The steady clicking of the mini Ben clock on a mahogany desk and scratching of William's favorite black ink pen on paper filled the office air around him.
From another's perspective, one would see nothing wrong with this picture as William sat at his desk writing on his paperwork like he always did. However, there was one thing missing, and its absence was unnerving for the dark-haired supervisor.
This was wrong-terribly wrong in everyway possible.
What could possibly cause its absence for so long? A full eleven minutes-it had been missing for a total of eleven minutes! This shouldn't be happening! It shouldn't even be possible!
William gripped his pen a little tighter, already tense body managing to tense up even more. Should he be worried at all? No, he was...just overreacting. That was it!
Oh who was he kidding, there was a need to be worried. It was...IT! There was no way it could take care of itself all alone. That was like asking for trouble.
Giving in to his doubts, William put his pencil down in midsentnce, ready to stand when the door flew open ceremoniously. There it was: Grell Sutcliff in all his glory.
He leaped through the door, letting it close behind him as he bounded over to his beloved William T. Spears in less than three steps before he leaned over the desk with a leecherous grin. "Morning, darling~ Miss me~?" he cooed, fluttering long, fake eyelashes at the handsome man he'd crushed on for nearly two hundred years.
William relaxed slightly despite the twitching of his right eyebrow as it always did in the presence of the over-zealous redhead. "No." His hand picked up the ink pen before starting its job once again.
"Oh, I know you did. You were worried because I was late, weren't you? Afraid I'll miss a lunch break with my darling Will~?" Grell giggled, winking once at William before dancing around his desk toward the other.
"No," was his curt reply, glaring at his subordinate for a brief moment before returning to his paperwork. "Merely concerned you were harassing the staff again or flirting with more filthy demons. I am relieved to know that they are unharmed."
The redhead rolled his eyes, falling backwards into William's lap and thrusting one leg toward the ceiling as his back arched over the arm of black, roll-around chair his boss sat at. "Hehe, you cold-hearted man, you~! It's unpolite to lie to a lady's face you know?"
William stopped his writing with a sigh, setting his pen down to adjust his glasses with a stern frown. "Sutcliff, remove yourself from my person immediately. I doubt you want another suspension."
Gasping, ,the redhead jumped out of his chair with wide eyes and cowered behind his chair. "N-no! Not my precious baby again! We just finally got back together~!"
"If your behavior was not so unprofessional, I wouldn't have to rely on such prudent decisions..."
"If you weren't so handsome, I wouldn't have had to fall for you~!" he quipped back, shaking his finger at William as he walked to his side and leaned agaisnt the mahogany structure ladden with paperwork. "You're such a cruel man, Spears-denying women what they so desperately want."
William rolled his eyes, trying to delve back into his work again as he ignored the repulsive creature to his right. Honestly, how long would he have to keep telling the delusional MALE that he was no woman? He'd given up on arguing nearly a decade ago. There was just no disuading him any longer.
"Don't you remember? It was all for you~!" Grell said to him one day. "You said that only a LADY should say such things when I told you that I could fall for you! So, that's what I became! You should be more careful with your words, Willy~!"
William frowned a bit more at the thought. In all truth, it was utterly despicable. To think, who in theiir right mind would do such a thing? Then again, Grell didn't really ever have a 'right mind'.
When he felt hands gripping his shoulders, he was torn away from his thoughts. They dug into his muscles, kneading them like a cat as Grell purred into his ear. "You're so tense~ Allow me to help you with that, darling~!"
The ravenette had long since grown used to Grell's 'seductive' touches that...weren't really that seductive. Regardless, he'd experienced Grell's massages before, and he wouldn't pass up on one now.
Then again...Grell never gave him any massages unless he wanted something, and he wanted it badly. There was no other reason Grell would dare try.
"Sutcliff," he mumbled, shivering from the knots in his tense muscles loosening beneath gloved hands. "What do you want?"
"Nothing~! Can't I just give my man the treatment he deserves?" he asked with a grin that was more on the seamy side than the angelic, cherubic facade he had intended to put on.
A deep, pleased sigh was breathed out by the supervisor as he closed his eyes like a lazy hound. Hands worked down his spine, and then he felt a light kiss on the side of his neck, causing the lazy hound to awaken with a startle. "SUTCLIF!F!" he snapped, gritting his teeth as he looked over his shoulder with a snarl.
"What?" giggle the red reaper as he wiggled ginger eyebrows at him. "A little affection never hurt anyone."
"Yes, in fact, it does," he muttered, knocking the hands away with gritted teeth against his own want for those heavenly hands to be found wandering down his body like that. No, no, no. Not the sexual way, you perverts (the fourth wall has just been broken, get over it).
"Fine~!" he whined, sitting on the mahogany desk dramatically before daintily draping one leg over the other. He blew a stray strand of his crimson tresses from his face before leaning back on his hands and rolling his eyes with a dramatic pout that he was famous for. "Since it's near Valentine's day, I was thinking: 'Why not go to Paris'?"
"Paris?" he asked with an eyebrow twitch. "No, absolutely not."
"Why not~!" whimpered the other as his bottom lip curled outward. "One day couldn't hurt anyone! Wouldn't it be a nice chance for the two of us to get away from all of this?"
"TWO?!" WIlliam's cold gaze narrowed, the tips of his ears a slight red in his anger. "The answer was no with just you. The two of us will NEVER, EVER, EVER happen, Sutcliff, despite your own fantastical, whimsical dreams. Now get out of my hair."
"Oh, I'm not in your hair," he giggled, getting up as he stood behind William and rand a gloved hand through the black, normally slicked back, hair to leave it in a state of disarry while he circled the chair like a shark stalking the remining survivors on a small boat.
"Then allow me to rephrase that: get out," William hissed, pulling a comb from his pocket and running it through his hair to bring it bac to its usual, professional state.
Without warning, Grell was suddenly nose-to-nose with the supervisor as a hand gripped the black tie his boss wore. Green eyes stared into each other as their breaths mingled and quickened at their close proximity. "Kiss me, and I'll do anything you want."
Closing his eyes, the redhead moved in with a small smirk as their lips touched. It was just as he imagined it. So cold, and firm! What bliss~! And to think, he thought William would flinch when his tongue ran across the cold, nearly icy lips of his. And his lips, they were...metallic?
As his eyebrows narrowed, Grell cracked open his eyes before letting out a surprised cry. He stumbled back with an embarrassed blush, flipping back over the desk and falling on his bum. To think, he'd been making out with a pair of PRUNING SHEARS!
William resisted the urge to smirk, retracting his scythe and letting it disappear into another dimension. In order to keep his face a stoic facade, a looked away and let in a deep breath to calm his jitters. That was pleasing. For once, Grell could feel at least a little humiliation. "I think I've made my point clear, Sutcliff. Please leave my office, and, if you do come back, please remember to bring some dignity with you."
A huff was heard before Grell stood up, not sure whether to be pissed or completely embarrassed. Either way, his cheeks were still stained the same color as his vermilion locks. "I'll try," he muttered, looking away before he trudged out of the office and close the door behind him with a firm click.
Oh, this wasn't over. He was going to Paris-one way or another.
William T. Spears would mark those words.
Xxx
"EXCUSE ME?!"
"It's simple, Spears," said Martin Riesenberg, one of the very few who stood over William in status. The man was nearly six and a half feet tall with platinum blonde hair, and he was feared by nearly half of those under him by his muscular proportions. He may have been the epitome of 'the gentle giant', but his looks were, in lack of a better term, 'enough to kill'. "The directors want you at the meeting in Paris this week. You have to take a senior officer with you, and Grell Sutcliff is the only one in your Division other than you who is a senior officer. Knox falls under that margin by a full decade. Sutcliff is the only one qualified to go with you."
"Honestly, can I not go alone?" William muttered, unable to keep the tone of disgust from his voice.
Martin chuckled, taking out a cigar and putting it in his mouth. After clipping and lighting the clover-scented stick, he moved it to the corner of his mouth and spoke. "You know the policy, William. No reaper leaves their Division area without a partner. It's a twelve hour train ride after you reach land, anything could happen."
Right eyebrow twitching in irately, the supervisor tried to hide the growing malice toward Sutcliff and his stupid luck behind a stoic façade. "Could we not just ask Miss Goodwin to form a portal directly to Paris? Or ask another agent. The Paris Division is four floors up in THIS building. Why must we go to Paris itself?"
"I know you're upset, William. Going anywhere with Sutcliff, you have the right to be. However, the meeting also consists with some of our mortal allies. We both know human mortals are not allowed within this realm. In light of that, the meeting with the Paris Division has to be in Paris. Simple logic, actually," Martin said with a shrug, chewing slightly on his cigar as he reclined back in his chair and clasped his hands on his lap.
As he kept himself from exploding in fury, William gave a stiff bow. "I shall see to it that I inform Sutcliff of this travel immediately."
"Then do so. Your train leaves in three hours. I have already booked your room, here is the map of Paris. The circled areas are labeled. One is your hotel, the other is where the meeting is. The tickets back to London will be in your room when you arrive. If the train arrives on time, you will get the night to sleep, and the next train to London won't be until Monday. Since the meeting should only be a few hours long, you have all day and night to do as you deem fit. Enjoy your stay in Paris, Mr. Spears," Martin said, holding up a map as William politely snatched it with a forced blank expression.
"Good day, Director Riesenberg," William growled as quickly making his exit with gritted teeth as the door firmly clicked behind him.
"Oh~ He didn't look very happy~" cooed a familiar voice as Grell Sutcliff stepped out of the closet in Martin's office with a wide grin.
"Do I get what I asked for?" Martin asked, spinning his chair around as he raised an eyebrow.
Grell rolled his eyes, pulling out a package of a vintage set of clover-scented cigars and handing them to Martin. "There you go, Marty. Knock yourself out, dear…Is there really any mortals at that meeting?"
"Not a single one," Martin said with a chuckle, putting the package in a special drawer in his desk.
"I love you, Marty~" crooned the redhead, giving him a flirty wave as he started to the door with a flirty wave and a sway of the hips.
"Yeah, yeah, get out with ya seductive little ass," he chuckled, rolling his eyes. "And do it before Will catches ya."
"I'm on it," Grell giggled, leaving soon after with a wide grin. This was going to be the best weekend of his life.
Xxx
Grell smiled proudly at the sound of a whistle in his ears, a long red trench coat covering his petite form and a large, fancy crimson sunhat sitting atop a head of scarlet tresses. His beloved carmine coat was tuck safely in his large, vermilion suitcase with all of his other outfits for the weekend he would be spending in Paris with the love of his life.
A hustle and a bustle surrounded the two waiting reapers who watched as a the large engine huffed and puffed its way into the busy station. They stood side by side, the redhead's eyes averting every few seconds to the passengers waiting to board the train that was now dropping off its current mortals and immortals alike. It reeked of a demon nearby, and it caused William to bristle slightly as if he expected it to jump out at them at any given moment. However, Grell remained as calm as ever on the outside. On the contrary, he was tense on the inside as well. There was no demon on this earth that he liked even a little bit except his darling Bassy...and even then he'd rather kill him than spend an eternity with him. William was all he cared to want or need.
The redhead smirked slightly, stomach filled with butterflies as he walked forward toward the doors still open and no longer sending the passengers inside on their merry way. He couldn't wait. Was he actually pulling this off? Please let this be real and not one of his silly fantasies. The smell of the smoke billowing from the old train wafted his way, and as he coughed on it, he knew that this was completely real. It caused his heart to soar regardless of the awful taste it left in his mouth or the way it stung his eyes like a million pinpricks poking them simultaneously.
Despite his glasses, his vision was hazy and watery as he near blindly walked to the cars that would hold them and carry them to their destination. Paris-it was supposedly the city of love. And who better to take with him than William T. Spears himself?
Grell could lie and say that it was just for him to live his fantasy life for a weekend during the day of love in the city of love. However, he knew he was doing it for the both of them. Willia-
The mangosteen of reapers had managed to trip on the edge of the station, missing a step as he stumbled forward with a startled yelp and thoughts ripped from his mind. A strong arm wrapped around his waist to steady him and keep him from falling face first. William had nearly let him fall, but the gentleman inside had kept him from letting such a thing happened. Had he been given a moment to think about it first, he probably would have let Grell trip. However, he only had a split second to think, and his instinct acted before his reason. Helping Grell back to his feet, William sighed before adjusting his glasses. "Watch your step, Sutcliff. An injury report is something I would rather not fill out on the way to Paris."
"Such a cruel man. Saving those in order to only save oneself~!" he giggled, blushing slightly as he blew William a kiss and managed to get on the train without further incident.
Green eyes traced that of an imaginary rainbow in William's head as he followed Grell to their private cabin in the train, opening the door to find a small compartment with a window and only two seats. The seats sat across from one another, padded in red velvet and made of cherry oak. Above the seats were racks to fit their luggage during the travel. William's only problem with it was the small proportions. Nevertheless, he did not complain. There was no fixing it now, and he would make due with what they had. There were first class seats, and there probably wasn't anything better than this.
Storing their luggage above as Grell daintily sat down like a lady did when she expected her husband to do everything for her, William sighed. He could already tell this would be a long travel, and they hadn't even left the station. Sitting down on the seat across from Grell, the stoic reaper rested one ankle on his knee and looked out the window as the whistle blew. The steam engine jerked, before whistling again and starting to pull from the station. As he tore his gaze from the window to look at Grell, William saw the redhead's eyes wide with wonder and excitement. In the centuries he'd known the effeminate man, he didn't think he'd ever seen him happier. Naturally, they were going to the place Grell had dreamed about going to for decades, and that would be exciting for anyone who was on the way of fulfilling a dream, but he didn't think it would be that exciting. Passion was the redhead's middle name, yet William was intrigued by that expression on his face. He could have even smiled. But he didn't.
Instead, William scoffed, turning back to the window as he watched the crowd of people gathered around for the three o'clock train that wouldn't arrive for approximately another twelve minutes. Slowly, they one-by-oone began to disappear from their sight before the train station was replaced with the scenery nearby. It had already been a long boat ride to the main continent, but at least they had different cabins on the way. Now, they were trapped in the same enclosed space for hours.
He shook his head, looking back to where rell had been sitting and saw no one there. "Gr-AH!"
The redhead was suddenly in his face, puckering up as if he were trying to kiss the other, and sitting right beside him. Needless to say, the supervisor was startled at first; however, William soon cooled only to slide away from Grell with a disgusted scoff.
And then the redhead scooted after him with a smirk. When William would scoot away, Grell would slide across the seat too.
Now, the seats being made of velvet, it was a little hard to slide. Therefore, when one moved away, they would have to place their hands on the seat to lift up their bottoms and physically move themselves. Grell noticed this pattern with a giggle, and managed to place his hand on top of William's at the same time that William put his down on the seat to move away. This, in turn, caused the more mature to slap away the hand and quickly look away. "Don't touch me."
"I can't help it!" Grell whined, leaning on William's shoulder to rest his head there. His emerald eyes gave illiam the puppy eyes as the redhead curled out his bottom lip. "Why must you be so handsome~!"
"Why must you be so infuriating and impudent?" William's eyebrow twitched once as his now free hand pushed up his glasses, making them glint for only a moment before they revealed the dual-colored eyes staring at the shorter.
Grell humphed, crossing his arms as he pulled away and sulked. "It's unfair to pick on a lady who can't defend herself!"
"You, Grell Sutcliff, carry around that noisy, sorry excuse for a scythe. I doubt that you are as defenseless as you claim. You are far from 'fine china'."
"No. That isn't what I meant, Will," he mumbled, shaking his head before he stood and walked back to his seat-arms still crossed. "It wasn't what I meant at all."
William blinked slowly once before speaking again, trying to contemplate what else he could have possibly meant. "Could you please explain, then?"
"Don't worry about it, Will-darling~! It isn't in your nature to show concern to the slightest degree, hehe. After all, cruelity is what makes a hansome man like yourself, yourself."
At this, William frowned in slight confusion before rolling his eyes and looking out the window. He thought nothing of it. Grell was free to have his opinion, after all.
Besides, a little silence was in order. It was going to be a very long trip.
A long trip, indeed.