After saving Alex from drowning she calls them bother her parents. This pleases Claude oddly however it upset's Sebastian who still hasn't really mourned their dead son Jasper. Alex notices that Sebastian is acting oddly and whimpers Jasper's name in his sleep and asks Claude about it.

How long has Claude been sobbing silently?

What will Sebastian do when he learns of Claude telling her about Jasper?

What's going to happen to their relationship after this?

I hope you enjoy,

~The Dark Ringmaster

P.s. I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

Chapter 25: Jasper

The sky was dark and Alex could hear the rain hit the roof of the hacienda. It was a faint tap however it seemed to wash away the previous day. She was still a little frightened, that night she had woken up screaming, the memories of people attempting to down her in the past were still in her memory. However she woke to find herself in two sets of soothing arms. She looked up to find Claude's sleeping face in front of hers, she smiled a little, he really looked quite handsome when he was asleep. There was warmth seeping through her back and she slowly looked over her shoulder, Sebastian was sleeping beside her. He looked almost angelic as he slept, he moaned softly and rolled over pulling the covers with him. She could barly hold back her chuckles as she watched the demon snuggle into the pillow. She was about to go back to sleep when she noticed a red spot on the pillow beside her, it was the same blood red as Sebastian's tears. He squeezed the pillow tightly and whimpered, "Jasper." Alex stared and was about to touch him when Claude grabbed her wrist and whispered, "Shh." She looked over at him and noticed the pained expression on his face. "Just leave him be," he whispered before laying back down. Alex did so and listened to him whimper, Claude's golden eyes were just as upset and he held Alex close, "Sleep, and when you wake the sun shall rise and bring the new day," he whispered before pressing a kiss to her temple. As if by magic she closed her eyes and fell asleep, she didn't have any other nightmares that night, only she wondered why Sebastian was crying in his sleep and who Jasper was.

She woke to the sound of Claude on the phone, "I will be back in London later on today," he said and Alex noticed how everything even her photos had been packed. She slowly sat up and Claude smiled as he mouthed the words, "Good Morning." She smiled and walked into the living room to find Sebastian staring out at the sea, his expression was filled with longing and it nearly broke her heart. She was tempted to take a picture only to realize that this wasn't the kind of photo he would want to see. She was about to say something when Claude entered the room, "The flight leaves in an hour, just enough time to get to the airport," he said. Sebastian smiled and replied, "Alright, well everything is packed in the car so let's get going." Claude nodded and Alex realize they had dressed her again in jeans and a tee, she sighed and smiled a little. Sebastian saw this and looked away, "Another dream comes to an end," he whispered before walking out to the jeep. Claude sighed and waited for Alex to go first. The entire ride to the airport was silent, no one spoke, Claude was focused on driving and Sebastian simply sat there listlessly. Alex felt a tug at her heart again, it was as though something horrible had happened yesterday.

The flight back to London felt even longer and Sebastian said, "I have to stop by the office and pick up a file." His voice was distant and Alex was about to fallow him when Claude grabbed her shoulder, "Jodi dropped Lin off at the mansion, I'll take you there," he said. Alex didn't argue, something told her not to. Claude drove down the road, his mind was so noisy yet his expression was blank. She had learned how to read Claude on the trip, he was able to hide his emotions with his pokerface but his eyes gave him away. Since the morning they left Brazil he had something on his mind. "Um," Alex mumbled and Claude looked at her. "Yes?" he asked as if he had been jolted awake. Alex realized he had been lost in his mind and she asked, "Who is Jasper?" Claude's eyes widened and they flew forward as Claude slammed on breaks. Alex's heart was pounding in her ears and she shouted, "What was that for?" She was about to curse at Claude when she noticed the look of shock in his eyes transform into that pained expression again which he tried to cover with a soft smile. It was as upsetting as Sebastian's listless stare. He sighed and began driving again, "I'll show you," he whispered, "When we get to the mansion." Alex watched him drive and she asked, "Claude?" he didn't respond.

He pulled into the mansion and stepped out, as always he opened the door for her. Alex fallowed him silently into Claude's study, she had been in it a few times however she never really looked around. There weren't any pictures of them, the room was simply filled with books, no funny momentos not even flowers. Alex was confused Claude loved flowers she had noticed that while they were in Rio. He pulled a key and slowly opened a door on the sideboard. Alex watched as he pulled out an old leather album covered in dust. A small Irish Blanket fell to the floor which Claude quickly stuffed away. He handed the album to Alex and said, "This is Jasper." She was confused for a moment until she opened it to see the picture of a small baby boy wrapped in the Irish Blanket which had been in the sideboard. Her eyes widened as she turned the page, he had curly unruly black hair like Claude, his facial features were as soft and regal as Sebastian's but a pair of bright orange eyes. He was smiling happily as he stood on a stone wall.

She continued to turn the pages and saw a picture of Sebastian and Claude smiling as Claude held Jasper in his arms, it was the first time she had seen the pair look so happy. She turned the page again to see Sebastian hugging his son and ruffling his hair, another Claude was playing catch, it looked as though Jasper was the most important thing in the world. "Jasper, was our only son, it was a miracle he was even conceived," said Claude and Alex looked up. He sighed and continued, there was a surprisingly sweet smile on his face. "Sebastian and I tried for years to have children of our own, we almost gave up until Sebastian learned he was pregnant with Jasper," he said softly. Alex looked down at the album again, most people wouldn't believe that Sebastian had given birth and would argue it was anamotomically impossible; however he was a demon and clearly a special one. "After he was born we spent as much time as we could enjoying him, he would climb into our bed at night when ever he was frightened which used to annoy me. I would pick him up so he could pick apples from trees and Sebastian would waltz with him while I played piano," Claude said, tears were in his eyes. "I would even tap dance for them, Sebastian taught him violin," he sighed and looked at the cabinet. "That blanket isn't made of Irish wool. It's made of spider silk," he said softly, "I knitted it while Sebastian was pregnant." Alex was silent she slowly closed the album and Claude continued, "He was killed about a century ago, he was seven." Claude closed his eyes and shuddered, he could still see the blood in the room.

Alex placed the book on the chair and flew across the room to wrap her arms around Claude, who began to waver. He fell to his knees and held his head in his hands. "Our little Jasper," he whimpered. Alex realized this was why Sebastian had lost it the night she had yelled at him, why they panicked all the time and why they were so gentle around her. She knelt on the floor and held him in her slender arms, "I'm so sorry," she whispered. For the first time she had seen them, Claude's blood red tears stained his white fingers. His shoulders shook and he muttered, "Perhaps I've been silently sobbing as well." Alex held his head to her chest and sighed, "Crying doesn't make you weak, it makes you stronger," she said. Claude was slightly confused and she continued, "It means you felt something and it takes much more strength to feel pain than to ignore it." Claude looked up at her and was about to say something when he heard a gasp from the door way. Sebastian dropped hi case when he saw the leather album on the chair. "Why?" he asked, his voice quivered. His crimson eyes were wide with shock and betrail, "Why did you," he stammered after a moment he dashed out of the house and Claude leapt after him. Alex was left kneeling on the floor alone, Claude's tears had left a red stain on her shirt.

"Sebastian," Claude called after him and Sebastian ran even faster. His chest was tight and his eyes burned, Claude showed her the album he had promised to never take it out. "Sebastian!" called Claude again as he attempted to run even faster. Black feathers appeared in the air and Claude shouted, "Don't!" as he watched a pair of jet black wings form on Sebastian's back. If Sebastian transformed there would be no way for Claude to catch him before he did something stupid. He jumped and was quick to wrap his arms around Sebastian to prevent him from flying away. Sebastian struggled for a moment as Claude squeezed him tight, knowing if he let him go he would never catch him. "Let go!" Sebastian cried feebly, as he struggled even more, his black feathers were ruffled and Claude whispered, "No." Sebastian continued to struggle and screamed, "Release me!" only for Claude to squeeze him tighter. "I can't you'll never return to me," he whimpered, as he closed his eyes and held Sebastian even closer. Claude had finally broken and Sebastian cried, "Please, it hurts." Claude ignored him and Sebastian slowly turned back into his normal self. He was crying again, Sebastian felt like all he had been doing was crying which he hated. Only this time Claude was crying alongside him, he clung to Claude and whispered, "Why does it hurt so badly?" he whimpered. Claude held him close and replied, "Because we loved him."

Sebastian snuggled into Claude's chest and continued to cry, Claude stroked Sebastian's hair as his tears ran dry and he whispered, "We loved him, so much." Sebastian looked up at him and noticed how swollen Claude's eyes were. He realized that this was the first time he had ever seen Claude cry, they had been together for centuries and only now had he seen Claude shed a tear. "You've been in mourning for as long as I have," he whispered and Claude sighed. "I guess so, I still have you," he whispered as he gave Sebastian another squeeze. He felt Sebastian's shoulders stop shaking and he looked at the smaller demon, "I still remember the elegy I wrote for him," whispered Sebastian. Claude nodded he remembered it too, it was one of the few instances he had seen the creative side of his lover. "Dry your eyes, Raven," he whispered and Sebastian looked up to find Claude pressing a kiss to his lips. They were soft and gentle like the kiss Claude had given Sebastian the night they had found their son dead. "We will always miss him, he was our son," said Claude and Sebastian sighed before closing his eyes for a moment.

Sebastian's tears had run dry, his eyes were slightly swollen and his cheeks were flushed. The moon was high in the sky once more and Claude whispered, "We have each other." Sebastian opened his eyes and replied, "Yeah." It was weak yet a little stronger and Claude continued, "We also have a girl in my study wondering if your safe right now." Sebastian paused and looked at him inquiativly, "Well she does need a little guidance, and we've been around the block once or twice," he said. Sebastian laughed, it was a sweet sound compared to the painful sobs, "Only twice, try a few thousand times," he replied as he laughed. Claude sighed and smiled, there was the Sebastian he knew. That beautiful, sweet, some what difficult, lover with a smile which would light up the entire room, not the gloomy one he had been living with. "We have to try to guide that spunky, spirited, creative, and softly spoken girl, through life. It looks like we have our work cut out for us," he said. There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice and Claude chuckled, "What?" asked Sebastian defensivly. Claude shrugged and replied smugly, "Nothing." Sebastian's eyes narrowed, "Tell me," he demanded. Claude leaned over and whispered in Sebastian's ear, "You said the same thing when you met me." Sebastian blushed and replied quickly, "No I didn't."

Claude nodded and remembered the day as though it had just occurred, "You did, at the time you didn't even realize who I was. After I had dropped everything and was being berated by your father, you waited till he was gone and all you said was, 'My don't we have our work cut out for us'." Sebastian chuckled, he had always remembered it as the first day Claude had dropped his father's finest vase. He sighed and whispered, "Time does fly." Claude looked at Sebastian and realized that he was thinking about how old he was. "Don't," he whispered as he pressed a kiss to Sebastian's neck. "Don't think about it," he murmured. Sebastian looked at him and replied, "We should get back, who's cooking?" Claude wrapped his arm around Sebastian's waste as they walked and replied, "I'll cook." Sebastian paused and said, "I wanted to." Claude glared and replied hastily, "Then why did you ask?" Sebastian looked at the ground and replied, "I was hoping we could," he paused and Claude listened quietly. "Cook together," he finaly said and Claude kissed Sebastian's brow. "Of course we can," he replied.

Alex turned to the final page in the album to find a pressed lily and a poem written in white ink.

Forget me not
My little one
You have left us too soon
Though my body can no longer hold you
I hold you forever in my heart
As precious and beautiful as this flower caught in time
A parents' love does not forget.

For Jasper.

She paused and slowly swept a tear away, she instantly recognized the poem and came to the startling realization that Sebastian and Claude had written it together. "They really loved him," she whispered and she felt tears trail down her cheeks. She began to wonder if her parents loved her too. Her memories were filled of her father leaving with suite cases in hand for business trip after business trip and her mother working in the city as an architect. She couldn't remember the smell of her mother's perfume, or her father's after shave. Even their voices were long forgotten, all that remained was a photo in her apartment. It was the only one which had survived the cruelties of time, it had been given to her by Doctor Ross when she had asked about her parents. "Alex?" a voice called from the door way, she looked up to see Claude and Sebastian standing there. "What's wrong?" asked Sebastian, his gaze was soft and Alex closed the album. "Nothing," she answered. Claude crossed his arms and sighed, "It looks like a whole lot of nothing." Sebastian nodded and Alex smiled a little, she wasn't alone anymore. "I was just worried," she said and Sebastian smiled before giving her a hug. "Well don't be, now what would you like for dinner?" he asked. She looked up at him and shrugged, "Well let's see what we can make," replied Sebastian before taking her hand in his own. Some how this demon always knew what she needed, even when she didn't know herself.

The poem in the work wasn't written by Sebastian, the author is unknown and the word, "Parents'" is actually "Mother's" but I felt that the poem should be written by them both so I changed the wording. There are many websites devoted to grieving parents so feel free to look at them.

If you are interested there is also a playlist for this work. Feel free to PM me if you would like to know which tracks were selected for each chapter.