The World As We Know It

Chapter Five

I spend the morning glaring at the dress hanging over the back of my chair. The dreaded knock on my door had yet to come, and I was anxious. The dress didn't look awful on me, but I still felt completely out of my element wearing something so feminine. My wardrobe consisted of leggings and oversized shirts to hide my body. This dress left very little to the imagination.

When the knock finally came, I grabbed Cosmo's bag and answered the door. Both Ciel and Sebastian were waiting in the hall, but Ciel retreated to his apartment when I handed him Cosmo and the tote bag. Sebastian seemed to have recovered from yesterday. He was much more cheerful, and graciously accepted the cinnamon roll I offered him. I was shooed into the bedroom to change while he set up, and I did so grudgingly. Clothed in the black gown, I was directed to sit on the couch with my legs tucked beneath me. Sebastian positioned my head and arms to his liking, and I stiffened at his closeness. He seemed oblivious to my discomfort, taking the liberty to straighten my bodice and smooth out the wrinkles in the skirt. Taking a step back, he scrutinized me before nodding with approval. A chair was pulled from the dining room, and he began to sketch.

Neither of us spoke in the hours that followed. I remained as still as possible, willing myself to be cut from stone. Even when my knees began to ache, I refused to move an inch. I wanted this to be over as quickly as possible so that I could go back to watching TV with Cosmo. When the ache turned to a dull pain, I grimaced and shifted just enough to relieve a little bit of the pressure.

"Do you need to take a break?"

I shook my head.

"I'm good."

Sebastian hesitated for a moment before setting down his sketchbook.

"I need you to look as relaxed as possible. Take a few minutes to stretch your legs while I check on Ciel."

I waited until he left to swing my legs out from under me. Sore and stiff, I found it too painful to bend my knees and remained on the couch. Sebastian returned with a small plate of pizza while I was still massaging my aching joints. Apparently Ciel had been too impatient to wait for his guardian's return to eat. He handed me the plate, and I ate while he gently probed my swollen flesh. I hissed with each agonizing touch, praying that the small spasms in my legs were ignored. When he returned to his seat, I was hopeful, but he pulled a container from his bag and sat down in front of me. When I tried to protest, he gave me a chilly look and removed one of his gloves with his teeth. Black nails contrasted against the pale white of his hand as did a strange tattoo that seemed to be glowing. It struck me as odd as I hadn't seen him as the type to paint his nails or have a tattoo, but I honestly didn't know that much about him. He dipped his fingers into the salve and gingerly massaged it into my skin. My knee felt warm, and the some of the pain ebbed away. I munched quietly as he did the same to my other knee, puzzled that he appeared to care about me. When he finished, he went into the kitchen and washed his hands. My knees were still too stiff to bend, but the pain was bearable. I watched him return to his seat, awkwardly trying to figure out how to thank him.

"Why?"

The question came unbidden. What was meant to be a sign of my gratitude was now the embodiment of my confusion. When Sebastian didn't look up from his sketchbook, I thought he wouldn't answer me. Then he sighed.

"I caused you pain with this project. It seems only right to compensate you in some manner."

I left it at that. He wasn't lying, but something told me that he wasn't telling me everything. Still, so long as he meant no harm, I would let him keep his secrets. Once upon a time, I knew someone who did the same thing to protect me. Now, that person was my own secret. Returning to my original position, I watched silently as Sebastian continued to sketch. He reminded me so much of him. There was a wall around his heart, and he would do anything to make me believe that he was a horrible person. Shay had been that way once. In fact, when I first met him, I hated him on sight.