Dark themes. This is a Depressed!Reader story, with hints of suicidal feelings/thoughts. If you don't feel comfortable reading this theme type, please ignore this oneshot and wait for the next. Ciel is somewhere between Yandere and protective/possessive. This was a special request from a reader and I can only hope I meet their expectations with this.

I'm hiding behind my smile, plastering fake cheer on my face so that the people around me can't see the truth. Because who would want to know how I really feel? If they really cared, they would bother looking a little closer, seeing that the smiles never reached my eyes. But I guess the fact that nobody noticed, showed how little I meant to them.

Rubbing my wrist, I tried to ignore the whisper in the back of my mind telling me it would help. Because it wasn't enough anymore... The relief was so short lived lately, it was like taking a single sip of water to sooth a parched throat. It soothed for a moment before the thirst was back, feeling worse than before.

Nothing I tried seemed to be able to lift me back up again... Every day I was feeling more and more numb to the world around me, nothing left but the hopelessness that weighed me down, left me wondering why I was even trying anymore. I couldn't even enjoy the feeling of the sun warming my skin or the sweet fragrance of the flowers that were blooming this spring.

Shuffling almost hopelessly down the street, I couldn't help but wonder if the numbness I felt inside would spread to my body someday. Would I become so numb to everything, I wouldn't even feel it anymore when I got hurt?

That might not be such a bad thing, but surely they would just find new ways to torment me. After all, that's all I was good for, making them feel better by making me feel worse. Right?

Stepping into the road, I didn't hear the shouts of the people around me, hadn't heard the sound of a carriage clattering down the roads, the hooves loud to everyone except me as I sank deeper into the darkness of my thoughts. It was the shock of something impacting with my body that woke me, pain rushing through me as I was suddenly pushed out of the way of the horses path.

Being set on my feet, I could barely hear the person in front of me shouting, his angry expression more easy to understand than the muffled words that my brain refused to comprehend. Of course, it didn't matter once everything faded to black and I began falling to the ground unconscious.

If not for the arms that reached out, catching me, I'm sure I would have sustained even more injuries than I had already.

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It was dark when I finally woke up, my body feeling battered and weak. The unfamiliar surroundings would have caused worry for most, but I could barely force myself to care. Blinking my eyes slowly, I reached up one hand and looked at it, eyes growing wide when I noticed the bandages that wrapped my wrist.

Looking down, I saw similar wrappings on that arm, but not stopping at just the wrist. Instead, the whole arm was wrapped in soft cotton, from shoulder to halfway down my hand.

"You broke your arm, I'm afraid. Although, it was what we found while checking your wounds that has bouchan worried most. Care to explain the wounds? And not just the cuts, the other wounds too please." The voice from the dark corner of the room sounded like there was no room for me to refuse an answer.

"Why do you care? You don't even know me." I turned my head slowly away from the butler that was watching me from the shadows.

"You're right, I don't know you. And to be honest, I don't care. However, the young Lord does seem to care, for whatever reason he has found." I'd expected the first part of the answer, just not the rest.

Sitting there, frozen in shock as I was unable to comprehend the idea of someone caring about a stranger, someone they didn't even know. Let alone that stranger being me. Why would a Lord care about someone like me? Slowly blinking my eyes over and over, I didn't even notice as the door across from me opened and shut again, blind to the world around me until something happened to shatter the quiet of the room.

"You are awake, I see. Sebastian, didn't I order you to tell me when she awoke?" The young voice of the boy before me seemed to almost echo in my mind.

"Yes, my Lord. I apologize for my mistake, I was about to come get you. I should have acted faster." The butler sounded anything but apologetic, but the boy before me seemed to accept his words.

"Very well, I will accept that answer... At least for now. But I expect better next time. For the time being, fetch me some tea. I have a feeling there is a long conversation coming." Sitting in a chair next to the bed, I could feel the stare of the boy, the 'young Lord' as he was called, drilling into me.

Fidgeting, I began fingering the bandages on my wounded arm, ignoring the pain that shot through it from being disturbed.

"Stop that, you'll end up making it worse. I didn't bring you into my home and call a doctor to see to you, only for you to undo everything so quickly after waking up. Now tell me, where did the other wounds come from?" His stern voice seemed to pin me in place, my fingers releasing the soft cotton wraps.

"I... I don't know what you mean..." I whispered the words softly, tasting the bitterness of the lies I spoke.

"Yes you do. A carriage accident does not put such straight cuts upon a persons wrist, let alone both of them. Nor does it leave marks like you have upon your back, since you got hit from the side. The reason your arm was injured and not your ribs. Which, by the way are bruised for some reason. Now explain. I am loosing my patience quickly." I could feel my throat tightening, my breaths starting to come in quick gasps as I fought for air I couldn't seem to get.

His eyes widened as he saw me panic, reaching forward and giving me a quick shake. Flinching, I gasped in a large breath, feeling the burn of my lungs finally ease up as I continued taking slower and slower breaths. Finally relaxing, I looked up with tear filled eyes at the boy before me, so close to my own age.

"Why do you care about me? About what happened? You don't even know me..." Looking down after saying the quiet words, I missed the dark look that appeared in his one visible eye.

"Oh, but you are wrong (y/n). I know so much more about you than you could ever understand. I've been watching you for a while now after all. And don't worry. I won't make you explain. I already know, and seeing what they have done to you is far more than just physical damage, I shall see to it that they pay. Right Sebastian?" Turning my head, I saw the butler from before entering the room, a tea trolly pushed before him.

"Yes, my Lord. I shall see to it as soon as tea has been served." If I hadn't been looking so closely, I would likely have missed the flicker of pink that appeared within his eyes.

"What are you." I whispered at the dark-haired 'man' pouring tea into the boy's cup.

"I am simply one Hell of a butler. Nothing more, nothing less." The smirk on his lips said worlds more than his words.

I was unable to stop the whimper that escaped my throat. It was eased however, by the feeling of a gentle hand on my shoulder. Looking over, I saw a bright blue eye gazing at me with a warm look.

"Don't worry. Nobody will hurt you, ever again. And that includes you." Leaning forward, he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, bringing a warmth to my mind that I hadn't felt in years.

"Why me?" I asked, my voice quiet within the room.

"Because you are perfect." The warm lips brushed my skin again, the cheek this time.

Feeling his fingers comb through my hair, I slowly felt myself drift off to sleep, feeling his lips one last time as he kissed my now closed eyes.

"Sleep well, my dear (y/n). When you wake again, we shall start working on making your dreams come true. All I ask in return is that you stay by my side. Forever." Slipping deeper into sleep, I barely heard the door shut behind him as he left the room with his butler.

He may be planning dark things for others, but for me... I could only see a bright future ahead of me for once. Even if it might be tainted a little red, it was a better future than I used to see for myself.

And I was willing to pay that price, if it meant this boy Lord would stay by my side and let me feel that warmth again. At least it wouldn't be my blood falling to the ground for once.