gaze on the floor. "You should take care of your hand. I'm sure it hurts."
"It'll be fine. Just a flesh wound." Sebastian tried to laugh it off, it was really nothing. Just a shallow cut. He moved towards a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small first aid kit. With practiced ease Sebastian addressed the bite, putting antiseptic on it and bandaging it tight.
Ciel made his way back to the couch and sat down. He ran his hand down Seb's back, to calm the animal and himself down. He hadn't had an attack like that in a few months, and he hoped that it wouldn't occur again when he was with Sebastian, or anyone else from the hospital for that matter. It was embarrassing, and he always felt like a little child scared of the boogey man.
Seb butted his head against Ciel's knee and gave a small bark. Ciel couldn't help but smile. "You're a good dog," he said softly.
Once his hand was wrapped, Sebastian turned back to Ciel and waved to the boy. "See, good as new," he announced. The worry and guilt was clear in Ciel's eyes and Sebastian could not stand for that. Such emotions would make completing the treatment difficult, or so he told himself. Sebastian could not admit that there might be other reasons for his wanting to keep Ciel happy.
"When do I have to come back?" Ciel questioned, not commenting on Sebastian's statement. He could only take Sebastian's word that his hand was not seriously injured, and he wasn't sure if that was the truth or if he was lying to make Ciel feel better. Whatever the case, Ciel was going to make sure that he stuck to talking about safe subjects from now on.
"Same time next week." It would be the same day every week and Sebastian felt himself looking forward to them. Next week would prove to be a trying day when Ciel came in. The boy would be getting the first of his injections.
"When do I have to start spending the weekend here?" Ciel wanted to know, his brow furrowing slightly in worry.
"Not for a long while," Sebastian said simply.
Ciel breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing against the couch. Silence filled the room, and Ciel felt himself falling asleep. He always got tired after an intense panic attack, but he wouldn't allow himself the luxury of falling asleep. He wanted to be awake and aware of his surroundings.
Sebastian got to work, the soft shuffle of papers filling the room once more. He allowed work to cloud his brain, forcing thoughts of Ciel away and to the back of his mind. Such thoughts only helped to confuse Sebastian and he could do without them.
The minutes ticked by, and soon there was a soft knock at the door, which opened when Sebastian said to come in. Rachel appeared in the doorway, and she glanced around for her son. Upon spotting him, she smiled. "Hello, Ciel. How did everything go?"
Ciel just shrugged. "It went fine," he said, not looking in her direction.
Rachel's smile faltered and she glanced to Sebastian, a worried look on her face.
"He's alright, just a little tired," Sebastian said as he stood to shake Rachel's hand. "He did very well, in fact."
A relieved look replaced the worried one, and Rachel's smile came back, lighting up her face. "That's good. Thank you very much, Sebastian. Are you ready, Ciel?"
Ciel nodded and rose to his feet after grasping the harness. Seb led him to Rachel's side, and Ciel gave Sebastian a barely noticeable smile. "Thanks. I'll see you next week."
"See you next week," Sebastian said, returning the smile as he watched mother and son leave. Ciel would indeed prove to be an interesting patient.