You hour of reckoning had come and gone, and though you didn't yet understand the magnanimity of what was happening, you knew in your heart that you had made the right choice. Even so, it didn't prevent the rest of you from doubting that, given the nature of what you were about to do.

Desperately, conflicted about ruining what was the best moment of your life, you pulled yourself away from him. You had so much you wanted to ask. You were about to give yourself away, to someone worthy, but you couldn't be sure then, if you were in love, it was all happening so fast, and you weren't married. Could you ever marry him, marry Sebastian? Would he even be able to be a part of such a service? It wasn't like going into a cathedral set him on fire. Crucifixes didn't burn him when he touched them, but in spite of all the evidence around you indicating otherwise, you worried that he could never truly be what you wanted him to be.

Could Sebastian Michaelis ever really love anyone? He was still a demon, after all.

"I don't..." you stopped, suddenly indecisive. You both were fully undressed, uncovered by anything except the lightening water around you. It would take hours for it to clear, but you felt rushed, like that wasn't enough time. You took your hand from his, the ring you wore felt heavy, though everything else felt so light. Well, almost everything. The parts of you that were still harmed were weighing you down, too. "...I don't know if this is a good idea."

Affronted, but verily cautious, he tried to reason with you. "Why? Isn't it what you wanted?"

"If we do this..." your hand still felt so so heavy, as though you were carrying the weight of the world. "Won't it make things complicated?"

"Are they not already complicated?" He asked sincerely, genuinely, without a trace of sarcasm.

"I always thought it would be a sin to do this with anyone before I was married, let alone someone like..." your voice trailed off; you turned away from him.

"Someone like me." He sounded crestfallen. This was all just inconceivable.

"I told you that was a promise I made myself, made God." You couldn't get past it. This was still a choice you could regret. You were no longer a virgin, but that was due to a mere technicality, not something you could control. Actually deciding to lose that innocence, forsaking your covenant, that was your burden alone. "I'm still wearing it, Sebastian. I don't think I should."

"Why not? It's only a ring, not a pair of shackles."

"It means a lot to me!" You weren't able to be as angry as you wanted. He wasn't being facetious. He understood what you were going through, and was honestly trying to help you. "All this time I was so sure. My beliefs were unambiguous. I knew what was wrong, and what was right. Or at least I thought I did." You raised your hand, now with the strength to do what you couldn't before. "I don't...I don't think I want to wear it after all."

Sebastian took your hand and flipped it over, inspecting it, like he was searching for a tangible form of proof of your ring's significance, before placing it upright in his, so you both were looking at the slim, silver band at the same time. You pictured a different one before, when you would be doing something like this, and for a fleeting moment, the way the light had faded, the silver flashed gold. A sparkle as though a diamond was there made you question your sanity. Perhaps those men had done damage to your brain when your head hit the ground.

No, you seemed pretty lucid. You looked up again, and couldn't deny it. You didn't care that this wasn't what you expected. You hadn't planned on almost dying either, had you? You weren't God. You couldn't control everything. Neither of you could, though you struggled in vain, wanting more than anything else to posses even a portion of such power. Your prior determination, your unbreakable conviction, one which never faltered, when you always knew exactly what you believed, now seemed too simple.

You raised your hand, offering it to him, in a way that you'd always imagined your husband would do for you. He took it, and you pulled him against you, not going any further prematurely, the simple gesture of an embrace enough.

"It doesn't have to be that black and white."

He hesitated as he spoke, his touch equally tentative. His hands were only softly resting behind you now, and before they had been so strong. He didn't pull back, but you could feel him tense up. You didn't want him to leave- that's all you cared about, just as he did when he saved you. You were ready. You dug your nails into his back as you held him closer, and it caused him to jump. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting, but it pleased him nonetheless.

"I guess not." You thought that this would be a softer, kinder moment when you finally did it, despite your history you wanted it to be sweet, but that was never you, never what you were born for. You needed it to be as wild as you had always been. It had to be exciting. You inhaled, excited once more, the suspense was now too much to bear any longer. It still hurt, that part of you that they abused, but your reaction still revealed what you wanted. Your body responded in a way that your mind could not prevent. You were glad you were in water, as you briefly moved back, taking his hand, preparing to lead him to where you wanted him to touch you.

He understood, and moved forward instinctually, your guiding hand unnecessary. "Is this what you want?"

You wanted the pain to stop, but a great deal of it already had. You were undergoing a healing process the entire time, for more reasons than either of you understood right then and there. Yes, you wanted him to help you, now, but that wasn't the bottom line, the origin of your desire.

"I want you, Sebastian."

His hands moved quickly, as he knew more than you did how badly you actually were hurt, and you held back a scream as they touched you, as more blood flowed into the water around you. You fell on him for comfort, letting him know it was alright, as he reassured you that this was what it took. It was over as fast as it began, and instead of any more pain, you felt a sense of pleasure unlike anything else you'd ever known.

His hands moved to your sides, there was only so much he could do then, you had to heal on your own, as a human being, but there were other ways of making you feel better, and even though you'd undergone a horrible way of losing the physical mark of virginity, it did make it easier to do this.

It was effortless, and it finally began. You fell back into the water, forgetting the hesitation from before, and he didn't hold back either. You were glad he was so talented, knowing no one would hear you, and if they did, they didn't know what you were doing. You were alone until you were of use. Ciel's orders were clear. He was to take care of you himself.

Rising and falling, moving back and forth in what you would have previously called an abomination, an abhorrent exploit, a literal ocean of sin, a vaguely comedic tribute to the lake of fire in the depths of Hell itself, the only heat you felt was from within. Everything was beautiful, and you felt alive, and were overjoyed that you weren't dead, that you'd lived trough it all! You were okay, you were better than okay. This felt amazing. This was...

You opened your eyes when you realised the overpowering irony of what you were thinking, the hands of an evil, diabolical entity holding onto you, drawing you nearer to him as you enjoyed it.

This felt like heaven. Sex, this sinful, horrible act that angered you, that made you so afraid, this was paradise.

"I want you too, {Y/N}."

You breathing hitched as you experienced a heightened sense of ecstasy, and you understood what made lust so appealing after all. You fell back into the water before you had to hold back a completely different sound, one that wouldn't really be the sort coming from a dying person.

You came back up, the scent in the air making you come undone, everything about this moment made you want to scream, and you were happy, so so happy.

You felt teeth on your neck as lips curled into a smile, and a hand in your hair, tattered and unkempt, fingers knotting into it, and you remembered the last time he held you like this. It took you a while to find your voice after he did.

"I guess you got what you wanted, then, didn't you?" He briefly kissed you again, this time lower, his hair brushed your collarbone. "Hmmmm?" The vibrations from his musings caused you to tremble.

"I guess we both did, didn't we?" You panted.

"Well." he closed his eyes somewhat impatiently, moving his lips slightly so he could mumble. "Almost." You wanted to make him feel like you did. You wanted him to know what paradise was like. This was incredible. This was unbelievable. For someone like him to bring you to this point, then you to do the same for him, it was worth more than anything money could buy. Perhaps this was worth the risk of losing your soul. You couldn't be damned for wanting this! Aha! A loophole! Showing the devil the path to heaven seemed like a noble cause, and you knew it wouldn't mean you had to forsake God at all.

"Sebastian." He grunted in response. "I want you to know..."

"{Y/N}" he was above you again. "Don't start preaching." He sighed, fighting frustration. "At least not until you've performed all your miracles."

"Yes, sir." He blinked, now surprised more than frustrated. No one like you had called him sir before, not in that manor at least.

"That's new!" You saw him smirk, like he always did, but this time it wasn't in twisted supremacy. "Though," he leaned in like had done before, when he lied trying to get through to you. Now, he wasn't pretending as he whispered, all the acts of persuasion already put into use long ago. "I can't say I don't like it." You shivered. "Do you always get what you want in the end?"

"In the end?" You speculated. "Uhhh..."

He laughed, seeing you actually take to heart what was meant to be in jest. "Don't think too hard about it. You might hurt yourself again."

"Fine fine." You laughed, too. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see." You could feel him getting closer to where you had been as he moved in you, you wanted to feel that way a second time, or three, or four, or as many times as you could. You knew what to do now. "Oh, and since we're talking about ways of addressing each other, and since I always had to change the way I referred to people in this mansion, I've decided what I want to call you tonight."

Part of his hair fell over his face as he glanced down at you, eager to hear what it was you had to say, even though you were talking much more than he'd asked of you. "Oh? And what would that be?" The imperfect saint, the false idol you had seen after your prayer was shining here again, a holy darkness moving with him, every breath bringing you closer and closer to euphoria. You had to reciprocate. You had to properly express your adoration, how much you loved what he was doing to you.

"How about master?"

He was elated. "You're the one with royal blood." He looked around. "It could disrupt the power dynamic of the entire world." If he only knew. He lifted your hand from the water; not all of his fingers were free to stroke one of yours. "You are still wearing your shackles. Are you sure that's a good idea?" His breathing quickened as you held his hand in place, your grip not the only thing tightening.

He clearly thought it was. He was teasing you.

"Yes, master." That did it. He got what he wanted, too. You never felt closer to anyone as you did right then, coming together in such a beautifully sinister way. You laughed as you forced him backward, falling into the bloody water, your ocean of sin, of cutting him off before he could respond, as neither of you said much else.

You knew what he was going to say anyway.

{A/N: WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT: the CLIMAX- perfectly executed, clever, supremely witty pun intended. This was an especially important chapter. It's not the denouement so to speak, which means it's not the most essential one, but I think it says something that it's the only one of its kind. It bears a special title, just like you, the reader, in the story, ehhhhhh???? All other titles of the chapters in this story are comprised of one word. The song which shares this section's name is by Imagine Dragons, and clearly, is two words. Take that as you will. It means clearly means more than one, perhaps more than two things. Duh. Lol \(^_^)/}