Work Text:
“My…” Sebastian stares at the creature that has been summoned by the blood and despair that permeated the stone architecture. There are a number of words he could use to describe the sight in front of him, but Sebastian chooses wisely. “What a tiny creature you are.”
“Silence, human.”
The words are spoken in English, hissed directly into the insides of his ear, the syllables vibrating in pulses from deep within his skin.
It is interesting.
Sebastian hums and mimes zipping his mouth shut, tracing his lips using the dulled edge of the blade that he’s used to cut into the flesh of the cult members he could chase. Their bodies were soft like lard, disgusting and slippery against his hands. Their blood was sticky and sprayed every which way, coating the steps, the seats, the floors with a red carpet that clung to the soles of Sebastian’s feet. Their screams were loud and desperate; Sebastian was disappointed that he couldn’t get to everyone to allow them all to go through the same experience as their colleagues.
The creature’s eyes are numerous and they survey the hall in which it’s been summoned to. Black shadows crawl out from underneath the mass of darkness, licking its tongues against the stone as though to savor the taste of putrid blood. The shadows slither up the walls as though to plaster against the high, domed ceiling and then drip down like molasses, or perhaps with the same visage as a gutted bovine being bled out in a butcher’s shop.
Sebastian waits for the creature to finish its inspection. He curls his left leg and he rests his cheek against a bloodstained knee. His buttocks are planted firmly on the floor, the cold seeping into his skin easily as the garments provided to sacrifices like him are flimsy at best. His lower back aches dully from the heat of the iron rod, but he disregards that as he leans back fully against the stone on his back. His right hand taps the blade against his mouth in a steady rhythm of pat-pat-pat.
“Why did you summon me, human?”
“The cult members have already provided all the raw materials,” Sebastian says with a truly cheerful grin. He observes the creature right back, knowing that the creature is merely attempting to divert his attention while it scrutinizes him. “It seems remiss for me to not make use of the opportunity they’ve already presented.”
“Including slaughtering them all?”
Sebastian feels something akin to delight coursing through him, as he agrees, “Including slaughtering them all.”
“Then, it is not power that you need.”
“I have enough,” Sebastian says, considering his situation. His parents are no more. His older brother is no more. He is alone in this world and he doesn’t feel anything about that. The House Michaelis has served as the Queen’s Watchdog for generations after generations, but Sebastian is rather thrilled that he’s managed to break free from those vines, if in a bit of an unorthodox manner. “More importantly, you don’t seem to have an… imposing enough figure, to offer me power.”
The summoned demon glares at him with the full force of its hundreds of eyes, all blue like the depths of the ocean, the heights of the sky. Such an immense blue invokes the heat of arctic fire. Sebastian fakes a trite grin when the shadows lunge at him, wrapping around his neck like a boa constrictor about to prepare its meal.
“A short temper too,” he adds, delighted with how he can feel the irritation pulsing around the dark tentacles around him.
“An annoying master,” the demon says with a sigh that speaks of eons of boredom, and then the shadows rush at Sebastian’s left eye, stabbing into his irises and gouging out his humanity and any possible hope for salvation.
There is pain, from flesh tearing and blood spilling. There is ecstasy, from meeting the closest thing to vitality and vigor that he’s ever known.
There is a promise, between them, from a demon to a human.
“I accept your terms, human.” The demon smiles, jagged teeth wide and sharp enough to cleave off his head from his neck in one strike. “My name is Ciel Phantomhive. Do your best to not be completely boring, will you?”
Sebastian laughs, half-strangled and yet more alive than ever.
“I could say the same to you, demon.”
Madness howls from within him.
“Let’s have a fun and interesting partnership, ne?”
—until the day I completely tire of this world, I’ll trust that you’ll keep me entertained.