A/N: Hi! If you're wondering why you're being pelted by oneshots and that new story, I left my flash drive across the dang country and need to wait for it to be sent back. So I'm doing this. Meanwhile... enjoy!
Title: Sun and Blood
Author: liketolaugh
Rating: T
Pairings: Ciel/Lizzy
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Warnings: None
Summary: Ciel's always believed in the supernatural. This just proves him right.
Disclaimer: Sadly, Black Butler is not mine.
Sunlight shone through the gaps in the branches all around them. Ciel, just nine years old, smiled at Lizzy, sitting across from him, who smiled back. Gentle rustling was the only sound to be heard, along with a soft birdsong.
But then there was stumbling. Both of them giggled softly; it wouldn't be the first time that a gardener, drunk on duty, had stumbled past them. Ciel put a finger to his lips, shushing Lizzy past the sound of his own giggles, and stifled the sound to peer through the branches. His eyes widened.
That wasn't one of the gardeners.
Lizzy peeked over his shoulder, and her fingers tightened on his wrist.
The man outside, who had collapsed to the ground with a pained-sounding groan, was pale, as pale as the night was dark. Fangs gleamed, just visible behind slightly parted lips as he panted lightly, and when he opened his eyes, they were a pale, but distinct, red.
Ciel fidgeted slightly. She looked over at him. "Ciel?" she questioned, too quiet for anyone normal to hear from that distance. The man, though, glanced up, eyes half-lidded but as alert as someone in that state could be.
He glanced up at her. "Do you think that something looks wrong?" he murmured to her.
She looked again, picked up again on what she'd seen the first time, and nodded. "He looks sick," she replied softly. "And he also…" She bit her lip. "He also looks like a vampire."
He nodded. He'd always been more inclined to believe in the supernatural than her – particularly the vicious ones, like demons and werewolves. Like vampires. And after a while, she had, too, just a little.
It seemed they were right.
"Maybe not sick," she murmured thoughtfully. "Maybe… hungry."
He nodded. "That's what I thought, too," he said quietly.
A moment of silence, in which the vampire panted.
"Should we help him?"
They'd asked the question together, and looked at the other. A short, soft, uncertain smile, and then Ciel looked out again. The vampire was now on his hands and knees, struggling to stand, as if to move on.
"I'll go," he whispered.
Before Lizzy could react, he'd pushed his way out of the rose bush, deliberately nicking his wrist against a swathe of thorns in a way he hadn't done by accident in years.
Lizzy had never done it.
He was halfway out before she went after him, catching him by the arm before he could go to the vampire, who was looking at them with surprise and wariness gleaming in its pale eyes.
"Ciel," she hissed, worry in her eyes.
Before she could go on, the vampire moved to speak, making both of them jump.
"Child," he rasped. "I will not hurt him, nor drink from him, unless he should offer." He raised his head with a glimmer of pride. "I can still do that much."
Lizzy looked at him, emerald eyes still shimmering with uncertainty. "You promise?" she asked, voice colored with suspicion that was almost childish, and yet, somehow, not.
A smile played about his mouth. "I promise, child."
She didn't release Ciel's arm, though, looking back to him, biting her lip again. "But Ciel… you know what our parents say."
A slight flush of embarrassment spread across his cheeks, and he defended, "I can lose a little blood, Lizzy."
"Can you?" she asked quietly.
He didn't answer. Blood still trickled from the gash he'd cut in his wrist, but already, he was paling slightly. A drip fell from it, and the vampire caught it on one finger, bringing it up to his mouth and sucking on it greedily.
"I can move on," he said quietly, "if I must. But I may not make it far." He sighed, looking a little ashamed.
Lizzy looked down, then to Ciel. "Both of us."
He tilted his head, frowning. "Both of us?"
"He can take a little from you, whatever you can handle. And then, whatever else he needs, he can take from me."
"I will be careful," the vampire offered, starting to look a little hopeful.
Ciel looked at Lizzy, and Lizzy looked back, and then Ciel nodded.
"Okay," he whispered. He stood, as tall and proud as a child of nine could manage, and smiled at the vampire, and nodded, just once, making some of the few speckles of light in the clearing dance across his face.
The vampire smiled at him, exposing gleaming fangs, and bent to one knee, leaning over the wrist that was still dripping with crimson blood. He took it in one hand, and brought it to his mouth.
The vampire hesitated, just for a moment, and glanced up at Ciel. "What is your name?" he inquired.
"Ciel," Ciel replied, quietly. "Ciel Phantomhive." Then he winced as the vampire bit down slightly on his wrist, deepening the shallow gash from the rose thorns.
As the vampire began to lap at the blood, sucking lightly on the wound, Ciel grew paler and paler, until, finally, Lizzy put her foot down.
"Stop."
The vampire opened his eyes, now a bright scarlet, surprised by the firm tone. Then he glanced up at the boy he had been feeding from, who looked pale and was starting to sway slightly. Hastily, he took his mouth away from his wrist. Ciel smiled at him, and then the boy's cerulean eyes began to close. Before he fell completely into darkness, he heard only one last thing.
"My name is Ricardo."
"Ciel!" Lizzy yelped, lunging to catch Ciel's falling body. Her head jerked to look at Ricardo, eyes flashing angrily. "You said…!"
"I did not expect that he would be so fragile," Ricardo explained softly, apologetically.
Lizzy took a deep breath, and then let it out, shaking her head. Carefully, she lifted Ciel best she could, and carried him over to the nearest tree to let him lean against it, eyes closed. "He's alright?"
"He will wake with a slight headache, nothing more."
She took another breath. "Fine." She turned back to him. "Well, a promise is a promise." Softly, she treaded toward him, ignoring the surprise gleaming in his eyes.
Though the colors of his eyes and skin had both darkened slightly, he still looked unhealthy, ill. She looked up, jade eyes glimmering with determination.
He looked a little hesitant now, glancing uneasily at the unconscious Ciel. Lizzy caught it and smiled softly.
"Ciel was always the delicate one," she told him, smiling slightly in a way that said she didn't mind.
"If you are sure…" He looked uncertain, but slightly eager as he again fell to one knee, taking her wrist to his mouth and biting down. She flinched, but didn't pull away.
She'd promised.
And he did take from her, blood pooling into his mouth, and it seemed an eternity before he pulled away, his lips a healthy pink-red, eyes a distinct scarlet, and his skin a healthier color, though still pale.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "And thank your friend when he awakes."
Lizzy smiled at him, nodded, and turned to Ciel, sitting beside him and leaning against his shoulder lightly.
Ricardo turned and left with a swoosh. Behind him, Lizzy, too, fell asleep, tired by the excitement, and fatigued by the blood loss.
Ricardo smiled to himself.
He may not see them again, but he would remember them both – the little boy, brave and kind, and the girl, not only that, but loyal and determined.
Not often did one such as him come across people like that.
Remember, this ties in to Creatures of the Night, but yeah... please review!