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Apples & Arsenic	By : Kitteh Category: > Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji ???) Views: 2220 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler and don't make any profit from this.

Chapter List
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„Sebastian“, the redhead said with relish as the tall darkhaired man frowned down on him. They were almost of an height, but the director had an inch or two on Grell that the redhaired man seemed to find incredibly titillating. “What a gorgeous name. Fitting, for such a gorgeous man as yourself, I suppose”, Grell cooed, running a hand up Sebastian’s chest. Sebastian grimaced, barely managed to turn the expression into a polite, if forced smile. “Well. I can’t answer that without sounding conceited, can I.”
“Ooooh you’re modest too!!”
It wasn’t the fact that Grell was a man that put Sebastian off – far from it. It was the garish color he wore from head to toe; Sebastian didn’t like red, really. Nor did he like such…forward people.
He especially didn’t like him because this was the man Ciel had told him would come to drag him back.
Sebastian had a hard time wrapping his mind around Ciel’s story. He believed him, naturally, but he found it very hard to believe that anyone would want such a delightful young man dead, especially his own aunt. Ciel was introverted, yes, but Sebastian wasn’t sure if that hailed from being locked up the last few years in a room with only books as company or if he’d always been naturally quiet. He enjoyed Ciel’s company.
The world would be a little darker without him, he believed. He would not let that happen.
“Would you like a tour of the grounds?” Take one for the team, Sebastian – make the guy happy, he’ll leave soon enough. It was better than ignoring him, people like that were notorious for hanging around where they weren’t wanted. Ciel was hidden; by now all the crew knew this red man meant trouble, so whenever someone spotted him, they ran to grab Ciel and hide him somewhere. The rest of the crew would then begin to distract the redhead. Today it was Sebastian’s turn. He bore the pain of the redhead grabbing onto his offered arm and walked a slow circle around the circus grounds.
Three shows were planned in Canterbury. Around them, the crew had already begun putting up tents and equipment, unloading the trucks. Their one-day layover in the small town close to the sea had been pleasant; Ciel had begged out of driving, too nervous what would happen if they were stopped and once Wendy had overheard them talking about going to visit the sea, Sebastian had been forced to drive half the entourage there. Joker and Jumbo had stayed behind to watch the trucks, crew and animals; the rest of the active performers had piled into a rented SUV. Beast had ridden shotgun because she claimed if she sat next to Dagger he’d molest her, so Sebastian hadn’t gotten to talk to Ciel much on the drive. Doll and Wendy had sat in the far back on either side of the boy, chattering over his head, but the kid had looked content there. Sebastian didn’t have it in him to tell them to be quiet, anyway. Once at the beach, he’d had the pleasure of watching Ciel light up like Christmas; the salty air had tousled his fine hair and put a healthy flush into his cheeks, a smile on his face as he watched the waves hit the beach. The day had been beautiful; Ciel had been, too. Sebastian had found he couldn’t look away. In the evening, when everyone had come back to the circus grounds happy and tired from playing and the mini adventure, Ciel had grasped Sebastian’s sleeve and looked up at him with those large, clear eyes. “Thank you. That was very nice.”
Sebastian had felt there was more to that gratefulness than a mere trip to the beach, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he had smiled and leaned in to kiss Ciel’s forehead. “You’re very welcome.” This time, the flush in Ciel’s cheeks hadn’t been the wind or sun.
Sebastian grimaced now as the redhead clung tighter to his arms, coming on to him so hard it was close to awkward. Despite Grell’s exotic looks and the waifish cast to his face, pretty enough, he wasn’t attracted to him one bit. That was a little odd; Sebastian could have overlooked all the red. Normally, he wouldn’t have hesitated to take someone if they flirted with him that excessively.
That had been before Ciel, however.
Eventually, Grell left, promising him to be at one of the next show to watch it, whenever he could get an evening off. Sebastian hoped that wouldn’t be any time soon.
Ciel blinked at him like a little owl hit with the beam of a flashlight when he opened the large trunk he had hidden him in. It was large enough that he could sit somewhat comfortably, knees bent and pulled to his chest, a few magazines of Beast’s jammed inbetween the trunk and the lid so Ciel could breathe. Sebastian smiled at him kindly. “He’s gone. You can come out.” He held out a hand to assist the boy and Ciel grasped it with both hands, letting the man pull him up. The visit had taken close to an hour; his legs had fallen asleep about half an hour ago already and were too numb to support him now. He sagged against Sebastian the moment he tried straightening up.
Sebastian, of course, caught him. The boy weighed close to nothing, the darkhaired man thought as he supported the slim body with one arm around his waist and his free hand against the round of one delicate shoulder. His fingers were long enough to complete curl around Ciel’s arm – or maybe the small biceps was narrow enough to allow it. The fact, however, put a strange heat into Sebastian’s belly. Large blue eyes peered up at him from underneath a wispy fringe of slate colored hair soft as kitten fur. “Sorry….”
“Don’t be.” His hand let go of his shoulder to stroke the back of his knuckles against a peach cheek. With his gloves on, he mourned the fact he didn’t feel Ciel’s skin for a second. Ciel’s eyes halflidded, the thick fringe of his dark lashes putting shadows onto his cheeks. Garnet caught navy and held it for a long moment.
“Sebastian, we…uh….sorry?”, Joker blinked at the two of them, having dragged the tent flap aside to peek inside. “Should I come back later?” His brows curved up amusedly, then gave a brief wiggle. Sebastian sighed. “No, that’s fine. What is it?”
“There’s an issue with the electronics and Wendy asked where Snowy is. The first patrons will arrive in less than an hour for the afternoon showing and she wants to pretty you up before”, he said to the blushing boy. Ciel nodded and squirmed out of Sebastian’s arms, stepping from the trunk and heading off, weaving like a drunk. Joker chuckled. “What’s with him?”
“Legs fell asleep. Show me what’s wrong”, Sebastian replied with a light smile. He wasn’t mad about the missed chance to kiss the lovely boy. There would be more of those, he was certain of it.
Ciel hurried to find Wendy, not even wincing at all the tools and colors lying around her vanity table anymore. He sat down and lifted his face for her to start her work.
“Green today”, she said happily, indicating to the heap of fabric she had lay out on her cot. The sleeveless bodice and the full skirt were a poisonous apple green, bright satin, the bodice covered artfully with black lace, full sleeves of the same fabric. More lace trailed down the back half of the skirt, forming a train behind. Matching high heeled shoes stood next to the cot. Ciel sighed. “Those shoes again…I’m not walking or anything, can’t we leave them?”
Wendy snickered. “No, silly. Be happy you don’t have to walk around like the rest of us. Those things are uncomfortable even if you’re used to them!” Wendy was the only person shorter than Ciel in the crew. She was tiny and petite and beautiful with her bright cognac colored eyes and long brown hair; Ciel figured she’d like wearing heels to make herself seem a little taller. The usual gunk was plastered onto his face; tinted lotion, matte pale powder, eyeliner, a hint of green and grey eyeshadow. Those dreaded little brushes that glued his lashes together. “I have a hard time believing girls do this willingly”, he complained, trying not to blink. Wendy smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “We like to be pretty for you guys, you know. Girls are vain!”
“You’re pretty without make up”, Ciel sighed, making her coo all over him. “You’re such a sweetheart, Snowy! Now, for your flattery, I’ll allow you to walk to your casket without shoes. Shoo! Go on!”
Ciel was draped into his little chair and Wendy helped putting the shoes on, tiny things that squeezed his toes and made him pout. “Aw, Snowy, I’ll go get you a cookie, okay? There’s a few minutes left yet until the gates open.” Not that there were actual gates, but every afternoon at four p.m. Sebastian would draw back the rope that closed off the actual grounds for the masses so the patrons could walk around, look at the sideshows, buy snacks and drinks and generally flush their pockets with more money than their tickets alone. The tiger cubs were especially popular, though Beast refused to let the patrons touch them. They were welcome to watch them nap or eat or cajole around with their toys however. From where Ciel sat, he could watch Jumbo with his impressive weights, the fortune teller in her little tent, the entrance of the ominous looking tent that housed their snake charmer. Few people dared to go in there, most of them wanting to prove how tough they were or reptile enthusiasts. They got a lot of those in the larger cities, though in smaller towns like Canterbury, there was only a handful.
Ciel settled into his quiet meditation as he got as comfortable as he’d get. The springs under the chair cushion pressed into the backs of his thighs as usual, the shoes squeezed his toes, the lacing of the bodice constricted his breathing a little, but he felt calmer already just sitting here and being useful to the people that had taken him in so kindly. And Sebastian had announced lasagna for dinner tonight, something he was looking forward to very much, Sebastian’s cooking was excellent…
The small door opened without him having seen anyone pass by his glass wagon. Curiously he turned his head to see a vaguely familiar face smile back at him. “Wendy said you wanted something sweet”, a croaky voice said as the old woman held out a small plate to him. On the plate sat the most delicious looking scone Ciel had ever seen, moist and golden and the perfect size to enjoy and not feel too full after. “Thank you”, he said politely and took the plate.
“Just put it down under your chair when you’re done, we’ll clean up later”, the elder woman crooned at him, nodded and smiled, and stepped back. Now where had he seen her before…?
Ciel glanced at the large clock the circus attached to the largest tent. Ten minutes to go – better hurry. He took a big bite out of the scone. It was incredibly delicious, slightly tangy and sweet, a very fresh taste. He chewed and swallowed, turning to the woman in the entryway to ask if Sebastian had made this today – and found he couldn’t.
His tongue felt too large for his mouth.
The bodice was too tight, he couldn’t breathe – no, that wasn’t the dress. Ciel let the scone drop and clawed at his throat; the sweet pastry fell onto his skirt, shifted, dropped to the floor. Panic darkened the edges of his vision as the woman grinned widely, her mouth red, much too red…
His kicking foot caught the front pane of his glass casket with enough force to shatter it. The sound was loud and startled the woman into gaping; already, Jumbo came running, alarmed by the breaking. “Ambulance!”, he hollered, scooping Ciel out of the shards without regard to the sharp glass bits cutting into his forearms. The woman hissed and took a few steps back; when more people came running, she turned and ran away. Within moments, she was gone, impossible to find in the chaos that followed.
Sebastian arrived just as Ciel’s vision went black; he reached for the man, pleading, and Sebastian caught his hand just as it fell limp.
**
Outside the grounds, Grell watched his mistress approach in a hurried step. “You’re alone”, he noted. Ann glared at him, pulling strips of latex the color of her make-up from her face. “That’s a small set back”, she replied, panting slightly. “The ambulance is already on their way; they will check him into the hospital under a fake name, I assume, but I can easily drop a hint to Scotland Yard to where he may be. He’ll be fine to come home for his birthday.” She smiled widely as they walked back to where Grell had parked the car and got in.
“There’s a few minor preparations to make still. We should return to the manor; I want a shower as soon as possible. That whole place stank like manure.”
“Well they do have horses there.”
“I realize that, Grell.”
“Just saying.”
She glanced at him as he backed the car from the grove of trees they had hidden it in and pulled back onto the road. By car and without delays, the trip was a little over an hour. Ann used it to peel the latex off of her face in long and short strips, watching herself in the vanity mirror of the passenger’s seat. “You seem a little put off, my love, what’s wrong?”
Grell huffed, brows drawn low over his expressive green eyes. Eyes the color of Ciel’s dress, she noticed. It had looked very pretty, especially with the damned brat gasping for breath. “You finished off the maid girl without me.”
“And you didn’t tell me you found Ciel almost a week ago already. What’s your point?” The redhaired man stayed silent. Ann shrugged. “If you had completed your task the way you were supposed to, I would have let you play.”
“Why, though?”, he asked her. “Why does he have to die? If it’s about the money, I’m sure he’d be happy to support you. It’s not like you’re broke.”
“Oh, my love, that’s not it at all. That kid should have never been born.” She picked at a stubborn piece of fake skin that made her look like a leper the more she tried to remove it. “My sister was a fucking bitch, you know. I hated her. Vincent was my boyfriend and she had nothing better to do than ride his dick even though she knew how I felt about him.” She grumbled at the piece and pulled harder. “Naturally, the little harlot became pregnant and Vincent felt obligated to marry her. I just want all of her legacy to go away. And if it benefits me in any way….why not?”
“That’s not his fault, though. He’s a sweet kid.”
“Don’t tell me you’re growing a conscience”, she scoffed. “How repulsive.”
The rest of the drive was silent. Once home, Ann left Grell to do whatever he felt like doing and took a long, hot shower; after, she toweled off and opened the hidden passage door without bothering to dress. It wasn’t like there was anyone liable to be back here besides maybe Grell and he certainly knew what her tits looked like naked. The roughly hewn stone steps were cold under her bare feet, the stale air cool and damp, pebbling her nipples and pulling her skin into goosebumps. It was a short flight; the hidden room she had found sat smackdab in the middle of the manor’s main wing on ground level. Next to it was the kitchen, a larger sitting room on the other side; where there should have been a door the grand staircase had been set. It was only accessible via the door hidden behind a bookshelf in the study that sat on the first floor above the mentioned sitting room. It was a nifty construction. She had often wondered what the original owners of the manor, some obscure Lord centuries back, may have intended to use this room for. She figured the original idea had been somewhat along the lines of hers.
The stairs stopped in the living room sized room; the walls were rough, bare brick, the ground rotting wood over dirt. It didn’t matter to her what the room looked like, really. What mattered was the large pentagram painted onto the floor in the middle with the low altar set into the middle of it. It had taken her almost half a year to build this; the construction people were often put off by the demands, figuring she was a satan worshipper, and had to be quieted permanently.
Of course, she quieted those that were willing to work on it too – just a precaution.
“This will be your final resting space, my lovely little nephew”, she murmured with a pleased smile, turning in a slow circle. The knife was sharpened and lay ready on the stone. Candles had been out into the appropriate spots already.
All that was left was her sacrificial lamb and the years of pain would finally be over.
**
The drive to the hospital passed in a blur for Sebastian. Although everyone was worried and frantic, he had left the crew behind, Joker in charge to go through with the show as per usual; he himself had gotten into the ambulance with a gasping Ciel who was steadily turning blue and had finally passed out. The young woman on duty, a very pretty blond who seemed nice but no-nonsense had steadily pushed a tube into Ciel’s mouth, down his swollen throat very carefully, and into his windpipe far enough so the machine Sebastian sat next to could breathe for the boy. Still, Ciel wouldn’t open his eyes.
“He received an anaphylactic shock”, the blonde, whose nametag identified her as Dr. Midford had told him. “Unconsciousness can happen; we should prepare for him sleeping for quite a while, really. Do you know what could have caused this?”
“He’s allergic to apples”, Sebastian had told her numbly. “There must have been some in the last thing he ate.” Although how that could have happened was a mystery to Sebastian; he had banned apples in all prepared dishes, although there were still whole fruits for everyone to enjoy if they so wished. Ciel wouldn’t have eaten an apple, not voluntarily.
Now he sat by Ciel’s bedside, redrimmed eyes fixed on the tiny lump his body made in the hospital bed; he had missed the first show and the second. This morning, the crew had visited to see how they were; they had brought presents, mostly self-made cards and candies, Dagger bawling and clutching a few limp flowers he had stolen from a frontyard on the way to the hospital.
Sebastian stayed.
The plastic chair was uncomfortable, but he didn’t feel it. The coffee tasted like it had been brewed by a dishwasher, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t hungry. He didn’t sleep. When he went to the bathroom, he hurried so much he had more than once banged his elbow or knee in the cramped space.
On the afternoon of the third show, Beast came to visit alone.
“What do you want us to do?”, she asked him, holding his face in both hands so he would look at her. “Goodness, Sebastian, you need sleep. We have to be in Dover by tomorrow evening. You have to make a decision.”
“I’m not leaving him.”
“So you’re leaving us?”
He sighed and closed his eyes. “No. No, of course not. But…”
Beast glanced at the boy on the bed; on his back, eyes closed, hair lank, a tube in his mouth going who knew where inside him and needles in his arms. “Who is he, exactly?” Sebastian smiled and let his forehead sink against her abdomen. She curled her arms around his head. “He needs my protection. If I’m not here, who knows what will happen.”
“That’s what the doctors are here for, aren’t they?”
“No…he ran from his family for a reason. If they find out he’s here and come to get him…and I’m not here…”
He looked at the boy. “I may never see him again.”
Beast sighed. “Alright. We’ll manage to get to Dover without you, but Sebastian, we can’t go to France without you. You’ll have to find a solution until then.”
When she was gone, he got another cup of coffee, sat back down. Relocated to the edge of his bed.
“I won’t allow anything to happen to you, Ciel”, he said softly to the sleeping boy. “I promise. You can sleep however long you need to get better, but please…” Sebastian closed his eyes, his throat tight. “Please come back to me.”
Canting his head almost awkwardly, he leaned in, brushing his lips against the corner of Ciel’s mouth. The tube prevented him from kissing the boy fully; else he would have done it.

Next to him, the steady, slow beeping of the machine monitoring Ciel’s heartbeat sped up loudly.
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Apples & Arsenic