ᴛᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴇʀ

ᴇɪɢʜᴛᴇᴇɴ

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

A small child hid in the closet with his hands on his head, his small body trembled with fear, on his lower waist hidden with his trousers were bruises he couldn't bare. His heartbeat pounded against his chest as he heard the footsteps drew nearer any minute now the person would open the closed door.

"Where are you hiding?" the crude familiar voice said.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

Ciel gasped out loud as he woke from his dream, his head pounding with an ear-splitting headache. His shirt was soaked with sweat, and beads of it trickled down his face. He stumbled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, trying to shake off the lingering effects of the nightmare. He washed his face with cold water, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He still looked tired, the dark circles under his eyes a stark reminder of the restless nights.

"What was that dream?" he murmured to himself, his voice barely a whisper. He finished brushing his teeth, rinsed his mouth, and then groaned in frustration.

"Fuck, I forgot to take my vitamins," he muttered as he opened the cabinet above the sink. He took out his pills and swallowed them, trying to go through the motions of his daily routine, though his mind felt clouded and distant.

When he left his room, a loud noise broke his concentration. He froze in his tracks. What was that? he wondered, unsure if he should ignore it or investigate further. But then he heard it again—a strange sound, coming from somewhere deeper in the apartment. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was off.

He followed the sound, his feet carrying him through the apartment, eventually leading him to the basement door. With a deep breath, he opened it, stepping cautiously down the stairs. The noise grew louder, and then, as he reached the bottom, the door to the basement creaked open, and a body fell to the floor with a thud.

"Cayden," Ciel mumbled, his voice a mix of confusion and concern.

He stepped forward, reaching out to touch his brother, but Cayden flinched away from him. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable, and Ciel's heart sank. What the hell happened?

⸻

12 Hours Earlier

Who's J? Ciel thought as he recalled the moment earlier in the day when he had seen the name pop up on Akira's phone. He had tried to shake off the feeling, but now that nagging curiosity lingered. He had asked her about it, trying to keep his voice casual, but her reaction told him everything he needed to know.

"Akira, who's J?" Ciel had asked, his voice quiet but insistent.

Akira froze, her eyes flicking nervously to the side. She swallowed hard before shaking her head. "Uh, just a friend," she replied, her tone off.

Friend. Ciel's mind raced, but he kept his face neutral. Why did she freeze up? Why the hesitation? He didn't press the issue, though. He didn't want to argue, not now. He'd let it go for the moment, even if a small voice in his head urged him to dig deeper.

"I have to go back to the penthouse," Ciel had announced, trying to shift the mood. He needed to get some assignments done for school, and he'd left his laptop there.

"Will you be alright?" He asked as he approached her, gently lifting her chin to look into her eyes.

"Hmhm," she replied with a soft nod, wrapping herself tighter in the blanket.

Ciel leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Bye," she replied, her eyes following him as he left the apartment, her voice soft as he closed the door behind him.