A Promise is a Promise (Black Butler Fanfiction)

A Promise is a Promise (Chapter 7) Going Home

Ciel lay on his back in bed that night, trying to read, but given that Alois had settled himself happily with his head on his chest and was contentedly fiddling with the string on his nightgown, he was having difficulty concentrating. He sighed. It wasn't that he was unhappy the boy was there, but he could feel the heat of Alois' body coming through the thin nightshirt, and it was currently turning his brains to mush. Is being in love always this annoying? He wondered to himself, as he read the same page for the third time without actually taking anything in. It's like I somehow lose the function to think whenever he's this close!

Alois seemed to notice his discomfort; for he raised his head slightly, and smiled at him. "Something the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing," Ciel said.

"Did you get that from the library?" Alois nodded towards the book.

"Yes, I did."

Alois layed his head back down. After a pause, he muttered "Reading is dull."

"That's what you said yesterday," Ciel replied. "I suppose it depends on what you're reading." He glanced back at the novel, but decided it was futile trying to read it again. Alois lay looking up at him for a minute, then a mischievous smile slowly spread across his face.

"I can think of other things we could do," he said, his blue eyes flashing. He stopped playing with Ciel's ribbon and moved his hand downwards. Ciel was confused for a moment or two, then reddened when he realised what exactly Alois was implying by "other things".

"B-but what if they walk in on us or something? However would we explain?" Ciel hissed anxiously.

"They won't. They're busy downstairs, getting ready for the morning," Alois replied, reaching over and intertwining his fingers with Ciel's. "And besides, who cares about that lot?" he murmured in his ear.

Having completely lost the ability to think, let alone object by this point, Ciel gave in. And the book fell to the floor, forgotten.

--

"Is everything packed?" Sebastian called across the room. He was carrying two heavy trunks effortlessly in one hand, and accepting a third with his other.

"Yes," came Hannah's almost inaudible reply. Claude, who was passing Sebastian the trunk, nodded silently.

Ciel was leaning against the doorway of the perfectly restored front room, surveying the scene. At least we didn't bring those three useless sevants, he thought. Something would definitely have been broken by now!

His musings were interrupted by Alois suddenly appearing out of nowhere. He grabbed Ciel's wrist, and pulled him off into a side room. "Phew," he said, exhaling. "Alone at last!"

Ciel smiled. I seem to be doing that rather a lot these days, he noticed. And I thought I'd forgotten how. "I can't believe we're going home already," he said.

"I know," Alois agreed. " I suppose time flies when you're having fun." He paused, and looked a little sheepish. "Although what with fires, surprise parties and everything else, we haven't been able to catch a break!"

Ciel smirked. "It certainly hasn't been as quiet a holiday as I'd hoped," he commented rather drily.

Alois laughed, and leaned against the wall. "But you know something?" he said, looking upwards, "I wouldn't have missed out on any of it."

"Why's that?" Ciel asked. "For one, I could certainly have done without vomiting over the side of a boat!"

"Well," Alois chuckled, "I suppose that wasn't a very pleasant experience for you. But if we hadn't gone on the boat, and the fire hadn't happened, it would probably have taken me years to get that grand confession out of you!" He laughed, and poked Ciel in the ribs.

"Oy!" Ciel protested, then gave Alois a thoughtful look. "You know, I don't think I ever actually heard you say it."

"Say what?" Alois asked.

"I love you."

"But I did!" Alois exclaimed, giggling. "Last night! Don't you remember? You mustn't have heard me..."

"Then don't talk with your head between somebody else's legs!" Ciel managed to blurt out, before realizing what he'd just said, and turning crimson.

Alois exploded into fits of laughter. "I'll try to remember that in future!" he said, when he finally managed to get his breath back. He stuck his emblazoned tongue out at Ciel, who cursed himself repeatedly. Seeing his horrified face just set Alois off again, until he was wiping away tears of laughter.

"Oh, just shut up and kiss me." Ciel muttered darkly. Alois chuckled, and did.

"Young master, where are you? We're ready to leave!" Sebastian's voice came from outside, followed by the click of his heels on the granite floor. "Honestly, this isn't the time to be running off. What are you, 6 years old?"

Alois and Ciel smiled at each other. "Shall we go?" Ciel said, taking his hand. Alois grinned, and they ran out of the door into the sunlight.