Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

The Dark Path	By : zoni Category: > Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji ???) Views: 3462 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of its characters, and do not make any money from my fan fiction.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter Four

"Excuse me?"

"I want you, Sebas-chan," Grell smiled at Sebastian, running a tongue across his lips, "but a kiss will do for now. The mood in here isn't right for more."

Sebastian stared coldly at the shinigami standing in front of him. He found everything about the man repulsive. Grell's repeated insistence and less than subtle suggestions did nothing to improve his views, either. Turning slightly, Sebastian looked at the battered and bloodied body of his young master. The boy was already dead. The more time that passed, the smaller the chances were of being able to bring him back. Even for one such as himself, Sebastian knew that there were limits to what he was capable of repairing. He knew that he should turn around and devour the boy's soul right then and there, regardless of the unfinished contract. He should eat it before the shinigami could even move to stop him. In his place, any other demon would.

Ciel Phantomhive's soul was incredibly beautiful and pure, even with everything that he had been through. It was such a temptation, such a rare find that Sebastian had stayed by his side for three years. That was why he had remained a loyal and devoted servant to his young master, he told himself. His stomach stirred uneasily as he stared at the boy's body. He had never failed to follow orders. It was a matter of pride. Orders were everything. However, it wasn't dedication to following orders that he felt as he looked at Ciel now. He hated the sight of that frail body beaten and bleeding. At that moment, Sebastian had no desire to devour his soul. He did not wish to see his young master dead. And, he most certainly did not wish to bring him back to life only to lose him to some miserly shinigami.

Looking back at Grell, Sebastian considered the situation. Was his young master worth enough to him that it trumped his utter disgust at the creature standing in front of him? Slowly, Sebastian lowered the chainsaw. Grell looked hopefully at him over the rims of red glasses. "Well, what do you think?"

Sebastian took one large step forward and reached out, grabbing Grell by the back of his head. He pulled the man forward, crashing his lips down onto the shinigami's own. Heat sparked up between them as their lips and tongues tangled, and died just as quickly as Sebastian pushed him roughly away, sending him sprawling to the ground. With barely a thought, Sebastian tossed the chainsaw on the floor next to him.

Turning, Sebastian faced the wooden table where his young master's body was laying. How many minutes had passed? It did not matter, he still had time. Bending over the boy, Sebastian wrapped one arm around Ciel's back and pulled him up. Ever so gently, he brought his lips down over his master's and breathed into his mouth.

At first, nothing happened. Then, a shiver ran down Ciel Phantomhive's entire body and he began to shake. His body trembled and then jolted as he gasped, filling his lungs with air. Sebastian smiled. Once again, his young master was alive. An overwhelming sense of relief flooded through the demon as he watched the boy's chest rise and fall. Alive, but still unconscious, as if sleeping. However, life was a fragile thing. If he did not take care of the wounds that Ciel had sustained, Sebastian knew that he could still die again. Bringing someone back from the dead was neither easy nor something that he was capable of frequently. If he lost Ciel again, that would be the end.

"Young master," Sebastian whispered. He picked up the sheet that covered his young master and ripped two thick strips off of it. Quickly, he tied them over the large cuts that marred each of Ciel's forearms, restricting the blood flow and covering the wounds. Using the rest of the sheet, he covered his master's body once more. Carefully, he gathered the boy into his arms. Sebastian pressed him to his chest, turning and barely sparing Grell a glance as he walked out of the candlelit chamber and into the darkness that lay beyond.

The trip to Sebastian's quarters was made as quickly and silently as possible without jostling Ciel more than necessary. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the day, they passed no one as they moved quickly through the halls. Even if they had, there would be little explanation to give. Sebastian neither noticed nor cared about that piece of good fortune. His attention was entirely on the boy that he carried in his arms.

Even though Ciel was alive, he was in very bad shape. His face pressed heavily against he butler's chest and his breath was short and raspy, sounding both rough and strained. As they moved, Sebastian shifted him so that the boy was practically sitting in his arms. The earl's head leaned against Sebastian's shoulder. The raspy sound subsided a little, his breathing eased by the new position. Against his neck, Sebastian could feel Ciel's lips move even before his ears could detect the word, "Sebastian..."

"Young master?" The demon looked down at the boy, surprised that he was awake. However, Ciel Phantomhive was still unconscious. Sebastian tightened his hold on the precious cargo that he carried in his arms and hurried forward toward his room.

Once inside, Sebastian laid his young master down on the bed. He didn't care about the blood that was dripping off of Ciel's body and onto the covers. There were more important things to worry about. Picking up a spare blanket and a secondary pillow, he put them behind his master's head and back to prop him up so that he could breathe easier. Straightening up, Sebastian removed his coat and gloves and then rolled up his sleeves. Swiftly, he lit a lamp and then set to work.

Sebastian picked up the pitcher that sat on his wash stand and poured it into the basin next to it. He lamented the fact that the water inside of it wasn't colder. Cold water would help to constrict the blood vessels and stop the bleeding, and it would be better for his young master's constitution. Unfortunately, there was no way to chill the water or find colder water without leaving the room. Moving Ciel from where he was laying was a very undesirable course of action. Venturing away to retrieve more appropriate supplies was also not an option. Sebastian dared not leave the room. He added a clean sponge to the water.

"Young master," Sebastian said as he sat down on the bed next to the boy. He set the basin down on the small table that rested beside the bed. Ciel was very pale. His breathing was still shallow and raspy. He still looked very much like a corpse, even though he was once again among the living. Sebastian took a moment to look him over and check the extent of the injuries, each touch filled with cautious concern. Most of them were shallow, superficial cuts. The edge of a sharp knife had been dragged repeatedly over his skin with only minimal pressure used. Torture. There were dozens of cuts. Those, at least, would heal cleanly. Much of his skin had also been bruised, partially from cuts and more likely from being struck. The sight of so much blood spread across his young master's small body infuriated Sebastian.

On Ciel's left arm, the bruises clearly outlined a hand print. Sebastian's expression darkened considerably as he studied the shape of it. Edward Crowley and Basil Rosier had spent a considerable amount of time doing what they had done. They had taken their time as they had brought his master down and hurt him. Sebastian recalled some of what the other demon, Basil Rosier, had said in that room under the school not long before. Momentarily, Sebastian wondered if the extent of the physical injuries only extended to knife wounds and bruises. However, he could not detect the scent of either of Ciel's assailants on his skin. It was unlikely that either of them had violated his young master in any other way. Even so, he would inquire about it when his master was in better shape. One thing was certain; Edward Crowley and Basil Rosier had sealed their own fates by simply deciding to take his young master. Sebastian looked forward to taking his own time returning the favor, little by little.

Sebastian lifted the sponge out of the basin, wringing it out but still leaving it heavy with water, and began to clean Ciel's body. Most of the cuts had long since stopped bleeding, but it was of the utmost importance to flush them thoroughly with water. Infection was a concern, especially with how small Ciel was. His body would not be able to handle much more than it already had. Even though the water was reasonably cool and Sebastian's touch firm, Ciel did not stir. The demon was not concerned about the fact that the boy did not wake up. When he had revived the boy the first time, the very night that they had formed their contract, he had slept for two days. Dying had a tendency to exhaust a person.

When he had finished washing all of the smaller cuts, Sebastian emptied the basin, rinsed it and then filled it with more water. Then, he sat beside Ciel and began to unwrap the boy's right forearm. The makeshift bandages were soaked through with blood, but the bleeding appeared to have largely stopped. That did not stop the wound from looking horrendous. The cuts extended most of the length of the forearm. However, Edward Crowley was apparently no master when it came to mutilation or murder - he had missed all of the major blood vessels. The real concern was whether or not Ciel would have full use of his hands when the injuries healed, though Sebastian suspected that would not be an issue. It was also a stroke of luck that the psychotic child that had done this seemed to favor well kept weaponry. Sebastian had seen the dagger that had been used. It was sharp and seemed at least relatively clean, not rusted or dull.

Carefully, Sebastian flushed the wound with water and then unwrapped the other arm and repeated the action. Muslin bandages would have been ideal, but they were most definitely short in supply. In truth, the cuts definitely merited stitches. Aside from having no thread or needles, however, Sebastian would have preferred to leave that to someone who actually had experience doing so. Sebastian doubted that his master would appreciate having to explain the injuries to a physician, however. He could find a solution for that later. Bandages would do for now. As a demon, Sebastian had not found much merit in learning how to heal humans. He had certainly never needed to patch up more than a couple of relatively minor injuries while in the service of his young master. He simply had not anticipated a situation like this. On the numerous occasions that his young master had been abducted, Sebastian had always been able to retrieve him without great incident.

With the wounds clean, Sebastian resigned himself to having to improvise on the bandages. There were several spare sets of sheets that he had discovered tucked into the wardrobe. This room had been used for storage even after the murders had begun, and had only hastily been cleaned out when he and his master had arrived. The sheets had been forgotten. They weren't dusty, and they were freshly cleaned. They would do for now, though he would have to retrieve proper bandages from the infirmary when he had the chance. Sebastian pulled one of the sheets apart, tearing long strips off. Lifting one arm, Sebastian pressed the wound closed as best he could and bandaged the cut. Then, he did the same with the other arm.

Then, he was done. Mercifully, Ciel slept on. He had not stirred even once, to Sebastian's relief. When he finally did wake up, he would be in some discomfort thanks to the cuts. There was no helping that for now. With any luck, the reasonably tight bandages would help to lessen the pain. Lifting Ciel off of the bed, Sebastian managed to change the bedsheets and covers without setting him down. When the filthy blankets, sheets and pillows had been changed out, Sebastian set Ciel back into the bed. The butler dressed him in a fresh nightshirt, and then tucked him into bed with an extra blanket for warmth.

Sebastian sat down in the wooden chair next to the bed and looked at his young master. Ciel was still pale, even more so than normal. However, his heartbeat was steady. His breathing was starting to even out and now had only the barest edge of raspiness to it as he slept. Watching him now, Sebastian felt an uneasy ache in his chest, one that he had rarely felt before. Quietly, he said, "I never thought that I would live to see the day when saving one person would hold more appeal for me than devouring his soul."

Almost as if in response, Ciel began to stir. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, staring at the ceiling with a dazed look. "Sebastian..."

"Are you awake now, young master?" Sebastian asked, surprised that the boy was awake so soon. He leaned forward and brushed a few strands of hair from Ciel's face.

Ciel let out a hacking cough. His eyes slid closed, voice rough as he tried to give an order. "... the cultists... Crowley... kill..."

The statement was cut off as he broke into a coughing fit, body shaking underneath of the blankets. Sebastian leaned forward, frowning in concern. As he reached for Ciel, he said, "Most are dead..." Even with a dazed look on his face, Ciel managed to swat the butler's hands away from him. Sebastian sighed, feeling his eyes glow lightly as he thought of the assailants that had done this to his young master. "... and the last two shall follow very soon, my lord."

On the bed, Ciel tried to sit up. His arms trembled and he fell backwards. His fall was cushioned by a pair of strong arms as Sebastian caught him before he could hit the mattress. Ciel stared up at him, surprised by his sudden closeness. Sebastian stared down at him, his expression serious. "You shouldn't use your arms unless you cannot help it, young master. Would you like to sit up a little more?"

Weakly, Ciel nodded. Little by little, he was becoming more aware. Sebastian pulled a spare pillow from the side of the bed and set it behind his master's back, allowing him to sit up a little straighter. Without being asked, Sebastian poured a glass of water and brought it over to him. He tilted the glass to the boy's lips. Ciel didn't even protest the help as he lightly sipped the water. Sebastian stood and turned to take the glass back over to where he had been keeping it, but stopped when he felt fingers on the sleeve of his coat. He turned to look at Ciel in surprise. The look in Ciel's eyes was surprisingly direct, despite his obvious exhaustion. His voice was weak, but the words were strong as Ciel whispered, "Do not leave my side."

Something in the way that Ciel said the words bothered Sebastian a great deal. Looking down at the boy, the demon could see something that he had not seen many times in the boy's eyes. Fear. Though clearly dazed, it was obvious that Ciel was still conscious enough to remember what happened. Rather than respond directly, Sebastian nodded and took a seat in the chair by the bed, setting the glass down on the nightstand.

Ciel's fingers remained on his sleeve despite the obvious strain that it took for him to keep them there, his arm covered in bandages and likely hurting. Quietly, Sebastian said, "My lord, I have failed you today. I should have come to look for you sooner, and this situation might have been avoided. My careless actions have put you in grave danger. For that, I cannot forgive myself. I am sorry." Slowly, Sebastian reached up and lifted Ciel's hand gently from the sleeve of the coat, moving his arm to a position that looked like it would be more comfortable. He held the boy's hand in his own. "What can I do to atone for this?"

Ciel was very quiet as he looked at Sebastian. Though exhausted, he had paid attention to every word that the demon had said. His body ached and he only wanted to forget what had happened that morning. For the time being, he was safe. Protected. Just as quietly as the demon beside him had spoken, Ciel said, "Hold me."

"Young master?" Sebastian's eyebrows lifted in surprise at the statement.

"Just for a little while," Ciel said. He was too tired to be embarrassed. At that moment, he didn't care how embarrassing or improper it was to ask something like that of someone, especially Sebastian. It was simply something he wanted. His eyes drifted back to stare at the ceiling even as Sebastian stood up from where he sat in the chair next to the bed.

The bed was very small, and there was no way for Sebastian to fulfill the request while sitting in the small wooden chair. Instead, Sebastian slipped his shoes off and pulled the covers of the bed back, frowning as Ciel shivered even in the warm air of the room. Bending over, Sebastian gently picked the boy up and cradled him in his arms as he seated himself on the bed. Slowly, he leaned his young master against his chest. Ciel rested his head against Sebastian's chest, listening to the slow and steady heartbeat of his faithful servant. Sebastian moved Ciel's arms so that they lay on the bed, not rubbing against either of them. Brown eyes met with a head of slate hair as the demon looked down at the boy that was pressed so warmly against him. "Is this all right, young master?"

"Yes," came the nearly silent words as Ciel pressed his face into the soft fabric of Sebastian's shirt and waistcoat.

As gently as possible, Sebastian wound his arms around the small form that lay on top of him. The boy was nearly weightless against him, little more than a warm phantom. Not that long before, Sebastian had found himself truly afraid at the thought of losing his young master. A boy, a human. A meal. As startling as that thought was, it was nothing compared to the warmth that the demon felt as he looked at him now.

Sebastian could hear the beating of Ciel's heart, a steady and repetitive sound that he had never even noticed he was still listening for. Memories of the scene in the dank storage room beneath the school came to him easily. The silence that he had heard when he had realized that his young master was dead. The sight of his broken body on top of that wooden table. Sebastian's arms tightened around the frail form of the boy now falling against his chest. It was truly remarkable that one small, insignificant human could effect him the way that Ciel Phantomhive did. The boy was inconsequential and insignificant, another way to relieve boredom in a lifetime that stretched for millennia. Sustenance. There were millions of other humans out there, though none that were quite as interesting as this one boy. And yet, none of those thoughts had entered into Sebastian's mind when the time had come to decide whether or not to save him.

There was one thing that Sebastian was quite certain of. Nothing like this would ever happen again. No one would ever again have the opportunity to do to Ciel Phantomhive what Edward Crowley had done. Sebastian would make quite certain of that. His expression darkened at the very thought of the boy and his supposed tutor. He had little doubt that the two of them had already fled the school. It did not matter. He would find them, and they would die. Preferably slowly. They would pay for what they had done, as much for his master's sake as for the fact that Sebastian wished that they could undergo the same tortures.

In his sleep, Ciel murmured wordlessly against Sebastian's chest. Through the incoherent babble, Sebastian barely caught the syllables of his own name. In an instant, the lethal expression on his face had softened and he let out a sigh. Reaching up with one hand, he ran his fingers gently through the soft strands of Ciel's hair. He cared for the boy more than he should. Fighting it only made it worse. Yet again, Sebastian found himself in a situation that he had not anticipated. For the first time in many years, he was uncertain of what to do. Leaning forward, he brushed the lightest of kisses against the top of the boy's head. "Young master, what have you done to me?"
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Dark Path