[Author's Note: Well, this is it. The last chapter of Part One. Hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. It isn't the end of the story; there is still a lot more to tell. It is the end of Part One, but I am going to continue adding the rest of Part Two to it, as it all belongs together in one story ultimately. Thank you again for all your thoughtful comments and reviews; they really mean a lot to me.]
Death Watch
Chapter Fourteen
Seeing Red, Redux
Brighter and brighter, redder and deeper, the light shined. Opening his eyes finally, Ciel saw that the light was emanating from a shadowy figure before him, long red coat fluttering and billowing out in the wind, mane of flaming red hair swirling around him, lit up by the glow of the fire behind him; a figure which resolved into the form of…
Grell Sutcliff! The grim reaper. What? Ciel's brain screamed. Why was he here? And then he heard the fateful words, as the reaper's voice sung out joyfully to the heavens.
"I declare this soul to be of worth to the world!"
The words rang out sharp and clear, reverberating throughout the little room as well as Ciel's head. The red headed reaper stood leaning back proudly in the entrance before them, grinning madly with a look of smug satisfaction. Breaking from his clamp on Ciel's flesh, Sebastian twisted around to shift from his position over Ciel, his now flaccid organ slipping out of Ciel's hole with ease. "Nnggh!" Ciel called out softly at the loss. For some reason he felt it even more keenly than the pain of his wound.
"Really? Like, seriously, Sebas-chan? You are an absolute fiend, and no mistake." Grell chortled in pleasantly scandalized surprise, and shook his head. The shinigami grinned, interlocking line of sharply pointed teeth gleaming, and looked at Sebastian with a lethally-barbed glare. "Sorry to interrupt." His voice dripped with facetiousness and undisguised glee.
Slowly rising, Sebastian turned until he stood facing Grell and spoke, his voice rumbling out like thunder, loud and menacing. "How dare you trespass upon the rightful conclusion of a contract! Leave us immediately, reaper!"
The red head's grin got even wider. "I think not, my dear Bassy."
"You have no right to interfere! This is a lawfully made covenant, per the statutes of the treaty!"
"I beg to differ," a deeper voice sounded behind the red reaper. Stepping forward to stand next to him at the entrance was the head dispatch reaper, William T. Spears, looking as stiff and stern as always, black hair neatly combed and parted to the side, green and yellow hued eyes peering behind austerely rectangular spectacles.
Ciel was baffled; completely at a loss to understand what was happening. He stood regarding the entire proceedings before him before suddenly blurting out, "What's going on here? I demand an explanation!" The red headed reaper looked sympathetically at him, and then came bounding over, his knee-length hair trailing behind him. Putting his arm around Ciel's shoulder, he leaned his head on top of Ciel's and murmured gently, "My poor little lamb; I am here to rescue you from the clutches of this monster, and his toxic embrace. Oh!" He exclaimed in dismay, as he suddenly seemed to see the wound on Ciel's breast, his eyes widening in outrage. "See what he has done to you!" Ciel looked down, only now remembering his torn flesh and the pain that still pulsated from it. "But don't worry, dear one. I have declared you of worth to the world, so you will not die now; it has been determined so." And so it was, as before Ciel's astonished eyes he watched as the wound not only stopped bleeding, but even began to close.
Ciel blinked, in a state of semi shock as to what was happening. And then he did an even bigger double take when the reaper proceeded to stand back, pulling his long red jacket off his arms to swing it around and over Ciel's shoulders.
"There, there. Cover yourself up now, sweetling. It will be a long night."
Gasping, Ciel staggered back from the shinigami, feeling the weight of his dead aunt's coat surround him like a haunted shroud, full of memories that swept over him and assaulted his very being.
"Keep away from him, Grell!" Sebastian yelled furiously, and then turning to Will he spoke through gritted teeth. "Tell your idiot underling that he cannot do this simply to spite me!"
The black haired reaper stared thoughtfully at the demon, one eyebrow twitching upwards, as though considering his response. Using the clawed tip of his long-handled reaper's scythe which happened to be in the form of telescopic pruning shears, he adjusted his glasses on his nose a bit, and then spoke solemnly.
"Actually, Reaper Sutcliff can, indeed, make this declaration, and is fully within his rights to do so, as it is entirely up to his decision that the initial declaration be made. However…" He paused and looked at his subordinate pointedly. "The moment such a declaration is made, an additional reaper is immediately summoned to confirm that decision with his opinion as well. In such an event, this task is designated to his original teammate and coworker; which would be me," he continued, with a sigh of exasperation, "…unfortunately." The dark haired reaper then proceeded to mumble some more words that Ciel could only make out to be something like "Why I have to constantly… such an irritating, reckless… did to deserve this…"
Ciel's head was reeling; what was going on? His soul… had been declared… of worth to the world…? He looked over to the demon. "Sebastian…?" he supplicated his butler for an explanation that would put an end to this confusion, hoping he would somehow swiftly resolve it, as tenuous as the basis of that faith seemed to be at this time.
Sebastian turned back to Ciel, saying impatiently but gently, "My lord. I will have to take care of this nuisance before we can continue with… the process." He said this last with a deep growl of discontent, and swiveled back around to face the head reaper once more.
"Mr. Spears, you must know full well that, regardless of whether your coworker is within his rights to make the declaration, there is absolutely no basis for him to have made it except simply to get even with me for certain… incidents… in the past between us."
"Yes; granted," the staid reaper nodded, and then shook his head wearily. "You have been nothing but a pain in our backsides from the moment we met you, interfering in matters which do not concern you and causing us all sorts of untold trouble and added paperwork. However…" Here Will paused, and seemed to be struggling with himself, his face reflecting first extreme disgust and then a pained look of defeat. Pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with one finger he continued with sigh. "I am forced to admit that what you say is not without merit, as much as I detest having to say anything in your defense." Loudly clearing his throat, the stiff-backed shinigami continued. "As such, I must, with extreme reluctance, state that I hereby disagree with Grell's determination, based on everything I know of the boy and what his deeds have been throughout his short life. I have seen nothing, in my opinion that elevates him to the status of…"
"Hold on there, Mr. Head Reaper," a voice suddenly rang out, from nowhere as it seemed to Ciel. "Just hold your horses there, and forestall your judgment just yet, until you have heard all there is to see. Huehuehue, heeheehee!" the Undertaker's voice cackled maniacally. Ciel looked up and turned his head about until he finally spied the legendary reaper-gone-rogue sitting atop a rocky hummock to the right of them, a shadowy figure in the now fast fading twilight.
"Oh, ho; teeheehee," the silvery-gray haired reaper continued giggling with delight, his ridiculously long-tailed top hat keeling over to the side and almost falling off his head. "This game has just gotten more and more interesting with time, and now has reached such a splendid climax I can barely contain myself!" Clutching his long black fingernailed hand to his stomach, Undertaker swayed back and forth, looking almost as if he was about to roll around on the hill. But he forbore, and jumping up, sprung down from his perch, black robes fluttering, to land in their midst, and proceeded to address Grell.
"My, my, my. What a nice little stew you have cooked up this time, my comical friend; almost as amusing as that last affair of yours, when you went on that splendid rampage of death in the name of love. Ke-ke-ke-ke-ke," he chuckled. "Ah, so entertaining that episode was. But as for you," and he turned his gaze to Will, "my dear William; it would do you well to take a look at something concerning the lad, before you make any more decisions." With a grand, sweeping gesture, Undertaker pulled a heavy and portentous looking leather-bound book from his robes, and handed it to Will. The stern shinigami took it warily, with a look of scorn. Undertaker grinned and pointed to the book. "If you would, please turn to page three hundred and ninety-four."
Spearing the silver haired reaper with a suspicion-laced glare, Will nonetheless did as he was bid, flipping through the pages until he found the one requested. Scanning quickly down the page, the head reaper suddenly opened his yellow-ringed, startlingly green eyes wide. A black-gloved hand went up to once more adjust his glasses, pushing them more securely onto the bridge of his nose, and he proceeded to stare intently at the book for a few momentous seconds, reading what it said with more thoroughness this time. Looking up, he fixed his gaze on Ciel with a wide-eyed amazement. A shiver ran down Ciel's back and he wondered what it was the head reaper had read about him. He thought of all the things he had done in his life, all the people he had killed… A foreboding of dread filled him. Would this just seal his fate even more, whatever it was that was to happen to him?
Clearing his throat, the head reaper spoke with momentous finality. "Upon the further garnering of information pertaining to this case, I find I must concur with reaper Sutcliff's proclamation. Let it be known henceforth and to all that this human, known as Ciel Phantomhive, is hereby declared a soul of worth and thus pardoned from death at this time! May his soul live long and well!"
"Noooo!" Sebastian yelled out, in a furious booming voice. Turning around quickly to move suddenly towards Ciel's direction, the demon was barred by the head shinigami leaping in between them.
"Stay, demon!" roared out William with a voice of commanding sternness. "You may not harm the boy! It is our obligation to shield him from further danger, thus he is now under shinigami protection for the duration of the current situation." Raising one finger, Will tilted his glasses just a fraction of an inch, causing them to glint in the bright light of the full moon, and then composed his features into a look of calm objectiveness. "As such, I now give to you the choice: relinquish the contract and set the boy free from your venomous clutches, or be exterminated as the vermin you are."
"What?" shouted Ciel in shock and continued confusion. Sebastian shouted in turn, "He is mine! Do not think you can take him away from me, and cheat me of my due! We made a contract per the binding laws of the covenant, which has been fulfilled to every degree."
Ciel turned to face Will, just as incensed as the demon. "What gives you the right? How dare you interfere with us and our contract?!" He turned towards Sebastian and moved to run to his side, but was quickly grabbed by Grell.
"Hush, hush, boy," the red headed reaper cooed patronizingly at Ciel, winding his arms around him not so much in an embrace but so as to restrain him. "We have every right, as it is a reaper's duty to save and if necessary protect an individual from further harm once they have declared their soul of worth to the world, at least until they are out of immediate danger. And you are obviously at risk of harm by this demon here."
Ciel's mind was whirring, jarred into utter bewilderment and disbelief as to what was going on.
"The choice is yours, Bassy; now, choose!" the red haired reaper chimed in with a wide grin. "What'll it be, Sebby, dear?" His grin grew sadistic. "I'm sure you can guess which choice I hope you make."
Sebastian leveled an icy gaze at the head shinigami and replied, "You cannot make me break the contract. That I will never do! I have been waiting five long years for this soul, have cultivated and slaved for it. I have lived far too long as it is, in any case; the years and the boredom have become interminable to me. As such, it is worth more to me even than my life. There is nothing that can tear it from me, while I yet live."
"Well then, we will just have to kill you."
"Hah!" Ciel laughed out in turn, trying for more confidence than he felt, while actually fear and doubt twisted his insides. "You cannot win against my butler. He swore never to leave my side, even in death, and he always keeps his promises. Isn't that so, Sebastian?" He turned to the demon and beamed at him. The demon beamed back.
"Most assuredly, my lord. I will follow you always, even unto the ends of this earth." He grinned at the reapers before him. "Even if you did manage to kill me, it would just be this bodily form. I would still come back to keep my promise, without fail."
"Not if we reap you with our death scythes, you won't!" Grell smiled triumphantly. "Even a demon will die a final death once pierced with a killing blow by one of our lovely blades!"
Ciel shivered at that; was that true, he wondered? He supposed it must be. He wouldn't consider it now, though. "Sebastian can easily win against you lot, in any case. He is still my butler—a servant of the Phantomhives, after all." He turned to the demon, and smiled with as much confidence as he could muster. "Sebastian, this is an order! Defeat the reapers!"
"Yes, my lord!" His butler's reply sounded forth with complete conviction and self assurance. Ciel had no doubt he would triumph against this threat; or so he tried to tell himself.
Sebastian leaped once more towards Ciel; but the red headed reaper stepped in front of him, releasing Ciel to bring out his favorite toy which immediately whirred to life as he did.
"Nuh, uh, uh; not so fast, Sebas-chan," he jeered at the demon. "You won't get past me this time!" And swinging his arm around, he brought the spinning-edged weapon down upon Sebastian's back as he sidestepped past him. Sharp steel teeth met tailcoat-covered flesh, sending blood flying out of a gash in Sebastian's back shoulder. The demon still continued reaching for Ciel nevertheless, and was just about to snatch him up by his outstretched arms when "Shing-shing-shing!" went the sound of metal extending forth. The demon spun around as Will's extensible scythe caught him in the very shoulder that the red reaper had just wounded him in, making him stagger back.
"Nnguhh!" the demon grunted, as he grabbed the shaft of the pruning shear blade that was embedded in his skin and yanked it out. Blood went spurting out this time in fountains, dripping copiously from his wound.
At the sight of the demon so wounded, Ciel's heart gave a tumultuous leap in his chest, and he cried out. "No!" Sebastian turned to him, and looked Ciel in the eye with an apologetic glance.
Leaping at the demon, his vicious machine of death roaring out anew in volume as he revved up its engine once more, the red head advanced on Sebastian with swing after swing, forcing him ever backwards. Suddenly kicking out with both legs, the demon landed an explosive blow to the red haired shinigami's chest, stunning him and bringing him to his knees. Jumping back up however, Grell was joined by Will now, the two of them taking turns swiping at the demon with their mutual scythes. Feinting and parrying, the demon managed to swerve and duck every succeeding blow. Jumping up, he then landed another fierce kick to Grell's back, stunning the reaper into immobility and parting him from his weapon. Snatching it up in one quick swoop, Sebastian turned to aim it at the black haired shinigami, who nevertheless evaded it and then thrust at him with his spear. Ducking neatly, the demon turned and brought the whirring mechanism down upon the reaper's black-suited back, landing a telling blow that left a line of red upon the dark cloth that swiftly grew wider, blood pouring out.
"Ahh!" Will cried out in pain and surprise, and falling to his knees crouched there, trembling in fear and pain.
Leaping once more in Ciel's direction, the demon made it half way across the span of distance between them before being suddenly swung around by the Undertaker's huge skull-tipped scythe plunging into his opposite shoulder, the grinning shinigami apparently having decided to join the fracas as well. The blow spun him around to face the legendary grim reaper, long gray hair flowing out around him in the wind, the fringe that normally hid his eyes parting to allow his stunning green orbs to be bared to the world.
"Kekekeke!" the Undertaker laughed out. "You shall not be getting away this time, dear butler!" Swinging the majestic scythe around once more, he made another pass at Sebastian's torso, missing him by just inches as the butler stepped aside. Whirling around with lightening speed, the legendary shinigami once more took a grand arcing swing at the demon. Sebastian only barely managed to shy away in time to avoid being sliced in two, top to bottom by it, instead having it only shear away one side of his arm and shoulder.
"Gahhhrrrr!" roared the demon in obvious pain, clutching at his gaping wound with his hand to staunch the blood gushing out. Showing no mercy, Undertaker once more advanced upon him, backing him up with swipe after swipe of his long-handled lethal blade. Sebastian parried every strike, fighting back to swing out at him in turn with the red headed reaper's still-whirring device. The ancient but powerful reaper easily managed to evade his every blow however, and the two seemed at a standoff for the moment.
"Ontor! Arrata!" Ciel heard Will yell out suddenly from where the reaper still crouched, looking up to the star-studded heavens as he did. Wonderingly, Ciel observed as a crack split the air, and a burst of light rent the night where Will stood. Out from the sparkling sphere a flat, four-wheeled contraption burst forth, followed by a yellow haired youth holding on to it by its handle. Landing with a flourish upon the ground, the lad tipped his black bowler hat first at Will, then Ciel, and called out in recognition as he did. "Hey, there! I remember you from that last voyage we took." Spying Sebastian who glanced momentarily at the new arrival, he whistled loudly in a jeering tone. "Ah, and you, too, I see! Well, I can't say as it's good to see either of you again, unfortunately."
Ciel ground his teeth at the sight of him. He recognized the newest grim reaper as Ronald Knox, having met him for the first time while on that doomed voyage of the Campania. He was young but good at his job, and quite enthusiastic about it.
Quickly taking in the scene, Ron immediately jumped over to Will's side, greeting his superior with surprise. "Mr. Spears, sempai! What happened here?" And then suddenly noticing his boss's injury, burst out in concern, "Oi! You're hurt!" Will slowly rose and composed himself back into the stern shinigami that he was.
"Don't worry about me, lad; I'm fine. It's the demon we need to be concerned about." Ron obediently looked in Sebastian's direction, still being held at bay by Undertaker's scythe for now. "The boy's soul has been declared of worth; thus we must dispose of the demon filth in order to protect the boy from him."
"What!? That little runt from the ship?" Ron exclaimed in surprise. "I always wondered what was so special about him that made that demon go to such lengths to protect him. So, just what is it that makes him of such worth?" he inquired.
"I hardly have time to go into the matter with you now, as we are rather preoccupied at the moment. But if you really must know, here," and Will brought the large black leather book out that was somehow stashed away in his jacket and handed it to the young shinigami. "Read it for yourself, and see." Ron obligingly took the book, and turning to the very end read quickly, his eyes darting over the pages like lightening. Upon finishing, the youthful reaper shook his golden blonde head with its dark undertones with a look of confusion and shouted indignantly.
"How can anyone possibly declare this boy; no, more like a raging psychopath I would say, of worth to this world? Sempai, the boy just shot an innocent young man, and killed countless others besides!"
"Oh, here!" the stern shinigami barked, reaching over to tap the book causing the pages to flip to page three hundred and sixty four, no doubt, Ciel thought. "Read this!" The lad did as he was told, reaper-green eyes widening in shock as he did, and then calmly closed the book. Seeing that he was finished, Will nodded his head and spoke once more.
"He is not innocent, no; and it is not because he is a child, as he is old enough to be judged for that now. Nonetheless, his life is of importance to the world, as you can see. The boy is special; his soul is rare and unique; unlike any others I have seen. Grell was correct in his determination."
"Grell?!" the young reaper shouted, whistling in surprise as he looked over at the groaning and writhing shinigami, still moaning in pain where he lay sprawled on the grass. "He made the call?"
"Well, one can hardly say it was out of insight and keen observation that he did so, as I doubt he even read the boy's record beforehand. He had… other reasons, apparently, for making it." Grell looked up at that with a hurt expression, and frowned in annoyance at him.
"You wound me to the core, Will. To go so low as to disagree with my determination at first, and now to insult me; no, I cannot believe how little faith you have in me." Ron just shook his head again.
"Well, in any case, looks like I get to join in the fun at least. I can see why I was called; this one'll take some doing to put an end to, and no mistake. Well, I'm here to help! Ronald Knox at your service, sir, and rarin' to go!" At that he pulled a long string from the base of his strange wheeled contraption and it roared to life with a deafening sputter. "Let's get 'im!" he yelled with youthful exuberance, lifting the machine clear over his head before running into the fray with the machine swung in front now, to where the Undertaker and the demon were currently trading thrusts and parries once more with their respective weapons.
Looking up at the newest incoming threat, Sebastian stopped in his tracks and seemed to consider his course of action. Undertaker took that opportunity to get a nasty blow in with a blindingly fast swing of his scythe, slicing into Sebastian's right thigh sending more blood gushing out, adding to the many wounds that already marked the his body. Striking back, the demon thrust Grell's chainsaw directly at the ancient reaper, barely missing him. Twirling and raising the weapon high, he brought it this time squarely down upon the reapers neck, scoring a slash that immediately sprouted in red fountains. The Undertaker clapped his hand to his wound and grimaced in pain, but his bright green eyes opened to spear Sebastian with a look that said he was far from incapacitated by such a wound.
Leaping up in the air with his lawnmower blaring, Ron arrived to join in the fray, charging at the demon full tilt and aiming for his head with his blunt-seeming but deceptively lethal instrument. At the same time, the head reaper dashed over, pruning shears extended, while Undertaker made another concerted strike with his scythe. It found its mark this time in the demon's left leg, slicing through his hamstring, sending Sebastian staggering back, excruciating pain etched openly on his features. Now faced with this three-pronged attack, the demon's only recourse was to retreat as best he could, leaping and running backwards, all the while ducking blows from all three reapers. His efforts were in vain however, as this time Will's spear stabbed into his side, followed by a mighty blow to his head by Ron's mower, shaving off skin and hair, as well as part of his left ear. The red reaper's spinning scythe was dropped, and Sebastian fell to his knees. Grell leaped in to immediately retrieve his beloved weapon, cradling it and pressing to his cheek its now still and silent blade. Pointing it straight at Sebastian's chest the red head then smiled in glee at the sight of the bested demon.
"Now choose!" Will's voice suddenly rang out. "This is the last chance we will give to you. Release the contract and set the boy free, and we will let you live; refuse, and you will die. The choice is yours!"
"What'll it be, Sebby dear?" the red headed laughed out gloatingly. "Will you concede, now that you know you are beat, that there is no hope of escape? Will you forfeit your life, or the contract?" Grell paused and brought his head down closer to the demon's, reaching out to stroke Sebastian's blood soaked cheek. "I must say, Sebas-chan, you do look incredibly attractive, even more so than usual right now, drenched in red; in that beautiful crimson of your own blood. It quite matches the color of your eyes."
Sebastian glared balefully at the reaper and responded by spitting out a large amount of blood in the direction of the red head's face. Leaping back just in time to avoid the most of it, Grell nonetheless raised one gloved hand up to wipe a spattering of blood that had managed to land on his cheek. Fixing his gaze on the head reaper, Sebastian then gritted his teeth and choked out raggedly but resoundingly, "NEVER!"
"Well then, dear demon," the red headed shinigami spoke, grinning ear to ear, and raising his scythe in readiness, held it high above his head with anticipation, ready to strike the killing blow. "Time to face the reaper!"
"No! Stop! Don't kill him!" yelled out Ciel in dismay. He leaped forward in the demon's direction, only to be stopped by Undertaker's long arm, collaring him by the back of his aunt's coat to then wind his arms around him in a steel embrace. "Let me go! Let me go, this instant!" he demanded, writhing and struggling futilely to get away, leaving him to watch helplessly as Grell stood over the demon, the weapon poised above Sebastian's head. But his arm didn't come down to strike; instead remaining simply holding the weapon steadily in the air.
"Wait!" shouted Will in a commanding voice that echoed over the fields. The red reaper turned resentfully to Will, but seemingly expectant of what was to happen next. Undertaker chuckled softly while still holding Ciel back with a viselike grip on each of his arms. "Heh heh heh! Yes. Wait we must for the last little scene to be played out. Huehuehue-heeheee!" he chuckled out madly. "Such thrilling entertainment this is! Oh my, demon! I am almost sad to see you go, you have brought me such pleasure and mirth these last few years." Here he smiled almost benevolently at Sebastian, as if genuinely grieved at the thought of his passing, and then turned to Ciel. "Yes, my boy, don't worry. We are not going to kill him yet; not until you do one little thing first, that is." A chill went down Ciel's spine at these words, and he shivered with foreboding at what was to come, dreading he knew not what.
Clearing his throat, Will turned to Ciel and spoke in a formal tone. "As a human whose soul has been declared of worth, I now hereby grant to you, Ciel Phantomhive, the privilege of repenting of the contract you have made with this demon."
What? Ciel's mind was reeling once more. They wanted him to repent having made the contract? The stiff backed reaper continued.
"Upon doing so, we will then be free to exterminate the demon filth, thus allowing you to live out the rest of your life free from those chains. You need only claim penitence of ever having formed the contract, begging god forgiveness for your sins."
"Why the hell would I do that?" Ciel demanded with cold fury.
Sighing heavily, the head reaper addressed Ciel in the tone of voice that one would use to explain something to a small child. "Because otherwise your life, as well as your soul, will be lost, irrevocably. Normally it is forbidden by our laws to kill a demon just to keep him from taking a soul, if he has actually managed to make a contract with that person. But when a soul is declared of worth to the world, the shinigami is then obligated to not only rescue and/or save that person from dying if necessary, but also to protect them for that period in time, in order to ensure that they do actually go on living. As agents of the One, we are thus granted the authority in cases such as this to first give the demon the choice of renouncing the contract. If he does not, we are then given the prerogative of allowing the human to repent having made the contract, in turn allowing us to kill the demon. It is only in this one special case scenario that this is permitted. It's all highly rare and unusual, and will no doubt result in my having to spend untold hours on paperwork afterwards. Therefore I would appreciate if we could move this along as swiftly as possible, so that I may avoid having to put in any more overtime than I already shall."
Undertaker piped up to say, "Yes, it is very rare, very rare indeed, actually. Only twice before in human history has it happened. Huehuehueheehee." The head reaper looked at him with haughty disgust, and then continued speaking.
"And so, I ask you again, boy, to declare your contrition, so as to enable us to be able to kill this demon here at last, and allow you to be free. Now, repent!" The reaper ended with an annoyed but still sonorous voice.
With a concerted effort, his mind still whirling, Ciel brought his senses to bear, and glaring back up at the stern shinigami spoke in an even tone. "I refuse." The reaper looked back at him with impatience.
"You don't understand, boy. This will save you from being killed by the demon—not just for today, but for all time."
"I understand perfectly! I have given him my soul. It is his; he has earned it. It belongs to him! And he belongs to me. You have no right to take him from me!"
Grell stared agape at Ciel, after lowering his chainsaw and turning to him, looking baffled. "Why would you do this? Just moments ago, this fiend was sinking his fangs into you… well, more than just his fangs..." The red head leered at Sebastian, still lying broken and bleeding at his feet. "…and was about to devour your soul." Ciel answered with indignant fury.
"He has been a good and faithful servant; he has stood by me always, and defended me with his life. I could not but do the same for him."
Undertaker chimed in. "Why would you care about such a monster; a creature of pure evil?"
"Perhaps evil is a matter of definition."
The Undertaker cackled, but it was a laugh that was deprived of its usual mirth, and was instead infused with aggravation bordering on anger. "You would save his life, over your own; sacrifice your life for a demon's?" he queried Ciel, unbelievingly.
"Yes." Feeling the Undertaker's hands suddenly slacken around his arms, Ciel took the opportunity to burst forward, escaping the shinigami's clutches. Running now that he was free of the reaper's hold, he flew to his butler's side. Falling down in front of him, he reached out his arms to lift the demon's shoulders, cradling his head against his chest. Gazing down at his battered and bloody face, he waited for him to look back up at him.
"Sebastian!" he cried out softly when the demon's eyes did not open. Was it too late? He shook the butler's form violently at that and yelled, "Sebastian! Listen to me, you sad excuse of a butler! Listen to me when I talk to you, and answer me when I order you! Now, open your eyes, and look at me!" Slowly, the demon's blood-encrusted eyelids opened, revealing pinkish red orbs that glowed weakly in the now fading dusk. A small quirk of the side of his mouth was all there was to indicate his attempt at a smile. But it was enough. Ciel's heart leaped; he was alive. Gladness filled him, and he leaned his head down over his butler's, and tenderly kissed his matted and mutilated hair.
The red reaper's laugh rang out in the night. Tauntingly he asked, "Are you in love with him, boy? How adorably ridiculous and foolishly sweet. Stupid, pathetic child! Don't you know he can never return your affections? He is a monster; evil, pure and simple. He simply wants to take and devour your soul. Do not be deceived by a demon's crafty ways. Now step back, and let us do our jobs!"
"No! I won't let you kill him!"
"Don't you want to be saved, you fool? Don't you want to live?"
"Not without him."
A strained and sudden silence descended upon the scene. The expressions on the four shinigami's faces ranged from the unreadable look of the dispassionate-as-ever head reaper, to the open mouthed staring of the yellow haired youth, to the sneering, calculating look of the ancient rogue reaper. Grell's expression, on the other hand, was one of sheer and utter rage, pointed teeth bared in a snarling grimace, green eyes narrowed dangerously.
After a few long moments, Will spoke out.
"May your soul be damned to oblivion then, and be done with you!" The words were spat out with spite and frustration followed by a huge huff of a resigned sigh. Turning, the dark haired shinigami walked slowly away from them. Ron followed suit, twisting his machine around and up over his shoulder to march behind his superior, shaking his head. Undertaker gave a sneering hiss, and with a look of disappointed disgust turned his back on them as well to slowly amble after the first two shinigami.
Ciel waited for Grell, too, to back away from them, feeling somewhat anxious as he was still standing quite near them, scythe in hand, now quiet but still held aloft. Glancing over in the direction of his fellow reapers, his face displayed betrayal, then anger, and then finally pure rage. Turning back with a growl towards Ciel and Sebastian, Grell suddenly exclaimed, "Noooo!" With one sweep of his arm, he pushed Ciel away from Sebastian, sending him tumbling and struggling to quickly right himself. "I won't let you get away with this!" the crazed shinigami screamed, leaping once more at Sebastian, chain saw blaring out with ear splitting volume. Raising the spinning edged scythe high, he brought it down. The blow never connected, though. Ciel watched in astonishment as Will, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, steadily and inexorably bent back Grell's arm, weapon in hand, until it suddenly snapped back over his shoulder, the scythe flying out of his grip to land bouncing and skidding on the ground behind him.
The red reaper tried to escape from Will's grip, struggling to reach out towards his scythe, tugging his arm to free it. Unsuccessful, the mad shinigami swung back his fist aiming for the other's head. It connected with a sickening dull thudding sound, but the dark hair reaper didn't even seem fazed by it. Kicking out himself, his foot landed with a solid blow to Grell's abdomen, felling him to his knees. Grabbing the red haired reaper's arms and twisting them behind his back, the stern shinigami yelled,
"Grell, no! Pull yourself together, man! This is no way for a reaper to act! You are a professional; now act like one!"
"Let me go!" the reaper screamed back hysterically. "Let me… at him… let me… go…" His cries died down to a low crescendo, along with his struggling, which he realized was in vain. "Let me go, Will!" he tried once more to entreat him.
The yellow and green eyes of the black haired reaper stared back at him from behind glinting spectacles. "You know what the sentence is for breaking the laws of the treaty!"
"I don't care! I'd rather face death than let this miserable, pathetic piece of scum escape the punishment he deserves! Now let me go this instant!"
"I can't! I can't let you go! I can't let you die."
"Why?" Grell wailed out. "Why do you care?"
"I don't know. But I find… that I do. I just… don't want to lose you."
Grell froze in his arms at that, and finally stopped struggling, going completely limp, head hung down. Remaining motionless, he finally looked up at Will with tears glistening in his brilliant green eyes. Helping him rise, Will took off his jacket, and putting it around Grell's softly shaking shoulders, slowly led him away at last. Coming to a bright light that suddenly appeared before them, they both jumped through it, and were gone.
)))))(((((
In the still of the night two figures sat, side by side, barely discernible in the gloom. One figure, the larger of them, leaned against the breast of the smaller one, whose arms remained protectively around him. High up above, the sky was filled with a million glittering stars sprayed across the heavens. The full moon shone bright, almost drowning out the light of the surrounding stars where it hung suspended in the sky. Lifting his butler's head to peer down into his face, Ciel spoke imploringly.
"Sebastian… Sebastian," he whispered. No answer came. "Sebastian! Answer me!" At that the demon's dully glowing eyes opened to small slits, and Ciel sighed. "You mustn't die. You can't die on me, now. Not after everything we've been through. Do you hear? Answer me!" Slits grew to ovals, and ember orbs blazed up at him, a small smile curling up at the edges of his lips. The demon coughed and then choked out brokenly the words.
"If my master tells me to survive, I will. How can I possibly refuse an order? After all, what kind of butler would I be?"
Ciel's blood stopped, and then surged forth in his veins at those words. Sighing out deeply, he once more cradled his butler's head to his breast. He was surprised to hear the demon continue softly speaking, croaking out the words.
"Young master, why… why did you do it?" Ciel wondered why the demon would ask such a question. And then he wondered why he had done it.
"I just feel you deserve my soul after all I've put you through," he replied after pondering for a moment. "I mean, a deal's a deal. Although why you value it so highly in the first place, I have no idea."
"I… have my reasons," the demon eked out, focusing his gaze up at Ciel. Sebastian continued to just look at him, without speaking, for many long seconds, a smirk in his eyes. Finally Ciel grew impatient, and burst out.
"What?" The demon didn't reply, and the silent staring began to be uncomfortable for him. He had an idea what that smirk meant.
"What are you looking at, you idiot?" Ciel barked out. Sebastian grinned at that, and spoke slyly.
"So… I am honored you feel that way about me, young master." A hot flush filled Ciel's cheeks as the heat rose to the tip of head with embarrassment. Damn him! How dare he!
"I'm not in love you, you stupid demon."
"I know."
"I'm really not!"
"Yes, my lord."
"No matter what that blasted reaper said."
"Liar."
"Moron."
The demon smiled mischievously. "But you like the things I do to you."
"Maybe I do." Ciel replied petulantly, feeling greatly peeved with this demon of his.
"And that's it? Nothing more?"
"Bugger off."
"I'd rather bugger you." Ciel shook his head.
"You're incorrigible. And in no shape right now to even lift a finger, much less… other things." Sebastian pouted slightly at that. Ciel couldn't help but feel a burst of sympathy and… other things go through him at the sight of his butler's shapely lips making that sweet shape. After a few moments, relenting, he grunted out softly.
"…Maybe later." A smile spread over the butler's face at that, and Ciel's face matched him with a smile of his own that he couldn't keep from forming. Sighing, the demon then rested his head back on Ciel's bosom, and Ciel lifted his face to gaze up at the myriad twinkling stars. A cool breeze ruffled his hair and then traveled out in a wave making the grass all about bend down and shush softly over the land until it died down, and all was silent and still once more. The two figures remaining huddled together for many an hour, their forms merging into one dark shadow; content and at peace, waiting out the night together.
End Part One
