Author's Note:I'm so sorry I didn't have this up earlier, I was working on designing the kind of place I believed that Vincent would own. It took a bit, but I did it. I know you guys are pumped about seeing Ciel's punishment but hang in there, I have some other things to clear up too. Please note that I am working on the prequel called "Bottle Shock," I'm looking for a series name to put these all under. If you have suggestions leave it in a review.
I want to thank those of you who are reading this work and gave it a chance, I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying it.
Those of you who have been reviewing with accounts your replies are on the bottom.
Chapter 47: Noir
Revenge is like poison; it spreads quickly, fogs judgment, and is lethal. Yet justice isn't so, it is concise, calculated and always justified by a higher power. There is a fine line between the two, so fine that it is often missed by those who are looking too closely for it. There are those who look for it and others who move because they have to, they are compelled to right a wrong by any means necessary. Vincent entered Dee's room with a jacket in hand and a tie. His eyes fell on the German noble, he watched Vincent intently with large blue eyes, "Where?" he asked. Vincent drew a deep breath as he popped his collar to put his tie on, "Ciel, I'm going to take care of this, he clearly isn't ready to handle a business for real," he replied as he began to tie the piece of red fabric. It was blood red and reminded Diederich of the pain in the man's heart. Ciel had betrayed his father and it cut Vincent deeper than he was willing to let on. It was like a knife to the man's very soul.
The cool stalwart façade of the English noble was once again in place and he stood proud, as a Lord should. Vincent finished tying his tie into a beautiful Windsor knot and adjusted it carefully, he looked as though he were about to walk to court and take down an entire cartel, yet this was all for his son. He could see the pain in Vincent's eyes as he gently folded his collar down. "You don't have to do this, just take the restaurant, free Sebastian and then punish Ciel. You don't have to black ball him or financially reduce him to ruin," said Diederich slowly, Vincent could tell that the man was trying to get him to see reason. To see that he was being far too drastic, he hummed and bowed his head before shrugging into his vest.
"Dee, it's too late, the papers have been drafted and will be notarized this afternoon, I'm not black balling him, however he will be forced to return every pound he had stolen to buy Sebastian and will then do community service," he stated. This seemed to placate the man to a certain extent and he watched as the massive shoulders of the German seemed to drop a fraction, as he slowly came off his guard. He looked over at the bed, "I don't want to lose my son, my wife is already dying, I can't lose what little will be left of her when she finally leaves me," he whispered with a hint of defeat. Diederich looked away, his eyes were filled with sadness, he was about to hurt his son. "I hope he can forgive me," whispered Vincent as he slipped into his jacket, all that was missing was his lordship ring, which was sitting in a midnight blue velvet box on the German's nightstand.
Diederich slowly picked up the box and stared at the piece of the Hope Diamond and smiled, it was the only ring in the world with a fragment of the legendary gem. It was the only gem which suited the noblemen, it was a gift from her majesty for his service. Diederich's fingers traced the elegant stone before he pulled it from the box and held it out to Vincent, "My lord," he said simply as he bowed his head. Vincent slowly slipped the ring on his right hand and looked at Diederich, "Dee, I was never your Lord," he stated flatly. The German looked up in confusion at Vincent, the bed dipped as the nobleman took a seat and gently placed his hand on Diederich's face, he could feel a little stubble on the man's cheeks.
"You were never inferior," he whispered as he drew closer, Diederich's eyes widened as he was hit with the scent of lilies and sandalwood, it was intoxicating and clouded his senses. Vincent was a breath away, his chocolate brown eyes were locked on Diederich's icy blues. He could feel Vincent's breath on his lips and he shuddered, the nobleman smiled as he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Diederich's, they were soft, skilled and sinful.
Diederich was sent into a free fall as he felt the man's tongue trace his lower lip with his tongue, it was hot, slick and seductive. His head was in a haze as his lips parted, his blood was singing as his lips screamed for more. Without thinking Dieserich's tongue dove into the Earl's mouth, he couldn't take it, he had to have a taste of the man he had been admiring for so long. The man who had conquered him before he even had a chance to react, he could remember the moment he fell for the devil, it was the very moment he had yelled at Vincent to get off the lawn all those years ago. He had been charmed by that smile, and lost in seconds flat to the man. Diederich's hands slid into Vincent's slate hair, it was soft as he remembered and the same color as the ribbon around his wrist. His head was light and he began to feel dizzy from the lack of air. They drew apart for a moment and he stared at the man who was grinning, only now did he realize that the Earl was straddling him and was now a disheveled mess.
"I wanted you the moment I saw you, but not as a servant," Vincent whispered, he leaned over and whispered sweetly, "As a lover," into the German's ear before nipping the lobe, making the man moan. In a flash the noblemen was up and fixing his clothing, he looked as though he had stepped out of a magazine and flashed a smile, "I love Rachel, and I love you. Tonight we will have a talk, I think we should talk like adults and not lie to one another anymore," he said simply as he adjusted his cuff links.
Diederich nodded numbly, his head was still spinning from the kiss that had seared his lips seconds ago. "Dinner at Eight?" he asked before slipping his hands into his trouser pockets, his slate hair was still a mess but Diederich had a feeling Vincent didn't care, he was elegant as he was, and the messed up hair only added to his allure. "Sure," Diederich said with a smile, Vincent nodded and turned on the ball of his foot before leaving, smooth as silk and honestly just as intoxicating. He watched the man leave the room and sighed, his lips were hot, swollen and he could still feel Vincent's on them. The scent of lilies, sandalwood and Vincent hung in the air around him and he was hit with a wave of regret. He had just made a married man kiss him, his chest hurt, he loved Rachel like a sister and now he betrayed her.
"What have I?" he asked before threading his fingers in his short black hair and pulling at the roots. He didn't want Vincent to do anything foolish, and immediately began regretting the moment he had said those words to the noble, he should have kept it to himself. He looked at his hands, he had been pining for Vincent for decades and when the man was in his lap he was all over him, but Vincent was married, and had a son. "Fuck," he hissed as he held his head in his hands, he was a noble, Vincent was an Earl, they weren't supposed to love one another, there was a code, there were laws, expectations. He should have never spoken to the prefect that day, he should have just turned away, but if he did he wouldn't have the life he did. Everything was a mess, and he hated it. "Why does loving Vincent have to be so complicated?" he whimpered.
~~xXx~~
There was a buzz outside of the restaurant as Ciel pulled up in his town car, he slipped on his sunglasses before getting out and was greeted with the flash of lights from over zealous photographers. There was shouting they were yelling about if his business was being affected because his Head Chef and Patissier were having a relationship, after all the challenges had made them celebrities, which meant their lives were now for the public to view on a whim. He smiled and replied simply, "No comment," as he began to admire his work. He was going to make sure that Sebastian never challenged him again, Agni rushed out to greet him only for Ciel to state,"I want Micahelis in my office." Agni stared at him as though he were insane and looked up at the sign, Ciel huffed with irritation and stated, "Agni we both know it's my name above the door, so let's get a move on."
"Actually sir, it's not," the Indian man pointed out as he gestured to the sign. Ciel shook his head and looked at the man incredulously before slowly looking up. His name was gone, the restaurant was no long called Ciel, it was called Noir. His eyes widened as he shoved Agni out of the way, his father was clearly in the restaurant, he shoved past the man and threw open the doors of the foyer only to be greeted with a very different sight. The floors were polished cherry with a beautiful black, slate blue and silver area rug with the Phantomhive Crest in the middle. His eyes widened a fraction, his logo was gone. His beautiful signature had vanished from sight and now there was the regal crest of the Phantomhives on the floor. His eyes slowly slid up to take in the rest of the place. The coat room had been changed as well and he noticed that the door was now glass with dark wood surrounding it and the silver letters on it proclaimed it Coat Room in script.
There was the gentle sound of rain and Ciel looked over to see the Concierge desk was still against the wall, however rather than there being a painting behind Soma, there was a beautiful blue wall of water with an elegant orange glow, it looked like the setting sun. The wall was a dark gray and the pieces on either side of the wall of water where white with assorted black shapes, he could tell they were from a famous modern artist because they had silver plaques under them. Soma was sitting behind hit but the bulky black head set was gone, instead there was only a black microphone visible and he was smiling as he spoke smoothly in English to a person booking.
Soma's desk was transformed into a beautiful glass one, it glistened in the light and a wall of water was behind him. Ciel's mouth dropped open as he stared at the concierge. Soma was dressed in a regal plum and gold with a black vest, his head set was in his ear and he was tapping away on the desk top. The word Noir hung above him in black script, he had never seen anything quite like it.
Ciel looked absent mindedly for a keyboard or book of some kind only to realize the man was tapping on the desktop. He slowly walked over and looked down at what he had thought was a desk, only to realize it wasn't, it was a massive touch screen in a silver case, he had a number of windows open and was effortlessly entering reservation information by gently sweeping his fingers across the desk. The program was simplified with fewer windows, and was super fast. "Of course sir, I just completed the reservation, would you like me to send the confirmation?" he asked smoothly. Ciel watched as Soma moved a copy of the file to the email using a stylus and sending it off. "It should be in your inbox soon," he said with a smile as he touched his ear lightly. Orchids and lilies were sitting on side tables in the foyer; they were white and stood out against the slate blue walls.
Ciel slipped past a podium which was made of rich mahogany and had a touch screen embedded in it, clearly meant for easier billing and organization. He slipped past them onto the floor and stared at the room which had once been his dinning hall. It was a work of modern art, and Ciel stared in disbelieve at the black chandeliers, the crisp white table cloths, the black chairs and napkins, even the vases were black with silver accents. His eyes traveled around the room, the walls were slate blue with the silo whet of tree limbs and birds perching in them. His eyes fell on the towering black curtains which hung from the ceiling, with silver chords holding them in place, with large tassels. Ciel's eyes were wide in awe as he looked up at the ceiling, It was black with an ornate silver design, he stared at the silver leaves and curls of vines as they sprawled across it effortlessly. He was lost in a world of dreams, he turned around and looked at a beautiful French horseshoe shaped bar, the bar it's self was darker and lined with new stools. His eyes traveled to the wall which had been wrecked and replaced by screens.
Even the entrance between the kitchens and the dinning room had changed, the doors were still swinging on hinges but he stared at the black ones, the white ones had vanished and the windows on them were larger. It was radically different from the place he had set up, in fact it was nothing like it had been. He noticed there were light orange accents that looked like a sunset through out the room which offered a little warmth. His mouth was agape, he hadn't seen his restaurant look like this before, it was elegant, mystical and so dream like it made him feel as though he were a boy again. This wasn't his style, this was Vincent's, his father had changed the place. He grit his teeth before turning on his heel and turning to head up the stairs.
He strode toward the door, only to be confronted with a lock, it was a digital one which required a key card, he had just been locked out of the back of his own place. He saw red, and before Ciel even realized it himself he was striding toward the kitchen. He hadn't been this angry since the night he took Sebastian by force, he was furious. This was his place, his father agreed to given it to him. He had power here, Vincent didn't. Ciel threw the doors of the kitchen open and seethed, "Where the fuck is that useless father of mine!"
Everyone in the kitchen froze and looked at Ciel, his face was hot and he felt his heart pound, his breathing came out in short pants. His eyes narrowed as they fell on the crest on Sebastian's coat. He had just been branded by Vincent, and this infuriated Ciel. He glared daggers at Sebastian as he rapidly crossed the kitchen and grabbed the collar of the Patissier's coat and slammed him into the oven harshly. There was Sebastian yelped and glared at Ciel, his red eyes narrowed, there was fire in them. A fire which Ciel himself though he had put out. "You whore," he hissed as he held Sebastian against the oven. The chef squired with discomfort, he could tell it was hot.
"Release me," commanded Sebastian as he thrashed and pushed Ciel away with all his might. Only to hit a wall, Ciel sneered and pressed the chef even further into the oven door. "Pathetic," he hissed. He loved the expression on Sebastian's face he wanted to hurt the chef, to bring him pain for making him fall to temptation. The patissier's fingers wrapped around one of Ciel's arms and he attempted to break away only for Ciel to grin darkly, he loved it when the chef looked at him with desperation, he had power over Sebastian, even if Vincent had branded him. "You will never be good enough," hissed Ciel, "to be free of me."
Sebastian smiled, his red eyes glimmered with hope as he commented, "Yes I will, it's you who won't be free of me." Before he could even understood what the chef had said a familiar voice filled the room, "Ciel Victor Phantomhive!" shouted the firm and commanding voice. Ciel looked over his shoulder to see Vincent standing behind him, his arm was out keeping a rather irate Head Chef at bay. In fact, Vincent's arm was probably the only thing protecting him from getting beaten to a pulp by Claude. "There you are father, I was begging to wonder when you would show," he seethed, "I saw your fingerprints every where. I just didn't know when the devil himself would appear," he stated.
Vincent lowered his arm and stepped forward, "Ciel, released Sebastian, now. Don't make me have you thrown out," he commanded. There was silence as Ciel smiled darkly; his father was going to have him evicted from his own restaurant, a place that he had resurrected. "You wouldn't dare," he said though his teeth, they were barred like an animal's read to strike. Vincent took another step forward, he stood tall and his aura was even more intimidating, he had suddenly gone from the tender loving father he had been when Ciel as a child to the intimidating and honestly terrifying nobleman. "I would, you are currently giving us enough evidence for assault, it's bad enough that by the end of the day the police will have enough evidence to lock you up for rape," stated Vincent slowly.
Ciel blanched and looked at Sebastian, he was trapped, and he knew it. "How?" asked Ciel after a moment. There was a pause before Sebastian finally spoke, "Simple it's law for any doctor who suspects rape to document cases, as well as take samples of any genetic material which had been found was then sent to a lab and analyzed," he explained. Ciel's palms began to sweat, his knuckles turned white as he increased his hold on the Chef's jacket. "Imagine what would happen if we got a sample of your DNA," Claude threatened as he held up Ciel's toothbrush between his fingers in a bag as though he were holding up a rat.
Ciel felt his hands tremble, as he reluctantly released the Patissier, Sebastian slipped away from his grasp and darted over to Claude who was waiting with open arms. Ciel turned on his heel and stared at the four, somehow William and Ronald had joined in the mix. Only now did he notice that there was blood dripping from the patissier's head from when he had smashed the man into the oven door. He staggered backward, he was losing control, "You're lying, you need me," hissed Ciel, he wasn't about to lose his restaurant, Lizy was gone, his vanity was slipping away and he had lost so much control of everything else he wasn't about to lose this. "I do need you Ciel, I need you home, at my side so we can both be there for Rachel," said Vincent softly, his voice was laced with pain. He looked defeated and even more upset, "I don't want to hurt you Ciel, you have lost this place because you stole from me, you will do community service, go to therapy and finally there will be a restraining order against you from Sebastian," Vincent explained gently.
Ciel watched his father draw closer and he hissed in anger, "I'm not doing any of that, I did nothing wrong, he tempted me," he shouted. He had enough, it was over and his father found out, he wanted to break Sebastian, as far as he was concerned the man wasn't worth love, he was an object, a good which could be reduced to a single number, his value. A value which had been deduced from how the restaurant was performing, his fame from the challenges, and finally his initial investment, he was a businessmen not a humanitarian. "You don't see it do you? No matter what happens he will destroy it, this place was beautiful and then you had me hire that thing!" he shouted. With little warning Ciel shoved everything off the counter, pots, pans, baking sheets, knives and even a cake fell to the floor. There was a loud bang as he did this, it felt amazing to break something, he had power again, control and he liked it. A grin curved his lips as he watched Sebastian stiffen, he still had it.
"Get out."
Ciel jumped and stared at the only person to say it, the one person he thought he scared, yet staring back at him were those red eyes, they were narrowed and Sebastian stood proud. "Get out of here Ciel, you've done enough, just leave," Sebastian stated as he pulled away from Claude and walked over to the slate haired young man. Ciel huffed and folded his arms, "Oh? Now you're going to toughen up?" he asked. Sebastian stopped before him he was an arms length away, "You know, I grew up with nothing, I didn't have a family, a lover, or a home. I was alone, and yet here you are throwing it away and blaming me," Sebastian said smoothly, Ciel could hear the pity in the man's voice, it made his pride hurt even more.
"They love you, and when someone needs you to think about them before yourself you can't. You get scared and run away, you claim to be independent and powerful, but you aren't. You're weak and terrified of living," Sebastian said slowly. His gaze softened as he looked at Ciel and took a step closer. "You don't know how to live, you only know how to control other people but never lived for yourself. You're so busy trying to prove that you are worthy of your name that you've forgotten how to live," Sebastian said softly before placing a hand on Ciel's shoulder.
The words hurt like knives, he didn't want to hear it, he knew who he was. His eyes burned as he fought to keep his tears at bay, and yet it was the last line that did him in. He had forgotten how to live, how to love, how to be himself and not son of Vincent Phantomhive. He felt Sebastian's hand on his shoulder and snapped back to reality, without a second through he jerked away and glared at the chef before raising his hand, "How dare you speak out of turn!" he shouted his voice filled with venom.
His hand was in the air and without a second thought it sliced through the air and just as he was about to slap Sebastian a powerful broad hand stopped him. He stared in shock at it before looking into a pair of very angry golden eyes, "You will never strike him, you will not come near him again," spat a man who looked very much like Claude. He was confused for a moment and looked over to see Claude's eyes wide in shock and staring at the man in question in confusion. "Lucius," said Vincent with a hint of warmth, it sounded as though Vincent was honestly happy to see this man, it made Ciel even more irate.
"Who the hell are you?" he shouted as he attempted to break free of the man's grasp. It was harsh and powerful like iron and mad his arm hurt. "Lucius Faustus, Claude's father," he replied simply. There wasn't any extra titles or garnish to the man's name, his eyes were narrowed and suddenly Ciel realized who he was. "You, you're one of the richest men in the world, he's?" he asked as his eyes darted to Claude. "My son, my only son in fact and my heir to the Faustus and Fairchild Fortune, if he'll accept," Lucius said slowly. Ciel's sapphire blue eyes fell on a very shocked Head Chef, the man was being offered billions and it looked as though this were the last thing he ever expected. "I- I accept, father," replied Claude softly and smiled. Lucius simply nodded and turned his attention to Ciel, "I would suggest that you leave before I throw you out myself for striking an employee," he chided before releasing his grasp on Ciel.
The slate haired young man rubbed his wrist gingerly, it stung like crazy and he knew better than to challenge this man, from the look he was receiving from both his own father and Lucius he could tell that he was no longer welcome at the restaurant. He growled with frustration before turning to leave out the back door, "Fuck you," he hissed vehemently before striding out the doors, only to be greeted with a black town car. The chauffer stepped out and said instantly, "I have been instructed to take you to the house." Ciel sighed as he slipped into the back of the car; something told him that he was in for it.
~~xXx~~
Claude stared blankly at his father as he walked over to both Lucius and Sebastian. "You mean I'm," he paused as he stood before the man that he was sure despised him, "I'm wanted?" he asked carefully. His heart was pounding, his father had always seen him as a disappointment or at least that was what he thought. Sebastian gently placed a hand on Claude's arm, his touch was tender and yet encouraging, the fact that this man had given him strength made his chest swell with pride. Sebastian was stronger, and even wanted to give him strength. "I think you need some time alone with your father," he said gently, his eyes drifted from Claude to Lucius who simply nodded in agreement. Claude looked at Sebastian, he smiled nervously and was about to say something only to feel Sebastian's lips against his cheek, "I'm alright, I'll have William and Ronald check me out," he said lightly before removing his hand from Claude's arm and slipping away.
Everyone filed out of the kitchen leaving Claude and Lucius to themselves. The looked at one another before Claude sighed and rubbed his hands together nervously, "I guess they want us to talk, Lucius," he said after a moment, he had no idea how to speak to his father, it was strange and honestly awkward since they both hadn't seen one another since he left New York for Paris and started school, and that was years ago. "It's been a while," said Lucius nervously, he could tell his father was just as uncomfortable as himself, which did actually made him feel a little at ease. "Ten years. Ten years had to go by for us to see one another," he added only making Claude realized how over due this was.
The Head Chef heaved a sigh and hung his head, his father was right, so much had gone wrong, there was so much bad blood between them it was startling. Claude could remember the disappointment in his father's eyes when Claude announced that he had gotten into the Culinary Institute of America. He slowly walked over to the mess on the floor and put his hands on his hips, he shook his head and hummed before walking over to the closet, "What are you doing?" asked Lucius. Claude opened the closet door and pulled out a broom and dustpan as well as a mop and bucket. "Cleaning, Ciel made quite a mess, as always," he commented as he wheeled out the bright yellow bucket and mop.
What happened next surprised him, he watched his father shrug out of his suit jacket and place it on a clean counter. "You know, this is a kitchen, and you just placed your jacket on the counter, I can't garentee that it will look the same," he commented as he walked over to the mess on the floor. In moments he was sitting on his heels and gently pulling the extremily sharp knives out of the mess. Lucius joined him and he watched as his father rolled up his sleeves, his tie was long gone and he hummed, "I know, I don't expect you to. To be honest I didn't really like it," he commented. Claude's eyes narrowed as he continued to delicately pull the beautiful knives from the floor and hiss with disapproval, "What is it?" asked Lucius curiously.
Claude looked up to see his father watching him keenly, Lucius' golden eyes were filled with curiosity, like a child watching Sebastian create his dish. Claude wrapped his hand around the familiar curved ebony handle of the Shun Ken Onion Chef's knife. He admired the curvature of the blade as well as the back of it. Unlike a traditional knife which held a straight line from the hilt to the tip of the blade down the back of the knife, this blade dipped and fit into the chef's hand, making it feel far more personal and comfortable. He admired the waves in the steel and looked at the stamp which shone proudly in the light. It was a Japanese blade, which most found odd but after he had tried them after breaking a blade he ended up loving them and tracked down the entire collection.
He sighed as he looked at his father and held up the blade, his eyes looked down it and he slowly tilted it, his index finger hovered a breath over the sharp blade. He slowly ran his finger down the blade, always hovering a breath above it, he noticed his father look a little nervous and he chuckled, "See here?" he asked as he pointed to a nick in the blade. Lucius nodded as Claude flipped the blade with ease and held the black handle out to his father. The man eyed the knife wearily as though it would bite him if he touched it. Claude chuckled, "It's okay, just be careful it's very sharp," he stated. Lucius nodded hesitantly and took the blade, Claude released it and pointed to a chip missing from the blade, "What happened? I thought these were made of high quality steel," commented Lucius.
A smile curved Claude's lips as he leaned closer to his father before he began explaining, "Every knife is different, these are made of premium steel it's been folded close to 33 times, however even direct contact with the floor will chip the strongest blade, especially a tile floor like this one." Lucius nodded and held the knife out for Claude to take, "Why is it curved?" he asked curiously. Claude placed the knife on the table and began pulling the other blades out of the pile, "It's to fit the hand in a more organic way, Japanese craftsmen feel a strong connection with their knives and believe that they are an extension of who we are. Shun Ken is always trying to innovate the way the blades are produced and create designs that fit well in the hand and are less straining. This is by far one of their most innovative," he said simply. Lucius looked lost for a moment, yet he didn't seem to mind, there was still a smile on his face.
Claude sighed he felt as though he were lecturing a novice on knives, then again his father was pretty much one. The man never stepped into a kitchen, he had cooks and personal chefs for that. "The blade of this knife is curved to make cutting at different heights easier," he explained as he picked the knife up again and held it up to explain what he was saying, "The bolster is also rounded to guide the chef's hand into the pinch grip naturally and reduce strain." Once again he placed the knife on the table and pulled the last of them from the mess on the floor and placed them on the counter.
"You know quiet a bit about that knife," Lucius remarked slowly, causing Claude's hands to still. He looked at his hands and the mess on the floor, he watched his father pick up spoons and the baking pans. "A knife is part of a chef, it's an extension of ourselves, artists use brushes, archers have bows, musicians have their instruments, but a chef has a knife. Our knives are cold and sharp, decisive instruments that somehow make us," he paused and looked at the blades on the table, "Complete."
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Lucius placing a stack of pans on the table, as well as the odd bowl, whisk and spoon. His gaze fell on his chipped knife, he was upset he felt as though Claude had wounded him on purpose, but also understood that the young man had been blinded with rage which meant he didn't care. Somehow the fact that he didn't care disturbed Claude even more, he had owned the place and he didn't have an ounce of passion for food or wine. All he cared about was money, "Can it be fixed?" asked Lucius softly, his voice was filled with concern and curiosity. Claude looked up to see his father's eyes on him, "Yes, but it's a long process, I have to grind it down and even it out," he replied simply.
Lucius looked at him curiously, his eyes fell on Claude's as he handled the knife with care, "You can do it, you managed to show me who you are and your life. I'm quite sure you can save the knife in your hands," he commented. Claude dropped his hands and looked at them in confusion, his head was a mess so long ago his father hated him, or at least that was what he had thought. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly.
He looked at the cake on the floor, it hurt to see one of Sebastian's treats on the floor. "You are a phenomenal young man, I saw how you worked the kitchen that night, how you stood up for what you believed in and when I learned of how you protected Sebastian, I honestly couldn't be more glad to be proven wrong," Lucius explained. Claude sighed as he looked at the cake and dust pan, "I see," he stated as he knelt on the floor and in a swift scraped had the cake off the floor and on the dustpan. He walked past his father and tossed the cake into the can, it fell in the bottom with a thunk. He turned around to see his father filling the mop bucket and looking for the proper cleaner. He picked up a blue bottle when Claude called, "Not that one, the pink and green ones, the pink is the sanitizer and the green is the pot and pan cleaner. The sanitizer will kill the bacteria but the dish soap will get the chocolate up easier."
Lucius nodded and smiled before grabbing the two large jugs and adding a touch to the bucket. He dipped the mop into it and proceeded to wring it out. He watched as the man began to mop the floor and tilted his head in confusion, "What are you?" he asked. Lucius gave him a pointed look and replied, "What's it look like, I'm moping the floor." Claude chucked and shook his head, he never thought he would see the day that his father would willingly touch a mop and not call for a servant. "Indeed," replied Claude before he turned on the ball of his food and walked over to the sink and began to scrub the pans and run the scoring pad over the knives gently. "You know there was a time when I wasn't rich, in fact I was so poor that Spam was a treat," Lucius said out of no where.
Claude's eyes widened as he looked over to see his father moping the floor with ease. "You see, I wasn't the legitimate heir of the Faustus Fortune, I was a bastard," he stated simply. Claude's eyes widened, now his concerns of money and power made sense. He didn't have money as a child or power from the sound of it. "When I was nine my father came to collect me after my mother died of exhaustion, I was one of three sons. I was also the outcast, I was treated horribly by my step mother, and my father wasn't home often," he explained. Claude continued to wash pans as he listened to his father, he was startled by the fact that the man didn't live a charmed life.
His hands seemed dot work on their own as they scraped the cake icing off the pans, "My mother was ill for a long time, everyday after school I would run to a kitchen and work off the books just to get enough money for bread, milk and eggs," he stated mechanically, there was no emotion in his voice as he continued to mop the floor. Claude listened to the water splash in the bucket as Lucius wrung out the mop. "What I didn't know was that the man who owned the restaurant, was selling illicit drugs and smuggling them in from Colombia in bags of coffee," he explained. Claude dropped the scrubber and looked at his father in shock, his jaw dropped when he realized what his father was saying, "One day I was asked to drop off a bag of coffee to a man on the other side of town, the boss gave me twenty bucks to do it. Hey it was New York City, it was nearly broke and I needed to eat, so I did as he asked," Lucius said coolly.
At that moment he didn't sound like the posh billion heir he sounded like a desperate native New Yorker. "I didn't expect to get caught up in a bust, so I ended up at the station, after I told the police what happened they let me go, I was using my mother's name Phillips, Cynthia Elizabeth Phillips," he explained, "Later that day I learned my mother had collapsed and was taken to New York Presbyterian. When I got there I was informed she had died and was handed a bill as well as introduced to a social worker."
Claude walked over to his father and leaned against the counter, his father did live a harsh life, "The next morning when the Land Lady was screaming about the rent and about to strike me with the frying pan, a man in a silver suit appeared. He threatened to press charges and carried me out to the car," Lucius recalled as he blinked a few times and placed the mop in the bucket once more. "Apparently the officer had told him about me and showed him a picture. A paternity test later and my name was changed from Phillips to Faustus," he explained.
Claude slowly placed a hand on his father's shoulder, now he understood the desire the man had of a prodigal son, a proud one who could rule the world at his side. Only to have a chef instead, he gave the man's shoulder a squeeze which caused Lucius to look up, "You have your mother's hair, and you grand mother's eyes," he said softly as he looked up at Claude and threw his arms around his son. He clung to him as though he were his life line. "I know we don't agree on much but please don't leave me in the dark," he said simply as he held his son. Claude was stiff for a moment before he noticed a smiling Sebastian in the doorway, who simply nodded. The Head Chef wrapped his arms around his father and whispered, "I know dad, I'm sorry."
~~xXx~~
Sebastian smiled as he watched Claude and his father hug, a long time ago he would have been jealous of their moment, but now he understood it was needed. That even a father and son could be unsure of their affection toward one another. Ciel was a prime example of what happened when a child thought he could do as he pleased and didn't respect his father. He continued to lean in the doorway until a familiar feeling nagged at him, he felt as though he were being an outsider again. Sebastian sighed before slipping out of the room, his heart felt heavy for some reason. He knew he would never have a man who was like a father hold him closely as though he were a treasure.
Claude couldn't see the expression on his father's face, it was one of love, affection and pride. He knew Claude loved him and was proud of him, but that feeling was still there, it was like a hole in his chest, impossible to fill and always painful. He looked around the dinning hall and smiled, it was beautiful and very Vincent. Although, if he owned a place it wouldn't be as formal, it would be more laid back and cozy, it would encompass his thoughts on French Cuisine as well as his desserts.
"Are you alright?" asked a familiar voice, Sebastian smiled and turned to see Ronald standing there with a small bowl of water and a damp cloth. Sebastian nodded only to hiss when he realized that he was still bleeding and his head hurt. "I'll take that as a no," said Ronald simply before he set the bowl on the table and pulled out a chair. Sebastian settled into it only for Ronald to shake his head, "Sit backward so I can clean up your neck," he stated. His green eyes were locked on Sebastian and he could tell it was more a command than a suggestion, something he should have gotten used to with Head Waiter. He did as he was asked and felt a cool rag against his neck, it was a bit of a shock at first and made him jump. "Sorry, should have warned you," commented the young man as he gently swept the rag over Sebastian's neck. There was silence between them and Sebastian sighed, "Ronald, what are they saying about us?" he asked.
He listened to the water being wrung from the soft cloth and the young man heaved a sigh, obviously this wasn't something he wanted to talk about. "Lots of things, you have half of the community furious that people even care about your orientation, the other half angry that you two have a relationship since it breaks the rules of the kitchen and those on the out skirts who are homophobes, sadly that's only in the cuisine world," he said simply as he gently began to wipe the crust blood off of Sebastian's neck. His hands were gentle, but no where near as soothing as Claude's. They were smaller and strong from what he could tell, but not as much and he didn't have as many calluses. His hands were softer and he smelt of cologne, which was clearly for his job.
"The general population is splintered, half of England is cheering for a pair of Chefs who are gay and not afraid to show it, the other half isn't being the nicest," Ronald explained as he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Sebastian was confused for a moment until he saw the headlines of some of the websites, shouting for them to stop cooking and call an end to homosexuals cooking. Other sites were angry because they were only enforcing the common misconception, this was a nightmare and Sebastian could tell it was going to make a mess for them. He hung his head and gently pushed the phone away, "I can't do this to him," he whispered.
Ronald snapped to attention and in a flash his fingers were lifting Sebastian's chin, "Hey, you two are together, no matter what. You are stronger together, you can take on the world together, don't think for a damn second that you did this to him. Ciel did. Ciel leaked the photos to the press," he stated. Sebastian's eyes widened, he knew Ciel was bad but he didn't realize the young man was that vindictive, that seemed like a new level even for the young man. He looked up to see Ronald looking strong, and suddenly he remember just who the young man was with. "What did you do, when people found out about you and William?" asked Sebastian after a moment. He noticed the Sommelier chatting with Vincent out of the corner of his eye, he seemed rather animated and looked as though he were talking about wine.
"Simple, kissed him in public and told people if they didn't like it then they could fuck off, he's mine and I love him. If a normal couple can cuddle in public and hold hands, so can we," he said simply with a grin. Sebastian resisted the urge to chuckle, now he heard the New Yorker, it occurred to him that New Yorkers were honestly very intriguing people, they didn't have filters, were blunt and honestly if they didn't like something they either griped and went looking for a way out of it or avoided the system all together. He smiled as he thought about Claude's antics, "You're so confident, you're not afraid of other people?" he asked.
Ronald hummed and looked at Sebastian understandingly, "Look, he loves you, he's been in love with you since he saw you in school. I honestly think you're his soul mate, with the way you two have gravitated toward one another over the years," he stated. Sebastian blushed brightly, he hadn't thought of himself in that way, in fact he wouldn't have until the blond brought it up. "He's got you now, and he's not going to let go," said Ronald firmly. Sebastian smiled and looked up at the Head Waiter, he didn't know why but somehow by Ronald saying it he believed it.
"Now then," Ronald said as he shifted behind the Patissier once more, "Hold still so I can look at the back of your head and figure out if I need to call Madame Red." Sebastian leaned on the chair and hummed as he slowly relaxed a little and allowed Ronald to look at him. He just couldn't shake the feeling that somehow something bad was going to happen with all the attention they were getting as of late. Things were going crazy and Sebastian could tell his life was once again going to be flipped upside down. Vincent was now the owner of the restaurant, he had won every challenge, Angela and Fracis were dead, he was free in many senses of the word. Or at least he was until Ciel decided to bring him more harm.
"Done," said Ronald brightly as he tossed the rag back into the bowl and looked at the patissier, "Hey, cheer up, you've made it this far, now you just have to keep going." Sebastian hummed, he knew Ronald was right but it was difficult to continue marching forward when with every step he was met with opposition of some kind. There were walls, hurdles, and ditches for him to evade constantly. Vincent walked over with a smile and asked, "How are you?" Sebastian shrugged and looked up into a pair of choclate brown eyes. The eyes of a man who could see past the lies, the decite and the demons. There was a glint in Vincetn's eyes which told Sebastian the man wasn't just a man but a demon, one who didn't fear the dark, he embraced it. "I'm alright, just sore," he replied.
Vincent nodded and looked down at Sebastian, his slate hair was falling in his eyes and he looked younger, in fact he only looked a few years older than Ciel, even though he knew the man was in his late thirties. Time had been kind to Vincent, and Sebastian could tell, he was wrinckless, his hair was an attractive blue gray and his eyes were anything but tired. "I was serious about what I said with Ciel, I spoke with Lucius and we have decided it would be for the best. He is having his lawyer draw up the papers for you, all you have to do is sign them," he explained. Sebastian paused, he didn't think the man was serious about the restraining order, it was his son who had attacked him.
His head shot up and he was met with a grin, "Sebastian, you are a person, a chef and someone who deserves love. I'm not going to let my idiot son mess that up," he stated simply as he shrugged and looked over to see Claude and Lucius had finished their talk. Sebastian's eyes followed Vincents and he stared at the pair, they looked different, comfortable and honestly happy. He smiled as he looked at his lover's face, gone was the scowl which marred his features. Instead he wore a beautiful smile that seemed to light up the room. His golden eyes were bright and seemed to glimmer in the light, his black hair was unruly as ever but made him look youthful. His teeth were pearl white, straight and perfect in every way, his cheeks were slightly flushed and his posture seemed even a little relaxed.
"Lucius, I'm off to talk to my son, care to join me?" called Vincent curiously. Lucius grinned and nodded, "I've dealt with mine, let's take care of yours," he replied. Sebastian watched as Lucius nodded to his son and walked away. They were about to leave when two reporters had managed to get into the restaurant, their eyes were as wide as saucers as they looked at the décor and then looked at the men standing in the room. The woman's cheeks turned bright pink as she looked at them nervously, the Patissier had the feeling that she was seeing them as something akin to a boy band. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, he knew that they were all considered attractive but he would never understand why women giggled like school girls before them.
"May I help you?" came the cool voice of the Sommelier, who was standing behind them, his hair was down and his glasses were gone. He looked far younger without the black frames, William was standing in a pair of slacks with a beautiful black belt, an emerald green tie which he hadn't tied draped over his shoulders and his crisp black shirt's collar was open. The Sommelier's sleeves had been rolled up showing his toned forearms, which had a slight tan, and out of the corner of Sebastian's eye he could see Ronald look at the man hungrily. He could tell it was taking the Head Waiter everything he had to not jump the Sommelier and devour him. Sebastian sighed, he knew the feeling all too well with Claude, he honestly didn't know how they did it, but no matter what they wore they looked unbelievable and the sexual allure was always there.
The pair of reporters wheeled around and one of them looked at William in shock, clearly they had never seen him in such a state. "We were hoping that you would grant us an interview, we wanted to know what was going to happen since the restaurant has been renamed Noir, and Sebastian has won the challenges," fumbled one of the women. Sebastian smirked, he could tell she was usually the more eloquent of the pair but wasn't a match for the Sommelier, or any of the other restaurant staff. William looked over to Vincent who was leaning casually against a dinning table, his legs were crossed and his hands were in his pockets, he was watching the encounter with what seemed like boredom.
The women turned and looked over at Vincent, their mouths popped open at the sight of the lord and instantly launched into apologies, only for Vincent to hold up a hand. He smiled, and Sebastian watch the girls become reduced to a puddle, Lucius sighed and shook his head. "Does he always do that?" he mumbled to Claude who nodded. "It's Vincent, he's one of the hottest Lords in England, you honestly think he doesn't know that?" he asked incredulously. Lucius shook his head again and Sebastian grinned, the thing they didn't know was that they were all considered the hottest men in London currently. It amazed him how dense they were, the press wouldn't be chasing them if they weren't attractive. "Ladies, I think we can allow an interview, and perhaps," he looked over to Sebastian with a smile and a questioning gaze, "A demonstration?"
Sebastian could tell that was more an order than a suggestion, but Vincent Phantomhive was a man of elegance and barking orders didn't seem like something he liked to do in front of the general population. Sebastian nodded and looked at the pair as he rose from his seat and clapped his hands together. "Claude?" asked Vincent curiously. The Head Chef was stern but nodded, "Wonderful, now to your questions," Vincent said simply as he waved his hand for a pair of waiters to come and pull chairs for the women. Sebastian was about to vanish into the kitchen when he heard Vincent call, "Sebastian, I have a feeling they have questions for you as well, would you like to answer them now or while you work?"
The Patissier paused for a moment and looked at Claude who honestly looked indifferent at this point. "While I work, I have to start icing a cake for this evening," he said honestly. It was always a bit of a pain to ice the elaborate cakes for the restaurant, he had to make it look simple but elegant to stand up to the decor of the place, and now it was even more of a challenge. Vincent nodded and waved the Chefs away, Sebastian and Claude retreated to the kitchen only to hear one of the women ask, "So why did you change the name from Ciel, "Heaven," to Noir, "Black"?" asked one of them.
~~xXx~~
The house was quiet, in fact it was eerily so, something that Ciel didn't like. There weren't servants bustling to and fro, no chatter of laughter, the house was still and foreboding. He slowly walked through the foyer only to spot his mother at the top of the stairs, she was looking gaunt and he couldn't believe that the slender ghost of a woman was Rachel. Clearly his father hadn't been over reacting when he told Ciel she was dying. He felt a chill run through him, it made him realize just what he had done, if she learned of his treacherous behavior he was certain she would die from heart break.
"Ciel?" she called as she smiled and walked as quickly as she could before wrapping her arms around him. Her embrace was weak but warm, it was nothing like the ones he received as a child, but still it was for him. "What are you doing here?" she asked brightly. Clearly his father hadn't uttered a word of his deeds, "I'm here to see you, how are you?" he asked. He knew he was lying but it wouldn't kill him to be nice to her, she was his mother and he would like to bask in her love for a little while, especially since the reality of her leaving him was setting in. Her slender fingers grasped his hand as she lead him to the living room.
She took a seat on the chaise lounge and Ciel quickly satin the chair across from it. "I've been better," she replied simply, she looked a little sad and then Ciel realized how little he knew about her. "The experimental treatments?" asked Ciel, knowing full well that traditional methods had failed long ago. Rachel's blue eyes stared into space for a moment, it looked as though she were at war with herself. It was startling to see, his mother was always calm, gentle and confident. To see such an expression was new, "Mother?" he asked politely, it sounded cold even to his own ears. She smiled sadly and turned to him, "They are doing what they can," she replied cryptically.
Ciel knew this wasn't much of an answer but also knew to accept it, he wasn't going to get anything else out of her. "How's the restaurant, Vincent was going to see you," she said brightly. Ciel's chest ached, he didn't know if he could tell her, he had no idea how he could tell her that he had lost the place to his own father for his deeds. "It's good, William called about a new wine he had found and asked for father to try it," he lied. At this point he knew there was no point in telling the truth, not with what he had done. It would be better for her to think everything was perfect and love the lie than it would be to tell her the truth, that he had destroyed everything.
"I was wondering if you would like to come with me, I have an appointment tomorrow at noon," she said after a moment, "I would like to have you there." Ciel could tell it was taking everything she had to not cry, to not curl up on the chaise lounge and break down. He simply nodded and replied with a small, sad smile, "Of course I'll come." He knew he would have to talk to his father, but he doubted the man would argue now, Rachel wasn't doing well enough for that.
She was beaming as she looked at Ciel, "Wonderful," she chirped. This only made Ciel's guilt increase, he was lying to the only woman who loved him simply because there was no way for him to tell her the truth without hurting her. He sat there numbly as she launched into conversation, knowing late when she was asleep, that Vincent was going to punish him.
Review Replies:
Glasses: Well I can't keep prologing punishment, or mybe I can? I thought you loved cliffhangers? I know I do. I know I'm mean but I can't resist them.
CV: I'm glad that you're happy Vincent found out. Don't worry about the confusion, I'm sure everyone was and probably still is since we don't know who Ronald and William are working for. It all ties up in the end, in a nice little bow. Hang in there.
Yu Ping: Thank you for the congradulations. I'm glad that you are feeling better. Well the world would find out at some point, it was a matter of time, now the question is how will they react. Diederich and Vincent are complicated, there is so much there to deal with. Rachel is dying and she's trying all she can to stay strong, you're going to find out soon who she opens up to. Alois deserves happiness, but you haven't seen the last of them yet. I hope this chapter cleared up some confusion about what was going on. Vincent works fast doesn't he?
Guest 1: Thank you for taking the time to review, I added the 1to tell you two appart, two guest reviews and all. Anyway Ciel's in for it but the question is how much more can Vincent do to him after he had destryed himself.
Guest 2: Fucious Vincent is very fun, you get to see just how fast he works. Thank you for taking the time to review, I know not many take the time to do so and I'm glad that you are also looking forward to just what Vincent intends to do.