.: seeing in the dark :.

Chapter One

The sound of a roaring plane thundered overhead. It seemed to shake the ceiling above but no one paid attention to the loud noise. It was all too common at an airport and no one batted an eyelash at the noise. Instead, they continued to rush about the airport, running from one gate to another while others milled about around the shops.

Another plane took off, nothing but a slowly shrinking line of silver in the evening sky. It vanished into the sunset before another plane took its place. The flow of planes remained steady, a constant dance of landing and taking off. A symphony of thundering roars and screeching tires, along with the loud chorus of people moving throughout the terminals.

It proved interesting to watch for the first hour or so, but it quickly lost its appeal after the fifth hour. Fingers drummed against the armrest and Ciel resisted the urge to look at his phone again. The sinking sun told him exactly how late it was and how long he had sat waiting in baggage claim.

A frustrated noise left his mouth and Ciel twisted around in his seat to look at the moving carousel. A lone bag shuffled around on the conveyer belt and Ciel wondered how long it would take until someone came to claim it.

"Wonder how long it'll take for someone to come claim me," he muttered under his breath.

He turned his attention back to his phone and the game he played on it. It had faithfully kept him entertained for the past two hours but as his frustration mounted, it quickly lost its appeal. With a disgusted sigh, he slipped the device into his pocket and stood up. His legs protested the motion after sitting for so long and Ciel leaned over to stretch his back.

It popped pleasantly and Ciel straightened up again before grabbing his bag. He needed to walk around for a while or he would go crazy from sitting still. That, and the nearby security guards kept giving him curious looks with each hour that passed. No doubt, they wondered about his situation and monitored him for any more suspicious activity.

It only helped to fuel Ciel's frustration and he stomped away from the baggage claim. Not for the first time, Ciel cursed the person responsible for his current suffering.

The glass doors slid open and Ciel stepped outside, wincing as hot, dry air rushed forward to greet him. It pressed against his face and instantly wrapped around his body in an uncomfortable embrace. The sounds of vehicles driving by and horns blaring joined the chorus that was the airport, and Ciel scanned the nearby cars for any signs of a battered yellow car.

He didn't see any, not that Ciel expected any less, and he trudged over to the nearest bench to wait again. His stomach growled and demanded food as he sat down, and Ciel clenched his hands together in a failed attempt to keep it quiet.

This wasn't how Ciel envisioned his trip to unfold when he left this morning. He expected to wait for a while before Alois picked him up, but five hours pushed his patience. He only hoped that this wasn't a sign of how the remainder of his visit would play out.

A blur of yellow appeared in his peripheral vision and Ciel perked up. He scowled though as a taxi drove by and a string of curses left his mouth. "That's it," he swore and fumbled for his phone. He punched in a number and waited impatiently for Alois to pick up.

"Ciel~," a voice slurred after several rings and Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Ciel, 'm soooo drunk right now."

"Alois," Ciel seethed. "Where are you?"

A giggle. "Home with the guys." A loud clatter sounded through the speakers, followed by loud, obnoxious laughter in the background. "Dropped the phone," Alois said after a few seconds, barely finishing the sentence before bursting into laughter.