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akiruchanTitle: The Devil's Canvas
Chapter: 34 (part one)/?
Authors: Akiru chan & Disgruntled Minion
Pairing/Characters: Sebastian/Ciel
Rating: M
Summary: Ciel's skin was marred with ink and blood, telling tales twisted in darkness. What an evil path the devil walks, tainted hands staining the innocent canvas. For the most beautiful art is painted in blood.
Warnings: Violence, adult content, yaoi, and language
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ciel reclined back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, his breathing harsh and heartbeat erratic. Sweat glistened on his body, along with a liquid not so translucent that was drying and sticking uncomfortably to his skin. Blue eyes rolled to the side, a smile tickling Ciel's lips as he went to reach for Sebastian who mirrored Ciel's exhaustion.
"Something tells me we should have held off on the shower." Ciel laughed, the sound breathless in the quiet room.
Sebastian chuckled. "I thought I had taken care of your problem while we were in the shower. I wasn't expecting a second round." He brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Not that I'm complaining. You had a lovely voice earlier." A smirk settled on Sebastian's and he rolled over on the sheets to look at Ciel.
Ciel shook his head and rolled his eyes. "It was all your fault." A smile tried to force its way onto Ciel's face, this time succeeding. "I did appreciate the show. I should have you walk around naked more often." Emphasizing his words, Ciel's hand reached out and ran down the exposed skin of Sebastian's hip and thigh.
"Hmm, you do that and we won't leave this room for another hour or so," Sebastian commented, his eyes lowering as Ciel's fingers continued to brush over his skin, making him shiver. "And as much as I would like to keep you in bed all day, I don't think Tanaka would like it if we're late tonight."
Knowing Sebastian was right, Ciel withdrew his hand with a grumble. "Fine, but we'll continue this tonight," he said with a wink. It was already getting close to dinner and they both needed another shower. Ciel didn't even know what he was going to wear considering the dinner had been labeled semi-formal by both Sebastian and Bard. A nice pair of slacks and dress shirt would be fine, but Ciel was still debating on if he wanted to wear a tie.
"Of course," Sebastian murmured and pressed a chaste kiss to Ciel's lips before withdrawing. With a small sigh, he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. They would have to take separate showers or the temptation to have another repeat session would be too strong to resist. Knowing that, Sebastian pushed Ciel towards the bathroom. "Go shower and I'll pull out some clothes for you."
"Can I trust you to?" Ciel teased, not sure if he wanted to let the older man dress him. He had a sneaking suspicion that Sebastian would dress him by the rule 'less is more'. A small laugh slipped past Ciel's lips and he had to wave away Sebastian's questioning look.
Once Ciel had vanished into the bathroom and the sound of running water filled the room once more, Sebastian stood up and reached for his boxers. Semi-clothed, he padded over to the closet and started to poke through Ciel's clothes.
The younger male had suits and other nice clothes for meetings, so Sebastian had no problem finding a nice pair of pants and a blue button up shirt that would match Ciel's eyes. The clothes were set on the bed and Sebastian grabbed Soot before she could get anywhere closer to them to investigate the new items.
"No kitty fur on the clothes," he teased and rubbed her ear lightly.
Ciel finished quickly enough, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the dinner and whatever may come after. He shook his head when he saw Sebastian cooing over his cat. "You're sickening, you know that?" Droplets of water fell from Ciel's wet hair as he shook his head in mild humor. The towel around his waist dropped when Ciel spotted the clothes laid out on the bed, pleased to see they looked decent enough.
"You act as though you don't show the same affection to Alex," Sebastian answered as Soot nuzzled him under his chin. "I think that's sickening, as well." He set the cat on the desk before moving towards the bathroom, ready to take another shower before getting dressed.
Taking the time alone he was given, Ciel proceeded to get dressed. His shirt was pulled on and tucked into the pants and Ciel wandered to the closet, looking for a belt. He wanted to be ready and dressed by the time Sebastian was out of the shower. That way,all that would be left to do was dry his hair.
By the time Sebastian finished showering, Ciel was fully dressed, and he pushed his way into the bathroom so he could finish drying his hair. Sebastian let him go and quickly dressed himself. After he was dressed, he stared at the sheets, wondering if it would be counter-productive to put new ones on after Ciel's promise of continuing their fun after dinner.
Shrugging his shoulder, Sebastian turned away from the bed and decided to leave it alone. No need to wash two sets of sheets.
"You ready?" Ciel poked his head out of the bathroom. His hair was dry, and he was spraying on some sort of cologne. He felt weird dressing and primping himself, but he was going to look his best. Tanaka had said that the whole family would be there and Ciel wasn't quite sure as to what extent that meant.
Sebastian nodded and opened the door, closing it softly once they were out in the hallway. Already, he could hear the voices of family members. Muted words floated up the staircase and down the hallway, reaching Sebastian's ears. He couldn't make out the direct words, but he could detect the emotions in them as they moved closer.
Confusion and excitement was present in their tones, and Sebastian could only hope that Tanaka knew how to break the news to everyone. No doubt that this announcement would cause some displeasure.
Ciel stood tall by Sebastian's side as they made their way down the hall. His heart was beating erratically in his chest and butterflies created a tornado in his stomach. Despite everything, though, Ciel couldn't keep a small smile off his face. "Nervous?" Ciel questioned for the second time that day.
Sebastian chuckled and looked towards Ciel. "When have you ever seen me nervous?" They walked down the steps and Sebastian's gaze darted toward Carmella who was walking by. She caught his eye and she grinned at him before continuing to the formal dining room.
"Oh, I've seen you nervous," was all Ciel said, leaving those exact times for Sebastian to guess and mull over. The front foyer was filled with people both familiar and stranger walking about talking and greeting one another. Ciel was slightly surprised by the size of the group; never had he thought just how expansive the family could be.
Sebastian stayed silent as they joined the group of people and he gave Ciel's hand a small tug, leading the younger male to their place in the room. The family's head table sat at the front of the large room, facing the other rows of tables that filled the dining room.
Tanaka could already be seen sitting at the table, two seats to his right open and waiting for Ciel and Sebastian to claim them. The old man smiled at them as they came closer and Ciel returned the gesture, adding a wave of his hand. They shook hands and Ciel moved to the side so Tanaka could greet Sebastian as well.
"Sir," Sebastian said politely as they shook hands and he offered a small bow.
Tanaka smiled gently at Sebastian. "This has been long overdue, Sebastian," he said softly. "I'm glad that we can add you to our family."
"Thank you," Sebastian answered and took his seat next to Ciel. It was odd sitting here, and Sebastian glanced around the room. Usually, dinners such as these were only for Christmas and other special occasions, times that Sebastian was usually out on assignment and couldn't make it.
Looking around, Ciel could already see the start of the questioning looks and hear the confused babble. Closer to where they were seated, Ciel could see Claude and Alois next to him, while a few seats down Carmella sat with her ever present smile. Even the Undertaker could be seen, surprisingly, a few seats away from Tanaka. A wave soon caught Ciel's attention, and he smiled when he saw Finny getting smacked on the head by Bard.
The two males were seated near the end, and Ciel was surprised to see Mey-rin seated next to Bard. Ciel felt stupid for never questioning her involvement in the family; it was obvious now that she wasn't an oblivious civilian, not that Ciel ever really thought her to be. He had just never bothered to give her a title.
"A lot of people are here," Ciel whispered upon seeing the entirety of the group now seated at the massive table.
Sebastian nodded. "We are a large family once we all come together. Even now, there are still some people missing."
Red eyes settled on the familiar faces. Confusion was evident in some of their expressionsas they wondered how Sebastian had escaped his death sentence after attacking Ciel, while others questioned why he was sitting at the head table.
Ignoring the questioning looks, Sebastian turned to the other members of the family who sat at the table with them. He knew them all, and most offered kind smiles and nodded their heads at him. Others, though, were blank-faced, and they were the ones that Sebastian worried about the most.
Ciel's eyes, too, strayed to the rest of the family, wondering if and how he was related to any of them. He didn't like the look of some and quickly turned away to the rest of the table. Everyone was quieting down and it was only then that Ciel felt his nervousness peak and his hand snaked its way under the table to search out Sebastian's.
Sebastian gave Ciel's hand a tight squeeze and looked up as the doors opened to the dining room. Food carts were wheeled in and the smell of food drifted through the air, making Sebastian's stomach growl. For the first time since they had come back to the mansion, he realized how hungry he was.
"Tanaka will make the announcement after dinner," Sebastian murmured to Ciel, giving his hand another small squeeze. "Better to tell them on a full and satisfied stomach, than on an empty one."
"Will they really take it that badly?" Ciel had to ask with the way Sebastian had phrased his last statement. He couldn't be sure how often something like this happened, but Ciel figured it wasn't unusual. Had Tanaka's wife been initiated into the family just as Sebastian was now? Or had she been a distant relative of the main family who had been able to still hold her title? Ciel wasn't sure, and he was feeling stupid for not having asked such questions in the beginning. The book Tanaka had given him hadn't exactly given him such statistics.
Sebastian seemed to think over the question and tilted his head to the side. "It's hard to say. This isn't the most unusualcircumstance that the family has dealt with before. I believe that most will be okay with it, but there are some who will be harder to convince than others." Sebastian glanced up as a plate was set in front of him and he thanked the man quietly.
Ciel didn't bother giving more than a nod of his head as a similar plate was placed before him. "It can't be that unusual," he rationalized. "People marry, for lack of a better word, everyday. If anything, they should be expecting me to find someone and settle down, and looking at other members of the main family, there really isn't anyone age appropriate for me to court." Looking back down the table, Ciel could only see faces of men and women far over their late thirties at best; the youngest might have been early to mid-thirties.
"We're a little different from the people who normally marry," Sebastian offered, inclining his head toward Ciel. "Those differences make things a little more difficult at times." He took a bite of his food, wanting to eat it before the meal went cold.
No more questions were asked as they began to eat, even as they swirled in Ciel's head begging to be answered. They could wait, and he would find out by the end of the night anyways. There was no need to rush such matters; not when they would only make him more anxious. On a bright note, Ciel switched the conversation to lighter topics and things that should be discussed over good food.
"You still owe me a gun," Ciel said, trying to smirk around a bite of braised lamb.
Sebastian chuckled. "I do. And the Undertaker has so graciously offered to take us to the Underworld to get one. He seemed to find great amusement in the toy that we left behind." Sebastian smirked and his eyes darted to the strange man who was munching away on a cookie. "We'll get several trips out of that incident."
With a shake of his head, Ciel chuckled. "We get all that from him finding the toy? Makes me wonder what he would give us if he caught us using it." The thought was humorous but not one Ciel would freely experience. No doubt it would be slightly scarring. The Undertaker was one of the last people he would like walking in on Sebastian and himself while rutting.
"He prefers his payment in other ways than money," Sebastian stated with a small smile. It was a nice change though; a trip to the Underworld was expensive no matter what. Usually, you had to bribe the right person to take you to the right place in order to purchase the item that you required. And that item was never cheap.
The guns that Sebastian liked so much were so expensive that he had to pay for them himself, with a little help from Tanaka. But most of the weapons were paid for by Sebastian, and it meant that Sebastian never had to share his favorite guns, a little fact that he enjoyed very much.
"Which gun would you like?" Sebastian asked.
Ciel thought on it for a moment. He would have loved his own sniper rifle, since he was the most efficient when using them, but a smaller gun he would no doubt use more, keeping it on his person at all times. It was a hard choice no matter how he looked at it.
"What was your first gun?" he finally asked Sebastian, genuinely curious.
"Kit," Sebastian answered seriously. "She was a customized Beretta that I ordered and is still the most trusted gun I use. I wanted something that I could carry with me at all times, so I settled for a size that was powerful enough to kill in one shot, but still small enough to carry."
Once again Ciel was reminded of Sebastian's habit of naming his guns. It never failed to raise his eyebrows and make him shake his head. Ciel assured himself that he wouldn't name his guns; really, he wouldn't. "I was thinking something similar; something I could keep on me, but I also love my sniper rifles," he said.
Sebastian chuckled. "As much as I would love to get you your own sniper rifle, they're currently out of my price range. The ones I use run in the thousands." He looked at Ciel and smirked. "Your pistol alone will cost a couple hundred."
"Well, I'll leave the decision making up to you. Just get me what you want and think I need. I like surprises, after all." Ciel smiled, remembering when Alex had come into his life. That had been one surprise he had never expected from Sebastian. He continued to eat and finished his plate after that, only exchanging a few words here and there between Sebastian and Tanaka.
It was when he pushed his plate aside and saw several other guests doing the same that Ciel realized that the end of the meal was drawing nearer. Soon, Tanaka would gather everyone's attention and the announcement would be made. Ciel took a large gulp of his drink and waited with shaking nerves.
Sebastian patted Ciel's knee and nodded to the server as they took his plate away. The only thing left on the tables now were glasses, and even those could be dangerous if a fight broke out.
Once the last of the dishes were cleared away, Tanaka stood up and the room quieted with a hush. "Family," he started and spread out his arms to encompass everyone. "Tonight is a special night worth celebrating. We have been blessed with a great deal in the past few months, even with the current fight raging on."
There were several murmurs of agreement and Tanaka lowered his hands, demanding silence once more. "But despite the loss and damage that we have suffered at the hands of these vile creatures, we continue to find light and birth in our family." He turned to Sebastian and gestured for him to stand up. The older man offered a smile to Sebastian and then looked towards Ciel. "Ciel, if you will do the honors of presenting him."
Ciel turned large owl like eyes onto Tanaka and then to Sebastian, pleading his case and wanting to stay seated and silent. The attention of the whole dining room was focused on Ciel who seemed to shrink in on himself for only a moment, finding his resolve soon after with an irritated sigh. He sent both Tanaka and Sebastian deadly looks as he stood, grumbling when he only received smiles from the duo.
Clearing his throat, Ciel regarded the people around him and allowed his voice to boom in the large room. "It is my honor to present to you Sebastian Michaelis." It was then that Ciel began to lose some composure at the thought of what he would have to admit to complete strangers. Swallowing hard, Ciel forced himself to continue. "The man to whom I owe my life, my identity, and my heart." He sent Sebastian a warm smile, but averted his eyes quickly when he felt a warm blush flooding his face.
Murmurs filled the room, some people trying to make sense of what Ciel had just said, while others stayed silent and took in the situation with a calm facade. Tanaka hummed his approval of the words, slightly surprised that Ciel would go that far in introducing Sebastian but either way, it worked.
"Sebastian has been with this family for years, training and working his way to the top and proving his loyalty time and again. His dedication and love for this family has extended beyond duty and knows no bounds. He has trained and protected our heir without fail, nurturing him and teaching him all that he has to know." Tanaka turned to Sebastian, offering a pleased smile. "And it is my great honor to welcome Sebastian Michaelis into my family."
The old man gestured for Sebastian to turn around and waited patiently for Sebastian to face him, putting his back to the rest of the family. He reached forward and brushed aside Sebastian's hair, revealing to everyone the updated tattoo. Those at the head table nodded and muttered their approval, all agreeing that this increase in status was long overdue.
Ciel smiled from his seat, having sat down again along the way, and felt a swelling in his heart. He realized that he was proud of Sebastian, hearing everything Tanaka had said and realizing that Sebastian deserved it all and so much more. People around him seemed to be holding different opinions; some were still lost as to how all of this was happening.
Some familiar faces seemed happy, or grudgingly accepting in the case of Claude. A few expressions worried Ciel, especiallythose aimed at Ciel himself which unnerved him with their intensity. Ciel tired to ignore them, turning his attention back to Sebastian and Tanaka.
Sebastian sat back down, thanking Tanaka quietly and fixing his hair back into its proper state. He kept a careful watch over the reactions of everyone. The news itself was a surprise, but it shouldn't have been unexpected. His rank was the highest it could be without being in the actual family; it had only been a matter of time before the offer was extended to him.
But it was the fact that his relationship with Ciel brought it about in a faster way that had some people frowning. Their expressions were easy for Sebastian to ignore, as he knew that in time, they would come to their senses.
Next to him, Tanaka asked for quiet once more and focused on the room again. "Sebastian's new rank puts him on par with the other members of this family and he shall be treated as such. Furthermore," he paused for a brief moment before continuing. "He is also my heir's equal, in every way."
It felt good to finally hear those words, knowing that in rank Sebastian was on par with Ciel and no longer had duty looming over them. Ciel knew he still had a ways to go to be Sebastian's equal in skills, but that was another goal that he would make with time. For now, Ciel was content with what he had. With a small smile, he looked towards Tanaka and inclined his head, asking for permission to continue where his grandfather had left off.
Ciel stood, drawing attention back onto himself. "It's without any doubt in my mind that I welcome Sebastian into my family as my partner and as the man I wish to spend the rest of my life with. He is my equal in every way and deserves all the respect that you have shown me." Ciel nodded his head politely to the rest of the family, thanking them for kindness they had shown him.
Silence settled heavily in the room and Sebastian waited patiently for the outcries. Once the information had truly settled in, there would be questions about how he had acquired his rank and the future of the family. Sebastian's eyes slid to the right as they picked up movement and he watched as someone stood up.
"This is unacceptable!" the man stated. "While I have no problem with Sebastian's new rank, I do have a problem with their relationship. They're both male, and as such, no heir will be produced from their union."
"I don't see..." Ciel lost his voice for a moment, taken aback by the sudden outburst. Such a complaint seemed odd to him and he had to shake himself before he spoke again. "I don't see how that's an issue," he said carefully. "If it's an heir you need, then there are other ways, but let's not rush things such as that." The thought of being a father was frightening and Ciel didn't even want to think about this, not when he had yet to breach his teens.
There was a scoff next to the man who had first spoken. "It's too early to worry about an heir from the young lord; we're in a war right now and it's not something he should be thinking about now." He paused and glared at them. "I'm more against the fact that they're both male."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed at the man and he forced himself to stay seated. They had known that this was going to be an argument and one that they had to take in stride. Not everyone was going to be willing and accepting of this relationship.
The realization of the true problem hit Ciel hard. For a moment it seemed unthinkable that their genders would prove as the main issue. It was a first for Ciel, never having experienced such a prejudice. Perhaps he could blame it on the sheltered life his aunt had given him. Ann was a lover of people and had always encouraged Ciel to accept everyone for who they were.
"Does it bother you?" Ciel directed his question to the whole of the family sitting around him. "Speak! Does our relationship bother you?" Anger took hold and Ciel felt himself shaking, trying to hold back another emotion much more profound and debilitating.
"Perhaps a little," said a voice to Ciel's left. The woman who spoke leaned forward to look at Ciel. "Forgive me, but it is something that I don't usually see, even though I have no problem with whom you love. It will just take a while for me to become accustomed to."
There was a clearing of a throat next to the woman and a man spoke next. "I myself have no problem with it. We have no problem with Claude and Alois's relationship, so I don't see why it has to be a problem for you and Sebastian." He cocked his head slightly. "So long as you can find a way to produce an heir when the time calls for it."
Those two responses were hopeful, and Ciel began to expect that people were more ready to turn a blind eye to Claude and Alois due to their ranks as opposed to seeing such things happening so far up in the main family. The thought of producing an heir was daunting and something Ciel would force to the back of his mind as soon as he could.
"An heir will be an issue we," Ciel gestured to himself and Sebastian, "will discuss when the time comes that we feel ready for such an addition into our lives."
The man nodded and leaned back. "Then I'm fine with it."
"I'm not," someone said from the back. "Society doesn't allow it and it's looked down upon. So just because they're higher rank than us, we have to accept it?"
There were some murmurs that spread around the room, a few people nodding their heads in agreement.
Tanaka frowned slightly. "Considering who we are, we're being awfully harsh. We all have killed, blackmailed, and done illegal things that society deems immoral. They judge us for the things that we do, yet we brush it off because it's not their place. They don't know why we do this and they have no knowledge of what goes on here," he paused and looked around the room, noting the guilty faces.
It was no secret that what they did was illegal. Everyone in the room had killed someone at least once, and had committed other punishable crimes multiple times. They had no right to be judging someone on a matter as simple as this.
"As such," Tanaka continued, drawing everyone's attention back to him, "we have no right to judge Sebastian or Ciel for whom they wish to be with, or by calling their love right or wrong."
It was a valid point and Ciel felt the childish need to stick his tongue out at everyone around him. The room was clearly split between their opinions of the matter, and it heartened Ciel to see quite a few individuals admitting defeat after Tanaka's stern lecture. Still, Ciel could see the few who remained that would not be so easily won over.
There were still things Ciel wanted to say, but at this point he feared things would just worsen. All the yelling in the world would not change some people's minds, and Ciel wasn't about to go hoarse on their account.
Tanaka hummed his consent as the room once again quieted and no more arguments were brought up. He let his hands rest on the table and offered a soft smile. "It is late and I feel as though we are done here. There is no need to keep everyone here any longer."
Chairs moved out from the tables as people started to stand up and leave. Sebastian followed their actions, pausing only to talk with those at the head table. Their praise made him smile and he shook hands with them as Ciel stood up to come stand next to him.
"Ready to go?" he asked softly, after thanking the last person.
"Yeah, I'm tired," Ciel said; he was tired both physically and mentally. The dinner hadn't been what Ciel had expected and left him with troubled thoughts that weren't so easily swept under the rug and forgotten.
Sebastian gently tugged Ciel out of the large dining room, ignoring the few harsh looks that were thrown their way. The next few weeks would be like this, he was sure of that. Not only was their relationship a problem for some, but there would be others questioning his own increase in rank. They would both be under scrutiny for a while.
The older male stopped outside their room, scowling at Claude who was waiting for them. "Not now Claude," he hissed.
Claude snorted. "I'm not here to berate either of you," he admitted. "The opposite, actually."
Ciel patted Sebastian on the arm and stood up to full height next to the man as they both regarded Claude. There was no need to push undeserved anger towards Claude at this moment; for now they were allies. Both of them sought out and cherished a relationship that was currently being spat on.
"What is it then?" Ciel asked as he tried to keep his voice light and welcoming.
"I've come to congratulate you, Ciel Phantomhive," Claude said. His eyes flickered briefly to Sebastian before looking once more to Ciel. "You accomplished something that I didn't think was possible."
Surprised, Ciel looked up at Claude and blinked, unsure of what the man was talking about. "Have I?" he asked, eyes moving from Claude to Sebastian. There were a lot of things that Claude could have been talking about, but at that moment Ciel wasn't sure if any one of them made sense.
Claude nodded. "I take back what I said earlier. It seems as though your feelings for Sebastian were strong enough to make him put the family second. I didn't think it was possible, but you've proved me wrong."
A satisfied smile tickled Ciel's lips. He put his hand out, asking to shake Claude's. "Well, thank you for that. I'm happy to prove you wrong." Claude had never seemed to be the type of man to admit defeat to his enemy over something so pointless, but Ciel was grateful for it.
"Don't get used to it," Claude answered and let go of Ciel's hand before Sebastian tried to kill him with a glare. He turned around and gave a small wave as a way of departure before moving down the hallway.
Once the man vanished around the corner, Sebastian opened the door and ushered Ciel inside. The door shut behind them, sealing them into their own space and Sebastian's arms wrapped around Ciel, pulling the younger male tight to his body. He wasn't sure how badly the words had affected Ciel today but Sebastian was going to make sure that the younger male wasn't bothered by them either way.
After a long and drawn out sigh, Ciel relaxed back into Sebastian's arms. His eyes were closed and breathing even as he feigned sleep while his mind seemed to be working on overdrive. "That was interesting," he finally said after a moment. The way he had spoken left the target of his words ambiguous. Even Ciel was unsure if he was talking about the dinner or the happening with Claude only moments before.
"Don't think about it," Sebastian murmured and let his arm slide down to rest around Ciel's waist. It was already late and the younger male had said he was tired already. With that thought in mind, Sebastian turned Ciel around and walked him backwards to the bed.
Once their bodies bumped into the edge, Sebastian dropped down to his knees and started to unbutton Ciel's shirt. Despite how tired Ciel was, Sebastian knew that the younger male wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Too much had happened today and his mind would be racing.
"What are you doing?" Ciel asked, amusement shining in his eyes despite everything else that seemed to weigh him down. His hands went down to stop Sebastian's, intertwining their fingers as he did so. Having Sebastian there with him was a comfort, and Ciel decided that after the hurtles they had jumped thus far, there was little else that could tear them apart at this point. Ciel wouldn't let a couple of old farts ruin the happiness he had here.
Sebastian placed a kiss on each of Ciel's palms and pushed them away gently. "Just let me coddle you tonight," he muttered and slipped the shirt off Ciel's body. It dropped to the floor and Sebastian went to work on Ciel's pants. It quickly followed suit and the older male pushed Ciel back lightly, letting him fall onto the unmade bed.
Warm hands grabbed Ciel's leg and lifted it slightly, pressing light kisses and nips to the inside of Ciel's legs. Sebastian trailed up slowly, making sure to tease all of Ciel's sensitive spots along the way.
Ciel's leg trembled and he tried to weakly kick Sebastian off. "I don't exactly call this coddling," he said. Goosebumps were sprouting up on his legs and the cold of the air seemed to bite into him all the more. His body begged for warmth and Ciel wanted nothing more then to snuggle under the thick blankets until late morning.
"No?" Sebastian asked, pushing at Ciel's hips so the younger male could scoot back onto the bed more. He stood up and changed out of his own clothes. "Get under the covers then and I'll fix it," he stated and moved to grab some sweats and a loose shirt for himself.
Once changed, he looked back at Ciel who was already cuddled under the blanket. Smiling softly at the sight, Sebastian padded back to the bed and climbed on it so he could straddle Ciel's hips.
His hand inched the sheet down until only Ciel's shoulders were visible, while the other grabbed the bottle of lotion resting on the nightstand table. Slicking his hands up quickly, Sebastian pressed a soft kiss to Ciel's neck before letting his hands rest on Ciel's body.
Long fingers pushed and kneaded the skin, working the tense muscles into relaxation until Ciel let out a soft sigh underneath him. Sebastian smirked and moved down Ciel's body, slowly rubbing circles in the younger male's back.
A loud moan flew past Ciel's parted lips as Sebastian's hands dug into the lower muscles of Ciel's back. It all felt so good and he felt his body melt under every press and tender knead of Sebastian's talented hands. "You need to do this more often," Ciel said in a breathy whisper.
The hands went back up to Ciel's shoulders where the most tension sill stubbornly sat. Sebastian worked at them almost painfully so, but Ciel did not utter a single complaint, only asking for more with each pant and moan. The rough treatment did wonders and Ciel wasn't about to call away such pampering.
Sebastian hummed as the knot finally eased away and his touch lightened up. Ciel would be slightly sore tomorrow due to the harsh treatment, but it would be a good kind of sore. He switched sides and went to work on another knot that refused to loosen. Sebastian was determined to loosen it and his thumb pressed down on the knot hard, making a small circle with the digit.
A small sigh left Ciel's mouth and Sebastian felt the knot vanish under his touch. Running his hands lightly over Ciel's body, Sebastian checked for anymore tight spots and was pleased to find Ciel's body relaxed. He leaned down and nipped lightly at the back of Ciel's neck, his lips trailing over the smooth skin as he indulged in the taste and smell of his lover.
"Aren't you accommodating and affectionate tonight," Ciel commented. "If I had to guess, I'd say you were trying to comfort me." A pregnant silence filled the room and Ciel settled a hard look on Sebastian, assessing the older man with clear blue eyes. He didn't need comfort, Ciel told himself as much. Sebastian's presence alone was enough to ease his mind; he didn't need all the extra effort even if it was appreciated.
"I'm fine, really," Ciel continued to say. "A few harsh comments from single minded idiots isn't enough to get me down." He smiled and leaned back to lay a kiss on Sebastian's hand.
Sebastian chuckled against Ciel's back; it seemed as though Ciel had caught onto his plan. He gave one last kiss before he rolled to the side of the bed and took his clothes off. The cold air of the room nipped at his skin and Sebastian quickly crawled under the blankets.
Ciel scooted himself over to make room for Sebastian. The older male was warm at Ciel's side and he drew himself closer to Sebastian's chest. His hands traced circles and inconsistent patterns into the hard muscles beneath them. It was a serene moment and Ciel felt every pollutant of the day wash from him, leaving his mind pleasantly blank.
"Let's sleep in tomorrow." It had been too long since the luxury was given to them, and Ciel felt that an extra hour couldn't hurt much.
"Sounds like a good idea," Sebastian answered, eyes closing as warmth passed between them. After everything that had gone on today, sleep was pulling at Sebastian's mind and his body was more than willing to answer the call of it.
A small shove was inflicted upon Sebastian's shoulder and Ciel looked towards the man with hidden amusement. "Who said you could fall asleep on me?" He poked at Sebastian again, but with less force this time around.
"I'm sorry," Sebastian murmured and his eyes opened. "Was I supposed to stay awake and watch you while you slept, gently caressing your hair and whispering sweet words to you?" His lips twitched with amusement.
A sour look crossed Ciel face and he scrunched his nose. "You can go sleep in your old room if you are going to be tempted into doing that." Sebastian earned a harder poke in his arm for that comment, but Ciel quickly apologized with a kiss to the reddened spot.
Sebastian shook his head slightly but kept his mouth shut; no need to dig himself into a hole he couldn't get out of. Instead, he pressed one last kiss to Ciel's temple and closed his eyes, willing sleep to take over his body once more.
Ciel did the same, seeing no point in keeping the both of them up. With one last good night, Ciel closed his eyes and let the warmth of Sebastian consume him as he fell into the hands of sleep.
----------
White breath escaped in puffs in front of Sebastian's face as he moved through the damp wooded area. Ciel was a quiet presence behind, keeping their rear covered as they crossed through enemy territory.
Three days ago, they had received a breakthrough on their enemy's location and Tanaka had organized a team to go take them down. Sebastian and Ciel had been assigned to provide cover to the groups infiltrating the building by taking out the guards who were stationed around the storage area.
The building was old and during their days of surveying the area, Sebastian had only counted a handful of men protecting their supplies. Once those men were dead, the building would be torched and their enemy would lose a vital source of their supplies.
Sebastian slowed down as the building came into view and he felt Ciel come up to his side. Their men were positioned down on the ground below them, waiting for their signal before they could move.
"We'll set up here," Sebastian murmured and carefully set his bag down.
Ciel went out to reach for Sebastian's arm, halting him as he went to set up. "Why don't we set up on the northern side instead?" Ciel pointed across from the clearing, where the tree cover was thinner. From their current spot, they had more than adequate cover, but not a clear sight on two of the guards who were hidden behind the building. There was a high chance that once their comrades began to fall and the commotion drew their attention, they would come running into sight.
However on the far side, both Ciel and Sebastian would have a clear shot of all their targets. It would be a high risk; once the first shot was fired, the guard would no doubt pick up their position quickly. They would have to out-shoot every man down there before any alarm was risen. It would be tricky, but Ciel knew he could do it with Sebastian's help. If Ciel's approach was taken, they could get the job done in half the time and with little return fire.
From their current position, the two hidden guards were a wild card, albeit not a dangerous one, but one Ciel didn't feel like dealing with. If they decided to hide out, there was no telling how long it would take before Ciel or Sebastian was able to get a shot to take down their targets.
Sebastian mulled over the argument and weighed the pros and cons in his head. It was a good plan, with the only drawback being the weak protection that the spot had to offer. They would have to take out their targets fast before the enemy could return fire.
Finally, Sebastian nodded. "Let's go," he said quickly. They were on the clock now; having already spent this much time in enemy territory was dangerous. They could've been spotted already and if they weren't careful, someone could be tracking them.
Ciel followed along, his gun poised and ready in his hands if needed. So far, things had been quiet and the soft undergrowth kept their steps light and silent. It became harder to move as the trees began to thin, forcing them farther away to make an arc before coming back down into position.
Using the binoculars, Sebastian measured their distance and frowned when he realized they were still back a little too far. At this range, they couldn't see everyone and would have to get closer in order to be effective. It put them out a little more in the open than he would like, but they would at least get their shots.
Crawling forward on his stomach, Sebastian moved into position and quickly set up his rifle before Ciel joined him. The ghillie suit was a comforting weight as Sebastian looked through his scope, quickly ranging their targets. It had been far too long since he had worn this form of camouflage and he brushed away a stray piece of foliage from his face.
"I'm heading down further," Ciel whispered and pointed down towards a tree a few feet below and to the left of them. From there, he could get a better shot at a few targets who were sitting around playing what looked to be cards. The atmosphere seemed lax and it helped to reassure that they hadn't aroused any suspicion.
Sebastian grabbed Ciel's ankle before he could crawl any further. "That's too close," he hissed. "They'll spot you as soon as you take your first shot."
Ciel turned and only smirked. "Spotting me will do them little good if they can't pick up their gun before I have a bullet between their eyes." The words were cocky and overconfident, but Ciel didn't seem to realize it. To him, he was speaking the truth. In his time away from Sebastian, he had taken trickier and riskier shots then this. He could make the shot, that much he knew.
Sebastian frowned. It had been a while since he had worked with Ciel on assignment and he knew that the younger male could hit his targets, but it still seemed risky. Ciel, though, was already moving into position and was too far away for Sebastian to call back. He would have to provide cover for Ciel, making sure that all the targets were taken out before they could draw their guns.
Silence settled over them as they waited for the precise moment to take their shots. For this to work they would have to be in tune with each other and shoot with impeccable precision. All Ciel could feel was the beating of his heart as he looked through his scope and made the appropriate adjustments. Once done, he shot a look over his shoulder to see Sebastian and confirm that he was ready.
A quick nod to of his head confirmed that Sebastian was ready and he held up his hand to show the number three, signaling the frequency number they would be using on the headsets. Sebastian made one last adjustment to the scope and glanced through it, his target in sight.
"I'm in position; blue cap," he said softly, calling off which person he would take first.
"Starting from the right?" Ciel questioned as he located Sebastian's target. "Red head on left, we'll meet in the middle." On the far left sat a red head with a buzzed cut who was playing cards with another man with a beard.
Sebastian grunted his agreement and his finger pressed against the side of rifle, waiting to pull the trigger. "When the next card hits the table," he stated and listened to Ciel confirm.
Taking a few breaths to calm himself, Sebastian focused on his target and watched as a card was placed on the table. Without hesitation, his finger moved to press against the trigger and squeezed it gently. Blood sprayed everywhere as Sebastian focused on his next target, making the adjustments before the first body had even hit the table.
Target after target fell, Ciel's body tense and on edge with every pull of his trigger. An actual shot was fired at Ciel, hitting above his head before the shooting target fell to the ground dead. It wasn't until silence settled around them once more that Ciel realized how fast his heart was hammering in his chest. Below, a mess of bodies and blood laid as evidence to what they had just done. Ciel didn't even blink an eye at the sight; a proud smile crossed his face and he spoke excitedly into his mouthpiece. "Told you it'd work."
Sebastian was silent as he scanned the area for anymore guards. The body count matched the numbers they had and it was safe to say that all their targets were dead, but he didn't want to take the chance.
"The front has been cleared," he spoke to the group waiting for the command. "Move in with caution and we'll cover from here."
A word of confirmation was given before their men moved into action. They came into view quickly and after a moment or two, forced the door open and vanished inside. Sebastian trained his rifle on the windows that lined the second floor.
"Take the first floor," he told Ciel. "I'll cover the second floor."
"I hear ya," Ciel commented, his attention going back to his scope as he waited for the need to take a shot. So far, he could see their men making their way through the building. An enemy was quickly taken down by one of the ground forces and Ciel was left to sit by and do little to nothing.
There weren't many people inside the building and the small group inside was handling themselves well. Reports were fed back to Sebastian as the squad on the ground made their way through the rooms, checking for anything of importance that they could use.
A movement further to Sebastian's right caught his eye and he focused his scope on the motion. From the road, an armored vehicle moved by once and then vanished into the trees surrounding the building.
"Enemy approaching," Sebastian relayed into the radio. "Approaching from the east. We do not have visual on them and can't take-" He was cut off as a bullet whizzed by him, cutting through a tree and making it splinter.
Ciel jumped at the sound, spinning around and drawing a spare rifle that had laid unused next to him. He located Sebastian's shooter quickly and took him out just as another appeared and began shooting. "Shit, where did they come from?" Ciel cursed as he scrambled to shoot and find cover at the same time.
Blue eyes kept frantically darting back to Sebastian to make sure the older man was okay. As soon as Ciel saw Sebastian moving in a similar fashion to Ciel, he let his worry fall to the back of his mind as he focused on the enemies around him. There weren't many, just a small group of thugs with less than impressive shooting skills. They weren't trained arms men, probably kids picked up off the streets, not something Ciel would expect from a respected crime family.
More bullets flew by them and Sebastian cursed as he reached for his pistol. "We're under fire," he barked into the radio, telling the men on the ground that they were on their own for a while. He shot at someone coming up the hill, glad that they had the higher ground, before focusing on the area surrounding them.
"No shit, Sherlock," Ciel yelled out, not even bothering to consider Sebastian relaying the message over the radio. His mind was too focused on the things happening around him. He would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. This was a first for Ciel; never had he been put in a situation with such a multitude of incoming fire. There was no telling where the next shot would come from and Ciel was left to rely on his skill and luck to get out of this alive.
Two more men were shot down, and Ciel had to take the time to quickly reload. As he brought his rifle around again to take another shot, a whistle sounded by him and pain seared into his shoulder. Without thinking, he shot down the enemy and quickly turned to assess the damage that had been done. A generous amount of blood bubbled from his bicep, a bullet having entered his arm just below the shoulder and exiting out the other side. It was luckily only a flesh wound, but one that hurt like hell and would need to be taken care of as soon as possible.
Sebastian cursed and dropped his empty clip, slamming another one into the gun. He shot at the approaching men, watching as they fell down before moving back to Ciel. His eyes swept across the forest, looking for more people, and then tore at his shirt.
"We have to get out of here," he said quickly, tearing the shirt into strips. "Cover me," he ordered and wrapped the long strips around the bleeding wound, ignoring the pained sounds coming from Ciel's mouth.
"Just hurry!" Ciel pushed Sebastian out of the way quickly as a straggling individual came into view from the woods and tried to take a shot at them. A bullet to the chest, from Ciel's gun, sent the oncoming man to the ground. When it seemed as if they were safe for the moment, Ciel slumped back down to allow Sebastian to messily bandage his arm.
Ciel still wasn't sure as to the extent of the damage and he wasn't about to look and have to worry about blood loss or any other number of things. The pain was enough to cloud his head and he forced himself to ignore it even as his stomach turned and he retched at his and Sebastian's feet. "Sorry," he mumbled; his stomach had never been strong. In his defense, this had been the worst injury he had sustained while in the field, or at least it felt like the worst.
"It's fine," Sebastian murmured and hauled Ciel to his feet. "We need to get out of here, now." His arm looped around Ciel's waist, supporting the younger male as they moved down the hill toward the building. Their team would be down there waiting for them and Sebastian kept looking over his shoulder to make sure that they weren't being followed.
The area behind them was quiet now and the smell of blood and gun powder filled the air. Frowning, Sebastian guided Ciel down a narrow path and looked back again. The attack didn't sit well with him and Sebastian's eyebrows furrowed slightly. But for now, the main concern was getting everyone out and getting Ciel medical attention.
As they got closer to where the rest of their group waited, Ciel pushed at Sebastian, trying to get the older man to let him walk on his own. "I'm fine, I can walk now." Ciel's head had cleared and he had begun to manage his pain by pushing it to the back of his mind and focusing on something else. The last thing he wanted was to look weak when all he had was a superficial wound that could be tended to and healed in no time. No doubt there were men down there who had coped with much worse.
Sebastian nodded and let Ciel walk on his own as they approached their team. He looked over the group, noting that they weren't injured and he waved them on. Carmella stepped forward, her eyes quickly assessing Ciel before turning to Sebastian.
"The men in the vehicle didn't come in after us. They had a perfect shot but they circled around back into the woods," she stated as they moved to the cars.
"They grouped together with another team and then charged us," Sebastian answered. "It was a full assault on us."
Ciel's head whipped around, regretting it when his head began to throb. "You mean just us?" he asked, unbelieving that to be the case. The more Ciel thought about it, the more he began to worry if it was perhaps due to his title within the family, but how did such information leak outside? He thought quickly of Lizzy, but drowned that thought.
"Trap?" Carmella asked as she ushered Ciel into the car. The door slammed shut behind them and she went to work on Ciel's wound.
Sebastian shook his head. "But why didn't they go after the group on the ground? They went out of their way to come after us, instead of protecting their assets inside."
"Could they have wanted one of us?" Ciel finally said aloud. "They could have wanted me because of my title if they've gotten word of it, or I'm sure Sebastian has done numerous things to piss them off." The last bit was said with a smirk despite the pain in Ciel's arm.
Sebastian chuckled. "That might be the case; my list of enemies is long." He cocked his head, a small frown falling on his face. "But that aside, it could be either of us they're after. They were shooting to kill though, which means that Ciel's title isn't known yet. If they knew his title, they wouldn't shoot to kill."
"Then it looks like you pissed someone off big time. Not sure if I'm proud or ashamed." Ciel wasn't sure why he was being so playful about the situation, but it did help to ease the pain and worry. Carmela finished tending to his wound, although he would need stitches when they got back to the house, and Ciel leaned back into the his seat. He looked over to Sebastian, who was still watching him with worried eyes.
"We'll have to stay off the radar, until we can figure out if this was a hit for us or just a coincidence," Sebastian finally said. "By that time, Ciel's shoulder will be healed and we can continue."
Carmella hummed. "Tanaka isn't going to like this at all. I somehow doubt that this was a coincidence."
Not liking where this was going, Ciel argued, "I'll be fine once my shoulder is stitched. I can still take assignments. We'll just have to more observant of our surroundings."
Sebastian's lips twitched. "Says the person who wouldn't let me out of the house for days when I was injured."
"That was different," Ciel defended. "I didn't know what the hell was going on with you. I was worried." He continued to grumble to himself, not liking that the bad memory had been brought up for him to remember.
"We'll see what Tanaka says," Sebastian stated and looked at Ciel's wound again. They wouldn't be able to work in the field for a while and Tanaka would probably have them working on leads.
Ciel pouted, not wanting to have to do grunt work while he was healing. He was better than that, and even with a hurt arm Ciel could still pull a trigger and take down anyone Tanaka needed dead. "He's going to keep me under house arrest," Ciel complained, and was half worried he was speaking the truth.
Carmella laughed. "I highly doubt that. I'm sure Sebastian can find something to do for you that'll help keep the boredom away. Maybe play doctor with you?" She nudged him on his uninjured side.
Sebastian smirked. "Give us something we haven't done, Carmella."
"We've never played doctor!" Ciel retorted a little too quickly. If you wanted to get technical, and Ciel wanted to be very technical, they had never played doctor; only patient and nurse.
"I don't think your shoulder would appreciate the kind of play that I'm thinking about," Sebastian stated, his eyes dancing with amusement. It was easy to slip into the facade of laughter and humor; it made it easier to hide the concern and worry with smiles.
Ciel smirked. "I think you're right. Perhaps you can just ride me again?" His smirk only grew at the look that crossed Sebastian's face.
Carmella snorted with laughter, not even trying to hold it in. She clutched at her sides while Sebastian glared daggers at her, clearly not amused with her antics. "That's rich," she gasped. "Oh god, I can't breathe."
"Keep laughing," Sebastian stated dryly as the mansion came into view. "Maybe you'll laugh yourself to death."
"Aw, what's wrong, Sebastian? Did I say something to upset you?" Ciel was asking for it, but it was keeping his mind off his throbbing arm so he couldn't resist. "Or is it that you're embarrassed?"
Sebastian flicked Ciel on the nose as the car came to a stop, not bothering to answer the question. With a small grunt, he climbed out of the car and helped Ciel out so they could get his shoulder stitched up. Carmella had already called Will and the man was ready for them.
"We'll see Will first and then you can get some rest," Sebastian said as he opened the door to the mansion.
"I don't need rest." Ciel continued to insist that he was fine. He might need stitches, that much he would admit, but he didn't feel the need to rest. Adrenaline was flowing through him and a giddy high plagued him after the playful bickering.
Sebastian chuckled. "You say that now, but in a few hours you'll be sore and wanting to do nothing but rest for a while. I'll even bring you meals in bed." He leaned down to whisper in Ciel's ear. "And cater to your every whim; so long as it's within reason."
Ciel raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Will you feed me? Massage my feet... And other areas?" He smirked and gave Sebastian a saucy wink, face quickly turning hard and blank when Ciel caught sight of Will. All his playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a man who wanted respect and obedience.
Will nodded at Ciel and held the door open for him. He fixed Sebastian with a stern glare that pointedly told the man to stay outside while he stitched up Ciel. Before Sebastian could argue, the door was slammed shut and he was left outside with a small sulk on his face.
[Part Two]
Chapter: 34 (part one)/?
Authors: Akiru chan & Disgruntled Minion
Pairing/Characters: Sebastian/Ciel
Rating: M
Summary: Ciel's skin was marred with ink and blood, telling tales twisted in darkness. What an evil path the devil walks, tainted hands staining the innocent canvas. For the most beautiful art is painted in blood.
Warnings: Violence, adult content, yaoi, and language
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ciel reclined back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, his breathing harsh and heartbeat erratic. Sweat glistened on his body, along with a liquid not so translucent that was drying and sticking uncomfortably to his skin. Blue eyes rolled to the side, a smile tickling Ciel's lips as he went to reach for Sebastian who mirrored Ciel's exhaustion.
"Something tells me we should have held off on the shower." Ciel laughed, the sound breathless in the quiet room.
Sebastian chuckled. "I thought I had taken care of your problem while we were in the shower. I wasn't expecting a second round." He brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Not that I'm complaining. You had a lovely voice earlier." A smirk settled on Sebastian's and he rolled over on the sheets to look at Ciel.
Ciel shook his head and rolled his eyes. "It was all your fault." A smile tried to force its way onto Ciel's face, this time succeeding. "I did appreciate the show. I should have you walk around naked more often." Emphasizing his words, Ciel's hand reached out and ran down the exposed skin of Sebastian's hip and thigh.
"Hmm, you do that and we won't leave this room for another hour or so," Sebastian commented, his eyes lowering as Ciel's fingers continued to brush over his skin, making him shiver. "And as much as I would like to keep you in bed all day, I don't think Tanaka would like it if we're late tonight."
Knowing Sebastian was right, Ciel withdrew his hand with a grumble. "Fine, but we'll continue this tonight," he said with a wink. It was already getting close to dinner and they both needed another shower. Ciel didn't even know what he was going to wear considering the dinner had been labeled semi-formal by both Sebastian and Bard. A nice pair of slacks and dress shirt would be fine, but Ciel was still debating on if he wanted to wear a tie.
"Of course," Sebastian murmured and pressed a chaste kiss to Ciel's lips before withdrawing. With a small sigh, he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. They would have to take separate showers or the temptation to have another repeat session would be too strong to resist. Knowing that, Sebastian pushed Ciel towards the bathroom. "Go shower and I'll pull out some clothes for you."
"Can I trust you to?" Ciel teased, not sure if he wanted to let the older man dress him. He had a sneaking suspicion that Sebastian would dress him by the rule 'less is more'. A small laugh slipped past Ciel's lips and he had to wave away Sebastian's questioning look.
Once Ciel had vanished into the bathroom and the sound of running water filled the room once more, Sebastian stood up and reached for his boxers. Semi-clothed, he padded over to the closet and started to poke through Ciel's clothes.
The younger male had suits and other nice clothes for meetings, so Sebastian had no problem finding a nice pair of pants and a blue button up shirt that would match Ciel's eyes. The clothes were set on the bed and Sebastian grabbed Soot before she could get anywhere closer to them to investigate the new items.
"No kitty fur on the clothes," he teased and rubbed her ear lightly.
Ciel finished quickly enough, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the dinner and whatever may come after. He shook his head when he saw Sebastian cooing over his cat. "You're sickening, you know that?" Droplets of water fell from Ciel's wet hair as he shook his head in mild humor. The towel around his waist dropped when Ciel spotted the clothes laid out on the bed, pleased to see they looked decent enough.
"You act as though you don't show the same affection to Alex," Sebastian answered as Soot nuzzled him under his chin. "I think that's sickening, as well." He set the cat on the desk before moving towards the bathroom, ready to take another shower before getting dressed.
Taking the time alone he was given, Ciel proceeded to get dressed. His shirt was pulled on and tucked into the pants and Ciel wandered to the closet, looking for a belt. He wanted to be ready and dressed by the time Sebastian was out of the shower. That way,all that would be left to do was dry his hair.
By the time Sebastian finished showering, Ciel was fully dressed, and he pushed his way into the bathroom so he could finish drying his hair. Sebastian let him go and quickly dressed himself. After he was dressed, he stared at the sheets, wondering if it would be counter-productive to put new ones on after Ciel's promise of continuing their fun after dinner.
Shrugging his shoulder, Sebastian turned away from the bed and decided to leave it alone. No need to wash two sets of sheets.
"You ready?" Ciel poked his head out of the bathroom. His hair was dry, and he was spraying on some sort of cologne. He felt weird dressing and primping himself, but he was going to look his best. Tanaka had said that the whole family would be there and Ciel wasn't quite sure as to what extent that meant.
Sebastian nodded and opened the door, closing it softly once they were out in the hallway. Already, he could hear the voices of family members. Muted words floated up the staircase and down the hallway, reaching Sebastian's ears. He couldn't make out the direct words, but he could detect the emotions in them as they moved closer.
Confusion and excitement was present in their tones, and Sebastian could only hope that Tanaka knew how to break the news to everyone. No doubt that this announcement would cause some displeasure.
Ciel stood tall by Sebastian's side as they made their way down the hall. His heart was beating erratically in his chest and butterflies created a tornado in his stomach. Despite everything, though, Ciel couldn't keep a small smile off his face. "Nervous?" Ciel questioned for the second time that day.
Sebastian chuckled and looked towards Ciel. "When have you ever seen me nervous?" They walked down the steps and Sebastian's gaze darted toward Carmella who was walking by. She caught his eye and she grinned at him before continuing to the formal dining room.
"Oh, I've seen you nervous," was all Ciel said, leaving those exact times for Sebastian to guess and mull over. The front foyer was filled with people both familiar and stranger walking about talking and greeting one another. Ciel was slightly surprised by the size of the group; never had he thought just how expansive the family could be.
Sebastian stayed silent as they joined the group of people and he gave Ciel's hand a small tug, leading the younger male to their place in the room. The family's head table sat at the front of the large room, facing the other rows of tables that filled the dining room.
Tanaka could already be seen sitting at the table, two seats to his right open and waiting for Ciel and Sebastian to claim them. The old man smiled at them as they came closer and Ciel returned the gesture, adding a wave of his hand. They shook hands and Ciel moved to the side so Tanaka could greet Sebastian as well.
"Sir," Sebastian said politely as they shook hands and he offered a small bow.
Tanaka smiled gently at Sebastian. "This has been long overdue, Sebastian," he said softly. "I'm glad that we can add you to our family."
"Thank you," Sebastian answered and took his seat next to Ciel. It was odd sitting here, and Sebastian glanced around the room. Usually, dinners such as these were only for Christmas and other special occasions, times that Sebastian was usually out on assignment and couldn't make it.
Looking around, Ciel could already see the start of the questioning looks and hear the confused babble. Closer to where they were seated, Ciel could see Claude and Alois next to him, while a few seats down Carmella sat with her ever present smile. Even the Undertaker could be seen, surprisingly, a few seats away from Tanaka. A wave soon caught Ciel's attention, and he smiled when he saw Finny getting smacked on the head by Bard.
The two males were seated near the end, and Ciel was surprised to see Mey-rin seated next to Bard. Ciel felt stupid for never questioning her involvement in the family; it was obvious now that she wasn't an oblivious civilian, not that Ciel ever really thought her to be. He had just never bothered to give her a title.
"A lot of people are here," Ciel whispered upon seeing the entirety of the group now seated at the massive table.
Sebastian nodded. "We are a large family once we all come together. Even now, there are still some people missing."
Red eyes settled on the familiar faces. Confusion was evident in some of their expressionsas they wondered how Sebastian had escaped his death sentence after attacking Ciel, while others questioned why he was sitting at the head table.
Ignoring the questioning looks, Sebastian turned to the other members of the family who sat at the table with them. He knew them all, and most offered kind smiles and nodded their heads at him. Others, though, were blank-faced, and they were the ones that Sebastian worried about the most.
Ciel's eyes, too, strayed to the rest of the family, wondering if and how he was related to any of them. He didn't like the look of some and quickly turned away to the rest of the table. Everyone was quieting down and it was only then that Ciel felt his nervousness peak and his hand snaked its way under the table to search out Sebastian's.
Sebastian gave Ciel's hand a tight squeeze and looked up as the doors opened to the dining room. Food carts were wheeled in and the smell of food drifted through the air, making Sebastian's stomach growl. For the first time since they had come back to the mansion, he realized how hungry he was.
"Tanaka will make the announcement after dinner," Sebastian murmured to Ciel, giving his hand another small squeeze. "Better to tell them on a full and satisfied stomach, than on an empty one."
"Will they really take it that badly?" Ciel had to ask with the way Sebastian had phrased his last statement. He couldn't be sure how often something like this happened, but Ciel figured it wasn't unusual. Had Tanaka's wife been initiated into the family just as Sebastian was now? Or had she been a distant relative of the main family who had been able to still hold her title? Ciel wasn't sure, and he was feeling stupid for not having asked such questions in the beginning. The book Tanaka had given him hadn't exactly given him such statistics.
Sebastian seemed to think over the question and tilted his head to the side. "It's hard to say. This isn't the most unusualcircumstance that the family has dealt with before. I believe that most will be okay with it, but there are some who will be harder to convince than others." Sebastian glanced up as a plate was set in front of him and he thanked the man quietly.
Ciel didn't bother giving more than a nod of his head as a similar plate was placed before him. "It can't be that unusual," he rationalized. "People marry, for lack of a better word, everyday. If anything, they should be expecting me to find someone and settle down, and looking at other members of the main family, there really isn't anyone age appropriate for me to court." Looking back down the table, Ciel could only see faces of men and women far over their late thirties at best; the youngest might have been early to mid-thirties.
"We're a little different from the people who normally marry," Sebastian offered, inclining his head toward Ciel. "Those differences make things a little more difficult at times." He took a bite of his food, wanting to eat it before the meal went cold.
No more questions were asked as they began to eat, even as they swirled in Ciel's head begging to be answered. They could wait, and he would find out by the end of the night anyways. There was no need to rush such matters; not when they would only make him more anxious. On a bright note, Ciel switched the conversation to lighter topics and things that should be discussed over good food.
"You still owe me a gun," Ciel said, trying to smirk around a bite of braised lamb.
Sebastian chuckled. "I do. And the Undertaker has so graciously offered to take us to the Underworld to get one. He seemed to find great amusement in the toy that we left behind." Sebastian smirked and his eyes darted to the strange man who was munching away on a cookie. "We'll get several trips out of that incident."
With a shake of his head, Ciel chuckled. "We get all that from him finding the toy? Makes me wonder what he would give us if he caught us using it." The thought was humorous but not one Ciel would freely experience. No doubt it would be slightly scarring. The Undertaker was one of the last people he would like walking in on Sebastian and himself while rutting.
"He prefers his payment in other ways than money," Sebastian stated with a small smile. It was a nice change though; a trip to the Underworld was expensive no matter what. Usually, you had to bribe the right person to take you to the right place in order to purchase the item that you required. And that item was never cheap.
The guns that Sebastian liked so much were so expensive that he had to pay for them himself, with a little help from Tanaka. But most of the weapons were paid for by Sebastian, and it meant that Sebastian never had to share his favorite guns, a little fact that he enjoyed very much.
"Which gun would you like?" Sebastian asked.
Ciel thought on it for a moment. He would have loved his own sniper rifle, since he was the most efficient when using them, but a smaller gun he would no doubt use more, keeping it on his person at all times. It was a hard choice no matter how he looked at it.
"What was your first gun?" he finally asked Sebastian, genuinely curious.
"Kit," Sebastian answered seriously. "She was a customized Beretta that I ordered and is still the most trusted gun I use. I wanted something that I could carry with me at all times, so I settled for a size that was powerful enough to kill in one shot, but still small enough to carry."
Once again Ciel was reminded of Sebastian's habit of naming his guns. It never failed to raise his eyebrows and make him shake his head. Ciel assured himself that he wouldn't name his guns; really, he wouldn't. "I was thinking something similar; something I could keep on me, but I also love my sniper rifles," he said.
Sebastian chuckled. "As much as I would love to get you your own sniper rifle, they're currently out of my price range. The ones I use run in the thousands." He looked at Ciel and smirked. "Your pistol alone will cost a couple hundred."
"Well, I'll leave the decision making up to you. Just get me what you want and think I need. I like surprises, after all." Ciel smiled, remembering when Alex had come into his life. That had been one surprise he had never expected from Sebastian. He continued to eat and finished his plate after that, only exchanging a few words here and there between Sebastian and Tanaka.
It was when he pushed his plate aside and saw several other guests doing the same that Ciel realized that the end of the meal was drawing nearer. Soon, Tanaka would gather everyone's attention and the announcement would be made. Ciel took a large gulp of his drink and waited with shaking nerves.
Sebastian patted Ciel's knee and nodded to the server as they took his plate away. The only thing left on the tables now were glasses, and even those could be dangerous if a fight broke out.
Once the last of the dishes were cleared away, Tanaka stood up and the room quieted with a hush. "Family," he started and spread out his arms to encompass everyone. "Tonight is a special night worth celebrating. We have been blessed with a great deal in the past few months, even with the current fight raging on."
There were several murmurs of agreement and Tanaka lowered his hands, demanding silence once more. "But despite the loss and damage that we have suffered at the hands of these vile creatures, we continue to find light and birth in our family." He turned to Sebastian and gestured for him to stand up. The older man offered a smile to Sebastian and then looked towards Ciel. "Ciel, if you will do the honors of presenting him."
Ciel turned large owl like eyes onto Tanaka and then to Sebastian, pleading his case and wanting to stay seated and silent. The attention of the whole dining room was focused on Ciel who seemed to shrink in on himself for only a moment, finding his resolve soon after with an irritated sigh. He sent both Tanaka and Sebastian deadly looks as he stood, grumbling when he only received smiles from the duo.
Clearing his throat, Ciel regarded the people around him and allowed his voice to boom in the large room. "It is my honor to present to you Sebastian Michaelis." It was then that Ciel began to lose some composure at the thought of what he would have to admit to complete strangers. Swallowing hard, Ciel forced himself to continue. "The man to whom I owe my life, my identity, and my heart." He sent Sebastian a warm smile, but averted his eyes quickly when he felt a warm blush flooding his face.
Murmurs filled the room, some people trying to make sense of what Ciel had just said, while others stayed silent and took in the situation with a calm facade. Tanaka hummed his approval of the words, slightly surprised that Ciel would go that far in introducing Sebastian but either way, it worked.
"Sebastian has been with this family for years, training and working his way to the top and proving his loyalty time and again. His dedication and love for this family has extended beyond duty and knows no bounds. He has trained and protected our heir without fail, nurturing him and teaching him all that he has to know." Tanaka turned to Sebastian, offering a pleased smile. "And it is my great honor to welcome Sebastian Michaelis into my family."
The old man gestured for Sebastian to turn around and waited patiently for Sebastian to face him, putting his back to the rest of the family. He reached forward and brushed aside Sebastian's hair, revealing to everyone the updated tattoo. Those at the head table nodded and muttered their approval, all agreeing that this increase in status was long overdue.
Ciel smiled from his seat, having sat down again along the way, and felt a swelling in his heart. He realized that he was proud of Sebastian, hearing everything Tanaka had said and realizing that Sebastian deserved it all and so much more. People around him seemed to be holding different opinions; some were still lost as to how all of this was happening.
Some familiar faces seemed happy, or grudgingly accepting in the case of Claude. A few expressions worried Ciel, especiallythose aimed at Ciel himself which unnerved him with their intensity. Ciel tired to ignore them, turning his attention back to Sebastian and Tanaka.
Sebastian sat back down, thanking Tanaka quietly and fixing his hair back into its proper state. He kept a careful watch over the reactions of everyone. The news itself was a surprise, but it shouldn't have been unexpected. His rank was the highest it could be without being in the actual family; it had only been a matter of time before the offer was extended to him.
But it was the fact that his relationship with Ciel brought it about in a faster way that had some people frowning. Their expressions were easy for Sebastian to ignore, as he knew that in time, they would come to their senses.
Next to him, Tanaka asked for quiet once more and focused on the room again. "Sebastian's new rank puts him on par with the other members of this family and he shall be treated as such. Furthermore," he paused for a brief moment before continuing. "He is also my heir's equal, in every way."
It felt good to finally hear those words, knowing that in rank Sebastian was on par with Ciel and no longer had duty looming over them. Ciel knew he still had a ways to go to be Sebastian's equal in skills, but that was another goal that he would make with time. For now, Ciel was content with what he had. With a small smile, he looked towards Tanaka and inclined his head, asking for permission to continue where his grandfather had left off.
Ciel stood, drawing attention back onto himself. "It's without any doubt in my mind that I welcome Sebastian into my family as my partner and as the man I wish to spend the rest of my life with. He is my equal in every way and deserves all the respect that you have shown me." Ciel nodded his head politely to the rest of the family, thanking them for kindness they had shown him.
Silence settled heavily in the room and Sebastian waited patiently for the outcries. Once the information had truly settled in, there would be questions about how he had acquired his rank and the future of the family. Sebastian's eyes slid to the right as they picked up movement and he watched as someone stood up.
"This is unacceptable!" the man stated. "While I have no problem with Sebastian's new rank, I do have a problem with their relationship. They're both male, and as such, no heir will be produced from their union."
"I don't see..." Ciel lost his voice for a moment, taken aback by the sudden outburst. Such a complaint seemed odd to him and he had to shake himself before he spoke again. "I don't see how that's an issue," he said carefully. "If it's an heir you need, then there are other ways, but let's not rush things such as that." The thought of being a father was frightening and Ciel didn't even want to think about this, not when he had yet to breach his teens.
There was a scoff next to the man who had first spoken. "It's too early to worry about an heir from the young lord; we're in a war right now and it's not something he should be thinking about now." He paused and glared at them. "I'm more against the fact that they're both male."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed at the man and he forced himself to stay seated. They had known that this was going to be an argument and one that they had to take in stride. Not everyone was going to be willing and accepting of this relationship.
The realization of the true problem hit Ciel hard. For a moment it seemed unthinkable that their genders would prove as the main issue. It was a first for Ciel, never having experienced such a prejudice. Perhaps he could blame it on the sheltered life his aunt had given him. Ann was a lover of people and had always encouraged Ciel to accept everyone for who they were.
"Does it bother you?" Ciel directed his question to the whole of the family sitting around him. "Speak! Does our relationship bother you?" Anger took hold and Ciel felt himself shaking, trying to hold back another emotion much more profound and debilitating.
"Perhaps a little," said a voice to Ciel's left. The woman who spoke leaned forward to look at Ciel. "Forgive me, but it is something that I don't usually see, even though I have no problem with whom you love. It will just take a while for me to become accustomed to."
There was a clearing of a throat next to the woman and a man spoke next. "I myself have no problem with it. We have no problem with Claude and Alois's relationship, so I don't see why it has to be a problem for you and Sebastian." He cocked his head slightly. "So long as you can find a way to produce an heir when the time calls for it."
Those two responses were hopeful, and Ciel began to expect that people were more ready to turn a blind eye to Claude and Alois due to their ranks as opposed to seeing such things happening so far up in the main family. The thought of producing an heir was daunting and something Ciel would force to the back of his mind as soon as he could.
"An heir will be an issue we," Ciel gestured to himself and Sebastian, "will discuss when the time comes that we feel ready for such an addition into our lives."
The man nodded and leaned back. "Then I'm fine with it."
"I'm not," someone said from the back. "Society doesn't allow it and it's looked down upon. So just because they're higher rank than us, we have to accept it?"
There were some murmurs that spread around the room, a few people nodding their heads in agreement.
Tanaka frowned slightly. "Considering who we are, we're being awfully harsh. We all have killed, blackmailed, and done illegal things that society deems immoral. They judge us for the things that we do, yet we brush it off because it's not their place. They don't know why we do this and they have no knowledge of what goes on here," he paused and looked around the room, noting the guilty faces.
It was no secret that what they did was illegal. Everyone in the room had killed someone at least once, and had committed other punishable crimes multiple times. They had no right to be judging someone on a matter as simple as this.
"As such," Tanaka continued, drawing everyone's attention back to him, "we have no right to judge Sebastian or Ciel for whom they wish to be with, or by calling their love right or wrong."
It was a valid point and Ciel felt the childish need to stick his tongue out at everyone around him. The room was clearly split between their opinions of the matter, and it heartened Ciel to see quite a few individuals admitting defeat after Tanaka's stern lecture. Still, Ciel could see the few who remained that would not be so easily won over.
There were still things Ciel wanted to say, but at this point he feared things would just worsen. All the yelling in the world would not change some people's minds, and Ciel wasn't about to go hoarse on their account.
Tanaka hummed his consent as the room once again quieted and no more arguments were brought up. He let his hands rest on the table and offered a soft smile. "It is late and I feel as though we are done here. There is no need to keep everyone here any longer."
Chairs moved out from the tables as people started to stand up and leave. Sebastian followed their actions, pausing only to talk with those at the head table. Their praise made him smile and he shook hands with them as Ciel stood up to come stand next to him.
"Ready to go?" he asked softly, after thanking the last person.
"Yeah, I'm tired," Ciel said; he was tired both physically and mentally. The dinner hadn't been what Ciel had expected and left him with troubled thoughts that weren't so easily swept under the rug and forgotten.
Sebastian gently tugged Ciel out of the large dining room, ignoring the few harsh looks that were thrown their way. The next few weeks would be like this, he was sure of that. Not only was their relationship a problem for some, but there would be others questioning his own increase in rank. They would both be under scrutiny for a while.
The older male stopped outside their room, scowling at Claude who was waiting for them. "Not now Claude," he hissed.
Claude snorted. "I'm not here to berate either of you," he admitted. "The opposite, actually."
Ciel patted Sebastian on the arm and stood up to full height next to the man as they both regarded Claude. There was no need to push undeserved anger towards Claude at this moment; for now they were allies. Both of them sought out and cherished a relationship that was currently being spat on.
"What is it then?" Ciel asked as he tried to keep his voice light and welcoming.
"I've come to congratulate you, Ciel Phantomhive," Claude said. His eyes flickered briefly to Sebastian before looking once more to Ciel. "You accomplished something that I didn't think was possible."
Surprised, Ciel looked up at Claude and blinked, unsure of what the man was talking about. "Have I?" he asked, eyes moving from Claude to Sebastian. There were a lot of things that Claude could have been talking about, but at that moment Ciel wasn't sure if any one of them made sense.
Claude nodded. "I take back what I said earlier. It seems as though your feelings for Sebastian were strong enough to make him put the family second. I didn't think it was possible, but you've proved me wrong."
A satisfied smile tickled Ciel's lips. He put his hand out, asking to shake Claude's. "Well, thank you for that. I'm happy to prove you wrong." Claude had never seemed to be the type of man to admit defeat to his enemy over something so pointless, but Ciel was grateful for it.
"Don't get used to it," Claude answered and let go of Ciel's hand before Sebastian tried to kill him with a glare. He turned around and gave a small wave as a way of departure before moving down the hallway.
Once the man vanished around the corner, Sebastian opened the door and ushered Ciel inside. The door shut behind them, sealing them into their own space and Sebastian's arms wrapped around Ciel, pulling the younger male tight to his body. He wasn't sure how badly the words had affected Ciel today but Sebastian was going to make sure that the younger male wasn't bothered by them either way.
After a long and drawn out sigh, Ciel relaxed back into Sebastian's arms. His eyes were closed and breathing even as he feigned sleep while his mind seemed to be working on overdrive. "That was interesting," he finally said after a moment. The way he had spoken left the target of his words ambiguous. Even Ciel was unsure if he was talking about the dinner or the happening with Claude only moments before.
"Don't think about it," Sebastian murmured and let his arm slide down to rest around Ciel's waist. It was already late and the younger male had said he was tired already. With that thought in mind, Sebastian turned Ciel around and walked him backwards to the bed.
Once their bodies bumped into the edge, Sebastian dropped down to his knees and started to unbutton Ciel's shirt. Despite how tired Ciel was, Sebastian knew that the younger male wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Too much had happened today and his mind would be racing.
"What are you doing?" Ciel asked, amusement shining in his eyes despite everything else that seemed to weigh him down. His hands went down to stop Sebastian's, intertwining their fingers as he did so. Having Sebastian there with him was a comfort, and Ciel decided that after the hurtles they had jumped thus far, there was little else that could tear them apart at this point. Ciel wouldn't let a couple of old farts ruin the happiness he had here.
Sebastian placed a kiss on each of Ciel's palms and pushed them away gently. "Just let me coddle you tonight," he muttered and slipped the shirt off Ciel's body. It dropped to the floor and Sebastian went to work on Ciel's pants. It quickly followed suit and the older male pushed Ciel back lightly, letting him fall onto the unmade bed.
Warm hands grabbed Ciel's leg and lifted it slightly, pressing light kisses and nips to the inside of Ciel's legs. Sebastian trailed up slowly, making sure to tease all of Ciel's sensitive spots along the way.
Ciel's leg trembled and he tried to weakly kick Sebastian off. "I don't exactly call this coddling," he said. Goosebumps were sprouting up on his legs and the cold of the air seemed to bite into him all the more. His body begged for warmth and Ciel wanted nothing more then to snuggle under the thick blankets until late morning.
"No?" Sebastian asked, pushing at Ciel's hips so the younger male could scoot back onto the bed more. He stood up and changed out of his own clothes. "Get under the covers then and I'll fix it," he stated and moved to grab some sweats and a loose shirt for himself.
Once changed, he looked back at Ciel who was already cuddled under the blanket. Smiling softly at the sight, Sebastian padded back to the bed and climbed on it so he could straddle Ciel's hips.
His hand inched the sheet down until only Ciel's shoulders were visible, while the other grabbed the bottle of lotion resting on the nightstand table. Slicking his hands up quickly, Sebastian pressed a soft kiss to Ciel's neck before letting his hands rest on Ciel's body.
Long fingers pushed and kneaded the skin, working the tense muscles into relaxation until Ciel let out a soft sigh underneath him. Sebastian smirked and moved down Ciel's body, slowly rubbing circles in the younger male's back.
A loud moan flew past Ciel's parted lips as Sebastian's hands dug into the lower muscles of Ciel's back. It all felt so good and he felt his body melt under every press and tender knead of Sebastian's talented hands. "You need to do this more often," Ciel said in a breathy whisper.
The hands went back up to Ciel's shoulders where the most tension sill stubbornly sat. Sebastian worked at them almost painfully so, but Ciel did not utter a single complaint, only asking for more with each pant and moan. The rough treatment did wonders and Ciel wasn't about to call away such pampering.
Sebastian hummed as the knot finally eased away and his touch lightened up. Ciel would be slightly sore tomorrow due to the harsh treatment, but it would be a good kind of sore. He switched sides and went to work on another knot that refused to loosen. Sebastian was determined to loosen it and his thumb pressed down on the knot hard, making a small circle with the digit.
A small sigh left Ciel's mouth and Sebastian felt the knot vanish under his touch. Running his hands lightly over Ciel's body, Sebastian checked for anymore tight spots and was pleased to find Ciel's body relaxed. He leaned down and nipped lightly at the back of Ciel's neck, his lips trailing over the smooth skin as he indulged in the taste and smell of his lover.
"Aren't you accommodating and affectionate tonight," Ciel commented. "If I had to guess, I'd say you were trying to comfort me." A pregnant silence filled the room and Ciel settled a hard look on Sebastian, assessing the older man with clear blue eyes. He didn't need comfort, Ciel told himself as much. Sebastian's presence alone was enough to ease his mind; he didn't need all the extra effort even if it was appreciated.
"I'm fine, really," Ciel continued to say. "A few harsh comments from single minded idiots isn't enough to get me down." He smiled and leaned back to lay a kiss on Sebastian's hand.
Sebastian chuckled against Ciel's back; it seemed as though Ciel had caught onto his plan. He gave one last kiss before he rolled to the side of the bed and took his clothes off. The cold air of the room nipped at his skin and Sebastian quickly crawled under the blankets.
Ciel scooted himself over to make room for Sebastian. The older male was warm at Ciel's side and he drew himself closer to Sebastian's chest. His hands traced circles and inconsistent patterns into the hard muscles beneath them. It was a serene moment and Ciel felt every pollutant of the day wash from him, leaving his mind pleasantly blank.
"Let's sleep in tomorrow." It had been too long since the luxury was given to them, and Ciel felt that an extra hour couldn't hurt much.
"Sounds like a good idea," Sebastian answered, eyes closing as warmth passed between them. After everything that had gone on today, sleep was pulling at Sebastian's mind and his body was more than willing to answer the call of it.
A small shove was inflicted upon Sebastian's shoulder and Ciel looked towards the man with hidden amusement. "Who said you could fall asleep on me?" He poked at Sebastian again, but with less force this time around.
"I'm sorry," Sebastian murmured and his eyes opened. "Was I supposed to stay awake and watch you while you slept, gently caressing your hair and whispering sweet words to you?" His lips twitched with amusement.
A sour look crossed Ciel face and he scrunched his nose. "You can go sleep in your old room if you are going to be tempted into doing that." Sebastian earned a harder poke in his arm for that comment, but Ciel quickly apologized with a kiss to the reddened spot.
Sebastian shook his head slightly but kept his mouth shut; no need to dig himself into a hole he couldn't get out of. Instead, he pressed one last kiss to Ciel's temple and closed his eyes, willing sleep to take over his body once more.
Ciel did the same, seeing no point in keeping the both of them up. With one last good night, Ciel closed his eyes and let the warmth of Sebastian consume him as he fell into the hands of sleep.
----------
White breath escaped in puffs in front of Sebastian's face as he moved through the damp wooded area. Ciel was a quiet presence behind, keeping their rear covered as they crossed through enemy territory.
Three days ago, they had received a breakthrough on their enemy's location and Tanaka had organized a team to go take them down. Sebastian and Ciel had been assigned to provide cover to the groups infiltrating the building by taking out the guards who were stationed around the storage area.
The building was old and during their days of surveying the area, Sebastian had only counted a handful of men protecting their supplies. Once those men were dead, the building would be torched and their enemy would lose a vital source of their supplies.
Sebastian slowed down as the building came into view and he felt Ciel come up to his side. Their men were positioned down on the ground below them, waiting for their signal before they could move.
"We'll set up here," Sebastian murmured and carefully set his bag down.
Ciel went out to reach for Sebastian's arm, halting him as he went to set up. "Why don't we set up on the northern side instead?" Ciel pointed across from the clearing, where the tree cover was thinner. From their current spot, they had more than adequate cover, but not a clear sight on two of the guards who were hidden behind the building. There was a high chance that once their comrades began to fall and the commotion drew their attention, they would come running into sight.
However on the far side, both Ciel and Sebastian would have a clear shot of all their targets. It would be a high risk; once the first shot was fired, the guard would no doubt pick up their position quickly. They would have to out-shoot every man down there before any alarm was risen. It would be tricky, but Ciel knew he could do it with Sebastian's help. If Ciel's approach was taken, they could get the job done in half the time and with little return fire.
From their current position, the two hidden guards were a wild card, albeit not a dangerous one, but one Ciel didn't feel like dealing with. If they decided to hide out, there was no telling how long it would take before Ciel or Sebastian was able to get a shot to take down their targets.
Sebastian mulled over the argument and weighed the pros and cons in his head. It was a good plan, with the only drawback being the weak protection that the spot had to offer. They would have to take out their targets fast before the enemy could return fire.
Finally, Sebastian nodded. "Let's go," he said quickly. They were on the clock now; having already spent this much time in enemy territory was dangerous. They could've been spotted already and if they weren't careful, someone could be tracking them.
Ciel followed along, his gun poised and ready in his hands if needed. So far, things had been quiet and the soft undergrowth kept their steps light and silent. It became harder to move as the trees began to thin, forcing them farther away to make an arc before coming back down into position.
Using the binoculars, Sebastian measured their distance and frowned when he realized they were still back a little too far. At this range, they couldn't see everyone and would have to get closer in order to be effective. It put them out a little more in the open than he would like, but they would at least get their shots.
Crawling forward on his stomach, Sebastian moved into position and quickly set up his rifle before Ciel joined him. The ghillie suit was a comforting weight as Sebastian looked through his scope, quickly ranging their targets. It had been far too long since he had worn this form of camouflage and he brushed away a stray piece of foliage from his face.
"I'm heading down further," Ciel whispered and pointed down towards a tree a few feet below and to the left of them. From there, he could get a better shot at a few targets who were sitting around playing what looked to be cards. The atmosphere seemed lax and it helped to reassure that they hadn't aroused any suspicion.
Sebastian grabbed Ciel's ankle before he could crawl any further. "That's too close," he hissed. "They'll spot you as soon as you take your first shot."
Ciel turned and only smirked. "Spotting me will do them little good if they can't pick up their gun before I have a bullet between their eyes." The words were cocky and overconfident, but Ciel didn't seem to realize it. To him, he was speaking the truth. In his time away from Sebastian, he had taken trickier and riskier shots then this. He could make the shot, that much he knew.
Sebastian frowned. It had been a while since he had worked with Ciel on assignment and he knew that the younger male could hit his targets, but it still seemed risky. Ciel, though, was already moving into position and was too far away for Sebastian to call back. He would have to provide cover for Ciel, making sure that all the targets were taken out before they could draw their guns.
Silence settled over them as they waited for the precise moment to take their shots. For this to work they would have to be in tune with each other and shoot with impeccable precision. All Ciel could feel was the beating of his heart as he looked through his scope and made the appropriate adjustments. Once done, he shot a look over his shoulder to see Sebastian and confirm that he was ready.
A quick nod to of his head confirmed that Sebastian was ready and he held up his hand to show the number three, signaling the frequency number they would be using on the headsets. Sebastian made one last adjustment to the scope and glanced through it, his target in sight.
"I'm in position; blue cap," he said softly, calling off which person he would take first.
"Starting from the right?" Ciel questioned as he located Sebastian's target. "Red head on left, we'll meet in the middle." On the far left sat a red head with a buzzed cut who was playing cards with another man with a beard.
Sebastian grunted his agreement and his finger pressed against the side of rifle, waiting to pull the trigger. "When the next card hits the table," he stated and listened to Ciel confirm.
Taking a few breaths to calm himself, Sebastian focused on his target and watched as a card was placed on the table. Without hesitation, his finger moved to press against the trigger and squeezed it gently. Blood sprayed everywhere as Sebastian focused on his next target, making the adjustments before the first body had even hit the table.
Target after target fell, Ciel's body tense and on edge with every pull of his trigger. An actual shot was fired at Ciel, hitting above his head before the shooting target fell to the ground dead. It wasn't until silence settled around them once more that Ciel realized how fast his heart was hammering in his chest. Below, a mess of bodies and blood laid as evidence to what they had just done. Ciel didn't even blink an eye at the sight; a proud smile crossed his face and he spoke excitedly into his mouthpiece. "Told you it'd work."
Sebastian was silent as he scanned the area for anymore guards. The body count matched the numbers they had and it was safe to say that all their targets were dead, but he didn't want to take the chance.
"The front has been cleared," he spoke to the group waiting for the command. "Move in with caution and we'll cover from here."
A word of confirmation was given before their men moved into action. They came into view quickly and after a moment or two, forced the door open and vanished inside. Sebastian trained his rifle on the windows that lined the second floor.
"Take the first floor," he told Ciel. "I'll cover the second floor."
"I hear ya," Ciel commented, his attention going back to his scope as he waited for the need to take a shot. So far, he could see their men making their way through the building. An enemy was quickly taken down by one of the ground forces and Ciel was left to sit by and do little to nothing.
There weren't many people inside the building and the small group inside was handling themselves well. Reports were fed back to Sebastian as the squad on the ground made their way through the rooms, checking for anything of importance that they could use.
A movement further to Sebastian's right caught his eye and he focused his scope on the motion. From the road, an armored vehicle moved by once and then vanished into the trees surrounding the building.
"Enemy approaching," Sebastian relayed into the radio. "Approaching from the east. We do not have visual on them and can't take-" He was cut off as a bullet whizzed by him, cutting through a tree and making it splinter.
Ciel jumped at the sound, spinning around and drawing a spare rifle that had laid unused next to him. He located Sebastian's shooter quickly and took him out just as another appeared and began shooting. "Shit, where did they come from?" Ciel cursed as he scrambled to shoot and find cover at the same time.
Blue eyes kept frantically darting back to Sebastian to make sure the older man was okay. As soon as Ciel saw Sebastian moving in a similar fashion to Ciel, he let his worry fall to the back of his mind as he focused on the enemies around him. There weren't many, just a small group of thugs with less than impressive shooting skills. They weren't trained arms men, probably kids picked up off the streets, not something Ciel would expect from a respected crime family.
More bullets flew by them and Sebastian cursed as he reached for his pistol. "We're under fire," he barked into the radio, telling the men on the ground that they were on their own for a while. He shot at someone coming up the hill, glad that they had the higher ground, before focusing on the area surrounding them.
"No shit, Sherlock," Ciel yelled out, not even bothering to consider Sebastian relaying the message over the radio. His mind was too focused on the things happening around him. He would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. This was a first for Ciel; never had he been put in a situation with such a multitude of incoming fire. There was no telling where the next shot would come from and Ciel was left to rely on his skill and luck to get out of this alive.
Two more men were shot down, and Ciel had to take the time to quickly reload. As he brought his rifle around again to take another shot, a whistle sounded by him and pain seared into his shoulder. Without thinking, he shot down the enemy and quickly turned to assess the damage that had been done. A generous amount of blood bubbled from his bicep, a bullet having entered his arm just below the shoulder and exiting out the other side. It was luckily only a flesh wound, but one that hurt like hell and would need to be taken care of as soon as possible.
Sebastian cursed and dropped his empty clip, slamming another one into the gun. He shot at the approaching men, watching as they fell down before moving back to Ciel. His eyes swept across the forest, looking for more people, and then tore at his shirt.
"We have to get out of here," he said quickly, tearing the shirt into strips. "Cover me," he ordered and wrapped the long strips around the bleeding wound, ignoring the pained sounds coming from Ciel's mouth.
"Just hurry!" Ciel pushed Sebastian out of the way quickly as a straggling individual came into view from the woods and tried to take a shot at them. A bullet to the chest, from Ciel's gun, sent the oncoming man to the ground. When it seemed as if they were safe for the moment, Ciel slumped back down to allow Sebastian to messily bandage his arm.
Ciel still wasn't sure as to the extent of the damage and he wasn't about to look and have to worry about blood loss or any other number of things. The pain was enough to cloud his head and he forced himself to ignore it even as his stomach turned and he retched at his and Sebastian's feet. "Sorry," he mumbled; his stomach had never been strong. In his defense, this had been the worst injury he had sustained while in the field, or at least it felt like the worst.
"It's fine," Sebastian murmured and hauled Ciel to his feet. "We need to get out of here, now." His arm looped around Ciel's waist, supporting the younger male as they moved down the hill toward the building. Their team would be down there waiting for them and Sebastian kept looking over his shoulder to make sure that they weren't being followed.
The area behind them was quiet now and the smell of blood and gun powder filled the air. Frowning, Sebastian guided Ciel down a narrow path and looked back again. The attack didn't sit well with him and Sebastian's eyebrows furrowed slightly. But for now, the main concern was getting everyone out and getting Ciel medical attention.
As they got closer to where the rest of their group waited, Ciel pushed at Sebastian, trying to get the older man to let him walk on his own. "I'm fine, I can walk now." Ciel's head had cleared and he had begun to manage his pain by pushing it to the back of his mind and focusing on something else. The last thing he wanted was to look weak when all he had was a superficial wound that could be tended to and healed in no time. No doubt there were men down there who had coped with much worse.
Sebastian nodded and let Ciel walk on his own as they approached their team. He looked over the group, noting that they weren't injured and he waved them on. Carmella stepped forward, her eyes quickly assessing Ciel before turning to Sebastian.
"The men in the vehicle didn't come in after us. They had a perfect shot but they circled around back into the woods," she stated as they moved to the cars.
"They grouped together with another team and then charged us," Sebastian answered. "It was a full assault on us."
Ciel's head whipped around, regretting it when his head began to throb. "You mean just us?" he asked, unbelieving that to be the case. The more Ciel thought about it, the more he began to worry if it was perhaps due to his title within the family, but how did such information leak outside? He thought quickly of Lizzy, but drowned that thought.
"Trap?" Carmella asked as she ushered Ciel into the car. The door slammed shut behind them and she went to work on Ciel's wound.
Sebastian shook his head. "But why didn't they go after the group on the ground? They went out of their way to come after us, instead of protecting their assets inside."
"Could they have wanted one of us?" Ciel finally said aloud. "They could have wanted me because of my title if they've gotten word of it, or I'm sure Sebastian has done numerous things to piss them off." The last bit was said with a smirk despite the pain in Ciel's arm.
Sebastian chuckled. "That might be the case; my list of enemies is long." He cocked his head, a small frown falling on his face. "But that aside, it could be either of us they're after. They were shooting to kill though, which means that Ciel's title isn't known yet. If they knew his title, they wouldn't shoot to kill."
"Then it looks like you pissed someone off big time. Not sure if I'm proud or ashamed." Ciel wasn't sure why he was being so playful about the situation, but it did help to ease the pain and worry. Carmela finished tending to his wound, although he would need stitches when they got back to the house, and Ciel leaned back into the his seat. He looked over to Sebastian, who was still watching him with worried eyes.
"We'll have to stay off the radar, until we can figure out if this was a hit for us or just a coincidence," Sebastian finally said. "By that time, Ciel's shoulder will be healed and we can continue."
Carmella hummed. "Tanaka isn't going to like this at all. I somehow doubt that this was a coincidence."
Not liking where this was going, Ciel argued, "I'll be fine once my shoulder is stitched. I can still take assignments. We'll just have to more observant of our surroundings."
Sebastian's lips twitched. "Says the person who wouldn't let me out of the house for days when I was injured."
"That was different," Ciel defended. "I didn't know what the hell was going on with you. I was worried." He continued to grumble to himself, not liking that the bad memory had been brought up for him to remember.
"We'll see what Tanaka says," Sebastian stated and looked at Ciel's wound again. They wouldn't be able to work in the field for a while and Tanaka would probably have them working on leads.
Ciel pouted, not wanting to have to do grunt work while he was healing. He was better than that, and even with a hurt arm Ciel could still pull a trigger and take down anyone Tanaka needed dead. "He's going to keep me under house arrest," Ciel complained, and was half worried he was speaking the truth.
Carmella laughed. "I highly doubt that. I'm sure Sebastian can find something to do for you that'll help keep the boredom away. Maybe play doctor with you?" She nudged him on his uninjured side.
Sebastian smirked. "Give us something we haven't done, Carmella."
"We've never played doctor!" Ciel retorted a little too quickly. If you wanted to get technical, and Ciel wanted to be very technical, they had never played doctor; only patient and nurse.
"I don't think your shoulder would appreciate the kind of play that I'm thinking about," Sebastian stated, his eyes dancing with amusement. It was easy to slip into the facade of laughter and humor; it made it easier to hide the concern and worry with smiles.
Ciel smirked. "I think you're right. Perhaps you can just ride me again?" His smirk only grew at the look that crossed Sebastian's face.
Carmella snorted with laughter, not even trying to hold it in. She clutched at her sides while Sebastian glared daggers at her, clearly not amused with her antics. "That's rich," she gasped. "Oh god, I can't breathe."
"Keep laughing," Sebastian stated dryly as the mansion came into view. "Maybe you'll laugh yourself to death."
"Aw, what's wrong, Sebastian? Did I say something to upset you?" Ciel was asking for it, but it was keeping his mind off his throbbing arm so he couldn't resist. "Or is it that you're embarrassed?"
Sebastian flicked Ciel on the nose as the car came to a stop, not bothering to answer the question. With a small grunt, he climbed out of the car and helped Ciel out so they could get his shoulder stitched up. Carmella had already called Will and the man was ready for them.
"We'll see Will first and then you can get some rest," Sebastian said as he opened the door to the mansion.
"I don't need rest." Ciel continued to insist that he was fine. He might need stitches, that much he would admit, but he didn't feel the need to rest. Adrenaline was flowing through him and a giddy high plagued him after the playful bickering.
Sebastian chuckled. "You say that now, but in a few hours you'll be sore and wanting to do nothing but rest for a while. I'll even bring you meals in bed." He leaned down to whisper in Ciel's ear. "And cater to your every whim; so long as it's within reason."
Ciel raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Will you feed me? Massage my feet... And other areas?" He smirked and gave Sebastian a saucy wink, face quickly turning hard and blank when Ciel caught sight of Will. All his playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a man who wanted respect and obedience.
Will nodded at Ciel and held the door open for him. He fixed Sebastian with a stern glare that pointedly told the man to stay outside while he stitched up Ciel. Before Sebastian could argue, the door was slammed shut and he was left outside with a small sulk on his face.
[Part Two]
