Hello my Lovlies! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I desperately wanted them them to battle it out, but I couldn't pass up a chance at vengeful Ciel! Hope you all liked it.

I'm updating a day early since I won't be able to update on Friday next week, but don't worry, chapter 17 will be up by Saturday, Sunday at the latest.

Well, here we are. I know I said I've had favorite chapters, but this one pretty much takes the cake. You'll see, you'll see.

Enjoy!

Majix

Upon their arrival at the Phantomhive manor, Ciel stated quite plainly that he desired something sweet, something that he hadn't had in a while and after thinking of all the complex desserts Sebastian had prepared for him, the bluenette declared that he wanted the butler to make a double layer German chocolate cake.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow in question, "My Lord, that will take some time. Perhaps you'd like something else."

Cold, unyeilding eyes met the deep maroon pools of his butler's and Ciel stood from his chair, pressing his palms flat on the desk and leaning towards the taller man, "And what the gave you the impression that I care how much time it takes you to make my god damn cake, Sebastian? I want a double layer German chocolate cake, an ice cold glass of milk, and a scoop of plain sorbet. Can you do that for me, Sebastian? Or do I need to weep and whine like a harlot for you to go make me what I want?"

A flicker of shock crossed the butler's face before he smothered the surprise of hearing his master swear in such an undignified manor, "Of course, young Master. Please forgive my error."

Ciel said nothing more on the subject and promptly sent Sebastian from his quarters with a dismissive wave of his hand, silently ordering the demon to the kitchens.

A small ripple of guilt caressed his conscious as the door shut behind the black clad butler but Ciel pushed the useless emotion away for the moment as he made his way from behind his desk and kneeled before the furthest bookshelf on the left. Nimble fingers skimmed along the spines, mentally accounting for each one before he pulled a leather bound book from the shelf.

It was unequally weighted and Ciel flipped open the cover to reveal a bottle of excellently aged brandy that Madame Red had left as a gift many months previous. It almost seemed a shame to unseal such a treasure but in his moment of sadness, the Earl of Phantomhive could think of no better time than the present.

Pale fingers hesitated for a moment before breaking the seal and taking a long drink. Smooth liquor burned a path down his throat and sat warmly in his stomach as Ciel sighed contently and took another swig.

It tasted different from other types of alcohol he partook in. It was well aged and rich, but more than that, it was calming. The bluenette didn't have worry about how he would react, or what he might reveal in the presence of others as he took yet another long drink.

The warmth slowly began to spread and Ciel leaned back from the bookcase, content to sit with his back against the side of his late father's desk. He briefly wondered how his father would've felt if he saw his son in such a position, but as the bluenette continued to drink, he found himself unable to care.

Why should he be worried what his parents would think of him? They were dead, weren't they? The dead don't think; they don't feel or care, because they're dead. Their time has passed and though one could guess how they'd react based on memories, nobody really knew. Perhaps his father wouldn't have minded, he might have even joined his son as they drowned out the pain of loosing somebody so dear.

Feelings were for the living, and even they didn't bother Ciel as much as they could have. Very few of them meant anything to the bluenette. In truth, he could count them on his fingers. Elizabeth, the servants, Sebastian.

Sebastian..

Despite the fact that he needed to distract the man, he shouldn't have spoken so rudely to his ever faithful companion. Ciel briefly wondered when he'd begun to care about how he treated his demon but he couldn't seem to place it. Much like sleep, it just happened; he treated the man horribly and then one day he found himself shying away from his previous attitude towards the older man.

Mere months ago, the bluenette would've been content to watch Sebastian crawl on all fours like a dog while he barked like the animal he represented. The very thought of making the butler do such a thing now sent a wave of disgust through the teen.

There was no denying that the demon was impressive. He was a proud creature in his own right and though Ciel didn't claim to know anything about the nature of demons, even he understood that to subject the man to such humiliation was unthinkable.

Sebastian served Ciel by choice. The contract was a choice made between a boy and a demon that'd walked the Earth long before the Phantomhive's had been around; perhaps longer than humanity itself. The ravenette could walk away any time he chose and to the best of the bluenette's knowledge, all he'd lose was the chance to devour his promised soul.

Pride rapidly faded into the background as the teen continued to drink his fill. Half the bottle was already empty and Ciel found his thoughts blending and branching off without the restraints of being proper.

With the introduction of alcohol, Ciel was free to admit that he actually liked the demon. Sebastian was witty and sarcastic to a fault. He stood up to the Earl, pointed out his wrongs, steadily pushed him in the right direction. Whether by his age or species, the man was brilliant. There was nobody with a better mind than Sebastian and the teen often found himself wanting to exchange philosophy with the immortal but his pride always pushed him to remain silent.

A part of him wondered what it'd be like to actually talk to the demon without the barrier of master and servant, predator and prey. Where would their conversations lead, and what would Sebastian deem worthy to tell him about? What kinds of things had the man seen in his lifetime? Was he there when Jesus was nailed to the cross? Did he dine with Alexander the Great? Was it possible that he'd spoken with the Pharaohs of Egypt? The possibilities seemed endless.

Brief remembrances of their meeting crossed the Earl's mind changed course rapidly as he pondered over what the demon actually looked like. Would he even appear to be human? Were all demons the same?

Ciel chased the thoughts away with another sip of the diminishing brandy. He liked how the butler looked now. With an altogether different flash of pride, the teen couldn't help but to appreciate how beautiful his demon was.

His skin was the color of freshly fallen snow and no matter how long he was in the sun, it never got burnt or tan. Shades of the purest black stained the demon's hair and it reminded Ciel of the shadow beneath a raven's wing. The man was composed of long arms and legs, a strong torso and it was all held together with those knowing maroon eyes; the suggestiveness of his smirk. He was the very definition of beautiful and the thought of that beauty devouring his soul made his thoughts falter.

Why do I have to care at all?

With clumsy effort, the boy managed to shove himself off the ground and into a standing position. He swayed dangerously but the bluenette refused to drop the bottle in his attempt to stay standing.

Anger finally made itself known as he pushed himself away from the desk and began to pace. His footsteps were uneven and often he found himself stumbling, but still he continued to move.

Did Sebastian feel anything at all? Did he look at the Earl day in and day out, thinking only of his soul? When Ciel found himself emotionally trapped in the past, did the man surpress a sigh and aid him while thinking only of the meal he would get in the end? Did any part of the demon see the boy as a friend or a companion?

Part of him wanted to say yes. When he thought back to the ring that the demon fixed, he reminded himself that Sebastian could have easily recreated it from memory. He could have done nothing at all.

But in the end, Sebastian would consume his soul, whether they were friendly or not and that alone made the bluenette want to scream.

It seemed appropriate that Fate would give him a demon that he'd actually befriend; an ancient creature of the underworld that he'd grow to care about, only to let that same creature condemn him to the deepest circles of hell.

Rage eclipsed the alcohol induced warmth and Ciel turned his attention to his prize chess board. The pieces sat in their respective places and the king towered over all of them. Pawns guarded him, ready to be cast away for his life and the knights sat in opposite corners, awaiting the orders of their leader.

The boy calmly approached the board and looked down at the pieces with contempt before he shoved the table with all his might. Despite being drunk, the boy managed to force the heavy stone playing set to the ground, and he watched with glee as the glass army, both black and white, shattered upon the floor.

Ciel quickly scooped the undamaged black king from the carpet and glared at the unblemished glass, "Is this what you want?! Was this all I was meant to do?!" He threw it as hard as he could and screamed in anger as it exploded against the far wall.

Sebastian barely managed to catch the silver mixing bowl as the loud crash of the chess set echoed through the manor. Dark eyes widened and he shot through the winding halls as he heard the scream of his master. Darkness enveloped the demon and he threw open the door to the Earl's study in mere seconds, eyes widening as he caught sight of his contracted.

Ciel was a whirlwind of anger. The demon could feel it pouring off his body like sweat as the boy ravaged the contents of the office, shoving everything from the surface of his desk with a swipe of his arm. He ripped open drawers and screamed as he threw their contents at anything that stood in his way.

After a few more moments of this, the teen finally caught sight of the demon and his eyes blazed with all the fury of an exploding star, "You!"

With lightning strike reflexes, Ciel threw back his arm and hurled the empty brandy bottle at the demon's head, snarling when the ravenette ducked out of the way.

"What the hell do you want, demon?! What more do you want from me?"

Sebastian opened his mouth to speak but the bluenette pointed his finger threateningly at the man and growled his disapproval, "Don't you dare say a fucking word, you bastard. I don't want to hear another god damn word out of your mouth. I don't want to hear the honey smooth way you talk me down."

Ciel stumbled through the broken objects, hissing as he stepped on something sharp. Sebastian made a move to help him but the boy froze him with a glare before stumbling over to the front edge of the desk. He leaned back against it and glared at the demon before standing straight, "Kneel before me, demon."

Hard red eyes stared deep into glassy mismatched ones and he did as his Master commanded. Ciel immediately weaved his fingers into the elder's hair and clenched his fist.

Just beyond his anger he recognized how soft the man's hair was. It tangled around his fingers like silk strands and the very edge of his anger seemed to dim but as he took in the neutral set of his butler's features, the alcohol induced rage returned.

"I sold my soul to you." His words were slurred but he kept them firm, his eyes searching for something the demon couldn't name.

"In the end, after I have tasted revenge you will consume my soul and I will pass into the land of the dead."

His grip loosened and he let go Sebastian's hair as he stared down into the face of his most beautiful torture, "You will help me. Care for me. I trust you and it will be in vain."

The withering anger returned but it was no longer aimed at Sebastian. The boy howled in fury and ripped rare glass figures from their shelves, throwing them in confused anger, "Why, Sebastian?!"

"Why must it be you who finally takes everything from me?"

Ciel ripped one of the model swords from the wall and slashed at the seemingly endless books upon the shelves, leaving deep grooves in the spines, "You who must betray me in the worst of ways!"

"I TRUSTED YOU SEBASTIAN!"

The boy dropped the sword and finally collapsed to his knees, soul wrenching sobs pulling from his throat, his words jumbled and rushed, "I trusted a demon and now I will pay the price. My body will burn in the endless fires of Hell and I am to blame. I myself made the choice but Fate has been cruel Sebastian."

Pity found a home within the demon's heart as he stood from his place and approached the broken teen. He slowly pulled Ciel to his feet and moved him to the desk, easily placing him upon it before the boy could bury glass shards in his soft feet.

Despair glided over Sebastian's tongue and for once, it disgusted him.

Ciel looked up into the face of his butler, his one true companion and for the first time in many years, he allowed himself to cry.

Heat pooled in his eyes before spilling over, cascading down his cheeks in twin waterfalls. Warmth blossomed in his face, due to neither shame or embarrassment, but due to the pain that'd made itself his life. All he could think of was Sebastian, and the irrational betrayal that would come at the demon's hand. He pictured himself in Grell's position, radiating fear right before he willingly gave Sebastian his soul.

Only there would be nobody to save him.

"You will take everything I have, everything that's left after life's cruel hand has taken everything else."

In an unconscious desire to comfort the teen, Sebastian cupped the boy's face in his palm and stroked the sharp rise of the Phantomhive's cheek with the soft pad of his glove clad thumb.

Ciel leaned into the gentle touch and Sebastian was once again reminded how starved the bluenette was for simple human touch, something the Earl would not even allow himself.

"You're so warm, Sebastian."

Shocked by his own actions, the butler became deathly still but Ciel continued as if he hadn't noticed, the alcohol letting his thoughts glide across his tongue without the barrier of pride or dignity. "I've always enjoyed that. When you carry me. You're always warm, but not uncomfortably so." Ciel dropped his head forward until his damp forehead pressed against his butler's shoulder, "I've seen you do things, Sebastian. I know how strong you can be but you're always gentle with me. Sometimes it makes me think that you care."

The boy's voice started to thicken as emotion dragged him deeper into his own thoughts, "I hope that it's worth it, my soul. I hope it really is the most delicious soul you ever encounter. I hope that when I'm gone, and my family name is nothing but dust, and humanity has fallen, I hope you remember my tiny insignificant soul."

With definite effort, the teen pulled his head up to stare into the eyes of a speechless demon. The fact that he'd rendered the untouchable man unable to speak brought a smile to the bluenette's lips and he gazed into Sebastian's face.

Ciel raised a shaky hand and touched the demon's bare skin on his own for the first time since their contract had been formed. It was soft and warm, just as he'd thought, but the throb of power seemed to hum just below his fingertips, "How can you have so much power? I can feel it. Like lightning encased in silk."

He paused for a moment before resuming, "You really are beautiful. So beautiful that it hurts."

Without a second thought, Ciel leaned forward and pressed his mouth against the soft lips of his butler.

The kiss was warm and barely lasted a single moment but Ciel could taste the chocolate from the cake he'd demanded earlier. The elder tasted of intoxicating chocolate and something spicy that demanded respect. It promised danger but beneath them both, Ciel could taste something subtle that could only be described as purely Sebastian.

Before the other could shake off the apparent shock, Ciel pulled away and laid his head on the ravenette's shoulder. The emotional wave left the younger male tired and the alcohol did nothing to help. His eyes began to droop and though there was more he wanted to say, he couldn't find the words.

Heavy limbs slumped against Sebastian and with the last of his strength, Ciel asked Sebastian to take him to bed.

Hours passed and even after thoroughly cleaning the destroyed office, Sebastian still couldn't wrap his head around what'd happened.

The boy was an enigma. He stood so tall and assured, radiating pride and grace but beneath it all, he was a sad and lonely boy that feared death. But that wasn't right either. Ciel didn't fear death, he'd never stated that he was, in any way, affected by the thought of passing on. What bothered him was how he would get to the other side. The Earl didn't seem to care that his soul would be eaten by a demon, all he admitted was the anger that Sebastian would be the one to take it.

Human emotions steadily clouded his mind and the butler growled in frustration.

Why? Why now? They've been gone for over two thousand years. I don't need or want them.

But they were there none the less.

Sebastian could no longer deny the sadness that he'd felt at the boy's expense.

The display in the office was so unlike Ciel Phantomhive that the very sight of it shocked the immortal to his core. He'd never seen the Earl drunk, in such a rage, or able to freely cry for that matter.

And then there was the kiss. That alone had shocked Sebastian more than anything.

The taste of his master lingered on his lips as a near constant reminder of the biggest mystery of the night. Faint traces of peppermint and brandy, surrounded and sealed by the briefest taste of the soul he desired above all others. Oh yes, he could taste it. That one damaged, revenge driven soul held together by the purity of innocence was present on his taste buds, and it was divine.

In times like these, when surrounded by his innermost thoughts, Sebastian could also admit that, to a point, he enjoyed Ciel's company. He was different, but he didn't try to be. His differences came naturally to him and Sebastian enjoyed the surprises Ciel presented. But in the end, just as the bluenette had stated, Sebastian would take his soul. He would leave the boy an empty shell and he'd move on. New names, new masters, new wishes. That alone was the cycle of his life, and one boy could not, and would not, change that.

Sebastian idly wondered if Ciel would remember any of this in the morning, but he assumed not. Even if he did recall the events of this evening, it was highly unlikely that he'd ever acknowledge what he said or did. His pride stood to strong for that.

Sebastian didn't know how long he laid within his quarters thinking of Ciel as well as himself, but as the minutes ticked by, the demon found himself more and more fatigued. His mind was exhausted and in the earliest hours of the morning, sleep finally dragged the demon into her realms for the first time in many moons.