.: seeing in the dark :.

Chapter Five

Ciel avoided Sebastian the rest of the day.

After returning from the Galleria, he stayed up in the loft and only ventured downstairs if he needed to eat something. And when he needed something to eat, Ciel made it a point to leave the apartment instead of sneaking into the kitchen. Sebastian stayed downstairs and going anywhere past the staircase only increased the chance of running into him.

But for the most part, he remained in the loft, reading some books that he brought and looking over the few items he purchased since arriving at the apartment. His phone provided some means of entertainment, but all the games and music in the world couldn't break the unease that had settled throughout the apartment.

The feeling carpeted the apartment and invoked a silence that Ciel hastened to keep. He cringed whenever he stepped on a squeaky board or when he had to use the restroom. Any noise that broke the stillness seemed too loud and it had Ciel looking over his shoulder, as though Sebastian would suddenly appear at the lightest of noises.

He dreaded having to deal with Sebastian, and Ciel didn't even know where to begin. How did he fix the mess he had unintentionally made? Sorry was a good starting place but it hardly seemed strong enough. Ciel couldn't take back the words he said and he struggled with himself over his own feelings.

They warred with each other and only served to confuse Ciel even more. He didn't know whether he was right or wrong with the way he acted. Anyone else would've acted the same when faced with the unfamiliar situation. But at the same time, Ciel knew it was wrong. He shouldn't have treated Sebastian that way.

But did that also mean that Sebastian shouldn't expect the same from him as he did Claude? He never asked for this, to stay with someone who was blind, but he swallowed his unease and stayed. Not only that, Ciel did his best not to treat Sebastian as though he was made of glass. He had looked past the disability and it wasn't the blindness that Ciel had a problem with.

It was just the unnerving staring from other people.

He groaned and tipped his head back against the wall behind him. "This isn't helping," he moaned and rubbed at his temples.

What was he supposed to do in a situation like this? He didn't take any classes on this and felt oddly lost. For the first time since starting college, Ciel could feel the presence of the 'real world' that his teachers talked about throughout his life. Something that no amount of classroom learning could have prepared him for.

All the trials and tribulations that he would face in life suddenly felt real. Their presence loomed on the horizon, just beyond his reach and lying in wait – ready to pounce as he matured. The once smooth and barely curving road had turned into a deadly mountain pass filled with hairpin turns, deep crevasses, and rough bumps.

"Ciel," Sebastian called from the living room and Ciel stiffened. He hadn't heard from Sebastian since he left in the morning and he pressed himself flat against the wall, hoping it would somehow offer a hiding place. "The shower is ready," Sebastian continued.

Ciel didn't answer and he found himself holding his breath. Perhaps if he stayed quiet long enough, Sebastian would lose interest. Like a hunter hunting game. They would move on after a while if their prey didn't show. Leave for new hunting grounds.

The quiet stretched on and Ciel found himself breathing easier. He didn't hear anything downstairs but he didn't trust himself to move. The only thing that would ruin his plan was if Sebastian came upstairs to pursue him further. Ciel swallowed and his eyes darted to the bed. He could always feign sleep.