I've decided to start responding to reviews/comments at the beginning of every chapter. I won't do too many; it will always be a number below 10. So, congrats to those who were chosen, and thank you all for continuing to make my writing experience on here wonderful. It truly makes me smile to read all of your reviews.

AnimeCujo: Thank you very much! I try really hard to write IC, because I absolutely loathe it when it's OOC. To me, it's just different people with the same name. This chapter might be a little OOC though...

garryxmrchairfan: Of course; what else would be so important (besides cats) than the soul he gets to devour, the one he obsessively cultivates?

gaaralover51141: I'm sure they're both quite fond of chocolate cake, at the moment.

Artemis Phantomhive: I am so extremely glad that you enjoyed it. And heterochromatic is one of my favorite words; besides, it would become very tiresome to say his "violet and blue eyes" all the time. We all know what colors they are, so I might as well use the proper term for what's going on with his eyes. I think heterochromia is beautiful, anyway.

Time for some feels (and probably mild OOCness); enjoy the next installment, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 10

Blue Roses

It felt like he was floating in warmth, completely enfolded in the delicious heat, warm waters lapping at his body. He was greedy to keep it all to himself, to never let it go. It was so soothing, as if he were enveloped in love. He daren't open his eyes, lest the illusion be shattered, and yet he felt himself slowly rising into consciousness before drifting back down into the abyss of dreamless sleep. A delicate sigh left his pale pink lips, and he curled closer to the source of warmth. Arms tightened around his body, holding steadfastly to his small frame. It was a sensation of utter bliss, to be surrounded by the scent, the warmth, the touch, of the one you held dear. While he would never allow his feelings to form words and leave his lips, to allow Sebastian to hear such improper things, he no longer denied them. Feelings were a weakness, one Ciel could not afford, and they especially should not be harbored for the demon who was contractually obligated to devour your soul. Though his mouth refused to speak of it, his body told Sebastian all he needed to know. Sebastian knew deep down exactly how Ciel felt for him, though he was too dense to consciously realise it. Such feelings were foreign to his kind, almost impossible to be felt, even harder to identify.

Chocolate eyes watched the sleeping face of the young Earl, a strange feeling stirring in his chest. This had been a common occurrence, coming with more frequency as he took to his master's bed each night. This had been happening every night for the past month, since that first night. Ciel had yet to have another nightmare, instilling a sense of relief in Sebastian. He still worried that they would come back to haunt the boy, which had led him to vigorously, unrelentingly taking him until he passed out from exhaustion. And as the boy slept, Sebastian would watch him until he could no longer keep awake. Ciel would murmur incomprehensibly in his sleep; sometimes he would laugh or even smile, which Sebastian found to be oddly amazing.

When the younger male stirred and clutched onto his counterpart, Sebastian could feel his chest tightening. He was unfamiliar with every thought, every feeling that circulated through him; never before had he been so thoroughly confused. His every waking thought revolved around Ciel; he dreaded the times when he had to leave his side, and when they were together once more, taking to his bed at night, he could not get enough of the boy. The taste of him was delicious, tasting of the sweets of which he was so fond, and his scent akin to the roses that he adored.

Sebastian had found that he now had a favorite flower, where before he could care less about them. His favorites were roses, as blue as the eye of his Young Master. For those roses, he had his own secret garden, away from prying eyes in the forest. He would positively kill Finnian if he so much as bruised a petal of the lovely blue roses; so he hid them away, his secret sanctuary. Maybe one day he would lure the young Earl there, and have his way with him amongst the flowers. The blue petals would adorn his skin, complimenting his flushed cheeks and pale skin. Blue was the color that suited his master the best.

Sebastian slowly drifted into sleep, lured by the promise of dreaming about blue roses and the boy, intoxicated by the presence of Ciel...

Ciel awoke quite suddenly, as if someone had forcefully wrenched him from his dream; dazed with sleep he had yet to shed, he looked around his room and realised that it was still the dead of night. One look at Sebastian's face and it was obvious to him that he was deeply asleep, dreaming of something that made a true smile adorn his lips. He closed his eyes, hoping that the deep, soft breathing of the older male would lull him back into unconsciousness. Of course, he had no such luck. He gave a weary sigh, slipping from the arms of his sleeping butler. He decided that he fancied a walk to wear down this sudden burst of energy inside him. Only then would he return to the arms of Sebastian, to that inviting, heady warmth. Slippers graced his dainty feet and a robe was wrapped securely around him; it had been tied clumsily, but it did the job well enough that he refused to struggle with it any more than was necessary. He exited his room, silent as death, and traipsed through the hall. He didn't bother with any candles; the gaslights were enough, bathing his path in soft pale yellow light. Ciel couldn't be troubled to pay attention to where he was headed and allowed his feet to lead him, giving his mind time to wander over menial things. He became aware that he was outside, the perfumed scent of roses tickling his nose. He walked to where the Sterling roses were kept, coming to the conclusion that they were not giving off that luxurious aroma; no, the sterling's fragrance was subtler and not as sweet. Following his nose, he forged his own path through the woods. Soon, he found a clearing, and the sight before him knocked the wind from his lungs. He felt dumbfounded with awe. It's like a dream...

Surrounded by a circle of trees was a massive rose garden; it was lit from the full moon overhead, the blue roses seeming to glow faintly. It was beautiful, and Ciel's heart wrenched in awe at the sight. A burst of wind sent petals dancing in the air, and Ciel subconsciously stepped into the clearing. In the midst of the roses, he looked up at the moon; the petals still gracefully swirled around him, landing in his hair, softly grazing his cheeks. He noticed how the vivid roses happened to be the same color as his left eye. He was shocked speechless, wondering whose garden this could possibly be. His cheeks were flushed slightly, and he stood perfectly still, his hands held upward as if to catch falling snow.

"So you have found it," a voice that Ciel would recognise anywhere was carried to his ears on the wind. He turned to the source of the sound, confirming what he already knew.

"Is this garden yours, Sebastian?" he murmured fervently, his arms dropping down to his sides. "Do you like blue roses, then?" His dainty fingers traced the petals of one of the roses.

"I love them, Young Master." Sebastian's voice was quiet, yet intense. The scene before him was painfully beauteous. In a sea of blue roses stood his master, with faintly flushed cheeks and eyes alight in a strange yet passionate wonder.

Ciel wanted very much to tell Sebastian how beautiful his garden was, but his mouth couldn't form the words. Instead his lips and voice seemed to take a mind of their own, and one strangled word forced it's way from his mouth. "Why?"

It feels so like a dream... maybe it's okay to show weakness, just this once... flitted through Ciel's mind, his pride melting away as his cold, indifferent façade crumbled at his feet.

The look on Ciel's face cut through Sebastian like a finely sharpened blade; why did he seem so pained? Why did he sound as if he were trying not to cry? "Why, what, Young Master?"

"Why do you love blue roses?" Ciel hoped beyond any right that he had to hope, that is was because of the color of his eye. It was a foolish hope, and yet he could not see to quash it.

The question seemed to take Sebastian off guard. He had never thought of a reason for it, he had just slowly realised that he was quite fond of them. Why do I love them, blue roses? He ventured into his subconscious, hunting down the answer to the boy's question.

And then it hit him. Oh. Slowly but purposefully, he strode towards his master, only stopping when they were a few inches apart. He looked down at the porcelain-skinned boy, so slight, so soft, his heterochromatic eyes looking up at Sebastian's face with some strange mix of emotions that he couldn't seem to read. It was impossible trying to decipher the turmoil there; was it hope that he caught a glimpse of? In this dreamlike reality, perhaps I can muster up the courage to say such words... His fingers reached out to remove a rose petal from the silky blue-black locks, running through that kitten-soft hair. A shiver danced up Ciel's spine at the touch. Both of Sebastian's hands were bare, and he gently cupped the soft cheeks of his master, who was trembling like a baby bird with broken wings. This baby bird could no longer fly, because someone had cruelly clipped his wings before he even got to leave his nest. It felt as though a spell had been cast over him, coaxing him to the edge of a cliff.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say, what had to be said. He raised his foot out over the cliff's edge... "It is because... I..."

"Yes?" Ciel's voice was barely a whisper caressing Sebastian's ears. He held his breath, waiting both patiently and impatiently.

Taking the blind leap, he cast himself out over the cliff, plunging into the abyss. The spell's hold over him was too great to fight. "Because I love you," Sebastian whispered, voice breaking on the word 'love'.

Ciel's heart stuttered, then began pounding crazily in his chest. His breathing hitched in his throat, and his eyes grew wide. If this is a dream, please don't let me wake up... I don't want to face a world where this isn't real.

"S-Sebastian, I..." Ciel took a deep, shuddering breath. And then he, too, plunged from the cliff, following in his butler's wake, and shattering all pretense of apathy...

A/N: For those of you wondering (if you received a notification of update), I only went through this chapter to fix any errors and add a few words here and there. I typed this chapter up last night when I was half asleep (but extremely inspired), so there was bound to be things that needed fixing up. I should have the next chapter up within a few days, so do be patient. I also hope that this chapter wasn't too OOC. Thanks for reading and reviewing! -Eztli