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akiruchanTitle: The Devil's Canvas
Chapter: 49 (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-Nine
The tick tock of the clock accompanied with the persistent tapping of a pen on wood filled the room. Tanaka shifted behind his desk, back straight and looking calm and collected. It was only the twitch of Tanaka’s wrist as he fiddled with his pen that showed the man’s true anxiety. His eyes were heavy and he felt far more tired than he let on. Every inch of his body screamed for rest and relaxation, but it wasn’t something he would allow for himself at the moment.
Instead he settled an even look on the woman and man seated before him. Doll sat in a wing back chair, a white sun dress covering her slim frame, making her look far more like the little girl she had once been. Tanaka couldn’t see her as a strong head of family that she now needed to be, but he did not voice his doubts.
“What offer would you like to lay upon the table?” Tanaka asked after a moment, the pen finally ceasing its tapping.
Doll shifted slightly and crossed her legs at her ankles before focusing on Tanaka. “Information,” she answered confidently. “We know where the rest of Joker’s gang is. We’ve been tracking them since they left our group and we know the way they move. We also know how they act and can tell you the best ways to take them out.”
For now, it was the best she could offer. They both knew how weak the gang currently was and offering to help destroy Joker’s gang was counterproductive. They would only get in the way and cause more causalities. It wasn’t much to offer, but in a situation like this, you couldn’t play all your cards right away.
“I would also appreciate it if our families continued being allies. Your father was a good friend, and I expand my friendship now to you.” It was better for everyone that they kept on good terms. Being two of the biggest families in Europe, it would only make things harder for one another if they began competing. Tanaka was offering some peace and help if it was ever needed, and he would not turn away help from the Kelvin family if needed.
Doll nodded, pleased with the offer. As of now, her family was weak despite their strength and she couldn’t ask such a thing of Tanaka. It had to be offered to her first. “I appreciate the offer very much,” she answered honestly. “As future allies, I would like you to also be informed about the contents of the will, especially after it caused so much trouble for you as well.”
Tanaka looked equally as pleased and slid the ring box across the table. “I would really like that,” he said, and sat back into his chair looking far more relaxed. Even a small smile managed to slip onto his face. This wasn’t an offer he had been expecting but he was most curious over what was hidden inside this ring that caused such a disaster.
“I will allow you to take the ring for now. You may review the info it holds and decide if there is anything that you feel uncomfortable with sharing with us.” It was an offer given in good faith. Tanaka knew that perhaps the contents of the ring might be far more personal than either individual considered, and if so then Tanaka had no right to ask for such information.
“Thank you,” Doll answered and reached for the ring. It was splattered with dried blood but she couldn’t bring herself to wipe it away in Tanaka’s presence. Instead, she tucked it away in her pocket for safe keeping. “Do you know how your members are doing?” She asked instead, knowing that Tanaka’s mind was probably on them even as they spoke.
Tanaka’s face darkened, before going blank. “They’re in surgery now,” he said slowly. “They were able to stabilize Ciel and had to rush him to surgery. I haven’t been given word since he was taken away, and Sebastian was awake last time I saw him. He’ll pull through.” Sebastian was a fighter, Tanaka knew that well enough. It was Ciel that Tanaka was unsure of. The boy was stubborn, but it seemed as if this time around he had been hellbent on dying alongside Sebastian. Tanaka could only hope that Ciel could sense that Sebastian was every bit alive.
Doll hummed in agreement. She had been out in the halls when Ciel was rushed upstairs to the infirmary. The screams that had left Sebastian’s mouth upon seeing the younger male had caused shivers to race up her spine and she sympathized with the man. If she was correct, Sebastian would be heading into surgery soon, since his had been delayed due to Ciel’s arrival. They’d had to sedate Sebastian again halfway through Ciel’s operation, as the older male kept trying to get out of bed to see Ciel.
Fever had set in again from the infection and Doll had only caught a glimpse of Sebastian from the hallway. Sweat had been dripping down his face and when she first saw him, she thought the male had been crying. Even now, she was unsure if the liquid was tears or sweat.
One glance at the clock on the wall and Tanaka was standing. “You’re probably tired,” he said as he rounded the desk. “I’ll have two rooms prepared for you and you’re more than welcome to relax until you are ready to leave.” He didn’t wish to rush Doll off, but there were more pressing matters at the moment.
“Thank you,” Doll answered and stood up as well. Her body was tired and there was no need to keep Tanaka waiting when he had his own matters to attend to. She inclined her head slightly to the man before turning around and leaving the room. She had her own matters to attend to and the ring weighed heavily in her pocket. They were both curious to see what the documents said and once morning came, she would be ready to give Tanaka her findings.
Tanaka followed her out, waving down Grell who was standing at the end of the hall. “Take them to the guest rooms and ready two of them,” he ordered and left the trio with a polite nod. All he wanted was to be back downstairs and waiting alongside everyone else as they awaited the doctor’s news. So far his phone had been quiet, and Tanaka had made it a point to check the device at least once every ten minutes. It was quickly becoming an anxious habit.
The stairs were taken two at a time, and he met the solemn group as he turned the corner. The Undertaker seemed to be off in his own word, smiling despite the situation. Alois and Claude were together, the younger man on his lap as they whispered to once another. It was an intimate sight, and Tanaka turned away. Ronald had shown up while Tanaka had been away. He was currently hearing the story of what had happened from Finny, getting added details from Mey-rin. Carmella was also among the small gathering. She was sitting alone, looking blank and pale with worry. It wasn’t every day that a casualty attracted so many people to come together. Ciel and Sebastian really had acquired a following.
“Tanaka,” Carmella called softly, drawing everyone’s attention to the older male. They all bowed their heads at him before looking up at him with solemn eyes, searching for something that could give them good news. The minutes had ticked on too long without any word from the doctors and the closed off room was silent after Sebastian had been sedated. And they could only imagine how horrible they would sound if Ciel didn’t make it through the surgery.
The old man only nodded and took his seat amongst the group. He was as clueless as they were, and there was little more that he could do but wait. They all looked to him, waiting for something he did not have. Tanaka remained silent, giving them nothing.
Slowly, one by one they went back to what they were doing, worrying in their own unique ways. Finny was the only one who continued to watch Tanaka with careful eyes. He shifted closer until Tanaka was forced to give him his attention. “Yes?” He asked and watched as Finny fidgeted nervously.
“They’ll both be okay, you know. We wouldn’t have been given such a blessing in Ciel if he wasn’t meant to live,” Finny assured, trying to calm his own nerves in the process.
Carmella nodded, silently agreeing with Finny. They were both strong and she had no doubt that they would make it through such an ordeal. They still had too many things left to do and knowing Ciel and Sebastian, they wouldn’t want to pass on without having the chance to do such things.
“And when they come to, they’ll go right back to annoying us,” Claude answered and Alois bobbed his head. “You know how those two get.”
“Everything annoys you.” Ron added, sweeping his arm up to rest it on the shoulders of a blushing Mey-rin. “Although I do have to agree that they did the best job of it.”
A chorus of giggles and laughter was passed around before everyone quickly sobered. It felt wrong to express any form of happy emotion at the moment. Everything was made all the worse by the look Tanaka was giving to the floor. No one wanted that gaze upon themselves.
The older man sighed heavily but remained silent with his words. It seemed as though he couldn’t find the right ones to say and it was only now that he wished to be free of the burden of leadership. To be able to pace and act impatient as they waited for news, or just to express feelings. They were things he wasn’t allowed to do in public and it felt wrong not to do so now.
A click of the doorknob had everyone rising from their seats as Will slipped past the door. He looked tired and a little annoyed but nothing more could be assessed from his expression alone. The whole room was waiting with baited breath as Will contented himself with drying off his hands in a small towel. Something that looked like blood clung to the front of the scrubs he had hastily put on. They might not have been in an actual hospital but Will had done a thorough job of keeping it as efficient and able as one.
Will looked up suddenly as if only then realizing the audience he had. “I don’t think they deserve this large of a gathering,” he grumbled under his breath and pocketed his towel.
“William,” Tanaka spoke quietly, the calm in his voice not giving away how anxious he was. Everyone in the room was waiting for an answer and he was no exception. More than anything, he needed to know the outcome of the situation. Especially since he considered himself partly responsible.
Will sighed and pushed up his glasses. “Sebastian just came out of surgery. His arm has been set in a cast and it will take a while to heal, along with some physical therapy classes to help strengthen it. His wounds were flushed out, cleaned, and stitched up. Infection had set in but he’s on antibiotics and he should pull through without a problem.”
“What about Ciel?” Finny asked softly. Out of the two of them, Ciel had been the closest to death.
“His heart stopped beating right before the surgery, but we were able to get it started again before the lack of oxygen caused any damage to his body,” Will stated. “The two gunshot wounds were taken care of and he’s been given blood, along with fluids. He’s weak now, but we’re confident that he’ll make it through the night as well.”
“No lasting damage?” Claude asked, asking more in interest of Sebastian’s health than with Ciel’s, but he cared just a little about Ciel as well. He’d rather have Ciel as heir than anyone else, he supposed.
Will frowned. “Sebastian’s muscles can be rebuilt with therapy and his arm might ache some when the seasons change, but that should be it. We’ll monitor him as time goes.” He paused and glanced back at the room where Ciel and Sebastian were resting. “The gunshot wound to Ciel’s hip will cause him the most damage. We were lucky it didn’t hit the bone, but merely grazed the top part of it. He’ll be in pain for a while but it’s better than having the bone shattered. He’ll have to undergo therapy as well so he can build up the strength in that leg so he doesn’t develop a limp.”
It wasn’t the sparkling all good news that everyone wanted to hear, but it was good enough to know that both Sebastian and Ciel would live and have a future for themselves. Finny sprouted a smile, truly happy that they had seemed to have such great fortune. “So they’ll be fine?” He had to ask, wanting to know once more for sure.
“They’ll be fine,” Will answered, looking far less pleased than anyone else in the room. Sebastian and Ciel would live another day to make his life miserable. He grumbled under his breath and moved down the hall past the group. “You can go see them, but only three at a time. They’re still asleep, but I don’t want you waking them up before they should.” And Will was gone, leaving Sebastian and Ciel in the hands of his assistants.
Tanaka stood up and moved to the door. He had every right to be the first person to see them and no one was going to argue the point. Finny and Claude trailed after him silently, not wanting to draw his wrath as they were also to blame for this mess.
“Be on your best behavior,” Tanaka stated, directing his comment to Finny who was the most likely to start bawling as soon as he saw the pair.
Finny nodded eagerly, craning his neck around Tanaka to try and get the first relieving glance. He was pulled back by Claude and given a firm look. They moved into the room side by side, Tanaka many steps ahead of them. For now they would give the man his time to be with Sebastian and Ciel. He deserved as much, and Claude and Finny would wait until it was appropriate timing for them to move closer.
Tanaka moved in between the beds, glancing first at Ciel and then at Sebastian. “You two are foolish idiots,” he hissed, taking in the battered bodies. “You don’t listen, you don’t wait, and you can’t control your damn libidos. I have every right to separate you two from now on, but I know that would cause more trouble in the end.”
A sigh left his mouth and his shoulders slumped. “I’m just glad you two are back. It wouldn’t have been the same without either of you.” He ran a hand over his face, wiping away any emotions. “But don’t think this means you’re not in trouble still.” The tone was meant to be harsh, but it came out soft as Tanaka couldn’t find it in himself to stay mad at them for now.
Sebastian and Ciel slept on unknowing to Tanaka’s words. It would be later that they got a generous dose of Tanaka’s feelings on the matter once they were awake and in better shape then they were now. For now they were in an ignorant bliss, free of pain, and free of worry.
Giving a small nod, Tanaka moved away from the beds. He was content in knowing and seeing that both Sebastian and Ciel were doing fine. Now he could rest and put his mind at ease for the rest of the night. “Go ahead and see them,” he said to Claude and Finny as he approached them.
They both nodded and watched as Tanaka made his leave. Finny stayed frozen for a moment, feeling intimidated and not yet wanting to move closer to the bed. A shove to his back had Finny stumbling forward. He would have fallen if Claude hadn’t caught him and righted him.
“Sorry,” Finny whispered and looked down at the beds in which Ciel and Sebastian laid. They both looked horrible, sickly and pale. Sebastian was slowly regaining a pink flush in his cheeks, but Finny was unsure if he could just blame that on the fever. The heart monitors beeped and calmed Finny’s nerves, knowing that there had to be a heartbeat to be showing the jagged lines across the screen. They were surely alive.
Claude moved next to Finny’s side, taking in the broken bodies. Battered and broken, but still alive, that much was a blessing and he stepped closer to Sebastian’s bed. He hadn’t expected to see the man alive again after he left the mansion to deliver the ring. To have him and Ciel back was a relief, especially knowing that Ciel was alive. He reached down and squeezed Sebastian’s hand lightly. “He’s alive,” he murmured to the sleeping man. “So keep fighting so you wake up and see him.”
Sebastian didn’t answer, but Claude hadn’t expected him to. He let go of the limp hand and turned away from the younger male so he could look at Ciel. He still looked pale but the heartbeat was stronger than it had been the first time and Claude could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that Ciel would make it.
It was sort of surreal to be seeing Ciel alive after having him confirmed dead early that morning. How had things changed so drastically and so wonderfully? Finny remembered the feeling that had coursed through him, a deep ache that felt like nothing else. He had cried so much and yet here he stood, being given back the friend he had thought he had lost.
Finny didn’t say much, not knowing what he could say. So much as a single utterance or a simple touch felt as if it could break Ciel or Sebastian. He didn’t want to end up changing the ties. Finny still feared that he would wake up to find this all a dream.
Seeing that Finny wasn’t going to be saying anything, Claude tugged lightly at his arm. “Come on, let’s let them rest for now. Watching them like this isn’t going to wake them up any quicker and we should give them their peace.”
With a slow nod, Finny allowed himself to be steered out of the room. He glanced back quickly to get one last look at Sebastian and Ciel before they were out of sight. The knowledge that he would see them again soon calmed him, and he hoped that next time, he’d be able to see their laughing faces as well.
----------
An annoying beeping sound was the thing to reach Sebastian’s ears as he slowly woke up. It was a constant noise that pulsed in his ears and quickly formed a headache. His whole body ached and the sound was hurting his sensitive ears. He shifted slightly in the bed, only to groan when the pain raced through his body, feeling as though he had been run over by a truck, and his head felt thick and fuzzy.
His arm was heavy and to Sebastian’s annoyance, he could feel the catheter that was attached to his penis. A scowl formed across his lips; he hated the catheter. It was embarrassing and he wondered how long it would be until he could take it out. Hopefully soon or Sebastian would have someone’s head.
The noise continued, steady and strong until Sebastian couldn’t stand it anymore and his eyes opened. They shut again as white light blinded him and tears wet his eyes at the harshness of it. Slowly, they blinked open until his eyes were able to adjust to the light, and he was able to look at his surroundings.
The past day instantly came back to him as he took in the hospital like setting around him, and his heart started to race. Ciel. Sebastian had last seen the younger male being rushed into surgery and had heard the monitor flat line before he had passed out. What had happened after that was a blur. He remembered screaming for Ciel when he woke up again while Claude tried to restrain him once more. Will was there with a needle and Sebastian could only guess that he had been sedated again before nothing came to mind after that.
But Sebastian still didn’t know whether or not Ciel made it through the surgery, and Sebastian’s fingers curled into a fist. He needed to know, needed to find the younger male so he wasn’t alone. He struggled to sit up, the cast on his arm hindering the movement more than anything and all too soon, Sebastian was a panting mess, forced to collapse back on the bed.
A low whine left his throat as desperation clawed at him. Every fiber of his being wanted to see Ciel, and his eyes darted around the room, searching for something that could help him get out of bed. They froze, though, when they landed on the bed next to him and Sebastian sucked in a deep breath.
Ashen black hair spread out on the white pillow and the blankets moved up and down in a steady beat that Sebastian found himself matching. IV’s dripped into pale skin, providing fluids and blood to the younger male while machines beeped out constant information.
“Ciel,” Sebastian breathed and craned his neck to see if the younger male was awake.
Ciel didn’t even flinch to indicate that he had heard Sebastian. He was still under the influence of post surgery and medication to be aware of the man one bed over. The waking world was still lost to Ciel, but the beginning fibers of consciousness were slowly being brought together. Ciel’s eyebrows twitched and then furrowed. The pain of surgery was becoming the catalyst to Ciel’s waking. It would still be a moment or two, but Ciel was slowly coming to despite his body’s need for more rest.
Sebastian shifted in the bed again, trying to find the energy to sit up. His body screamed at him that he shouldn’t, but he wanted to be next to Ciel, needed to see and feel for himself that the younger male was still alive. With a low groan, he pulled himself up, his stomach muscles protesting as the skin stretched and stitches threatened to tear. The monitor next to him was beeping faster and louder now, and Will would no doubt be in the room any moment now.
The door burst open the moment Sebastian pulled himself up into a sitting position, and he heard Will yell his name. Sebastian glared at the man as he rushed over to the bed, trying to stop him from leaving. “Don’t touch me, Will,” he croaked, throat dry.
“You idiot,” Will hissed. “You’re tearing out your stitches. Ciel’s not awake yet and probably won’t be for a while. You can help him by stop hurting yourself in an attempt to see him.”
Sebastian shook his head. “I want to be closer to him,” he protested and glanced over at Ciel, making sure that the younger male was still all right.
Will cursed under his breath and leveled both Sebastian and the sleeping Ciel with a nasty glare. Truth that the moment Sebastian woke up he would be making Will’s life miserable once more. He was very tempted to sedate Sebastian once more or merely tie the man to the bed. Instead he decided to go with an option that would save him further headaches.
Swiftly, Will moved around to the other side of the bed, before Sebastian could protest further, and began to slide the bed closer to Ciel’s It seemed to weigh a ton, and Will toyed with the idea of suggesting Sebastian going on a diet, but he wanted this done and over with sooner rather than later. The machines were resituated and Will backed up to look at his handiwork.
“Will you stay in bed and relax now?” He bit out.
Sebastian glanced at the touching beds before turning to Will and nodded. “This will work just fine. Thank you.” He reached over and grabbed Ciel’s hand through the bars that kept them from rolling off the bed. The touch was familiar, and Sebastian squeezed it gently, glad that he could finally hold Ciel again, and know that he was alive.
Will wasn’t softened by the show of affection and he merely frowned all the more. “I have Grell acting as nurse. He’ll be coming in soon to check you over.” He turned to leave, but stopped short of the door. “Stay in bed. One stitch out of place and you’ll regret it.” Will warned and left.
Sebastian ignored the man, too focused on the contact he had with Ciel. His thumb stroked over the soft skin, feeling the warmth in Ciel’s hand and the pulse that told Sebastian that Ciel was still alive. He wanted to hold him more, but the vast amount of IV lines made it impossible and Sebastian didn’t want to injure Ciel by pulling one out. For now, he would be content with this.
He stretched over the bed until his stomach muscles protested and pressed a soft kiss on Ciel’s temple. “I love you,” he whispered and pulled back slowly, allowing his fingers to lace through Ciel’s once more.
A low groan left Ciel, and his fingers moved beneath Sebastian’s hand. He was vaguely aware of being touched, hand being held in a warm grip. Ciel didn’t want to open his eyes, not when his body felt stiff and every part of him ached. He moaned as he tried to remember what had happened to cause him to be in such a state, but his medicated mind supplied him with very little at the moment.
It was only after a small battle that his eyes finally opened, blue eye looking more grey in the dim light. Only, Ciel realized, it was one eye in which he was looking out of. His right eye was nothing but a black blur. Try as he might he could not open it, the action only causing a searing pain to jolt within Ciel’s head. He gasped, and his eye fell closed once more.
“What happened?” He asked to no one, not expecting any divine answer.
“You were stupid,” Sebastian answered softly. “You came back to rescue me even though I told you not to.” He squeezed the hand again, glad to see that Ciel was awake. He wouldn’t tell Ciel how close to death they had been; Ciel didn’t need to know that.
Ciel’s eyes snapped open, and he slowly turned his head to the side. “Sebastian?” He asked as if he didn’t quite believe it. The man’s words soaked in and fuzzy memories came to the surface, bits and pieces of the horrors that they had both faced.
“You’re alive?” Ciel did remember the bombs, being shot, and then nothing. Somehow it felt as if they shouldn’t be lying here right now, talking to one another. They shouldn’t be alive, yet Ciel was ecstatically happy to find that wasn’t the case. It hurt, but Ciel smiled.
“We’re both alive,” Sebastian corrected and reached up to stroke Ciel’s face. “I’m sure Tanaka will have our heads, but we’re still alive and we have each other. Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
Seeing Ciel that close to death had scared Sebastian in a way that he had never thought possible. To feel that sort of terror due to the thought of losing someone was something he had never experienced before, and it was something Sebastian didn’t want to repeat ever again.
“I can see that,” Ciel laughed, but stopped short, his mouth dry and throat sore. “I feel like shit.” There was a deep frown on his face as he took notice of the exact state of his body. He felt heavy as if he had been unmoving for far too long. It took all of his strength to raise his arm and tenderly touch the new bandages covering his ruined eye. His opposite shoulder burned with the effort it took, but it was dull in comparison to the stabbing pain of his hip. Suddenly he wished he could go back to sleep.
“You’ll feel that way for a while,” Sebastian answered. “It’ll fade with time though, and soon you’ll have a scar that has a story to tell.” He glanced down at his own broken arm, knowing that it would ache at times when the weather changed and he’d have to build up his muscles again. But all things considering, he was lucky.
The mental trauma, though, would be different. It would linger longer than the physical problems and would be harder to treat. But he knew that if he woke screaming in the middle of the night, someone would be there, and that made things better.
Ciel hummed and closed his eye. “Just what I need, more scars.” He could just imagine how they would look, raised pale lines marring his skin, the worst of all the disfigurement of his face. Ciel didn’t even what to think of how badly the gash across his eye would scar. Surely he would no longer look like the Ciel that Sebastian had fallen in love with. The thought that Sebastian might find him unsightly was unsettling, but Ciel did not allow himself to worry over such things at the moment. Not when he did not know how well it would heal.
“Scars can be sexy,” Sebastian said softly, thinking of his own and how many littered his body.
A crack of blue could be seen as Ciel opened his eye just wide enough to look at Sebastian. “I don’t think you have much of a choice but to find them sexy now,” he said after a moment. “If not, then I think it’ll make things a little difficult for us.” It was meant to be said in a teasing tone, but there was a stiffness to Ciel’s tone that spoke of more than just a playful jest.
Sebastian squeezed Ciel’s hand. “Don’t think like that. I love you no less, no matter what’s going on inside that little head of yours.” He glanced up as the door opened, Grell appearing in his line of sight and looking happy to see them awake. Sebastian gave the hand another small squeeze. “I love you, no matter what,” he stated firmly.
“Well, I suppose it’s good to see you up,” Grell said more to Sebastian than to Ciel. He wore a smile as he went straight to work, checking over Sebastian’s vitals and scribbling some stuff on a clipboard. “Is the pain tolerable?” At the moment, Will had instructed Grell not to administer pain medication unless it was absolutely needed. No need to keep the two of them under the influence of meds when it wasn’t needed. For now it would be better if they stayed aware.
“It’s livable,” Sebastian answered and looked over at Ciel. “But Ciel’s are more serious and you should probably be checking over him first,” he said with a smile. Ciel had already mentioned that he was in pain and Sebastian didn’t want the younger male suffering anymore than he already had.
Ciel’s cheeks puffed and he gave Sebastian an annoyed look. “I’m fine. They just hurt if I move too much.” It wasn’t far from the truth. There was only a dull throb that pulsed through Ciel’s body at a constant level. For now he could stand it.
“See, he’s fine,” Grell commented, moving over to check Ciel over just as he had Sebastian, although his bedside manner seemed to have dropped to nonexistent. Ciel’s current health was written down and Grell moved back to Sebastian, looking irritatingly pleased about something. “I’m going to go check in with Will, and then I’ll be back to remove that catheter.”
Sebastian paled slightly at the thought of Grell handling the catheter. “I think it’s a little too soon to take it out,” he stated. “Will told me that I can’t get out of the bed yet, and I’d rather not wet the bed because you took it out early.” There was no way he was going to let Grell touch his penis or come anywhere near it.
Grell seemed to deflate just a bit. “Well then I suppose we shall have to wait.” He batted his eye lashes, and looked far too excited at the idea.
It was Ciel who spoke up this time, not liking where this conversation was quickly headed. “I do hope that we include Sebastian and myself, minus you,” he said, tone dry.
Grell huffed and glared at Ciel. “I highly doubt that you know how to properly remove a catheter without causing damage to the penis. It’s a tricky device that you don’t know how to use, and I’m sure you’ve never gone far enough in your sexual escapades to try sounding.”
Sebastian sighed and waved Grell away, not in the mood to deal with the man. His head was already starting to hurt once more, and he simply wanted more alone time with Ciel.
“I wasn’t suggesting myself for the job,” Ciel mumbled under his breath as Grell stalked out of the room in a huff. Once the man was gone, Ciel returned his attention back to Sebastian and gave him a curious look. “Sounding?” He asked, looking perplexed.
“A form of sexual pleasure,” Sebastian answered as he lowered himself back onto the pillow and sighed in relief as his body relaxed on the bed once more. “Where something thin is inserted into the tip of your penis to stimulate the prostate.”
Ciel squirmed in his bed at the thought, finally becoming aware of his own catheter for the first time. He blushed, and realized that he definitely did not find the idea of sounding to be pleasant. “We are scratching that off of our sexual to-do list,” he said, feeling more aware and awake than he had been feeling previously.
Sebastian chuckled. “It’s not as bad as it sounds,” he stated and let his eyes close as he pushed any thoughts of sexual activity away from his mind. Neither of them were in such a position to do something like that.
A small laugh left Ciel. It felt good to talk with Sebastian like this. At one point he had believed that they would never have moments like this again. It made him happy. “You say that as if you’ve done it before.” But Ciel didn’t push the subject past that. No matter how normal the situation seemed to become, it still didn’t override the fact that Ciel was injured. Having just woken up from the ordeal and surgery he had gone through was slowly catching up with him, and grogginess was beginning its creep into Ciel’s consciousness. He yawned and sent Sebastian a lazy smile.
“Sleep,” Sebastian cooed. “I’ll still be here when you wake up and nothing will happen,” he said with certainty. They were safe for now and nothing was going to take Ciel away from him. He brought Ciel’s hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on the male’s knuckles, hoping to calm him some.
“You better be.” Ciel yawn again, eyes drooping. “I’d hate to have to chase you down again.” He squeezed Sebastian’s hand, being reassured that the man was so close to him now, even after how far they had been previously. It was a wonder that they had made it through everything they had endured. Ciel still didn’t know how they survived the bombs, but now was not the time to ask that. If he had learned anything in this moment, it was just how easily their lives could change and end. They had come so close to death that Ciel now feared it all the more. His hand gripped tighter onto Sebastian and he tried to clear away such thoughts for the time being.
Sebastian ran his thumb over Ciel’s hand as the younger male gripped his own in a tight hold. The heart monitor started to beat faster, showing that Ciel was thinking of something that was making him worried, and Sebastian shifted closer to the edge of the bed, trying to provide support. “It’ll be fine, Ciel,” he murmured. “Don’t think about it.”
Ciel blinked a tired eye open. “Do you really know that?” He asked, voice strained. He didn’t want to think about all of this now. Not when he had been so happy to be with Sebastian once more, but it just wouldn’t leave his mind. It stayed no matter how hard he willed it away.
A frown settled over Sebastian’s face. No, he didn’t really know that but now wasn’t the time to be talking about such things. “Later,” he said finally. “We’ll talk about this later. You need to sleep for now and know that I’ll still be here when you wake up.”
“Promise?” Ciel asked, grabbing onto Sebastian all the tighter. He was sure he was probably hurting Sebastian, but he couldn’t bring himself to let him go.
“I promise,” Sebastian answered. Even if he had to stay awake while Ciel slept, watching over the younger male, he would. “I won’t let go of your hand and I won’t leave.”
“I’ll kill you myself if you do,” Ciel threatened as his eyes finally closed once more and he sunk deeper into his pillows and bedding. It felt so warm and comforting despite the pain, and Ciel tried to allow himself to relax and give into sleep. Sebastian would be there when he woke, and the sooner he fell into the bliss of sleep, the sooner he would then be waking to find Sebastian just the way he had left him. Finally after many moments, Ciel gave in to slumber and floated off into pleasant dreams.
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[Part Two]
Chapter: 49 (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-Nine
The tick tock of the clock accompanied with the persistent tapping of a pen on wood filled the room. Tanaka shifted behind his desk, back straight and looking calm and collected. It was only the twitch of Tanaka’s wrist as he fiddled with his pen that showed the man’s true anxiety. His eyes were heavy and he felt far more tired than he let on. Every inch of his body screamed for rest and relaxation, but it wasn’t something he would allow for himself at the moment.
Instead he settled an even look on the woman and man seated before him. Doll sat in a wing back chair, a white sun dress covering her slim frame, making her look far more like the little girl she had once been. Tanaka couldn’t see her as a strong head of family that she now needed to be, but he did not voice his doubts.
“What offer would you like to lay upon the table?” Tanaka asked after a moment, the pen finally ceasing its tapping.
Doll shifted slightly and crossed her legs at her ankles before focusing on Tanaka. “Information,” she answered confidently. “We know where the rest of Joker’s gang is. We’ve been tracking them since they left our group and we know the way they move. We also know how they act and can tell you the best ways to take them out.”
For now, it was the best she could offer. They both knew how weak the gang currently was and offering to help destroy Joker’s gang was counterproductive. They would only get in the way and cause more causalities. It wasn’t much to offer, but in a situation like this, you couldn’t play all your cards right away.
“I would also appreciate it if our families continued being allies. Your father was a good friend, and I expand my friendship now to you.” It was better for everyone that they kept on good terms. Being two of the biggest families in Europe, it would only make things harder for one another if they began competing. Tanaka was offering some peace and help if it was ever needed, and he would not turn away help from the Kelvin family if needed.
Doll nodded, pleased with the offer. As of now, her family was weak despite their strength and she couldn’t ask such a thing of Tanaka. It had to be offered to her first. “I appreciate the offer very much,” she answered honestly. “As future allies, I would like you to also be informed about the contents of the will, especially after it caused so much trouble for you as well.”
Tanaka looked equally as pleased and slid the ring box across the table. “I would really like that,” he said, and sat back into his chair looking far more relaxed. Even a small smile managed to slip onto his face. This wasn’t an offer he had been expecting but he was most curious over what was hidden inside this ring that caused such a disaster.
“I will allow you to take the ring for now. You may review the info it holds and decide if there is anything that you feel uncomfortable with sharing with us.” It was an offer given in good faith. Tanaka knew that perhaps the contents of the ring might be far more personal than either individual considered, and if so then Tanaka had no right to ask for such information.
“Thank you,” Doll answered and reached for the ring. It was splattered with dried blood but she couldn’t bring herself to wipe it away in Tanaka’s presence. Instead, she tucked it away in her pocket for safe keeping. “Do you know how your members are doing?” She asked instead, knowing that Tanaka’s mind was probably on them even as they spoke.
Tanaka’s face darkened, before going blank. “They’re in surgery now,” he said slowly. “They were able to stabilize Ciel and had to rush him to surgery. I haven’t been given word since he was taken away, and Sebastian was awake last time I saw him. He’ll pull through.” Sebastian was a fighter, Tanaka knew that well enough. It was Ciel that Tanaka was unsure of. The boy was stubborn, but it seemed as if this time around he had been hellbent on dying alongside Sebastian. Tanaka could only hope that Ciel could sense that Sebastian was every bit alive.
Doll hummed in agreement. She had been out in the halls when Ciel was rushed upstairs to the infirmary. The screams that had left Sebastian’s mouth upon seeing the younger male had caused shivers to race up her spine and she sympathized with the man. If she was correct, Sebastian would be heading into surgery soon, since his had been delayed due to Ciel’s arrival. They’d had to sedate Sebastian again halfway through Ciel’s operation, as the older male kept trying to get out of bed to see Ciel.
Fever had set in again from the infection and Doll had only caught a glimpse of Sebastian from the hallway. Sweat had been dripping down his face and when she first saw him, she thought the male had been crying. Even now, she was unsure if the liquid was tears or sweat.
One glance at the clock on the wall and Tanaka was standing. “You’re probably tired,” he said as he rounded the desk. “I’ll have two rooms prepared for you and you’re more than welcome to relax until you are ready to leave.” He didn’t wish to rush Doll off, but there were more pressing matters at the moment.
“Thank you,” Doll answered and stood up as well. Her body was tired and there was no need to keep Tanaka waiting when he had his own matters to attend to. She inclined her head slightly to the man before turning around and leaving the room. She had her own matters to attend to and the ring weighed heavily in her pocket. They were both curious to see what the documents said and once morning came, she would be ready to give Tanaka her findings.
Tanaka followed her out, waving down Grell who was standing at the end of the hall. “Take them to the guest rooms and ready two of them,” he ordered and left the trio with a polite nod. All he wanted was to be back downstairs and waiting alongside everyone else as they awaited the doctor’s news. So far his phone had been quiet, and Tanaka had made it a point to check the device at least once every ten minutes. It was quickly becoming an anxious habit.
The stairs were taken two at a time, and he met the solemn group as he turned the corner. The Undertaker seemed to be off in his own word, smiling despite the situation. Alois and Claude were together, the younger man on his lap as they whispered to once another. It was an intimate sight, and Tanaka turned away. Ronald had shown up while Tanaka had been away. He was currently hearing the story of what had happened from Finny, getting added details from Mey-rin. Carmella was also among the small gathering. She was sitting alone, looking blank and pale with worry. It wasn’t every day that a casualty attracted so many people to come together. Ciel and Sebastian really had acquired a following.
“Tanaka,” Carmella called softly, drawing everyone’s attention to the older male. They all bowed their heads at him before looking up at him with solemn eyes, searching for something that could give them good news. The minutes had ticked on too long without any word from the doctors and the closed off room was silent after Sebastian had been sedated. And they could only imagine how horrible they would sound if Ciel didn’t make it through the surgery.
The old man only nodded and took his seat amongst the group. He was as clueless as they were, and there was little more that he could do but wait. They all looked to him, waiting for something he did not have. Tanaka remained silent, giving them nothing.
Slowly, one by one they went back to what they were doing, worrying in their own unique ways. Finny was the only one who continued to watch Tanaka with careful eyes. He shifted closer until Tanaka was forced to give him his attention. “Yes?” He asked and watched as Finny fidgeted nervously.
“They’ll both be okay, you know. We wouldn’t have been given such a blessing in Ciel if he wasn’t meant to live,” Finny assured, trying to calm his own nerves in the process.
Carmella nodded, silently agreeing with Finny. They were both strong and she had no doubt that they would make it through such an ordeal. They still had too many things left to do and knowing Ciel and Sebastian, they wouldn’t want to pass on without having the chance to do such things.
“And when they come to, they’ll go right back to annoying us,” Claude answered and Alois bobbed his head. “You know how those two get.”
“Everything annoys you.” Ron added, sweeping his arm up to rest it on the shoulders of a blushing Mey-rin. “Although I do have to agree that they did the best job of it.”
A chorus of giggles and laughter was passed around before everyone quickly sobered. It felt wrong to express any form of happy emotion at the moment. Everything was made all the worse by the look Tanaka was giving to the floor. No one wanted that gaze upon themselves.
The older man sighed heavily but remained silent with his words. It seemed as though he couldn’t find the right ones to say and it was only now that he wished to be free of the burden of leadership. To be able to pace and act impatient as they waited for news, or just to express feelings. They were things he wasn’t allowed to do in public and it felt wrong not to do so now.
A click of the doorknob had everyone rising from their seats as Will slipped past the door. He looked tired and a little annoyed but nothing more could be assessed from his expression alone. The whole room was waiting with baited breath as Will contented himself with drying off his hands in a small towel. Something that looked like blood clung to the front of the scrubs he had hastily put on. They might not have been in an actual hospital but Will had done a thorough job of keeping it as efficient and able as one.
Will looked up suddenly as if only then realizing the audience he had. “I don’t think they deserve this large of a gathering,” he grumbled under his breath and pocketed his towel.
“William,” Tanaka spoke quietly, the calm in his voice not giving away how anxious he was. Everyone in the room was waiting for an answer and he was no exception. More than anything, he needed to know the outcome of the situation. Especially since he considered himself partly responsible.
Will sighed and pushed up his glasses. “Sebastian just came out of surgery. His arm has been set in a cast and it will take a while to heal, along with some physical therapy classes to help strengthen it. His wounds were flushed out, cleaned, and stitched up. Infection had set in but he’s on antibiotics and he should pull through without a problem.”
“What about Ciel?” Finny asked softly. Out of the two of them, Ciel had been the closest to death.
“His heart stopped beating right before the surgery, but we were able to get it started again before the lack of oxygen caused any damage to his body,” Will stated. “The two gunshot wounds were taken care of and he’s been given blood, along with fluids. He’s weak now, but we’re confident that he’ll make it through the night as well.”
“No lasting damage?” Claude asked, asking more in interest of Sebastian’s health than with Ciel’s, but he cared just a little about Ciel as well. He’d rather have Ciel as heir than anyone else, he supposed.
Will frowned. “Sebastian’s muscles can be rebuilt with therapy and his arm might ache some when the seasons change, but that should be it. We’ll monitor him as time goes.” He paused and glanced back at the room where Ciel and Sebastian were resting. “The gunshot wound to Ciel’s hip will cause him the most damage. We were lucky it didn’t hit the bone, but merely grazed the top part of it. He’ll be in pain for a while but it’s better than having the bone shattered. He’ll have to undergo therapy as well so he can build up the strength in that leg so he doesn’t develop a limp.”
It wasn’t the sparkling all good news that everyone wanted to hear, but it was good enough to know that both Sebastian and Ciel would live and have a future for themselves. Finny sprouted a smile, truly happy that they had seemed to have such great fortune. “So they’ll be fine?” He had to ask, wanting to know once more for sure.
“They’ll be fine,” Will answered, looking far less pleased than anyone else in the room. Sebastian and Ciel would live another day to make his life miserable. He grumbled under his breath and moved down the hall past the group. “You can go see them, but only three at a time. They’re still asleep, but I don’t want you waking them up before they should.” And Will was gone, leaving Sebastian and Ciel in the hands of his assistants.
Tanaka stood up and moved to the door. He had every right to be the first person to see them and no one was going to argue the point. Finny and Claude trailed after him silently, not wanting to draw his wrath as they were also to blame for this mess.
“Be on your best behavior,” Tanaka stated, directing his comment to Finny who was the most likely to start bawling as soon as he saw the pair.
Finny nodded eagerly, craning his neck around Tanaka to try and get the first relieving glance. He was pulled back by Claude and given a firm look. They moved into the room side by side, Tanaka many steps ahead of them. For now they would give the man his time to be with Sebastian and Ciel. He deserved as much, and Claude and Finny would wait until it was appropriate timing for them to move closer.
Tanaka moved in between the beds, glancing first at Ciel and then at Sebastian. “You two are foolish idiots,” he hissed, taking in the battered bodies. “You don’t listen, you don’t wait, and you can’t control your damn libidos. I have every right to separate you two from now on, but I know that would cause more trouble in the end.”
A sigh left his mouth and his shoulders slumped. “I’m just glad you two are back. It wouldn’t have been the same without either of you.” He ran a hand over his face, wiping away any emotions. “But don’t think this means you’re not in trouble still.” The tone was meant to be harsh, but it came out soft as Tanaka couldn’t find it in himself to stay mad at them for now.
Sebastian and Ciel slept on unknowing to Tanaka’s words. It would be later that they got a generous dose of Tanaka’s feelings on the matter once they were awake and in better shape then they were now. For now they were in an ignorant bliss, free of pain, and free of worry.
Giving a small nod, Tanaka moved away from the beds. He was content in knowing and seeing that both Sebastian and Ciel were doing fine. Now he could rest and put his mind at ease for the rest of the night. “Go ahead and see them,” he said to Claude and Finny as he approached them.
They both nodded and watched as Tanaka made his leave. Finny stayed frozen for a moment, feeling intimidated and not yet wanting to move closer to the bed. A shove to his back had Finny stumbling forward. He would have fallen if Claude hadn’t caught him and righted him.
“Sorry,” Finny whispered and looked down at the beds in which Ciel and Sebastian laid. They both looked horrible, sickly and pale. Sebastian was slowly regaining a pink flush in his cheeks, but Finny was unsure if he could just blame that on the fever. The heart monitors beeped and calmed Finny’s nerves, knowing that there had to be a heartbeat to be showing the jagged lines across the screen. They were surely alive.
Claude moved next to Finny’s side, taking in the broken bodies. Battered and broken, but still alive, that much was a blessing and he stepped closer to Sebastian’s bed. He hadn’t expected to see the man alive again after he left the mansion to deliver the ring. To have him and Ciel back was a relief, especially knowing that Ciel was alive. He reached down and squeezed Sebastian’s hand lightly. “He’s alive,” he murmured to the sleeping man. “So keep fighting so you wake up and see him.”
Sebastian didn’t answer, but Claude hadn’t expected him to. He let go of the limp hand and turned away from the younger male so he could look at Ciel. He still looked pale but the heartbeat was stronger than it had been the first time and Claude could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that Ciel would make it.
It was sort of surreal to be seeing Ciel alive after having him confirmed dead early that morning. How had things changed so drastically and so wonderfully? Finny remembered the feeling that had coursed through him, a deep ache that felt like nothing else. He had cried so much and yet here he stood, being given back the friend he had thought he had lost.
Finny didn’t say much, not knowing what he could say. So much as a single utterance or a simple touch felt as if it could break Ciel or Sebastian. He didn’t want to end up changing the ties. Finny still feared that he would wake up to find this all a dream.
Seeing that Finny wasn’t going to be saying anything, Claude tugged lightly at his arm. “Come on, let’s let them rest for now. Watching them like this isn’t going to wake them up any quicker and we should give them their peace.”
With a slow nod, Finny allowed himself to be steered out of the room. He glanced back quickly to get one last look at Sebastian and Ciel before they were out of sight. The knowledge that he would see them again soon calmed him, and he hoped that next time, he’d be able to see their laughing faces as well.
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An annoying beeping sound was the thing to reach Sebastian’s ears as he slowly woke up. It was a constant noise that pulsed in his ears and quickly formed a headache. His whole body ached and the sound was hurting his sensitive ears. He shifted slightly in the bed, only to groan when the pain raced through his body, feeling as though he had been run over by a truck, and his head felt thick and fuzzy.
His arm was heavy and to Sebastian’s annoyance, he could feel the catheter that was attached to his penis. A scowl formed across his lips; he hated the catheter. It was embarrassing and he wondered how long it would be until he could take it out. Hopefully soon or Sebastian would have someone’s head.
The noise continued, steady and strong until Sebastian couldn’t stand it anymore and his eyes opened. They shut again as white light blinded him and tears wet his eyes at the harshness of it. Slowly, they blinked open until his eyes were able to adjust to the light, and he was able to look at his surroundings.
The past day instantly came back to him as he took in the hospital like setting around him, and his heart started to race. Ciel. Sebastian had last seen the younger male being rushed into surgery and had heard the monitor flat line before he had passed out. What had happened after that was a blur. He remembered screaming for Ciel when he woke up again while Claude tried to restrain him once more. Will was there with a needle and Sebastian could only guess that he had been sedated again before nothing came to mind after that.
But Sebastian still didn’t know whether or not Ciel made it through the surgery, and Sebastian’s fingers curled into a fist. He needed to know, needed to find the younger male so he wasn’t alone. He struggled to sit up, the cast on his arm hindering the movement more than anything and all too soon, Sebastian was a panting mess, forced to collapse back on the bed.
A low whine left his throat as desperation clawed at him. Every fiber of his being wanted to see Ciel, and his eyes darted around the room, searching for something that could help him get out of bed. They froze, though, when they landed on the bed next to him and Sebastian sucked in a deep breath.
Ashen black hair spread out on the white pillow and the blankets moved up and down in a steady beat that Sebastian found himself matching. IV’s dripped into pale skin, providing fluids and blood to the younger male while machines beeped out constant information.
“Ciel,” Sebastian breathed and craned his neck to see if the younger male was awake.
Ciel didn’t even flinch to indicate that he had heard Sebastian. He was still under the influence of post surgery and medication to be aware of the man one bed over. The waking world was still lost to Ciel, but the beginning fibers of consciousness were slowly being brought together. Ciel’s eyebrows twitched and then furrowed. The pain of surgery was becoming the catalyst to Ciel’s waking. It would still be a moment or two, but Ciel was slowly coming to despite his body’s need for more rest.
Sebastian shifted in the bed again, trying to find the energy to sit up. His body screamed at him that he shouldn’t, but he wanted to be next to Ciel, needed to see and feel for himself that the younger male was still alive. With a low groan, he pulled himself up, his stomach muscles protesting as the skin stretched and stitches threatened to tear. The monitor next to him was beeping faster and louder now, and Will would no doubt be in the room any moment now.
The door burst open the moment Sebastian pulled himself up into a sitting position, and he heard Will yell his name. Sebastian glared at the man as he rushed over to the bed, trying to stop him from leaving. “Don’t touch me, Will,” he croaked, throat dry.
“You idiot,” Will hissed. “You’re tearing out your stitches. Ciel’s not awake yet and probably won’t be for a while. You can help him by stop hurting yourself in an attempt to see him.”
Sebastian shook his head. “I want to be closer to him,” he protested and glanced over at Ciel, making sure that the younger male was still all right.
Will cursed under his breath and leveled both Sebastian and the sleeping Ciel with a nasty glare. Truth that the moment Sebastian woke up he would be making Will’s life miserable once more. He was very tempted to sedate Sebastian once more or merely tie the man to the bed. Instead he decided to go with an option that would save him further headaches.
Swiftly, Will moved around to the other side of the bed, before Sebastian could protest further, and began to slide the bed closer to Ciel’s It seemed to weigh a ton, and Will toyed with the idea of suggesting Sebastian going on a diet, but he wanted this done and over with sooner rather than later. The machines were resituated and Will backed up to look at his handiwork.
“Will you stay in bed and relax now?” He bit out.
Sebastian glanced at the touching beds before turning to Will and nodded. “This will work just fine. Thank you.” He reached over and grabbed Ciel’s hand through the bars that kept them from rolling off the bed. The touch was familiar, and Sebastian squeezed it gently, glad that he could finally hold Ciel again, and know that he was alive.
Will wasn’t softened by the show of affection and he merely frowned all the more. “I have Grell acting as nurse. He’ll be coming in soon to check you over.” He turned to leave, but stopped short of the door. “Stay in bed. One stitch out of place and you’ll regret it.” Will warned and left.
Sebastian ignored the man, too focused on the contact he had with Ciel. His thumb stroked over the soft skin, feeling the warmth in Ciel’s hand and the pulse that told Sebastian that Ciel was still alive. He wanted to hold him more, but the vast amount of IV lines made it impossible and Sebastian didn’t want to injure Ciel by pulling one out. For now, he would be content with this.
He stretched over the bed until his stomach muscles protested and pressed a soft kiss on Ciel’s temple. “I love you,” he whispered and pulled back slowly, allowing his fingers to lace through Ciel’s once more.
A low groan left Ciel, and his fingers moved beneath Sebastian’s hand. He was vaguely aware of being touched, hand being held in a warm grip. Ciel didn’t want to open his eyes, not when his body felt stiff and every part of him ached. He moaned as he tried to remember what had happened to cause him to be in such a state, but his medicated mind supplied him with very little at the moment.
It was only after a small battle that his eyes finally opened, blue eye looking more grey in the dim light. Only, Ciel realized, it was one eye in which he was looking out of. His right eye was nothing but a black blur. Try as he might he could not open it, the action only causing a searing pain to jolt within Ciel’s head. He gasped, and his eye fell closed once more.
“What happened?” He asked to no one, not expecting any divine answer.
“You were stupid,” Sebastian answered softly. “You came back to rescue me even though I told you not to.” He squeezed the hand again, glad to see that Ciel was awake. He wouldn’t tell Ciel how close to death they had been; Ciel didn’t need to know that.
Ciel’s eyes snapped open, and he slowly turned his head to the side. “Sebastian?” He asked as if he didn’t quite believe it. The man’s words soaked in and fuzzy memories came to the surface, bits and pieces of the horrors that they had both faced.
“You’re alive?” Ciel did remember the bombs, being shot, and then nothing. Somehow it felt as if they shouldn’t be lying here right now, talking to one another. They shouldn’t be alive, yet Ciel was ecstatically happy to find that wasn’t the case. It hurt, but Ciel smiled.
“We’re both alive,” Sebastian corrected and reached up to stroke Ciel’s face. “I’m sure Tanaka will have our heads, but we’re still alive and we have each other. Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
Seeing Ciel that close to death had scared Sebastian in a way that he had never thought possible. To feel that sort of terror due to the thought of losing someone was something he had never experienced before, and it was something Sebastian didn’t want to repeat ever again.
“I can see that,” Ciel laughed, but stopped short, his mouth dry and throat sore. “I feel like shit.” There was a deep frown on his face as he took notice of the exact state of his body. He felt heavy as if he had been unmoving for far too long. It took all of his strength to raise his arm and tenderly touch the new bandages covering his ruined eye. His opposite shoulder burned with the effort it took, but it was dull in comparison to the stabbing pain of his hip. Suddenly he wished he could go back to sleep.
“You’ll feel that way for a while,” Sebastian answered. “It’ll fade with time though, and soon you’ll have a scar that has a story to tell.” He glanced down at his own broken arm, knowing that it would ache at times when the weather changed and he’d have to build up his muscles again. But all things considering, he was lucky.
The mental trauma, though, would be different. It would linger longer than the physical problems and would be harder to treat. But he knew that if he woke screaming in the middle of the night, someone would be there, and that made things better.
Ciel hummed and closed his eye. “Just what I need, more scars.” He could just imagine how they would look, raised pale lines marring his skin, the worst of all the disfigurement of his face. Ciel didn’t even what to think of how badly the gash across his eye would scar. Surely he would no longer look like the Ciel that Sebastian had fallen in love with. The thought that Sebastian might find him unsightly was unsettling, but Ciel did not allow himself to worry over such things at the moment. Not when he did not know how well it would heal.
“Scars can be sexy,” Sebastian said softly, thinking of his own and how many littered his body.
A crack of blue could be seen as Ciel opened his eye just wide enough to look at Sebastian. “I don’t think you have much of a choice but to find them sexy now,” he said after a moment. “If not, then I think it’ll make things a little difficult for us.” It was meant to be said in a teasing tone, but there was a stiffness to Ciel’s tone that spoke of more than just a playful jest.
Sebastian squeezed Ciel’s hand. “Don’t think like that. I love you no less, no matter what’s going on inside that little head of yours.” He glanced up as the door opened, Grell appearing in his line of sight and looking happy to see them awake. Sebastian gave the hand another small squeeze. “I love you, no matter what,” he stated firmly.
“Well, I suppose it’s good to see you up,” Grell said more to Sebastian than to Ciel. He wore a smile as he went straight to work, checking over Sebastian’s vitals and scribbling some stuff on a clipboard. “Is the pain tolerable?” At the moment, Will had instructed Grell not to administer pain medication unless it was absolutely needed. No need to keep the two of them under the influence of meds when it wasn’t needed. For now it would be better if they stayed aware.
“It’s livable,” Sebastian answered and looked over at Ciel. “But Ciel’s are more serious and you should probably be checking over him first,” he said with a smile. Ciel had already mentioned that he was in pain and Sebastian didn’t want the younger male suffering anymore than he already had.
Ciel’s cheeks puffed and he gave Sebastian an annoyed look. “I’m fine. They just hurt if I move too much.” It wasn’t far from the truth. There was only a dull throb that pulsed through Ciel’s body at a constant level. For now he could stand it.
“See, he’s fine,” Grell commented, moving over to check Ciel over just as he had Sebastian, although his bedside manner seemed to have dropped to nonexistent. Ciel’s current health was written down and Grell moved back to Sebastian, looking irritatingly pleased about something. “I’m going to go check in with Will, and then I’ll be back to remove that catheter.”
Sebastian paled slightly at the thought of Grell handling the catheter. “I think it’s a little too soon to take it out,” he stated. “Will told me that I can’t get out of the bed yet, and I’d rather not wet the bed because you took it out early.” There was no way he was going to let Grell touch his penis or come anywhere near it.
Grell seemed to deflate just a bit. “Well then I suppose we shall have to wait.” He batted his eye lashes, and looked far too excited at the idea.
It was Ciel who spoke up this time, not liking where this conversation was quickly headed. “I do hope that we include Sebastian and myself, minus you,” he said, tone dry.
Grell huffed and glared at Ciel. “I highly doubt that you know how to properly remove a catheter without causing damage to the penis. It’s a tricky device that you don’t know how to use, and I’m sure you’ve never gone far enough in your sexual escapades to try sounding.”
Sebastian sighed and waved Grell away, not in the mood to deal with the man. His head was already starting to hurt once more, and he simply wanted more alone time with Ciel.
“I wasn’t suggesting myself for the job,” Ciel mumbled under his breath as Grell stalked out of the room in a huff. Once the man was gone, Ciel returned his attention back to Sebastian and gave him a curious look. “Sounding?” He asked, looking perplexed.
“A form of sexual pleasure,” Sebastian answered as he lowered himself back onto the pillow and sighed in relief as his body relaxed on the bed once more. “Where something thin is inserted into the tip of your penis to stimulate the prostate.”
Ciel squirmed in his bed at the thought, finally becoming aware of his own catheter for the first time. He blushed, and realized that he definitely did not find the idea of sounding to be pleasant. “We are scratching that off of our sexual to-do list,” he said, feeling more aware and awake than he had been feeling previously.
Sebastian chuckled. “It’s not as bad as it sounds,” he stated and let his eyes close as he pushed any thoughts of sexual activity away from his mind. Neither of them were in such a position to do something like that.
A small laugh left Ciel. It felt good to talk with Sebastian like this. At one point he had believed that they would never have moments like this again. It made him happy. “You say that as if you’ve done it before.” But Ciel didn’t push the subject past that. No matter how normal the situation seemed to become, it still didn’t override the fact that Ciel was injured. Having just woken up from the ordeal and surgery he had gone through was slowly catching up with him, and grogginess was beginning its creep into Ciel’s consciousness. He yawned and sent Sebastian a lazy smile.
“Sleep,” Sebastian cooed. “I’ll still be here when you wake up and nothing will happen,” he said with certainty. They were safe for now and nothing was going to take Ciel away from him. He brought Ciel’s hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on the male’s knuckles, hoping to calm him some.
“You better be.” Ciel yawn again, eyes drooping. “I’d hate to have to chase you down again.” He squeezed Sebastian’s hand, being reassured that the man was so close to him now, even after how far they had been previously. It was a wonder that they had made it through everything they had endured. Ciel still didn’t know how they survived the bombs, but now was not the time to ask that. If he had learned anything in this moment, it was just how easily their lives could change and end. They had come so close to death that Ciel now feared it all the more. His hand gripped tighter onto Sebastian and he tried to clear away such thoughts for the time being.
Sebastian ran his thumb over Ciel’s hand as the younger male gripped his own in a tight hold. The heart monitor started to beat faster, showing that Ciel was thinking of something that was making him worried, and Sebastian shifted closer to the edge of the bed, trying to provide support. “It’ll be fine, Ciel,” he murmured. “Don’t think about it.”
Ciel blinked a tired eye open. “Do you really know that?” He asked, voice strained. He didn’t want to think about all of this now. Not when he had been so happy to be with Sebastian once more, but it just wouldn’t leave his mind. It stayed no matter how hard he willed it away.
A frown settled over Sebastian’s face. No, he didn’t really know that but now wasn’t the time to be talking about such things. “Later,” he said finally. “We’ll talk about this later. You need to sleep for now and know that I’ll still be here when you wake up.”
“Promise?” Ciel asked, grabbing onto Sebastian all the tighter. He was sure he was probably hurting Sebastian, but he couldn’t bring himself to let him go.
“I promise,” Sebastian answered. Even if he had to stay awake while Ciel slept, watching over the younger male, he would. “I won’t let go of your hand and I won’t leave.”
“I’ll kill you myself if you do,” Ciel threatened as his eyes finally closed once more and he sunk deeper into his pillows and bedding. It felt so warm and comforting despite the pain, and Ciel tried to allow himself to relax and give into sleep. Sebastian would be there when he woke, and the sooner he fell into the bliss of sleep, the sooner he would then be waking to find Sebastian just the way he had left him. Finally after many moments, Ciel gave in to slumber and floated off into pleasant dreams.
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[Part Two]
