In This Hell ( V i o l e t ) [Kuroshitsuji 2] {Completed}

Chapter VII : A World of Colour

And the whole time while always giving,

Counting your face among the living.

As we walked further into the heart of London City, the clouds began to retreat, leaving in their place a clear, navy-blue sky streaked with purple. Once the shadows crept in Violet's eyes started to glow, the only bright thing in the darkness.

"I don't recognize this part of London," I said softly, my hand sliding from his arm and grabbing his fingers for some support. As well as the unfamiliar surroundings, the buildings had become less dignified, and their occupants less refined - men in shabby overcoats and heavy boots, women in colourful dresses that bore a lot of skin. "Are we close?"

Violet gave a small nod, squeezing my fingertips gently in his. I could feel the callouses, rubbing against my palm. "It's right in the centre of the city. Something that springs up around the end of October, usually. Merchants looking to sell and make a good profit before Christmas. It's a brilliant place for sketching - there's so many different activities going on. Different people from every walk of life. And they light the lanterns at night. It's beautiful. I thought you might like it."

I stopped, and stared for a moment. "That is quite possibly the longest sentence I think I have ever heard you say."

He turned his head away. For a moment, I couldn't see because of the hood, but then I realized - he was blushing. "My apologies."

"Please don't," I pleaded, snagging the side of his hood and pushing it away from his face. It was so nice to hear him actually passionate about something for once, even if it was something that I knew nothing about. "Tell me more about the fair."

"It is just a fair," he shrugged listlessly, shaking a hand through his greying locks at the front of his hair. Was it my imagination, or had the white patch grown? "That's all."

"Okay," I mumbled, staring down at my shoes. Violet had retreated back into his quiet shell again, all because of some stupid comment that I had made.

We walked for a while longer, in the awkward silence. Almost all at once, however, Violet halted outside a shadowed archway, the tunnel hiding behind it paved in cobblestones.

"Down here," he said, gesturing with a black-tipped finger. Taking both of my hands, Violet stepped down and pulled me after him. After a few more inches, we were engulfed in the gloaming.

"Why is it so far away?" I enquired in a very small voice.

"Better business down here," he answered in a monotone. It was quite disconcerting, hearing only the sounds of Violet's low, flat voice and our footsteps echoing around the stairwell. I didn't like it. I didn't like the near-silence.

I pressed myself up closer against Violet, my nose brushing against the curve of his neck. There was a small hitch in his breathing.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly.

"Fine," I said softly, wrapping both of my arms around one of his. The fruity, mellowed scent hanging from his shirt collar was absolutely delightful. "What sort of things are there in this fair?"

"It's more of a market." I could hear his echoing sigh, the enthusiasm slowly leaching from his voice.

"Well, explain some more." I gave him a little prod in the side. There was a rustle, the sound of Violet shaking his head.

"You are strange."

"I'm strange? I think you'll find that you are the strange one," I replied, my voice slightly disbelieving. Out of all the ways Violet, Violet could have chosen to describe me, he plucked strange from the mix.