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Demons don't trust each other regardless of their species, yes, there were several species of demons who fed off different things. However, the mistrust was still there.
Because of this, demons who chose to form alliances made a blood pact to ensure absolute loyalty, to never betray and to always protect each other . It links them together, a bond that runs deep enough to keep them aware of each other's state even if both are apart, sort of like sharing a subconscious, but not quite.
Sebastian… he made a pact like that long ago with a demon of a whole different kind, because of the difference in their eating habits and… other circumstances, both got along better than most demons, however, it kept them apart a lot. Neither cared much for that, when Sebastian made his contract, he didn't give much mind to Neuro considering the latter had been gone for a while at that point, hunting puzzles on the top levels of Hell and leaving him behind to handle his job.
Infuriating pest.
He cared even less when he learnt of the other having left Hell in order to consume mysteries in the human world even though that was basically suicidal.
In a completely different time altogether to top it all.
Both kept to themselves, as usual, Neuro knew better than to contact him while he was under contract. Neither was supposed to cross paths while following their food.
Yet, things didn't go as planned.
~
Neuro is hurt.
Bad.
No.
If Sebastian's right, which he is. The infuriating bastard is at the brink of death. He has no idea how did that happen, but he can get an idea of it.
And since Neuro has a whole different complexion, for him to come back from such state… Sebastian runs a hand through his hair, why did he have to be so damn reckless? He couldn't just drop his current duties and go to him. But he can't let him die either. He just can't.
Because if he does, the breach of their pact will hit him with enough force to send him back to Hell, to such a bottomless level he might as well never be able to see his master again.
He will not lose this soul over Neuro's reckless behavior.
It's how he finds himself standing before his master. He shouldn't be taking time off, he shouldn't be leaving his master's side, it goes against every fiber in his being. Against every aesthetic and ideal he's come to hold close to his heart.
“Young master, may I make a presumptuous request?” He still asks, he can't leave Neuro to die either, it's infuriating, but he just can't.
“Of which kind?” Ciel asks, confused, Sebastian didn't just make requests like that, he didn't have any need for anything, so what could he possibly want?
“Please grant me permission to leave your side for the day.” That makes Ciel's eyebrow raise. Of all possible things, that was certainly not what he expected.
“You want the day off? Why would you need a day off?” He questions, the demon makes a face, like the very idea of answering out loud was beyond preposterous. Yet. Ciel will not just agree. Sebastian didn't need days off, he wasn't injured nor was he human, he had nothing that could possibly make him do such a request.
The demon avoids looking at him as he answers, tone flat.
“A matter of sorts has come up, however, I assure you it will not take longer than a day.”
“A matter of what kind?” Ciel presses, wanting to know what could possibly make the demon want a day off. His eye twitches.
“An acquaintance of sorts has put himself in quite the conundrum. Since he cannot do much about it, he requires some assistance.”
Ciel narrows his eyes at the incredibly vague explanation.
“Since when do you have ‘acquaintances’?” He questions, suspicious, the butler frowns, still not looking at him. What sort of acquaintance would a-
Realization dawns on him. Eyes widening inwardly.
“Is it another demon?”
“Yes.”
Ciel doesn't let his surprise show. Instead, he frowns, it's an odd thought to imagine Sebastian having acquaintances, did demons have friends? Who would want to be friends with that? However… what kind of conundrum could a demon fall into? Enough to need the assistance of another demon? Was it wise to grant Sebastian the freedom to leave his side for a whole day?
Sure, the rules of their contract state he's to not lie nor betray him, instead, he must protect him and never leave his side, figuratively speaking. He also knows Sebastian wouldn't make another contract behind his back, the demon had left quite clear how against that he was. And Ciel had ordered him not to do that anyways.
Still…
“What sort of conundrum?” He ends up asking, he won't just let him go and get himself into unnecessary trouble. The demon finally turns to look at him, however, he gives him a look Ciel hasn't been subjected to since they first met.
Assessing, as if considering if he's truly worth any of the information he's about to share.
"... There are many types of demons in Hell, one in particular feeds off mysteries, which are also referred to as 'brain eaters'.”
“Mysteries?” Ciel repeats impulsively. How do you eat a mystery?
“The evil intent within a human's soul, you could say they eat just a portion of the soul. Because of the wide difference in our eating habits, we hold very little hostility towards each other.”
That's… an interesting thing to know Ciel finds, he never even considered there might be types of demons. It's an odd thought.
“However, they also have a wide difference in complexion, their bodies don't exactly match with your world's environment, most would completely disappear the second they were to set foot out of Hell. They need Hell's air to survive, you could say it's like oxygen to them.”
“Then how come he's wandering around?”
“You could say he's one of a kind. Though while he was able to set foot here, it's been putting an incredible strain on his body, weakening him consistently, making his power decrease and his body resemble that of a human's. I am unsure of the how, but he's recently been gravely injured, in order for him to heal, he needs to return to Hell. But since he's long driven his body past its limit, he's been in what you would call a comatose state as a way to store the sliver of power he has left. In any case, it does not matter, if he doesn't return soon. He will die.”
Sebastian's face doesn't show a single trace of being remotely bothered by what he just said.
Ciel has several questions right now, like what the hell could possibly injure a demon enough to drive it to death. Or why would anyone be stupid enough to stay in a place that slowly drained their life away. Or why would anyone choose to just turn their back to the place that literally helped them breathe?
Still…
“Fine, you may go.” He conceded at last . Ciel might enjoy making Sebastian's life as difficult as possible, he had all the right to do it mind you, yet, there were lines he wouldn't cross. He had no idea who that demon was or how he was hurt, what even was his relationship with Sebastian.
Yet.
It might come in hand to have a demon owe him a favor. Even more so one as odd as what Sebastian described. A demon who feeds off evil intent, a slice off a soul. Such an odd thought. Yet intriguing.
He wonders what kind of demon can survive being here when the rest of his kind flat out dies upon setting foot here.
~
Sebastian appears in the office with an irritated sigh, gaze wandering, frowning when he sees a braid stuck on the wall engulfed in shouki, it startles when it sees him, curling almost as if to stand off against him, he tilts his head to the side. What a curious creature. A being born from the influence of an evil presence. Huh.
His gaze falls at last on the couch where Neuro laid on, a thick blanket covering him, his skin looks ashen and his hair has lost most of its familiar color, cracks splitting his skin like shattered porcelain. His power barely there. Nothing but a fleeting glimpse.
He approaches the couch at a slow pace, dodging the traps he can sense beneath the floor and ignoring how the braid becomes more and more agitated with each step he takes, as if worried about the brain eater. As if anyone could actually come anywhere near Neuro if he perceived an honest threat.
Although considering his current condition…
He comes to crouch next to the couch, staring at his sleeping face for a moment. Such a problematic individual.
He brings a hand up, reaching over towards his face, however, a hand snatches his wrist in a surprisingly vice grip, black eyes cracking open, as their eyes meet, the grip loosens, a sly smirk gracing the other's features.
“You left your little puppeteer for me. I'm flattered.” Comes the amused voice as the hand finally releases him, dropping back on the couch.
“I wouldn't have to be here if you weren't so reckless. You are Hell's most intelligent creature, yet, you always pull the stupidest moves.”
A scoff is his answer.
“I don't want to hear that from someone who's been starving for three years over a soul.” Sebastian opened his mouth, ready to retort, yet, the door opened behind him, making him turn to look over his shoulder, a blonde girl stands frozen at the door. A teenager not much older than his master.
He smoothly straightens up, giving her a polite bow as greeting, an impulse at this point honestly .
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Miss, my name's Sebastian Michaelis.” His Master might not be here. He might be from a whole different time altogether. But his master requested a butler, by extension his job is to play that role impeccably even when he isn't present. The snort behind him makes his eyebrow twitch.
“ Sebastian? That's your name now?” Sebastian straightens up, giving the other a look of disdain.
“I don't want to hear that from someone who named himself after what he eats.” Neuro smirks at him, mocking and condescending.
“Is it any different from letting your food name you?” Sebastian's eyebrow twitches.
“Maybe I should leave you to die here after all.” He comments, taking a step forward, however, the brain eater's hand shoots out, yanking one of the tails of his suit jacket and pulling him with surprising force, Sebastian watches him push a button from the couch’s armrest.
It's beyond humiliating and undignifying the ease with which the trap snatches him, a net that slams into him and yanks him up, successfully capturing him, and the net is made out of demonic fiber, making it impossible to break. He glares at the other, eyes blazing as he bites back the urge to growl, growling is for animals. Although that doesn't stop him from giving him a silent snarl, baring his fangs at him.
The sudden startled yelp reminds him there's a human present. The girl who now looks at him with a bewildered expression, he stares back at her, not bothering to shift his eyes back into their human facade as he shifts uncomfortably in the net.
“You are not-” She doesn't finish her sentence, as if unsure of how to even finish it. Sebastian smirks.
“I'm a demon.” He finishes for her, while his master has put on him the logical expectation of not revealing his true nature without his permission. This girl doesn't count.
“A demon?” She repeats, voice dripping with shock and surprise as she takes a step back. As if she never even considered there might actually be others aside from Neuro.
Yako for her side stares at the man in the net, he dresses fancier than anything she's ever seen, a fancy butler that is. From those old Victorian movies. A demon, he claims, with eyes completely different from Neuro's, rather than the unnerving neon green with double rings, this one's are a burning red, almost feline or reptile-like.
With black hair and an unsettlingly eye-catching face. Like those pretty, yet incredibly venomous toads with vibrant colors. Like looking at something that disguises its true nature under impossibly captivating colors and patterns. It draws you in, yet, something primal within you tells you to not touch it. The danger he exudes is uncanny.
She's never seen another demon aside from Neuro, but she didn't quite expect them to look so… elegant. Nor to feel so unsettling. He makes her feel uneasy in a way Neuro has never managed.
Something about his whole persona screams danger on a whole different level.
“Are you here to help him?” She asks at last, daring to speak, he gives Neuro a displeased side look, yet nods. And why doesn't it surprise her that Neuro treats other demons like this too? And what was up with how weak this one was despite how unnervingly he felt? She would have expected more reflexes from a demon considering what she's seen from Neuro.
Still. She climbs on the coffee table to undo the knot on the side, the demon, Sebastian, turns to look at her.
“His body has long reached its limit. I will be taking him back to Hell with me, however, because of how time works, it might take days, even years, or hundreds of years before he's able to come back up.”
Yako tenses at that. Yet…
“It doesn't matter.” She states. Finishing undoing the knot and watching as the demon slips out with the elegance of a cat, and he definitely dresses like a fancy Victorian butler. He's even got the chain of a pocket watch that seems to be worth more than anything she could ever afford in her lifetime.
And who was this demon? He moves with the elegance of a noble from those old movies, but he dresses like a butler. From the perfectly polished shoes up to the black tie. Seriously, what's with that get up? It fits nothing the way he moves.
She doesn't miss how he stares at Neuro, as if assessing him.
“It might take me a while to open a portal.” He states. His words caught her off guard. A portal to Hell? Could he do that? Just like that?
“Do it on the top floor.” Neuro said, pointing to the ceiling, the other demon nods before disappearing through the door. Once the door closes, she turns to Neuro.
“He can open a portal to Hell?” How can you not? Is what she wants to ask. Because that demon had seemed rather weak to be able to do something like that.
“There're many types of demons in Hell, his kind can be summoned by humans through a ritual, bound by contracts to carry out whatever the contractor asks, death, destruction, wealth, revenge, or just to satisfy some vulgar desire. In exchange, they devour the contractor's soul as a reward for their job. Think of it as a relationship between a servant and a master, the demon is the servant and the human the master, however, that human will be devoured in the end.”
Yako stares at Neuro, blood having run cold. What? I mean, sure, she had been a bit… unsure when she first met Neuro, demons were supposed to eat souls, cults summoned them and revered them. However, after getting to know Neuro and the extent of his eating habits, it had made her think all of that had been twisted stories.
Turns out they weren't. Demons like that actually existed. But then that means Sebastian could-
“He's under contract as of now. And he's incredibly picky about what he eats, he won't touch your soul.”
Neuro's words should make Yako feel relieved.
She feels insulted instead.
~
A portal to Hell… Sebastian could open one, however, it would take a while considering what he needs to achieve it. The top floor seems abandoned and safe enough, thus, Sebastian wastes no time to get to work, removing both gloves and shoving them in his breast pocket before rolling his sleeves up to his elbows.
Then he starts.
He slices his wrists, this before starting to walk around the room in a full circle, letting the blood drip and using his own power to draw on the ground with his own blood his sigil, a sigil he hasn't seen since his master summoned him. All demons had their own sigil. However, only demons who could be bound could be summoned.
Brain eaters couldn't be summoned and by extension didn't harbor any way to travel freely between the human world and Hell. Brain eaters didn't even have the strength to survive in this world for long. Yet, Neuro has always been above average. And stubborn. Too stubborn.
Not that he could judge.
It takes a while before he's done drawing the sigil, methodical, careful. Once he's done, he steps outside it.
“It's done.” He says, fully aware Neuro can hear him through the bond. Not long after, the other shows up, leaning against the wall for support, alone. He can hear the little Miss struggling with chains in the room below.
He silently approaches him, offering his hand, the other stares him down, eyes narrowing dangerously, if looks could kill, however, he ultimately takes his hand, Sebastian helps him over to the circle, once the brain eater steps inside, he lets go of his hand, stepping back.
“You are aware you might never see her again, right?” He can't help but ask as he still hears the girl struggling to free herself, Neuro smirks, however, there's something else in his eyes Sebastian will give him the dignity of not acknowledging.
“She will do fine on her own.”
Sebastian nods, crouching on the ground before pressing his hand on the seal's corner, using the tongue of Hell to recite the spell to open the gate.
The sigil lits up, engulfing the room in a bright light, as it fades, Neuro is gone and the gate shuts. Just then, he hears hurried footsteps, the blonde girl coming to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, concern etched on her face. Such a strange human to feel so strongly for the very being that caused her so much pain.
Still.
"He should recover without problems. You don't need to worry anymore." He assures.
She sighs in apparent relief and he turns back to his sigil, pressing his hand against it and setting it ablaze, disappearing all traces of blood before it dies down, as he straightens up, he feels a stare.
“It's to ensure the door doesn't open or someone uses it to bother me.” Although he's bothered a lot, many times he has felt the pull of a summoning, however, a demon under contract doesn't need to answer to a summoning if it doesn't want to.
He pulls out a handkerchief and dutifully wipes the blood off his wrists before shoving it in his pocket and pulling out his gloves, slipping them back on and making a point at ignoring the stare on his contract seal.
He then fixes his sleeves before turning back to her, pressing his hand against his chest and bowing.
"Farewell, Young Miss." He states politely.
And with that. He's gone.