Gloved fingertips drummed slowly and rhythmically on the surface of the table he sat at. In his other hand, he held a pocket watch and he clicked his tongue as the moments kept ticking by. "Not like you to be so tardy for an engagement, Willy-boy. I expected to see you here long before now."
He tapped his head with a little frown. "Wait...did I give him the name of the place?" The ancient frowned thoughtfully, replaying the moment in his mind. He knew he'd given the dollie the name of the settlement, but he couldn't for the death of him recall whether he left the name of the pub he'd be in. It had been a rush job, after all...rather sloppy compared to his usual work. Suppose he'd done such a poor job that the doll wasn't able to relay his little message? What if Spears and his companion dispatched it before it could even try?
"Ah, drat," he muttered, putting aside the watch to pick up his glass of brandy and have a sip. "Old fool...should have paid more attention to what you were doing."
He sighed, thinking he'd have to backtrack and leave more little clues for Willy to follow. He wasn't even sure why he was luring him along, except curiosity. He'd heard William's scream when the hard-headed bloke stuck his hand into his portal, and he wondered how it patched up. Undertaker could likely handle things without help, thought it might prove a bit tedious.
"Sentiment, mayhap?" he wondered aloud in a low tone. He caught a flash of movement out the corner of his eye from the window, and he turned to look through it. A grin spread over his pale lips, and he chuckled. "Looks as though I'll have the chance to find out soon."
William and his young companion were passing by the window outside, and if he still knew the mortician's habits, they'd likely come walking through the pub door in a few moments. Undertaker sat back in his chair and whistled a little tune, trusting Spears to come to him.
"Trying this one next?" Ronald asked, swerving off to the door of the tavern. They had already tried two other pubs that they had crossed, with no luck, and there were two left on this particular street. He reached out and grasped the door handle, giving it a firm tug to swing it open. "The old crazy could have at least told us where in this place to meet him if that is his intention."
He held open the door for William and then stepped in behind him, His eyes immediately started to scan over the many men spending their free time there with a drink and flirting comments to the female workers.
The blond's gaze paused in it's wandering on a single SS officer sitting at a table, fingers tapping on the hard surface next to a half-finished drink. His back was to them, but under his uniform hat was hair of silvery-white. At first it looked as if the hair was short and slicked back, but upon further looking, the young reaper realized it was tucked up under the hat in order to hide it's length.
"Will." Ronald nodded over to the small table in the back of the room next to the wall.
William looked in the direction Ronald had indicated, and when he saw his old mentor sitting there dressed in a uniform similar to theirs. The Undertaker lifted his head and met Will's eyes, and he smiled toothily at him and waved, wiggling his fingers. William's heart lurched at the sight, his mind casting back to the days when he used to get that smile of greeting as an apprentice. He'd done his best not to think of it for so long...that sense of hero worship he'd had, and how a nod of approval or smile from him would make his whole day brighter. Those days were gone now, though. The reaper smiling at him had sunk into madness, and it was likely to get worse before it got better.
Without a word, William approached the table. He removed his hat and he gave the Undertaker a stiff, formal bow. "Sir. Good of you to come. For a moment I wondered if you had led us on a wild goose chase."
The Undertaker snickered softly and he gestured at the unused chairs around the table. "Guten Tag, mein freund. Have a seat."
William glanced at Ronald, before pulling out a seat as directed and sitting down. "That was an...interesting message you left us."
Undertaker smirked. "Thought you might like that. So, did you finish my dollie off, or did you leave him wandering 'bout scaring the locals?"
"We disposed of it, naturally," answered William. "What has my curiosity piqued is why you left this trail for us. It is clear that you did so deliberately."
"Clear, is it?" Undertaker sat back in his seat and sipped his drink. "Clear as mud, you mean. But you've got a curious streak, boy. Always have, no matter how you try t' hide it."
"Having one of those bloody dolls of yours tell us to come to this town is a pretty clear indication that you are deliberately leading us along for some reason," Ronald cut in, crossing his arms. "What's 'muddy' is why you want us following you. Last time we met you were quite eager to run away."
The Undertaker shrugged, still grinning. "Wasn't too keen on having my whereabouts reported to Dispatch; like I told you. I'm curious, though. Are you two fellows keen on a game of 'hide and seek'?"
William started to answer, but a barmaid came over and he ordered a beer for Ronald and himself—if only to get her out of the way. When she was gone, he looked at the Undertaker again. "I realize you have developed a rather unusual sense of entertainment, sir, but this is no game. Need I remind you of the seriousness of what has been happening? You surely must realize it yourself, else you would not have left us a trail. I would like to know what changed your mind, and since you saw fit to lead us here, I would appreciate it if you would shed some light on this."
William took a slow breath, and he looked into the ancient's eyes and spoke softly. "Please, Death. Some part of you trusted me enough to seek you out, without involving Dispatch directly. If you know who or what is responsible for this most recent meddling with cinematic records, share it with us. My companion and I are on a new mission now to investigate and put a stop to it. I believe we can help each other."
Ronald looked away, muttering under his breath a few words of displeasure at the choice of words William had decided to use. "Quindi sono solo un compagno quando di fronte al suo idolo vecchiaccio?"
Honestly, 'companion'? He didn't have to be so professional about referring to him to the old loon.
"And where does that leave ol' Undertaker in the end?" questioned the mortician. "Say I help you track the culprit down and put an end to him. That still leaves my meddling with the records for you to deal with, yeah?"
William sighed, feeling another headache coming on. "Yes, but priorities are priorities. The record wiper is the one of most concern to us, at the moment. You are guilty of altering records at the end of them, but you still leave the life events intact. I presume that if you can add to the records, you can also undo your work. Would I be correct?"
Undertaker shrugged. "Maaaybe. Is that the deal you're hinting at offering me, Spears? I reverse my work on my dollies and Dispatch calls it square?" He propped his chin in his palm curiously.
William hesitated. "I cannot speak for my superiors at Dispatch, but it would certainly help your case. I would request leniency and remind the senior executives of everything you have done for the organization in the past. But let us cross that bridge when we arrive at it, shall we? Right now the goal is to put a stop to the larger problem. Will you at least consider my proposal, or did you lure us here simply to mock me?"
He winced inwardly at the last part, hating himself for still being so easily affected by this reaper. His abandonment had hurt, though...leaving William disillusioned and depressed for a long time. He hadn't meant to allow his emotions to come through, but the words had left his mouth before he could stop them.
"Now lets not make this awkward." Ronald sighed, pausing when their beers were brought to the table. "Erm, Donkey," he attempted to thank her, cringing when he realized he'd butchered it. "-or however you say it..."
The blond shook his head and sipped his drink, relaxing back in his seat to let William and his old mentor talk out their awkward memories, waiting to get the subject back on track. Undertaker was now staring at William in an unsettling way, his head tilting slightly to the side.
"And how are you holding up, dear William? I imagine you've seen your share of horrendous sights in this war. There's something in your eyes that looks familiar to me. Not cracking yet, I hope?"
William found himself on the verge of reaching for Ronald's hand as his old mentor's words and piercing gaze seemed to tear away his defenses. It felt like he was staring into his soul, dissecting his thoughts and studying them. Will glanced sidelong at his partner, watching as Ronald tipped his glass to have a swallow of beer.
"Stoicism can be difficult to come by at times," he admitted, "but I have not been alone, as you reportedly were when you left on your final mission."
"Ah, but these are your mother's people, as I recall." Undertaker sipped his drink again. "Must be wearing on you, seeing what they're doing. You've got a more personal interest in what goes on here than most of your colleagues realize, I'd wager."
William stiffened in his seat and he deliberately slammed shut all mental doors, freezing his expression to that cool, opaque mask he wore at the office. "What is the purpose in your asking me these questions, Undertaker?"
The mortician took a breath as though preparing to answer that, and then he hesitated. "Hmph. You know, I'm really not sure! Fancy that." A chuckle burst from him as if he found the whole thing humorous.
"I don't see what's so funny!" Ronald snapped. He had tried to hold his tongue out of respect for William as he listened in on the conversation, but he didn't like how the topic was affecting his companion. Especially when he saw Will's walls go back up so fast...the walls he'd so carefully been working to see come down enough to get to know the real William T. Spears behind the mask of cold, uncaring professionalism.
"You may have had a hard time with the war years ago, but that doesn't mean you know what Will's going through with this one! You don't see every day how it's been affecting him and you asking these questions mindlessly is not helping in the least! If you must ask such things, the least you could do is show concern for him—show some empathy! You're just making him feel attacked right now and he's closing up all over again because of you! So if you would please shut up your blasted gigglemug and actually discuss the topic we came to discuss, that would be much more appreciated, ya old nutter!"
The blond set down his drink and pointed at the grinning elder. "Will still looks up to your arse! Don't take advantage of that by getting in under his skin and making him feel like he needs to close himself off all over again! Death almighty, I'll never understand his fascination with you!" He ranted.
William stared at him in response to the outburst, and so did the Undertaker. The former of the two was stunned to hear Ronald so aptly describe the inner struggle he'd been trying to conceal, and the latter was most likely not used to being talked to that way by anyone. For one chilling moment, the mortician's pale face underwent a change of expression that had Will considering summoning his death scythe to defend his partner. He instead chose to try diffusing the situation with words, not wishing to spoil the chance of allying with his old mentor and perhaps eventually getting him the help he'd needed for so long.
"Enough," barked William. "Undertaker, you surely must have had a purpose in leading us here for this reunion, and Ronald is correct. My personal feelings on this war are not something I currently wish to discuss, and while we sit here bantering, the one we are after gets further away from us. Now please, either choose to work with us and disclose what you know, or dismiss us. My partner and I will walk away this time, leaving you to your own devices while we get back on the criminals trail. Which is it going to be?"
Undertaker leaned back in his chair and he studied the two of them with an interested smirk. "My, my. It seems you really aren't alone in this struggle, Spears. Good for you. I can say one thing for the boy; he's got bollocks. Whether that'll be enough or not, I couldn't guess. We'll see. Meet me at the graveyard on the south edge of town tonight and we'll discuss it. Too many ears about right now and there's no telling how many of these mortals speak English. Unless you'd rather discuss our business in front of them."
He nodded meaningfully toward the bar, and William turned to see that indeed, the place was beginning to fill up. He calmed his tone and relaxed a little, hopeful that the ancient was being sincere. It was a chance. "You are right, of course. Your terms are acceptable. We'd best not find a cemetery full of your dolls when we arrive."
Undertaker smiled. "I don't just leave 'em sitting out in the open, chap. My...er...collection is safely stashed away until needed."
Ronald leaned back in his seat, arms crossed and cheeks pink; though he retained his stubborn expression. He wasn't going to back down now and apologize for his outburst. Not while Undertaker was still there. But he knew he had just risked William's anger for it. Inwardly, he braced himself for the lecture he'd surely receive later. Not only had he spoken disrespectfully to an elder, but he'd also said too much, he was sure of that. He only hoped William would forgive him.
"I should certainly hope so." William finished off his beer and he got up, extending his hand to his old mentor in a polite gesture of closing the deal. Undertaker accepted and they shook on it. "Well then, we shall see you at the appointed time. Shall we say ten o'clock?"
The mortician nodded and retracted his hand. "See you then, chaps. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
For the first time since the meeting, William smirked slightly. "And what precisely would that be, sir? Let me guess: follow the rules?"
The Undertaker snickered, and he shook a finger at William. "Now, now. You know I wasn't always such a hellion, Willy."
Will sobered a bit, and he gave a solemn nod. "Yes...I know that all too well. Good day to you. Ronald, are you ready to go?"
"Y-yeah..." Ron's voice cracked slightly and he stood up, ignoring that he still had a little of his drink left as he moved to follow William out of the pub. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling anxious.
"Oh man... how much trouble am I in?" he asked once they were outside and away from Undertaker.
"Not too terribly much," answered William. He checked the portal tracker. "My one grievance aside from you speaking too passionately aloud concerning our personal relationship outside of work is your disrespect. From now on, you will address the Undertaker with due respect for his age and his previous contributions. Calling him an 'old nutter' is unacceptable. I don't ask you to like him, but I do require that you conduct yourself properly unless the situation demands otherwise. Do you understand, Ronald?"
He glanced at the smaller reaper sidelong, and his mouth threatened to curve into a smirk. Knox really had surprised him back there, and if it weren't for William realizing he was trying to defend him, he might have been harsher.
"I guess. He's still an old nutter, though, and I didn't like how he was acting! Respect should be earned, not expected with age! At least, that's how I see it. And I wasn't around, like, a quintillion years ago when he was doing all them history book things."
He sighed, "Sorry, I wont call him a nutter in front of him again..."
William glanced down at the broken path they were walking on, and he sighed. "Ronald, you must try to understand that the Undertaker did earn the respect. He wasn't revered simply because of his age. In his day, Death...er...Undertaker took down more evils than you or I could possibly imagine. We honor our veterans, and while I understand he hasn't given the best impression of late, he was not always as he is now."
It weighed on him, and he felt his footsteps beginning to drag. How much would it take for him to finally snap that way? Sometimes he wondered if he was already well on the way to joining the Undertaker in his madness.
"Reapers that fall in combat—whether through death or madness—should still be revered. Dispatch might not be here now, if it weren't for him. He sacrificed his sanity in that final battle. Don't refer to him that way again, in my presence. I'd rather you call my father names than that reaper. Insanity is not a thing to be made fun of."
"But he's not the same guy as he was. Old man Death earned respect, sure, but old man Undertaker? First time I met him he was setting a bunch of his dolls loose on a ship full of people in the middle of the ocean. He has the skills to kick my arse, sure, but that's the only part of the old him I have ever seen. I'm not like you. I didn't know him back then. I wasn't even born yet. It's hard to look at him and see the legend."
"Be that as it may, you do know me, Ronald." William picked up the pace, eager to end the subject and get back to their accommodations on the other side. He wanted a decent meal and a hot bath to try and relax some of his tension, before their scheduled meeting with his old mentor. "Have you ever known me to praise a single soul without good reason, before? I am well-aware of the nicknames our colleagues have graced me with, over the years. My admiration isn't exactly what one would call easy to come by."
"Yeah, I know. You're an unimpressed hard-ass." Ron shrugged, "But your admiration for him is for the man who mentored you, not the madman that resulted after he cracked and left Dispatch. I'm not saying I won't admire the man he is as everyone admires the man he was, but the man he is hasn't exactly showed me why I should. Breaking huge rules of life and death and saying the things he did to you just now isn't showing me why I should. You were his junior—he should respect you more, show you how proud he is of your accomplishments."
For a moment, William was confused by Ronald's words...but he sorted out the jumble quickly and his expression darkened. "The way your mentor respects you?"
"Well..." Ronald rubbed the back of his neck, "Okay, so Grell isn't the best example. But he is proud of me when I accomplish something big. He supports me good when he's not causing trouble and overtime. He's a good mentor when he wants to be."
"And so was the Undertaker," insisted William. "The man gave me all the praise for my achievements that my own father never did. He gave me the encouragement that had always been lacking in my life. He was even kind to me, when he wasn't pressing me to improve. The only difference between him and Sutcliff is that the Undertaker never got help for his insanity. As a matter of fact, I remain unconvinced that Grell is sane. He simply isn't far enough over the edge to be institutionalized."
"Oh, I've no doubt that Senpai is completely crazy." Ron shrugged, "But he still supports me now, even though I'm not working so directly under him any more. I'm still a junior reaper, but I'm at the point where I only go to him for help if I have to. But he's still here for me. That man," he gestured back towards the tavern as if he was still there, "has he done that for you since leaving? Did he say anything about your promotion to Supervisor? All I heard was him prying into your brain and pushing to see if ya have gone bonkers yet."
William gave him an agitated look. The more they discussed it, the more anxious and frustrated he felt. "And it hasn't occurred to you that perhaps he asked those questions out of concern? I realize he doesn't express it the way most others do, but his thought processes are different from ours."
They had arrived at the portal and William stopped before it in the alley, challenging Ronald with his eyes.
"Sure, but you didn't seem too pleased about it. It bothered you, so it doesn't count!" Ron insisted.
William sighed and stepped through the portal after making sure no mortals were about to possibly witness his disappearance. When Ronald joined him on the other side, he got his bearings and began to walk to the bed and breakfast they'd been set up in for their stay in this part of the reaper world.
"Of course it troubled me," he admitted, "it's a sensitive subject and I dislike reminders of what happened to the reaper I once admired so much. I doubt the Undertaker was unaware of that, when he questioned me. He always has his reasons though, and I suspect he was testing me...trying to discern if I am up for the task of hunting down the party responsible for the rash of blank records."
"Well he could'a been more direct about it if that was the case! I know you want me to respect him, but I didn't appreciate it at all!" Ronald jogged up ahead to cut William off, finally able to show affection now that they were out of the mortal realm. He stopped William and cupped his cheek. "I worry about you, Will. And it seemed like he was doing more damage than good. I was just wanting to help you. I wanted you to know I was here for you no matter what. Even if I'd be confronting a crazy old legend that you look up to. I only want what's best for you."
William stopped in his tracks and he stared at the younger reaper, taken aback by his actions. He didn't know how to respond at first, and he impulsively laid one gloved hand over the one resting on his cheek. "You...needn't worry, Ronald. I am simply reacting to an uncomfortable situation."
Driven as much by mischief as curiosity, William leaned in and he kissed Ronald on the mouth. He hadn't entertained his desire for romantic affection towards Ronald much at all, of late. While it felt a bit strange and out of character for him, it was also a thrill. He cupped the back of Ronald's head to keep him from pulling away and he deepened the kiss, desiring more than just a brief contact of lips.
Well, that was a little unexpected. Public displays of attention from Will were holding hands at best...at least until now. Ronald closed his eyes and slipped his arms around William, holding him in the kiss just as much as he was. His lips pressed firm against Will's, a hum bubbling to the surface.
He could get used to this.
"I guess this means..." he hummed into the kiss, "I'm forgiven?"
Truthfully, William could no longer recall why he was irritated with Ronald at all...if he was in fact irritated to begin with. His breath had quickened in response to Knox's reciprocation and he dearly wished they had a more private place nearby. Sweet mother of death, he wanted him.
"I should say so," he finally managed, reluctantly disengaging from Ronald's embrace. Regardless of a greater tolerance of same-gender romance, it simply wouldn't do well for his reputation if he was seen publicly mauling his subordinate in the streets of the Shinigami realm. "Let us retire to our room for a bit, shall we? I think...perhaps a bit of rest would do us both well."
Rest was possibly the furthest thing from William's mind at this point, though.
"Rest? Will, you have my head spinning!" Ron grinned, linking their arms together, "I take it we will be submitting our daily reports and collections after our next meeting with your old mentor?"
William accepted the gesture with ease that surprised even himself. As they walked the streets to the bed and breakfast they were assigned to, he put an arm around Ronald's waist and he inwardly warned himself not to get too terribly invested in the intimacy of the moment. "Yes. It makes no sense to report in until we have something worthwhile to report, naturally. We should seek rest and relaxation while we can."
They made it to the host building and William cordially held the entrance door open for Ronald before following him inside. Once they made it upstairs and to their bedroom, some wicked impulse grabbed hold of him and sunk its talons in like a bird of prey. He pressed Ronald up against the door and he kissed him deeply. His earlier frustrations melted away and he allowed himself to get lost in the younger reaper's kiss.
~Let the world stray where it will. Let it all burn, for all I care. I've earned at least this much pleasure.~
Heart pounding, William ravished his companion's mouth and he allowed his lust to have free reign for once. He was tired of always being so immaculate and proper...tired of depriving himself of the very basics of life. He yanked his hat off and let it fall to the floor as he stroked Ronald's tongue with his own. He yearned for a connection...desired this young blond more than he could possibly express...and he feared rejection from him even as he tried to express his needs in his kiss.
"Ahh-ah!" Ronald, again, had been taken by surprise as he found himself trapped firmly between the door and William's body. His boss and lover's kiss was so demanding and needful. Even the way the man's hands felt on him was...
Ronald blushed. He couldn't remember ever being treated this way. Needful, yes, but it was always in a using way, not a passionate way.
It didn't take long before his trousers were no longer comfortable, feeling a tad tight in the crotch region, but he couldn't move much, and he was sure William could already feel it pressing into his leg. William was starting something he may have a hard time backing out of pretty soon...
~Oh gods...this is sheer Heaven.~
The thought crossed William's mind as he pressed harder against his lover, feeling Ronald's answering need not only in his kiss, but through the barrier of their clothing. They'd agreed to wait before consummating their relationship, but it was torturous. He couldn't recall ever wanting anyone this badly before, and he ground his hips against Ronald's as he threaded his fingers through his and shoved his hands up over his head. His tongue lanced between the younger reaper's lips insistently and he groaned, aching all over for him.
"Ronald," he gasped between kisses, letting his lips trail over the blond's jaw. Good gracious, it was potent. The skin was so smooth against his mouth and the scent...death help him. William released one of the blond's hands and he dragged his palm over Ronald's chest and stomach. It meandered lower and he groaned again, wanting more. How long had he desired this sort of contact? Not meaningless physical grinding, but something more. He felt it with every gasp from Ronald's lips, every needy gyration of his hips. This was more than just physical. It went much deeper than that.
Just like that day in their meager shelter from the bombs, William was fast losing control of his senses. He didn't know how else to express himself, how else to tell the younger man how much he appreciated his support and affection. He let his hand drift lower and he cupped the straining bulge between Ronald's thighs, seeking out his mouth again to muffle his low cries of need.
Yes. Even if they had to wait, he could at least claim this much. He fondled his companion's hardened package, giving him a taste of what he could expect in the future. His lips muffled Ronald's surprised exclamation and he gently squeezed and rubbed the area in his palm.
"I want you so bloody much it kills me," admitted William in a gasp.
Ronald and his protective, defensive loyalty. Ronald and his youthful good looks, his dimpled smiles, his impulsive bravery. There wasn't a thing William could imagine trading for this one moment with his partner.
"I—I thought we were waiting!" Ronald gasped from his kiss-swollen lips. He was so turned on that the man could pick him up, throw him on the bed, and have his way with him fully. And Rhea knew he wanted it, too. "Y-you have us passing the point of no return, Will! Oh—Lord of fuck, I want you!"
Ronald felt too hot; his clothes too heavy and layered for this sort of activity, and it only furthered his need to shed clothing. Deciding he had had quite enough of clothes, he grabbed William's uniform jacket and yanked it down off his shoulders, the buttons flying off. He didn't care. They each had a few uniforms. This one could be fixed later. Right now he wanted William's smooth skin pressed against his.
Even further excited by Ronald's reactions, William began to walk backwards toward the bed, guiding Ronald to come with him. When the back of his knees pressed against the mattress, he turned the younger man around in his arms and bore him down to the bed, settling his hips between Ronald's thighs. He lifted up a bit to yank his uniform jacket off and toss it away, and then he slid his hand between the press of their bodies to fumble with Ronald's zipper. Intercourse might have to wait, but that didn't mean he couldn't have the blond screaming his name before nightfall.
The intensity of his own reactions was a bit startling to William, and he nearly pulled away simply because he was so unused to feeling this kind of desperate need for someone. He powered on though, determined to prove both to Ronald and to himself that he was capable of being more than a cold, distant autocrat. He got the blond's pants unzipped and he reached in to expose him, gripping his stiffened length firmly to begin stroking it.
"Yes...oh Styx yes, Will!" Ronald gasped, trembling with excitement. How often had he dreamed of this? How many mornings had he awoken with a strong arousal and need only to have to behave and wait for William to get out of the shower so he could grab a cold one? How secretly desperate was he since they had started to romance each other had he yearned for William to touch him in such ways?
And now, it was happening. He was half naked and under the man he'd fallen for, his hands on his sex.
He reached forward and rubbed Will through his pants. The older reaper groaned softly in approval, hips jerking to press more firmly into Ronald's touch. His misgivings about the strength of his attraction and desire for Ronald began to fade away as his pleasuring was reciprocated, and his lips claimed the blond's again in a heated kiss. He lifted his hips a bit when Ronald started working at his belt and tugging on his fly, his urgency increasing even more. He was throbbing and far too restricted in this condition. His tongue danced enticingly against Ronald's, and low noises of passion vibrated in his throat.
Their reports could wait. They didn't have much to report at this time anyhow. They could write up a full account of everything once they had their meeting with the Undertaker and had something of value to report. He and Ronald had earned this moment, and William wasn't about to interrupt it with more business. He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and he was thankful that he'd put it on the silent setting—more to prevent any mortals hearing it while they were out amongst them than any planned intent to seduce his partner.
"Nn-mmr-pants!" Ronald huffed out as he pushed Will's slacks from his hips so that he could grab hold of William and return the stroking. His fingers wrapping warmly around Will's shaft and slowly building up to match Williams movements.
William's breath huffed and a shudder coursed through him. Ronald's touch was eager and clever. He seemed to figure out what felt best to William quickly, and the supervisor groaned and flexed his hips encouragingly when the speed and friction was just right for him. He was getting close to his peak already—which was an unusual thing for him. It usually took much more effort for his partners to get him off without intercourse, but Ronald was about to do just that.
"Knox," he gasped, and he yanked open the blond's uniform jacket, following quickly with the shirt beneath. Now Ronald's buttons were scattered over the bed and the floor like William's, and for once, the immaculate reaper didn't give a damn about the careless destruction of a perfectly good uniform. He just wanted to see more of his companion...taste more of him.
Ronald's thin but toned torso was quickly exposed, his abs flexing as he moved under William, bucking his hips up to bring their shafts together so he could grip them together. "Will—!" With his free hand he pulled William down into a kiss, closing his eyes again as he tasted his lips.
William's responsive kiss was almost rough, and then he dragged his mouth down to suck and lick the younger reaper's throat, making his way to his chest. His hand covered Ronald's over their straining, throbbing members and he nipped lightly at Ronald's left nipple, before tracing it with his tongue. He grunted as he did the same with the other one, hopelessly enticed by the taste and texture of Ronald's skin. He felt his groin tightening and he gasped a protest, trying not to come first.
Ronald wasn't close to completion, that was, he wasn't until William nipped at his nipples. His sex twitched, the pressure and need for release suddenly overtaking him.
"Ohh-fuck!" He panted, his voice cracking. "W-ll!"
His hand sped up under Will's and seconds later, he was crying out as he spilled out onto himself.
William smirked briefly with satisfaction, but his impending orgasm didn't allow for him to be smug for very long. He lasted perhaps ten seconds longer and then he tensed over Ronald, breath hitching in his lungs as he contributed to the creamy mess between them. Closing his eyes, William relished the bliss of the intimate encounter and bowed his head. Ronald's length had just finished twitching against his own when the climax eased up, and William lifted his head to stare down at his companion, sweat beading his forehead.
He had to admire the way Ronald looked in the afterglow, and before he knew it, he began to smile. True to form, it wasn't a terribly wide smile, but it was more expressive than his usual faint little smirks. He felt compelled to kiss Ronald softly, and he whispered against the moist, soft lips.
"I do hope you enjoyed that as much as I did, Ronald."
"You kidding me?" Ronald grinned up at his lover, "We didn't go all the way and sill it was the best I've had, possibly ever." He closed his eyes and breathed out through his slightly opened mouth, "Damn, you're good..."
He reached up and cupped Will's cheek, his fingertips touching the man's glasses in the process and shifting them on his face. "Tell me what I did to deserve that treatment so that I can do it again."
William paused, wondering how to answer that. In truth, he was feeling rather frustrated with Ronald over the entire debate concerning Undertaker. He'd initially started kissing him to keep him from going on further rants against William's previous mentor, because he didn't want for it to turn into an argument that he suspected would have ended in anger and needless tension. Then once he started kissing him, he couldn't stop and he forgot all about his frustration and the anxiety he was trying to keep to himself.
"I think," he said carefully, "that the day's frustration simply got the better of me, and I wished to give us both a positive thing to enjoy together, while we could. I honestly did not intend for it to go that far, Ronald...but I don't regret it."
Ronald nodded, "Then I regret nothing we did today." he hummed, moving to press another gentle kiss to his lover's lips. "Including this cheesy cliché of letting you know that I love you after we do something like that together."
That brought another little smile to William's lips. Hearing anyone say that they loved him was a foreign thing to him as it was, but to hear it from Ronald gave him a feeling of happiness that was even rarer, still. He stared at him for several moments, just gazing into his eyes. A part of him wondered if Knox truly meant that, or if it was infatuation. After all, he hadn't known the blond harbored an attraction to him until after this mission began.
"I..." he wanted to say it, wanted to reciprocate the declaration. Instead, he said something that he immediately regretted. "I'm not certain I know what love is, Ronald."
"It's not exactly something I can explain, Will." Ronald sighed, "You just...feel it. It makes you feel like you could float away at times, or it could hit you painfully and you can hardly breathe from the pain of it..."
Ronald shifted and sat himself up, looking at William who was still between his legs, "When I started falling for you, Will, You wouldn't get out of my head. You were always there in my thoughts, distracting me as I began to wonder the stupidest things about you. Like, what flavor toothpaste you use, or how often you have to shave to keep your face free of whiskers, or if you prefer baths or showers and whichever it is, if you like them in the morning or at night. My thoughts were constant and rather annoying. They got me into trouble a few times."
He sighed, "But it's different for everyone, I hear."
William nearly smiled again. "If only you knew how often I've found myself leering at you when your back was turned, Ronald."
The last time his thoughts had been so consumed with one individual, it was the Undertaker. That was what confused William the most, really. He thought he'd been infatuated with him—a thing which rarely occurred with him, if at all. Upon meeting up with him again though, he finally understood what that was all about. He'd craved the ancient's approval and company, but he'd never had erotic dreams about him and while he found him fascinating and beautiful in an aesthetic way, he'd never thought of kissing him. Knox was another matter, though. He found the boy's every smile, every action and every impetuous word charming. He'd never admitted as much to him before because the last thing he wanted was to be accused of sexually harassing a subordinate, but...
William lowered his mouth to Ronald's again to kiss him deeply. He still couldn't say for certain if this was love, being deprived of such affection for most of his life. It was certainly attraction and affection beyond all doubt, though. He thought of how desperate he'd been to get Ronald off of that landmine without blowing him to pieces, and how relieved he'd been when they succeeded in that. It was more than alarm for a comrade. There were feelings there, and he intended to explore them further.
Ronald smirked, his hands sliding over William's exposed skin, "I take it you liked what you saw." he hummed against Will's kiss-swollen lips, "I wish I could have caught you looking. Maybe I would have confessed to you much sooner."
The blond let his gaze wander down to take in the sight of William atop him before moving back up to the brunet's face and to his glasses sliding down his nose. He chuckled and reached up to push them back into place, "Better view of me if your glasses aren't falling off." he teased.
William quite agreed, on both accounts. He kissed the blond's jaw and throat leisurely, running his tongue over the smooth skin before pressing his lips against it and sucking gently. "Mmm. Pity we cannot remain this way for the rest of the evening." He sighed and enjoyed the moment while it lasted. Heavens knew they both needed that release, but he did not intend to repeat such an intimate encounter again until all of this was finished and he could properly date Ronald. He feared that the next time, he might not be able to stop at touching. Now that he'd sampled Ronald's sensuality, he knew it would quickly become addictive...and irresistible.
He shifted a bit on top of the younger reaper and he kissed his way down to his chest, taking his time in the afterglow to revel in their closeness. He felt the slippery evidence of their completion against his skin, but he was hardly bothered by it. A quick shower and a change of clothes would easily take care of that, and they could do their own laundry to avoid any embarrassing instance of others figuring out what they'd been up to.
"Mm, to be continued?" Ronald suggested with a slight moan to his voice. The feel of William's lips upon his skin wouldn't allow his fires to cool just yet, though he'd been quite satisfied with what they had done together. He couldn't help it. As Reapers went, he was still young and full of hormones. On previous sexual ventures, he'd found that he often couldn't help but give in to the pleasure...and with William, it only got worse. William had lit his fires quickly and even afterwards, he seemed to know how to keep them going. If William was going to do such things as this to him, he wasn't going to complain. Especially with the promise of actual dates once the war was ended, or at least, when they are relieved of their duty in Germany. It was all so much more than he ever dreamed would actually happen.
He ran his fingers through William's hair as the man left a trail of kisses down his chest, "Continue to just hold each other and sneak kisses here and there until we drift off to sleep, once we get back from meeting with Undertaker."
William's lips curved into a suggestion of a smile against the smooth skin. "Of course. I shan't disagree with such a suggestion."
He sighed and he eased off of Ronald, rolling onto his side. While he was quite familiar with erotic interactions with a partner, simply holding them was still new to him. He dug his phone out of his disheveled jacket and he set an alarm to go off in a couple of hours, before setting the device aside on the nightstand. That done, put one arm around Ronald and he drew him close, shutting his eyes. "We may nap for a while, and then we should shower and get ready for our meeting with the Undertaker."
Ronald kicked off the single sock that had stayed on throughout their heated ordeal before grabbing a shirt and using it to clean up the blunt of their mess. He then tossed it aside and rolled onto his side, slipping his top arm around William and kissing him, "Sounds like a great idea to me. Oh-! Glasses!" He said, remembering that they were on his face. He'd made the mistake of sleeping in them once. Bent his frames and boy, did Anderson have a lecture for him while he fixed them! That was not something he wished to repeat.
He pulled away from William just long enough to set his glasses aside, also placing William's safely on the night stand before they curled up once more.
William allowed the blond to remove his glasses, before snuggling him and trying to put aside thoughts of what his next encounter with his former mentor would bring for them both. With the Undertaker, there really was no telling.
-To be continued