A/N: Hi! So sorry for the long wait, I was swarmed with work. Good news is, I have a semi-break for 4 months, so updates will come much faster! Replies are at the end of the chapter.
Warning: with the content of E2, there are some child physical abuse and rape threats in this chapter.
Chapter Twelve: A Mistake
Sebastian was watching him with dark, inscrutable eyes. Anyone else would have said that there was nothing but deference there, but Ciel knew better. He'd learned how to read every reddish flash of emotions, every tiny wrinkle or crease that Sebastian's unnaturally flawless face reflected. And he could say confidently that right now, Sebastian was planning something. Again. Something aimed to provoke a reaction from him.
It would have been amusing if Ciel had any idea of what this plan might entail and what prompted Sebastian to start planning in the first place. Then again, when wasn't this demon planning something? Even just to spite him — especially to spite him.
"Keep the key with you," Ciel ordered coldly, narrowing his eyes when Sebastian only glanced at it with disinterest. Strange. Their new case clearly didn't stir any curiosity in him. Ciel, on the other hand, found it quite thrilling. It was the third visit Lord Randall had paid him this month, and seeing how much it cost him to even talk to him, let alone ask for favours, filled Ciel with tingling pleasure.
Smuggling and drugs again, only this time, a much bigger scheme was at play. There was a rat among the Evil Noblemen themselves, one that desperately wanted access to the storehouse of drugs Sebastian had intercepted a few days ago. Ciel was holding a key to it currently, and Lord Randall had asked him to keep it until the rat was found. Since he'd asked so prettily, who was Ciel to refuse?
He thought Sebastian would be interested in establishing the rat's identity, but it seemed like he was already preoccupied with something.
This couldn't be good.
Finally, Sebastian accepted the key, murmuring meaningless words of agreement with his order, and Ciel watched him silently for a while, trying to understand what was on his mind.
Some of Sebastian's games were thrilling, he couldn't deny it. Some… not so much. For whatever reason, he had a distinct feeling that this one was going to fall into the latter category.
"The supper is ready, Master," Sebastian purred. "Would you like to eat it here or in the dining room?"
Ciel frowned, taken aback. What was it with Sebastian and his meal-schedule obsession?
"In the dining room," he decided. "I've spent too much here today as it is."
"As you wish. Everything will be served in a minute," Sebastian bowed and left the office, and Ciel followed him with his gaze, the wheels in his brain turning rapidly in an attempt to figure out what was happening.
Still nothing.
Sighing, he stood up and slowly walked out as well.
He didn't have time for Sebastian's ridiculousness right now.
He had a rat to catch.
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Three hours later, lying in his bed, Ciel regretted not having paid enough attention.
He felt terrible. His stomach was rolling in discomfort, sending wave after wave of chilling coldness through his body, and if it wasn't bad enough, nausea was twisting it into a tight, painful knot. He couldn't stop shivering.
He'd been ill enough times to recognise how it felt, and whatever was happening to him now wasn't it.
Which left only one option.
"Sebastian," Ciel hissed. Even one word threatened to push nausea over the edge, and he had to take several deep breaths to keep it down. "Come… here. Now."
A few moments later, Sebastian opened the door, cautiously peering inside.
"Young Master?" he asked. Ciel glowered at him, clenching the blanket tighter around himself. He couldn't speak, not right now, not if he wanted to avoid vomiting. Thankfully, Sebastian seemed to finally sense that something was wrong because he quickly approached his bed, frowning. Ciel's eyes immediately bored into his face, seeking anything incriminating, but Sebastian appeared genuinely puzzled.
"You have a fever," he concluded, his frown deepening. "But there was no chance for you to catch a cold. You've barely left the house this past week."
Did this idiot think fever only appeared as the result of the cold?
"You did something," Ciel spat and gritted his teeth when another intense wave of queasiness crawled up his throat, even more insistently this time.
If he hadn't been staring at Sebastian so intently, he might have missed a flash of recognition on his face, but as it was, he caught everything.
That bastard! He had done something. He must have tempered with his food. But why? It seemed purposeless and it was a direct contradiction to their contract.
"Did you poison me?" Ciel pushed out, furious. "You!.."
"I didn't," Sebastian denied, but he sounded almost uncertain. Ciel didn't say anything, only glared, and Sebastian's expression turned sour. "I did add a medicine into your tea," he admitted. Ciel's eyes widened incredulously, but before he could find words, Sebastian continued. "It was a calming draught. Lau recommended it as an effective method to fight against bad dreams."
For a second, Ciel was so enraged that he thought he would explode with it. He clenched his fists so hard that he nearly broke his fingers, trembling with a barely suppressed need for violence. Yelling wouldn't help — no, it would have to come later. Right now, he needed something else. Something, anything to pay Sebastian back in whatever limited capacity he could currently afford.
Another pang of nausea made him grimace, and then a childishly vindictive idea came into his mind.
Sebastian wanted to cure him from the nightmares? Let him enjoy the results.
Grinning viciously, Ciel leaned forward and let go, and vomit burst through, spilling all over Sebastian's trousers and boots.
Relief came immediately, sharpened by the way Sebastian's face went blank. He stood still for a while, resembling a statue, and Ciel smirked at him, though fury continued to boil his insides.
"Clean this up," he whispered. "And change your clothes. You reek."
It was Sebastian's turn to stare at him incredulously, as if he couldn't believe his audacity. His jaw tightened, but in the end, he nodded sharply.
When he left, Ciel pushed against his pillow, trying to breathe through his nose. The nausea returned, and with it, his fury at Sebastian flared even brighter.
He didn't know what was worse, the fact that Sebastian had shared something this personal and disgustingly weak about him with Lau or that he'd decided to slip him some unknown sleeping draught, following the recommendation of an opium-addicted fool!
Why was Sebastian so obsessed with his sick nightmare-based experiments? If it went any further, Ciel would have to come up with an order that would stop him from ever doing anything related to his dreams. Ciel had decided against it before — he wasn't sure why, exactly. Maybe a part of him hoped that Sebastian would succeed at some point. Maybe he just cowardly craved his presence every time he woke up terrified, and giving an order would likely stop Sebastian from even coming to his room at night.
But this… this couldn't go on. It was too much.
Sebastian returned quickly, removing all stains from the floor. Before he could say anything, though, Ciel leaned forward again, succumbing to another wave of nausea.
Sebastian looked positively murderous.
This was going to be a long night.
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After the third instance of vomiting, even the brief echoes of humour left Ciel. Whatever remained in his stomach continued roiling. Sometimes, it became uncomfortably taut, making his throat contract again, and by the time the clock struck one o'clock, he was already exhausted.
Sebastian played the role of a butler well, probably compensating for his earlier idiocy. He cleaned him, pushed a bucket to him whenever he sensed another round of vomiting, and kept stupid questions to a minimum.
After the fourth time, Ciel felt so weak that he could barely sit. His mouth tasted disgusting and was excruciatingly dry, and his temples kept pulsing with white-hot pain.
"If I die because you've poisoned me," he murmured, "I forbid you to eat my soul. You absolutely don't deserve it."
"You won't die from this, you silly child," Sebastian sounded mocking, but despite his state, Ciel could hear the same note of uncertainty in his voice.
Sebastian wasn't sure what was wrong. And naturally, he couldn't know what the outcome of his scheme was going to be.
Ciel still hissed at the insult, wishing he could reply properly.
He hated feeling helpless. He hated it.
He had lived through illnesses and severe allergies both, and every time, even though the symptoms were familiar, there was a feeling of dread hiding in the most vulnerable part of his mind. Whenever he found himself confined to a bed, he worried that he would never leave it again. The fear of death was so overwhelming at times that all he could do was blink away the tears, hoping that his mother and Madam Red didn't catch it.
Now, to his surprise, he felt no fear, even though the situation was decidedly and dangerously unfamiliar. There were only resentment and disappointment.
Entering a contract with a demon to die because of his failure to understand how human bodies worked? It was insulting. It was unacceptable.
Ciel gathered enough strength to send another angry glare to Sebastian. To his surprise, Sebastian looked almost worried. His brows were furrowed and he kept staring at him unblinkingly, as if trying to dissect him with his gaze and understand what was wrong.
"I will send Tanaka to you," he said suddenly, and it was Ciel's turn to frown.
"No," he snapped. He didn't want to see anyone else, not when he was feeling so terrible, so weak.
"It's only for a short while," Sebastian adjusted the blanket, wrapping it more tightly around Ciel. "I believe I should pay a visit to Lau."
"In the middle of the night?"
Sebastian shrugged.
"He gave me that… thing," he said, his lips twitching in contempt. "He must know its side-effects."
Ciel didn't want to admit it but it made sense. Why hadn't he thought about it sooner?
"Fine," he allowed. "You can go. But don't send anyone else to me. I'll be fine."
Sebastian hesitated.
"Young Master—" he began.
"Shut up," Ciel warned. "You don't have the right to question my orders. I've had enough of your disobedience. Falling so lowly, taking advice from a human? Betraying personal matters of your Master to outsiders? I'm tempted to break the contract with you right now, and I will if you ever do something like this again."
Sebastian's eyes flashed, turning terrifyingly red for a moment. When he spoke, coldness was etched in his every word.
"If you do that, you won't attain your revenge. And it won't save your life."
"Is that an euphemism for 'I'll kill you'? Please," Ciel scoffed, even though his heart skipped a mournful beat. "As if I don't know that already. But keep abusing my trust like this and it won't matter to me. I don't forgive betrayal, Sebastian. I don't care what motivated you — you had no right to do that. Repeat this mistake and making you pay might come to seem more satisfying to me than fulfilling my initial wish. Do you understand?"
Sebastian considered him carefully, his face unreadable again. Then he bowed his head slightly.
"I do, Master," he said. "May I take my leave now?"
"You may."
Sebastian gave him one last glance, and Ciel almost gaped at the obsessive hunger he suddenly glimpsed there. Irritation, boredom, and indifference were gone, replaced by something so dark and primal that he shivered.
Tightening his hold on the blanket, Ciel pulled it closer defensively, narrowing his eyes at Sebastian in a challenge, even though he knew he had nothing to back it up.
Fortunately, Sebastian bowed again and slid towards the door, melting in the darkness immediately.
The fire that had brought him through this conversation abruptly died out and Ciel focused on breathing evenly again.
At least when he was talking to Sebastian, it served as a distraction. Now, he was alone with unwelcome thoughts, and nausea was starting to crawl in his stomach again.
He felt dizzy. His head was still splitting apart and his skin felt so dry, as if it would wither at the slightest touch.
If anything, he felt much worse than at the beginning. What in the world was Lau's drug made of?
Ciel didn't know how much time had passed. He must have managed to fall asleep because he was startled back into reality by a cool piece of fabric placed against his forehead.
"Sebastian?" he muttered weakly.
"Yes," Sebastian carefully smoothened the fabric. Then his cold fingers brushed against Ciel's cheek and Ciel closed his eyes involuntarily, enjoying the comfort it brought.
Next moment, the fingers were gone, and instead a glass was pressed to his lips.
"You have to drink, Young Master," Sebastian said quietly. "I've been informed that you might have dehydration after losing so much liquid."
Ciel winced when a fresh wave of pain rolled through him, but he still sat up and accepted the glass.
"What did Lau say?" he mumbled. Sebastian watched how he drank the water intently before taking the glass from him and putting it on a bedside table.
"He said such reaction is extremely rare but possible," he acknowledged finally. "You should feel better by morning. Until then, you have to drink as much water as you can. I'll stay by your side, of course."
"Joy," Ciel drawled. He doubted he would be able to speak more than one word without vomiting.
The night was endless. He managed to drift off for half an hour at most until an intense stomach spasm woke him up, making him groan and reach for the bucket. Sebastian kept hovering over him, and the more time passed, the more liberties he allowed himself.
At first, he did only as much as was needed, but eventually, he seemed to start finding some twisted enjoyment in taking care of him. He began brushing Ciel's hair from his face attentively, letting wet, sweaty strands slip through his fingers again and again, as if he was drying them. His other hand kept reaching for Ciel's forehead, checking his temperature, and he constantly leaned closer, breaking into his personal space.
If it wasn't for a small, sinister smile on his face, Ciel would have been suspicious. Since it was present, though, he could guess what motivated Sebastian to display such caring behaviour.
He was undoubtedly taking pleasure from how awfully Ciel felt and how he was forced to depend on him. Every time he moved closer, his smile widened, his eyes became gently indulgent, and Ciel just knew he was breathing in the smell of his fever, finding it delicious.
Sick bastard. But strangely, this combination of contrasting emotions put Ciel at ease. He accepted both comfort and deadly intent Sebastian showered him with, hating himself for the peace it brought him, but in the pauses between vomiting and drinking water, he pushed out as many degrading comments as he could think of.
"Tanaka performed his butler responsibilities much better than you," he hissed. "You are incompetent. You bring more harm than value. Did you poison all your masters?"
"Even when you are so unwell, you still have the strength to insult me," Sebastian remarked almost fondly, pushing a glass back into his hands. Ciel accepted it, but his thoughts were already elsewhere.
He was going to seek retribution. And oh, how sweet it was going to be.
He already had some ideas.
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Fever and nausea left in the morning, just like Lau had promised. Ciel finally got the chance to sleep, and when he woke up, it was already two in the afternoon.
Soon, he was sitting in his office, composing four very specific letters.
His yesterday's brainstorming, no matter how brief it was, had brought extremely satisfying results. Only a limited number of Evil Noblemen knew about that specific storage, and even surface analysis clearly pointed at two possible candidatures.
Azzurro Vanel or Baron Diedrich.
Personally, Ciel considered the former to be a far likelier option, but he couldn't cross Diedrich off his list simply because the man was a friend of his predecessor. Ciel had never had close personal contacts with him, so he was yet to form an opinion. Nevertheless, it was clear that both Vanel and Diedrich had an opportunity to cover their participation in the drug trade.
In the last months, Ciel and Sebastian had secretly investigated the majority of Evil Noblemen, and Vanel along with Diedrich were among the small group that they had failed to find much on. All their operations seemed perfectly legal and this in itself was suspicious. Besides, Vanel and Diedrich were the only ones in this group who stayed in the country within the last month, so only they could be involved.
Now, all Ciel had to do was wait until they wandered inside the trap and close it, and for this, he needed to invite them to the manor.
Of course, writing to them alone would be too revealing, so he also prepared a letter for Lau. Another one was for Randall. After all, finding a rat was his request, and having him witness how easily Ciel could succeed where he failed was too pleasing of a chance to miss it.
There was a knock on the door, swiftly followed by Sebastian entering the room, pushing a trolley with his dinner forward.
Ciel measured him with a cool look. Then he eyed the food, not letting any of his thoughts touch his face.
"How are you feeling, Master?" Sebastian inquired, so arrogantly confident that it immediately sent sparks of anger through him. Ciel didn't reply. His head was still aching dully, but he definitely wasn't going to accept any medicine for it.
"Bring Bard to my office," he ordered. Sebastian's eyebrows rose in a sign of controlled surprise, but he nodded and left.
Did this treacherous creature truly think that his yesterday's transgression would remain unpunished? As if Ciel could ever be this lenient.
The food smelled delicious but he stubbornly refused to glance at it. He didn't doubt that it would taste incredible — too bad it would have to remain uneaten.
Sebastian returned soon with Bard, who looked wary and guilty. Had he managed to blow up something again already?
"Afternoon, Master," he mumbled. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," Ciel straightened, focusing on Bard entirely and ignoring Sebastian. "I would like you to be responsible for cooking from now on. Breakfast. Dinner. Supper. I can rely on you in this, can't I?"
"Of course!" All hesitancy poured out of Bard and he grinned enthusiastically. "I won't let you down, Master. I bet you'll be impressed."
"Hardly," Sebastian said coldly, and Bard glared at him, clearly affronted.
"Hey! Just because I don't know all your fancy recipes doesn't mean I can't cook! For your information—"
"Leave," Sebastian said, and while his voice was perfectly pleasant this time, his face was anything but.
Bard backed away almost unconsciously before remembering himself. Squaring his shoulders, he turned to Ciel.
"Go," Ciel allowed, satisfied that he'd managed to keep the amusement out of his words. "Start preparing dinner."
"Yes, sir!" Bard saluted him before rushing out of the room, probably already thinking about what to cook. Sebastian didn't deem it worthy to watch it — he stared at Ciel instead, and he looked so quietly livid that it felt even better than the reprieve from vomiting.
"Would you honestly entrust the preparation of your meals to Baldroy?" Sebastian asked icily. "I assure you, Young Master, his skills have not improved since the last time."
"At least I can be sure that he won't be trying to poison me," Ciel drawled with great relish. Sebastian's mouth fell open in an obvious surprise before he snapped it back shut, and Ciel gave him a brief, condescending smile. "Did you think I would accept the food you've prepared again?"
"I was—"
"Disloyal," Ciel cut him off. "I told you, I don't care about your reasoning. You betrayed me when I specifically asked you to never do that. So until you prove that you can be trusted at least in some capacity, I won't be using your direct services. Go find something useful to do. Oh, and take this away from me," Ciel nodded at the deliciously smelling plates still standing on the trolley. "Needless to say, I won't be eating it."
The aura Sebastian was emanating became even frostier while his eyes flashed a familiar, deadly red. Ciel drank it in, pleased with how easily he could find the most effective punishment. Since being viewed as imperfect infuriated Sebastian, not having a chance to prove himself had to result in an even more intensive rage.
Sebastian didn't move for a while, fixated on him as if he was torn between wanting to throttle and to consume him — or to do everything at once. Then he smiled slowly, his fury dissipating, replaced by his usual arrogance.
"Certainly, Young Master," he uttered. "I hope Bard's cooking will be to your taste."
Ciel returned his cold gaze, saying nothing.
If Sebastian thought he was going to win here, he was deeply mistaken.
This was only stage one.
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The second stage came later in the afternoon, when all letters were finished. Ciel nodded at Sebastian to gather them and said shortly, "Send them all."
Sebastian complied, studying the names swiftly.
"Evil Noblemen?" he inquired. "Have you decided on the rat's identity, then?"
Ciel had been hoping for this question.
"None of your business," he informed calmly. "I'm going to see this case through by myself. I told you, I don't need assistance of someone I can't trust."
Sebastian downright gaped at him. He obviously didn't think Ciel would refuse his participation in the investigation — what, had he believed his punishment would be limited to being prohibited from cooking meals? Not this time.
"With all respect, Master, you won't be able to solve this case by yourself," Sebastian finally said, sneering. "There are too many intricacies of the drug trade. Even the smallest mistake can lead to your death."
"Are you done?"
Sebastian almost hissed, and the first shadows flickered across the room. Ciel leaned back against his chair, deeply amused.
"Oh, and while we're at it," he added, "I want you to give the key from the storehouse to Lau. He can keep it until I need it."
The room became even darker. Sebastian's hands twitched, as if he was one step away from wrapping them around Ciel's throat, and despite the palpable danger that filled the air, Ciel hadn't felt this entertained in ages.
Sebastian was so easy to play at times. And yes, he was right — since Ciel would have to play a live-bait, his life would be in danger. He did hope that the servants or even Lau would notice the attempt on his safety on time, but even if they didn't, he had a back-up plan in place.
He would have to depend on Sebastian, but the good thing was, despite everything, Sebastian was still bound by the contract. As long as he remained interested in it, he would fulfil his basic obligations.
And Ciel would find a way to twist it to suit his agenda.
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After Sebastian left with the letters, there wasn't much left to do. His head continued to pound unpleasantly and until this case was finished, Ciel wasn't going to accept another one.
He didn't know why, but his feet brought him outside, to the Phantomhives burial ground. He hadn't been there for a long time and he couldn't say what possessed him to go there now. However, his hesitancy evaporated when he realised that there was already someone else there.
Madam Red was easy to recognise, with her bright, all-red outfit. She was standing near the grave of Vincent Phantomhive, unmoving and strangely sombre. Seeing her so grim was a rare thing, so Ciel wavered for a second, unsure of what to say.
"Madam," he finally uttered. His aunt's back stiffened. She turned to look at him, and for a second, something ugly brimmed in her eyes. Before Ciel could determine what it was, though, a wide smile split her face.
"Nephew!" Madam Red rushed forward and Ciel tried hard not to recoil when she grabbed him, pulling him to her chest in an affectionate embrace. "I apologise for intruding like this. I know I should have warned about my visit but…"
"You are always welcome here," Ciel lied, smiling stiffly. When she finally let him go, he immediately made a small step back, putting distance between them. "Would you like to have supper?"
Madam Red hesitated but then nodded.
"I would love to," she muttered softly.
They returned to the house and were immediately greeted by a loud, crashing noise from the kitchen.
Bard.
Suppressing a heavy sigh, Ciel led his aunt to the living room and went to investigate. To his surprise, Sebastian was already there, observing the damage with cool, derisive expression.
"I'm afraid your meal is going to be late, Master," he drawled. Ciel shrugged, pretending to be unconcerned.
"I shall wait," he announced. "The only thing that matters is that Bard's meal will be actually safe for eating."
"If you think so," Sebastian replied, but his face became sour and Ciel had to hide a content smirk.
"I do have a task for you," he said. "Madam Red has joined us for today. You'll be cooking a supper for her as well as for our guests who are likely to arrive tomorrow. I trust it you won't poison them, too?"
Sebastian's hands twitched again. Something feral flashed in his eyes, and Ciel was half-prepared to be thrown against the wall and bashed against it repeatedly.
In the end, Sebastian only inclined his head.
"Yes, my lord," he said.
It sounded like a threat.
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Letting Madam Red meet Lau was one of Ciel's biggest mistakes. Lau arrived next morning, just in time for breakfast, and as soon as they saw each other, they clicked to the point where tearing them apart became nearly impossible.
"Solving a case without me!" Madam Red exclaimed. "Why, nephew, I might be able to help you!"
"I don't need your help," Ciel said through gritted teeth. Oh, how much he regretted inviting this woman to his house. She was going to spoil everything.
"The more, the merrier, isn't it?" Lau asked, smiling serenely. "What do you think, Ran-Mao?"
"I will definitely be present at your meeting," Madam Red said confidently. "We'll find your rat. I have an eye for such things."
"And what an eye it is," Lau drawled appreciatively. The room shook at the sound of Madam Red's flustered laughter and Ciel rubbed his eye, hoping that when he opened it again, he would find himself alone.
Fortunately, his aunt could never handle sitting for a long time, so soon enough, she grabbed Lau and dragged him to the library, to show him the Phantomhives' Chinese literature collection. Ciel waited until all sounds went mute and finally allowed himself to relax, loosening his grip on the cup of the most disgusting tea in his life. How could Bard fail even in such a simple task? What was difficult about making tea?
"Master," Sebastian's purring voice came right from behind his back, and to Ciel's annoyance, he wasn't even startled. His mind had long since started associating Sebastian with something inherent and omnipresent, so his attempts to take him aback with his unexpected appearances didn't work.
"Is there something you need?" he asked curtly. Sebastian moved in his area of focus and offered him a tray with something. A tea set? Why would…
Oh.
"You've found a Haviland set," Ciel commented contemplatively. In blue, gold, and white, just as he'd asked. How had Sebastian managed that? Ciel was positively sure that this colour combination didn't exist. He'd been anticipating for Sebastian to admit defeat, but it seemed he'd somehow completed the task.
Why now? Did it have any connection to their current state of affairs?
Ciel had always been sure that Sebastian despised having to take care of him, but yesterday had shown that he hated not being allowed to do it even more. He appeared personally offended at the dish Bard had cooked for supper last night, glowering in the corner of the dining room. Naturally, Ciel made sure to finish every bit of it, even though the taste of the overcooked fish was haunting him all night, threatening another round of nausea.
That brought him to a question — was Sebastian hoping to appease him? Bringing the long-awaited Haviland tea set after more than a month of nothing… he must have searched for it during the night with a renewed vigour. Definitely too drastic of a measure for it to mean nothing, and all the more strange since yesterday, Sebastian hadn't seemed to be in an appeasing mood.
"Good," Ciel acknowledged. He couldn't stop himself from grimacing, though, especially when Sebastian's face lit up with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Would you like some tea in it?" he asked, steadily ignoring the fact that technically, Ciel was already holding this very drink in his hand.
Ciel deliberated. He had no intention of cancelling Sebastian's punishment, but he would have to start easing it a bit. Living on Bard's cooking wasn't sustainable, not in the long run, and asking Tanaka to cook wouldn't be appropriate.
"Fine," he uttered at last. "But be quick. I still have things to do."
Sebastian looked genuinely pleased. Bowing and practically radiating smugness, he left the dining room, and when the door closed, Ciel snorted quietly.
Who would have thought that a demon would find joy in getting a chance to make tea? It was laughable, how easily Sebastian fell into the trap of their contract.
Ciel would have to monitor his own behaviour carefully to make sure he didn't do the same. He might be holding the reins of control right now but he knew, he just knew that it could change any moment.
Sebastian had a disturbing tendency to leave him speechless, and not in a good way. With an active case that he had to solve, having an unpredictable demon-butler who alternated between wanting to crush him and hoping to gain his approval was dangerous.
He would have to stay on guard.
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Solving the mystery of a rat was easy. Disappointingly so.
Azzurro Vanel revealed himself as soon as Ciel casually mentioned the drug trade and the fact that he was hoping for his, Lau's, and Baron Diedrich's help in identifying the traitor. Vanel's head snapped up, his eyes widened, and Ciel could groan with how obvious and ungraceful he was.
This man didn't deserve to be in the league of Evil Noblemen. What services could he possible provide to the Queen?
Baron Diedrich, on the contrary, barely reacted to the news. He seemed much more interested in consuming the sandwiches Sebastian had brought, but Ciel still studied him from time to time, only partly focused on the pool table.
"Not surprising," Madam Red was saying. "The morals are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Even family members betray each other, so having a rat among one's own kind is nothing unexpected."
Her cheerfulness was gone, replaced with a mask of coldness and a mysterious half-smile. She looked so unusually collected that Ciel couldn't help but admire her.
He'd never thought that she could act like this. Darkness seemed to come to her naturally and she easily stirred conversation to the topic Ciel was invested in. He hated to admit it but he had been wrong. Madam Red could blend in perfectly, even in the company of criminals.
The game and the talks continued, and Ciel watched with a growing feeling of curiosity. Yes, Vanel was almost definitely the rat he was looking for, but could he truly discard Diedrich? The man shared strange, unrefined mannerisms with Vanel. Unlike the latter, he seemed genuine, but Ciel had been in the underworld long enough to not rely on the first impressions.
Could they be working together? That would make the game much more interesting.
A pleasant, refreshing sensation tickled his mind at the thought and he smiled in amusement.
So many possibilities.
"Small talk aside, when will these mice be exterminated?" Lord Randall demanded impatiently, and Ciel raised his eyebrows. If the man was demanding extermination already, then he must have caught up on who Ciel's main suspect was.
"Any moment now," he remarked coolly. "The mice will want to sink their teeth into the forbidden cheese. We have the key to the storeroom where it's hidden."
Vanel actually gasped at this before quickly focusing on the pool table again.
What a pathetic fool. No, he was too obvious of a choice. His collaboration with Diedrich was looking more and more likely. In fact, Diedrich could be a mastermind behind the whole scheme.
Though for a member of a Ferro family to follow someone's lead? Then again, Italians could be difficult to predict. Too much of an unknown territory to make hasty conclusions.
Randall continued watching him suspiciously so Ciel leaned against his cue, smiling at him indulgently.
"However," he drawled, "finding the nest and eliminating the mice might be somewhat tedious. I hope you are prepared to pay the fee for that."
With how many times Randall had asked for his assistance in the recent months, Ciel had to come up with more creative ideas of payment. Just for the fun of it, last time, he'd asked Randall to get him the books from the Scotland Yard library, and the resulting ten minutes of growls and accusations were music to his ears.
"You vulture!" Randall, predictably, began to seethe again, and Ciel sighed, torn between feeling annoyed and entertained. Had Randall still not figured out that insulting him would bring him nowhere?
The excitement waned, slowly transforming back into boredom.
The meeting was only partly amusing and it was time to finish the game. In all senses at once.
Vanel or Vanel with Diedrich, it didn't even matter. One or two of them were undoubtedly the rat, so all that he had to do now was wait for them to make their move.
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Sitting in his office, Ciel basked in the warm glow of self-accomplishment. The day was extremely productive, and even though he'd decided against making a definite choice as to the rat's identity, he knew that his goal was attained. One way or another, the rat was going to target him soon. He would have to stay in the manor to complicate his, or their, task.
Now, if he wasn't mistaken, Sebastian was bound to use some excuse to see him. He wouldn't be able to resist the chance to test the waters and be accepted back in the investigation.
Denying him would make today's victory even sweeter.
Echoing his thoughts, there was a knock on the door, and Ciel's lips trembled in a pleased smile before he forced it to dissipate.
Without waiting for an answer, Sebastian walked inside, holding a tray in his hands.
"Taylor's Yorkshire Tea," he presented, making an appropriately deferent expression. "It is a fairly new brand but I thought you might appreciate the richness of its herbal undertones."
What could a demon who was incapable of distinguishing between a ruined and perfect dish by taste know about any undertones? Though Sebastian was rarely wrong, Ciel couldn't deny it. Maybe one day, he'd ask him about it.
He nodded, indicating that he wanted the tea, and Sebastian obediently put a cup in front of him.
Did he really think Ciel could be fooled by his perfect façade at this point?
About a minute passed in silence, with Ciel inhaling the vapour and Sebastian waiting for his reaction. Finally, his intense scrutiny became bothersome, so Ciel acknowledged, "Good."
Sebastian pressed his hand to his chest, bowing his head — a flawless embodiment of servitude and obedience.
"I'm glad that it pleases you, my lord," he said. "Would you like a dessert with it? I've prepared a chocolate pretzel. Made of three different kinds of chocolate and drizzled with salted caramel."
Ciel peered at the tray almost against his will in an attempt to catch a glimpse of this pretzel, and Sebastian's face lost some of its fake politeness, reflecting a more genuine amusement.
"It is in the kitchen," he clarified. "I couldn't be confident that you would accept it, considering your newfound affinity for Bard's cooking."
Ciel rolled his eyes but said nothing. He really, really wanted that dessert. Terminating Sebastian's punishment, though…
"All right," he agreed haughtily. "Bring it to me. I suppose my guests didn't feel nauseas after your cooking, so maybe it's safe to start eating the meals you make again."
A shadow of intense satisfaction crossed Sebastian's face and he smiled sharply.
"Does it mean that I have your permission to stop Bard from destroying the kitchen?" he wondered, and Ciel's treacherous lips couldn't fight against a smile of his own.
He didn't want to lift the punishment yet but having Bard cook for him was too much. He wasn't sure he could take it for much longer.
"Yes," he uttered. "Do that."
Sebastian stared at his smile in a way that was distinctively strange before making a step towards him, and Ciel immediately frowned.
"Was there anything else?"
Sebastian blinked, and the predatory look disappeared from his face.
"I see the meeting has passed successfully," he said carefully. "You seem to be in a good mood."
"I am."
"You've determined who the rat is, then?"
Ah. So Sebastian was hoping to be engaged in the investigation, too.
This was not something Ciel was going to allow.
"It doesn't concern you," he said evenly. "I trust you to start cooking adequately again. It doesn't mean that I trust you with anything else. I told you that I will solve this case by myself — do you want me to repeat myself?"
It was almost fascinating, to see how Sebastian's calmness shattered, replaced by viciousness that Ciel couldn't even understand properly. Why was being denied participation so offensive to him?
"You won't be able to apprehend the criminal without my assistance."
"I don't need to apprehend him myself. I've already solved the riddle and set the trap without your input. The rat will attack me soon and when he does, his identity will be crystal clear."
"And what do you plan to do during the attack? Protect yourself?" Sebastian's sneer said everything he thought about this possibility but Ciel remained unmoved.
"I have servants for that," he noted coldly. "The most important part of the task is already done by me alone. Those who are loyal to me will protect me physically."
There. This incentive was obvious enough. If Sebastian wanted to prove his loyalty, he had to interfere when the time came. If he allowed his pettiness at being prohibited from more active participation to prevail, then Ciel would make further unsatisfactory conclusions about him.
Sebastian observed him with narrowed eyes, and then a chilling smile touched his lips.
"Of course," he said. "I wish you the best of luck in this new game."
Ciel watched him bow and leave, and suspicions stirred in his mind in alarm, sending a shiver of uncertainty down his spine.
It seemed that Sebastian had somehow managed to enter the game. Only Ciel wasn't sure in what capacity.
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Grell Sutcliff was the clumsiest fool to ever step into the manor. He was loud, hysterical, and utterly incompetent, to the point where even Bard, Finnie, and Mey-Rin started to look like professionals.
Where in the world his aunt could possibly find this person, Ciel had no idea, but he was too wary to question it. If it happened during some social gathering, he definitely didn't want to know the details.
He had been willing to change his rather sceptical opinion about Madam Red after yesterday's meeting but today, he wasn't so certain. She was particularly shrilly, vulgar, and boisterous, making explicit advances on Lau and even Sebastian. While seeing how Sebastian stilled before acquiring his usual mask of cold politeness could be amusing in other circumstances, this time, Ciel felt insulted, and Madam Red's senseless excuse only fuelled his anger further.
It was too much. Way too much.
"Is it true that one of your guests was in the smuggling trade?" Lau asked innocently, and Ciel sighed. Why did this man enjoy pretending to be an idiot? As if he didn't know the answer already. Ciel had been perfectly clear as to what Lau's function was supposed to be back in his letter.
"Yes," he said tiredly. He didn't have the strength to argue. It was only morning but he was already exhausted because of all this noise.
He couldn't stand being around other people for so long.
"You should leave the extermination to Rau," Madam Red advised him, but Ciel barely heard anything after that because at this moment, Lau suddenly approached him, looming, and pressed a hand against the top of his head.
Ciel flinched before he forced himself not to react. Lau had always shown a disturbing penchant for tactility but this was taking it too far. The pressure was strong enough to make him lower his head a bit, and he focused on looking straight ahead, trying to calm himself.
"If it is the Earl's order," Lau's voice became huskier and the pressure got even stronger, "then I shall do the dirty work."
Ciel had no idea what it meant. Before he could attempt to figure it out, though, his aunt jumped from her seat to grab him into her arms, almost choking him in the process.
"Don't you dare try to lay a finger on my precious nephew!" she shrieked, and Ciel inhaled sharply. Surely she didn't imply?..
"Oh, my! There's no way I'd try to lay a finger on him out here," Lau assured her, and this… this was enough.
As soon as Ciel was let go, he hastened to move towards the door.
Sebastian had already escaped at some point and he couldn't help but feel resentful at this fact. Then again, they were technically at war with each other and Sebastian only enjoyed putting him in psychologically stressful situations. Of course he wouldn't have given Ciel an excuse to leave the company of those idiots, leaving him to fend for himself.
"Young Master?" Sebastian turned his head to him but Ciel ignored him, still overwhelmed and disturbed.
"Too loud," he murmured. What was his house being turned into? Such level of noise was unacceptable, just as the reasons that caused it. First Madam Red's shameless behaviour towards Sebastian… after that display, Ciel wasn't sure he wanted to have her stay at his house, not if she proceeded to make such a fool of herself. Especially so loudly. He could already feel a familiar sensation of a persistent headache gathering right in the middle of his forehead, one that threatened to grow into a full-blown migraine.
Then Lau's dirty insinuations, the way he touched him… Disgusting. All of this was disgusting. He didn't want to be a part of any of it.
He sincerely hoped that Lau had been merely talking about work because otherwise… otherwise…
Nausea crawled up, and this time, Sebastian's cooking had nothing to do with it.
Ciel moved in the direction of his office almost blindly, pressing his hand to his forehead in the hope to neutralise the first licks of pain. Next second, Bard, Mey-Rin, and Finnie stormed right past him, yelling something unintelligibly. Ciel stopped, closing his eyes and just trying to breathe.
He wasn't sure how long he was standing like this, lost in the dull mist of half-consciousness, when Sebastian's voice suddenly broke through, plunging him back to reality, anchoring him, giving him ground.
Ciel still jerked from the unexpectedness of it and immediately turned to face him.
"I have prepared an apple and raisin deep pie for you," Sebastian told him, and his voice sounded soothing. His eyes, on the other hand…
They were narrowed. Callous.
Something was going on.
"It has almost finished baking, so please stay with the other guests," Sebastian added, just as gently. A part of Ciel longed to give into the calming effect his tone was providing, but his rational side was already on alert.
Sebastian's expression didn't change. No matter how sweetly he sounded, he was almost brimming with darkly malicious, smug energy, and Ciel frowned, unsure of what he was missing.
"Bring it to my office," he ordered. Why would Sebastian even ask him to re-join Madam Red and Lau? He evidently wouldn't do that, not when he'd just escaped from them.
Sebastian's smile seemed to grow wider at the response, as if he was pleased with it.
Or maybe Ciel was being too paranoid?
"I've had enough socialising," he explained, softer this time.
He needed to get somewhere quiet, somewhere where he would be able to think. Maybe his headache would abate as well.
Ciel walked into his office, closed the door… and then someone's hand wrapped around his mouth, cutting off his air supply. Ciel's eyes widened and he thrashed wildly, attempting to break free.
"Be quiet, you brat," someone growled. "Where is the key?"
How did this man expect him to answer when he was holding his mouth closed?
A few moments passed and it seemed like this idiot finally realised it as well. He let go, turning him around, and Ciel sneered at him.
An intruder. In his office.
That's what Sebastian's strange behaviour was about. He had undoubtedly detected someone's presence but chose to do nothing. To teach him a lesson, of course, to make him cry out for help, his help.
Well. Ciel hated being predictable.
Let the bastard find him on his own.
"Where is the key?" the man repeated urgently, his eyes wild, as if he honestly expected an answer.
Ciel did the only thing he could. He laughed, and laughed again, derisively this time, when the man's face contorted in fury.
Then a huge fist collided with his face and the darkness took him.
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When Ciel came to his senses, he was already bound. Actually, he was bound and chained, as if they were worried about him escaping.
Maybe his reputation preceded him.
His head was moaning with pain and something unpleasantly wet was trickling down his nose — blood? It could be somewhat tolerable if a semi-familiar voice didn't keep babbling on and on.
"Just how many households have you helped, and how many have you crushed, Ciel Phantomhive?" it inquired, and Ciel finally found the strength to raise his head.
Vanel. Alone.
How utterly disappointing.
"So, it was you, after all," he concluded. "Azzurro Vanel of the Ferro Family."
He listened to the arrogant response half-heartedly, carefully studying his surroundings.
He was in a room of some manor, that much was clear. Maybe it was Vanel's headquarters? Two more men were standing near the door, guarding it, and Ciel almost snorted.
They really did worry that he would be able to escape in such condition. Chain, ropes, Vanel, and two guards. It was flattering, he supposed, albeit entirely ridiculous.
"English people always have tea on their minds," Vanel commented, approaching, and tension immediately flooded him. It retreated only when Vanel lowered himself to his knees, not towering over him any longer.
"In 68's Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, even opium is listed as a poison," Ciel said mechanically. "It is the Queen's decree, not to allow the spread of drugs or accommodate dealers any further."
He wasn't interested in listening to the answer. Vanel would never say anything worthy of consideration — he was a mediocre, self-absorbed worm whose only future entailed getting crushed.
Was Sebastian planning to come after him? If he allowed him to be dragged from the manor, he must be even pettier than Ciel had realised. How much time had passed, anyway?
Vanel suddenly grabbed him by his face, leaning closer, and all thoughts left his mind for a moment, freeing space for all-consuming, blind panic.
No. No, he wasn't going to succumb to it. He'd been through much worse. He would not let men like Vanel, who enjoyed physical intimidation, reduce him to a panicked, snivelling mass of nerves and fears.
Focus. He just had to focus.
"If I am not returned," Ciel said, pleased with how calm he sounded, "my servant has been ordered to take the storehouse's key to the government." Vanel was still too unbearably close, so Ciel forced himself to smile. "Sorry," he added indifferently, "but I have no intention of getting along with some gutter rat."
As he'd expected, the insult worked. Vanel recoiled from him and jumped back to his feet, pointing the gun at his head.
That was much more preferable.
"Don't underestimate us adults, you little brat!" Vanel yelled, and a cool, calming sense of control spread through Ciel's blood again. Now that the revolting touch was removed from his face, everything sharpened back into clear focus.
"I already have my subordinates lie in wait at your mansion," Vanel boasted, and Ciel perked up. So, there were still the intruders at the manor? By now, someone had to notice them. Or maybe his idiot demon remembered the half-hinted incentive and realised that he was only succeeding in destroying Ciel's trust further the longer he waited.
"Where's the key?" Vanel asked demandingly. "If you don't spit it out soon, I'll start offing your servants one by one."
This time, Ciel didn't even have to pretend — his smile was entirely genuine in its condescension.
"It's so nice when pets do as they're told," he drawled. If only Sebastian learned how to actually obey him instead of choosing to follow only those orders that he personally liked. Had he really not understood what Ciel told him during their last conversation on this topic? If he wanted to prove his loyalty, he had to put Ciel's well-being above any games. But of course, Sebastian ignored the offer. He would probably move to interfere only when he felt that Ciel was in a mortal danger. That treacherous, foolish…
Ciel didn't have time to finish his thought. Vanel's boot kicked him in the face violently, and the force of the collision sent Ciel flying. He couldn't stop himself from gasping in pain. More blood streamed down his cheekbone and he grimaced, annoyed with himself. The hit wasn't bad enough to warrant any verbal reaction. He would have to stay quiet the next time.
For a while, no one bothered him, so Ciel had time to slowly shake off the dull, throbbing pain and focus on observing the room again. From his position, he couldn't see what was behind the window. Was he somewhere in London? Probably not. The ceiling was too high, the room too wide, which implied that the building could only be someone's private manor. Vanel wouldn't risk setting up such a luxurious headquarters in London, so they must be somewhere in the suburb… or maybe the northern part of East London? It would make sense. Perfect sense, in fact.
The phone suddenly rang and Ciel turned his head slightly in its direction. Vanel caught his gaze, grinning.
"Ready to hear how many of your servants are dead?" he asked. Ciel chortled and was treated to the beautiful sight of Vanel's face going red with anger.
"Stupid whelp," he growled. "So sure of yourself. You make me sick."
He grabbed the phone but before he managed to get even one word out, someone began to talk rapidly. From his position, Ciel couldn't hear what was said, but Vanel's reaction was a good indicator.
"Failed?!" he bellowed. "You useless screw-ups! This is why you're garbage!"
Ciel rolled his eyes and Vanel glared at him.
"Whatever," he grumbled, calmer this time. "It's over. Get back here at once."
Silence. Some noises that Ciel couldn't identify.
"What's wrong?" Vanel mocked. "Did you run into a bear in the forest?"
Ah.
A cooling sense of relief blossomed in his chest and Ciel tried to adjust his posture to a more comfortable one.
So Sebastian finally woke up and decided that it's time for actions. Took him long enough.
His being late didn't mean anything in terms of the game — Ciel had still set the trap himself and lured the rat into it. He hadn't denied that he wouldn't be able to protect himself physically, so the only reason why Sebastian decided to let him be taken was pettiness. A shallow way of revenge for being refused participation.
Not that Ciel was surprised at his priorities. Sebastian was loyal to himself and his hunger. But for someone who got so annoyed at being distrusted, he sure knew how to make the situation even worse.
Loud screams tore through the phone, and no matter how much Sebastian's chosen course of actions smarted, Ciel still let himself revel in the realisation that right now, somewhere, people who wanted to hurt him were being hurt in return.
Seeing how Vanel began to stutter, he couldn't hold back a chuckle.
"Looks like the game of fetch is over," Ciel remarked mockingly.
Maybe it wasn't very smart. Pure madness engulfed Vanel's face and he dashed to Ciel's side, kicking him right in the stomach, knocking all breath out of him. Before Ciel could even blink, he was hit again, this time across his face. Three more violent kicks in the ribs, but this time, he managed to stay silent, biting his lower lip stubbornly.
The world flickered around him, beginning to darken, so he tried to hold on to reality, to listen to what Vanel was doing instead of going with the pain and letting it consume him.
Everything hurt. Breathing was almost impossible, and all Ciel could do was hope that nothing was broken. He wouldn't be able to cope with another bed imprisonment.
"Hey!" Vanel spat. It sounded like he'd walked back to the table, to the phone. "If you morons don't respond, I'm going to kill you!"
Even from his place, Ciel could recognise the notes of Sebastian's voice speaking back. He didn't hear a word but something in the muffled, barely audible sounds was intensively familiar.
Vanel stayed silent, though his teeth started chattering loudly, while Ciel concentrated on the noises from the phone. They took a light tilt, meaning that Sebastian was asking a question.
Technically, Ciel could call him right now. Sebastian would be able to come much more quickly than through interrogating Vanel's men, but…
But it would be too easy. Sebastian had allowed him to be kidnapped. Now he had to perform his duties and actually work on getting him back.
A question sounded again and Vanel let out a whimper. What could Sebastian be asking? Was he not sure whether he'd caught the right men?
Of course. He couldn't know who the rat was, Ciel saw to that.
Well… he supposed he could let him know that he was on the right track, at least. He didn't even need to talk for that because Sebastian certainly didn't deserve it.
"Woof," he grumbled. There was a short moment of silence and then Sebastian spoke again, softer this time.
Then he was gone.
Vanel stood frozen for some time before suddenly bellowing, "The Phantomhive's guard dog is on his way here! Guard the walls! Don't let even a single mouse in! Don't let anything get through!"
His panic was delicious and if Ciel's lips didn't hurt, he would have smirked.
To his disappointment, Vanel regained some semblance of control over himself pretty soon. He walked to him unhurriedly and Ciel stiffened, wondering if he was going to be beaten again. The more prepared he was, the better chances of staying silent he had.
Vanel sat next to him, grabbing him by his hair tightly.
"You think that your one man will be able to come through my guards?" he hissed. "He'll get his stomach full of bullets the second he steps into my territory."
Ciel said nothing and Vanel hissed again, sounding even more infuriated.
"I would love nothing more than to cut your face," he murmured, leaning closer, his lips almost brushing against Ciel's ear. "But it'd be a waste, wouldn't it? Even without that storehouse, we have an excellent variety of drugs. Your pretty face will fetch us quite a price and we'll drug you up well enough to turn you into an obedient little doll."
Ciel had been prepared for being hit, not for being threatened with… that. A quiet pathetic sound escaped his lips involuntarily as he tried to move away, and Vanel laughed in delight.
"I know just the people who'd be interested in buying you," he added. "But don't worry. With the amount of drugs we'll put in you, you won't feel a thing with those perverts."
Panic stole his ability to see or breathe. Only an urgent, desperate want to cry out Sebastian's name remained, and Ciel growled, jerking in his ropes, trying to turn panic into rage.
How could he be this weak! These were just words, they were meaningless! Vanel wouldn't be able to act on his threat, Sebastian would come soon. And even if he failed to find this place, Ciel could still call him — he would if absolutely pushed to it. There was nothing to fear, so why was he shaking?
Vanel hummed in contemplation. A wicked grin slowly sailed on his lips, but when he started to move forward, the muted screams from the outside reached them through the windows.
Immediately, a staggering, liberating relief filled Ciel, and he returned to his position on the floor, pressing his cheek against the carpet calmly.
Sebastian was here. Vanel was already trembling again. And Ciel had all time he needed to chase the remains of terror and start controlling himself.
The screams went silent on the street but soon restarted again, this time from within the house. Vanel whimpered and Ciel bared his teeth in a satisfied albeit pained grimace, regretting that he was unable to see his face.
When slow footsteps began to echo down the corridor, they were music to his ears. He waited, not moving, almost shivering with both anticipation and relief.
Finally, the door opened, and Ciel closed his eyes for a moment.
"I have come to collect my Master." Sebastian sounded perfectly neutral, and Ciel latched onto this calmness, trying to absorb it.
He could hear Vanel snort in disbelief.
"I'm surprised. Here I was wondering what kind of monstrous man would appear, and it's just a Romeo in a tailcoat?"
Romeo? Oh, that was priceless. Ciel would have laughed if he didn't want to preserve his dangerously waning strength.
"Who are you?" Vanel asked suspiciously. "You aren't just any butler, am I right?"
All mirth disappeared, replaced by an urge to bang his head against the floor.
He just knew what Sebastian's answer would be.
"No," Sebastian replied immediately. "I'm one hell of a butler. Just that."
He had been waiting to say it. Ciel was absolutely sure. Sebastian's idea of humour was even worse than his concept of loyalty.
"At any rate, I have no intention of going at it with you," Vanel told him. "See…"
The next second, his fingers tore into Ciel's hair, yanking him up viciously, and it was so unexpected that Ciel gasped against his will, again. Through his eyelashes, he managed to catch a glimpse of Sebastian. An entirely absurd jab of pleasure rolled through him as he noticed how Sebastian's face changed and how he nearly reeled back, his eyes losing all traces of amusement.
So he didn't mind Ciel being hurt at a distance but he disliked seeing him mistreated with his own eyes. What sort of logic was that?
"Did you bring the item?" Vanel asked harshly.
"Yes," Sebastian reached for the key, a small, inscrutable half-smile on his face. "Right here."
There was a sudden loud bang. Sebastian staggered, and the moment Ciel saw blood spurting from his head, everything around him disappeared.
"Seba…" a half-choked scream got stuck in his throat when a wave of rationality cooled him, forcefully bringing light back into his world.
Sebastian couldn't die from human bullets. They had already been through this.
Still, shock and horror were too potent. Ciel shuddered as he watched more bullets being fired, Sebastian falling down with an expression of horrified surprise, and a feeling of loss that crashed into him was unbearable. He tried to breathe in, but his lungs refused to cooperate.
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. How many more traps was he going to fall into today? What was wrong with him?
Sebastian was perfectly fine. He was pretending, like he frequently did. There was no danger.
Finally, rationality won, and Ciel schooled his features, staring at the non-corpse grimly. Vanel laughed hysterically, sending a rush of rotten air his way.
"Sorry, Romeo!" he crooned. "Seems like I won this game! The opponent was a master of games, Lord Phantomhive, but I had an ace up my sleeve."
Did he mean the most predictable decision to hide men with weapons behind the door? What an astonishing ace. Looked like even the Evil Noblemen had no idea how to play properly.
"It seems I've damaged the goods a bit but that's all right," Vanel reassured him, dragging him by the hair again. More fool breath and another leery look. "I'm sure you'll fetch a pretty price even in this condition."
The coldness of a gun slipped underneath his eye-patch playfully and Ciel stared at Vanel, unimpressed. Were they back to his threats to sell him? The shock value had already been lost. This time, Ciel was prepared for whatever filth escaped Vanel's mouth, and dealing with it when Sebastian was here was much easier.
Vanel must have misinterpreted his gaze because he puffed up with pride.
"Don't worry," he murmured condescendingly, tapping the gun against his chin. "You don't have to be afraid. By the time you get completely messed up…"
Ciel had no desire to hear the details of whatever scenario Vanel's sick mind conjured up. Knowing his plans was revolting enough.
"Hey," he said lowly. Sebastian didn't even let go of the key to keep up the appearances, the moron. "How long do you intend to play around? How much longer are you planning to pretend to sleep there?"
"Oh well," Sebastian moved his hand lazily and Vanel spluttered.
"Th—That's impossible!" he cried out.
"Modern guns really have improved," Sebastian noted, stretching, and Ciel rolled his eyes in mild irritation. Show-off.
He couldn't deny it, though, hearing Vanel's incredulous whimpers was satisfying. Watching Sebastian smoothly kill the rest of his men even more so. It finally affected Vanel enough to make him let go of his hair, and Ciel shook his head in distaste. It felt like his very scalp ached after everything it'd been forced to endure today.
"Oh dear," Sebastian drawled in mock misery. "My clothes are all full of holes."
"It's because you were playing around, you idiot," Ciel commented. If Sebastian had learned how to accept punishment with dignity, they wouldn't even be here.
"Young Master," Sebastian finally looked at him. "They don't appear to have treated you very well."
The underestimation of this grated on Ciel's nerves and he glared darkly.
"Don't come any closer!" Vanel warned, pointing the gun back at Ciel's temple, but Sebastian ignored him this time. His eyes were fixed on Ciel.
"You look like a caterpillar, both disgusting and splendid at once," he said, a strange, unfamiliar intonation in his words. "It quite fits your small, weak stature."
Ciel glared harder. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Had Sebastian not had enough yet?
"I-If you get any closer, I'll shoot him!" Vanel screamed, and Ciel grimaced.
"Hurry up," he ordered. "His breath stinks."
Sebastian, infuriatingly, immediately stopped walking.
"If I get any closer, you'll be killed," he uttered innocently, and fury returned full force, scorching Ciel's already battered body.
"You bastard," he spat. "Are you trying to break the contract?" Because right now, he was barely stopping himself from doing just that, hastily and vindictively.
"By no means," Sebastian assured him, bowing his head in the show of respect he clearly didn't feel. "I am your loyal servant, after all."
He was toying with him. Still. As if what had happened wasn't enough, as if his betrayal was nothing more but a game.
For him, it probably was.
Rage sizzled, licking his every nerve ending, and Ciel had to take a deep breath to calm down. Vanel's yells didn't help him find a balance against the mounting anger.
Sebastian, as if sensing that Ciel was close to exploding, leaned forward with a smile.
"Young Master," he murmured, "you know what you have to do. Just say the words."
Oh, so that was how he was going to play it? Did he want to feel needed so badly that he insisted on Ciel acknowledging it aloud?
Fine. But if he thought this would change anything, he was delusional.
"This is an order!" Ciel growled, finally opening his marked eye. "Save me this instant!"
"Shut up!" Vanel shrieked. Ciel tensed, sensing that the man was on the breaking point already, and then the gunshot went off, the sound tearing right into Ciel's ears, deafening him for a moment.
The annoying ringing filled his head right after that, and Ciel slowly turned to send a long, cold look to Vanel.
Sebastian moved quickly, he had to give him that. To catch a bullet like this… Ciel's mind couldn't even begin to comprehend with what kind of speed he had to act to accomplish that.
"Is this what you're looking for?" Sebastian wondered curiously. A pause stretched, with Vanel probably being too shocked to say anything. "I shall return it to you," Sebastian decided at last. There was a dull crunch of a bone snapping, followed by Vanel's agonized screams. Ciel stared at him in dark satisfaction, not looking away even when Sebastian lifted him off the floor carefully. His cheek pressed against Ciel's head, and if he were anyone else, Ciel would have taken it for a gesture of affection.
Since it was Sebastian, he knew better.
"The game wasn't all that fun this time." He tried to say it neutrally but he could hear genuine bewilderment in his own voice.
Ciel'd had quite high hopes for this game. He'd been looking forward to showing that he could solve everything without Sebastian, but while he'd excelled in finding the rat and luring it into a trap, Sebastian's efforts to prove him wrong ruined all the pleasure. As the result, Ciel was sore, bleeding, covered with bruises, and with several weeks of nightmares ahead, which would undoubtedly come for him after Vanel's threats.
No, the game wasn't fun at all. And he blamed Sebastian for it.
"Hey, you! Wait!" Vanel begged hoarsely. "Come and be my bodyguard!"
Sebastian ignored him, too busy with sitting Ciel down and freeing him from the ropes.
"I'm sorry, Mister Vanel," he said finally, when Vanel continued to babble, "but I have no interest in such materialistic things." The final constraint fell down and Sebastian straightened, turning to Vanel. "After all… I am one hell of a butler."
Ciel sighed in resignation and propped his chin on his hand. Really, to repeat the same non-joke twice in less than two minutes? Sebastian was hopeless. How in the world would he be able to make Undertaker laugh?
"Hell?" Vanel mumbled, his eyes widening. Next second, dark feathers swirled around the room, bringing shadows with them, and Ciel's eyebrows rose in surprise.
Why would Sebastian be angry enough to transform? If anything, he was supposed to be grateful to Vanel for roughing him up. That was why he had allowed his men to kidnap Ciel, wasn't it?
The shadows multiplied rapidly, climbing up the wall in an unstoppable wave, and soon the room was bathed in the nightfall itself. Ciel watched Vanel unblinkingly, memorizing his terrified expression and the angle under which his hand was bent. He would have to ask Sebastian to do it more slowly next time. It was one thing to break an arm, but to twist it like this? The process had to look interesting.
"Unfortunately for you, this game is over," Ciel announced coldly. He wanted to go home and rest, but it seemed like Sebastian wasn't in a hurry. What, did he need an order to kill Vanel, too?
"I will l-leave," Vanel swore. "I will leave and you'll never see me again, just… just…"
"Sebastian," Ciel snapped. "Kill him already."
"Certainly, my lord," Sebastian began to approach Vanel, circling him playfully. "But first, a little demonstration, if I may?"
"A demonstration of what?"
"What happens to those who let their filthy hands touch what isn't theirs."
"I didn't touch him!" Vanel yelled. "I swear, I didn't!"
Sebastian hummed, shortening the distance between them but not closing it entirely.
"And what was that about Earl Phantomhive fetching "a pretty price even in this condition"?" he purred. "Did you perhaps intend to sell my Master to someone?"
"I wouldn't do that!" Vanel protested desperately. "It was just a joke—"
Once again, Ciel didn't even notice Sebastian move, but Vanel was suddenly screaming. Curious, Ciel leaned forward, trying to figure out what happened. Vanel's nose seemed to be cut off entirely, with only some bloody, unrecognizable mass left behind.
"You cannot sell something that doesn't belong to you," Sebastian tsked, and even though currently, Ciel's feelings for him were a mixture of rage, bitterness, and resentment, he still stared, fascinated. Sebastian had lost his human form almost entirely. He resembled a winged shadow, seductive and lethal simultaneously, and the deadly energy around him lured Ciel in, made his fingers ache with the need to touch, to see if this energy would destroy or accept him.
Because he was watching so intently, he caught a rapid shadowed blur that was accompanied by Vanel's shriek.
More blood. Something white protruding from Vanel's other hand — another bone?
"I shall take your fingers one by one," Sebastian mused, almost dancing around Vanel. "And after that, one body part for one bruise inflicted upon my Master. Would you consider it fair? Mister Vanel?"
"Please!" Vanel begged. "Please let me go, I won't—"
More screams. More dull, crunching noises. Ciel watched in half-interest, raising his eyebrow questioningly when Sebastian suddenly slithered to him and bowed, presenting ten torn fingers.
"For you, my lord," he uttered, and Ciel snorted.
"Wonderful," he said dryly. "What do you want me to do with them?"
"Whatever you want," Sebastian grinned. Ciel's lips twitched in a reluctant answering smile and he nodded vaguely, allowing Sebastian to proceed further. However, the smile faded quickly.
He didn't want to feel amused. Sebastian's actions today had proven everything about what he truly felt, again.
No loyalty. No sympathy. No attachment. Nothing.
But seeing him organise such a show for him, acting so possessively, so protectively… it was muddling the thoughts in Ciel's head. Maybe this was why he could never stick to his promise to never let Sebastian close.
Vanel's screams turned into moans, then to weak whimpers. Finally, he fell silent, and Ciel stretched in his seat sleepily. He was both pleased with the performance, whatever caused it, and bored with it. Yes, it was entertaining, but he would have enjoyed it more if his every cell wasn't protesting against staying awake so fiercely. If Sebastian wasn't the one responsible for this.
He wanted to go home.
Sebastian didn't ask anything, for once. He scooped him up and Ciel pressed his head against his shoulder tiredly.
"Where did you get the key?" he murmured. "Did you even give it to Lau, like I ordered, or was it with you all this time?"
"Technically—" Sebastian started but Ciel interrupted him.
"Of course you didn't give it to anyone. I gave you a flawed order again, didn't I?"
Sebastian shrugged, and without looking at him, Ciel knew he was smiling.
More games.
"Take me home," he commanded.
Sebastian dashed forward and Ciel closed his eyes, soothed by the familiar speed and embrace.
He almost fell asleep, but even through slumbering, he was aware of the hurt that was quietly simmering inside.
He had told Sebastian about what loyalty meant to him. He'd told him and Sebastian still ignored him. Allowed him to be taken just to amuse himself by chasing and retrieving him afterward. And Ciel had played right into his hands.
Sebastian wasn't loyal to him. When would this finally stop surprising him? Amusement and hunger would always be his main drivers, and his possessiveness and desire to be a perfect butler, the moments of closeness they shared — it all meant nothing in comparison.
He would remember it. This time, he wouldn't forget.
However, Ciel's determination lasted for about ten minutes, until they got back to the manor.
"Young Master," Sebastian called, and when Ciel turned to him, he froze. Sebastian was kneeling, looking sombre and reverent. "I apologise profusely," he said, and Ciel's heart accelerated, strangely hopeful. "I have erred in a manner unbefitting a Phantomhive butler. How should I repent?"
Ciel swallowed, and this time, his heart began to pound at a dizzying rate.
Maybe… maybe he was wrong. Maybe they were indeed making some progress. If Sebastian regretted—
"I have not made the preparations for tonight's dinner in the slightest," Sebastian finished, and all hopes fell crashing down. Ciel blinked, foolishly astounded by yet another mockery. The events of today piled up, and suddenly, he had a horrible urge to cry.
Shocked and disgusted with himself, Ciel nodded curtly and hurried to the mansion, before Finnie and Mey-Rin, who'd come to greet him, lost all respect for him.
He deserved everything that happened to him today. He deserved more than that. To be so weak-minded, so inferior… constantly forgetting about his promises to himself, being a hostage of his own worthless emotions…
He had to eliminate this pathetic behaviour, to crush it until nothing was left, once and for all. And for this, he would have to keep his distance from Sebastian. This time, for real, without any punishments or games.
Just calm, impersonal distance. Like it should have been from the start.
No more mistakes.
A/N: Replies in chronological order)
James Birdsong, thanks, glad that you've liked it!
TheLizard-ling, thank you so much! I'm so happy you've enjoyed this chapter as well. I loved writing Sebastian's POV and I'm so glad you found it interesting even though it repeated some of the previous events. Leraje is actually Claude who's about to conclude his contract with Alois, and he and Sebastian will definitely clash violently in the future :D And you are right, Ciel cares more about his pride than anything else, and in many cases, like the one in this chapter, it leads to additional hurt. Thanks again, hope you've enjoyed this chapter!
22rubens, you are absolutely right, that was Claude!)) Based on the timeline, he's just about to draw contract with Alois and start stalking Sebastian more competently, without being noticed — mostly. And yes, Sebastian does suffer from his very limited set of emotions… even though he isn't always aware of it. Even when things get better between him and Ciel, he's still going to see things differently, through his demonic perspective. Thank you so much for your wonderful compliment! :D I actually never get the writer's block but I might not write because of the intense work pressure, like it happened these last months, or if I'm too focused on reading something. Reading vs. writing is my constant dilemma!))
Pixiv Fantasia, thanks so much, it's such an honor to know that you actually re-read this story! I do hope that the updates will be frequent from now on)) Hope you'll enjoy them!
Manon, thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, hope the next chapters won't disappoint!)
hamlet, wow, thank you so very much for your praise, I can't tell you how much it means to me! I agree, Sebastian definitely enjoys hurting Ciel in minor ways, and seeing what happens next in canon, his love for games doesn't disappear at all. It's Ciel who matures and engages in even more vicious games of his own. I'm glad you like Ciel — he'll certainly have some weak moments, like in this last chapter, but all in all, I think he's a worthy opponent for Sebastian. That's what makes their bond so alluring.
kannl, yes, we'll be seeing more Sebastian's POV at some point!)
Guest, oh, thank you so much for your lovely words! I'm touched that you enjoy this story to this extent. And sorry for the long wait! These were tough months, and I'm relieved to finally be able to start updating again. You Are right, Sebastian missed the servants' presence at that moment because he was too focused on Ciel and on the feelings it evoked within him. Needless to say, he was appalled at himself :D Leraje is Claude, and as we know, he's going to be stirring some things up soon! Thank you again, hope you'll enjoy the rest!
Aservis Roturier, thank you so much, as always, for all your support! I'm so happy you're enjoying Ciel's portrayal. Initially, I was worried about finding a golden middle because despite all his cleverness and ruthlessness, Ciel is still a child, and it must show occasionally. Fortunately, everything just… happens, basically writing itself. No idea how it happens and I'm happy if it works for my readers!)) And yes, the idea of Claude is so interesting but in the anime, they told us nothing about why he's so against Sebastian, what his goal is, etc. I hope to change all that here. Also, this story is already published at AO3! I actually published it there first : D Thank you again, and I hope you'll continue enjoying future chapters!
Guest, thanks so much! It's such a huge compliment.
Nagisa Acchan, thanks, I'm so pleased you're enjoying it!
, hah, thank you so much, your comment made me grin from ear to ear! :D Yes, Sebastian can be cold and vicious but he's also a complete dumbass at times. Ridiculously so! As for Sebastian in the form of a teacher, we're going to get a lot of them in the next chapter. Which largely features dancing, like E3)) And yep, I'm afraid you're right, that demon was Claude! However, we won't be really seeing him until S2 events. So he was just here to set the ground for the future)) Thank you so much, again. Hope you enjoyed the update!
Guest, sorry for the long wait!
HraMunrom, thank you for your words, I'm so glad you think so!