"Elixir Vitae"
Elizabeth dreamed that Ciel had come home. It had been an imperfect dream, almost real in that didn't return the way that he left but came back damaged and different; but still, that dream had been that happiest that Lizzy had been in a long time. Her dream-self had rushed to her cousin and held him, her hands in his soft, slate gray hair and clutched in the velvety fabric of his jacket, just touching him and knowing that he was real and that he was home.
Elizabeth had woken up crying, still hazy from sleep as her body shook and her face twisted into something uncomfortable and unattractive. And the girl had pulled her comforter up over her head, buried herself down into her pillow, and remembered holding him in her arms. She was still crying as she fell back asleep.
a/n: Errr... Sorry? Life's been kinda hectic for a while. Um. Yeah. So, I know this chapter isn't very much, being just an interlude, but I've mostly been working on editing this fic rather than writing more of it. If you want to read the updated/edited version, it's under the same title over at AO3, mostly just because it's easier to work with over there. I do have the chapter after this one already written, though, so it should be up soon. Thanks to anyone who's still interested in this story after the long delay. :)
"Elixir Vitae:" a balm; a lie.