Lucifer has come to see Sebastian, only to find him on the floor. Rather than lecturing him, Sebastian realizes that it is impossible to keep running. Everything catches up in the end. Claude is in William and Ronald's care, only to be faced by a pair of determined Shinigami. Both demanding to know just what is going on.

With several piece on the board unaccounted for, can the Undertaker win?

Jus how mush has Claude been hiding?

Recently myself and a friend, Manake, have started co-writing a crossover called Mayhem in Manhattan. We decided it would be fun to have our two OTPs meet up, Shizuo x Celty and Claude x Sebastian. ( s/9096728/1/)

Also, I'm putting together a full copy of Crimson Tears in Google Docs. Sadly I will have to break the series into several docs. However, unlike the chapters posted here, these will be better edited and have piece which were cut from the posts here. So keep an eye out for those.

Thank you all of my dedicated readers, you guys are really helpful and I hope to see more reviews. I can only improve if you tell me where I need work.

I hope you enjoy,

~Kuro

Chapter 75: The Truth about Running

There is a point in which we all fear to disappoint our parents, when we come to the realization that we may not have been able to live up to all of their expectations. At that moment we feel as though we have not only allowed them to see disappointment in you, but also themselves. An overwhelming wave of disgust and irritation almost always washes over their face, and you know for a split second that you have managed to crumble. Sebastian wrapped his fingers around the stem of the glass and looked at the lush deep red liquid which now rested in the glass. He lifted the glass to his lips and felt the cool sweet wine enter his mouth; he could feel it slowly numbing the pain which he had been feeling since he had felt Claude leave. "That's tricky," he said after a moment and looked at the glass. Lucifer slowly slipped his fingers around his son's free hand, which was resting on the table. "I'm not going to judge you," he whispered kindly. Sebastian's red eyes slid up to meet his father, he knew well that his father was going to judge him; he would be a fool not to. "You never asked about my relationship with Claude," he whispered and slowly placed the glass back on the table. He drew a shaky breath and looked up at his father, "That is where this all starts, the day I learned he was alive," he said softly. Lucifer gave Sebastian's hand an encouraging squeeze and nodded.

Sebastian closed his eyes for a moment and slowly began to remember when he had awoken in the chamber of the Emperor, that moment in which he was thrust into a confusing and almost unimaginable world. The smell of flowers filled his nose, and he could feel the soft caress of the finest silk on his skin, "After the fire the Undertaker took me to the Forbidden City, where the Emperor of China resided, Xiang. Unlike the others he wasn't one of the bloodline and yet he had managed to take the thrown as a warlord. It was nothing like Hell; it was as though I were trapped in a dream. Sitting before me wrapped in imperial gold was the young emperor of China, I had been given to him as a gift," he whispered and drew another deep breath, "At the time I was in pain, I felt as though I had lost everything, I was starving and desired a contract. He was the first contract I ever made, his ambition was endless, and his desire for power knew no bounds. I loved the fact, that he was willing to do just about anything to get the job done." Lucifer was silent, he looked engrossed in his son's story and he slowly placed both his hands on his fathers. "I worked tirelessly to unite China and protect it, yet I was broken. I had liked Claude before you had even introduced him to me and offered him as my butler. Before all of this pain," his hand slowly over his chest and he clutched his shirt, "I had been in love with him for so long that, that night hurt the most. He was innocent and yet you allowed him to die in the fire. I was never going to forgive you for that, how could I?" He noticed the look of regret in Lucifer's face and smiled and little, "I lived off of that hatred for years, until one day a beautiful princess from Southern China arrived with her mysterious advisor. As soon as he entered the room I felt this primal spark, and I began to wonder if it was possible for Claude to be alive," he said with a listless smile, "He had proven to be rather valuable to her and was playing the entire court. I had gone out into the garden to soothe my wrecked nerves and tend to the Imperial Cherry Trees, which were to blossom soon. I looked up in the branches to see a heart wrenching sight, a spider which looked just like Claude," he breathed.

Sebastian fought back his tears, he wanted to crumple onto the floor and cry in pain, "I moved the spider out of the way to ensure it's safety. If I couldn't save him, the least I could do was save something which reminded me of him. At the time Claude had been maneuvering the court to the point that I was becoming obsolete, and the emperor allowed it. However, I never expected to be on the receiving end of an assassination attempt. A human was hired who specialized in killing demons; he was paid a great sum to kill me. I didn't know the assassin was in the garden until I heard the whisper of silk and a muffled scream. Standing before me, was the one thing I thought I lost," he whispered and looked at his glass of wine. Lucifer took a sip of wine and asked after a moment, "What happened after you learned of who the mysterious advisor was?" his voice was soft and yet there was a note of pure irritation. Sebastian looked up at him and smiled softly, "We carried out our contracts and set up an agreement, to spend time with one another between them. We carried on like that for years, obeying our masters during the day and indulging in pleasure at night. After centuries of carrying on like this, we made a decision which changed everything," he sighed and fought back the tears which were gathering. He was well aware that Lucifer knew nothing of their son, that he was actually a grandfather at one point.

"We had been sitting on the Pierre, watching the christening of a ship when we noticed a pair of young boys, dashed down the walk. They were smiling and laughing with glee as they ran, and at that moment Claude whispered, 'I think we should have a child.' Those words made my heart leap. We never spoke of children and in the past acknowledged that it was far too dangerous with the relations between shinigami, angles and demons. Yet, at that moment I understood what he wanted, a child to bring us closer together," Sebastian's voice was soft and a faint nostalgic smile swept across his lips. He slowly slipped his finger around the wine glass, Lucifer was silent and he took this as his cue to continue, "We went home and pulled out my tome, Claude had learned magic at that point and was able to assist me in the preparations for producing a child. We tried for years, nearly a decade to get it right, and just when we were about to give up."

Sebastian's garnet eyes looked up at his father, a look of shock was on his face. It was clear he had no idea the pair had produced a son, Lucifer sat back a mixture of pain and sadness swept across his face. "I have a grandson?" he asked after a moment. A stab of pain ran through his chest, "Yes you did," he replied quietly. Lucifer slipped his hand into his hair and looked at Sebastian, "You never told me you were pregnant," he hissed with irritation. Sebastian drew a deep breath and shook his head, "You were preoccupied with gaining control over the outer rim of Hell, I wrote to you however you never replied," he replied and looked at his hands. The platinum band sparkled in the light as it was wrapped around his finger. "I never received them," he muttered in astonishment and looked at Sebastian with a smile. "Where is he now? Is he a successful CEO like you?" he asked with a hint of excitement. The tears which Sebastian had been fighting to hold back finally broke and he whimpered, "He was murdered, he was only seven." The silence hung in the air, and Sebastian hung his head, that day was fresh in his mind; it was the most painful memory in his mind.

He slowly swept his tears away with the back of his hand and shouted, "I was going to visit you in the palace and tell you of my son. I wanted to patch up what was left of this shattered relationship! Only to find my son, dead on the floor!" He had lost his grip on sanity and tears now streamed down his face, "My beautiful baby Jasper," he cried, his sobs racked his body and he rested his head on the table. The sound of the barstool scraping across the floor filled the room, and he felt a pair of warm arms encircle him. He could sense his father's hesitation and began to wonder what else there was, clearly this tale wasn't over. "At that time I pushed Claude away, I thought he had betrayed me. I learned late that he had gone to protect me from an angelic assassin, yet part of me still can't forgive him. I still can't allow him to know that. I thought that if I ignored these feeling and continued on the path which I had started that I could bury them," he whispered. Sebastian sat up and wrapped his arms around his father, "Only for him to betray me again, I have nothing left."

Lucifer tightened his grip on his son and looked down at him, Sebastian never got this emotional, and he always hid his emotions. It was only when it came to Claude that these emotions were apparent. Sebastian had honestly fallen in love with the other demon, part of him wanted to go out and hunt this demon down, to skin him alive. While the other part desired to know more about the current situation. Claude was so protective of Sebastian in Switzerland, that he found it hard to believe that he would even contemplate hurting his mate. "What did he do?" asked Lucifer after a moment, he could feel Sebastian's warm tears seep through his shirt. "He stole my funds, broke contracts, did illegal actions, the list is endless," he whispered as he sat up. Lucifer slowly pulled away from his son and placed his hand on his cheek. "Listen here, I know you hurt, I hurt right now knowing that you had to endure all of this alone," he said firmly, "however, there are people relying on you." Sebastian looked at his father, who seemed to be towering over him. "There are people working for you, who had mortgages to pay, bills and debt, people which look to you to protect them," he said sternly. He had to remind his son of his role as a CEO. "Now pick up the piece and stitch yourself together, you're no use to them like this," he hissed and gently lifted Sebastian's chin, "You are my son, mine. I am not going to watch you fall apart. You've managed to get this far, don't fall behind now."

He watched Sebastian's eyes widen and nodded as he sat up slowly, "You used your hatred of me to fuel you for all those years, now use your desire to rebuild and conquer from this," Lucifer said with a smile, he was standing his full height and looked like the true king of demons. Sebastian nodded and slowly slipped off the stool. He straightened up and nodded firmly, Lucifer watched as his son slowly began to pick up the pieces of his life. "They may not use swords, however from what I've seen you have a talented staff and resources. Remind them who rocked the world, remind them who you are. You aren't simply Sebastian Michaelis," he smiled, "You are Sebastian Michaelis, CEO of Artistry and Prince of Hell, my son. Don't forget that." The young demon gave a firm nod before calling, "Thompson, Timber, Canterbury!" His voice rang through the halls, and Lucifer noticed that fire back in his son's eyes. He stared in confusion as he watched Sebastian look at the three, "I need Damien's contacts, I'm going to transfer a great deal of money from an account into mine, Thompson you have access to that. Timber, I need you to change some appointments of mine around, open up tomorrow I need to start working on this. Also contact Tonoin and tell him we need to have a meeting. Canterbury, check the status of our contracts with intrigue, you will have access to Claude's old office and such," he said quickly. The three looked at one another before giving a deep bow and vanishing, each tending to their own task. Lucifer watched his son in admiration; he looked like a superb manager. "Who taught you how to delegate like that?" he asked curiously. Sebastian turned and smiled, "You," was his reply before he began to walk toward his study.

Claude left the bathroom and looked at Ronald and William. "Faustus, Ronald has just told me what you told him," William said after a moment. He adjusted his glasses and looked at Ronald who seemed slightly nervous. He couldn't blame the shinigami, he was a demon after all, "Knox, I didn't tell you to keep it a secret," said Claude softly as he looked at the floor. He wasn't going to fight if he couldn't escape this, "Faustus, quit wallowing!" shouted William angrily as he grabbed the demon's chin and forced him to look at him. Claude looked at the older reaper and noticed the determination in his eyes, "If that happens Faustus, they could reek havoc on the rest of us, shinigami would be forced to choose a side," he said coldly. Claude knew that this was going to scare the hell out of reapers, to have demons enslaved by a mad man, "What is Zion?" William hissed and Claude froze, all demons knew what they were, they knew about the rose and its pungent odor. "Do you know how souls rot?" he asked slowly and looked at William. His golden eyes were slightly darker than before, and the older shinigami stared at Claude who was simply standing with a towel around his waist. "No," replied William softly, "Let's get you some clothes and then you can explain." Ronald went into William's room and grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater, the demon smiled as he took the clothing. "Thanks," he breathed. He noticed how the pair seemed uncomfortable, and he realized it was the fact he was standing solely in a towel. He turned and went into the bathroom, once he had managed to enter the familiar room he sighed. Shinigami were knowledgeable when it came to certain things. Souls were one such topic in which they had a great deal of knowledge. "Odd," he mused as he slipped into the sweater and then the jeans, it felt odd to put them on without underwear, however he could understand their hesitation.

In many ways Claude was grateful that they had allowed him to stay, however that didn't change the fact that he had to tell them about a game which had been in play for well over a century. Ronald and William were sitting in the living room, with a fresh pot of tea and mugs. William's eyes were locked on him; he slowly sat across from them in the chair and clasped his hands together. He had to explain this, "I always assumed you guys understood what rotting souls were," he said after a moment and looked at the pair. Both of them looked confused, Ronald's eyes were filled with curiosity while William looked slightly impatient. "I know very little from what I've read in books," William confessed. Claude sighed, it was only natural such instances had stopped since the change in code which the Undertaker had negotiated with Lucifer. It was way before their time, "As you know souls must be reaped a quickly as possible to prevent an imbalance. Years ago, long before either of you came into existence there was an issue which arose, it wasn't because dispatch was short staffed, it was because demons were manipulating the natural order of things," he stated. He could remember the chaos which had ensued in the human realm as demons ran unbound to a master, killing those who weren't meant to die yet. "If a soul isn't reaped you know it is released and wanders through the human realm. It's what occurs as it wanders which causes issues," he looked at William who had his hands wrapped around a mug, and was watching Claude closely. "The longer they wander the more of their human qualities they loose. They become darker, much more dangerous and exceedingly powerful. We call them Shadows, they're what's left of a soul which has lost all it's humanistic features," he explained.

Demons knew a great deal about Shadows, many of them fed on them as a delicacy. Claude was never interested in that aspect though, they were far too difficult to catch, and when fed upon they had a tendency of poisoning the demon. "For centuries humans have experimented with contacting these shadows, Gypsies and things often used cards and other tools to speak to them. Most of it was a hoax, however, there was one group which managed to contact demons and shadows," he continued, the smell of the roses from his memory flooded him and he shook his head, "Zion had managed it under the determined man Al Azif, broke through the barriers and brought shadows into the world," he paused and noticed the look of terror on Ronald's face. William wrapped his arms around the blond and held him there, he was trembling, and Claude began to feel guilty for explaining this. "He placed one in the body of a man and began to experiment with even more staggering feats. H. P. Lovecraft studied this art and eludes to it in his stories, he was killed before he could finish his Grimoire. There are five copies in the world," he finished and looked at the pair. He had encountered necromancers before, many of them were wayward and often foolish as they attempted the rituals. "Has there been any success in summoning a shadow currently?" asked Ronald after a moment, his voice shook as though it were a leaf on the wind.

That was the one question which he didn't have the answer to, "No, most of the original Grimoires were destroyed. If Sebastian's were to be given to the wrong person it could do even more damage," he stated, he didn't want to lie, however he wasn't entity sure of this game. William held up his hand and asked, "Is it possible for a human to use Sebastian's tome? I thought only demons could." William had a fair point, it was unusual for a human to be able to use a demonic tome, however not impossible, and Sterling had proven that with the ice spiders. "No, it isn't impossible," he replied.

The Undertaker stood at the back of the room, waiting for the final lot and making sure no one noticed that the piece to complete it was sitting beside Kei. He slipped his hand into his pocket and looked at the string of lockets he had collected, "Hopefully this time you're able to escape that fate," he commented as he ran his fingers over the silver chain. They were getting progressively closer, he could feel the tension in the room, he looked around and stared as he noticed two people out of place, "Allen Platt and Max?" he asked in confusion as he noticed the pair. Allen was smiling, he was about to walk over when he caught a familiar scent waft by him as a young woman in a white dress passed him. The Undertaker stiffened and his eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?" he asked in confusion as he watched the young woman move. That was Angela, he was certain of it. Grell walked over to him and asked, "Who was that?" The Undertaker hissed, she was bold to come here, "A pest," he replied. She was attempting to manipulate the outcome. "Keep her away from Alex," he whispered as he grabbed Grell's arm.

His grip was harsh, and Grell stared at him, "Wouldn't it be easier to send her out of here?" he asked in confusion. The Undertaker's eyes fell on him that was only possible earlier, he needed them to stay. "No, she's been seen, she has to stay," he replied. Before he could say another word the tome was brought to the block. The room fell silent as the Auctioneer cleared his throat, "Ladies and Gentleman, as you have noted we have an exceedingly rare item which has been added to the collection. It has been authenticated by the several reputable appraisers from Walden and Fitch Books," he stated. His voice rang as clear as a bell, and suddenly the Undertaker realized what was going on. "So this is your trump card Sterling, not Tonoin but the book on the block," he whispered. Grell looked at him even more confused, "Huh?" he asked, the Undertaker looked at the pair. "Oh very clever," he commented as a smile crept across his lips.

"No, not a full shadow, however with Sebastian's tome it becomes possible," Claude stated. His golden eyes fell on William and Ronald, that tome was going to be on the auction block soon, his accounts were frozen, and there was no way he could get it back. "Purchase it," said Ronald with a shrug, William glared at Ronald. He had forgotten how young he was, "That isn't something which can be purchased by another demon, and even if I could my assets are frozen." He knit his fingers together and looked at them, there were some things demons couldn't do. Purchasing the tome of a noble was one of them, "Why?" asked William, "What rule prevents it Faustus?" Claude looked at them seriously as he smiled crookedly. "Do you know what it means to own that tome?" he asked after a moment. The pair was silent, he swore he could hear a pin drop. "It means I own him, not as a lover, not as my other half, but I'm contracted to him as his master," he responded.

"This volume is the Summoning Tome of Sebastian Michaelis the Prince of Hell and son of Lucifer," said the Auctioneer with pride. It was the most valuable item of the evening and the Undertaker could hear the whispers of investors through the room. He looked over at Alex and Kei, if there was anytime for him to use his money to save her, now would be it. "We will start the bidding at it's appraised value, 120 thousand Pounds," he said clearly. The room was a buzz, "130," called an elderly gentleman in the front, he was the owner of several cruise lines and hotels. "150" shouted a young woman in the back, his eyes drifted to her, she was a real-estate tycoon. He looked at Alex and Kei and asked, "What are you going to so? If they get that tome they will do irreversible damage." He noticed the uneasiness in Grell's eyes as the bidding continued, "Shouldn't we stop them?" he asked. The Undertaker could tell the young reaper was beyond nervous, "No we can't interfere," he responded, "This event alters the game." Out of the corner of his eye he could see a content and confident Angela sitting in her seat, the only piece he hadn't predicted to appear. "What?" stammered Grell, "Are you insane?" The Undertaker cackled and replied, "Do you know what happens when you observe an event?" The young reaper looked at him in confusion, his red lip quivered, and he slipped on of his black gloved hands into his long red hair.

Ronald's jaw hit the carpet, he gaped at Claude, "What the hell does that have to do with anything?" asked William. Claude closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair, "A lower demon can not own royalty, as soon as another demon lays hands on it and makes a pact. He owns the other one," he responded as he looked at the tray with the French Press sitting on it. He slowly reached out and picked the mug up, it was warm, and he could smell the strong brew. It was clear William liked strong coffee, "How do you make a pact?" William asked after a moment, "And why aren't you exempt?" The arachnid took a sip and used that brief amount of time to compose his thoughts. He slowly lowered the mug and replied, "Blood and no I am not. Touching a tome is like you physically handling a soul." The pair looked at one another, it was clear they were taught that in Reaping 101. If a demon was to handle another's tome, it could take him over. Being the Prince's tome meant that not only would he be harming Sebastian, but Sebastian would essentially try to kill him indirectly. "How can a book be so dangerous?" asked Ronald. He laughed and looked at them, clearly he didn't know about the shinigami library, "What happens when you amend the record of a person?" he asked after a moment.

"I'm asking for a clear answer," barked Grell, "Not a fortune cookie." Another number was lifted in the air, and a buyer shouted, "210!" The tension in the room was almost palpable as the bidders became even more rallied up. The only person who hadn't placed a bit was Kei, he became curious as to why. "Simple, as soon as you observe something it changes, all the possibilities are different and you can change the outcome by simply being at the event. Alex is one of them, we are another," he replied. His gaze was on the Japanese man with Sterling's emerald eyes, the knight which no one saw coming, with his queen at the side. Finally the number lifted, and Kei called, "1.2 Million." There was a buzz in the room, the Undertaker even froze, he hadn't expected that number. "1.4!" called Allen Platt from the front. "So basically we have to see which one of them can manage to beat the other out, why?" Grell asked, "It makes no sense." It wouldn't make sense to Grell, however the board wasn't complete, and two pieces were missing. "The Bishop and Knight aren't here yet," he commented. The redheaded shinigami scratched his head, "Chess?" he asked curiously, "Who are they?"

Ronald tapped his chin and hummed, "Well, if you amend them you change their lives, which can alter their perception of things," he replied. Claude nodded, his black hair was still slightly damp, and he felt a droplet roll of one of his bangs and land on his knee. "A demon's tome isn't like that, however if things are altered the ramifications are serious. Each tome contains charms, spells and rituals which are used to control a demon, many of which are lethal if done incorrectly. If a demon was to touch another tome, the tome responds by killing the demon to prevent alterations and abuse," he explained. He could remember the first time someone tried to touch his tome, the demon burst into flames, and he found a pile of ash the next day in his compartments at the Trancy Manor. William rubbed the back of his neck and held his hand up, "What your saying is, that the only person who can save himself is Sebastian?" he asked slowly.

The auctioneer was on his toes as another woman shouted, "1.5!" her voice was loud and high pitched. It hurt the Undertaker's ears, "Claude and Sebastian," he replied as he looked at the audience. Kei's number flew up again. "2.3," he stated flatly, there wasn't even a question and he noticed how high the price was rising. "You're kidding, neither of them is in a state to get here, if you can't remember Sebastian's trying to piece himself together right now," he hissed.

Claude nodded, William leapt to his feet, his gold and green eyes were filled with anger, "He's broken, and you allegedly broke him and now you are saying he has to save himself?" he practically screamed. Ronald winced; he had never seen William yell. Occasionally he would shout Grell's name and bark orders, however this was a new level of irritation for him. Claude grit his teeth, and Ronald watched as the demon rose from his seat and pointed at the door, "I didn't do this! This was never my intention!" His eyes flickered a violent fascia as he spoke, and his aura cracked. "Then what the hell were you planning? You were playing with Sterling, and from the sounds of it you were in over your head Claude!" he shouted, William looked as though he had finally lost it. All the stress which had been building was all over his face, he didn't even care that Claude was about to snap. "What the fuck do you know Reaper?" Claude hissed, his pupils became slits and he leaned forward. William's fingers were curled in fists, and Ronald watched his Sempai tremble. "At least I know when to fold when I'm in over my head!" he retorted, "Faustus, you know better than the rest of us what's at stake, why did you keep playing!"

The Undertaker drew a shaky breath as he watched Angela whisper something in the ear of Max and Allen Platt's father, "I'm aware, however we aren't enough to face this room of VIPs, Angels, Demons and Fae," he hissed. He watched as they turned their attention to Alex, "We can't stand by and watch this," Grell whined. Another card flew up, "2.5!" shouted Allen Platt's father, he then watched the man turn his attention to one of his assistants and whisper something into his ear. Kei raised his number and replied, "3." There was a murmur of awe which swept through the room, the Grell's eyes fell on a pair of guards as they moved toward Alex and Kei, one of them had a sword drawn, "We can't wait much longer," hissed Grell as he shoved his way through the crowd which had gathered at the back of the room. The glint of the blade sent a chill down the Undertaker's spine, and he whispered, "Damn it Sebastian, where the fuck are you?"

Sebastian was at his desk and quickly finished his transaction, he moved as much as he could out of the off shore account and into his own. He felt this unusual tug, and he froze, something was very wrong, he had expected to see Alex. He closed his eyes for a moment, the last time he felt this feeling she had slit her throat and was standing on the bar at the Ministry of Sound. The door swung open as Canterbury returned with a stack of documents. "Set them over there," he said as he pointed to the corner of his desk. "Sir, there's something you need to see," Canterbury said after a moment. Lucifer entered after a moment and looked around his son's study, it was elegant and clean. "What?" asked Sebastian as his eyes narrowed, he was silently cautioning the demon, he didn't need anything else to happen. The purple haired demon held out a red folder and handed it to him; he had seen this file on Claude's desk. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked as he tossed it on the top of his desk and leaned back in his chair. He could feel his father's eyes on him and frankly he didn't care. "Check and see who owns both publishers," Canterbury replied. Sebastian flipped the file open, "Sir Arnold Richard Sterling," he said after a moment, and he looked up. Sterling had pinned his own publishing houses against one another, which made no sense. During the time of the lawsuit, Sterling secretly purchased both publishers. "There's something else," said Canterbury after a moment and Sebastian looked up at him. "I did a little digging and found this," he stated as he placed a picture on his desk. Sebastian's eyes widened and he shot up from his desk. "Fuck!" he shouted and knit his fingers in his hair, so this what Sterling had up his sleeve.