They sat together under a tree a little way away from the club. In ordinary circumstances it would sound ordinary or even romantic but here, with the dead tree and barren landscape, it felt more like a scene from an apocalypse. Not the most romantic place to go… thought George ruefully. It didn’t matter, as he cuddled the man on his lap. Ciel was like a content cat, rubbing and snuggling against him. George indulged him by stroking his soft, silky hair. There was a strong sense of satisfaction –  almost dragon-like – of finally being able to rightfully hold this man in his arms.

“You know that I don’t have as much time as you…” Ciel suddenly brought up the topic George wanted most to avoid.

His hand stilled and he held Ciel closer. The heart that had resurrected from Ciel’s confession died a little. He refused to answer, burying his head in the crook of the other man’s shoulder. Why couldn’t he have been a sane man? Why did he have to be a bloodthirsty, deranged murderer? A dragon slayer falling in love with a dragon… somewhere out there, someone is laughing hysterically at his expense. Ciel seemed to know his conflicted emotions and his hand went up to stroke George’s head; like placating a sulky child.

“If you hadn’t been cursed, you’d have been mortal… we would never have met…”

George knew what Ciel meant. The curse had given him eternal life; had given him a reason to roam the world and meet the one in his arms. But the remorse and pain of hurting him did not ease. He was nothing but a weak man who laid waste to everything in sight the minute the madness crept up. He just held Ciel tighter, seeking solace in his warmth.

“Is it that hard to forgive yourself?”

George still refused to answer, making Ciel finally lose his temper. He tugged on the hair of the head resting on his shoulder.

“Look at me.” The tone was cold, a little petulant. George had to raise his head and look into the face of his beloved. His lips were thinned in anger and his eyes were hurt. But then his hands went to gently cup the side of his face before Ciel kissed George on the forehead. George felt the warm, soft lips on his skin and his brain stopped functioning… again.

“If losing my wings was the price I needed to pay to meet you and get you to love me, then I paid it gladly. There was always something missing in my heart, even with my friends and family around me. It was when I realized my feelings for you that that hole started to fill up…” George’s ears seemed to tingle at the honeyed words he was being fed. He raised his head to look at the gentle, pink-faced man looking down at him. Ciel was embarrassed by his declaration but still worked up the courage to tell him what was in his heart to soothe George’s guilt ridden emotions. After receiving gift after gift, George noticed that he had never said anything back. That while Ciel knew about his feelings for him, he had never said them aloud for him to hear.

“I love you so much…” he looked Ciel straight in the eye when he said that and was satisfied to see that Ciel’s brain had shut down. His eyes had widened with the shock of hearing George’s confession, as if he had never expected George to put to words what his actions had been showing all along.

“When I first saw you at that pool, you’d already mesmerized me. I stayed where I was instead of wandering away just so that I could catch another glimpse of you. After that, when you were avoiding me, I didn’t understand why my heart hurt so much. I’d already told myself to leave you alone, to just protect you from the shadows…”

Ciel was still frozen in his arms as George poured his heart out to him. He stared earnestly into those pale blue eyes; loving how there was an adorably confused look on his face. The pink that had tinged Ciel’s cheeks was gradually growing deeper as he took in the words that he was telling him. But George wasn’t done.

“My right eye… it’s not fully blind. I can see a little light and some vague distorted shapes though it's mostly useless. But whenever I look at you, it’s as if my eye was never injured. I see you in full detail. Every smile, every frown, every action, every expression… I can see it and see it clearly. You make me whole…”

“Stop!”  Ciel had reached the saturation point for all the sugary sweet words that George was spewing and had used both his hands to cover his mouth. His face was bright red and the misty look was back in his eyes as he blinked back tears. But George seemed to have learned a thing or two from the stickiest couple in the club as he held Ciel’s hand in place and gave the palm a reverential kiss. As if he was holding the most precious, fragile treasure in the world. Ciel gave a gasp and wanted to pull his hand away but George held onto them and planted another kiss on it before he let go. Ciel pulled back his hands, as if cupping the feel of George’s lips on them.

George gave a smirk and whispered into his ear. “I can always give you more if you want.” Something about Ciel’s flustered appearance made George want to tease him.

“Stop that.” Ciel gave a half-hearted push against his chest, refusing to look at him.

“Do you realize that you resemble an unwilling maiden right now?” He whispered into that perfect lobe again.

Ciel grabbed his as-if-scalded ear, and moved away from him, his mouth pursed into another pout. He tried to get up but George wouldn’t let him; pulling him to sit back on his lap, his arms trapping Ciel against him.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

“Bully.”

George gave Ciel a smile and kissed him, finding it the easiest way to keep those lips from pouting. He had never expected Ciel to have such a childish streak about him but this contrast just made him more adorable in his eyes. Ciel reciprocated by wrapping his arms around his neck and making himself more comfortable in George’s lap. They stayed glued to each other for a while before finally breaking contact.

“I’m really my parents’ child.” Ciel muttered, his face an enchanting shade of pink. George couldn’t help it; he started laughing, the happiness in his heart bubbling over. 

“That’s not funny.”

“It is to me. I’ll gladly dote on you the way your father does your mother.” He placed Ciel’s head against his shoulders and stroked his hair, loving the silky feel of the silver white strands through his fingers. It was a pleasant, comfortable silence as the just enjoyed each other’s company.

“It doesn’t matter how much time you have. I’ll stay with you till the end.” George finally spoke, looking into Ciel’s face before he rested his forehead against the other man’s. This was his promise, his vow. “Whatever happens, I won’t let you go.”

“But when- when I die…”

“I’ll follow you to the underworld.”

“No!” Ciel’s eyes were frightened, desperate. “You- you can’t…”

“There’s no meaning to living if you’re not there.”

“But I want you to live…”

“But I don’t want a life without you.”

“Stubborn man…” Ciel couldn’t take it anymore and buried his face in George’s chest. George was shocked when he felt his shirt go damp. He quickly put his hand under Ciel’s chin and raised his head. Looking at the sobbing, tear streaked face, he couldn’t help but sigh.

“No promises. I’ll live for your sake but if I can’t take it anymore, I’ll die for my own.” He said gruffly as he gently wiped the tears from his cheek and kissed those tear stained eyes.

“You have to live no matter what.” Ciel hiccuped.

“Who’s the stubborn one now?” George couldn’t help but smile at Ciel’s sulking. No one had ever moved him the way this person did and he knew that no one else ever will.

“Let’s get back to the club. Your parents and siblings should be wondering where you are. And I should get back to work.” He made an attempt to rise.

“NO!” George looked at him curiously.

“At least… wait until the muses leave…” Now he was confused.

“Mother made them sing me a love song, all right?” He waited for Ciel to make sense.

“If we go back now, I’m very sure we’re going to get catcalls and teasings…”

So that was it. George chuckled and held onto his treasure. His very embarrassed treasure.

“And if they decide not to leave?”

“I never thought about that…”

“If we stay out here too long, Blanc will come looking for us with a shotgun.”

“He wouldn’t dare… Besides, Noire will probably keep him back… I think…”

“I’d still prefer Blanc though.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you want your father to come out to look for us instead?”

Ciel shuddered. “You know what, let’s go back. We shouldn’t let everyone worry…” he quickly scrambled out of George’s lap before he turned around to help George up. His childishly adorable Ciel was back. As he pulled himself up, he tugged Ciel back into his arms.

“Stop playing around-” Ciel who had crashed back into George complained.

“One more for the road.” George said as he gave his beloved another kiss and hug. When they separated, he smirked at the rosy glow on Ciel’s face.

“You know, I never realized how big a bully you were until now.” Ciel grumbled.

“Don’t worry, you’ll have the rest of your life to find out.” George said in a husky voice next to Ciel’s ear before he led his beloved back to the club.

A/N: I meant what I said on the title. Sorry for the filler-ish chapter. We'll resume the action and plot after this. Even I got diabetes editing this...