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akiruchanTitle: The Devil's Canvas
Chapter: 40 (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 Forty
Sebastian checked the scope of his rifle one last time before setting it on the bed carefully. The mattress was covered with different sized guns and bullets, all waiting to be packed away in preparation of the assignment.
Two rifles were already waiting on the desk to be packed and Sebastian glanced at the array of guns, trying to decide which ones he wanted to take. At one point in time, he had shot each and every one of them and was familiar with all of them. It made the choice much harder for him in the end.
The opening of the door drew him away from his thoughts, and Sebastian glanced over his shoulder as Ciel entered the room, Alex trotting behind him. He turned back to the guns and picked up a .45. “I don’t like this,” he stated finally. “Tanaka should send out two teams of two, instead of having us separate to cover the two areas of interest.”
“He wants the smallest team possible on this, and doesn’t want to compromise the mission by putting either of us in a situation that can distract from our work,” Ciel recited, having argued the same point to Tanaka hours before. “Truthfully I don’t think he trusts us alone together anymore. I warned you that your libido would bring us trouble one day.”
“But you enjoy my libido,” Sebastian teased. “It brings for interesting situations and pleasurable times. I’ve never heard you complain before about it.” A knife was slipped inside Sebastian’s boot and another one was tucked away in his sleeve.
Ciel seemed to think this over, shrugging and sitting himself on the bed when he decided he’d thought it over enough. “I enjoy the act, just not the consequences,” he admitted, looking rather sheepish with his confession.
Sebastian chuckled and pressed a kiss to Ciel’s temple. “Thought so,” he murmured and picked up two pistols, weighing them in his hands. Finally, the one in his right hand was set back on the bed and the other one was hidden away on his body.
Blue eyes watched and Ciel checked off in his head just what he had left to pack. “Can I take your M1911 with me?” He questioned. “I’m quite partial to it.” It had been the gun that he’d borrowed from the public weaponry before he’d begun carrying around his own.
The gun in question was picked up off the bed and passed over to Ciel, Sebastian giving it an approving look before it left his hands. “You two take good care of each other,” Sebastian stated and picked up several clips.
Ciel rolled his eyes. “Seriously, you creep me out sometimes.” Sebastian and his guns was something Ciel never cared to analyze. The only promising aspect of it all was that the man had yet to ask his named weapons to join them in bed.
“I love you, too,” Sebastian murmured and moved away from the bed to finish his own packing. Night was creeping up on the mansion and they needed to leave soon in order to reach their destination at the proper time.
“As you should.” Ciel moved to the closet and pulled out his already packed bags, tucking the gun into an outside pouch. He had packed light, the assignment needing for a quick and silent escape. It was a job Ciel wasn’t looking forward to with the hours of sitting and watching that it would ask for.
Once Ciel’s bags were set, Sebastian grabbed his own and moved towards the door of their bedroom. If they left now, they would have the cover of night to move in and set up before the sun’s rays hit the earth in the morning.
“Let’s go,” he said softly and moved out of the room.
There was a grumble and complaint in the back of Ciel’s throat as he moved through the door and into the halls of the sleeping mansion. It was never quite fair how they had to leave so late at night while everyone else was still sleeping soundly. “I’m going to forget what sleep feels like,” Ciel said sadly. There was little chance that he’d be able to so much as nap during the assignment. Fortunately, it wouldn’t be more than two or three days.
Sebastian chuckled. “After this, we’ll get time off,” he told Ciel. “Then you can sleep as much as you want.” The car waited outside for them and Sebastian set the bags inside the trunk before climbing inside the car to start it up.
“Or you’ll just take advantage of all the time I want to spend in bed.” There was a smile on Ciel’s face as he spoke, and a humorous lilt to his words. Things seemed just a bit cheerier recently and the younger man couldn’t help the flirtatious undertones when he spoke. It made Sebastian smile and in doing so, made Ciel feel all the lighter.
“Perhaps,” Sebastian answered and pulled away from the mansion. “It does sound like a good way to spend our time off. Maybe I’ll take you back to the cabin so we don’t have to worry about bothering Tanaka and we can just enjoy each other’s body.”
The idea sounded great, aside from one thing. “Tanaka’s going to know that’s all we’ll be doing once we get there. I’m not sure I’ll be able to take those damn knowing looks. It’s been bad enough since he called us in that morning. He already thinks we fuck like horny rabbits in heat.”
“But rabbits make cute little bunnies,” Sebastian stated, snorting with laughter at the words that had just come from his mouth. “Maybe we should get him a bunny for the upcoming holidays. He might like that.”
“Yeah, just let me shit one out for you really quickly.” Ciel rolled his eyes and huffed as he tried to play off the light blush sprouting on his face. The idea was tempting, getting Tanaka a rabbit that is, but Ciel didn’t know if the man would get it or not. It would probably be for the best if he didn’t, although Ciel wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face at his grandfather’s confusion over such a gift.
Sebastian shook his head and turned onto another road. “So mean to me,” he said with a mock pout. “I never meant that you had to make the bunny, either. They have these things called a pet store nowadays.”
“I know that, you moron. I was just...” Ciel trailed off, face covered in a bright blush and looking all the more embarrassed for his silly wording. He quieted for a bit until a thought struck him and Ciel quickly righted the situation before it occurred. “And we aren’t getting Tanaka a rabbit!”
A small chuckle left Sebastian’s mouth but he stayed silent as they continued to move down the empty roads. Lights flashed overhead from the streetlights and they were occasionally bathed in their soft yellow light. Silence filled the car and Sebastian glanced over at Ciel before reaching out to grasp Ciel’s hand.
The hold was returned along with a contented sigh. “I still don’t see why we are bothering with this,” Ciel said in a tired voice. “This lead is hardly favorable and I don’t feel like coming home empty handed.”
“Most leads we chase aren’t favorable,” Sebastian said softly, remembering the last time he had a bad lead. It had led to a concussion and was something Sebastian wasn’t in the mood to repeat again.
“Then why bother chasing them?” Ciel knew why, but at the moment he didn’t care to be rational. Early morning outings never helped to brighten his mood, and at the moment he was just about as bright as a burnt out light bulb.
Sebastian hummed. “Because it’s what we do. We never know when a lead may turn up something useful and to pass up a chance like that could prove troublesome for the future.” He brought Ciel’s hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the front of it. “Do you want to sleep until we get there?”
Ciel shook his head. “There’s no need. I’ll only feel groggier once I wake.” But despite his words, Ciel’s head lolled to the side and hit the glass window with a dull thud. He mumbled a quiet ‘ouch’ and then nothing more.
Sebastian didn’t say anything but kept his eye on Ciel as he continued driving. He wouldn’t be surprised if Ciel fell asleep, although he wisely kept his mouth shut, not wanting to antagonize the younger male.
The rest of the ride was quiet and Ciel was unsure if he ever fell asleep, even for a second, but the ride turned suspiciously short. Too soon was the engine turned off and a finger was poking into his ear. He swatted it away and pulled himself up, stretching his sore muscles as he did so.
“My stop?” Ciel asked, not even bothering to look around. The street was too dark and the busted street light wasn’t much help, if any.
A frown settled on Sebastian’s face as he nodded. “We’re on frequency three,” he reminded Ciel as the younger male turned to face him. “Check in often so I know you’re still awake and don’t eat all your food at once. I’ll be back to get you soon, unless Tanaka does ends up sending someone else to pick you up. But we’ll be seeing each other soon enough.” He sounded like an overprotective parent about to send their child to their first ever sleepover.
He snorted at the thought and leaned over, capturing Ciel’s face to give him a deep kiss. “And be safe,” he murmured.
“Yes, Mother,” Ciel said and swooped down to give Sebastian a quick kiss. “I’ll be fine and before you know it, I’ll be back in bed with you.” He danced out of the way when Sebastian tried to catch him in another kiss. With a grin, Ciel blew his last kiss and moved to the trunk to remove his bag.
It was dark, and Ciel wasn’t looking forward to making the long walk by himself. “Report in once you’re in place,” Ciel ordered, voice firm and serious.
“I will,” Sebastian answered just as seriously and watched as Ciel hoisted the bag over his shoulder. It felt strange to watch the younger male walk away, knowing that he couldn’t follow and that they would be stationed in different locations. With an annoyed huff at being separated from Ciel, Sebastian eased the car away from the curb and moved towards his destination.
Ciel paused to watch as the last source of light, courtesy of Sebastian’s headlights, disappeared and bathed Ciel in endless black. It would still be hours before the sun peeked over the horizon and he decided that he should get inside as soon as possible. Everything was quiet around Ciel, aside from a rustle that sounded no more threatening than a cat or dog going through a dumpster. It gave him pause, but he could not see anything worth worrying about through the darkness. Regardless, he stayed alert all the way until he reached his targeted building.
With a huff and one last look around him, Ciel entered without hesitation and proceeded to climb up the never-ending flights of steps. He counted the flights, reaching the ninth and turning towards the door that hung open on its hinges. The air smelled strongly of mold, vomit, urine, and something that Ciel didn’t want to name as death. Upon entering the middle room at the right of the hall, the stench increased and Ciel had to cover his nose. This would surely keep him from falling asleep, he thought bitterly. Sadistically, he hoped that Sebastian found his stake out point to be just as repulsive.
“Are you all settled in yet?” Sebastian asked over the radio frequency as he shut the car off and climbed out. His own stakeout point was located near a warehouse in the more industrial part of the town and the air was thick with the smell of smoke. They were on opposite ends of the town and Sebastian grunted as he picked up his bag, getting ready to move into his spot.
There was some shuffling before Ciel’s voice crackled over the line. “I’m trying to settle in, but I swear something is dead in here. It reeks,” he complained, as more shuffling filled the silence.
Sebastian nodded, even though Ciel couldn’t see it. “The air is thick here with smoke but I haven’t reached my spot yet.” He paused to slip inside the building that he was going to use and took in his surroundings. Thick layers of dust covered the area and Sebastian moved carefully to avoid disturbing the dust.
“I’d gladly trade smoke for deca--” Ciel trailed off for a moment and silence reigned. Soon enough static came back on and Ciel’s voice sounded unpleasantly from over the radio. “Yup, found it. It’s a dead pigeon.... I think.” It was amazing how such a small thing could make such a large stench.
“Toss it out,” Sebastian stated as he finally made it to his loft. He drew out a thin blanket and spread it on the floor to keep from disturbing more of the dust before he started to set up his own equipment.
“I did, just wish I hadn’t.” The carcass had been a congealed mess of decomposing fats and innards that only spewed more noxious fumes as Ciel moved it. He coughed and gagged as the putrid smell threatened to empty his stomach. Swallowing hard, Ciel moved away from the spot and hoped that the smell would lessen eventually.
A click sounded in the quiet room as Sebastian set up his rifle. “Crack a window open but don’t open it all the way,” he said as the night vision binoculars were pulled out, along with some packets of food.
Ciel already had the window open but he moved over to lower it just a bit more. He was slowly growing used to the smell and went about setting up. He didn’t have much since he was only required to watch and defend himself if needed. An infrared camera was pulled out and set up. It would pick up organic movement that Ciel could not see. In a cold and concrete city, it would easily pick out the body heat of living things.
“And so it begins,” Ciel mumbled as he sat himself down and watched the multicolored screen.
“You make it sound so terrible,” Sebastian commented lightly over the radio and settled down on the blanket. His binoculars were brought up to his eyes as he scanned his surroundings through the large pane of glass before him.
Clucking his tongue, Ciel turned from the infrared screen for a moment. “Isn’t it terrible?” he asked, with humor sprinkling his words. “You’re so far away, and I’ll only be able to hear your voice for the next three days.”
“But I have a sexy voice,” Sebastian purred and reached over to grab his own infrared camera. It was quickly set up, and Sebastian noted two figures sitting near the entrance; probably just the guards for the night. But he still marked down their location in case the information was needed later.
There was a pause, and Ciel tried to keep himself from laughing. “Someone is full of himself.” While he waited for a reply, Ciel turned around and started unpacking some of his weapons, just in case, along with a scope that could be used once morning came around.
Sebastian chuckled. “Perhaps I am, but you seem to like it when I’m whispering in your ear at night when we have sex.” His eyes glanced down at the floor plan for the building he was watching and turned the infrared camera to another part of the building.
“That’s different,” Ciel said, eyes darting to the thermal when a bat or bird flew by in a red streak. The Glock was plucked from the waistband of his jeans and Ciel laid it in his lap as he got comfortable and got used to his fate for the next few days.
Silence settled over the radio as Sebastian watched a van pull up to the warehouse. He shifted slightly and checked the camera to see if anything living was inside the vehicle. A low curse left his mouth when the back of the van glowed a dull red.
He counted at least five bodies in the back and watched as the driver carefully guided the van into the building. All the lights were turned off and Sebastian growled as the doors closed behind the van, cutting him off from seeing any more.
“I have my first visual,” he finally said into the radio. “It’s hard to tell who they were carrying, but I’m certain they’ll be used for human trafficking.”
Ciel’s own thermal showed nothing, and he huffed with annoyance. Whatever was going on was currently happening on the other side of the building and out of Ciel’s range. “I can’t see anything on my side. I keep getting heat hits, but I’m not sure if it’s a bird or someone pacing in front of a window.” There was a section of the thermal’s screen that flashed red with heat every now and then. It wasn’t quite like the first bird that flew by, zipping across the screen, although it was similar and he almost passed it off as such. This object was slower and disappeared before hitting the screen’s end. Such odd hits made Ciel think it was indeed someone in a window.
“Can you see it with the binoculars?” Sebastian asked as the movements inside the building slowed down. They were slowly unloading and inspecting the new cargo that had been brought in. The thought made Sebastian’s lips curl and he growled lowly. Human trafficking was something that the family was fully against and had taken great strides to prevent from happening in their area.
The night vision scope was retrieved and Ciel propped it on the windowsill. He scanned the area quickly, affirming that it was indeed a man pacing back and forth in an upper window of the build. He looked slightly middle aged, but it was hard to tell much of anything for the moment.
“I can’t see the activity you’re talking about, but I can see a male within one of the windows and...” Ciel trailed off and glanced to the side. Through an alleyway near the street he could catch the glimpse of a passing vehicle. “I think I just saw a car or something pass by on the street. What do you have on your side?”
“Nothing,” Sebastian answered. “It’s quiet over here now, or at least on the outside. Inside the building they’re moving around but they might be done for the night. Morning is about an hour away; they might not want to chance another shipment.”
“Did you get a head count?” Ciel asked, jotting down notes while continuing to check both thermal and scope. The figure in the window had left and things were quiet once more. At least it didn’t seem like this would turn into a pointless lead. It might not have anything to do with who they were looking for, but it still helped to cut out the unwanted scum.
Sebastian nodded. “I counted five in the back of the van. But I can’t give you anything past that; age and gender are unknown and I doubt we’ll get that information.” The only way to get such a thing would be to go down and investigate in the morning, something that was too dangerous to handle alone.
Ciel thought the information over and sighed. “We’ll just have to sit and wait.” They would collect as much information as they could in the three days, and return to Tanaka for orders to take out the crime ring. At least the stench was manageable and the sun was just now coming up. It would be easier to see and be seen so stealth was a must. Ciel just didn’t think they would be seeing much in the openness of the daylight.
“Nothing else we can do,” Sebastian agreed and glanced at the rising sun. At least out in the sunlight, it would be easier to get a look at their targets to see if anything matched the people they were looking for. It would be nice to have a good lead for a change.
A mumble of agreement fizzled over the radio and Ciel leaned back and got himself comfortable. Fortunately the window was low enough that he could still peer through the scope, which had been switched with one more suited for light, and keep an eye on the happenings outside.
The sun continued to rise, and with it, the start of a new day came and the once sleepy town slowly started to wake up. It was a new work day for many, and Sebastian carefully noted all the vehicles that passed through gates of nearby buildings as well as the people that moved through the doors. A soft sigh left his mouth as he flipped to a new page; it was going to be a long day.
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“I’m bored,” Ciel droned over the radio on the second day, just as the sun was setting and the bats came out to gorge on the insects buzzing around the few lit street lamps. The infrared camera was up again, and Ciel idly watched the animals streak in and out of shot. There hadn’t been much more to look at since midday yesterday, when it seemed that the building emptied out.
“I’m sorry,” Sebastian answered as he shifted into a new stretching position. His muscles stretched and he hummed softly as the small kinks slowly worked out of his body. “At least you had a semi busy day to help offset the downtime now.”
This was true, but it was also a pivotal downfall. “Yes, but I’m tired now, too.” There was a pause, during which only the sound of Ciel’s breathing reaching the other line. “I need something to keep me awake for another day. Tell me a story or something.”
Sebastian paused and glanced in the direction where Ciel was positioned. “A story?” He echoed. “Why would I tell you a story? And for that matter, what story would I tell you?”
“A bedtime story preferably.” Sleep was calling to him, but he stubbornly pushed it aside. He’d stayed awake longer than this; it was just annoying to do so. Perhaps he’d plan a hibernation after this along with a standing refusal for sex. Neither option looked feasible.
“Sure, just let me tell you a story about a boy wanting to ride the elephants in a circus but his boss won’t let him. And he’s friends with a demon, too.” Sebastian snorted lightly and twisted his torso around to help pop his back. “Or do you have a specific request?”
Ciel said nothing for a moment and then a snort blasted over the radio. “What are you smoking? I’m not even sure I want to know what you think constitutes for a bedtime story.” Thinking on it, Ciel decided it could have been worse. Sebastian could have relayed back to his bedtime smut.
Sebastian sniffed slightly. “Well, excuse me if I was never told a bedtime story when I was younger.” He rolled his eyes and finally moved back into position to watch the building in front of him.
“You’re excused.” Ciel’s finger drew in the dirt and dust on the floor, making images and symbols that had little meaning or relevance. “But you might as well learn. What will you ever do when you have children of your own?” Dark locks shook as Ciel tossed his head back and forth in a disapproving manner.
“Have you tell them a story,” Sebastian answered easily. “And I’ll listen from the doorway as you tuck them into bed before I drag you back to our bedroom and take you long and hard into the night.” He grinned at the thought and only wished that he was there to see Ciel’s face.
Wasn’t that a rather domestic but erotic idea, Ciel thought. “Don’t put such ideas in my head when you’re a good mile away,” he complained with a smile, even if it went unnoticed by Sebastian.
Sebastian blinked, not expecting the answer that came from Ciel. “How many would you want?” He asked curiously as he glanced out the window. The sun was set by now and the street lights had turned on, flickering every now and then.
Ciel blinked. “How many what?” His voice was uncertain over the radio, and his attention was drawn away from his doodling and absentminded watching of the monitors.
“How many children do you want?” Sebastian repeated and leaned back on his elbows as he stretched out again.
There was a drawn out mumble of disjointed words as Ciel tried very hard to make sense of the question and give back an intelligent reply. It was a topic not broached much, if at all, since the family dinner in which they had announced their new titles. Ciel wasn’t comforted much at the thought that he still considered himself a boy, even though a man in age, and was too young to be thinking of such things.
“How many do you want?” Ciel threw back, finding it the safer alternative.
Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t know if I even want kids,” he answered honestly. It was something he had never given thought to, knowing that he wouldn’t be in a position to ever have any. Even now, they would have to go with the option of either adopting or having a surrogate carry the child.
“Then why ask? It’s not like it’s something we need to worry about.” It was true that the worry of having an unplanned pregnancy was null given their genders, but the subject of children was still not one they could fully ignore. Sooner or later it would come up with a blazing flag that wouldn’t be dismissed so easily.
“You asked first,” Sebastian pointed out and reached over to grab a small bag of food. His stomach was growling and demanded something to eat.
Ciel frowned for a moment, wondering how this all came back to him. “I didn’t ask first,” he said, sounding oddly defensive.
Sebastian nodded as he tossed a few raisins into his mouth. “You asked first, Ciel. And I quote, ‘What will you ever do when you have children of your own?’”
It then occurred to Ciel that he had indeed brought the subject up. When he had spoken those words, it had never really crossed his mind that Sebastian’s children would be his own. A blush painted his cheeks, and he fought for words to say. He felt embarrassed and a little unsure over the subject. The line ended up staying quiet as Ciel sunk down into thought with nothing more to say on the subject that he felt confident enough to voice.
The silence was comforting, and Sebastian waited patiently for the younger male to speak again. When it seemed as though Ciel was going to stay quiet, Sebastian cleared his throat. “Do you still want me to tell you a story?” He teased.
“Do you have something better than boys, elephants, and demons in that head of yours?” Ciel snapped back, but with nothing more than mild amusement. The sting of irritation and confusion was gone, and he was once more drawing in the dirt, a crude image of two tall stick figured men, one a head shorter than the other. There was hesitation as two shorter figures were drawn, one with pigtails and the other with a baseball cap, before a swipe of Ciel’s hand erased all traces of the images’ existence.
Sebastian shrugged and pushed the food aside to take a quick drink of water before answering. “Probably not. Let’s see,” he hummed softly. “There once was a man from Nantucket,” he started.
Ciel groaned. “Please stop right there before I suffer brain damage. Can’t you be creative? I mean seriously, I expected more from you.” In truth, Ciel hadn’t really expected much at all; if anything, something slightly inappropriate for a child’s story. “Let’s forget the story, shall we?”
“Fine by me,” Sebastian answered and covered a yawn. His body was tired and wanted nothing more than sleep, or at least have Ciel curled up next to him so this night wouldn’t be so boring and lonely.
Another thirty or so minutes passed in silence as Ciel settled himself to looking around his area and hoping some action would surface. When the most movement turned out to be a cat jumping a fence, it seemed like his patience would crack. “Is there anything to do?” He asked over the radio and shifted uncomfortably.
Sebastian shook his head. “Ciel, I know you’re bored but it’s what you have to do. Although usually this is why we have two people so one person can at least catch a nap,” Sebastian mused. “What do you want to do?”
“Jumping out this window is looking quite appealing.” Suicidal tendencies aside, Ciel wasn’t sure what he wanted to spend his time doing. Sleep was out of the question and there was only a small number of things one could do with themselves with only another over a phone, or in this case a radio. A thought struck him then, and Ciel couldn’t contain his smirk. “Tell me, Sebastian, what are you wearing?” He asked, tone dangerous.
“Clothes,” Sebastian answered and shifted slightly on his blanket. “Why do you ask?” He shifted again and felt the urge to use the bathroom, and he grumbled in annoyance. He hated stakeouts when there wasn’t a bathroom nearby.
“So I could better imagine myself taking them off you,” was the reply which met Ciel with nothing but silence on the other end. He seemed pleased with himself for thinking of such a pastime, and he fought to contain his smile.
Sebastian blinked a few times before he shook his head. “No,” he said quickly and stood up. “We’re not doing anything like that. We need to focus on this assignment so we can report back to Tanaka and put this behind us. I’ll be right back.”
Ciel complained but none of it was heard and the young man was left to the drone of a fuzzy radio as he left it fall from his ear. It wasn’t like anything was happening at the moment, and Ciel could multitask enough to glance at the thermal screen every now and then. What he had in mind only involved one hand at the very most and basic verbal skills. Not to mention they already had information enough for Tanaka; nothing bad would come out of a little fun.
There was a soft muted thump as Sebastian settled back down next to the radio and he sighed. “Did you push those thoughts out of your mind?” He asked curiously and glanced through his camera to find the warehouse annoyingly empty.
“Not entirely.” Or at all, but Ciel didn’t voice that. “You know you like it when I rake my nails down your chest. Just imagine me doing that. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
A small shiver worked its way through Sebastian’s body at the thought and he could feel the phantom nails trailing his chest. He quickly shook his head. “No. If we’re doing anything that involves you touching yourself, I want to be there to watch.” He sulked. “And I can’t currently do that.”
Ciel wasn’t perturbed in the least; if anything, his smirk grew. “Oh, but isn’t it so much more arousing to hear me gasp and moan under my own touch, as you try to imagine just what I’m doing to cause such delightful sounds? Or would you enjoy dictating the movement of my hands yourself?” He was being devious, but not so much as Sebastian could be when put up to it. There was little remorse felt and Ciel pushed onwards to his goal.
“As much as I like the sound of that,” Sebastian started, and he really enjoyed the imagery that came with it. “Tanaka would kill us when he found out, and I can assure you that he would find out. And he’ll make good use of his threat.”
“How would he find out? I’m not telling him, and I sure as hell hope you don’t find the urge to tell him either.” It was disconcerting how the old man knew everything. Ciel was hoping that it was something he too would acquire with age, but as of now, he found it rather annoying. “It’s not like he’s got us bugged.” But it was eerily possible.
Shaking his head, Sebastian glanced out at the warehouse. He refused to cave in to Ciel’s demands, no matter how tempting they sounded. “You can have fun with yourself,” he finally stated. “But I won’t be listening or participating.”
Well that wasn’t fun. “You would turn your radio off? What would happen if I got ambushed while I was pleasing myself? You wouldn’t be able to hear, and then who would come to my rescue?” It was only after Ciel spoke that he realized that he had just unknowingly given more reason against himself not to perform such lewd acts while on an assignment.
A low chuckle told Ciel that the reasoning didn’t go unnoticed but Sebastian didn’t say anything else on the subject. “Just relax, Ciel,” he stated. “It’s been a long day for you and the nighttime is a down shift for you. Go over some Spanish vocabulary in your head so you’re not so bored.”
“Spanish?” Ciel parroted. “Why Spanish?”
“Because Tanaka said that you were studying it, since you already know French.” He shifted to ease the pain in his tailbone. “You should be fluent in more languages.”
The prospect of more studies didn’t brighten Ciel’s mood any. “I can’t say I enjoy Spanish,” he mumbled between a pout. Next he would be forced to learn Italian, and from there he could only guess German. Wasn’t French enough? Apparently not.
Sebastian hummed. He didn’t enjoy learning the languages any more than Ciel when he had reached a certain age. But when he had first started training as a boy, the idea of learning a new language had been fun and easy to pick up. “¿Cómo estás?”
“No hablo español.” Was the reply Ciel gave with little enthusiasm. Truth be told, he had picked up a good amount of the language but he was in no mood to humor Sebastian with such things.
“Nihongo o hanashimasuka?” Sebastian fired back, his lips twitching with amusement. This was a more productive way to spend the night and help pass the boredom compared to the activity Ciel wished to partake in. Even though every nerve in Sebastian’s body itched to take Ciel up on the offer, he firmly stamped the urge down.
Ciel wasn’t sure what to say, let alone what language had just spilled from Sebastian’s mouth. His nose scrunched and he sighed in irritation. “Gesundheit,” Ciel said at last, feeling lame for giving such a comeback.
Sebastian shook his head and waved the word aside. “How about we play another game,” he suggested and glanced at the clock, noting that they still had five more hours until the sun rose once more.
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[Part Two]
Chapter: 40 (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 Forty
Sebastian checked the scope of his rifle one last time before setting it on the bed carefully. The mattress was covered with different sized guns and bullets, all waiting to be packed away in preparation of the assignment.
Two rifles were already waiting on the desk to be packed and Sebastian glanced at the array of guns, trying to decide which ones he wanted to take. At one point in time, he had shot each and every one of them and was familiar with all of them. It made the choice much harder for him in the end.
The opening of the door drew him away from his thoughts, and Sebastian glanced over his shoulder as Ciel entered the room, Alex trotting behind him. He turned back to the guns and picked up a .45. “I don’t like this,” he stated finally. “Tanaka should send out two teams of two, instead of having us separate to cover the two areas of interest.”
“He wants the smallest team possible on this, and doesn’t want to compromise the mission by putting either of us in a situation that can distract from our work,” Ciel recited, having argued the same point to Tanaka hours before. “Truthfully I don’t think he trusts us alone together anymore. I warned you that your libido would bring us trouble one day.”
“But you enjoy my libido,” Sebastian teased. “It brings for interesting situations and pleasurable times. I’ve never heard you complain before about it.” A knife was slipped inside Sebastian’s boot and another one was tucked away in his sleeve.
Ciel seemed to think this over, shrugging and sitting himself on the bed when he decided he’d thought it over enough. “I enjoy the act, just not the consequences,” he admitted, looking rather sheepish with his confession.
Sebastian chuckled and pressed a kiss to Ciel’s temple. “Thought so,” he murmured and picked up two pistols, weighing them in his hands. Finally, the one in his right hand was set back on the bed and the other one was hidden away on his body.
Blue eyes watched and Ciel checked off in his head just what he had left to pack. “Can I take your M1911 with me?” He questioned. “I’m quite partial to it.” It had been the gun that he’d borrowed from the public weaponry before he’d begun carrying around his own.
The gun in question was picked up off the bed and passed over to Ciel, Sebastian giving it an approving look before it left his hands. “You two take good care of each other,” Sebastian stated and picked up several clips.
Ciel rolled his eyes. “Seriously, you creep me out sometimes.” Sebastian and his guns was something Ciel never cared to analyze. The only promising aspect of it all was that the man had yet to ask his named weapons to join them in bed.
“I love you, too,” Sebastian murmured and moved away from the bed to finish his own packing. Night was creeping up on the mansion and they needed to leave soon in order to reach their destination at the proper time.
“As you should.” Ciel moved to the closet and pulled out his already packed bags, tucking the gun into an outside pouch. He had packed light, the assignment needing for a quick and silent escape. It was a job Ciel wasn’t looking forward to with the hours of sitting and watching that it would ask for.
Once Ciel’s bags were set, Sebastian grabbed his own and moved towards the door of their bedroom. If they left now, they would have the cover of night to move in and set up before the sun’s rays hit the earth in the morning.
“Let’s go,” he said softly and moved out of the room.
There was a grumble and complaint in the back of Ciel’s throat as he moved through the door and into the halls of the sleeping mansion. It was never quite fair how they had to leave so late at night while everyone else was still sleeping soundly. “I’m going to forget what sleep feels like,” Ciel said sadly. There was little chance that he’d be able to so much as nap during the assignment. Fortunately, it wouldn’t be more than two or three days.
Sebastian chuckled. “After this, we’ll get time off,” he told Ciel. “Then you can sleep as much as you want.” The car waited outside for them and Sebastian set the bags inside the trunk before climbing inside the car to start it up.
“Or you’ll just take advantage of all the time I want to spend in bed.” There was a smile on Ciel’s face as he spoke, and a humorous lilt to his words. Things seemed just a bit cheerier recently and the younger man couldn’t help the flirtatious undertones when he spoke. It made Sebastian smile and in doing so, made Ciel feel all the lighter.
“Perhaps,” Sebastian answered and pulled away from the mansion. “It does sound like a good way to spend our time off. Maybe I’ll take you back to the cabin so we don’t have to worry about bothering Tanaka and we can just enjoy each other’s body.”
The idea sounded great, aside from one thing. “Tanaka’s going to know that’s all we’ll be doing once we get there. I’m not sure I’ll be able to take those damn knowing looks. It’s been bad enough since he called us in that morning. He already thinks we fuck like horny rabbits in heat.”
“But rabbits make cute little bunnies,” Sebastian stated, snorting with laughter at the words that had just come from his mouth. “Maybe we should get him a bunny for the upcoming holidays. He might like that.”
“Yeah, just let me shit one out for you really quickly.” Ciel rolled his eyes and huffed as he tried to play off the light blush sprouting on his face. The idea was tempting, getting Tanaka a rabbit that is, but Ciel didn’t know if the man would get it or not. It would probably be for the best if he didn’t, although Ciel wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face at his grandfather’s confusion over such a gift.
Sebastian shook his head and turned onto another road. “So mean to me,” he said with a mock pout. “I never meant that you had to make the bunny, either. They have these things called a pet store nowadays.”
“I know that, you moron. I was just...” Ciel trailed off, face covered in a bright blush and looking all the more embarrassed for his silly wording. He quieted for a bit until a thought struck him and Ciel quickly righted the situation before it occurred. “And we aren’t getting Tanaka a rabbit!”
A small chuckle left Sebastian’s mouth but he stayed silent as they continued to move down the empty roads. Lights flashed overhead from the streetlights and they were occasionally bathed in their soft yellow light. Silence filled the car and Sebastian glanced over at Ciel before reaching out to grasp Ciel’s hand.
The hold was returned along with a contented sigh. “I still don’t see why we are bothering with this,” Ciel said in a tired voice. “This lead is hardly favorable and I don’t feel like coming home empty handed.”
“Most leads we chase aren’t favorable,” Sebastian said softly, remembering the last time he had a bad lead. It had led to a concussion and was something Sebastian wasn’t in the mood to repeat again.
“Then why bother chasing them?” Ciel knew why, but at the moment he didn’t care to be rational. Early morning outings never helped to brighten his mood, and at the moment he was just about as bright as a burnt out light bulb.
Sebastian hummed. “Because it’s what we do. We never know when a lead may turn up something useful and to pass up a chance like that could prove troublesome for the future.” He brought Ciel’s hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the front of it. “Do you want to sleep until we get there?”
Ciel shook his head. “There’s no need. I’ll only feel groggier once I wake.” But despite his words, Ciel’s head lolled to the side and hit the glass window with a dull thud. He mumbled a quiet ‘ouch’ and then nothing more.
Sebastian didn’t say anything but kept his eye on Ciel as he continued driving. He wouldn’t be surprised if Ciel fell asleep, although he wisely kept his mouth shut, not wanting to antagonize the younger male.
The rest of the ride was quiet and Ciel was unsure if he ever fell asleep, even for a second, but the ride turned suspiciously short. Too soon was the engine turned off and a finger was poking into his ear. He swatted it away and pulled himself up, stretching his sore muscles as he did so.
“My stop?” Ciel asked, not even bothering to look around. The street was too dark and the busted street light wasn’t much help, if any.
A frown settled on Sebastian’s face as he nodded. “We’re on frequency three,” he reminded Ciel as the younger male turned to face him. “Check in often so I know you’re still awake and don’t eat all your food at once. I’ll be back to get you soon, unless Tanaka does ends up sending someone else to pick you up. But we’ll be seeing each other soon enough.” He sounded like an overprotective parent about to send their child to their first ever sleepover.
He snorted at the thought and leaned over, capturing Ciel’s face to give him a deep kiss. “And be safe,” he murmured.
“Yes, Mother,” Ciel said and swooped down to give Sebastian a quick kiss. “I’ll be fine and before you know it, I’ll be back in bed with you.” He danced out of the way when Sebastian tried to catch him in another kiss. With a grin, Ciel blew his last kiss and moved to the trunk to remove his bag.
It was dark, and Ciel wasn’t looking forward to making the long walk by himself. “Report in once you’re in place,” Ciel ordered, voice firm and serious.
“I will,” Sebastian answered just as seriously and watched as Ciel hoisted the bag over his shoulder. It felt strange to watch the younger male walk away, knowing that he couldn’t follow and that they would be stationed in different locations. With an annoyed huff at being separated from Ciel, Sebastian eased the car away from the curb and moved towards his destination.
Ciel paused to watch as the last source of light, courtesy of Sebastian’s headlights, disappeared and bathed Ciel in endless black. It would still be hours before the sun peeked over the horizon and he decided that he should get inside as soon as possible. Everything was quiet around Ciel, aside from a rustle that sounded no more threatening than a cat or dog going through a dumpster. It gave him pause, but he could not see anything worth worrying about through the darkness. Regardless, he stayed alert all the way until he reached his targeted building.
With a huff and one last look around him, Ciel entered without hesitation and proceeded to climb up the never-ending flights of steps. He counted the flights, reaching the ninth and turning towards the door that hung open on its hinges. The air smelled strongly of mold, vomit, urine, and something that Ciel didn’t want to name as death. Upon entering the middle room at the right of the hall, the stench increased and Ciel had to cover his nose. This would surely keep him from falling asleep, he thought bitterly. Sadistically, he hoped that Sebastian found his stake out point to be just as repulsive.
“Are you all settled in yet?” Sebastian asked over the radio frequency as he shut the car off and climbed out. His own stakeout point was located near a warehouse in the more industrial part of the town and the air was thick with the smell of smoke. They were on opposite ends of the town and Sebastian grunted as he picked up his bag, getting ready to move into his spot.
There was some shuffling before Ciel’s voice crackled over the line. “I’m trying to settle in, but I swear something is dead in here. It reeks,” he complained, as more shuffling filled the silence.
Sebastian nodded, even though Ciel couldn’t see it. “The air is thick here with smoke but I haven’t reached my spot yet.” He paused to slip inside the building that he was going to use and took in his surroundings. Thick layers of dust covered the area and Sebastian moved carefully to avoid disturbing the dust.
“I’d gladly trade smoke for deca--” Ciel trailed off for a moment and silence reigned. Soon enough static came back on and Ciel’s voice sounded unpleasantly from over the radio. “Yup, found it. It’s a dead pigeon.... I think.” It was amazing how such a small thing could make such a large stench.
“Toss it out,” Sebastian stated as he finally made it to his loft. He drew out a thin blanket and spread it on the floor to keep from disturbing more of the dust before he started to set up his own equipment.
“I did, just wish I hadn’t.” The carcass had been a congealed mess of decomposing fats and innards that only spewed more noxious fumes as Ciel moved it. He coughed and gagged as the putrid smell threatened to empty his stomach. Swallowing hard, Ciel moved away from the spot and hoped that the smell would lessen eventually.
A click sounded in the quiet room as Sebastian set up his rifle. “Crack a window open but don’t open it all the way,” he said as the night vision binoculars were pulled out, along with some packets of food.
Ciel already had the window open but he moved over to lower it just a bit more. He was slowly growing used to the smell and went about setting up. He didn’t have much since he was only required to watch and defend himself if needed. An infrared camera was pulled out and set up. It would pick up organic movement that Ciel could not see. In a cold and concrete city, it would easily pick out the body heat of living things.
“And so it begins,” Ciel mumbled as he sat himself down and watched the multicolored screen.
“You make it sound so terrible,” Sebastian commented lightly over the radio and settled down on the blanket. His binoculars were brought up to his eyes as he scanned his surroundings through the large pane of glass before him.
Clucking his tongue, Ciel turned from the infrared screen for a moment. “Isn’t it terrible?” he asked, with humor sprinkling his words. “You’re so far away, and I’ll only be able to hear your voice for the next three days.”
“But I have a sexy voice,” Sebastian purred and reached over to grab his own infrared camera. It was quickly set up, and Sebastian noted two figures sitting near the entrance; probably just the guards for the night. But he still marked down their location in case the information was needed later.
There was a pause, and Ciel tried to keep himself from laughing. “Someone is full of himself.” While he waited for a reply, Ciel turned around and started unpacking some of his weapons, just in case, along with a scope that could be used once morning came around.
Sebastian chuckled. “Perhaps I am, but you seem to like it when I’m whispering in your ear at night when we have sex.” His eyes glanced down at the floor plan for the building he was watching and turned the infrared camera to another part of the building.
“That’s different,” Ciel said, eyes darting to the thermal when a bat or bird flew by in a red streak. The Glock was plucked from the waistband of his jeans and Ciel laid it in his lap as he got comfortable and got used to his fate for the next few days.
Silence settled over the radio as Sebastian watched a van pull up to the warehouse. He shifted slightly and checked the camera to see if anything living was inside the vehicle. A low curse left his mouth when the back of the van glowed a dull red.
He counted at least five bodies in the back and watched as the driver carefully guided the van into the building. All the lights were turned off and Sebastian growled as the doors closed behind the van, cutting him off from seeing any more.
“I have my first visual,” he finally said into the radio. “It’s hard to tell who they were carrying, but I’m certain they’ll be used for human trafficking.”
Ciel’s own thermal showed nothing, and he huffed with annoyance. Whatever was going on was currently happening on the other side of the building and out of Ciel’s range. “I can’t see anything on my side. I keep getting heat hits, but I’m not sure if it’s a bird or someone pacing in front of a window.” There was a section of the thermal’s screen that flashed red with heat every now and then. It wasn’t quite like the first bird that flew by, zipping across the screen, although it was similar and he almost passed it off as such. This object was slower and disappeared before hitting the screen’s end. Such odd hits made Ciel think it was indeed someone in a window.
“Can you see it with the binoculars?” Sebastian asked as the movements inside the building slowed down. They were slowly unloading and inspecting the new cargo that had been brought in. The thought made Sebastian’s lips curl and he growled lowly. Human trafficking was something that the family was fully against and had taken great strides to prevent from happening in their area.
The night vision scope was retrieved and Ciel propped it on the windowsill. He scanned the area quickly, affirming that it was indeed a man pacing back and forth in an upper window of the build. He looked slightly middle aged, but it was hard to tell much of anything for the moment.
“I can’t see the activity you’re talking about, but I can see a male within one of the windows and...” Ciel trailed off and glanced to the side. Through an alleyway near the street he could catch the glimpse of a passing vehicle. “I think I just saw a car or something pass by on the street. What do you have on your side?”
“Nothing,” Sebastian answered. “It’s quiet over here now, or at least on the outside. Inside the building they’re moving around but they might be done for the night. Morning is about an hour away; they might not want to chance another shipment.”
“Did you get a head count?” Ciel asked, jotting down notes while continuing to check both thermal and scope. The figure in the window had left and things were quiet once more. At least it didn’t seem like this would turn into a pointless lead. It might not have anything to do with who they were looking for, but it still helped to cut out the unwanted scum.
Sebastian nodded. “I counted five in the back of the van. But I can’t give you anything past that; age and gender are unknown and I doubt we’ll get that information.” The only way to get such a thing would be to go down and investigate in the morning, something that was too dangerous to handle alone.
Ciel thought the information over and sighed. “We’ll just have to sit and wait.” They would collect as much information as they could in the three days, and return to Tanaka for orders to take out the crime ring. At least the stench was manageable and the sun was just now coming up. It would be easier to see and be seen so stealth was a must. Ciel just didn’t think they would be seeing much in the openness of the daylight.
“Nothing else we can do,” Sebastian agreed and glanced at the rising sun. At least out in the sunlight, it would be easier to get a look at their targets to see if anything matched the people they were looking for. It would be nice to have a good lead for a change.
A mumble of agreement fizzled over the radio and Ciel leaned back and got himself comfortable. Fortunately the window was low enough that he could still peer through the scope, which had been switched with one more suited for light, and keep an eye on the happenings outside.
The sun continued to rise, and with it, the start of a new day came and the once sleepy town slowly started to wake up. It was a new work day for many, and Sebastian carefully noted all the vehicles that passed through gates of nearby buildings as well as the people that moved through the doors. A soft sigh left his mouth as he flipped to a new page; it was going to be a long day.
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“I’m bored,” Ciel droned over the radio on the second day, just as the sun was setting and the bats came out to gorge on the insects buzzing around the few lit street lamps. The infrared camera was up again, and Ciel idly watched the animals streak in and out of shot. There hadn’t been much more to look at since midday yesterday, when it seemed that the building emptied out.
“I’m sorry,” Sebastian answered as he shifted into a new stretching position. His muscles stretched and he hummed softly as the small kinks slowly worked out of his body. “At least you had a semi busy day to help offset the downtime now.”
This was true, but it was also a pivotal downfall. “Yes, but I’m tired now, too.” There was a pause, during which only the sound of Ciel’s breathing reaching the other line. “I need something to keep me awake for another day. Tell me a story or something.”
Sebastian paused and glanced in the direction where Ciel was positioned. “A story?” He echoed. “Why would I tell you a story? And for that matter, what story would I tell you?”
“A bedtime story preferably.” Sleep was calling to him, but he stubbornly pushed it aside. He’d stayed awake longer than this; it was just annoying to do so. Perhaps he’d plan a hibernation after this along with a standing refusal for sex. Neither option looked feasible.
“Sure, just let me tell you a story about a boy wanting to ride the elephants in a circus but his boss won’t let him. And he’s friends with a demon, too.” Sebastian snorted lightly and twisted his torso around to help pop his back. “Or do you have a specific request?”
Ciel said nothing for a moment and then a snort blasted over the radio. “What are you smoking? I’m not even sure I want to know what you think constitutes for a bedtime story.” Thinking on it, Ciel decided it could have been worse. Sebastian could have relayed back to his bedtime smut.
Sebastian sniffed slightly. “Well, excuse me if I was never told a bedtime story when I was younger.” He rolled his eyes and finally moved back into position to watch the building in front of him.
“You’re excused.” Ciel’s finger drew in the dirt and dust on the floor, making images and symbols that had little meaning or relevance. “But you might as well learn. What will you ever do when you have children of your own?” Dark locks shook as Ciel tossed his head back and forth in a disapproving manner.
“Have you tell them a story,” Sebastian answered easily. “And I’ll listen from the doorway as you tuck them into bed before I drag you back to our bedroom and take you long and hard into the night.” He grinned at the thought and only wished that he was there to see Ciel’s face.
Wasn’t that a rather domestic but erotic idea, Ciel thought. “Don’t put such ideas in my head when you’re a good mile away,” he complained with a smile, even if it went unnoticed by Sebastian.
Sebastian blinked, not expecting the answer that came from Ciel. “How many would you want?” He asked curiously as he glanced out the window. The sun was set by now and the street lights had turned on, flickering every now and then.
Ciel blinked. “How many what?” His voice was uncertain over the radio, and his attention was drawn away from his doodling and absentminded watching of the monitors.
“How many children do you want?” Sebastian repeated and leaned back on his elbows as he stretched out again.
There was a drawn out mumble of disjointed words as Ciel tried very hard to make sense of the question and give back an intelligent reply. It was a topic not broached much, if at all, since the family dinner in which they had announced their new titles. Ciel wasn’t comforted much at the thought that he still considered himself a boy, even though a man in age, and was too young to be thinking of such things.
“How many do you want?” Ciel threw back, finding it the safer alternative.
Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t know if I even want kids,” he answered honestly. It was something he had never given thought to, knowing that he wouldn’t be in a position to ever have any. Even now, they would have to go with the option of either adopting or having a surrogate carry the child.
“Then why ask? It’s not like it’s something we need to worry about.” It was true that the worry of having an unplanned pregnancy was null given their genders, but the subject of children was still not one they could fully ignore. Sooner or later it would come up with a blazing flag that wouldn’t be dismissed so easily.
“You asked first,” Sebastian pointed out and reached over to grab a small bag of food. His stomach was growling and demanded something to eat.
Ciel frowned for a moment, wondering how this all came back to him. “I didn’t ask first,” he said, sounding oddly defensive.
Sebastian nodded as he tossed a few raisins into his mouth. “You asked first, Ciel. And I quote, ‘What will you ever do when you have children of your own?’”
It then occurred to Ciel that he had indeed brought the subject up. When he had spoken those words, it had never really crossed his mind that Sebastian’s children would be his own. A blush painted his cheeks, and he fought for words to say. He felt embarrassed and a little unsure over the subject. The line ended up staying quiet as Ciel sunk down into thought with nothing more to say on the subject that he felt confident enough to voice.
The silence was comforting, and Sebastian waited patiently for the younger male to speak again. When it seemed as though Ciel was going to stay quiet, Sebastian cleared his throat. “Do you still want me to tell you a story?” He teased.
“Do you have something better than boys, elephants, and demons in that head of yours?” Ciel snapped back, but with nothing more than mild amusement. The sting of irritation and confusion was gone, and he was once more drawing in the dirt, a crude image of two tall stick figured men, one a head shorter than the other. There was hesitation as two shorter figures were drawn, one with pigtails and the other with a baseball cap, before a swipe of Ciel’s hand erased all traces of the images’ existence.
Sebastian shrugged and pushed the food aside to take a quick drink of water before answering. “Probably not. Let’s see,” he hummed softly. “There once was a man from Nantucket,” he started.
Ciel groaned. “Please stop right there before I suffer brain damage. Can’t you be creative? I mean seriously, I expected more from you.” In truth, Ciel hadn’t really expected much at all; if anything, something slightly inappropriate for a child’s story. “Let’s forget the story, shall we?”
“Fine by me,” Sebastian answered and covered a yawn. His body was tired and wanted nothing more than sleep, or at least have Ciel curled up next to him so this night wouldn’t be so boring and lonely.
Another thirty or so minutes passed in silence as Ciel settled himself to looking around his area and hoping some action would surface. When the most movement turned out to be a cat jumping a fence, it seemed like his patience would crack. “Is there anything to do?” He asked over the radio and shifted uncomfortably.
Sebastian shook his head. “Ciel, I know you’re bored but it’s what you have to do. Although usually this is why we have two people so one person can at least catch a nap,” Sebastian mused. “What do you want to do?”
“Jumping out this window is looking quite appealing.” Suicidal tendencies aside, Ciel wasn’t sure what he wanted to spend his time doing. Sleep was out of the question and there was only a small number of things one could do with themselves with only another over a phone, or in this case a radio. A thought struck him then, and Ciel couldn’t contain his smirk. “Tell me, Sebastian, what are you wearing?” He asked, tone dangerous.
“Clothes,” Sebastian answered and shifted slightly on his blanket. “Why do you ask?” He shifted again and felt the urge to use the bathroom, and he grumbled in annoyance. He hated stakeouts when there wasn’t a bathroom nearby.
“So I could better imagine myself taking them off you,” was the reply which met Ciel with nothing but silence on the other end. He seemed pleased with himself for thinking of such a pastime, and he fought to contain his smile.
Sebastian blinked a few times before he shook his head. “No,” he said quickly and stood up. “We’re not doing anything like that. We need to focus on this assignment so we can report back to Tanaka and put this behind us. I’ll be right back.”
Ciel complained but none of it was heard and the young man was left to the drone of a fuzzy radio as he left it fall from his ear. It wasn’t like anything was happening at the moment, and Ciel could multitask enough to glance at the thermal screen every now and then. What he had in mind only involved one hand at the very most and basic verbal skills. Not to mention they already had information enough for Tanaka; nothing bad would come out of a little fun.
There was a soft muted thump as Sebastian settled back down next to the radio and he sighed. “Did you push those thoughts out of your mind?” He asked curiously and glanced through his camera to find the warehouse annoyingly empty.
“Not entirely.” Or at all, but Ciel didn’t voice that. “You know you like it when I rake my nails down your chest. Just imagine me doing that. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
A small shiver worked its way through Sebastian’s body at the thought and he could feel the phantom nails trailing his chest. He quickly shook his head. “No. If we’re doing anything that involves you touching yourself, I want to be there to watch.” He sulked. “And I can’t currently do that.”
Ciel wasn’t perturbed in the least; if anything, his smirk grew. “Oh, but isn’t it so much more arousing to hear me gasp and moan under my own touch, as you try to imagine just what I’m doing to cause such delightful sounds? Or would you enjoy dictating the movement of my hands yourself?” He was being devious, but not so much as Sebastian could be when put up to it. There was little remorse felt and Ciel pushed onwards to his goal.
“As much as I like the sound of that,” Sebastian started, and he really enjoyed the imagery that came with it. “Tanaka would kill us when he found out, and I can assure you that he would find out. And he’ll make good use of his threat.”
“How would he find out? I’m not telling him, and I sure as hell hope you don’t find the urge to tell him either.” It was disconcerting how the old man knew everything. Ciel was hoping that it was something he too would acquire with age, but as of now, he found it rather annoying. “It’s not like he’s got us bugged.” But it was eerily possible.
Shaking his head, Sebastian glanced out at the warehouse. He refused to cave in to Ciel’s demands, no matter how tempting they sounded. “You can have fun with yourself,” he finally stated. “But I won’t be listening or participating.”
Well that wasn’t fun. “You would turn your radio off? What would happen if I got ambushed while I was pleasing myself? You wouldn’t be able to hear, and then who would come to my rescue?” It was only after Ciel spoke that he realized that he had just unknowingly given more reason against himself not to perform such lewd acts while on an assignment.
A low chuckle told Ciel that the reasoning didn’t go unnoticed but Sebastian didn’t say anything else on the subject. “Just relax, Ciel,” he stated. “It’s been a long day for you and the nighttime is a down shift for you. Go over some Spanish vocabulary in your head so you’re not so bored.”
“Spanish?” Ciel parroted. “Why Spanish?”
“Because Tanaka said that you were studying it, since you already know French.” He shifted to ease the pain in his tailbone. “You should be fluent in more languages.”
The prospect of more studies didn’t brighten Ciel’s mood any. “I can’t say I enjoy Spanish,” he mumbled between a pout. Next he would be forced to learn Italian, and from there he could only guess German. Wasn’t French enough? Apparently not.
Sebastian hummed. He didn’t enjoy learning the languages any more than Ciel when he had reached a certain age. But when he had first started training as a boy, the idea of learning a new language had been fun and easy to pick up. “¿Cómo estás?”
“No hablo español.” Was the reply Ciel gave with little enthusiasm. Truth be told, he had picked up a good amount of the language but he was in no mood to humor Sebastian with such things.
“Nihongo o hanashimasuka?” Sebastian fired back, his lips twitching with amusement. This was a more productive way to spend the night and help pass the boredom compared to the activity Ciel wished to partake in. Even though every nerve in Sebastian’s body itched to take Ciel up on the offer, he firmly stamped the urge down.
Ciel wasn’t sure what to say, let alone what language had just spilled from Sebastian’s mouth. His nose scrunched and he sighed in irritation. “Gesundheit,” Ciel said at last, feeling lame for giving such a comeback.
Sebastian shook his head and waved the word aside. “How about we play another game,” he suggested and glanced at the clock, noting that they still had five more hours until the sun rose once more.
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[Part Two]
