Hello Lovelies!

Even though it was only by a few days, I felt kinda crappy about my last chapter being late last week so I thought that I'd posted Chapter 37 a bit early to make up for it! My muse is still a little bit shaky, but I'm actually fairly pleased with how this one turned out.

Guess I should also warn you that this particular chapter gets pretty smutty in the second half but I couldn't possibly resist haha.

So, I hope you lovely followers enjoy, and I can't wait to see what you think.

Ta,

Majix

It was a nightmare.

Below the darkness, Ciel could hear the scramble, feel it beneath his flesh. An undeniable flurry of movement as people spoke in rapid voices brimming with panic but no matter how he tried, he couldn't move, and he couldn't understand what they were saying.

All existed through a dense layer of black fog.

Ciel could feel the sway of his limp body as somebody carried him, the heat from another person as he was laid down and examined. He could understand their varying tones, shock, concern, disbelief, all clear as day but their words met his ears through thick wads of cotton. The blue haired teen could feel his arms and legs, lying limp and lifeless beside him but no matter how much the boy fought against his limbs, they wouldn't budge. They merely stayed as they were, heavy and unyielding.

It was terrifying.

There was nothing where he was, nothing to see or examine, no sense of direction, just long expanses of black; but that too was inaccurate. It wasn't even black, but that was all that the Earl could think of to describe the unbearable emptiness that he found himself in. It was timeless, the passage of time marked only by the steadily fading voices around him but soon those too disappeared, leaving him to the growing abyss.

Panic spread through his body like disease, ravaging all that it touched. His mind had become a prison, a prison that he couldn't touch or taste or feel and no matter how he tried, the teen couldn't escape the feeling that with each passing second he was losing himself.

"Do not fear, child."

The voice did little to quell the teen's fears. Despite feeling disconnected beyond measure, even within the darkness of his own mindscape, Ciel knew that it was unnatural.

"All will be known soon enough."

It was as if all the voices on the planet had been merged simultaneously, all beings from every walk of life twinned intimately together, overlapping each other in their quest to be heard; like hundreds of people were talking at once and the sound of it rubbed along the Earl's conscious like rocky grains of sand.

"What do you want?"

Laughter echoed within the emptiness and though Ciel prided himself on his display of nonchalant nature, he couldn't suppress the shudder of indescribable terror that caressed the length of his spine like the fingers of a lover. It was both terrifying and intimate in a way that the teen couldn't describe and even without the world around them, Ciel felt exposed.

"It's not about what I want, child. There's nothing in this world that I seek to claim for my own. I require nothing for I am nothing."

Despite the knowledge that he wouldn't find anything, the blue haired boy's eyes still sought the figure in the darkness, desperate for any insight as to what surrounded him and the unnatural voice that spoke between them, "Then why are you here? Why have you come?"

"Always the clever boy." Amusement hung heavily on the stranger's words but it continued before Ciel could express his growing irritation, "I come with little more than a warning."

If he'd had a face, the teen was sure his eyebrows would've risen in startled surprise, "A warning?"

All was silent for the briefest of moments before the unnatural voice of the stranger returned, "The man with the yellow eyes is not what he seems. Take nothing at face value in the days that will follow, child."

And just as quickly as it'd come, Ciel once again found himself alone in the darkness, his consciousness expanding aimlessly across the silky depths of the abyss, before a soft sound began to draw him back to the surface.

He had no name for it, no idea what it could be, but in the silence of his prison the blue haired teen could make out the quiet notes of a hummed melody. It was lovely, something warm and comforting that brought the Earl's lost mind away from the fog, his thoughts once again clearing.

The gentle rise and fall of notes curled within the teen's soul, bringing his body back to life one nerve ending at a time and as the boy's consciousness returned he knew he'd experienced what it truly meant to stand among death's doorstep. It was like drowning and taking the deepest breath of his life all at once and as he stepped away from the darkness and Ciel immediately began to feel the rapid acceleration of his heart, the sluggish organ once again fluttering wildly to life within the confines of his chest. Reason returned and in the span of a single second, the Earl lurched up, gasping sharply as oxygen filled his lungs.

"Young Master!"

Alarmed, Ciel whipped around, focusing his attention on the dark haired man, taking in the ethereal beauty of his face, the unique shade of his eyes before the teen's brain was flooded with information, a pained gasp ripping from his lungs. Memories slammed home, making their presence known as the Earl's consciousness rebooted itself, the facts of his life coming in quick and relentless succession. Waves of emotion crashed restlessly within and as the startled teen looked into the face of his immortal companion, he couldn't stop the flow of tears.

Memories of his life returned in lengthy drawn out seconds and within them, Ciel could see the way he'd come back to life before they'd ever set foot in the Circus. Ciel's heart was empty, his mind poisoned and corrupt but as he walked beside Sebastian, the fog lifted. He saw the light and the beauty it had to offer once more and though the teen didn't relent in his hatred, it was no longer all that occupied his heart.

The irony that a creature of darkness helped light his way wasn't lost on the teen, but even so, he couldn't help the knot of desperate emotion that coiled tight and unrelenting in the center of the younger man's heart.

He was so in love, so unbelievably drawn to the creature that stared down at him with concern and even to somebody as prideful and indifferent himself, Ciel knew that it was written all over his face. He could feel it in the dampness of his eyes, the tremble in his body and the inability to close himself off.

"Sebastian."

Unadulterated relief flickered across the demon's features, his intense vermilion eyes softening, "Are you quite alright, my Lord?"

Ciel pulled his lover close and hugged him tightly in a rare display of vulnerability, the unsteady quiver of his breaths betraying the true nervousness that surrounded his heart. Sebastian would always see to his needs, putting them above all else until their contract ended but as Ciel clung to him, he couldn't help but feel as though this was the end.

There was no way the demon didn't know and in his heart of hearts, Ciel knew that the immortal wouldn't return his feelings, that the exposure of them would ruin everything they currently held.

He had no doubt that, if he wished it, the raven haired demon would continue their current engagement, that he'd share the Earl's bed if he wanted but what the younger man didn't know was whether Sebastian would want to be there or not. Would the blue haired teen's feelings make him uncomfortable? Would Sebastian lose all respect for the Earl because he'd gone and done something so incredibly foolish as falling in love with a demon? Would he continue sleeping with Ciel because he felt bound by duty to do so? And what of the fragile truce they'd established, the nature of their late night talks and the subtle game between them? Would that disappear alongside the demon's respect?

Brutal thoughts ravaged the boy's heart and without conscious thought, his emotions poured off him in waves of dismay as tears dripped unabashed from his cheeks.

Even Sebastian, who was all but blind to the teen's emotional aura could feel the strength of it.

Desperation, fear, utter heartbreaking agony; it all whipped around them in unrelenting waves as Ciel clung to his demon, drowning in the center of it all; only to fall short as the immortal's warm fingers cupped his face and pulled him into an affectionate kiss.

Sebastian's lips were like a touch of hot silk against his lover's mouth and if Ciel thought he was drowning before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now, with the demon's lips against his own, his heart racing as it laid bare and exposed before them both.

Passion boiled below his skin, hungry for the touch of his demon and as he moved to straddle Sebastian's lap he could feel the possessive growl echo within the immortal's throat. Unyielding fingers gripped the boy's hips, holding him where he was as Sebastian ground his hips up against Ciel's, a soft little mewl of need lingering on the youth's lips as he felt the unmistakable hardness of Sebastian's awoken arousal.

Even with the barriers of their clothing, it laid hot and heavy between them. Ciel could feel the abnormal temperature of his demon surrounding his body in a blanket of warmth, his own arousal quickly becoming known and suddenly it wasn't enough.

He needed to feel it, to feel the immortal's naked flesh against his own, he needed to memorize every inch of it, to taste and touch and allow himself to be swallowed whole by the sheer pleasure of Sebastian's body before it was all gone.

In a show of will, Ciel pulled his lips away from Sebastian's insistent mouth, his member twitching with interest as the demon growled defiantly at the ending of their kiss, his eyes alight with lust, but his lover was mistaken. Ciel didn't want it to stop, no he never wanted it to stop, but he needed to be naked, needed to sit upon his lover's lap without smothering materials clinging to his body.

Before he got a chance to speak, Sebastian's mouth was at his throat, attacking the sensitive flesh with heated open-mouthed kisses, his wicked tongue gliding across the steady thrum of Ciel's pulse, making his heart thunder with desire.

The teen let out a broken moan, "Now, I need it now!"

His chest heaved with raggedy gulped down breaths as Ciel fought to convey what he wanted, his fingers tugging gracelessly against Sebastian's heavy wool overcoat, "Your way, do it your way but get them off!"

The demon hissed against the column of his throat before relinquishing his hold on one of the boy's hips. Dexterous fingers delicately plucked the strings holding Ciel's eye patch, the thin material fluttering down between them before Sebastian's warm palm met his face, covering his mismatched eyes as the demon spoke.

It was the barest whisper, a few quietly spoken words, but the moment they crossed the demon's lips he could feel the power behind them, the impossible nature of the raven haired immortal's magic as it slipped unseen across the teen's flesh in a ghostly caress. Shivers ran up the youth's spine, his lips parting in a soft sigh of pleasure before the very breath was stolen from his lungs as their bodies met without the barriers between them.

Impossibly hot, Sebastian's sizable erection sat pressed against the teen's own arousal, the sudden pleasure of their contact driving Ciel's hips forward. It was magnetic, the way Sebastian's flesh drew Ciel's touch. He'd felt it before in their previous couplings, the sizzle of contained energy just below the surface, but even still, the Earl couldn't help but to be surprised by the sheer electric nature of his demon's power. It was right there, humming just below his pale skin and with every touch, Ciel could feel the reaction, the near spark beneath his fingertips that drew him closer.

It made Ciel selfishly want to feel it against his entire body, to taste it and feel that faint shock against his tongue as he mapped out the body below him.

But no matter how much he tried, Ciel just couldn't break away from the delicious friction he found as he rocked against his lover. It was intoxicating, the glide of his arousal against Sebastian's shaft, the sharpness of the demon's pelvis as Sebastian ground up against him and Ciel could do nothing but submit himself to the primal pleasure of it.

And then, to his shock, Sebastian seemed to come alive below him, no longer content to let Ciel lead so completely.

Persistent lips trailed down his neck, kissing and nibbling the well defined rise of the teen's collarbone, making him squirm with desire as Sebastian dropped his head, brushing one of Ciel's nipples with his sinfully soft lips. It was extraordinary, the heat of his demon's mouth, the way the immortal swirled his wicked tongue around the perked bud before slowly sucking on it, and Ciel was unable to escape arching toward the incessant pulls of Sebastian's mouth.

Effectively distracted, the teen almost jumped out of his own skin as Sebastian's long fingers wrapped around his shaft, a single high pitched whine dragging itself up from his throat as the demon stroked him slow and steady. It was a teasing touch, one that lacked the friction he needed to truly get anywhere but it was, indeed, torturous in the most incredible way possible.

Sebastian knew just how to toy with him, how to manipulate his body until Ciel was nothing more than a writhing ball of undeniable need. He played the boy's body like the strings of a well known instrument, his fingers plucking the strands just so, creating the perfect harmony by familiarity alone. They'd only been lovers a short time, but Ciel wasn't at all surprised by the knowledge. Sebastian was beyond brilliant in everything he did, and his skills where Ciel was concerned proved no different.

The demon gave his member a particularly firm squeeze, drawing the Earl from his thoughts as Sebastian lifted his head, his eyes dark and brimming with lust, "What do you desire, young Master?"

Anxious butterflies fluttered ruthlessly in Ciel's stomach as he looked up at his butler through thick, dark lashes. It always made him nervous to vocalize what he wanted, to stoop to the level of crude language to portray the intensity of his wants and needs but on this night, Ciel found that he had very little shame over what he wanted.

If this was to be the last time with Sebastian, he wanted to regret nothing.

"I want to ride your cock until you finish inside of me."

Dark vermilion eyes flashed with something that couldn't possibly be confused with anything human and suddenly Sebastian was attacking him, ravaging his mouth with a merciless kiss. It was hot and passionate, the way the demon's tongue slid effortlessly between his lips, batting against his own as the immortal splayed his fingers obscenely against Ciel's arse, rutting shamelessly against his ward.

The fingers of Sebastian's free hand tangled in the soft blue strands of his lover's hair, effectively holding the boy captive as he kissed him senseless. Small little mewls of pleasure flowed freely from Ciel's mouth, vibrating deliciously against the demon's lips as he continued to rock against the younger man straddling his lap. It didn't take much more before Sebastian was pulling away, releasing his hold on the Earl's arse to offer Ciel his two of his fingers instead.

And it was exquisite.

The teen gazing up at him looked so incredibly dazed. His eyes were glassy with lust, his pupils blown wide with absolute arousal and Sebastian was pleased to note that his lover's mouth was swollen from their intense round of snogging. However, it was nothing compared to the obscene picture he painted when Ciel shamelessly drew the two digits into his hot mouth.

With little prompting, the dark haired teen lavished them with attention, gliding the flat of his tongue up and down their length as he sucked them in and out of his mouth. It was slow, the way his pliant tongue lingered against the soft pads of Sebastian's fingertips, teasing the nerves before drawing them in deep.

Though incredibly difficult, Sebastian pulled his fingers from Ciel's lips, his arousal giving a slight jerk as the blue haired mortal seemed to pout slightly at the loss, the demon's eyes flashing, "What a tease you are, little Lord."

The teen in question didn't comment, but a victorious smile captured his lips, brightening his entire face. It was breathtaking, in the most simplistic way possible and Sebastian found himself pausing just to take it all in. Ciel's mismatched eyes were alight with entertained enjoyment, the smile parting his lips absolutely limitless as he sat hot and aroused on the demon's lap. The teen looked utterly debauched, completely and utterly owned but not broken. It was dazzling.

With a growl, Sebastian rubbed one of his slicked fingers against the Earl's opening, watching with rapt attention as the youthful body above him began to tremble. He could feel it in every muscle, the way Ciel quivered with anticipation, his entrance fluttering wantonly against the immortal's fingertip as Sebastian teased him.

Desire hung heavily in the air and finally Ciel dropped his head to Sebastian's shoulder, panting softly as he tried not to shove his hips back against the fingers that prodded him, "Please Sebastian, don't make me beg."

In a rare show of mercy, the demon laid a warm kiss to Ciel's shoulder, "Of course."

The pressure built, making the younger man squirm as Sebastian finally breached the tight ring of muscle, his thin fingers quickly reaching up to bury themselves in the immortal's dark hair. It burned a bit, the first few strokes, and Ciel made sure to silently let him know, his small fingers clenching the soft ebony strands of Sebastian's hair when it became to uncomfortable.

However, before long, Ciel was gripping the demon's hair for a entirely different reason.

It'd taken less than ten strokes before Sebastian found the boy's prostate, making him howl with pleasure when the demon prodded it with intent.

It was a wonderful distraction, allowing the dark haired immortal to, not only, continue preparing his boy without discomfort but also to summon a bottle of oil without Ciel noticing. Saliva worked wonders for opening him up, but Sebastian knew that it'd be impossible for the teen to take him without any other form of lubricant and the demon didn't want to accidentally hurt his little lover, no matter how deep his sadistic streak went.

In the elder's lap, Ciel thrust helplessly against Sebastian, whimpering as Sebastian's exceptionally long fingers moved within him. Back and forth, the demon dragged his fingertips over that little spot, making Ciel feel like he would explode at any moment.

But the teen couldn't exactly complain.

All he could do was thrust his hips back against Sebastian's persistent fingers, babbling helplessly about how he was ready, that he needed more and that he needed to come.

He was utterly lust driven, speaking without thought or acknowledgement and Sebastian nearly lost it when he tried to pull his fingers free and the teen's muscles clamped down around his digits, "N-no, Sebastian, don't take them out."

The demon moaned softly, losing himself for the briefest moment as he drove his fingers back in, pushing them in deeper to his lover's delight before pulling free and quickly slicking his cock with a generous amount of the scented oil. Ciel squirmed, mewling with displeasure as he was left empty until the overwhelmed teen felt the very tip of Sebastian's slick erection against his opening.

He was waiting for confirmation, permission to keep going even when Ciel was literally begging for it and in that moment, the teen knew he'd give Sebastian anything. No matter what the demon asked for, Ciel would allow it for no other reason than the respectful restraint his lover showed when they laid together and instead of telling him one way or another, Ciel merely dropped his weight, gasping as the demon's length slid home inside of his body.

For the briefest second, they both stilled.

It was overwhelming, the way Sebastian filled him so completely, the pleasant burn that accompanied their joining, the heat of his lover's abnormally high body temperature and sudden Ciel couldn't wait. He rocked experimentally, driving his hips against Sebastian's only to be met with a sharply drawn breath, the demon's fingers gripping his hips, and Ciel felt powerful.

Intoxicating, that was the only way the blue haired teen could think to explain it. He was the cause, he made Sebastian's smooth mask break, his actions made the demon lose control and that was more addictive than any drug could ever hope to be.

With that in mind, nimble fingers gripped the demon's shoulders, using them as leverage as Ciel worked himself up and down Sebastian's impressive length. It was more difficult than he'd imagined, and the muscles in his legs quickly began to burn, but Ciel couldn't stop. It was delicious, the way the pain pushed him forward, urging him to move faster and faster, angling himself just right so that the demon's cock glided over the small bundle of nerves.

Ciel could feel the immortal's grip on his hips tightening with each and every stroke, and the boy had no doubt that there'd be ten finger shaped bruises in the morning.

Eventually, Sebastian couldn't hold still any longer, unable to completely relinquish control and as the demon lifted him Ciel found himself spun til his back was pressed against the chest of his lover, only to be filled once again.

A possessive arm snaked around his chest, Sebastian's long dexterous fingers wrapping around Ciel's fragile throat as the demon began mercilessly pounding up into him, searching for the boy's prostate. It took him less than thirty seconds to find, and once he did, the immortal stroked it relentlessly, driving the teen absolutely crazy.

Ciel thrashed in his lap, unable to decide between bucking forward, desperately seeking out friction for his painfully hard member or driving his hips backward, trying to get Sebastian deeper into his body. It was a decision constantly being reevaluated until Sebastian wrapped a hand around his aching cock, stroking him in time with his thrusts.

It was completely overwhelming, and Ciel could feel himself beginning to unravel, his breaths coming in sharp uneven gasps as he fought to remember how to breath. Unadulterated pleasure flowed through his being, bringing him right up to the edge and lingering. He was so close, balancing right on the edge of orgasm but it wasn't enough. He needed another small push to get him there.

The boy practically sobbed with frustration, the rhythm of his hips fathering as Sebastian redoubled his efforts, driving his length more deeply into the teen's body as he leaned forward, his breath hot against the sensitive shell of his lover's ear, "Nobody else will ever have you this way other than me, do you understand?"

"You're mine, Ciel."

Mismatched eyes went wide at the sound of his given name coming from the demon's lips, his entire world stilling for a split second before he screamed Sebastian's name in climax, his chest heaving raggedly as wave after wave of searing hot pleasure shot through his young body. Unyielding fingers gripped the demon's arm in a death hold as he desperately drove his member into Sebastian's hand, painting the flushed skin of his chest with his release before going limp in Sebastian's arms.

The demon wasn't far behind him, his fingers giving the boy's throat a gentle squeeze before he was coming as well, a blissful gasp pulling from the immortal's lips as he thrust as deeply into the boy as possible, emptying himself into Ciel's body with a shiver.

Silence surrounded them, broken only by their soft gasps for breath as both master and servant enjoyed the warmth of their afterglow together. It was peaceful, uninterrupted by words of any kind, and there was comfort in the quiet, an unspoken reassurance that it was okay to simply exist for the time being.

But as all perfect things do, the moment ended.

Ciel eventually came back to himself, vulnerability gripping his heart, clenching the organ mercilessly in its grasp as the teen fought against himself, trying to remain calm. He needed to get away, needed to put distance between himself and Sebastian before he exposed any more of the unearthed layers of his fragile heart, but before the teen could make a move to pull away, Sebastian was there, wrapping a comforting arm around his waist and pulling him back.

The first beginning threads of panic gripped the boy tightly, his pulse thundering below the flesh, "Let me go, Sebastian, that's an order."

Despite the explicitly given command, the demon didn't relinquish his hold, "Not until you listen to what I have to say."

Ciel's heart sunk.

This would be it, the part where Sebastian ripped him apart with callus words, where the demon struck every soft spot the teen possessed. He could already trace the upcoming scars that would make a home for themselves along the already broken surface of his soul, leaving him as little more than an empty shell, but as the demon turned him around, Ciel wasn't so sure.

His eyes were warm, smooth and calming like well aged wine and as the blue haired mortal stared into them, he found no malicious intent within their vermilion depths.

With cautious fingers, Sebastian brushed the sweat soaked hair from Ciel's damp forehead, "I can't promise to love you, Ciel, but I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't grown to care about you."

The immortal's genuine declaration left Ciel utterly breathless, taking all the fight from his muscles and in the daunting face of Sebastian's declaration all the teen could do was drop his forehead to the demon's shoulder, his body trembling with the urge not to break down and cry. The softly spoken words of his lover were captivating, awe-inspiring considering who they came from and as he laid against his demon, naked and exposed with Sebastian's warm palm stroking his spine, Ciel couldn't deny the sheer joy of knowing that he wasn't alone in his emotion.

But regardless of how he felt, there was something he needed to know, "How long have you known about my feelings?"

Sebastian hesitated, his palm stilling for the briefest moment against the Earl's lower back before he continued soothing the frazzled teen, "Since the night we became lovers."

The unexpected answer threw Ciel for a loop, his throat going dry as he considered just how long ago that'd been, his ego slightly bruised from thinking that he'd hidden it so well.

"How?" He croaked.

Warm arms pulled the teen close as Sebastian nuzzled the top of his head, "I could taste it on your soul when we kissed."

Ciel thought about that for a moment, feeling vaguely hurt by the notion that Sebastian could've been using him for that exact purpose but as the demon continued to sooth him, he cast the thought away. It was merely consequence, of that the Earl was sure and for the moment, he was content to be cared for. It felt unspeakably pleasing to simply lay against the demon, no matter how sappy and sentimental it made him appear.

There was something altogether appealing about listening to Sebastian breathe as the immortal rubbed his back, to being close to another person like this and though Ciel knew that they'd have much to discuss, he couldn't help but to feel that there was no place he'd rather be.