This chapter is SUPER condensed, but I have this weird way of dividing things up based on events and whatnot, so it's not 'cause I'm lazy. Well, I am, but that's not the reason behind it this time. Yeah, I'mma go hide in my Bucket-O'-Puddin' and work on the next chapter. A broken writers' block is a wonderful thing~

"Sebastian..."

This was bad. This was very bad. Now that the asthma-induced panic had cleared from his sleep hazy mind, the young prince was now wide awake and very aware of his less than desirable predicament. Here he was, in an abandoned hallway, alone with a man -a stranger, he amended- who had unsightly rumors following about him like a second shadow.

And his right eye was visible, bare and discoloured for all the world to see.

As this thought made it's thistled realty known, Ciel's hand flew up to cover the mark that damned him to hide behind cascades of lace for sixteen years. Sebastian had yet to say a word as Ciel sat there, back to the wall, pale and flighty with panic. Slowly, as though his mind was in a far off land outside of the corridor, Sebastian reached forward, prying away Ciel's hand with his bare own. In silence, he peered through the younger boys' dark fringe to the violet shapes inset in the iris and non-existent pupil behind the slate-toned tresses. The rag was discarded somewhere to the side.

"He wasn't lying when he said my payment would be grand..."

Sebastian's hand released it's hold, Ciel's arm falling uselessly to his side. His whole body felt like it had been distended with lead, head lulling to the side as that feeling of sleep deprivation and illness befell him once more. He was vaguely aware of Sebastian tracing the shadowed contours of his cheek, his fingers feeling like a hellfire against Ciel's clammy skin.

Sebastian's mouth curled upwards, smirking sharply around his worlds as Ciel slowly but surely lost track of everything, "Poor thing."

Ciel's world narrowed till it focused solely on Sebastian, mere inches away from his face as he grinned from above the young heir; within moments, Ciel fell back into an feverish nightmare, not much unlike the one he had woken from only minutes before. Ciel pondered the thought of Sebastian's eyes flashing a vibrant carmine colour before he had slipped under the dreamworlds' hold.

"Poor dear... Hannah, be sure to bring some medicine and lunch for him when he wakes up, will you? He'll be bedridden for a few days at least with a fever like this. I probably should call for the doctor..."

A cool hand touched Ciel's forehead, making the young boy squirm under the weight that seemed to be holding him to the plush surface beneath him in an attempt to move away from the gesture. The words muttered around him registered in Ciel's mind, but he didn't feel like he had left the realm of dreams yet, at least not physically. His body still felt heavy, sharp pains shooting through his torso like crackling lightening as a throbbing behind his eyes kept a steady rhythm, and an unnatural chill had taken hold of his entire body.

In short, he felt like he'd gone through Hell and back.

The voices picked up from his left again, "I'll inform the King and Queen. He probably won't be well enough to attend Arlen's birthday feast. Try to clean up in here." Tanaka. There was no mistaking that voice, the voice of the man who had raised him. There was a timid word of confirmation from further away, and he guessed it was only Hannah. She was the only other person allowed in his suite. A chambermaid was essential to keep up the charade of being a young princess of a wealthy family. In a way, he felt bad for the exotic maid. The Phantomhive's were a hard lot to deal with.

"What on earth was he doing that required him to tear up the room like this... Oh, before I forget. You wouldn't have happened to catch sight of Mr. Michaelis yet today, have you, Ms. Annafellows?"

"No, I'm afraid I have not," There was a sound of movement, a pause in speech as Tanaka sighed heavily.

"That man is bloody menace. I wish Vincent hadn't hired him."

"The bloody hell were you thinking? Everything is completely up in the air now!"

"I simply wanted a good look at him. I never thought Vincent would have paraded him around in frills and lace as a Princess. He's made this far more difficult than need be..."

"Has the term inconspicuous ever introduced itself to your vocabulary? They'd make wonderful companions, I believe."

"I believe you are worrying too much over a such a trival thing. The boy can't even be sure which direction is up or down at the moment. He'll simply write it off as a dream or whatnot and life will resume. We both win, for the time being. Besides, it wasn't as if he'd taken too kindly to me before."

"Disobey orders again, and I'll send you back to [Byleth]. Understood?"

"Yes, my Lord."

[Byleth] - one of the Kings of Hell in demonology.

I'm tired, pretty sure I'm getting a cold from multiple friends (why the hell they feel the need to drink from my bottle is beyond me), and am worrying my exam notes for Algebra II and Honors II to death. And yet, I'm still sitting here on my computer, working on Chapter four.

Reviews would be lovely~

BY THE WAY. To anyone who cares; a friend and I recently discovered a panel in the Circus Arc of the Kuroshitsuji manga where one of the lower tier members of the circus was smoking a bong (and I'm pretty sure Doll was waiting for a hit).

Yeah, we (mostly I) found this hilarious.