Kuroshitsuji 1. His Butler, New

***Ciel's POV***

_A mere day without Sebastian Michaelis as his shadow had felt like a century to the young Earl. He'd been stolen from, then walked miles, cast out of the nearest motel, and mocked by a cat. All to find himself leaning against one of the buildings nearby, miserably cold; soon, though, exhaustion took over and he managed to sleep…_

Ciel woke next to the vague sensation of something crawling on him. At first, he thought it was that stupid cat (though it was on his face, so this seemed unlikely in retrospect); instinctively, he swatted at it without even opening his eyes, only to hear a low curse, wind ruffling his hair as whatever it had been shifted and darted away from him. Finally, curiosity got the best of the young man and he opened his eyes—

There stood a man, dressed eerily similar to Sebastian's usual butler-outfit. He adjusted the square-framed glasses on his face, inhumanly gold eyes flashing in the dark light of early morning. "Ciel Phantomhive," he spoke curtly, but currently without harshness, "It appears your demon has abandoned you. I must say, you look.. rather lost without him by your side."

"And just who the Hell are you?" Ciel snapped, azure eyes narrowing at this.. creature. He couldn't quite tell what he was, only that it wasn't an angel; angels had a tendency for white, he'd noticed, and this man looked quite the opposite.

The stranger cracked just the slightest of smiles as he introduced himself, "Why, my name is Claude, unless you prefer to change that." His golden eyes danced in the darkness around them as he suggested, "As I was saying, it does appear that Sebastian has left you all alone.. unprotected, it's almost pathetic."

"Watch just who you call pathetic—"

"—Not you, _him,_" Claude amended easily, "It's an embarrassment that he's caused, really. Nearly a broken contract, if you want my opinion on the matter." He paused, leaning against the nearby wall as he looked over the boy, "You're cold, you're exhausted, and you're alone. I can fix all of that."

Ciel pushed himself up from the ground to stand in the alley, brushing the dust from his clothes. "You're a demon, then?" he muttered. It was just the Earl's luck to run into another of Sebastian's kind so soon after his butler had vanished.

Claude nodded once, eyes softening from behind his glasses, "Yes, that's right." He took a few steps forward, until the child was cornered, then gracefully pulled the eye-patch Ciel wore away. He frowned at the fading mark that lay there, but nodded again, "Just as I'd thought. Let me help you… I could take away all this confusion, all this pain he's left you with. You need only say the word."

Usually, the Phantomhive boy wouldn't have been swayed this easily, but this new demon was right about everything he'd said. Ciel was cold, tired, fed-up, and he wasn't just alone, he was lonely. He couldn't do this on his own, he'd realized; he needed Sebastian—no, he needed a demon—on his side. "Your first order, then," he began, pausing to survey the demon's expressions.

The spider reached out, touching the boy's forehead just briefly, making Ciel's contract-eye burn fitfully. He shut it for a moment and when he opened his eyes again, though he couldn't see it, Claude Faustus' mark was in place. "Yes, my lord?" Claude asked, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

"Find me a warm place to sleep, Claude. I've no desire to stay out on the streets tonight," Ciel spoke softly now. He was, at last, in his own territory again. It may have been a different demon, but it was still familiar ground; deals were the one thing that both humans and demons could agree on flawlessly. He had no doubt that he could rely on Claude just as much as he had Sebastian all this time.

Claude bowed for a second, then reached out to gently take Ciel by the arm as he murmured, "I transform day into night, sugar into salt, creature into corpse… and for the moment, cold into warm, if I may." It was then that he wrapped his arm around the boy, pulling him close to his chest for a moment before scooping him up into his arms, just like Sebastian had used to when he was exhausted or injured. "Rest now, master, you'll be safe with me," he reassured the child as he started to walk down the alley, footsteps sure as the night is black. Within moments, Ciel was fast asleep in the man's arms.


	2. No More Sugar

***Ciel's POV***

The next time Ciel Phantomhive awoke, he was lying in a warm bed with his blankets tucked securely around him. Yawning, he rolled over to see Claude pouring tea; for just a minute, his eyes tricked him into thinking it was Sebastian standing there, but a blink revealed differently. "Ah, you're awake," Claude greeted as he turned to face the Earl, setting the cup of tea on the Inn's night-stand. "Are you feeling better now, Sir?"

"Warmer, at least," Ciel murmured, sitting up in bed to sip at his morning tea. Earl Grey… my favorite. It was stupidly sentimental of the Earl, but he couldn't help but find comfort that Claude had chosen that specific brew. Shaking his head in an attempt to banish his emotions, he let out a long sigh. If the child was being honest with himself, he didn't feel completely better; he was warm now, and rested, but even in Claude's static company he felt bitterly alone.

"Is something troubling you?" the demon asked, adjusting his glasses as he moved to sit on the edge of Ciel's bed. When he didn't immediately get an answer, he prodded, "Is it that butler, Sebastian?"

The young human's face contorted into a frown as he replied, "It's just… ever since he left, I've felt… _abandoned_, as you've called it. To be honest with you, Claude, I'm a bit lonely." Ciel wasn't sure why he kept talking, why he was revealing such weakness in front of the demon. All he really knew was that it felt good to talk about it, to admit that he'd been hurt by Sebastian's disappearance. He'd spent too long hiding away his emotions, forgetting them, that revealing them was almost a relief.

Claude's next comment was abrupt, pulling Ciel from his thoughts, "I hadn't realized you two were so…_**close**_." There was distaste behind the words, and maybe even jealously (though that could have been the child's imagination).

"We weren't, not really," Ciel sighed, pulling his knees up to his chest as he set his tea back on the table, hugging his folded legs. "But I… _**trusted**_him, I suppose. I felt safe when he was with me. Even if he never…" Shaking his head, he stopped what he'd been about to say.

His new butler moved a bit closer, politely brushing the bangs from Ciel's child-like face as he spoke, "You don't need to be lonely now, my lord. I'm here, and I don't have to be a simple butler; that seems to remind you far too much of _**him**_."

Those words were left up to the young master's interpretation, to which he chose to take with a grain of salt for the moment. **_Sugar into salt. _**The words drifted through the Earl's mind as he sighed, "I've worked too hard for too long, Claude, and it… it's all been for _nothing_, really." The Phantomhive boy left his words vague, just as the butler had, choosing not to elaborate or comment on what had been implied. Internally, though, his thoughts were loud in his own ears…

_Sebastian Michaelis… There always was something eerily sweet about you, like poisoned sugar left in my tea. You soaked into my veins and fed this hatred, yet you managed to make it taste like candy… _  
_No more sugar, Sebastian. Tears and bloodshed aren't supposed to be sweet. They're bitter, like salt. I don't need your sugarcoated promises._


	3. Silence is Sexy

_((Hey, thanks for the follows/favorites on this story! This chapter was necessary but it's kind of... I don't know, I'm just not happy with it. If anyone's confused, ask questions in the reviews and I'll PM you an explanation!))_

***Ciel's POV***

Despite Ciel's previous hurry to get to London, all desires of saving the great city had vanished since that morning with Claude. Those words still echoed in his ears, reminding him of how wrong he'd been living all this time. Sugar into salt. Sugar had been all he'd truly known; from reassurances at the lips of a demon to sweet dances with Lady Elizabeth, it had all been a fools' dream in the end. Even his brief time with the angel had been lies. But then… if the Angel had lied, and so had Sebastian (though less verbally and more by his actions), who could Ciel _**really**_trust?

_The Earl had decided that the answer to that question was word simple words:_

_**Claude Faustus.**_

The daylight came and went with the child's musings about the subject. He made no orders, except the one in which asked for peace and quiet for the entirety of the day. He sat in the bedroom of the suite, sipping at tea or chewing on food that Claude brought to him in silence. If nothing else, this new butler was true to his orders. Silence, it had been such a quick and easy order, but to have somebody so flawlessly follow such an order… it made Ciel feel a bit safer in this unfamiliar town with this unfamiliar man.

The sun had just barely set when Ciel called out to the demon, his voice soft, "Claude, come here." There wasn't any reason to shout out for the butler; he'd learned quickly from his time with Sebastian that a mere whisper could be heard by the demon if it was intended. As he spoke, the Earl could feel his contract-eye burning dully in response; he recalled this feeling from when he'd first been contracted to Sebastian, but he'd grown to ignore the old butler's mark. He had a feeling he'd grow used to this one as well, given a bit of time.

Just like that, the Phantomhives' newest servant was in the room, giving a bow as he spoke for the first time since this morning, "Yes, my lord?"

"I want a word with you, in regards to this morning," Ciel explained vaguely, waiting until he had the demon's full attention to continue, "You were right when you said that you remind me a lot of Sebastian.. perhaps more than you should. So, given what you've said, I wanted to make one thing clear…"

He watched the butler's expressions as they shifted into curiosity, then into something even deeper than that; the boy couldn't read just what this emotion was, though. Golden eyes flashed in the dim light as Claude nodded for Ciel to continue, mouth set in a straight-line across his mouth, neither a smile nor a frown on his face. At last, the young lord continued, "You've claimed that you transform sweetness into bitterness, though not in those words. That, Claude Faustus, is exactly what I ask of you. I don't want anything sugarcoated between us; that won't change how this ends nor will it change how either of us feel about the matter."

***Claude's POV***

By the time the master was finished with his small speech, there was the faintest of smirks on his butler's face. "Master, if I may… you said just this morning that you've felt lonely. Why then, would you submit yourself to the bitterness of a demon when I am at your beckon'call?" There was nearly a sense of wonder in the demon's voice at this point, his own confused curiosity thoroughly getting the best of him.

"It's not so much that I don't want sweet things," Ciel elaborated with a shake of his head, "I just don't want us pretending that this is going to end any differently because of it. Sebastian… he had a tendency to dream it seemed, though I don't believe demons sleep; day-dreams is what most people would call it. He had a vivid imagination." The human was thinking out loud at this point, as was obvious, but it had helped to get his thoughts in order when he finally added, "_**Never**_lie to me, Claude, and never forget where we stand. At the end of the day.. this is a business, a _**deal**_; Sebastian run away from his position and left me.. even you've said it was pathetic. The only explanation I can come up with for it is that he got too emotionally attached to finish his end of the bargain. That said… don't let **_that_**happen in our contract." There was a pause as the Earl took a breath, collecting himself before asking, "Are we clear, Claude?"

Claude Faustus was a demon who understood deals to a great length, and he also understood how complicated making them with a human could be. Still, he'd never met a human that was so strict on these things, one that was so firm about him not being attached. Ciel wasn't rude about it, just honest. The more Claude thought about it, the more the kid's theory on Sebastian's disappearance made sense. So while he understood why the child didn't want it to happen again, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to treat the Earl. Ultimately, he decided to let Ciel lead the way on that and remain as neutral as possible until he figured this boy out. "Crystal clear, my lord," his reply was flawlessly timed despite all the thoughts that were rushing through his head. He bowed once more, then pushed his glasses back into place as he asked, "Was that all then, master?"

Ciel nodded briefly and, just as quickly as he'd brought the heavier conversation up, switched gears to ask, "When will dinner be done, Claude?"

"Shortly, my lord," Claude replied swiftly, then blinked, "Actually, I should go check on that." Before Ciel could even respond, the demon had darted from the room, and _**many**_curses could be heard in the connecting kitchen.


	4. So It Happened Like This (Don't Skip!)

((What do you guys think about there being alternate endings to this story? Not that I'm ending it right away, but the story could go two different ways, would you like to see that? It's likely that one would be a "If Sebastian came back" and the other would be a "if he didn't come back." Let Me Know In The Reviews, Please!))

((I decided not to actually go into details about Claude's minor goof in the last chapter—leaving dinner on the stove when you're talking to somebody in the other room isn't always a great idea after all—but, for the sake of entertainment, there'll be a flash-back to it later on! Just bare with me! For now, there's a small time-skip, but don't worry, Ciel and Claude will both be narrating the past week for you so you aren't confused!))

Ciel: Wait, both of us? Since when? I thought that was his job.

Claude: I convinced the Mun that it would be best to have both of our perspectives, being that we can be a bit.. opinionated on how things happened.

((In other words, Ciel: If you leave details out, I'm making damn sure Claude tells them all about it!))

Ciel: Wait, so why am I even doing this?

((Because Claude's a brat that would try to hide other details.))

Claude: Sir—

((Shut it, both of you, we're supposed to be telling a story here!))

Oh yeah, and I don't own them or Kuroshitsuji in any way. Obviously.

***Ciel's POV***

_About a week had passed since Ciel Phantomhive had signed his soul away to a devil for the second time in his short life. The first few days were spent analyzing every detail of Sebastian's disappearance, trying to figure out what had really provoked him into leaving the Earl. He'd said to let it go… Had that been a farewell? Ciel still couldn't be sure. Actually, the young master wasn't sure of much of anything. It had almost seemed as though the demon wanted him to leave his hatred… but hadn't he once helped him fight for that very thing, not so long ago? It was an angels job to try to 'save' Ciel, not Sebastian's. None of it made any sense…_

_By the fourth day, Ciel had stopped trying to piece together the butler's leaving. It seemed that, by now, he wouldn't be coming back any time soon. Out of habit, he still gasped out Sebastian's given name when he was afraid or startled, but Claude had learned to listen for that, and would later softly remind him that dwelling on Sebastian Michaelis wasn't healthy for the Earl. It was through this strange week that Ciel slowly, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, learned to trust Claude Faustus._

_By the sixth day, the Queen's guard dog learned of something else. The fires in London had been successfully put out, though nobody was even hinting at how they'd managed it; his ties in the Criminal Underground successfully cut for the time being, Ciel had no way of digging up information… Unless he chose to send Claude out to fetch it, which he'd decidedly not done so far._

_That seventh day seemed like a blessing and a curse, all in one. He'd survived a week without Sebastian, and that alone was something to put on the Earl's mental cork-board for a while. Claude had managed to tap into the young master's funds back at Phantomhive Manor, after hearing about the fires there; Ciel had gotten in contact with Mei-Rin, Finny, and Bard, instructing them to fix the place as soon as possible. He asked them briefly about Sebastian's whereabouts as well, but none of them seemed to know - they all said that they'd thought he was with the young master. Telling them not to worry, but that he wouldn't be home for a while, he'd then quickly bid the group goodbye. He wasn't sure how he'd survive in a house with those three—four, he always forgot Tanaka—and he didn't want to return to the Manor yet._

It was getting late when Ciel had finally hung up the phone, yawning as he settled into the couch cushions. There was a record-player that Claude had picked up from a store nearby; it's music was soft, only occasionally scratching over the thrifted record, lulling the boy into a relaxed state of mind for the first time all day.

***Claude's POV***

_The first few days of their contract was surprisingly frustrating for Claude. The boy spent all his time obsessing over why, how, and when, Sebastian had decided to take his leave. It wasn't as though this had never happened to the child before, damn it! His parents had died too and he hadn't—_

_Oh, that's right, he had obsessed over it. He still sort of did, or at least Claude assumed that. They hadn't discussed what Ciel really wanted to achieve from this just yet; it hadn't been necessary. The whole thing was more than irritating for the demon, but he kept up a calm facade and let it pass. _

_And pass it did. A handful of days later, a tiny amount of time for a demon, and Ciel was pushing onward, trying to get in touch with the Queen, Scottland Yard, ,his Criminal associates, the Phantomhive servants (other than Sebastian - he'd seemed to have given up on that, at last), and anyone else that could possibly help him get back on his feet. The first three allies failed him miserably, but Ciel did manage to find the servants, instructing that they send his funds immediately; they received them shortly after, thanks to a few strings that Claude had pulled with the mailing system._

A day later, Ciel hadn't slept a wink in nearly forty-eight hours (despite the butler's consistent protests). Claude had just moved into the sitting room of the suite to try to convince the young master to get some rest when he saw that the boy was just barely awake on the couch. A smile graced his lips, for just a second, before contorting into a look of surprise when Ciel spoke—

"Claude," the child had mumbled, "Come here." Shrugging to himself, the butler made his way over to the couch and dropped to one knee to look at the tired Earl, adjusting his glasses as he opened his mouth to speak—He was successfully cut off when Ciel's eyes fluttered open and the boy muttered, "Get up off the bloody floor and sit with me, demon." Even in his exhaustion, he kept up his usual attitude; it was almost charming, actually.

Moving to sit on the couch next to the young lord, Claude was caught off guard for the third time in those short moments when Ciel moved closer to his side, resting his head against the demon's chest. "Master," the butler nearly gasped, "Are you alright?"

***Ciel's POV***

"I'm fine… just a little tired, that's all," Ciel sighed, the same lie he'd said countless times to the other servants—especially Sebastian, but he was determined not to think about the other demon right now. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but in his exhaustion, he found this strange desire to be close to somebody. Perhaps he had finally started to miss Lizzy - yes, that was a good excuse for the moment. "Claude…" he mumbled tiredly, arm draped over the butler's stomach as he rest his head on the other's chest, "Don't leave… _that's an order._"

***Claude's POV*** (That was quick, I know)

Claude blinked not once, but twice, in confusion. The boy who had told him that he didn't want any sweetness between them was curled up against his chest, asking him_ ordering him_ not to leave! The whole thing made the demon's head hurt, so he decided to let it go… but not without a little selfishness along the way.

Gently, the butler wrapped one of his arms around the boy's shoulder to hold him. His other hand cupped the Earl's cheek as he tilted that sleepy face up and pressed their lips together. A low gasp of surprise, followed but words far too mumbled to hear, was the only response Claude's actions got. When he pulled away, Ciel was already fast asleep. Flashing a smirk, the demon purred, _"You'll make one Hell of a feast, Lord Phantomhive."_

_((I don't know what my precious babies are doing, I'm sorry you guys! Reviews, I need'ta know what people think before I completely obliterate this story!))_


	5. New Rule

***Ciel's POV***

_Demonic lips ghosted over Ciel's without warning. Despite the Earl's exhaustion, adrenaline rushed through him; it was like a forbidden fruit, flawlessly addicting and horribly, horribly sweet. He'd tried to pull back, but sleep was tugging at him with a vengence; he wasn't used to staying awake this long. Sebastian had been very strict about the master's health, after all… But thoughts of Sebastian had no bloody place here, did they? This… this had to be a dream. Claude had no reason to kiss Ciel…_

The Earl woke with a gasp, lurching from the dream that had enraptured his mind so completely. He twisted against what he presumed to be blankets holding him, only to hear a tired mumble that had said something along the lines of, "How the Hell did I fall asleep?" Jolted further, the master's azure eyes flew open to see that it wasn't sheets holding him in place; it was his butler's arms, secured around him. Sometime during the night, they'd wound up lying down with Ciel curled up on-top of the demon, rather than merely leaning against his side.

_It hadn't all been a dream, then…_

_Claude had kissed him, after all…_

"Sir?" Claude's voice was tired still, but quickly growing with coherency as he moved to halfway sit up, elbows supporting both their weights as he looked up at Ciel. "Are you alright?" the demon was frowning, and it was only then that Ciel realized he'd been frozen in place, blue eyes wide and blank with shock.

Shaking his head swiftly to clear the haze, the Earl's voice was a croak, "Fine… I'm fine." With that, he moved to push himself up off the demon, then brushed at his clothes in an attempt to straighten them out as he stood next to the suite's sofa. His eyes traveled back to Claude for a moment, curiosity sparking as it occurred to him that the demon had, in fact, been asleep. It seemed their kind could, in fact, do so, though the butler had certainly seemed surprised that it had happened.

"Allow me," Claude's voice was an abrupt wake-up call to the once again day-dreaming Earl. While Ciel had been lost in thought, the butler had stood from the couch and grabbed Ciel's things from the connecting bedroom. Now, his fingers worked effortlessly to undo the buttons of Ciel's shirt, gold eyes too deep to even try to read the emotions in them. The Earl was, yet again, as still as a statue, watching as Claude meticulously undid his master's clothing and folded it, setting it aside before moving to dress the young human. When he was finished, he finally looked at Ciel's face again, "My lord?" he asked, frowning again, "You seem horribly lost in thought this morning. Something's troubling you?"

_A blink._

"It's nothing," Ciel insisted a second too soon, taking a step back before excusing himself, "I'm going to see if the Inn's received any mail for me." Not giving the butler the chance to offer doing so himself, the human scampered off, out of the room and down the stairway. Once he was in the lobby, he took a moment to lean against the wall, flashing a fake smile towards anyone who looked at him with concern.

_Claude had kissed him last night. But why? Had such an innocent thing as curling up at the demon's side been taken the wrong way? And why had Ciel done that to begin with? Was he really so lonely that he found the need to indulge in something as pointless as cuddling? It seemed absolutely ridiculous. And yet…_

_Memories flashed before the Earl's mind, of a night just after a ball that Lizzy had held at the Manor. She'd shattered that precious ring, only for Ciel to later find that his butler had mended the cracks. He still hadn't a clue how he'd done it… Later, that night, ,he'd asked Sebastian to stay in the room until he'd fallen completely asleep. The demon had taken it as weakness, and he'd been right, so…_

_Was last night with Claude just.. that weakness, come back with a vengeance now that neither Elizabeth or Sebastian were around?_

"Bloody Hell," the Earl muttered under his breath, pushing off from the wall and going to ask the receptionist about his mail - just in case. There was nothing, of course, so he found himself making his way back to the suite, forcing a false confidence into his appearance as he pushed open the door to their room.

***Claude's POV***

Claude glanced up as he'd just finished pouring a cup of tea for the young master, holding it out to him, "Your tea, my lord?" This new air of cockiness seemed interesting, having noted it from the second his master had walked into the room. "Was there any mail?" he asked dully, scanning Ciel for clues.

"No," Ciel replied absently as he took the tea from Claude, sipping at it. He turned and walked to the tiny office-space they'd set up in the suite; it was really just a desk with a chair, but it worked. Sitting down, the human was silent for longer than the demon liked before eventually saying, "Oh, and Claude? New rule."

"Yes, my lord?"

Looking over the rim of his tea-cup, the Earl looked for all the world like one of those private-investigators you so often heard about. His voice was slightly curt, but also sugary-sweet as he announced, "Please refrain from kissing me without my expressed permission from now on." Just like that, Ciel was back to drinking his tea and shuffling through the the small stack of paperwork he kept on his desk.

The demon was left to stare, wide-eyed,trying to come up with a suitable come-back for what his master had just shot at him. It hadn't really been an order… he'd said 'please', but he'd also called it a rule. Technicalities were such a bother… "Yes, my lord," he muttered finally, turning his golden eyes downwards in thought.


	6. Counter-Cllockwise

_((It took me a while to decide on how to continue this fic, but I think I've got a good idea on where it's going to go now! More chapters will be posted today, I'm sure.))_

***Ciel's POV***

Days passed without feeling like days at all. It seemed like time had been ensnared into the spider's web just as much as everything else. The hours ticked by slowly, and Ciel fell into different patterns than he was used to; he woke later than usual, early morning tea becoming noon-time refreshments. The Earl Grey brew that he so enjoyed disappeared from the motel, replaced by ginger and chai blends. It wasn't he was used to, nor was it how he preferred things to be, but…

He couldn't waste his time on details like tea. He didn't have that kind of luxury anymore, not when he was constantly pulling all-nighters, burying himself into his work until it nearly suffocated the Earl. The problem of Sebastian's disappearance had come back to the young human's mind with a vengeance, demanding answers; he couldn't sit around and worry over the Queen's requests when he was too busy trying to track down a demon that apparently didn't want to be found.

"I'm not comfortable here anymore," Ciel confided in the new butler one morning. A little over a month in Claude's company had proven to be interesting, though the Earl couldn't decide if it was an interest that he would ever enjoy fully. Returning to the Phantomhive Manor, however, was a futile dream; he'd sent the four servants away to search for Sebastian Michaelis (though this detail hadn't been told to Claude) and the Manor, he knew, would prove just as tiring as the motel he'd been staying at. "I don't want to go home, either," he decided before the butler could comment, "How soon can a different Estate—"

Claude's interruption was impolite, though the words brought a reassurance nonetheless, "I had thought you might want a new household to return to; I've already made the preparations, my lord." A smile touched the demon's features, clearly pleased with himself.

"Your smile is absolutely sickening," Ciel muttered, "What have I told you about things like that? This isn't about pleasantries; I don't have time for that." His words grew harsher the longer he spoke, so he forced himself to shut his mouth for the moment, azure eyes lingering on the demon at his side. "Nonetheless," he began, speaking more slowly now, "I want to leave by this afternoon. See to it that there won't be any hiccups in those plans."

***Claude's POV***

The smile fell from the demon's face swiftly; his cold demeanor had morphed in ways he didn't understand in Ciel's company. Determined not to dwell on that, Claude started to turn away, but then paused and looked back at the child with a purse to his lips, "My lord, if I may, your obsession with work cannot be healthy for you." It wasn't work he was talking about though, because that wasn't the boy's real obsession as of late. No, the human had grown obsessive over that other butler again…

"It's no concern of yours, Claude," Ciel replied sharply, standing from his seat as he set the tea-cup down. "Get to work yourself, would you?" he added, almost like an after-thought, "I'm going to pack my things." He waved the demon out of the bedroom then, and Claude was left to prepare for the trip. It took only an hour or so to arrange the carriage and pack up anything that wasn't the young master's personal belongings.

Returning to the Earl's room, Claude saw that the luggage had been packed in this time as well. "When would you like to leave, sir?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.

***Ciel's POV***

"I've a few questions to ask first," Ciel decided, crossing his arms over his chest and ignoring the tiny voice in his head that told him he looked defensive. "My other servants will be busy for some time now," he told the demon vaguely, leaving out the details as to where the four servants had gone. "But I would prefer some other individual in the Estate with us, given I'm used to having a full house." It wasn't that he wanted a full house, really, just that he didn't want to be in an even bigger place, still alone with the demon; he had a feeling that would rot his mind into loneliness quicker than his work could suffocate him from it.

Claude nodded as he suggested, "I've got someone in mind, a maid that would be more than willing to stay with us until your servants are back from their holiday."

_A holiday, yes. That's a nice conclusion you've come to, butler. I don't suppose I'll be correcting it any time soon._

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Ciel replied, "That sounds fine. I'm ready to leave now, then." He was eager to get out of this damned motel; the small space had started to drive him mad, if he were being honest with himself. "Let's go, Claude," he added as he stood from his place, nodding at the suit-case in a vague order for the butler to carry it out with them.

_The sooner I'm in a bigger place, the sooner I'll have more room to think. Then… then I'll plan my next move, I suppose._


	7. Nightmares

((I really like how this chapter turned out. Hope you all enjoy it!))

***Ciel's POV***

The trip to the new Estate was a boring one. The carriage wasn't quite steady enough to get any proper work done, but Ciel refused to engage in any extended conversation with his butler. It didn't feel right, to share in a game of wits with Claude when he was thinking so heavily on Sebastian Michaelis.

Claude… he'd said that he wanted to help, hadn't he? Sugar into salt… What had the other words been from the morning they'd met? He'd focused so heavily on that one phrase that he'd forgotten the other policies the demon had sworn by. All the same, Ciel knew that the demon's help had only been offered out of hunger; there was no real sweetness between them, despite Claude's occasional, unwarranted moments of affection. They hadn't been allowed then, and they certainly weren't now, and yet they'd happened, and Ciel had never ordered it to outright stop…

_I will not be fooled again! _

Frustrated, the Phantomhive boy curled up in the carriage's cushioned seat, using his arm as a pillow and forcing his azure eyes to shut. Perhaps a bit of sleep would clear his mind, let him start fresh when they arrived at the new Estate…

_It was just another morning in the Phantomhive Manor as Sebastian knelt next to Ciel's bed, carefully buttoning up the Earl's shirt. One gloved hand moved to rest on his shoulder as the butler stood, leaning down to speak something into his ear…_

_It was too late for words as the dream contorted, the fibers of the room growing fuzzy. Ciel could hear his own heartbeat in his ears, his pulse jumping in his wrist as he tried to get a grip on the situation. In his panic, he reached out, fingers curling around Sebastian's wrist in a desperate attempt to keep him there…_

**_Day into night._**

_The words echoed loudly in the Earl's mind as the scene grew dark, the morning light from the window fading into a dusky ray of moonlight. "Sebastian," he yelped, confusion keeping him from realizing that it was all just a nightmare…_

**_Sugar into salt._**

_There it was! Too late for cheer, though, because Sebastian's features were contorting with the rest of the dream. The transformation was slow, like the world had turned to molasses, until finally it was Claude standing in front of Ciel, the Earl's hand still grasping his arm like a life-line._

_No, none of this was right! It had to stop, it had to stop now!_

_"__**Creature into corpse**__," the phantom of Claude completed the little rhyme as he twisted the Earl's arm, demonic eyes flashing in the dark bedroom. Fangs emerged as ash fell around the scene and—_

_"Master, are you alright?"_

_Was that Sebastian? No, it couldn't be, Sebastian had left… had left Ciel all alone with this golden-eyed monster. Creature into corpse. He was going to die now, wasn't he?_

"Master!"

Suddenly Ciel was waking up, his breath caught in his throat as he clung to the closest thing he could find (in this case, Claude, who'd been shaking him awake when he'd noticed the Earl was having a nightmare). Thoroughly traumatized, it didn't even matter to Ciel that it was Claude who'd folded him into his arms, all that mattered was that the dream had finally stopped.

"Master, are you alright?" the demon's voice was concerned, speaking the same words Ciel had heard in his dream. So it hadn't been Sebastian's voice, just Claude trying to reach him from the waking-world. Not surprising, but still…

He slowly caught his breath before replying, "Yes, I'm.. I'm fine, Claude, just a bad dream." He let his head fall to rest on the demon's chest for the moment, regaining his barrings.

The butler's voice was absent as he asked, "About Sebastian?"

_Yes. Partly. _

"No," Ciel replied, a frown forming on his lips as he added, "About you, actually."

***Claude's POV***

This caused the demon to recoil from holding his master, setting him upright in the carriage as he frowned at the Earl. "What about me, my lord?" his voice betrayed just how puzzled he was to have been the cause of the boy's nightmare. Certainly things had been awkward between them lately, but could it really be because he frightened the child?

The human shook his head at this question though, muttering, "I'd rather not discuss it, Claude." He took a deep breath and straightened the eye-patch he wore over his contract-eye, ruffling his hair back into place and straightening the shirt he wore. Finally, he returned his attention to the demon and asked, "Are we at the Estate, then?"

Back in familiar territory for them, the butler pushed his thoughts about Ciel's nightmare to the side. "Yes, master, I've already brought your things into the Manor," he explained as he opened the doors of the carriage and stepped out, offering the human his hand as he spoke, "I'll show you around now, if you'd like."


	8. Not Afraid

***Ciel's POV***

For a moment, the Earl could only stare at the butler's outstretched hand, his mind screaming a hundred different things at him. This demon was.. the monster from the nightmare, and yet here he was to comfort Ciel from the very thing that had frightened him. It wasn't really Claude he was afraid of, he realized, it was—

_**No.**_

He pushed the thoughts forcefully away, taking Claude's hand and hopping out of the carriage without dwelling on it any further. For a moment, he just stood there, clutching the butler's hand harder than was necessary. A moment of silence passed between them before he finally let go, his voice quiet, "Lead the way then, Claude."

The demon nodded once, tilting his head curiously to the side without actually questioning the young master. One last glance, nearly concerned, and then he was turning away to do as he'd been instructed. Ciel followed him, footsteps swift in order to keep his thoughts at bay.

As they got to the front door, it opened, without either of them touching it, to reveal a maid. She curtsied when she spotted Ciel, purple lips curling into the tiniest of smiles as she greeted, "Ciel Phantomhive, I presume? Claude mentioned you'd be arriving soon."

Before Ciel could respond, Claude gestured towards the maid, "My lord, this is Hannah, the maid I mentioned earlier. Hannah, this is Lord Phantomhive."

There was something absolutely off about this woman. She had that same, distinct aura to her that Claude and Sebastian carried; that of a demon, to be exact. Narrowing his eyes, he looked from Hannah to Claude, then back as he greeted her, "It's a pleasure, I'm sure." He watched as Hannah stepped back to let them inside, following Claude's lead into the Manor as he nodded towards the butler, "A word, Claude."

"Yes, my lord," Claude's words were immediate, following the young master down the hallway until they were out of Hannah's ear-shot. "What is it?" he asked with a frown.

Ciel crossed his arms over his chest, something that had become quite the habit lately. Then he spoke, azure eyes narrowed, "She's a demon as well, then? And to what do I owe her?"

Claude waved the concern away with a simple, "She's in-debt to me, my lord, you owe her nothing."

The Earl looked at Claude for a long time before finally deciding that he believed the butler. "So long as there aren't any more surprises," Ciel allowed, "I suppose that's fine." His eyes flickered to the clock on the nearby wall, "It's already that late into the afternoon… well, show me around then, I ought to get my barrings on this Manor before the night's out…"

The rest of the day was spent on a tour of this new Manor. Time seemed to absolutely drag during these hours, but at last, it was time for the Earl to get some rest… Claude had left him to his room a few moments before, but Ciel still lay awake, starring at the dark ceiling above his bed. His thoughts had done a good job of keeping him awake so far, much to his displeasure. The words his mind had carried previously returned now, and he didn't try to stop them:

_He wasn't afraid of Claude Faustus in the slightest…_

_But he was utterly horrified of living with Claude as Sebastian's replacement._

The two demons had their similarities, being their species had certain tendencies, but that didn't make them the same. They were much, much different. Where Claude was obsessive, Sebastian was possessive. It was a hard thing to keep separate, but not for Ciel; it didn't matter how many words Claude spoke against it, in the end it was painfully clear that this was all about devouring his soul. The boy had thought that was what he wanted, and yet… He missed the other demon's protective ways.

Tossing and turning in his bed, Ciel Phantomhive couldn't find rest with these thoughts plaguing him. He didn't understand why he couldn't just let Sebastian go. That's what the butler himself had said to do, after all. Just let it all go… But he couldn't, and he wouldn't, because he didn't want to do so in the first place. He wanted Sebastian Michaelis at his side again, and that wouldn't change no matter how long Claude tried to fill that void…


	9. Give Him A Chance

***Ciel's POV***

_Sebastian appeared on the Earl's bed in a gust of wind from the cracked window, his red eyes like precious rubies in the candle-light of the room. "Trouble sleeping, my lord?" he asked softly, reaching out to brush the child's hair from his face._

_"Yes," Ciel admit in a quiet voice, brows furrowing in confusion, "Are you really here, Sebastian?" Looking away from his butler, he added to the question a moment later, "Or am I dreaming it again?"_

_Sebastian's voice was gentle to the young master's ears, despite the mysterious words he spoke, "Life is but a dream within a dream. I believe Lau explained that to you once… something about a butterfly, wasn't it?"_

_Ciel sat up in his bed, grabbing onto Sebastian's hand as though that would somehow infer whether he was real or not. The action told him nothing, however, but he was glad that the butler didn't shatter at this touch; that, at least, was a good sign. "Yes, but.. that was just Lau speaking nonsense, Sebastian," he frowned, "I have to know what's real and what isn't. I have to know where you are." When he looked up at the butler now, there were frustrated tears forming in his eyes, "You left me, Sebastian. Why? Why would you leave me, Sebastian?"_

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The demon's figure vanished abruptly as the Earl's door was pushed open, and it was only then that Ciel realized that he was sitting up straight in his bed, frightfully screaming Sebastian's name. He gasped, shutting his eyes tightly even as Claude rushed to his side.

_Just another dream… damn it._

"Damn it," the second half fell from his lips before he could stop it as he finally opened his eyes„ hands clenched into fists. He pushed Claude's hands away when the butler tried to touch him, his voice sharp, "Don't. Go… go get Hannah. I'd like to talk to her." _Anyone but you right now._

Claude frowned at that, taking a step back in caution as he asked, "My lord, you can talk to me. It doesn't matter what these dreams are about, I—"

His words were cut off before he could even try to convince the Earl, "Just go get her, Claude, that's an order." With that statement, Claude left the room.

A few minutes passed before Hannah arrived, shutting the door behind her before walking over to where the young master sat. "What's troubling you, my lord?" her voice was soft, unfamiliar, soothing in some sense.

Ciel rubbed his tired eyes, trying to put the words together, "I keep having dreams about Claude replacing Sebastian, about Sebastian being here. I don't know what to do with myself, Hannah."

The maid put a hand on Ciel's arm as she spoke, trying to council the child, "Claude's told me a lot about you and that other butler, Sebastian. As it were, my lord… Sebastian left you, and he hasn't returned." Her eyes softened under the candle-light as she told him, "It's not about replacing him, my lord, it's about helping you move on. Dwelling on a demon who's abandoned you is hardly healthy And… if he were really going to come back, don't you think he would have already?"

"Well, yes, but I…" Ciel didn't even know how to finish that sentence. There wasn't any excuse for Sebastian leaving him like this, no matter how much the boy wished there was. Hanging his head, Ciel muttered, "What am I supposed to do?"

Hannah smoothed the Phantomhive Earl's hair away from his face with her free hand before speaking, "All you can do now is give Claude a chance. I've talked to him, master, and believe me when I say that he's trying to make up for Sebastian's disappearance. He just doesn't know how to go about it without you pushing him away again."

Ciel frowned at that, not understanding what the maid could possibly have meant by 'again'. "Pushing him away?" he asked thoughtfully.

Nodding, she elaborated, "He tells me that whenever he's gotten close to you, you've pushed him away or gotten frightened somehow."

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, the Earl forced himself to ask, "Has he… given you any examples? I'm not sure I understand, Hannah."

The maid pursed her lips in thought, as though she wasn't sure if she'd be saying too much by answering him. Finally, though, she replied, "Well, my lord, he did mention that he kissed you in the hotel.. and that you told him not to do it again."

"I told him not to do it without my permission," Ciel corrected softly, hugging himself as he muttered, "But I suppose that's nearly the same, isn't it?"

***Hannah's POV***

Hannah frowned, trying to reassure the young master while still being honest, "Well, yes, I can see where he would have taken it that way. But answer me something, master…" She paused, collecting her thoughts before asking, "Do you want to give Claude a chance? Do you want to believe that you can be happy again without that other butler in your life?"

"I… I want to try, Hannah, but it… it isn't fair to Claude," Ciel mumbled, shaking his head at her, "I can't look him in the eyes and tell him that I don't miss Sebastian. I can't pretend like I've forgotten about—"

Gently, the maid rest a hand on Ciel's arm, "And he isn't asking that of you, my lord, only that you let him help you." She sighed thoughtfully, trying to find a way to explain it without being horribly blunt; after a moment, she decided that a metaphor of sorts would be best, "The spider doesn't want you to feel trapped here, Ciel. Rather, he wants to lick the wounds that the raven's talons left on your skin. He just wants to help you move on, to help you heal."

"Spiders are poisonous," Ciel muttered, frowning at the maid's words, "It's hardly safe to let one lick your wounds like a puppy."

Realizing her small mistake, Hannah amended, "Perhaps that wasn't the right phrase, then. Nonetheless, spiders can suck poison out just as surely as they can inject it; I assure you that Claude means to do the former… He means you no harm, my lord."

"How can you be so sure?" The disbelief was palpable in the room as the young Earl asked this question. He swiped at his eyes to clear the tears from them, a shuddering sigh leaving him.

Resting a hand on Ciel's shoulder, Hannah replied, "I just know, my lord." She paused in thought before adding, "Now, you should try to get some sleep. I won't be far if you wake up again." She stood from her place at the edge of the bed and waited until Ciel had laid down once more; then she pulled the covers over the human and murmured, "Rest now, master. Everything's…going to be…just…fine." By the time she was finished speaking, her voice growing quieter with each word, Ciel had fallen asleep.


	10. Ginger Tea

((I'm really happy with how this fanfiction is turning out, but I'd love your guys' opinions on it. A big thank-you to all the faithful followers of this story! You guys give me the encouragement I need to continue it, you really do!))

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***Ciel's POV***

Ciel Phantomhive awoke the next morning with a new kind of determination. As he dressed himself, having awoken before Claude had arrived to wake him, Ciel went over his 'plan of action' repeatedly: _I will not dwell on Sebastian Michaelis. He left on his own accord and has not returned, therefore there is no point in desiring otherwise. Claude is here, in the present, and that is what I need to focus on. He deserves a chance to suck this poison out of my veins, even if I have to be completely ensnared in spiders' web for him to succeed._

***Hannah's POV***

The door pushed open to reveal the Manor's maid, a soft smile on her painted lips. She adverted her gaze, seeing that Ciel was still buttoning his shirt, "My apologizes, my lord. I came to see if you'd slept well."

"Yes and… thank you, Hannah, for last night's advice," Ciel told her thoughtfully, the last button now in place as he tied the bow around his collar. He looked at her then as determination sparkled in his eyes, his voice confident, "Given the night to think, I believe I'll follow what you've said. You were…right, after all." There was a small pause, but he kept speaking before she could reply, "Find Claude, tell him that I'd like my morning tea now. That ginger bled he so fancies would do - in fact, request it for me. Tell him I'd like the pot brought to the library."

A smile lit up the maid's features at her master's words as she gave a quick, excited curtsy, "Yes, my lord, right away." Turning on her heel, she shut the boy's door behind herself as she swiftly made her way down the hallway and the staircase, to the kitchen where she knew Claude would be that morning. "Claude," she greeted, unable to contain the pleasantness in her voice, "The young master has request you bring him a pot of ginger tea to the library with you."

"Really?" Claude's voice was full of disbelief was he turned his attention to the demoness, "He specifically asked for that?"

Hannah nodded in confirmation, taking the tea out of the cabinets for Claude and setting it on the counter as she spoke, "He did." She paused, trying to find of a vague way to word her thoughts without actually telling the other demon that she'd spoken to his master. After a moment, she decided on, "The young master seems quite happy this morning."

***Claude's POV***

"Does he?" Claude mused softly as he moved to prepare the master's tea, not taking the maid for her word. "We'll see about that," he found himself muttering as he worked. A few minutes later, he'd set the full tea-pot and the accompanying tea-set on a tray. Nodding at the maid, he told her, "If you've lied to me about the master's requests, I'm going to be very cross with you."

The maid merely smiled, shaking her head at him as she asked, "And what reason do I have to lie? The master's orders are absolute, after all; isn't that what you've always said?"

Choosing to ignore her question, Claude turned on his heel and made his way towards the staircase. If Hannah had been accurate, then the young master would be waiting in the library for his tea. Hopefully, his good mood wouldn't vanish upon his butler's arrival…

***Ciel's POV***

When Claude finally entered the library, Ciel was lounged comfortably on the sofa that sat in the center of the reading area, his feet up as he turned the page of whatever book he'd found. He wasn't really reading it, just skimming over the text for appearances. Glancing up at the door opened, he dog-eared the page before setting the paperback to the side. A small smile found its way to the Earl's lips as he greeted his butler, "Good morning, Claude. I take it Hannah relayed the message?"

"Yes, my lord," the demon seemed to hesitate as he stepped closer, setting the tray on the coffee table that sat in front of the sofa. He then took a moment to pour Ciel a cup of the hot beverage as he spoke, "She said you'd requested the ginger blend. I don't recall you ever doing that before."

The Earl shrugged his shoulders, trying to play off the suspicion, "I recall you quite like ginger tea. I thought it appropriate." His own attempts at pushing the butler's curiousness betrayed him, however, because he hadn't meant to say the second sentence at all. For a fleeting moment, he hoped that the demon hadn't heard him… but, of course, he had.

Claude cocked his head to one side as he handed the master his tea and asked, "Appropriate for what exactly, my lord?"

Gulping, Ciel tried yet again to push the questions aside, "Ah, never mind that… have some, if you'd like; I'm quite aware that you don't need to drink to survive, but that doesn't mean you can't." He sipped at the spiced tea, watching the butler over the rim of his mug as he added, "Besides, it'd be bad etiquette to deny your master's request." He kept his words light, teasing, not wanting this conversation to turn sour.

The butler's suspicion was more than visible in his golden eyes as he nodded, "Very well, master." Pouring himself a cup of the tea he'd prepared, he slowly moved to sit at the Earl's side, leaving plenty of space between them - almost to the point that it was too formal.

Rolling his eyes discretely at the butler's actions, he made their positions slightly more casual by unfolding his legs and setting them across the demon so that his calves rested on Claude's lap. "As to my schedule," he commented lightly, "Clear it. I'd like to spend the morning like this." He gestured vaguely at the two of them with his free hand as he sipped at his tea, shrugging, "It seems preferable to paperwork anyways."

"Yes.. my lord," Claude's reply was hesitant. A smile finally started to appear on his lips as he took a drink from his own tea-cup

From there, they launched into a casual conversation about the Manor's decor, then onto the Queen's current policies, and so on and so forth until they were chuckling at one another's witty comments; it was halfway through one of these laughs that Ciel found himself yawning, rubbing his eyes tiredly. The daylight had came and went hours ago, and a quick glance at the library's clock revealed that it was nearly midnight. He wasn't sure how he'd spent so long talking to the butler, but it hadn't been entirely unpleasant; in fact, he'd rather enjoyed himself.

Claude's voice was soft, almost tired despite the fact that demons rarely slept, "Master, perhaps you should retire to your bedroom. It's gotten quite late." Even with this said, the butler made no move to get up from the sofa, nor did he move the Earl's legs off his lap.

Yawning again, Ciel shook his head as he turned around on the couch so that his feet rest against the arm of the couch, his head against Claude's side. "I believe… I'd rather stay here tonight, if you don't mind," he mumbled as he let his azure eyes shut. The demon he sat with spoke no words, but his arm moved to hold the Earl close; Ciel sighed contently at this, murmuring a final, "Goodnight then, Claude…"


	11. Lips of an Angel (more like a Demon)

_((What's the fluff without a little drama? Hope you all enjoyed!))_

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***Hannah's POV* **

Early that next morning, the maid found herself at the entrance to the library, peeking her head in at Claude and the young master. Ciel was still fast asleep, curled up with his head tucked into the crook of the butler's neck; Claude's gold eyes were halfway shut, looking down at the human with something Hannah hadn't seen before - not desire, but actual affection. It made her smile as she quietly turned away, deciding not to interrupt them…

***Ciel's POV***

Several hours later, Ciel woke up alone on the library's couch. Frowning, he snuggled into the cushions tiredly, missing already the warmth of the demon's body at his side. After a moment of lying there, his eyes shut, he finally decided to get up and investigate. Peeling his eyes open, he got up, following the vague scent of ginger tea out onto the balcony. There was Claude, his hands against the rails as he looked out at the garden that covered the Manor's courtyard.

Moving slowly, as not to disturb the demon, the child slowly made his way towards Claude. Before long, he was behind the butler, just slightly off to the side, one hand resting against the small of Claude's back as he greeted, "Good morning." In his childish hesitation, his hand fell away from the butler now, but he forced himself not to cross his arms over his chest this time.

The demon caught Ciel's hand before it could completely fall to his side, making the human gasp in surprise. "Good morning," his butler replied quietly, grip loosening so that Ciel could pull away now if he wanted to; the boy didn't. From there, they fell into a peaceful kind of silence…

***Claude's POV***

_The young master didn't make any sense to Claude lately. He'd went from completely pushing the butler away to… what was last night? Had Ciel actually been trying to flirt with him? The very notion seemed ridiculous, and yet…_

Claude abruptly turned away, his thoughts getting the best of him. To his surprise, the human tugged his hand back so that he was forced to face his master. He opened his mouth to protest, but stopped out of shock when Ciel lifted himself up onto his tip-toes to grab the butler's collar, tugging him closer… There they stood, with their mouths just an inch apart, the younger's hold on Claude's shirt keeping him from pulling away. For a moment, all was still, the demon's breath caught in his throat. His master's voice broke the silence at the same time that a blush covered his face, "Well?"

Golden eyes blinked, processing the simple question. _Well?_ It seemed certain that Ciel meant for them to kiss, yet he felt as though he was about to screw things up all over again despite that certainty. _Please refrain from kissing me without my expressed permission from now on…_ Taking a breath, the butler got a grip on his own thoughts before forcing them aside, murmuring, "May I..?" He never finished that sentence, because Ciel's nod of confirmation interrupted the question. Just like that, Claude's lips sealed over the human's, his arms curling around the child to pull him closer. The Phantomhive boy's mouth tasted just as tempting as his soul's scent; it was enough to make the demon outright dizzy.

***Ciel's POV***

It felt like there was lightning between their mouths as Ciel kissed his butler, every second of it making the boy's heart beat faster. He vaguely remembered his arms wrapping around Claude's neck as he was lifted up into the demon's arms, held ever-so-similarly to how Sebastian had used to carry him - one of the butler's arms holding up his legs, the other wrapped around his back so that their chests rest together, making it easier for their mouths to connect.

Ciel let his fingers curl into the demon's black hair as he fought to keep up with the kisses. Slowly, he grew lightheaded, then forced himself to pull away in order to catch his breath, taking this as a chance to remove the demon's spectacles. He dropped the glasses into the other male's breast-pocket before sealing his lips over the butler's once more. Time seemed to slow as their mouths moved together, the boy's worries momentarily forgotten… Feeling fangs much too sharp to be human brush against his lips, Ciel gasped, shutting his eyes more tightly so that he wouldn't be tempted to look at the demon's face. His heart skipped several beats just then, his mind screaming at him to **_run_** despite the fact that he'd continued to kiss his butler.

But Claude must have sensed the Phantomhive boy's fear, because he pulled away, breaking the kiss swiftly. Ciel hesitantly opened his eyes, looking up just in time so see Claude's demonic gaze cooling back to gold. The butler was smiling, but the sharpened teeth that hadn't subsided made the expression look much less sweet, much more dangerous than before. A shiver crawled its way up Ciel's spine, even as Claude murmured, "There's no reason to be afraid, my lord…"

"But.. you…" Ciel didn't even know how to word it. All he knew was that his pulse wouldn't stop jumping, his heart thumping in panic as he looked up at the demon. _**Spiders are poisonous**_. He couldn't keep that thought from his mind right then, not when he'd just let himself get so close to the mouth of a predator.

The smile melted away as his teeth returned to normal, a frown now on the butler's face as he told the boy, "Master, you look like you've seen a ghost." He shook his head softly at that before adding, "My features may change with my nature, but my intentions do not. I mean you no harm now, nor did I a moment ago." His lips brushed over Ciel's then, gently now, before he whispered, "You can trust me, my lord..."


	12. Numb

((Sorry it took so long to get this reply out! I've been very sick lately, so I haven't been able to work on my FanFics, but I'm getting to them all now!)

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***Ciel's POV***

"I'd like to argue with that last statement," a familiar voice broke the scene between Claude and Ciel. The Earl's head snapped to the side to see Sebastian Michaelis standing there, his arms crossed over his chest. Venom dripped from his words as he added, "This is quite sweet, actually, to think he really fooled you so easily… But, so's the way with human hearts, I suppose." He seemed to shrug before he bit out the words, "Now, out of your best interest, I must suggest that you get the Hell away from him, my lord."

In the heat of the moment, Claude set the boy down, pushing him behind himself defensively. Ciel smacked his arm away then, moving to stand at his side as he growled, "Enough, both of you." He waited until Claude had taken a step away from him and Sebastian a step forward before speaking to Sebastian directly, "You left." His words were blunt, harsh, "Why?"

"My lord, you must understand," Sebastian began, "That angel murdered your Queen and burnt London to little more than rubble. I was trying to to control the damage—"

"You left before we even knew that London was going to burn," Ciel snapped, taking a step towards the demon in his anger, "Or were you hiding something from me, demon?"

The butler blinked, stumbling over his words as he tried to explain himself, "Master, please, just listen to me. I was trying to help. I—"

Again, he was interrupted, "London has been back to normal for several weeks now, Sebastian. What took you so long?" There was no way in Hell he was going to let the butler sweet-talk his way out of this one. He'd screwed up, he'd hurt Ciel, and the Earl was going to make sure Sebastian knew that. "You abandoned me," he snapped, "You lied to me!"

"I… I'm sorry," Sebastian's expression grew softer, more sad than before now, "I… I hadn't meant for it to take so long. I only wanted to help you, you must understand that—"

"You should be sorry," Ciel told him, tears starting to form in his azure eyes, "You left me alone with nothing, nobody, to protect me, Sebastian." He shook his head and swiped at his eyes, trying to stop the water-drops that fell from them as he asked, "Why, after all this time, did you even bother to come back?"

Sebastian turned his gaze downwards as he spoke, "I've been by your side for years, my lord. I didn't… I didn't know what to do with myself without you." His face contorted with stress before he continued, "Much as I detest admitting it, I care about you; I thought that—"

Ciel was starring at the ground as he turned his back to the demons, looking out at the garden that this new Estate offered so flawlessly. When he spoke, his voice was quiet despite how certain it was, "You thought wrong, Sebastian. When you left, you broke your promise and you broke my heart." His hands clenched into fists at his sides, as he shut his eyes for a moment, biting out the words, "And after all that's happened, I don't think I can forgive you."

Claude's hesitation was palpable as he moved towards Ciel, resting a hand on the young human's shoulder and leaning down to murmur, "You don't have to deal with this right now."

Ciel nodded once, then raised his voice to be heard by Sebastian, "When I'm ready to talk about this, I'll call you, Sebastian. Right now, I'd like to get some rest."

"But my lord—"

"This an order," Ciel forced those three words from his lips, "Get out of my sight until I tell you otherwise." He didn't turn around then, but instead paid close attention to the atmosphere of the balcony; several moments passed before the tension disappeared and he felt Claude's arms wrapping around him from behind. He leaned against the spider-butler, his voice quiet, "I'm so confused, Claude…"

The other sighed as he replied, keeping his voice calm, "I know you are." For a moment, it was quiet again, and then the demon asked, "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better, my lord?"

Ciel turned to face his butler, so that he was looking up at him, voice breaking, "I can't feel anything, Claude. It's like he's ripped part of my heart out and put it on ice so that I can't process my emotions anymore." He shook his head fitfully, not knowing how else to explain it as he practically begged, "Make me _feel_ something again, Claude..."

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((My apologizes to the Sebaciel shippers who's hearts have just been broken. Check out some of my other Fics guys, I promise I don't rip their hearts to pieces all the time xD Anyways! There'll be an alternate version to this story eventually, but for now I'm gonna work the Claude n' Ciel angle... *shrugs*))


	13. Pleasant Poison

((Um, so a little warning seems necessary before you read this chapter soooo here goes: This gets a bit heated, though I kept details out for the sake of the Guidelines. If you can handle a make-out scene and a paragraph of "you get the idea", then you'll be okay. However, I have boosted the rating up to M, just to be safe))

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***Ciel's POV***

_Make me feel something again, Claude._

His own words echoed in his ears after they'd left his lips, his hands resting against the demon's chest as he starred up at him, knowing how pathetic he must have looked in those moments. He half-expected the butler to laugh at him, or maybe kill him; either extreme would have made more sense coming from a demon than what he did:

Claude leaned down and pressed his lips to the young human's once again; the action was gentle and cautious, leaving Ciel all the time in the world to push him away. He chose not to do so, though, and stepped forward so that he was pressed closer to the demon, lips moving on their own accord to return the soft kiss. "It hurts," he found himself whispering against Claude's lips, "So much… I don't want to hurt anymore, Claude."

The air around them seemed to darken and, for a moment, Ciel's world blurred. He shut his eyes, focusing instead on the kiss until the universe felt solid again. Opening his azure eyes, he saw they were now on the library's couch; he was cradled in the demon's lap now. "I'll take away the pain, darling," Claude's words seemed almost like they were under-water as their lips reconnected.

_**Darling**_. The word seemed so strange, coming from the demon, but there was something about it that felt… right, too. Ciel decided in those moments that he didn't mind being called that; he might've even preferred it to the usual titles he was addressed by…

_You're thinking too much. Relax._

The demon's voice in Ciel's mind was an intrusion, but it was a welcomed one. Almost immediately, his thoughts melted away. At the same time, the tension he felt seemed to drain from his body. The pressure of the demon's mind against his forced Ciel away from his worries for the moment, letting him focus instead on simple things…

He wrapped his arms around Claude's neck and let out a sigh, mouth parting under the other's so that their tongues danced together. A shiver traveled down the Phantomhive boy's spine, heat flushing through his body; a soft sound left his lips that he wouldn't _dare_ call a moan as his fingers tugged at his butler's hair, pulling him closer.

The other male's mouth was strangely sweet, with an edge of sharpness that reminded Ciel of the demon's spider form. Nonetheless, it was _wonderful_, and Ciel found himself resenting the fact that he required oxygen to survive as he broke the kiss to catch his breath. A shudder swept through him as Claude's lips moved across his jaw to his throat. Small, unbidden whines of pleasure escaped the Earl's mouth as his fingers tightened in the demon's hair, his other hand clutching at the dress shirt that Claude wore.

He felt the other smirk against his skin before seductively licking across the sensitive part of his throat, drawing a low moan from Ciel that he couldn't have denied if he'd tried. His cheeks were hot with an embarrassed blush„ but he didn't notice it; his entire body felt warm at this point. "Claude," he gasped out the other's name incoherently, eyes falling shut even as he felt his back press into the cushions of the sofa. Somehow the demon's body on top of his made it all feel just that much better.

He barely noticed when his shirt was unbuttoned and tossed to the side, except for knowing that Claude's cool skin felt nice against his. Their lips reconnected then, and Ciel kissed the demon back fervently. He only vaguely recalled the moments after that, as their clothes were pushed out of the way like the inconveniences they were. Before he knew it, he was digging his fingernails into the other male's skin, gasping and hissing out Claude's name as they…

* * *

Later, Ciel found himself lying against the demon's chest, catching his breath as he nuzzled his lover. He sighed pleasantly as Claude left lazy kisses along his throat, both refusing to get up from the couch for the moment. Ciel was momentarily at peace, content to lay there and enjoy the afterglow for a while.

Feeling the sharpness of teeth just barely brushing his skin through one of the kisses, Ciel's breath hitched. He tilted his head to the side, allowing better access to his neck, forcing himself to remain calm—

Fangs slipped into his skin and a burning pain formed in his shoulder. He gasped, twisting slightly at the pain as he mumbled, "Claude, you're hurting m-m…nhm…" The protests died in his throat as the area grew numb, as though anesthetic had spread through his blood-stream. A calm feeling settled into Ciel as what was likely toxic filled his veins. Once the initial numbness passed, it actually felt pleasant; he vaguely wondered if he should have been afraid, but the thought slipped away easily. Soon, his blue eyes fell shut and the human drifted into a peaceful sleep…

* * *

((Playing on the whole spiders are poisonous thing. No, Ciel is not in any danger, I assure you. Well-it is addictive, so that might be dangerous considering the whole demon thing buuuut... NEVER MIND THAT, THE POINT IS THAT CIEL ISN'T DEAD - DO NOT PANIC xD))


	14. Caught in the Spider's Web

***Ciel's POV***

It had occurred to Ciel that he was dreaming maybe a few moments ago, after the first part of the dream had collapsed into the next. It was continuous as everyone he'd known came as phantoms to argue with one another over Ciel's choices…

When he finally awoke, Ciel sat up quickly, his eyes scanning the room as a sharp, burning pain struck his shoulder. He flinched, then felt a pair of arms wrapping around him; pulled back against the demon's bare chest, the child's whimper couldn't be stifled. "C-Claude—" he gasped, shutting his eyes tightly and expecting any of the horrible nightmares he'd had to become reality.

But the demon only kissed his shoulder and let him go as the pain that had formed in the bite-mark disappeared. "Morning," his butler yawned, sitting up on the sofa as Ciel relaxed, leaning against him again.

"Claude?" the Earl began, chewing at his lip out of anxiety.

Absently, the reply came, "Yes, my lord?"

There was a pause as the child tried to form his thoughts correctly. A moment or two passed before he finally decided that being blunt was his best bet, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but spiders kill their mates, do they not?"

"Well, yes—"

"—I thought so, " Ciel interrupted whatever the butler had began to say, standing from his seat and quickly pulling his clothes on, snapping the last button of his shirt as he added, "I'm going to get some fresh air, clear my head." With that, he moved swiftly out of the library, not wanting to be in the same room as the spider for the moment.

_Spiders kill their mates…_

_Spiders are poisonous…_

_How did this get so out of my control?_

It wasn't until he ran into somebody that he realized he'd been running through the garden's path. Stumbling, he would have fallen if the other hadn't grabbed his arm and steadied him; that's when he realized it was Sebastian standing there. Recoiling, he sighed, "What is it now, demon? I've got enough problems right now, I don't need anyone adding to them."

"You seem…different," Sebastian observed, resting a finger under the human's chin and forcing him to look up. This revealed the bite mark on the space between his neck and shoulder, which had been craftily hidden by his shirt's collar before then. Immediately, the demon's eyes widened as he took a step back, looking at Ciel as though he'd burned him, "What the Hell?"

The Earl's legs gave out underneath him from all the stress so that he fell onto his knees, looking up at his first butler with tired eyes, "Things have gotten really out of hand, Sebastian…"

Frowning, the demon replied, "Clearly." Then he looked like he was about to walk away, but turned back a second later to say, "You know well that mixing business and your personal life is a bad idea; you might see about terminating your contract with him before that becomes an issue." A shrug of the shoulders passed through the raven before he added, "Call me when you want your butler back." Like that, he was gone, leaving Ciel alone to his thoughts.

_I mean you no harm._

Claude's voice passed through the Earl's memory then. Sighing, he found himself wondering if the spider had really meant what he'd said or if it had been a trick, a rose infested by mites…


	15. Butterfly Kisses

**{** Okay, I know what you guys are thinking: "Two chapters in a row?" And the answer is, yes, two chapters in a row. I'm on a role this morning (despite it being 7am)! xD

I'd like to thank everyone for your reviews, favorites, and follows.

I would also like to specially thank _vanitypride_ for your comment about the bite in chapter 12 involving mating. You've been reviewing this story since the start and I really appreciate all your feedback!

I'd also like to thank _I ok2_ for your suggestion about spiders giving their mates over insects as presents. I ran with it and put the butterflies into this chapter and will probably use it more as the story progresses. Thanks! **}**

* * *

***Claude's POV***

Claude had been watching from the library's balcony as Ciel had rushed off down the stairs and into the garden, gasping for air as he tried to get further away from the spider. It made the demon feel a little sick, to think that Ciel was so afraid of him, but he didn't know how else to go about romance; this was part of who he was, regardless of what the young human thought about it…

Every fiber of Claude's being had wanted to flash down to the garden and kill Sebastian from the very moment he'd saw him that close to Ciel. However, he held his tongue and waited until the very thing that had so confused the young master sent Sebastian running. Out of hand… yes, that was probably how both the child and the other demon thought this had gotten, albeit in different ways…

Luckily, Claude's nature didn't leave him with just a bunch of things to chase your mate away; there was a reason a spider's mate stuck around to be killed, after all. Leaning against the edge of the balcony, he had to laugh a little when he remembered another human, one that had called him a fairy a few years ago. The irony was that small creatures adored him, never realizing that they were in his web until the last moment…

When the laughter had passed, Claude busied himself with watching the young master for a few moments, then sending a silent gift his way…

* * *

***Ciel's POV***

The Earl had stayed collapsed on the ground after Sebastian had left. He couldn't help but wonder if the phantoms in his dreams had been right… What if Claude was really just sitting around, waiting to turn on him? It seemed very likely, considering the fact that he was a demon, but… what did that say about Sebastian? The whole thing gave Ciel a headache whenever he tried to reason it out…

Pulled from his thoughts, the child blinked as a light blue butterfly landed on his nose, then fluttered upwards. Following the creature with his eyes, he realized that several of the same butterflies were there, fluttering around him. He almost laughed as he stood from his spot on the ground, brushing the dirt from his clothes as he watched the tiny creatures fly around him. "Where did you all come from?" he asked aloud, to none of them in particular.

It was like a switch being flipped inside the human. One minute, he felt lost and exposed, and in another instant, he was confident and butterflies stayed for a while before flying over to the nearby flowers; his eyes followed their path so intently that he barely noticed himself quietly calling for the demon. A moment later, the other male's voice caught his attention, "Yes?"

Turning on his heel to face Claude, the Earl walked ever-slowly towards his mate, his eyes dancing with mischief. When the gap between them was finally just a couple of inches, he reached up and grabbed the butler's collar, pulling him into a kiss that grew softer once it had been accepted.

It took a few moments before Ciel felt Claude's arms wrapping around his waist to pull him closer. The younger took this moment to use their momentum to his advantage, so that Claude fell back into the bench with Ciel in his lap. Easily making himself comfortable in the demon's arms, he held their lip-lock for a few more moments before trailing his lips down over the other jaw. It was a wordless apology - for running away, for being so damaged, for being so easily afraid…

"Are you alright now?" Claude's voice was low, nearly a purr as Ciel's lips ghosted over his throat. His gloved hands gently traced patterns against the younger's back as Ciel took his time forming a response.

When he finally spoke, he surprised himself more than he did Claude by murmuring, "I'm more than fine, darling." With this, their lips reconnected and Ciel tightened his hold on the other, a smile forming beneath their kiss. It seemed like they could stay like that forever, lips moving together in harmony as their worries faded into yesterday.

The next time that Ciel pulled away to catch his breath, it was Claude's turn to speak. His words slurred together into a mumble as his lips brushed over the human's, "I don't want to kill you."

To this, there was no response. Despite how his heart warmed and his lips smiled, there was nothing that Ciel could find to say. Instead of speaking, he looked up and met his mate's familiar golden eyes before kissing him again, words mouthed against Claude's lips before the kiss could deepen: _"I know."_


	16. Emotions Are Such Queer Things

**{** I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Bit of banter, and thennnnn...

Claude's a clusterfuck and Ciel's horrible with emotions.

You'll see what I mean. **}**

* * *

***Ciel's POV***

The next two days were like clockwork, easing in and out of romance whenever one was preferable to the other. Neither male had bothered to clue Hannah in on everything, but the maid no doubt knew by now; it wasn't hard to figure it out - though this was only the case because they simply hadn't tried to make it difficult either. So, like all the fairy tales, everything was going as planned…

Ciel Phantomhive had just made his way into the kitchen and was surprised by the tip-tap sound that accompanied the room. Glancing upwards, he found his butler quite literally tap-dancing, and thus burst into a fit of uncharacteristic laughter.

Claude blinked in surprise, then dropped down to stand by the young master, tilting his head to the side, "What, exactly, are you laughing at?"

Waving his hand dismissively at the butler, Ciel chuckled, "Could you be anymore queer, demon?" It was quite a harmless accusation, considering things, but the whole thing had the Earl amused.

"I would say that you're calling the kettle black," Claude's usually clear voice was just slightly altered by the laughter that threatened to escape him, "But I suppose you already know that." Before their banter could continue, the demon flashed to Ciel's side quicker than his human eyes could detect, curling his arms around the younger. "Now, was that a complaint I heard?" he purred, bending down slightly to leave a few lazy, open-mouthed kisses against the Earl's throat.

Ciel melted easily into the other's arms, letting his head fall to one side as the spider's lips brushed over his neck. "Not a complaint," he sighed peacefully, "Just an observation." Cracking a smile, the boy turned around in the other's arms and stood on his tip-toes, leaving a quick kiss on Claude's lips.

It was in this sweet moment that Claude Faustus, who we all know is an absolute clusterfuck when it comes to emotions, caught Ciel off guard by murmuring, "I love you, you know," between a series of kisses. The Earl froze in his face, no longer kissing the demon back as his mind fought to process what had just been said:

_I love you, you know._

Had it even been a question? Ciel couldn't be sure of that. So how then, was he supposed to respond to it? He hadn't a clue, to be honest, but he'd already taken far too long to respond. It occurred to him, vaguely, that Claude had stopped kissing him and was now looking down into his eyes with something Ciel had never seen in the demon before: sadness.

"Goodnight, master," Claude mumbled then, shutting his golden eyes tightly as he turned away from Ciel and stalked out of the kitchen, leaving the Earl alone to his thoughts. It was only then, as Ciel blinked and looked around the empty kitchen, that he realized how much he'd just hurt the butler. Sighing heavily, he made his way up the stairs towards his bedroom.

Once the Earl was alone in his room, he collapsed onto the bed with his head in his hands, letting out a groan of frustration and confusion. _**Love**__… it wasn't a word that he had ever associated with a demon before—_

_**Wrong**__. Now I'm just lying to myself. I've loved before…_

_But he left._


	17. Mucking It Up

Sorry for the small delay in updates, once again. I'm working on a lot of different stories so I might be a little slower than usual. Anyways, enjoy the chapter! Thanks for all your reviews! I appreciate every single one of them!

* * *

***Claude's POV***

_I love you, you know…_

The demon's own words echoed in his mind as he laid down on his bed, starring at the Manor's ceiling as he thought about what had happened only an hour ago. The moment had been perfect, between their playful banter and the calm embraces… So why, then, had he ruined it with those words? There was only one question that plagued the butler more than that:

_Why hadn't Ciel said anything back?_

His heart ached in a way that it never had before as he shut his eyes and tried not to think about it anymore. It seemed that trying to ignore it only made the weight in his chest worse, though. He hadn't thought about what he'd said until after he'd said it, and it was only then that he realized how true the statement had been…

A soft knock struck the door and, for that split second, Claude thought that it would be his mate at the door—It wasn't. Hannah opened the bedroom's door and stepped in just as the other demon realized it was her. Frowning, he motioned for her to say whatever it was she'd come to say.

"Alright, Claude," the maid sighed in exasperation and crossed her arms over her chest, "What happened?" She leaned against the door's frame as she waited for him to explain.

The spider's eyes narrowed at the demoness as he snapped, "Leave it alone, Hannah. It's none of your concern."

"Claude, I'm not an idiot," Hannah bit back, but still managed to keep her voice somewhat level, "You're in here by yourself. Even worse, our lord is sobbing and won't talk to me. So what in Hell's name happened?"

Claude glared at the maid as she argued with him. For a moment, all was silent, and then he finally spoke, "Well… I don't know how to say it, Hannah." He paused again, obviously picking and choosing his words, "I asked him if… I told him… I told him that I loved him." He shook his head then, rubbing his temples, "And he just stood there, Hannah, looking at me as though I'd gone mad."

Hannah rolled her eyes for a moment before suggesting, "Why don't you go talk to him then, Claude? Stop jumping into these things without thinking about it and actually have a conversation with the boy."

* * *

***Ciel's POV* **

Ciel had finally stppped crying and was now sitting at the edge of his bed, swiping at his eyes to dry them. A hand fell to his shoulder, but he immediately shoved it away, "Leave me alone."

Sebastian sighed as he stood next to the young master's bed and asked, "What's wrong, my lord?"

"Everything!" Ciel snapped, gesturing wildly with his hands, "Everything is wrong!" The child abruptly stood from his bed with a growl in his voice, "I had a chance and I blew it, all because I didn't know what to say!" He made his way swiftly to the other side of his room to look out the window as he spoke, "I'm such an idiot! Everything was fine, but no, I had to go and muck it all up!"

Sebastian sighed heavily at his master's childish behavior before replying, "I've never seen you not know what to say, master. I'm sure you'll think of something—"

"There won't be a chance to think of something to say!" Ciel was shouting now, his blue eyes burning with anger, "It's too late, Sebastian! What don't you understand about that?"

"Master, I—"

When Ciel interrupted the demon, his voice was a hiss, "Sod off, butler. This doesn't concern you!" He whirled around to face Sebastian, then watched as the butler bowed and took his leave, having decided not to bother the young Earl any further…

_The night passed without a word from Claude and, at some point, Ciel finally had fallen asleep._


	18. His Plan, Failed

***Ciel's POV***

When Ciel Phantomhive woke up that morning, something was horribly wrong. It wasn't that he'd slept poorly, or that he'd woken in a bad mood, or even that he was late for something. No, for once something was very seriously wrong, and it took him a moment to figure out what it was:

He was in the Phantomhive Manor, which had been reconstructed during his stay at the motel a couple months prior. The reconstruction was nearly a replica, but that wasn't the issue: the issue was that he shouldn't have been there at all.

Sitting up straight in his bed, Ciel looked around wildly, trying to piece everything together. He looked over himself, seeing that he was in his sleep-wear; he didn't remember changing the night before, though, not after what had happened with Claude…

_**Where's Claude!?**_

The thought struck the Earl suddenly and he was instantly on his feet, tossing the clothes away as he got dressed as quickly as possible. He'd only just finished getting dressed when the door opened to reveal Sebastian. Instantly, the child turned on him, his voice a growl, "Where is Claude?"

"Who are you talking about, my lord?" Sebastian asked, his voice eerily innocent, "You must've had a bad dream. Come now, I've got tea ready in the kitchen for you."

Confused, Ciel shook his head, "No, it wasn't a dream. Where is he, Sebastian? What have you done?" His voice was full of accusation, if not anger, as he tried to piece together what on Earth had happened. There was no way the past few months of his life had been all a dream; it simply wasn't possible!

When his butler didn't respond to his question, Ciel stormed out of room, pushing Sebastian aside. He hurried down the stairs to see the other servants, minus Tanaka, standing in the kitchen. "Good morning, young master!" both Finny and Mei-Rin cheered; Bard was busy blowing smoke rings and looking bored.

"No, it really isn't," Ciel spat at them despite their innocence. They'd likely been lied to about this little charade. He threw open the desk drawer next to the phone and found his phone-book, searching quickly under 'Claude' and then under 'Faustus'. There wasn't a number anywhere to be found, so he threw the book to the side and growled, "Damn it!"

"What are you looking for, master?" Finny asked worriedly, moving to pick up the small book, "Can we help?" He put the item on the table as he watched Ciel flutter around the room.

Finally, the young master turned to face his servants again as he muttered, "Forget it. It doesn't matter. Go…somewhere else, would you?" With that, the servants rushed out of the Manor, probably to talk in the garden about whatever conspiracy they'd formed about his behavior.

Under his breath, Ciel hissed, _"Claude, where are you?"_

A knock hit the door, but Sebastian was there to answer it before the Earl could. There, on the other side of the door-frame, was a very angry Claude Faustus. The demon's eyes were blazing and his fangs were in full-view as he shoved Sebastian back with enough force that the other demon's back struck the wall across the room. Then Claude stepped inside, voice dangerous, "What the Hell have you done with my mate?" Ciel was conveniently up the staircase, having been looking for another way to contact Claude. This placed him so that the spider couldn't see him from the doorway.

"Your mate?" Sebastian scoffed as the air returned to his lungs, "You must be joking. Surely you don't actually care about the boy; he's human, for Hell's sake." There was disgust in the demon's voice as he argued with Claude, as though the whole notion of a human and a demon mating sickened him. Truthfully, Ciel was fairly certain that it was jealously that caused these words; Sebastian wasn't as good an actor as he thought he was.

Claude flashed forward and grabbed the other demon by his shirt, lifting up him and shoving him against the wall as he hissed, "Listen here and listen good, you sorry son of a bitch. I want my mate back now, or I swear, I will rip your heart from your chest and feed it to the spiders of my Manor." He dropped the other, briefly, only to wrap his hand around Sebastian's throat constrictingly, "Do you understand me, Michaelis?"

Sebastian's voice was a rasp, choking on his words as the other demon's hand tightened around his windpipe, "If you think I'm going to let you have his soul, you're bloody insane."

"I don't want his soul, you bleeding idiot," Claude growled, "I want my mate back. You screwed up, so just leave him the Hell alone!" He shoved the other back against the wall, ready to say more before Ciel Phantomhive's voice echoed from the staircase:

"Enough!" The Earl stalked down the stairs quickly, then grabbed his lover's wrist and added, "Let him go." Seeing the disbelief, the absolute pain, in Claude's eyes, Ciel softly reassured him, "It's okay, Claude. I'm going home with you, but you have to let go first." He trailed his hand away from the others wrist, to his cheek, as a smile formed on the Earl's lips, "Lets go home, Claude."

Claude shot one last glare at Sebastian before releasing him, stepping back and wrapping his arms defensively around his mate. His voice was low as he spoke, "I don't know where we stand right now, but I won't let him take this option away from you." He shook his head as they left the Phantomhive Manor, walking home.

"I'm sorry, my lord, for what I said last night," Claude broke the silence, hesitation clear in his voice, "I… I shouldn't have—"

Ciel turned to face the butler, placing a finger against his lips to silence him. "Don't," the Earl told him gently before stepping closer to Claude and wrapping his arms around him in a tight embrace. All was quiet for a few moments, neither of them willing to pull away from the hug. At last, Ciel's voice broke this moment of silence, _**"I love you too. Don't ever apologize for that."**_


	19. The End (Sequel Coming Soon!)

((This chapter's in poetry-format, in Ciel's POV. Hope you guys like it.))

* * *

_The rumors say that I've gone mad,_

_Left my servants and all I had,_

_All for a simpler life's allure,_

_Wrapped up in a web sewn by mon amour._

_They think that my heart's got the better,_

_The Queen's grown cold when sending her letters._

_They say I'll have to answer for my sins,_

_Explain my decisions to them and my kin._

_Lizzy's heart-broken and I'm high with rejoice,_

_Apologizes, my lady, but I've made my choice._

_So here's where our story comes to an end,_

_Be a dear, Claude, and shut the curtains._

* * *

***IMPORTANT***

**Sequel:** I'll be writing a sequel to this story in the near future! If anyone has ideas they'd like to share or scenes they'd like to see, just let me know! I'm glad that so many of you enjoyed this story and I hope the ending is satisfying enough for you. Any reviews are appreciated! ^^

Also: If you have an idea for the Sequel's title... feel free to suggest it! I haven't decided on one yet.


	20. SEQUEL NOTICE!

At last, the sequel has begun!

You can find Still Somebody's Lover here:

_s/11235828/1/SEQUEL-Still-Somebody-s-Lover_


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Kuroshitsuji, Drama, Romance