William stared at the paperwork that stood like a monument on his desk. There was just too much of it. The one year that he was actually prepared for Valentine's Day, the one time that he actually put together careful plans and coordinated it with Grell, that was when the flood of paperwork came in. It was almost as if Upper Management was trying to deter him from wanting to spend time with his lover. He pushed his fingertips against his eyes underneath his spectacles and sighed. At this rate they were never going to get out of here on time.
There was a light rap on his door and William sat up quickly, straightening his glasses, and pulling on his stern persona like a well used coat. "Yes, come in."
"Hey boss, wow, you look busy." Ronald eyed his desk with a slight frown. "They've got you buried, don't they?"
"I'm afraid so," William sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Between the derailed train this week and the cholera outbreak, the bodies are piling up."
He smirked, "Londoners sure have a strange way of celebrating Valentine's Day, huh?"
William stared at him expressionless. "Did you need something, Ronald, or do you just enjoy poking fun?"
"Ah, I didn't mean that," Ronald looked genuinely embarrassed, but at least he might begin to finally say what was really on his mind. "Look I hate to be rude, but I thought you and Senpai were going out on the town tonight."
William gave a heavy sigh. "Yes. We are, I just have quite a bit of work to complete it seems."
Ronald leaned against his desk with a cocky smile, "Then don't do it."
He narrowed his eyes, "What?"
"I mean, don't do it right now. It can wait until Monday."
William stared at him as though he smelled of demon.
"Look, surely you're not going out dressed in your office clothes, are you?"
Subconsciously William rubbed at the stubble on his cheeks and was keenly aware of his rumpled suit after a long day at the office. "No, of course not."
"Then leave the paperwork for later! Grell took off work early to get her nails and hair done. You don't want her to be dressed all fancy while you just barely made it away from your desk, do you?"
"For once, I suppose you're right. You and Alan can take care of the night shift alright then?"
"Absolutely," Ronald grinned. "We'll take care of everything. You gave us all the reaping lists already." He leaned in close to put an elbow on his desk, "Trust me, boss, I know how the ladies work. And they don't want a date that smells of an office, you know?"
William gave a slow nod, wondering what exactly it meant to smell like an office, and whether he often did.