Haunted

Haunted (Chapter 2) Apparition

Hello, everybody. Sorry for the...erm... rather long chapter again. XD I was on holiday, and I didn't have much to do, so I sat and wrote like a girl posessed. ^^" I thought I'd do something creepy since it's coming up to Hallow'een. Please enjoy! Katxx

Ciel spent most of the next day in his study. Alois, seemingly happy to just be going somewhere with Ciel, perched contentedly on the side of the desk and watched him do his work. Time crawled slowly by. There were long periods of silence, punctuated every so often by somebody speaking up, or Sebastian coming in with cups of tea or snacks, or one of the servants running in and asking where they should put something or complaining of some dilemma. It occured to Ciel to ask Alois: "Will your mansion be all right on its own?"

"Oh, it'll be fine. I have the servants to look after the place, and Hannah will keep them under control." Alois replied.

"Oh yes, those three." Ciel said, recalling the curious, identical triplets he had met the last time he had visited the Trancy manor. "What's up with them, anyway? They did nothing but stand about and whisper to each other, last time I went to your place."

Alois chuckled. "You probably don't want to know what they were saying. Claude told them to pipe down because he thought it might offend my ears," he replied in amusement. "They said I had bats in the belfry!" He pouted.

Ciel had to stifle a laugh. "No wonder he wanted them to shut up, then. I know Sebastian would chase my lot up and down the mansion if they said something like that about their master!" He shook his head, smirking, and they lapsed again into one of their comfortable silences.

--

They began their journey to Greyfield early that evening. It was not far; Sebastian predicted they would get there in about an hour and a half. And since Sebastian was usually right about these things, nobody questioned him.

Alois spent most of the time staring out of the carriage window. He watched as the sky grew steadily darker, until he realised he was not so much gazing at the scenery going by as he was at his own reflection staring back at him from the glass. It was a beautiful starry night, he thought to himself. Beautiful, but cold. Never mind. At least it was warm inside the carriage.

Noticing that Ciel was unusually quiet, he glanced over at the younger boy, and discovered to his surprise that he was fast asleep. Smiling to himself, he reached over and pulled Ciel's head onto his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist so he didn't fall off the seat.

"You always have to act so tough around everyone," he said softly, stroking his blue hair. He didn't expect an answer; and all he got was a gentle snore. "It must be hard for you, having to put up a mask all the time... mind you, I did the same until not so long ago." His fingers found the string of Ciel's eyepatch, and pulled on it. He smiled again. "You don't have to hide that around me," he said. "We're both in the same boat." And with that, he kissed Ciel on the forehead, and placed the eyepatch in his pocket.

--

Ciel jolted awake, just as the carriage rolled into Greyfield. Turning round and looking up at Alois, he asked: "How long was I asleep?"

"Oh, about half an hour I think..." Alois answered, looking upwards for a moment in thought. He giggled. "You were snoring."

Ciel blushed. "I was not!" he retorted. Noticing that his eyepatch was missing, he searched around for it, and found it (rather mysteriously) in his coat pocket.

"How would you know?" Alois grinned, tying it round the back of his head. Ciel didn't answer, and stared fixedly out of the window. The carriage ground to a halt outside the hotel in which they were staying.