Chapter 2

The door clicked closed behind William as he walked silently from the redheaded reapers room. Grell had broken down and it had taken all of the taller reaper's focus to open a portal for the two of them. He thought back to the ally.

Grell's legs had slipped from beneath him as he began to sob and shake uncontrollably in the rain soaked ally. William's stern demeanor faltered as his hand shot out to grab the sobbing Shinigami. He hurriedly recovered before Grell noticed the concern and he stepped forward kneeling beside the trembling figure, gently saying his name.

"Grell," bright watery two-toned eyes turned to meet William's, slightly shocked at being addressed by his first name, "can you stand? We need to get back to the Library." Grell tried to put his wobbly legs beneath him but they again gave out.

William clicked his tongue as he stood back up and sighed deeply at what he was about to do before bending over and scooping the red reaper up bridal style. The broken Shinigami cried out in surprise as he linked his arms around the brunette's neck leaning into him and glancing up at his face. Suddenly he had the overwhelming need for his superior to look at him. He hadn't felt that need since the academy and the tingles he felt the day William beat him bubbled to the surface.

It was an all-encompassing sensation and coupled with the stress of his evening his head swam as he gave in to the blackness that engulfed him. William cursed under his breath as he held his subordinate close, moving to the wall and pressing his hands to it. Balancing Grell between his arms he felt the portal beginning to form as a blue light spilt forth around them. He hefted the smaller reaper up once more before quickly slipping into the portal.

He stepped forward from the portal into a room decorated with wall to wall red. William had only graced Grell's room once or twice and after he had been demoted his room had moved down to the first level since Will's last visit. The rooms all had a similar layout and he carried the smaller reaper to his bedroom laying him out on his bed.

William's eyes fell on a red night shirt covered in- Will looked closer- little pairs of scissors. He rubbed his forehead before looking around for the matching bottoms. Finding them he turned back to the unconscious reaper and moved quickly to change him from his damp clothes. He refused to linger as he stripped the smaller man and pulled on the night clothes before peeling the covers back and sliding Grell beneath them.

William's mind came back to the present as he sat perched on the edge of the deep red couch wondering what to do about the sleeping Shinigami in the next room. If he ever got his hands on that foul beast he would hurt him. No. He would kill him. His mind was racing, his anger boiling behind his eyes ready to be released on a demon.

A jolt rippled through him as he came back to himself. He could not explain the overwhelming anger but he reasoned he would feel it for any of his subordinates, true most of his underlings would not have done something as implausible as falling for a demon but Sutcliff always had been a special case.

A sigh escaped the brunette as he stood from the couch deciding he needed to get back to work. He had a desire to keep an eye on the red head but he brushed it off, taking the thought as they needed the skilled flamboyant because they were so shorthanded at the moment, not as a sign of fondness. Knox. He thought of the two-toned blonde reaper wielding his lawnmower death scythe and nodded. He could watch Sutcliff and then let him know when he came too.

It took just under ten minutes to find the blonde and explain most of the situation before he was off to his office and Ronald was lying back on Grell's couch. The young reaper was dozing off when he heard a loud cry from the next room and he jumped falling off the couch. He shot to his feet and hurried into Grell's bedroom.

"Boss Sutcliff?" Ronald hadn't had any recovery time and was still shaking from the loud sudden noise as he looked at the trembling red figure in the bed. Rubbed red eyes looked up to meet scared ones as the red head looked up at the blonde. "Ronnie~? How did I-"

"Boss Spears brought you here after you passed out. He said you were really upset and I was supposed to let him know when you woke up." Ronald walked over to the bed and plopped down next to Grell. He noticed the frail looking body next to him was still trembling and it unnerved him. His best friend was the strongest most carefree person he knew and here he was shaking like a leaf and looking just like a terrified child.

The fair-haired Shinigami jumped again as the feminine man next to him abruptly clapped his cheeks hard and shook himself. Ronald knew that determined look that suddenly took over Grell's face, "Ahh Sempai?"

"Ronnie~! Don't worry about Will~ I'm fine just gotta get back out there and reap me some souls~!" He was on his feet in a flash gathering his clothes when he realized he was in his jammies. He tugged at them and looked quizzically at Ron, "Did you put these on me Ronnie~?" He watched the blonde shake his head, "You were wearing them when I came in."

Grell squealed and danced around hugging himself as he giggled. "Oh William you do care~!" Ronald laughed happy to see his best friend back to his exuberant self as he spun around the room. He stopped spinning and faced Ronald. "Now Ron off you go~ It is quite rude to sit in on a lady while she changes~!"

A bright red covered the youth's cheeks and Grell giggled as Ronald hurried out of the room, small apologies spilling from his mouth. The crimson reaper slipped from his night garb tossing them aside before pulling on his button down and slipping the buttons into their respective holes. He pulled up his pants zipping them and attaching his purple beads to his hip before grabbing his jacket and letting it fall around his elbows.

"Perfect~! With a flip of his hair he was moving into the living room and beaming at Ron. "Do you still have your soul quota for the day~?" The cheerful reaper grinned nodding at his enthused friend as he waved his book. "Weee~llllll Shall we then~?" He linked arms with the slightly taller blonde and they were off.

William sat up straight as a rod his eyes wide. Something was wrong and he felt it in every fiber of his being as he raced for the door grabbing his scythe. He all but ran to Sutcliff's room, banging on the door. After he received no response he pulled out a silver key that served as the master key for all the rooms in the library.

Unlocking the door and pushing his way in franticly scanning the room. No Knox. He darted to the bedroom. No Sutcliff. The feeling in his chest grew. Damnit.