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Chapter Text

It was the morning after that day; The day that changed everything. Those men in masks had thrown him in a cage a cage of all things, the flames that had engulfed his manor were still flitting in pitiful images through his head. Ciel was slumped against the bars, eyes heavy with exhaustion, yet filled with fear and pain from the bruises littering his body. The men had kicked him once, twice, three times in the ribs, before kicking him once more into a heap in the corner of the cage, Ciel had curled in on himself, tucking his face into his knees and trying not to cry. 

That had been where he remained through the night. The next morning is when it started…

Their hands came by the dozen, touching every inch of him while he screamed and kicked at them, he wished to send the hands away, into the darkest pits of hell, never to be seen again. He could do nothing while they touched him, he couldn’t move the whole time, paralysed by fear and panic, he called for his mother in his head, for his mouth wouldn’t do anything except wail and scream, the mantra repeated in his skull “Mother!” He would hear himself call, but she never came, Ciel didn’t blame her. 

The masked men, the hands, the calling for his mother. It was all too much, and as the hands progressed, and pain stung at his hips and the bottom of his spine; he blocked it all out, the hands and the masks and the pain, the voice calling for his mother… It all hurt too much, it all felt like too much, the hands, the masked men, his mother…. 

Ciel awoke with a yell, his bangs drenched in sweat as he panted and gasped greedily for air that never seemed to come fast enough. His head was pounding, the remnants of the nightmare still fresh in his mind, creeping up the sides of his head as he desperately tried to keep the thoughts at bay. He swiped furiously at the tears that began gathering in the corner of his eyes. This had been the routine for the past few days, the nightmares wouldn’t let up, and he awoke like this (Weak and scared and bad) every time, making him exhausted when the sun finally rose high in the sky, to free him from his torture. 

“Another nightmare my Lord?” Came the all too familiar mantra of Sebastian’s voice, Ciel threw himself back against the mattress, pulling up the duvet over his face as he drew his limbs in close; Desperately tying to keep himself small, if he was small enough maybe they would stop and he could go home again… 

“Shut up, don’t taunt me demon” He grumbled, feeling Sebastian move closer to the bed. He curled up tighter. 

“That wasn’t my intention, I was merely concerned, this has been going on for quite some time now hasn’t it, Master?” 

Ciel stayed silent, the air shifted as Sebastian kneeled at his bedside, the same way he had the past week. “Might I ask you, my Lord, for you to share what has been bothering you as of late?” Sebastian knew that Ciel had always had nightmares, and the time shortly after his rescue, the boy had woken up from one nearly every night, That seemed to be the case now. Yet Sebastian had no idea what had brought it on this time. the young Lord had never shared anything of his time captive with the cult. Nor had Sebastian tried to ask. But lately he found the matter concerning him, and the situations he had wondered about didn’t bring him any peace. He wished the young lord would let him in on his troubles. 

“None of your business” He muttered, hearing Sebastian sigh and stand up, he heard the butler move towards the door, and found himself calling out .

“Stay”

Sebastian stopped before the door. “Stay here, until morning”

Sebastian moved closer to the bed again. “Of course, my young Lord” 

And so Ciel drifted off into fitful sleep again as he always did, and Sebastian stayed by his side again, as he always would. 

“Time to wake up my Lord” Came Sebastians annoyingly pleasant voice. Ciel grimaced as the curtains were pulled open and the morning sun flood into the room to announce the new day. After another night plagued by nightmares and uncomfortable wakings in the early horrors of the morning; Ciel did not at all feel very welcome to getting out of bed.

His eyes were still heavy with exhaustion, his body weaker than he would’ve liked it to be. And the dredges of past dreams still clung to his head like thistle to a wool sweater. 

Sebastian went about his chores in Ciels room, opening all the curtains, bringing in the trolley with a cup of tea and elaborate looking breakfast that Ciel certainly didn’t think he could stomach right now. Nightmares like those of last night had a sapped any kind of appetite he could’ve had right now. 

“It is time to wake and greet the day, sir. I have brought you tea a breakfast” Sebastian went on to list the different options for that morning, something about salmon and something else about fruit. Just the mention of the dish made Ciel’s stomach swirl with discomfort. He frowned sullenly, turning away from the butler. I’m not hungry right now, take it away” The boy did not deny the tea though, and sipped gingerly on the cup of Earl Grey as Sebastian sighed and took the trolley out of the room. 

“You Cannot keep denying food, Young Master, I have already noticed a dip in your weight recently, and this sudden aversion to eating the nutritious meals I provide you with isn’t helping” 

Ciel scowled, feeling annoyingly self conscious. “Shut up, its not your job to take note of my weight, mind your own business why don’t you?” He spat the words, taking a long sip of tea after his small outburst, turning away from Sebastian and pointedly focussing his gaze outside, looking over the grounds rather than his room.

”Sir” Sebastian sighed, Ciel saw him bowing down from his peripheral. 

“Your Schedule is open today, though might I suggest looking though your mail, I believe you have a fair few invitations that you need to look over” 

Ciel handed his empty tea-cup to Sebastian “Don’t tell me what I need to do, damn demon” He grumbled, well known for not liking to be told what to do; From Sebastian, the comment infuriated him even more. “Of course Sir, I apologise, I merely meant it as a suggestion” Ciel rolled his eyes, turning away again. 

“If you would permit me another suggestion, Master?” Sebastian inquired, still looking intensely down at Ciel, that stupid pleasant face imposing as always. 

“What is it” Ciel grumbled, sitting up more in bed and yawing once, twice. “I believe you have received quite the number of letters from Prince Soma, asking that you visit him at the townhouse” Ciel groaned, rubbing a hand over his face in an exasperated sigh. 

“Yes, What is it that you wish to inquire about” He said, with a hint of mockery in his words.

“I merely think it would be a smart decision too, just this once, agree to meet the Prince at the townhouse, it would perhaps cease his so frequent letters” 

Ciel scoffed, rolling his eyes, he wanted nothing less than to meet the idiot prince, Soma annoyed him, but was also a special case in Ciels associations. The prince annoyed him terribly, was too overbearing and touchy, but the boy was also a welcome break from the other aristocrats he had the displeasure of knowing.

Prince Soma wasn’t vein in his title, maybe a little (very) emotional and childish, but he wasn’t the type to boast. Soma was also unafraid to act like the child he was, not afraid to smile and laugh, to have fun and to take enjoyment in talking to others. 

In some way, Ciel was almost jealous of the prince for this, for being so unapologetically himself. Ciel didn’t feel like he deserved that luxury; of smiling and laughing and actually meaning it, he felt so much like an adult that he often saw himself older than Soma, despite the boy being older by a few years. 

It was intimidating in a way Ciel didn’t know how to deal with, therefor he tried to limit his association with the prince whenever possible, using the excuse of him being “Too overbearing and emotional” as an excuse. 

“There’s no point, he’d just start the letters again once I’ve left, It would just be needless torture for me”

Sebastian nodded contently, “Very well my Lord, I shall inform the Prince that you are to busy to attend the town-house right now.

Ciel nodded and gave no further comment. 

“AGHHHHHHHH!”

Mei-Rin’s shrill squeal could be heard all the way on the other side of the manor, followed (Unsurprisingly) by the crashing of another poor tea-set onto the floor. Ciel groaned, putting his head in his hands and leaning his face against his desk, Sebastian had been serving his afternoon tea, though with an annoyed flash in his eyes, and a quick bow, the butler was off downstairs to sort out whatever mess the incompetent maid had gotten herself into this time. 

“Mei-Rin?” Called Sebastian into the hallway, no doubt the careless maid had gotten carried away once again, and smashed a (Yet another) Tea-set. Sebastian sighed ‘more work yet again’ he thought dully. the maid was sat on the floor beside smashed porcelain, weeping into her hands as she mumbled incoherent nonsense. Sighing softly, Sebastian bent down and peered at Mey Rin, waiting for the maid to sense his presence, he didn’t have to wait for long before she shot up from her crumpled form on the floor, hands waving around as she stumbled through a rushed explanation. “Calm down Mei-Rin” Sebastian waited for her blubbering to quiet down and for the disheveled servant to meet his eyes, though trembling as she did so. “Why don’t you tell me what happened, In as calm an orderly manor as you can manage, please” He kept his voice steady and light.

Mei-Rin sniffed, wiping her hand over her eyes and nose. “W-Well I knew this set was due for a cleaning’ I did, so I thought I’d take it down and get it polished. B-But I tripped I did, and now it’s all broken and it’s all my fault!” Mey Rin had dissolved into sobs yet again, and Sebastian sighed, standing up and hauling Mey Rin along with him. “No matter, clean up this mess and put in an order for a new tea-set, I do believe it would be worthwhile to get you some new glasses though, lest any other perfectly fine plates fall victim to your bad eye-sight” 

Sebastian left before Mey Rin could protest, and quickly appeared back in the young masters office. 

“What was all that about?” Asked Ciel, sounding incredibly uninterested.

“It seems another tea set has been smashed, Master, I wonder if we should move getting Mey Rin new glasses higher upon the list of importance?” Ciel just rolled his eyes, sipping from the cup of tea.

“Whatever, we’ll go into London at some point, though that maid is bloody stubborn, she keeps saying that we mustn’t get her new glasses since I bought her her current ones… But I would be buying the new ones as well, so I don’t quite understand the dilemma” Sebastian chuckled, bowing once more,

“I believe it is the sentimental value that such an object holds, for Mey Rin, young master” Ciel rolled his eyes again.

“God, humans are weird” He muttered, before turning back to his newspaper and waving Sebastian out of the room with a flick of his hand.

Sebastian smiled at the irony. 

Sebastian was preparing the young masters dinner in the kitchen, cutting up vegetables and the like, all with the air of just believable impossibility, mastered and practiced, he went about the routine as he always did, lest he make a meal anything short of perfect for the young lord.  

As he cooked, Sebastian thought of the manor cat that had visited him yesterday, a sleek black feline with plush paws and delicate whiskers, the animal had sat in his lap and purred all the way through the night, before dashing off at the sound of an owl in the distance. Sebastian hoped the feline friend would visit again soon, a Demons nights were long, after all, and company never went without great appreciation (and the occasional scrap of fish meat as a peace offering) 

“Errr… Sebastian?” 

Bards voice, gruff and grating cut through Sebastians thoughts like a dull butter knife through raw steak. Sebastian frowned slightly at the chopping board underneath him, before smiling his usual polite smile, and turning to the cook. “Yes Bardroy? How may I help?” 

Bard sighed, rubbing a hand over his hair and chewing diligently at the un-lit cigarette between his lips. 

“Have you, Er, noticed anythin’ off bout’ the young master recently?” Ah that’s what had the man so nervous-looking. 

“As a butler, it is my job to notice every tiny detail about my lord, what new behaviour has you worried?” professional and brief, straight to the point, giving nothing away, practiced and perfected. 

“Well ‘s just he looks so tired all’a time, An’hes got bags under his eye, he’s all twitchy as well, jumps a mile if anyone touches or talks to ‘Im while he’s off in a trance don’t he, you’ve noticed it too I’m sure” As a matter-of-fact, Sebastian had very much noticed a change in the young Lords behaviour; The most notable of which being his disordered sleep the past few weeks, Ciel had awoken every night from nightmares, with a shout and a cry, the boy would tremble at the edge of the bed, and look into the distance as Sebastian stood guard from his position in the room. The young Lord would often not go back to sleep after the ordeal, and would greet the day exhausted and still shaken from un-resolved fears. 

And the other thing Bard noted; Ciel hadn’t liked touch since he got back from his time in capture, he would usually jump and yell at whoever had made contact, yet recently had had reacted with less anger, and more genuine fear, eyes would blow wide and he’d shake, before snapping back to reality and yelling at whoever had touched him. 

It concerned Sebastian, though not in the way it would have before, rather than feeling concern for the soul, worrying about how the change in attitude would affect his meal, Sebastian worried for the boy, for Ciel, worried about how terrified he suddenly was, about missing something important. It new and would most probably not be welcome should he share the nature of his concerns with the young Lord, however. 

Ciels time kidnapped had not been a topic of discussion between the boy and the butler, the mention of the time was a taboo topic and Ciel had mentioned little about what monstrosities had been lain on him at the young age, though the masters aversiaon to touch, and the nightmares that plagued his sleep were evidence enough that whatever it was had greatly scarred the child, Sebastian wished Ciel would talk to him about it, rather than keeping it all inside. That was sure to be the cause of his sudden odd behaviours. 

“Do not worry yourself on the Young Masters behaviours, Bard, I assure you I am handling it responsibly”

Bard didn’t look much relieved by the reply; Though Sebastian supposed he could see why, each servant had a life before the manor, and each had a certain distaste for that time, to them; Ciel was a saving grace, and they also had the opportunity to see Ciel as the child he was, could see he was a struggling boy with no-one to guild him or advise him. They hadn’t seen him caged and afraid, filthy and defiled, they hadn’t seen as he held out his arm and shook in a deal with a demon. They saw him as an Earl, yes, and as an authority figure, but they didn’t deny his young age, to them, Ciel really was just a child, as they had never seen what had made Ciel act like an adult as he did.

And honestly, thought Sebastian, who was he to discredit them? Ciel, proud and loud, brave yet so undeniably full of fear as he was, was a boy, 14 was young, and despite his being the head of a prestigious Earldom, that didn’t change the fact that while he had experienced what an adult might never in their life; he had not lived quite long enough yet to know how to deal with such things, he was still immature despite how many awful things had been laid upon him so early.

Bard sighed, shrugging reluctantly “If your sure you’ve got it handled, I was a dad too, I was, I know kids, the young masters strugglin’ an’ its clear as day”

Sebastian paused slightly at that, the chef wasn’t incorrect in what he was implying, despite his incompetence in the kitchen he most likely was more wise in the area of childcare, he had fathered a young boy, after all. And Sebastian was not boastful enough to insist in having the great enlightened wisdom of how children worked.

He smiled pleasantly at Bard, “i appreciate it, Bardroy, should I need assistance I assure you that I will come to you for advice” That seemed to do it, as Bard smiled proudly and stuck his thumbs up.

Sebastian went back to chopping the vegetables, deep in thought.

It was evening now, and Ciel was sat eating a dinner of cooked beef and vegetables, served with a confusingly flavoured sauce that Sebastian had told him the name of, but which he couldn’t remember, he had been served a small glass of wine with dinner, though found the taste far too bitter for his liking, so was instead sipping from another cup of tea.

“Is the meal to your liking, master?” inquired Sebastian from his place near the table. The butler was stood with his back arched forwards slightly, and his hands clasped behind his back, he had a pleasant look on his face (Which by now, Ciel had taken to be entirely put on for show)

Ciel frowned, pushing a carrot around on his plate with his fork, the childish gesture had seemed to take the place of actually eating, and he had noticed Sebastian staring at his plate.

“It’s satisfactory” He mumbled, putting the carrot in his mouth, noticing with much annoyance that the action left him feeling quite nauseous.

Eating had been hell for the past few days, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to eat, or that the food tasted any less over-perfect that usual, but the act of eating made him feel sick in his stomach, and before long left him feeling unusually exhausted and overly emotional, like if he thought too hard about anything at all, he’d simply burst into tears. It disgusted him, how weak he was becoming, that he couldn’t put on a show and pretend he was okay to his brain as he did for everyone else.

“Then, if i may ask, why are you not eating, My Lord?” Ciel grumbled, and pointedly did not recognise the sound of concern in his butlers ever cheery voice. “No you may not. I’m fine” He snapped, swallowing the carrot and trying not to think about how it settled uncomfortably in his stomach.

“I did not insinuate you were anything other than fine, Sir”
Sebastian smirked, a stupid sly smile that infuriated Ciel beyond belief. “Don’t be cheeky!” He snapped, putting down his cutlery and turning away from his plate, acting a lot like that of a spoiled child.

“You can’t be finished already, Master, you have eaten very little, this continued habit of yours is very bad for your health”
Ciel just grunted, pushing his plate away and looking down, “Yea well I can’t help it that I’m not hungry can I” Sebastian sighed, shaking his head,

“I suppose not, My Lord” Ciel smiled, happy that the demon did not press further, it was none of his business after all.

“I want to go to bed”
He said pointedly, getting up from his chair and strolling lazily but with purpose to his sleeping chambers.

Sebastian followed as a butler was supposed to, and did not let Ciel see the concern on his face.

Ciel sighed and flopped backwards onto the bed, dressed in appropriate night wear, ready for bed despite it not being so late in the evening, and thoroughly exhausted, Ciel looked up at the ceiling and tried to block out the thoughts swirling around his head.

Sebastian returned and looked at the boy splayed on the bed with a strange expression on his face that Ciel couldn’t decipher.

“Are you okay my lord?” For once Sebastian sounded unsure of himself. Ciel just rolled his eyes, sighing again as he crawled underneath the sheets.

“None of your business” He half snapped, allowing the butler to pull the duvet up to his chin,

“I merely wondered if you wish to talk, my lord” Well that was new, Sebastian had never really seemed very keen on talking before had he?

“Huh? No of course not, there’s nothing to talk about after all, I’m tired, leave me alone” Sebastian didn’t back down at the dismissal though,

“It is just that… you have had quite the difficult week, being awoken by nightmares as often as you have been must be tiering” Ciel blanked, staring up at the demon, glaring anf pulling his mouth into a gruff frown.

“Shut up! You don’t know what your talking about, just leave” With that, Ciel rolled over, hiding his face from Sebastian, hearing the butler sigh he leave the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Ciel fell into a fitful sleep, and before long, the dreams began.

Sebastian faltered as he closed the door behind him, his heart hung heavy with an emotion he couldn’t place, the feeling that he needed to help, the fact he couldn’t was alien and uncomfortable to him. A blind man could see something was wrong with the young lord, the missing meals, the nightmares, the look on his face that just seemed a bit too wary and tired for a boy his age.

Sebastian could see that his master was struggling, that something, if not may things, were bothering the boy, and Sebastian had a very good idea of what it was.

In truth, the boys actions were not dissimilar to those after he had been rescued from the cult, the first few weeks living as the Earl of Phantomhive had been difficult, a mix of recuperating from a moth of torture, and trying to fit into the shoes of Earl left behind from the late Vincent Phantomhive. At the time, it was clear Ciel was struggling terribly, wracked and haunted by fresh memories of the time he spent captive, and the stress of feeling like he needed to do everything as quickly as possible, rather than give himself time to grieve and recover from the mistreatment he had endured. At the time, Sebastian had found joy in watching the young Earl struggle, the way he flinched when his aunt would reach for him, or the way he’d awake screaming at night, now, however; Seeing the little twitches and jolts when someone tried to touch him, or hearing the ear-piercing screams in the middle of the night as the boy awoke from another terrible dream… It hurt, and Sebastian felt disgusted at his past-self for not being more understanding to the boy’s situation. 

Ciel had never divulged any particular details about his time captured, and while Sebastian could see the brand on his back, and the little scars that were only visible in certain light, most of that month was entirely up to speculation.

Sebastian didn’t like the kinds of things that popped not his head when he thought about it. When Ciel was first saved, Sebastian could see the little bruises on the painfully skinny hips and around the boys thighs, too much like the shape of a hand much larger than Ciels own. It had looked like the boy had been held down for long periods of time, and the red/brown splotches on his neck and chest, twinned in areas with indentations from teeth; almost solidified the idea of what awful things had been done to Ciel.

It made Sebastian unimaginably furious, to think that the child he was responsible for had been hurt and degraded in such a way had made him feel murderous.

It was if a switch had been flicked in Sebastians mind, he no longer saw Ciel as what would eventually become his meal, rather he saw him as a small, sacred child who had had awful things done to him, and had never been able to grieve what he lost. Sebastian knew that if he wanted to help, he would need to find some way to get Ciel to open up to him, and with how closed off he had been lately that was easier said than do-

An ear-piercing shriek sounded out through the manor, a scream of such pure terror that it sent shivers down Sebastians back. Sebastian knew that sound, the same sound he heard every time the young lord had a nightmare…. But this one, something was terribly wrong.

Sebastian shot up the stairs, arriving outside the door in mere seconds, fear pulsing its way through his veins as he threw the door open and took in the sight before him.

It hadn’t taken long for the nightmares to begin, and they did in the way they did every night; Snippets of fragment of memories from that day, finding his parents dead, the bag being thrown over his head and waking up in a white room in a cage. After that, the dream usually took one of a few paths, tonight, he dreamt of the cult leader, how the man would come into the room at night, how he’d strip Ciel of his clothing and spend the night using him for his own pleasure. Just dreaming about it disgusted Ciel, made him feel disgusting and dirty, made him want a bath and to scrub until his skin bled raw and peeled off all together.

Today there was something different though, as he felt himself slipping back into consciousness and out of the terrible dream, the hands around his waist didn’t budge an he could feel them like they were actually there.

His eyes snapped open shortly after, he could tell the dream was over, could feel the sweat on his forehead and the hands around his wa- wait what? Ciels eyes snapped open again, and his focused on the mass against his chest. There above him; A man dressed in all back sat straddled against his chest, his hands clawing at Ciels waist and neck. Ciel felt his heart stop in terror, and screamed louder than he had ever screamed before.

The man had him pinned down completely, and was working on pulling his sleep-shirt up, Ciel kicked out, breaths coming out in short puffs, he was absoultelymind-numbingly terrified, the hands had an iron tight grip on his skin and he screamed again and again, kicking and lurching up as he tried to get away.

And then, the weight was gone, the hands and the hot breath and the nails under his ribs. He scrambled up, not even noticing when he lurched to the side of the bed and tumbled off the mattress, body thumping against the hard-wood floor as he scrambled and panted, pitiful noises made their way out of his mouth as he gagged on air and clutched at his throat.

Suddenly hands gripped around his shoulders and pulled hip up, Ciel screamed again, flailing wildly in the grasp. His lungs hurt from screaming and he couldn’t seem to stop crying.

Somewhere in the distance, someone was talking to him, soothing and gentle, the voice wrapped around him. He was still shaking and crying and trying desperately to get away. When the voice made its way though the hazy thick fog he was stuck in.

“Your okay, your safe, I’m here my lord” It was Sebastian’s voice, and with it came the realisation that the hands on his shoulders were also Sebastian. Ciel felt energy ebbing away by the second, and slowly, he opened his wet eyes, looking into those of Sebastians. The Demon looked worried and scared-something that looked alien on the demons face- and a murderous look resided behind them.

“Shhhh, your safe my lord, its okay” Sebastian’s hand was carding though his hair, and Ciel had stopped thrashing, instead pushing his body as far as he could into the Demons chest, all he could think was that here; Holding onto Sebastian for dear life, was safe, and anything else was not.He was sobbing now, think heaving sobs that wracked his chest and made his throat hurt.

“Se-Seba- bastian…” His body was shaking terribly, and his head was pounding. Luckily for him, Sebastian got the message and put his hands around the shivering boys back, stroking in a downwards motion.

“I’m here, my lord, it’s okay” Ciel just shook in the Demons arms, he could sense the presence of someone else nearby, he didn’t doubt that he had woken up the servants in his fear.

He moaned into the demons chest, hating how pitiful and afraid he sounded, still trembling with nerves and the aftershock of what had happened.

“Your safe, my lord, the attacker has been taken care of” Ciel peered up over Sebastians shoulder, he could see both the corpse of the man that had been holding him down, and the servants huddled in the doorway, all looking horrified and sick. Finny had his hand over his mouth and had tears in his eyes.

“H-he- I couldn’t, get him off” Cile muttered, pressing his face back into Sebastians chest. “I know, my lord, that must have been scary, i assure you host you are safe now” Ciel hiccuped, clumsily wiping a hand over his eyes.

Ciel didn’t reply, instead making a strange gagging sound, just having time to turn away from Sebastian’s lap before vomiting all over the floor, he gagged and spluttered as bile poured its way from his throat. Sebastian held his hair from his face, and rubbed circled on his back, eventually pulling Ciel back into his lap when he was sure the episode was finished. Ciel felt all his energy disappear with that, falling limply into Sebastians arms as he let his body tremble weakly, as tears silently slipped from his eyes, feeling utterly numb.

Chapter Text

Sebastian held Ciels shivering body tight against him. 

He had ushered his lord from the bedroom instantaneously, and was crouched in a spare room, trying to ease his masters heavy panicked breathing. 

“can you hear me, young master?” He tried, giving Ciel a chance to start speaking. 

The boy just nodded slightly, but didn’t unbury his head from Sebastian’s chest, or unwind his arms from his own legs. 

“You are safe now, I won’t let any harm come to you while you are here, I promise you that, do you think you can look at me for just a moment?” 

Sebastian waited with bated breath, before Ciel finally lifted his head a fraction of an inch, allowing Sebastian to look into his wet, scared eyes. 

Like this, Ciel looked nothing like the brave, fearless master Sebastian was used too, this Ciel was scared and shaken and wracked with trauma that radiated off his skin in waves.

Stroking a hand through sweat soaked bangs, Sebastian said “That’s good, Master, do you know if you are hurt anywhere?” 

Ciel brought up his wrists, blue and black bruises circled his skinny arms, mottled patches of discoloured flesh that told of the force the man had used to hold him down, and how his young master had struggled to get away. 

“Oh deer, let’s see if we can’t do something about that” Sebastian murmured, standing up from his crouched position on the floor, keeping Ciel held tight to his body, as he made his way to the servants quarters where the first aid kit was kept. 

——

Ciel stayed silent as Sebastian smeared cream over his wrists, before wrapping white bandages around them, soft but sure hands dancing over his arms with all the delicate care of a father. 

“There we are, is that any better?” Sebastian asked, snapping Ciel out of his head. He looked up, eyes slightly unfocused as he tried to take in Sebastian’s emotions. 

“Mhh, s’ fine” He muttered, dropping his head down and looking at his knees instead of Sebastian’s face. It was easier than trying to decipher the guilt in the demons eyes.

Sebastian smiled but didn't look convinced.

"It is still late in the night, my Lord, do you wish to go back to sleep?"

"NO!"

Sebastian looked taken aback as Ciel snapped up, eyes wild with terror and fear.

Sebastian frowned softly, stroking a hand over Ciels hair once more, in an attempt to settle the trembling boy.

“okay, okay my lord, that’s fine, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want too”

Ciel just sighed, leaning back against Sebastian’s chest and closing his eyes.

Sebastian held him close, he could feel fear radiating from his young master and felt a surge of protectiveness towards the boy, and anger to the man who attacked him.

“How would you feel about a midnight snack, the servants are taking care of everything, there is nothing that concerns either of us at this moment”

Ciel seemed to consider this, before nodding slightly, still not lifting his head from where it was buried.

“come then, we will go and sit in the kitchen for a while”

——

“My lord, your midnight snack” Came Sebastian’s voice, making Ciel jump slightly, looking up, he saw Sebastian with a tray balanced in his hand, a glass of warm milk and some kind of light chocolate dessert sat on the tray.

Ciel hadn’t realised how hungry he was until the tray was sat in front of him, and he tentatively took a bite of the dessert, eating slowly and silently, as Sebastian hovered nearby, his presence comforting and reassuring.

When the glass was empty and the plate cleared of food, Sebastian took the tray, discarding it off to the side somewhere, before sitting down next to Ciel.

“How are you feeling now, my Lord?” He questioned, tone light and soft.

Ciel thought for a moment, he certainly felt less shaky, and less like he was about to pass out. The memories of what had happened still wouldn’t leave his mind, but he nodded anyway.

“I’m feeling a bit better, thanks for the food” He mumbled, looking down at his lap again, trying not to let Sebastian see his face.

“I am glad, My Lord, there will be time, tomorrow, for us to discuss tonight’s events, but tonight, you are tired and need to sleep, one of the spare bedrooms should do, don’t you think?”

Ciel nodded, as much as he didn’t really want to sleep right now, he was drop dead exhausted, and felt moments away from passing out.

“come then, My lord” Sebastian said, bowing down before gathering Ciel in his arms and leaving the kitchen.

——

Ciel curled around himself, and allowed Sebastian to tuck the duvet around him, as he closed his eyes and tried to fight off the growing anxiety.

“Sebastian” He whispered, curling up tighter.

“Yes My Lord?” Came the reassuring voice of the demon.

“Stay here, all night, don’t go, please” He muttered, voice quiet and ashamed.

But Sebastian didn’t mock or ridicule him, instead he smiled and settled down beside Ciels head.

“Of course my Lord, I won’t go anywhere”