Once Upon a Time

Aftermath

The sun slowly peaked over the horizon, turning the sky a beautiful orange color as it ascended into the early morning sky. A blanket of sunlight quietly crawled across the vast Phantomhive estate, warming the drenched grounds from the harsh effects of the previous night's rainstorm.

Hidden within the forest near the Phantomhive manor, two figures snuggled against one another for warmth, peacefully sleeping beneath one of the more larger trees that grew there. Still wrapped in Sebastian's tailcoat, Vanessa sat curled in the butler's lap, her head pressed against the crook of his neck, her face flush against his skin. Her arms had winded their way around his waist during the night, pressing their bodies even closer.

Sebastian had his back to the trunk of a tree, his head resting against the kitchen maid's. At some point, one of his outstretched legs had curled under the girl, his foot resting under the knee of his opposite leg. His arms were wrapped around her small frame, tightly, but even as his eyes remained closed, the Phantomhive butler did not sleep.

He supposed he had dozed off sometime during the night, but as he had told his young master many times, demons did not need sleep, and he had awoken shortly after. He had spent the rest of the night simply reveling in the fact that Vanessa was in his arms, sleeping peacefully and dreaming of him.

Dreaming of us, he corrected himself with a smile.

Although the thought immensely pleased him, Sebastian couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. He had told Earl Phantomhive that he had theories on ways to make his soulmate remember him, but he had no way of knowing if said theories would actually work.

He needed at least one theory to work, one to make Vanessa remember that she was madly in love with him as he was with her.

But, he was afraid to try.

Fear was something he had long forgotten. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this kind of fear, paralyzing and full of doubts. He was a demon, and if there was one emotion demons did not feel, it was fear.

But, as he sat here, deep within the forest, his arms around the girl he loved, Sebastian Michaelis realized he was afraid.

Afraid that he couldn't get her to remember, afraid that she wouldn't remember, but most of all, afraid that she would reject him.

There were too many unknowns in an important situation such as this, and it made Sebastian doubt himself.

He tightened his arms around Vanessa, pressing his lips to her bandaged head. Her scent wafted up to his nose, causing him to close his eyes and inhale. It brought back long ago memories, memories that made him long to repeat them....if only Vanessa would remember!

She suddenly shifted in his arms, murmuring something incoherent. Sebastian stilled and focused on her heart, hearing the slow and steady beat of sleep being replaced by a quicker pace. He smiled, knowing she was waking up.

Maybe it's time for a little fun, he thought to himself, smirking.

******************************

She was warm.

That was the first thing that popped into Vanessa's mind as she struggled to open her eyes.

Mey-Rin must have stoked the fire during the night, she thought, snuggling deeper under her covers. She yawned, slightly stretching her arms, but found her movements restrained.

What in the world?

Her eyes flew open at that thought, but found her vision restricted to a veil of white. She blinked a few times, attempting to focus her eyes, then gasped when she realized what she had thought to be her pillow was actually someone's neck!