Chapter Text
It was the first time, as far as Ciel could remember, that Sebastian sounded this terrified when he called for him. The shots from three pistols rang in Ciel's ears but he recognized the word Master, screamed in Sebastian's voice. He vaguely realized that Sebastian was charging towards him. Ciel sank against the wall behind him. His pistol slid from his hand to the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut trying in vain to breath through the pain. Terrible, all thoughts consuming pain.
Suddenly he felt two hands on his shoulders. When he opened his eyes, Sebastian kneeled in front of him, muttering and checking him over. Behind him lay the corpses of Ciel's enemies. Ciel had managed to shoot only one of them. He hadn't seen the second gun pointed at himself in time. But now Sebastian was here and therefore Ciel didn't doubt he would be safe.
"You will be fine. My Master. You will recouver. It will be fine.", Sebastian muttured as he took off his coat and carefully wrapped Ciel in it. "Let's go home. I shall take you home and it will be fine.", he whispered. The red glow of his eyes was intense but unsteady. He lifted Ciel into his arms, cradled him against his chest. It was hard to think clearly when unbearable pain let Ciel focus on nothing else. But by now Ciel realized Sebastian was panicking.
With Ciel in his arms Sebastian left the villa into which they had followed this group of criminals. He began a sprint through the surrounding forest, heading into the direction of Phantomhive manor. With his head tucked under Sebastian's chin and mostly covered by the coat, Ciel could barely see the rows of trees that they rushed past. The sky was dark grey and rain fell steadily. Soon Sebastian was drenched while keeping Ciel dry. They travelled fast even for Sebastian's standards.
Ciel could feel his blood soaking his clothes where the bullets had hit him. One had grazed the base of his neck, the other one had hit his chest. Fogged by pain as his mind was, Ciel's thoughts were slow and chaotic. But not enough so that he wouldn't realize eventually that these injuries were threatening his life. If he had seen them on anyone else, if he had seen the steady loss of blood flowing from anyone else, he would have assumed that they would be dead in no time.
"Sebastian.", Ciel whispered. He struggled to get words out but Sebastian heard him. He slowed down. "Sebastian, stop here.", Ciel ordered. "You need medical care right away.", Sebastian protested as he came to a halt. "No. Stop now. Pause here.", Ciel told him. Reluctantly Sebastian looked around and found a spot where they could find some shelter. A few trees stood tightly together around a patch of ground thickly covered in moss which they shielded from the rain with their low hanging branches. Sebastian settled in under this natural canope, clutching Ciel to his chest in desparation. Finally they were face to face.
"Sebastian, eat my soul.", Ciel said. Sebastian just froze in shock when he heard those words. "Right now.", Ciel added. "Master!", Sebastian's grip on him tightened. "Eat my soul before it is too late.", Ciel urged. But Sebastian didn't want to hear it. "If I do that, it would... kill you.", he protested. The words almost choked him.
Ciel gazed at Sebastian's face which leaned so close over his own. He tried to take in every detail. If this had to be the last time he saw Sebastian, he wanted to cherish it. He let his gaze wander over the raven black hair, these silky soft strands that Sebastian somehow managed to keep neat while they were at the same time always a bit of a mess, always a strand hanging into his face where it had no business being. Now Sebastian's hair stuck to his face, wet from the rain.
"I'm afraid I don't get to make the choice to survive today. If I have to die, I want to at least die on my own terms. I don't want to be killed by these people. I want to die my way when I have to. Not to mention I insist on paying you. So take my soul.", Ciel explained.
He had always liked Sebastian's eyes. Framed by long dark eyelashes, their colour varying from a reddish brown like Ciel's favourite teas to a vibrant red like rubies, they were beautiful and expressive. Sometimes Ciel was sure he could read Sebastian's thoughts and emotions in his eyes alone. The red light of those eyes could be intense at times but to Ciel it was soothing. How many times in his life the red glow of those eyes dimly illuminating their surroundings had eased Ciel's nerves, he couldn't count anymore. Right now these eyes were blazing. The red light was dancing like a flame in a fireplace around the slit shaped pupils that stared at Ciel. Silence followed Ciel's words for a while.
Ciel's gaze wandered to Sebastian's mouth. Right now those pale lips were slightly parted and gave a peek at the fangs behind them. Sebastian had a huge repertoire of smiles ranging from silly to polite, from playful to dangerous, from teasing to sweet. Sometimes Ciel wanted to smack the smile off this gorgeous face. But often Sebastian's smiles cheered Ciel up although of course he didn't admit it. When Sebastian's lips moved now, it was not to smile, it was to say out loud what seemed to be the only thing going through Sebastian's mind in that moment. "Please don't die, my Master.", he whispered.
As rain fell onto the forest, mist rose from the trees and ferns. Fog was rising off the ground. Something quite similar happened to Sebastian, except not due to the rain. The borders between his selfmade human body and his true demonic form became blurred because of what he was feeling. As he slowly shook his head, pure darkness swished through the air, leaving a little trail behind, like ink in a glass of water. "I beg you not to die, Master.", Sebastian pleaded. Darkness was rising from his body like the fog around them. The shadows around them twitched and curled. They moved towards Ciel, holding him closer to Sebastian.
"I'm feeling so cold.", Ciel said. That was an understatement but either way, he knew it was due to blood loss. He felt that he was approaching death. "I will keep you warm.", Sebastian insisted. His wings were just suddenly there, unfolding from behind his back. Huge wings covered in soft black feathers. They cocooned Ciel gently and they were indeed warm. Ciel followed them with his eyes briefly and the thought that Sebastian's wings were lovely and a perfect place to curl up in occured in Ciel's mind beyond his control. When he directed his gaze back at Sebastian's face, Sebastian had horns. Elegantly curved black horns on top of his head.
Sebastian's true form unfolded itself, proving that he was a supernatural entity with powers beyond a human's imagination. And yet he was the very image of desparation and fear as he sat there under the conifers and cradled that little fragile body of his master to his chest. Ciel was sure Sebastian could smell the blood in Ciel's clothes. He was sure he could sense Ciel's laboured breaths and slowing heartbeat. He probably knew that Ciel was dying better than Ciel himself. And yet Sebastian was clinging to hope in a way that would most likely amuse him if he witnessed a human do it. He even begged Ciel to live. Had Sebastian ever begged for anything? Ciel couldn't recall it.
Helplessly Sebastian kept begging Ciel to survive. Ignoring Ciel's repeated urging to take his soul, he assured him everything would be fine. He promised to bake a wonderful chocolate cake for Ciel, to indulge him any way he wanted if only he would live. He insisted Ciel would be fine, pleaded, asked, begged and begged and begged.
About a minute or two passed, then Ciel truely had no more energy to hold up anymore. "Sebastian.", he whispered. Sebastian fell silent, hearing the urgency and weakness in Ciel's voice. Ciel could barely keep his eyes open but they just didn't fall shut either. In retrospect he would later be sure, he saw the very moment in which Sebastian decided what he would do. Sebastian froze. The frenzied, nervous dancing and flickering of his eyes' light steadied. His gaze dropped to Ciel's lips and his pupils slightly widened.
Sebastian bit his own tongue. He drove his fangs deep into that red long tongue of his, easily drawing blood. He also bit his bottom lip and left punctures along it from which he started bleeding steadily. Then he leaned down, closing the short distance between their faces. When their lips met, Ciel had no clue what Sebastian's intentions could possibly be. All he knew was that Sebastian was kissing him and, quite frankly, he was not interested in thinking about anything else in that moment. Sebastian took a moment, but just a moment, to simply press his lips to Ciel's in a shy first kiss. But there was no time for much softness. With gentle force he breached Ciel's lips and his tongue slithered into Ciel's mouth.
Together they sank down onto the mossy ground, wrapped tightly into Sebastian's wings and his shadow tendrils. Sebastian held his own body's weight on his elbows to not crush Ciel as he held him in his arms. But he did pin Ciel down in a way, Ciel couldn't have wriggled out from under him even if he were unharmed. Not that Ciel would have tried. Even if he had wanted to, he was way too distracted to even think about it.
Sebastian's tongue was hot and flexible. He embraced Ciel's own tongue with it, filled up Ciel's mouth. And his blood... Oh, Sebastian's blood was delicious. It was bitter yet at the same time so sweet, something like dark chocolate, like thick hot syrup. When Ciel swallowed a mouthful of Sebastian's blood, it literally warmed him from within. Sebastian momentarily broke the kiss to bite his own tongue again. When he sank back down, reuniting his mouth with Ciel's, Ciel willingly opened his lips for more and they locked into a deep kiss. A steady flow of Sebastian's blood found its' way down Ciel's throat, warming him up and dulling the pain. Ciel felt as if he was thawing after having been dunked into icewater. Like Sebastian was using his own hellfire to save him from freezing. And all that through the sloppiest wet kiss.
As the pain eased away, Ciel found the energy to be more active. He let his own tongue wander along Sebastian's, feeling up that soft warm muscle in his mouth. He found Sebastian's bottom lip to lick along it. Sebastian moved to give him better access. He held still to let Ciel lap up his blood in soft kitten licks. Ciel gently smoothed over the punctures in Sebastian's skin. Wells of his own blood Sebastian had put there just for him.
Sebastian's body healed itself all too fast. He pulled his tongue back to bite it again. How empty Ciel's mouth suddenly felt. How lonely. Ciel made a shy attempt at just touching Sebastian's lips with his own and Sebastian gladly met him halfway. Ciel peppered butterfly kisses along Sebastian's lips while Sebastian reopened his wounds for him.
When Ciel reached the corner of Sebastian's mouth he suddenly noticed that Sebastian was crying. Red tears escaped the corners of his eyes. Ciel froze in his movement. Mesmerized he stared at the molten fire that gathered in Sebastian's eyes and slowly streamed down his pale cheeks.
When Sebastian noticed his gaze, he leaned down to give Ciel access to his tears. Ciel didn't even think about what he was doing when he licked up Sebastian's teardrops. He acted entirely on instinct. The taste and effect was the same as that of Sebastian's blood. But the texture was different. His tears were thinner and finer. They were sweeter. Ciel gently, oh so gently, pressed his lips to the corners of Sebastian's eyes to take his tears by kiss.
By now he could wrap his arms around Sebastian's neck which he did as soon as he realized it. The pain had subsided so much it was almost gone. Ciel felt the heat Sebastian fed him with rush through his veins, warming him up from the inside. And maybe a little bit of the warmth Ciel felt was simply due to getting kissed by Sebastian.
Ciel leaned back his head and licked his lips, savouring the taste of Sebastian and making sure every drop of him found its way into his mouth. Meanwhile Sebastian had bitten his tongue enough to bleed again and this time he turned his attention to Ciel's wounds. He licked along the base of Ciel's neck were that one bullet had grazed him. Sebastian closed his lips around that wound. In his mouth Ciel's blood mixed with his own. He gently licked Ciel's delicate neck, carressed it softly.
When Sebastian placed his lips back on Ciel's own, Ciel pushed up against him. He had quickly developed an appetite, not just for Sebastian's blood and tears but for Sebastian's kisses. How long they kissed and held each other, how much Sebastian bled into his mouth, Ciel entirely lost count. All he knew when Sebastian eventually broke the kiss was that it wasn't enough.
As he opened his eyes Ciel was suprised to see by now it was way darker. Either the clouds in the sky had increased or it was evening. Sebastian took a moment to study Ciel's face. Ciel wasn't sure what exactly he was looking for but he clearly found it. The hint of a relieved smile tucked at the corners of his blood smeared mouth. Whatever goal he was following seemed to be well within reach. "Drink from me. Consume my essence.", Sebastian urged as he leaned back down. As if he needed to tell Ciel to continue.
One arm Ciel kept tightly wrapped around the back of Sebastian's neck, his fingers digging into the collar of his white shirt. His other hand Ciel slid up Sebastian's neck into his hair. He felt the black strands, so soft between his fingers. As soft as those large black feathers under him and around him. Ciel was entirely wrapped up into his demon. Steady wings, strong arms, clawed hands, dozens of shadow tendrils, all wrapped around Ciel. His hold on him was gentle but inescapable. One effortless move and Sebastian would have broken Ciel like a twig. Ciel wiggled his own legs out of Sebastian's coat and wrapped them around Sebastian's waist. His own hold on the demon would be nothing were it not for said demon's devotion to him. Sebastian would not make any attempt to escape him.
A pleased growl emerged from Sebastian's throat. It vibrated in Ciel's mouth. Deep and utterly inhuman. A sound that sent a pleasant shiver down Ciel's spine. In answer he let a sensual moan escape him which made Sebastian tightened his grip on him. By now the kisses changed in pace. Sebastian's lips molded against Ciel's own like that's where they belonged. He was oh so gentle in his carresses and yet his touch was clearly possessive.
Ciel could feel Sebastian's teeth. He let his own tongue glide over those sharp fangs. Oh, what a feeling to place one's softest bodypart into the maw of a beast and remain entirely safe in the process. He didn't get bitten by Sebastian until he prompted him too. Even then he stayed in safety. Sebastian's fangs captured Ciel's bottom lip in a gentle love bite. A bite for biting's sake, not to harm him. And when he pulled his teeth out of Ciel's flesh he gentle lapped at it, soothing the slight ache right away and rubbing his own blood into Ciel's wound in the process.
Slowly, subtly, a dizzyness began to build up in Ciel's body. He didn't notice it until all of a sudden he felt like the world was spinning around him. He tried holding onto Sebastian tighter to ground himself but his hands were shaking and his grip ended up weakening. Sebastian immediatly noticed what was going on. He kept Ciel close and protected. His kisses slowed down. He eased one last gulp of blood down Ciel's throat then he retreated his tongue. The dizzyness rapidly increased and faster than he knew it, Ciel found himself drifting out of conciousness.
By the time Ciel woke up, it was late at night. The rain had stopped. He could only conclude that he had been unconcious for quite some time even though it didn't feel like it. An utter and complete exhaustion had settled into Ciel's body. He felt as if he had hiked up and down a mountain at least. Every single muscle in his body was sore.
With a grumpy groan he opened his eyes. Ciel found himself cocooned up even more in Sebastian. He lay comfortably in Sebastian's almost entirely unfolded true form. Sebastian was a lot bigger now. In the darkness of the night surrounding them, it was hard to tell where the demon began and where he ended. He shifted when Ciel woke up and quickly sought out eye contact with him. "Master.", his inhuman voice purred, "Master, how are you feeling?" Ciel frowned. "Tired.", he summarized. It wasn't until he heard Sebastian's relieved chuckle that he remembered how close he had been to death's door not long ago. To think that now his worst complain was to be tired... What had happened?
Before Ciel could ask that question out loud, Sebastian was already moving to get up. "I shall bring you home right away, my Master.", Sebastian said. Even with the supernatural distortion of his voice he sounded so happy. He emerged from the canope and straightened up, his wings reached an enormous span when he spread them. One powerful flap and they were up in the air. Sebastian's wings moved up and down without making a sound. Ciel remained warm and safe in the cradle of Sebastian's arms and tendrils. He stayed snuggled up to Sebastian's chest and watched as the treetops shrank down under them. Once Sebastian had flown up to a high enough altitude he began to glide, riding the wind like an eagle.
Ciel let his gaze wander over the moonlit landscape far below them and the star covered nightsky even farther above. It was quite the lovely view. To the people below, if there were any at this late hour, they were most likely invisible. Sebastian was pitchblack right now and Ciel was wrapped up in him, thus they both blended in into the darkness. At some point a small murder of crows joined them them. One of them playfully tugged at one of Sebastian's feathers but Sebastian didn't even bother to react. The birds stayed in Sebastian's slipstream for a while until they eventually made their way downwards to the ground.
When the manor came into view Ciel was almost disappointed. He found flying with Sebastian a most pleasant way to travel. Hopefully they would do it again some times. Now that Ciel had somehow survived this near fatal case, he could have plans and hopes for the future once again.
Sebastian leaned sideways in the air once they were above Phantomhive manor. He slowly spiraled downwards and eventually he landed on a balcony. With a tendril he opened the door and then closed it behind them. He carried Ciel down the familiar corridors of their home to the master bedroom. At long last Ciel finally could rest in his bed. Sebastian sank onto it with him. He quickly undressed Ciel and dressed him into his nightgown while Ciel was slowly overcome by sleepyness. "Stay here with me.", Ciel murmured as he felt Sebastian tuck him into bed. "Gladly, my Lord.", Sebastian answered. Ciel felt Sebastian's warm embrace as he fell asleep.