A meandering WilliamxRonald fanfic about a few first times... Ending with their first kiss. For any other 'first', I'll probably write another chapter if enough people ask. XD I'm not new to the Kuroshitsuji fandom and if you see a DudeCripple anywhere, that'd be me.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Toboso-sensei is my god. –bows-

Contains Slash/Yaoi/MalexMale.

Reviews are appropriately squealed over.

The first time William T. Spears saw Ronald Knox was when the blonde was a new recruit. He himself was an assistant shinigami then, helping out with mundane tasks like giving and collecting forms to the recruits at their induction. He caught sight of Ronald because of his golden blonde hair, which stood out amongst the majority of brunettes present there. And also because he was probably the loudest present there, cracking jokes and chatting amiably with his fellow classmates who'd be joining the dispatch along with him. William shot him a particularly venomous look when he and a few other recruits burst into raucous laughter at something he just said.

And Ronald just happened to glance at him then.

Mischievous, twinkling eyes met steady, deep green ones. The Supervisor chose that moment to stand up and address the new batch. Ronald looked away, turning his attention to what the head shinigami was saying.

William went through the stack of forms in his hands, pausing at the one with the blonde's picture.

Ronald Knox.

And throughout the speech, William found his eyes straying over to the blonde every now and then.

Ronald's first impression of William Spears was of pure intimidation. He vaguely recalled him being the one present at their induction. But he distinctly remembered him being the one who showed them around the office. Ronald had to stifle a yawn as the older shinigami droned on about Office Rules and Regulations and how they should put more coffee to brew if they finish it, and how the secretaries were... Ronald found his mind wandering over to one particularly attractive secretary-

"Mr. Knox."

Ronald snapped back to his senses at William's sharp voice.

"Yes, senpai?"

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't space out while being given important instructions. It is most unseemly and would reflect badly on your record."

Ronald had the decency to look slightly abashed, "Yes. I'm sorry, senpai."

William nodded at him curtly and continued on with showing each one of them to their respective cubicles, "The Supervisor will come and meet you all shortly. After that, you may start working immediately."

William glanced back him while walking away. It was only then Ronald realized that those eyes had seemed to penetrate his very soul. Deep and knowing... almost dangerous in a way. And Ronald found himself almost fascinated by their alluring nature.

William first saw Ronald on the job during one of Ronald's annual assessments. He had been promoted from assistant shinigami by then, to be a part of the actual administration division. He hadn't really interacted with the blonde since his induction. A curt nod or a 'hello' when they bumped into each other in the dispatch was all it involved. Or perhaps small conversation if they happened to require coffee at the same time. But that was all.

William quietly observed Ronald from afar as he went about London, reaping the scheduled souls. His cuts were clean and painless, his brow furrowed in concentration as he looked at a particularly balanced Cinematic Record. He seemed to reach the decision quickly, deciding not to kill the man before he had sorted his issues out, rescheduling his appointment with death to next year.

William neatly continued scribbling. There was more to Ronald than just his cheerful, carefree attitude. There was nothing like the awkward goofiness that he presented in the office many times in the calm and composed disposition of now.

Ronald got a perfect on his assessment that year.

Ronald's first encounter with a demon on his own was also the first time he failed to reap a soul. He'd seen his seniors fight demons, even assisted them sometimes. But he'd just turned into an Assistant Shinigami, which entailed him to go on independent missions without supervision or a partner.

It was a close battle. It was only due to the bulkiness of wielding a lawnmower for a scythe that Ronald found himself at disadvantage against the quick demon. Kicking Ronald soundly across the face, the demon sucked out his victim's soul even before Ronald managed to recover himself.

Sinking to his knees in front of the limp form of the woman he was supposed to reap, Ronald felt anger and disappointment was over him. Swearing softly, he picked up his scythe and trudged back to the Dispatch, knowing he'd have to report the incident to his Superiors. He'd never failed in obtaining a soul before... Never. And he found himself thinking of what William Spears would say to this. He'd probably look down at him with those disdainful eyes. The perfect shinigami that he was. Ronald swore again, feeling pathetic.

This was the incident responsible for Ronald carrying another, smaller blade on him at all times. And, as Ronald later on made his way to a party that a secretary invited him because he was 'looking so down', his love for parties.

It was also the first time he saw a different side to William

William was leaving the Dispatch after finishing his late night shift when he saw a lone figure sitting on the bottom steps of the staircase. Even in the dim lighting, he could easily recognize that mop of blonde hair.

"Mr. Knox? Ronald?"

The figure stirs slightly and looks back, "Oh... Spears-senpai. Hello..."

William notices the slight slurring of his voice and frowns, "Are you drunk?"

Ronald shakes his head, "No... not really. Just a bit tipsy though..."

William descends and sits down next to Ronald, "I heard you failed to obtain a soul today."

Ronald groans and buries his head into his hands, "Yes. I did. And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave the reproaching till tomorrow at least." Ronald looks up, alarmed "I'm sorry senpai... I didn't mean it that way-"

"It's okay, Mr. Knox," William cuts him off smoothly, Ronald's words not affecting him in the slightest, "Do you honestly think that you're the only one who's lost a soul to a demon? It is commendable that you've come so long without it."

Ronald doesn't reply immediately, instead contemplating what William said, "But... a woman will never be able to attain redemption because of me now... All because I wasn't quick enough, because I let a demon get the better of me."

William frowns. He's seen several other shinigami break under the same circumstance. He remembered what his own seniors had told him when he first lost to a demon. He remembered how miserable and lonely he felt then, and he'd realized what being a death god actually entailed. He clasps Ronald firmly on the shoulder and gets up.

"Ronald... It's not your fault. Accept that and move on. Emotions have no place here. They will only serve as a weakness. So become stronger and ensure that this never happens again. Moping here in the dark will get you nowhere. "

Ronald just looks up at him, gaping soundlessly. William recognizes the look in his eyes, hurt, confusion, anger.

And yet there is grit and determination in there too. A desire to prove himself. And William knows that he'll be alright. Nodding curly, he takes his leave.

William would realize later that this was his first actual, proper conversation with Ronald.

Ronald is the first person to clock in on William's first day as Supervisor. Over the time, Ronald has come to respect and admire his superior, despite his rigid behaviour and overall strict appearance. Ronald would even say that... he's come to like William Spears as a person.

Ronald rubs his eyes sleepily and looks around at the empty cubicles.

"Is everyone else on reaping shifts?" Ronald mutters to himself, heading over to get himself some coffee, "OH. 'morning William-senpai!"

William nods curtly, "Good morning, Knox. Good to see you early here." He pours two cups of coffee and hands Ronald one.

Ronald accepts it with a thanks and leans casually against the counter, "Ronald Knox, reporting for duty, Supervisor Spears."

Maybe its nervousness, or maybe William just wanted to do it, but he gives Ronald a small smile at that.

That was the first time Ronald saw William smile genuinely.

William would never make unfair use of his powers. There was never going to be a first time for that.

Ronald's first proper relationship at the dispatch from a girl from Administration.

William had to go for field duty quite often because of their short handedness. This was the first time he was partnered with Ronald though. They made quite the efficient pair, working quickly and smartly. Taking turns as one judged the Cinematic Record and as the other kept an eye out for demons. Exchanging a word or two about the actions of the human in his life perhaps, but sharing an otherwise comfortable silence.

William was flipping through his ledger, jotting down some notes while simultaneously watching the Record, when the demon slunk out from the shadows.

"So unguarded, Reaper!" The demon cackled, lunging at William, claws bared. William didn't even look up as the whirring noise of a motor filled the air and a flash of metal ripped through the demon.

Ronald Knox winked at the demon, "Now now... don't get ahead of yourself." His face appeared jovial, but there was a menacing edge to his voice. The demon whimpers and vanishes in a cloud of thick, black smoke.

William finishes stamping the ledger with a 'Complete' and finally looks up at Ronald, "Let's go, Ronald."

The blonde beams back at him, "Yes, sir!

Ronald was probably the first to wonder about the extent of his feelings towards his Supervisor. Granted, he had become used to their coffee break conversations that they just happened to take together. Conversation was limited to a bare minimum, and if there was any, it was generally Ronald doing the talking. The younger shinigami chatted aimlessly about the most mundane things and William would just listen, perhaps adding a word or two, but nothing beyond that. Ronald would sometimes wonder if he ever even paid attention to what was being said, and just out of curiosity, he started to talk about an incident that he'd already told William about two weeks back.

"I know about the new secretary's cat, Knox. You told me about it. And I'll tell you again, I'm not sure if there are cat reapers..."

When the goofy grin hadn't left his face even several hours later, Ronald actually contemplated the reasons behind his happiness.

The first time William saw Ronald truly unhappy was when his relationship with the girl (Jane. No, he hadn't looked it up. He just knew) ended. Being awkward with words, William was utterly clueless as to what to do when Ronald moodily stabbed at the victim's Cinematic Record.

"Knox..."

Ronald didn't seem to have heard him.

"KNOX." William raised his voice and that seemed to get his attention. His eyes snapped back to William, expression slightly alarmed.

"I'm sorry William-senpai! I'll concentrate more on the job! I didn't-"

"You can have the day off if you want."

"EH?"

"You seem... distracted. I'd rather you not work at all than do so half heartedly." William snips off the Cinematic Record in one swipe.

If anything, that just seems to put Ronald even more down. "Oh..." His face falls and his eyes are downcast, "Yes. Okay..."

William acts on impulse, and before he knows what he's doing, he's stepped up closer to Ronald and tilts his chin up with a finger, forcing the younger shinigami to meet his intense gaze, "Chin up, Mr. Knox. Moping doesn't suit you."

Surprise is evident on Ronald's face before he manages a small smile and nods weakly, "Yes, senpai." Ronald was never one to get into serious relationships. He was adept at flirting, charming the hearts of men and women alike. Jane was one of the few he thought of giving it a shot with. However, a few months into it, it was clear that they weren't working out. Something just wasn't right about them. And try as he might, Ronald couldn't place his finger on it. When the inevitable break up finally happened, as much as Ronald tried telling himself it wouldn't hurt, it did. More than he'd expected. He was used to having people fawn over him. A wink and a smile was all it took. And such blatant rejection hurt. It stung.

And therefore, it felt nice to be treated by William so. Ronald had never tried to make a purposeful impression on William per se. So if William ever treated him any differently, it would be of his own volition. And that made Ronald feel special.

"William-senpai..."

They'd just finished finished their reaping shift almost an hour earlier than their schedule. None of them had anything else to do after that, so technically, they'd clocked out.

"Hm?"

"We've both been out for over six hours now, and well, I'm tired. And erm... there's a nice little cafe not far from here. Do you, maybe, wanna go get a cup of coffee?"

Ronald honestly didn't mean for it to sound the way it did. He just meant it casually. Really.

William's frown deepened a bit, a sign of contemplation, and then he shrugged, "Sure."

Considering that both of them were off duty at that time, this could(would) be considered as their first 'date' even.

This wasn't right. It was just the two of them and they were surrounded by demons, seven or eight in the least. The train wreck was practically an invitation for a feast. Broken Cinematic Records flew past them as the demons sucks up the victims' souls.

William had called for backup. They would be here in a few minutes. But few minutes were more than enough to be ripped from limb to limb by the pack of ravenous fiends around them. He and Ronald stood back to back, their scythes raised.

"Senpai." Ronald revved up his lawnmover, a cold grin on his face and a feral glint in his eyes, "I've got your back."

William nodded, face set in grim determination, and lunged. They swung, and jabbed and danced a beautiful tango. William's calculated, precise cuts fitting perfectly with Ronald's wild, rapid swipes. Ronald rode his lawnmower down on the demon fighting William and William instinctively swung his scythe back, catching the demon who was chasing Ronald, crushing its neck in his scythe's vice-like grip.

Another demon tackled William to the ground, and William was too slow to retract his scythe. He swung his fist at the demon's face, only causing it to grin and rake its claws across William's chest. Fire coursed through his entire body and he convulsed with pain, biting his lip to prevent himself from crying out. He barely made out the lawnmower being swung at the demon thrice, rendering it into a messy pulp of flesh and blood. He did catch sight of the demon lunging at Ronald however and he twisted around awkwardly, thrusting his scythe at the demon, impaling him through the gut. He leaped to the side, dragging Ronald with him as another demon took a swipe at them.

"Back!"

"Front!"

William and Ronald are pressed against each other, sandwiched between two demons. William's scythe is plunged through the one behind Ronald, and Ronald has stabbed the one behind William with his dagger.

Several other shinigami finally swoop down on the scene. William tries to steady his breath, dimly aware of the younger blonde pressed against him. It only comes to his notice when he's aware of the pounding of his own heart, in sync with Ronald's.

"You okay?" He asks, breathing deeply.

Ronald only nods, managing a shaky grin, "That was quite a fight."

"Thank you. For getting that demon..."

"Eh? Oh don't mention it. I told you I gotcha back."

William just nods mutely, stepping back towards the train wreck. That was the first time in quite a long time he hadn't minded letting someone invade his personal space. In fact, he'd even liked it a bit.

For timeless being such as shinigami, birthdays hardly held any importance. Especially for William. However, Ronald was always the first to wish him every year since he first found out about it.

And even before William realized it, he actually found himself looking forward to his birthdays, only to see what Ronald would come up with that year.

William hardly was one to dilly dally. He believed in getting matters done fast and precisely, without unnecessary delays and interruptions. He despised vagueness. He liked things to be defined and concise, without leaving any space for misunderstanding and misinterpretations. It made him feel in control. Something that was very important to him.

Therefore, when he first contemplated what he and Ronald actually were...

William had seen Ronald rise from a young recruit to the Shinigami that he was today. And a damn good one at that. One of the best really. Countless hours together, on missions, in the office...and even outside. When they went to get dinner or lunch, or something just as casual. And as much as William would like to deny it, he couldn't ignore the slight twinge of jealously he felt everytime he saw Ronald chat up a waitress. Or the irrational desire to fire whichever secretary he hit on. He knew for a fact that Ronald wasn't serious. And to feel that way about something so trivial was just immature and illogical.

William and Ronald were the last ones to leave the office the day. It was dark and a light rain was pouring down. William opened his umbrella and stepped outside, waiting for Ronald. Ronald gave him one glance, his eyes twinkling mischievously. He then briskly walked forward, ignoring William and his umbrella, head upturned against the raindrops, soaking him thoroughly. He felt William's eyes upon him and he turned back, grinning at him, "Care to join me?"

William shakes his head, "I'd rather not. And I'm not excusing you if fall sick and cant come to work."

Ronald laughed, "How cold, Spears senpai!"

William walked forward slowly, still sheltered under his umbrella as Ronald pranced forward, splashing water around with his feet. He feels a slow smile tug at his lips at the look of undiluted happiness on blonde's face.

And it is then William realizes that sometimes, it is okay to be childish and immature, that sometimes, you cant define things unless you take the initiative to define them. And as Ronald turns around on his heel to look back at him, William tosses his umbrella to the side and closes the distance between the two.

Ronald's eyes widen in surprise as William steps closer to him. So close that their noses are almost touching. William raises a gloved hand to Ronald's face, brushing his cheek with his thumb. He waits with bated breath for Ronald to push him back, or show any sign of rejection.

He doesn't get any.

William leans down and capture's Ronald's lips in a gentle kiss. Ronald wraps his arms around William, pulling him close, deepening the kiss. William twines his hand through dual coloured locks as the rain continues to fall around them, drenching their now connected bodies.

They pull apart for air, cheeks slightly flushed and Ronald is the first to break the silence...

"Dinner..?"

William releases a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. He smiles softly and nods.

Ronald grins and leans up to kiss him again.

"William..."

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"...I love you too."