His small hand slapped that smirking pale face as hard as it could. The next hit sent blood flying, as the backhanded strike caught Sebastian's cheek on his ring, splitting the skin. Ciel panted, his eyes wide and angry, but confused and betrayed as well. He simply didn't understand, and Sebastian wasn't going to explain it to him.

"Is there a reason that you killed him? After I ordered you not to?" Ciel asked, his voice steady and cold despite the fear and adrenalin that still pulsed through his limbs. Sebastian reached up and slowly touched his cheek, his fingers quickly coating with his own blood. The wound was small, but deep, and bled easily. Still silent, Sebastian moved his hand to his mouth and licked the blood off of his fingers.

Ciel's hand tightened around his cane, wondering if Sebastian would react if he attacked him with the cane instead of just his hand. Whether the demon knew what he was thinking, or just decided that he might as well answer him, he replied a few moments later. "He was a threat to you, Bocchan. I could not allow him to live. He makes you weak, makes you start to believe in things that can't possibly help you now. He's dangerous."

Raising the cane, Ciel hesitated just a moment before bringing it down, cracking it across the back of Sebastian's head and watching as the demon's back bowed further towards the ground under the blow. It was the first time that he had ever attacked Sebastian with more than his hand, and he swallowed back the regret that followed almost immediately. He didn't have time to feel bad. A priest was dead, killed by the demon that was supposed to be serving Ciel, after the boy had promised that he would not be harmed as long as he cooperated.

"Am I really that unreliable, that you would doubt my resolve?" Ciel demanded, his voice tight with anger. "Is my soul not good enough for you? Do you not need me anymore, that you feel free to ignore my orders?" He wasn't even sure that he was making sense right now, and he could feel the hysteria he was about to fall into, like a great gaping pit open before him, so that one more step would send him toppling headlong to his own demise.

Sebastian looked up at him then, and Ciel's breath caught; there was nothing soft or affectionate in those eyes. Even the constant amusement was gone, chased away by the undeserved brutality Ciel had just subjected him to. Ciel knew that the demon wasn't truly hurt – a monster that could be shot full of bullet holes and treat it like it was a game wouldn't be hurt so easily – but it was the principle of the matter. Ciel was his master. As such, he had certain responsibilities. One of those was to not mistreat those that served under him.

His eyes cold, Sebastian replied, "Of course not, Bocchan." Four simple words, and Ciel's knees gave out. He wasn't dumb; he recognized that look in Sebastian's eyes. It was a malicious cruelty, and he felt a shudder go through him. Even though he knew that Sebastian was a demon, the man's actions toward him had never seemed to be truly evil. It was more like a business transaction at first, but as time had passed, they had grown comfortable with each other, and Sebastian's crimson eyes had gentled with affection.

Bowing his head, Ciel let his shoulders sag. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice soft. It was the only apology he knew to give; he could not speak the words, so he would ask forgiveness through his actions. There was a moment of tense silence, and then Sebastian chuckled, the malice disappearing as quickly as it had come. It wasn't often that Ciel felt guilty enough to give him carte blanche, and it was worth letting go of his anger at his young master if he got to enjoy the apologetic payment.

Reaching out, he set his hands against Ciel's shoulders and pushed, shoving him onto his back on the floor. The floor here was stone, and there was nothing to keep Ciel's body from bruising as it connected with the unforgiving surface. The Earl winced, but didn't cry out, and Sebastian smiled; his young master was strong that way.

Ciel was quickly stripped of his clothing, and he lay there on the cold stone, shivering with determined eyes as he stared up at the ceiling. They were in the basement of the church where they had cornered the priest, and being underground kept the spacious room quite cool. Sebastian disappeared for a moment – probably folding the clothes and putting them somewhere out in the open, taunting anyone who walked in the church's door – but then he was back, equally unclothed and with an altar cloth in his hands.

Frowning lightly, Ciel watched as Sebastian knelt on the cloth, but didn't protest. He knew what was coming, and it would be uncomfortable regardless of what he was lying on. Besides, Sebastian wouldn't let him remain in pain for long, and he'd no doubt be treated with a salve afterwards to keep the bruising and swelling down.

One slender hand gripped his chin and turned his head to the side, the force inexorable. Sebastian leaned down and whispered in Ciel's ear, "I want to push you down. I'm still a little upset, Bocchan," he murmured. A wet finger slipped inside him with no warning, and Ciel's body twitched at the intrusion, though his body reacted at the mostly pleasurable sensation.

Turning his head to the side as Sebastian roughly prepared him, his body jerking and scraping against the stone floor of the church, Ciel's gaze landed on the priest, lying in a puddle of dark blood that was slowly seeping into the cracks of the stone surrounding him. When he had been cornered by the Earl and his demon, he had done exactly what had been expected – prayed to his God. But the prayer hadn't been for himself; instead, he had prayed for Ciel, for the boy to be released from his enslavement to a demon's whims.

Ciel had been mildly impressed. The priest had obviously been terrified; had he been praying for Ciel's release in the hopes that if the boy was removed from the demon's "influence", his own life would be spared? Or had it been genuine; had the priest been more concerned for Ciel's soul than for his own life?

He'd never find out now, he supposed. Sebastian had decided that the priest was too dangerous. Perhaps he had felt Ciel's resolve wavering in the face of such honest, sincere belief. So here they were, with Ciel about to be ravished on an icy, hard floor by a demon who still had the blood of a priest on his hands.

"Oh? Bocchan is still interested in the Father?" Sebastian murmured in his ear, his voice as gleeful as it was malicious. With a sudden jerk, Ciel's body was lifted, and he instinctively curled his limbs around Sebastian's neck and waist. The demon brought him over to the priest's body and set him down just a few feet away, so that the cooling blood soaked into his skin.

Ciel shuddered at the sticky feeling, and cried out as Sebastian thrust roughly into him. It seemed that his butler was angrier than he had realized. Ciel's hands scrabbled at the stones below his body, and his head rocked from side to side, cries pouring from his mouth that he was unable to stifle.

Biting his lip, Ciel felt the moment his teeth cut into it, his blood coating his mouth and sliding across his tongue. Sebastian reached down and flicked out a tongue, lapping across Ciel's mouth lightly, quickly, so that it couldn't really be called a kiss at all. He was just interested in Ciel's blood, and the young Earl knew it, though it was a bitter medicine to swallow.

Sebastian followed his orders in exchange for his soul after he had achieved his revenge. Their relationship was nothing more, and nothing less. If Ciel happened to get hurt, then that was his own problem. If he needed rescued, he had to call upon their contract, or Sebastian wouldn't lift a finger to help him, as long as his life wasn't actually threatened. After all, he'd be no good to the demon if he was killed before Sebastian got to take his soul.

His body slid more easily across the stones now, his back slicked with blood that didn't belong to him. Sebastian really was a sadistic demon, and he was very honest in his desires. He wanted to devour Ciel…his soul when he had gotten his revenge, his body while he still lived. And because Ciel had struck him so harshly, attacking in anger, he was allowed to take his payment in whatever manner pleased him most.

Slick fingers pressed against his lips, and Ciel opened his mouth, taking them in. He choked as they slid all the way to the back of his throat, effectively gagging him even as his body was violated cruelly. Warm blood slid down their bodies, slicking the way as Sebastian continued to move inside of him.

Normally, Ciel would never allow such humiliation to be brought upon his person, but this was Sebastian, his demon and his protector. He needed him, and so, it was okay. But only because it was Sebastian. Otherwise, anyone who touched him so roughly without his permission would die in agony. Neither he nor Sebastian would ever allow it.

And it was that thought – that even if Sebastian pushed him down, or hurt him, or took his cooperation for granted, the demon would still protect him from everybody else – that allowed him to wind his arms tightly around Sebastian's neck, arching his body up to meet the demon's thrusts, his head tilted back as he keened, sounds of pleasure now rocking his body and pouring from his throat the moment Sebastian removed his fingers.

"Sebastian!" he called out, his spine bowing backwards with a cry as Sebastian's next thrust hit that one particular spot that sent sparks flying across his body. "Sebastian!" The word was like a mantra, calling upon the only being in the world that could save him. "Sebastian!"

"Bocchan," came the soothing answer, and Ciel smiled. The anger was gone from Sebastian's voice; it was back to that cool, even tone that the demon used most often when he was enjoying himself. It seemed like Ciel had been granted forgiveness, nearly. Curling inwards, pressing his face against Sebastian's strong shoulder, Ciel tightened his body deliberately, feeling Sebastian falter as he had to struggle to slide himself back up into Ciel's willing body.

Sebastian lifted him up, off of the blood soaked floor, and held him tightly in warm, strong arms. Turning, he braced Ciel's back against the closest wall, his thrusts fast and uneven now. His arms were busy supporting Ciel, so he couldn't grasp him, but that was okay, too. Ciel didn't need to be touched, the feelings swamping his body nearly overwhelming as he cried out his release, warm liquid coating both his and Sebastian's stomachs.

His body grew limp, though he continued to spasm around Sebastian, and Sebastian groaned lightly, allowing his own release to flood deep into Ciel's body, tainting him with the essence of a demon.

"So, am I forgiven?" Ciel panted, his eyes open and honest as he stared at Sebastian. His butler had laid him on the altar cloth, and was using the edges of it to clean him up. Ciel winced as the cloth slid over sensitive flesh, but smiled at the irony all the same. A cloth that covered an altar of a place of worship was being used to clean up a boy and the demon with whom he had just fornicated with. Ah, he'd never understand a demon's sense of humor, for as long as he lived.

Sebastian smiled down at him, his crimson eyes warm and affectionate as he cleaned his master, and then himself, before disappearing again, taking the altar cloth with him. Moments later, he was back, fully dressed and with Ciel's clothes in his hands. Helping the young Earl to dress, he finally gave his answer. "There was nothing to forgive, Bocchan. I disobeyed orders, and it was within your rights to punish me as you saw fit."

Ciel stilled, his eyes showing surprise before they narrowed in irritation. "So, if there was nothing to forgive, but you punished me anyhow, then where does that put us?" He needed to know, because otherwise, he would not be able to let this go, and it would strain their comfortable relationship with each other.

Sebastian looked up at him from where he knelt on the stone floor. "It puts us wherever you wish it to, Bocchan. I am merely one hell of a butler; it is my duty to serve the Phantomhive family, and to ensure that the head of the family is raised as a proper young man." His eyes glinted in amusement, and Ciel scowled; so the demon had taken him so forcefully solely because he felt like it? And because Ciel had given his consent, he realized with a sigh of resignation.

"Very well," he said, his voice steady as he stood there, hand gripping his cane so tightly that the knuckles were white with the effort of ignoring all the aches and pains in his body. Sebastian would pamper him later, he was sure. "Then take me home. There is nothing more to be done here. We have what we need."

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian responded, his head bowed in mock submission. Standing, he scooped Ciel up into his arms and turned, darting easily up the stairs. Ciel wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck and held tightly, pressing his face against the demon's chest. As such, he failed to see the surprised parishioners as they raced by, their eyes unable to comprehend the sight of a young boy being carried by a dangerous-looking man.

Sebastian smiled; just wait until they went to bring out the altar cloth for tomorrow's mass. Not to mention the dead body downstairs. Ah, how sloppy. He'd have to make certain that his young master was comfortable at the Phantomhive estate, and then come back to clean up the body. Or else he'd never live down Ciel's anger and embarrassment.

"What are you smirking about?" Ciel mumbled up at him, his blue eyes suspicious. He hadn't replaced the eye patch when he had helped the boy get dressed; it was currently tucked away in his pocket. Ciel didn't know it, but Sebastian had made the sigil in such an obvious place because he enjoyed being able to meet his master's eyes and to see the symbol of their contract burning brightly, a constant reminder of the unique soul that he had managed to claim for himself.

Sebastian smiled down at his kind young master, who had felt guilty enough for striking him as to let Sebastian play. "I'm just thinking how wonderful it is to have Bocchan in my arms," he smiled wickedly. Ciel's eyes narrowed, and the boy swatted lightly at him.

"Put me down, then!" he demanded. Sebastian just ignored the command – there had been no power behind it – and kept running, heading for home. Apparently, Ciel didn't feel like fighting either, because he settled down after a moment, curling up against Sebastian's chest.

The two remained that way for the several moments it took them to arrive back home. After bathing his young master, Sebastian applied a soothing salve to his wounds and bruises, and dressed him in warm, soft clothing before putting him to bed, tucking the covers up under his chin.

Blowing out the candles, he smiled as he said, "Sleep well, Bocchan. I'll stand guard." There was no response from the young boy on the bed; he was exhausted, and had fallen asleep as soon as his head had hit the pillow. Sebastian left the room to go prepare for the morning, but his mind, as always, stayed with his master.

He might have the desire to push the boy down now and again, but he'd always be sure to pick him back up, and to leave him standing taller and prouder than all his enemies. After all, he was a butler for the Phantomhive family. If he couldn't do at least that much, then he didn't deserve to serve the head of the family.

Walking down the hallway, Sebastian smiled, his lips twisting into a very demonic grin as his crimson eyes glowed. It was time to go clean up the mess from earlier. Although perhaps he should leave it as a warning? No servant of God was going to take his master away, as long as he lived. The boy was his, forever, and not God, nor angels, nor priests, nor death could tear them apart. And when death finally did claim the boy, his immortal soul would belong to Sebastian, and he'd have his young master with him for all eternity.