you could have my heart (and i would break it for you)

-or-

be gay do crime

By: Aviantei

His Fourth Bow, Act One:

"i love this world (and the light only you give me)"

August, 1875

Between a string of recent social engagements that Jameson had gotten involved in to make up for his previous favours and the ongoing work that was going into dismantling Robson's operation, Jameson had had little time to himself. But at long last, he had gotten an afternoon that wasn't demanding he go meet someone for lunch or attend a tea party or even prepare to go to an evening ball. No, he had some time to unwind a bit before the upcoming days once again required his attention, so he had opened up his bedroom windows, adjusted the worktable in his room to be in direct pathway of the sunlight and the faint breeze, rolled up his sleeves, and sat down with a pot of Darjeeling and his journal.

It was not a habit he'd gotten into every day, or even every other day, but he did perform it with enough regular frequency that he could start to feel the mental pressure build up did he not record his thoughts. Just as Jameson's mental state had evolved in the near half a year since he'd arrived at Moriarty Manor, so had his journal; gone were the early pages of haphazard thoughts and desperate handwriting, Jameson trying to purge everything within him he could, and instead were much neater (but not pristine) pages, mixed with memories, things he'd enjoyed, and things he wished to do. On occasion, Jameson would even flip through the earlier sections, seeing if there was anything worth salvaging or that caught his attention for future endeavours. Often, he would cross out items that had already been explored or things that no longer caught his interest; there were, in fact, whole pages of purging that he'd drizzled ink upon so as not to reread something unpleasant—but that afternoon wielded different results indeed.

The late May afternoon that Jameson had wished to improve his seduction and had indulged in William in his office, the situation shifting to William giving careful instructions in the name of practise. Jameson had learned a decent amount in the process, that was true, one of which being that receiving such advice to bring his partner pleasure had been enjoyable indeed, far more than he'd expected.

Wouldn't it be fun to do something like that again? As much as he enjoyed exploring new territory with William as his partner, there was nothing wrong with retreading old ground whenever it brought them both satisfaction. Being that it was still early morning, it might be a bit too much to do in the present moment, though, so Jameson put the thought aside for later in the day and continued his perusal of his pages, jotting down the occasional note.

Once the thought had entered his mind, however, his concentration did not last long. The ensuing fantasies were too compelling to even attempt to ignore, and soon they'd impacted not just his mind but his body as well, though it was no more than a pleasant heat that swept through his abdomen. Giving his journal up for broke, he let the book fall shut, instead leaning back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling. Sometimes it just felt like too much of a hassle to plan out a rendezvous with William, even if it was well worth the effort. Agreeing to do so, finding a private place to ask or even get started, moving from room to room without attracting too much attention because—though Jameson was still a whore and it would be no surprise that he was running away to do such things—William didn't deserve that sort of scrutiny upon him, even if at least Albert wouldn't be judgemental about it. Having Fred in the manor, while delightful, did change the house dynamics enough to be noticeable, and Jameson had no one but himself to blame.

Sometimes the world ended up making things much more complicated than it needed to be.

Still, I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to have William whenever he said I was welcome to him at any time. Though he would've thought it impossible, Jameson had discovered that he was capable of much more greed than he ever would have imagined. Even putting William's eventual death aside—a thought Jameson did not like to entertain—he knew their time together was limited, no matter what arrangement they'd come to.

Someone as brilliant and beautiful as William couldn't indulge someone as filthy as Jameson forever.

Which is why I wish to have him at whatever chance I can have. It was just a matter of figuring out how to make a request without causing any issues. What if Fred were to come by Jameson's chambers, asking for a conversation, just to find him missing—or, worse, in the throes of pleasure? The boy was still young, and, while Jameson was well aware of how quick someone could grow up on the streets, that didn't mean it was an excuse for intruding upon whatever innocence he may have left. Jameson rubbed at his temples, watching a bird as it fluttered by outside his window. I should just consult with William on this matter; he'll know what kind of plan to make if I can't come up with anything.

He was a man who could get away with murder after all. Keeping their intimate relations as much of a secret as possible should be no issue for him whatsoever.

In the end, William had come up with a simple but elegant solution: should the two of them go out for dinner together, no one would expect them to be home until late, and they should then have plenty of privacy, barring any emergencies. And, even if any such emergencies did occur, William assured Jameson, there was little doubt that Albert would pick up on the couple's plans for the evening and mitigate issues as much as he could.

Besides, by going out, they'd get to enjoy even more time at each other's sides, and Jameson was not about to complain about such a thing under any circumstances.

Instead, he occupied himself with selecting an appropriate wardrobe for the evening. He'd built up quite a number of options, many of which that had gotten much more use than he'd expected while navigating the social season, and it seemed appropriate to try out something he had yet to wear—which had been his logic until he came across a particular suit that caught his attention.

It was the one he'd worn before upon Albert's suggestion to practise seduction upon William, and it had more than earned a favourable reaction, hadn't it? And if it had been to William's tastes before, then there was no doubt he'd appreciate it just as much now. Whether or not he recalled it as well as Jameson did was irrelevant, since he himself would be satisfied more than enough to know what he was wearing without any additional input.

With that decided, there was nothing else to do but get dressed, picking out a matching set of tiepin and cufflinks to finish it off, and then he styled his hair with a bit of wax to push part of it out of his face, leaving the rest of his bangs be. Satisfied with his reflection in the mirror, Jameson considered his work done and headed downstairs, finding William waiting for him in the foyer.

After several months of attending formal events together and seeing each other off to such, Jameson was no stranger to William's well-crafted appearance. Black suited him well, though for the evening he'd picked out a suit with gentle white pinstripes that made his already long limbs appear even more so, and Jameson felt grateful that half the point of going out together that night was to have a convenient excuse to enjoy each other in bed, because the sight alone would have made him wish to. However could William muster being so perfect at every given opportunity?

"I daresay you appear to be more excited by this than I expected," Jameson said, hooking his arm through William's. "Please don't mistake this for a complaint of any sort, but I wasn't prepared for you to pull out all the stops for a simple dinner."

"If it is in your company, my dear, even a simple dinner becomes an extraordinary event." William caught Jameson's free hand to press a kiss into his gloved palm, and Jameson let himself enjoy the spiced notes of William's cologne from up close. "I will also confess that I have wished to spend some time with you alone, but the business of the season has prevented me from doing so. Can you blame me for pulling out all the stops in such a situation whenever you've done the same?" William turned his head, pressing a gentle kiss to Jameson's temple that sent his heart racing in the best possible way. "You look incredible, Jameson. Would it not defeat the point, I confess to wishing to skip dinner altogether."

William's hand came around Jameson's waist, pressing to his side in a way that transcended perfection. Jameson didn't wish to back down, though, offering one of his slyest smiles. "You look so dashing that the same thought did cross my mind. However, I consider sharing a meal with you just as worthwhile as enjoying you in full, so I will have to ask for your patience, darling."

"If you insist upon such, it would be boorish to argue with you, though I do find that you test my patience like nothing else I've ever experienced. In fact, you've had me questioning my self-evaluation upon the matter ever since we've met." Jameson couldn't help but preen at the praise, as glad as ever to hear that he could crack apart William's calm and collected exterior. "Not to mention that I've been looking forward to dinner as well. As wonderful as eating as a family is, time with you by my side is just as precious." He glanced to the grandfather clock, and Jameson followed his gaze. "Now, if we're to be on time for our reservation, we should get going. There should be plenty of time to shower compliments upon each other in the carriage."

There was, in fact, time, and they made full use of it, having to contain themselves upon arriving to their destination, though that hadn't lasted long, either. Thanks to Albert's help, they'd managed to reserve a private dining room for the evening, a gramophone playing a crackly version of some cello suite Jameson had heard before but never learned the name to. Such a private atmosphere didn't just allow them to focus upon each other, but also allowed for additional flirtation whenever their server was out of the room, which Albert no doubt had considered when he set the meal up for them.

I'll have to do him a favour as thanks… Hm, he liked the Bakewell tart I made before, so perhaps I'll bake that next time. Of course, Jameson also expected Albert to pester him for details about the date during their next teatime together, but it was hard to worry about such things whenever he had William across from him.

Even if they didn't make love that night, Jameson believed he would have felt fulfilled by their dinner alone—but whatever reason was there that he couldn't have both? The answer was none whatsoever, and Jameson looked forward to their return home almost as much as he did to their dessert.

Across the table, William remained a perfect gentleman in terms of his actions, and his occasional flirtatious word was nothing scandalous. But Jameson hadn't been spending time in William's company for nothing, and he was all too aware of the way those scarlet eyes looked at him, roving over every last detail of his dress, ready to devour Jameson the moment he could get away with such a thing.

It was, all in all, a perfect night out.

"Thank you for always providing such wonderful company," William said after he'd helped Jameson into the carriage. Though the seating was designed for two people to sit across from each other, they'd done no such thing, instead tucking together upon the same cushion. The limited space meant that there was no gap to spare between them, but that meant very little when in less than an hour's time, there would be nothing between them whatsoever—though William was already getting started by resting the entire wide spread of his palm over Jameson's thigh. "I feel as if I have been remiss in not taking you out to dinner more often."

"If it bothers you so, then you can make up for it by inviting me out more in the future, darling." Jameson placed his own hand over William's, not to stop him, but instead to make him press closer. "Any night of any week, I shall be more than glad to make room in my days for you." Even with Jameson's expanding hobbies and social responsibilities, that was a truth that would never change.

William hummed in thought, his fingers a gentle but searing presence upon Jameson's leg as they pressed in closer. "Are you just seeking invitations out to eat, Jameson? Or will you come no matter what circumstances I invite you to join me in?"

"You would find me hard pressed to not accept an invitation to join you in your bed, William—or anywhere else you may decide is worth enjoying me at, for that matter."

There was a beat of silence, one where they both seemed to assess the situation. In that moment, not going for a kiss seemed like an absolute waste, but the fact also remained that they had taken advantage of a cab rather than have Louis drive them about, meaning that going too far ran the risk of them being caught, and Jameson wouldn't risk doing that to William—

William, however, had no such qualms about the matter. Or, rather, if he did, he'd considered the risks worth it enough to kiss Jameson, which Jameson might have protested to if it weren't such a delicious experience to have. William also seemed to be considering it still worth it to feel up Jameson's thigh, massaging it with even more pressure than before. If nothing else, Jameson's moans were muffled by William's mouth on his, so there was that for whatever solace it was worth. William was even releasing a few pleased hums of his own, though he was much more adept at controlling his volume.

If I could get him to lose that composure…

Jameson tampered down the thought almost as soon as he had it. Again, he wouldn't do anything to risk William's position in society—and no more than part of that was influenced by the future plans, the remainder Jameson just not wishing to cause him trouble. And yet it was so very difficult to restrain himself from imagining every single moan that William had ever made for him, calling Jameson's name with the utmost satisfaction. He wanted to hear it again, but it felt as if there were an infinite number of hoofbeats remaining between the present moment and the comfort of Moriarty Manor.

William's hand could be considered bold given where he was placing it under such circumstances, but that gave Jameson his own courage to act much the same. Or, rather, it gave him the courage to be even more so, his own touch downright scandalous in comparison as he palmed at William through his pants. Jameson didn't have the intention to go further than that while in the carriage, but it was more than enough to make William gasp, biting his lip to stifle the resulting groan.

Jameson's one regret was that the darkness made the sight a touch difficult to enjoy in full—but that just meant he had to do his best to earn such a reaction in better lighting, did it not?

As perilous as their situation was becoming, William made no move to stop Jameson's touch; instead, he downright encouraged it, pushing his hips into Jameson's hand for more stimulation as he rubbed. It was a good start to Jameson taking more of the lead as he'd intended, and he didn't intend to lose ground at any point. Pushing forward, Jameson adjusted so that he was sat right in William's lap, the occasional jostle of the carriage bumping their bodies ever closer together in the process for the perfect amount to be a tease without leaving either of them desperate.

Not for the moment, at any rate.

By the time they arrived at Moriarty Manor's gates, stumbled out of the carriage under the guise of tipsiness, and gave their driver a generous billfold, desperation was taking on a whole new meaning in Jameson's mind. To not be touching William again felt atrocious, so Jameson feigned needing help inside so that he could lean against William's shoulder. Once the hoofbeats of the carriage faded away, he took William's hand in his, refusing to let go as they rushed to the front door.

Jameson would've let William take him right there in the front lawn, had he asked.

William did not ask, instead pulling Jameson inside at far above a polite pace. As tempting as it was to just rush upstairs to the bedroom, the whole point of going out for dinner had been to not make their activities obvious, and so they dropped their walking sticks into the stand with a clatter before helping pluck the hats off each other's heads and return them to the rack, doing the same with their overcoats, though they got a bit lost in several wet kisses in the process. William just felt so warm, so delectable in Jameson's arms that it was difficult to let go long enough to finish undressing.

Even once they were successful in shedding their outdoor layers, they still lingered in the front hall, exploring each other's mouths, their bodies. Jameson's hands tucked under William's belt, while William tucked his finger under the knot of Jameson's tie, not to undo it, but to pull him closer. If anyone happened to stumble upon them, it would have been beyond scandalous, even in their home where every other resident was plenty aware of the relationship they shared. Jameson was already half-panting, and he was just about to push William up against the wall whenever his partner moved first, almost hauling Jameson up the stairs.

Jameson, for his part, stumbled as he went, but he kept up well enough. It seemed that there was little patience for subtlety between them, their footsteps echoing through their ascent, through their short journey through William's wing and to his bedroom. The door hadn't even shut all the way before Jameson was pulling William back towards him, crushing their bodies together. The craving had settled into him earlier that afternoon, and, as lovely as dinner had been, Jameson couldn't deny what his true appetite was for.

William, mouth on his, hands trailing over his skin, pressed deep inside him while speaking those incredible and seductive commands—

And then William had extracted himself from that kiss, taking a few steps back.

"Do give me one more moment, dear." Jameson did not bother to hide his pout of disappointment, for what little good it did as William left a peck upon his lips before retreating further back into his rooms. Even the handful of seconds it took for him to return seemed like too much, Jameson already thinking of which demands he could make as reparations, though such considerations slipped out of his mind altogether as William returned, a hand tucked behind his back until the moment he stood before Jameson again and proffered a flower. "I believe this is the correct response to the bouquet you offered me before, yes?"

The blossom was a deep red, similar to a rose in the way its petals layered upon each other, except the cluster was much tighter. For once, Jameson recognised the flower upon sight, and it would have been foolish of him not to, seeing as he'd given William several in his bouquet: the Ranunculus, which signalled desire from the giver to the recipient.

Which signalled a mutual desire when returned to the one who offered it in the first place.

"I've been meaning to gift you one since then, but the timing didn't seem appropriate." No, it hadn't, not between Carol's arrival and the following investigation, murder, and cleanup. Time had a way of flying whilst doing such things. "I was glad to hear your proposition, since it at last gave me the chance to keep you from—"

It was Jameson's turn to kiss William without any reservations, and he pressed his tongue into William's mouth in the same moment, canvasing every spot he could reach, including reaching all the way back to his throat. Jameson threw the rest of himself at William, too, though he was at least careful enough not to crush the Ranunculus in the process. Anything else, though, he showed no restraint, including pressing his palm against William's trousers again to massage him to readiness as soon as possible.

No, Jameson hadn't expected the response flowers whatsoever, but now that he had them, he was going to accept the invitation with absolute vigour. I'll go until dawn if I must, but I will enjoy William to the fullest possible extent.

William took much of the same approach, feeling over Jameson everywhere he could, moaning into the space between their mouths. Even with one hand holding the Ranunculus out of the way, his touch was still enough to stoke Jameson's desire even further, it burning hot from his core and filling up his veins with anticipation. He wanted William, wanted him without any possible delay, and why in the heaven did the outfits that make William look the best have to have so many blasted pieces to them?

"I've been meaning to mention," William said, able to sneak in the words as Jameson did a messy but serviceable job of unbuttoning his waistcoat, "that I couldn't help but notice your attire for the evening." Jameson's eyes flicked up to William's for a moment, but he didn't stop his work for anything. "I know that before I told you that it looks wonderful on you, but that was just the first of my thoughts." William toyed with a lock of Jameson's hair. "You wore this whenever we made love in my office, yes? The time I gave you instructions so as to improve your seduction?"

So he remembered. It shouldn't have been a surprise, what with whom Jameson was dealing with, but as William hadn't said a word on the matter all evening, Jameson couldn't be blamed for assuming he'd set the detail aside in favour of more important matters. "Quite right, darling," Jameson said, his voice already coming out breathy. "Since you noticed, can you guess why I chose to wear such a thing tonight?"

Guessing must've been simple for William, but his eyes sparkled delight at the challenge—or perhaps it was at the implication of Jameson's actions. "I may be wrong, but I do believe you were hoping for a similar lesson." Jameson fluttered his eyelashes, wrapping his arms around William's shoulders and drawing close enough to let their lips ghost across each other's. "I must say, though, it already seems as if you've taken most of my previous instructions to heart."

"I find there's always room for improvement. Wouldn't you agree?" Jameson brushed his lips over William's earlobe, letting his breath wash over the skin there as he murmured, "You always seem to have more tricks up your sleeve when indulging me. I see no reason why you wouldn't have more instructions to give."

William shivered, his chuckle filled with that throatiness that Jameson had long come to associate with his arousal. "You're not wrong, though perhaps I worry. After all, if I give you all my secrets, what if they lose their magic and I cannot please you as much as before?"

"Don't be silly." Nothing, nothing, nothing was capable of reducing the impact William had on Jameson, that was certain. "You will never fail to bring me satisfaction, William. Besides, the more you teach me, the more ways I can ensure you enjoy yourself as well." Both of them sharing in absolute pleasure—that was what brought Jameson the most satisfaction, and he was certain the same held true for William in kind. Jameson licked his lips, angling his head just so to gaze up at William. "Now come on, darling. Tell me what I can do to make you feel incredible."

A groan slipped out of William, and, when he took a few steps back, he dragged Jameson with him, starting a course towards the bedroom. "I want you all over me. I want to feel your mouth everywhere." Jameson was already licking his lips in anticipation. "I want you to take your time, find my most sensitive spots, and use that to your advantage."

Jameson hummed, pulling William's hand to his lips so he could get started. "And whatever shall I do with myself should I wear you out with just my mouth?" He wouldn't aim to do so, but he still wished to cover any and all possibilities.

"In such an event, I swear to return the favour to you." Yes, Jameson could agree with that plan in every possible way. "Though I also think it could be an enjoyable exercise to trade off the job, until we've both satisfied ourselves in full."

"We'll see if you have the energy for that after I'm done with you, darling." Jameson pushed William's jacket off his shoulders, letting it fall to the ground before he also pushed William to sit upon the edge of the bed. Despite having just eaten a full course meal not even an hour prior, Jameson's hunger was revived, William looking like his very own private feast.

He didn't waste any more time, instead starting his exploration at the spot right up under William's ear that always earned positive results. The following tug upon his earlobe was also met with positive reception, and Jameson began his work there, licking around the shell of William's ear as he started to undo his partner's shirt, William assisting until their fingers bumped together in the middle. Jameson offered his hands, and William took them in turn, holding onto each other with the stem of the flower between their palms as they shared one more kiss.

With William's chest exposed, it would be simple to make that Jameson's next target. But mixing things up from the expected order could be fun, too, and William had yet to offer any more specific instruction, so Jameson put the flower into the waiting vase upon the bedside table before sitting next to William on the bed, tilting William's chin to look at him as he offered an alluring smile.

And then he dipped his head to William's thighs and pressed his mouth there, letting the two different curves become flush with each other. He then planted one kiss, then another, his fingers trailing down from William's neck in a careful dance across his collarbones. As his mouth drew ever closer to the inside of William's thighs, he pinched a nipple, earning a quiet groan as William bent over on himself in pleasure. As he went, Jameson couldn't help but think that there were so many places upon William that he had yet to try kissing before, and the thought of changing that filled him with excitement.

"I worry that I might pass up somewhere I haven't kissed yet," Jameson said, looking up at William; with his current position and his free hand starting to undo William's belt, he was sure he made quite the attractive image. In fact, William's eyes were focused on him, upon each and every movement of his lips. "Can I count on that memory of yours to let me know where else I should give attention to, darling?"

"I feel confident I can remember, but I feel less confident I'll be able to provide clear instructions the further along we'll get." As if to prove his point, William released another moan as Jameson pinched his nipple tight again, the sound slipping into the air and right between Jameson's legs. "Is this a good time to mention that your lips have yet to go where your fingers are?"

"Hm? You mean here?" Jameson kissed at the button of William's trousers, managing to undo the fly with his teeth after a couple of attempts. "Or perhaps here?" Another kiss, half on the skin right above William's undershorts, the other half against the fabric. He teased that with his teeth as well, tugging the fabric away from William's body but unable to remove the undershorts in full with the ties still secure. Jameson smiled, licking up the lowest of William's abdominal muscles, all the while still massaging that nipple between his fingers. "Or am I mistaken?"

William's breaths were coming out at a somewhat more rapid pace than usual, which Jameson recognised as a sure-fire sign that William was enjoying himself. "N-nothing you've said is incorrect. But I confess I was hoping for something…higher." Jameson, of course, had known that all along, and William must have known any ignorance was feigned for a tease, but that didn't stop the verbalised request from sounding wonderful. Yes, Jameson could see why William adored tempting him so whenever he took the lead. "There's much of my torso you have yet to indulge in."

"Is that so?" With a hand upon his shoulder, Jameson urged William to lie down, making it much easier to kiss a lazy trail back and forth on William's stomach, taking his time and every possible detour along the way to his destination. There was a faint nip against William's hipbone that almost made him jerk up, then there was a long exploration up and down William's sides, which seemed to be far more sensitive than Jameson would have expected from the breathy exclamations that spilled from William's mouth. As he approached the pectorals, Jameson took his time, kissing around the entire edge of the defined muscle before spiralling in towards the centre, and when he at last reached that already perked nipple—

First, he gave it a lick.

Then, he let out a puff of air against it.

And last, he drew it into the warmth of his mouth with a gentle suck.

William groaned, his back arching the slightest bit. One of his hands came up to tuck into Jameson's hair, giving the gentlest scratches to his scalp, which was the most divine thing Jameson had felt. "Be sure," William said, that beautiful strain of arousal in his voice, "to try out different pressures to see what your partner likes best."

On the surface, that was meant to be a piece of advice so that Jameson would know what to do whenever attempting to seduce someone whose preferences he didn't know.

Underneath that was William's actual request for more.

Jameson wasted no time in providing, increasing the pressure of his sucking whilst swirling his tongue around the bud in his mouth. One hand teased along William's side, trying to see if fingers had the same effect in those sensitive areas as his mouth had earlier, while the other rested over William's crotch, not doing anything but providing a vague sense of stimulation to the erection all his ministrations were bringing to life. With one more suck, he adjusted, teasing his teeth over William's nipple in a gentle scrape before widening his mouth to bite the area, easing in one millimetre at a time, the precise same way he'd practiced upon Miss Maryanne until she'd pushed him down harder.

William didn't do the same, but his grasp in Jameson's hair tightened a bit, as if he were attempting to hold onto something he didn't want to let go. He also rolled his hips once into Jameson's palm, and Jameson gave a rub in response, almost feeling like he was coaxing the piano into giving him the right notes he needed—a hard push there, a pianissimo glide there, fingers grazing over the black and white keys until landing upon the ones he needed.

"Apologies, darling," Jameson said, keeping close to William's chest so that his breath could tease his skin. "You wanted me to be all over, and here I am focusing on just the one part of you." Even so, he dropped another kiss upon the nipple, William's exhale proof of how sensitive he had become. "Allow me to correct that."

And so he pulled back in full, slipping off the edge of the bed before William could protest at the lack of contact. The carpet was cool beneath him, but Jameson was giving off enough heat that that soon changed. His hands found purchase upon William's hips, massaging the area a few times, though with none of William's own level of skill. There was plenty of a reaction, though, so Jameson's fumbling wasn't unwanted in the slightest. His fingers then slipped inside William's trousers, finding the drawstrings to his undershorts and pulling the ties open. Once the careful bows were no more, Jameson gave the strings a slight tug before urging William to lift his hips up so pull both garments off.

Between his intellect and his eagerness, William understood the intent right away, giving Jameson the clearance to do what he needed; not having removed the belt beforehand, the pile of clothes clinked once as Jameson let them slip aside, much more focused on the sight before him. William was almost all the way hard, though his erection still had a bit to go. It would have been oh so simple to pop that erection between his lips, to feel it grow inside his mouth and throat, but Jameson had other plans that he didn't quite feel like diverging from yet.

Starting on William's right, Jameson pressed both his palms in full against either side of his thigh, the thin but strong muscles filling his grasp with ease. Keeping his touch light, Jameson slid both hands down, the softness of both skin and body hair alike slipping under his fingers. He paused as he reached William's sock, but just for the moment it took to grasp the fabric and pull it off as well, and then he continued his journey, all the way until he had William's foot in his grasp and could press his thumbs in an imitation of another massage. William's toes flexed once, then released, and Jameson lifted the leg before him so he could drop a kiss upon William's ankle.

In contrast to his earlier treatment of William's pectorals, Jameson kept the touch of his lips feather light as he made a circle around William's ankle. In the meantime, he's also peeled off William's other sock, and so he repeated the process upon the other side as well. Even without glancing up, he could feel William's gaze on him. Was he rapt with fascination, the way he could get when working out an engaging math equation? Was he biting his lips to keep his control? As tempting as looking would have been, Jameson kept his head down, focusing on nothing but the skin before him, the mystery of it all making it much more enjoyable to do as he pleased. Besides, if he was missing the mark, then William would provide him instruction, and wasn't it just always worth it to hear that voice, no matter the words that it formed?

From there, it was just a matter of working his way up, his lips tending to one leg, his hands tending to the other. Jameson did his best to replicate William's slow and teasing pace, but his own impatience made it somewhat difficult. Still, he was able to hold himself back from rushing to his true prize, and for that he thought he deserved some sort of praise down the line. In comparison to other areas, William's legs didn't seem to be the most sensitive, but either the successive kisses or the spectacle of it all or both seemed to be having an impact as William would let out pleased exhales now and then—and even that minimal sound was enough to make Jameson's own desire tighten. A teasing brush of the fingers against the back of William's knee found his leg jerking a bit, though it was more likely from a ticklish feeling than anything else. Still, Jameson knew from his own experience that such sensations could be just a nudge away from pleasurable, so he noted the reaction in his mind as he moved on.

By the time he'd started to kiss in a zigzag pattern across William's thigh, Jameson's effectiveness was becoming all the clearer. The muscles in William's thighs were taut, his hands were fisted into the blankets at the bedside, and, of course, his erection was at its full power. Early release was also starting to strain at the tip, a perfect match for the wetness leaking into Jameson's own undershorts. Still, after coming so far, Jameson had no intention of rushing the ending, so he took his time working his way up the rest of William's leg, even going up to his hipbone before working back down—but still shying away from William's penis, instead skirting along the edge of that fine public hair. Having made it to the inside of William's thigh, his hand massaging the opposite leg just as William had done to him in the carriage, Jameson gave a long lick up the crease in the body where leg and pelvis met before allowing himself at long last to look at William.

He'd gone back to being hunched over. Though such a position might make it difficult to see his face were they at the same eye level, Jameson was beneath him and able to take in everything about William's expression. He had not bit his lip, but his mouth was pursed in a way that suggested he was attempting to control himself—though for whatever reason, Jameson couldn't fathom. William was almost always like that, he realised, keeping his orgasm back. Part of that must have been his own preferences coming through, going as long as possible to maximize the end result, but Jameson couldn't help but think it was also out of some sense of duty that he restrained himself so.

And then, just as he was having those thoughts, scarlet red met jade green in the low shadows of a lustful night.

Jameson chose that precise moment to wrap his mouth around one of William's testicles.

The result was instantaneous, William's voice producing a sound that was half Jameson's name, half mild curse. He'd also jerked his hips forward—not unlike the earlier instinctual jerk of his leg as Jameson teased behind his knee—though there was not yet anything for him to thrust into. Jameson did lean in a bit, though, allowing William's erect penis to press against his cheek, more of that early release slipping out.

When he began to suck on the soft flesh in his mouth, his other hand played with its partner, a contrasting gentle tease, and William's grip upon the bed increased so that the tension was readable in every last line of his body; all that pressure had to go somewhere—

"Jameson," William said, his voice on the urge of a croak, "i-if you keep that up, then I'll—"

Jameson gave a gentle squeeze in tandem with one more suck to cut the sentence off, William's answering moan loud and clear, even when Jameson slid his mouth free to speak, "You're the one that's taught me by example to ensure my partner orgasms first, darling." William had no one to blame but himself. "If you're to guide me by being an effective instructor, you should at least be honest about what you want." No matter where the night had started, that was what Jameson wished for in the moment, to hear William request whatever his heart desired so that Jameson could fulfil it.

"Please," William said, that careful composure of his cracking, and Jameson didn't even mind that William hadn't gotten into any sort of specifics.

"Beautiful," Jameson whispered, the word escaping him like a prayer.

And then he took William's penis into his mouth.

While it might have been obvious to say, the hardness of his erection was an altogether different sensation than the testicle that had come before it, and the magnitude of William's groan was on another level, too. Jameson took a little bit of time to swirl his tongue around the tip, tasting every last salty drop of the semen that had already escaped. The flavour was strong, even from that amount, but Jameson didn't mind, the sensation of William filling up his senses as he took in a bit more, repeating the action with his tongue, as if he were trying to learn the full shape of William's arousal from that level of study alone.

By then, William's legs were spread wide, Jameson nestled between them. He'd placed his hands upon William's hips, though he didn't think he'd mind too much if William wanted it to be a joint effort. William held still, though, as respectful as ever, even as his breaths grew ragged and his moans became more frequent.

"Jameson. Jameson, your mouth—"

I want to feel your mouth everywhere.

Taking in a breath through his nose and adjusting his angle, Jameson made sure his mouth was as everywhere as he could muster it. His lips made it to William's base, the hair their tickling, while his throat was full, making it beyond obvious whenever William twitched from the anticipation, a sure sign that it would not be long until he orgasmed, spilling his seed into Jameson without reservation.

Chasing that moment, Jameson pulled back, the pace slow before he slammed back down with force, accentuating the final position with a long suck. He knew the end result would be a scratchy throat come the morning, but he didn't care, not with those perfect sounds slipping out of William's perfect mouth—and so he repeated the cycle, revelling in the way William held onto him, one hand curling into his hair while the other settled upon Jameson's shoulder, as if he were William's sole clutch to reality.

"Jameson, my dear—"

Heat pounded at Jameson's stomach, not enough to tip him over the edge but pushing him oh so close, the same level of satisfaction that came from William pressing inside him in full, or the right rhythm of a rub against his clitoris. The next moment, whenever William orgasmed, a different sort of warmth filled him from the opposite end, and Jameson threw his efforts into maintaining that balance of breathing and swallowing, though he mistimed one inhale and so had to pull off. William had almost finished his release at that point, so it wasn't as if it made much of a mess, but it did mean some of William's semen dripped to the floor, to the top of Jameson's still clothed thighs. Perhaps another time, he'd take William right up to the edge with his mouth and use his hands the rest of the way, allowing those drips of white to—

Despite not having been touched at all, Jameson released a low groan. Now that he was done with William's pleasure, all the desperation crashed right into him, and he gripped to William's hips tight enough that his nails, short as they were, dug right into his flesh.

"I believe," William said, his voice still airy from his orgasm, "that you practicing giving instructions about your own desires will also be a helpful exercise for taking the lead."

Right, that's where we started. The general excitement of the moment had chased the concept from his mind, though that also had to do with the fact that William hadn't given him too many suggestions beyond his original request. And yet Jameson didn't feel disappointed in himself; instead he felt rather proud for being able to do such a thorough job of taking the lead on his own terms and earning a rather spectacular result at that.

But now he had a new set of instructions to follow, which were turning around and giving Jameson the responsibility to provide instructions on his own. "Is this another way of having me dictate what's going on to understand its effectiveness?" he asked, reaching up to caress William's cheek.

"That is my intention for this exercise, yes."

"I can see some of the benefit." It also meant that William would be at his absolute beck and call, which Jameson was finding that he enjoyed almost as much as the inverse, each scenario holding its own distinct appeal. "I suppose you'll be wanting more concrete instructions than just my telling you to do as you please with me?"

That playful smile flickered onto William's lips. "For the lesson to be as effective as possible, yes," he said, though there was enough of a lilt to his words that Jameson was able to pick up on the underlying meaning:

Perhaps William enjoyed the change in roles as much as Jameson did.

Well, asking outright would defeat the purpose of him discerning his partner's preferences; Jameson could confirm the details in the aftermath to see how well his assessment had gone. "Very well," he said, playing along. "In which case, darling, I believe I'm due to be free of clothes, please. Do strip me all the way down until there's nothing left."

It was, altogether, a much milder order than those William could give, but he did not seem to mind being on the receiving end of such instructions for the time being. He offered out his hand, which Jameson took, allowing himself to be helped to his feet. "By 'until there's nothing left,'" he said, that enticing purr underlying the curve of his words, "I assume you mean even your chest wrappings should be gone?"

"I chose that phrase for a reason." It was, however, a phrase he hadn't used before, so clarifying seemed to be in order. "Please assume that, in the future, that is what I will mean." It would provide a simple shorthand to what level of bareness Jameson could handle on any particular night, at least until the day he went through with the surgery to alter his chest, making it a non-issue—but that was at least some months off. Having regained the higher ground as he stood over William, Jameson tucked his fingers under that chin to get another look at the lovely scarlet of his partner's eyes. "I assume that shan't be an issue, shall it?"

"Whatever glimpses of your skin I've been granted, I shall enjoy them with gusto. However," William said, pausing a brief moment to kiss the back of Jameson's hand, "I do intend to do far more than glimpse tonight." He then moved his lips to Jameson's wrist, lingering upon the pulse point as his eyes roved over Jameson's current state, as if plotting his strategy of just how and when he would divest Jameson of his clothes.

Seeming to have made up his mind, William decided to take an unconventional approach, undoing Jameson's shirt buttons from the bottom up. Each time he popped one from its corresponding buttonhole, he would take time to feel over Jameson's skin, first tracing a faint circle around his belly button, then expanding it in radius the more space he had available to him. Once he'd gotten high enough that Jameson's chest wrapping was in the way, he took the time to undo the clip in the back, tugging the gauze loose before pulling on the end, allowing it to unravel like a ribbon coming off a well-wrapped giftbox.

Unlike every other piece of clothing they'd divested themselves up thus far, William rolled the wrapping into a neat coil around his hand, pulling it off in a compact shape once he was done, and then stretched out to place it on the nightstand, next to the pitcher of water. From there, it was just a matter of time before just the buttons around Jameson's collar were left, and his tie tickled against his torso as William took it off, then the buttons, then pushed the shirt off of Jameson's shoulders.

"Halfway there, darling," Jameson said, stretching his arms above his head and knowing full well that it would show him off well. William wasn't meeting his eyes, his sharp gaze instead exploring other things. "Don't keep me waiting too long, now."

"I wouldn't dream of it," William said. Both of them knew that remark was false, since William did enjoy the tease whenever he had the chance, but he relented and undid both the buckle of Jameson's belt and the button atop his slacks, allowing the garment to dip under the weight of the belt stick stuck in the loops. "I was just thinking that sometimes exposing less makes for an even more tantalising image."

While he had no mirror to observe himself in to check, all it took was a bit of imagination to picture William in the same state of undress as he, and Jameson could see the absolute appeal. "It does. Perhaps next time I should have you service me in this manner." He tapped William's lips, thinking of their positions inversed, William on his knees against the plush carpet, topless and ready, but taking the time to tuck his head between Jameson's legs and bring him to orgasm with his lips and tongue alone. "But for now, I want to be on full display while you pleasure me, William."

"By your leave, Jameson."

With his trousers already in such a precarious position, it took little more than a push for them to fall to the floor, and Jameson stepped out of them, putting him right in William's space. William's hands settled on his hips, gripping Jameson well enough that he lifted him up to settle into William's lap.

"I want you to tell me what you're thinking," Jameson said, allowing his voice to come out airy. William was exploring every bit of him with his hands, from shoulders to thighs and his backside in between. "Because I'm thinking I'd like to achieve release at least once before you're inside me."

"And then a second release for both of us then?" William asked, and Jameson answered with a smile. In truth, he hadn't thought that far ahead, instead choosing to enjoy the moment; there was every chance he may add some other stipulation to their order of affairs before then. As if sensing this, William chuckled. "I suppose it's a bad habit of mine to play out so many options if I keep doing it while we're following your plans. Now…how should I give you this orgasm?"

That was the tricky thing to determine, since there were a number of options on the table, even without penetration involved. William's hands hadn't stopped moving, though, and Jameson allowed himself to sink into that sensation. "If I limit you to just your hands, would that be possible for you?"

William's lips formed into that seductive smirk, sending a fresh shiver of anticipation from below Jameson's stomach all the way up to his brain. "I believe I can manage that much." With that, one hand cupped around Jameson's buttocks, massaging it as the other set of fingers swiped between Jameson's vulva, the wetness making the move all the more tantalising. Jameson squirmed, bracing himself to hold out, but he then remembered that he was in charge, so there was nothing whatsoever stopping him from getting what he wanted.

"In," he said, pushing his hips down. William adjusted the angle of his fingers to meet Jameson, allowing him to sink down onto them, a moan escaping his mouth as at last he received some concrete stimulation. "Another," he added as he lifted up, William slipping a third finger to the mix for Jameson to take inside him. Within no time at all, William's hand was slippery with Jameson's slick, and Jameson took in as much as he could, wiggling his hips a bit to find the best possible angle, though a place deeper inside of him than William's fingers alone could reach ached for more. Soon, Jameson told himself, gripping onto William's shoulders for balance as he began to move. Soon he'd be able to feel that and the absolute satisfaction that came with it, but it would feel so much better if he was sensitive from release already. Inside, Jameson clenched around William's fingers, but that wasn't enough to ease the ache inside of him. "Give me the fourth."

William drew a breath, and Jameson was somewhat aware of William's penis beginning to stir towards another erection beneath him, but it was difficult to give focus to such things as the majority of William's hand filled him up. Knowing just where to kiss, William had been pressing his lips to Jameson's shoulders, which might have been considered cheating the rules, but Jameson was not one to complain whenever the end result was so wonderful.

"Match my p-pace." He hadn't planned to stutter, but he also wasn't all that bothered that he had. After all, didn't he enjoy hearing the shakes in William's voice whenever he earned them? If William received as much enjoyment from Jameson's voice as he claimed he did, no doubt he would enjoy the same thing. As ever, William followed Jameson's order, moving his wrist at the appropriate pace, his other hand having grasped to Jameson's thigh to help him keep his balance as Jameson rode those fingers, imagining them as the prelude to the actual penis that would be inside him soon enough.

A wave of pleasure welled up in him, the sort that signalled his release was close but not immediate, and Jameson sped up, letting his chest press against William's, their skin almost melding into each other's. The exertion had left a thin layer of sweat across both their bodies, but neither of them relented, William's erection brushing against Jameson's inner thigh as Jameson rode his fingers with complete abandon, making an absolute mess of the hand he was using to his utmost satisfaction.

"William," Jameson said, unable to make the actual sentence he wanted to speak come to reality. "Oh, William, now." He tried to form the other words—your thumb, touch me, make me come—but his mouth couldn't cooperate. Still, William could read him well enough that there was no need for specifics, and Jameson didn't care if that meant he'd receive a failing grade for his assignment, not whenever his clitoris was so, so sensitive as William brushed his thumb across it, making everything beforehand pale in comparison to the pleasure coursing through him, and he indulged himself upon those fingers with absolute abandon, working his way up until—

Jameson shouted as he orgasmed, his back arched in an immaculate curve, his head thrown up towards the heavens. William hummed his satisfaction into Jameson's neck as he kissed it, continuing his steady pace even as Jameson's own moves became erratic, their mismatched movements somehow even more satisfying than if they'd kept in synch together, William's thumb rolling in a circle around Jameson's clitoris.

Jameson pulled himself together enough to order, "Don't stop," as he let his weight fall forward, tipping William back onto the bed, his fine hair spilling out onto the dark red of the bedclothes, the contrast further enhanced by the way his pale skin glimmered in the lamplight. Jameson kept himself propped up so he could enjoy the view of William watching him close, fingers and hips alike still moving until at last Jameson gripped William's wrist to pull himself off his hand. Some of Jameson's mess had dribbled down to William's arm, two lines slipping over the gentle curve there before they intersected farther down the line.

"That seemed to be to your—ahh."

That moan had been courtesy of Jameson gripping William by the base so that he could sink down onto him. William was not yet hard all the way, but the relaxation from Jameson's orgasm meant that it was easy to let him in, William's penis growing harder inside his walls. Jameson didn't move any further, didn't start up a pace, instead just wishing to enjoy the growing feeling of fullness inside him as he and William looked into each other's eyes, sharing the moment.

"You know, my darling," Jameson said, rubbing his palm over William's chest in a circle, "I believe I still have some ways to go before I've managed to kiss every last spot upon your body."

"So you do," William said in return, catching a lock of Jameson's hair to spin around his fingertip. "Shall we work to remedy that?"

And though Jameson was not able to complete the goal that night, it still left an ambition to one day fulfil, and that promise was good enough for them both.

It was a wonderful thing to not have to worry about going anywhere for an entire day, William couldn't help but think. While for him sleep was often a fleeting thing that didn't hold him longer than necessary (until, of course, it decided to hold him for much longer than necessary), that didn't mean William was incapable of having days where his motivation to do anything of import had laxed. Those were what he considered to be slow start days, where often by the afternoon something would catch his attention either out of interest or necessity, but he recognised that the time before then was important to cherish, lest he work himself into an inevitable exhaustion.

They were still a long way off from changing the world, so rest was essential. Even with that knowledge, though, it was a rare event that William felt so content with the prospect of lying in the comfort of bed until Louis called him down for breakfast.

He was certain that Jameson sleeping at his side contributed to that.

He was just as certain that the absolute satisfaction of their intercourse the previous night did as well.

William had thought multiple times that being together with Jameson was an incredible experience. Some might even claim he'd thought it enough to the point of it becoming repetitive; however, to think of it as just an ordinary, everyday event would be doing Jameson a great injustice. He was not someone to be treated as mundane, but instead someone to treasure and marvel in.

Take Jameson's sleeping form, for example. Though he'd had some short-slept nights whilst they were working on Carol's crime consultancy, concluding the affair had allowed Jameson to get some deeper rest—and, as with William, their thorough intercourse the previous night also contributed. As such, his face was in a state of perfect relaxation underneath the smattering of his freckles that William could recall with perfect clarity, as it was not quite dawn and so there was not much light to see by. While he could have recalled any such memories to picture Jameson with, that morning in particular it was from the previous evening: the handsomeness of his (still strewn across the floor) attire, his smile throughout dinner, the flash of jade beneath his bangs while he looked up at William, his mouth full as he sucked William dry, the twisting of pleasure as William's fingers alone drew him to ecstasy, the even louder moans as they joined together in the purest possible sense of the word.

All of those moments were still fresh in William's mind, and he hovered between recalling them all and appreciating Jameson beside him. Though both events happened with regular enough frequency, William still craved more, which he would have felt guilty for if fulfilling each other's desires had not been one of Jameson's express requests for their ongoing relationship together. It should have been enough to satisfy him, and yet…

If I could see this sight each and every morning, I would have naught to complain about in the slightest. Knowing that Jameson had slept well through the night and was slumbering in peace without needing to wait to cross paths in the halls or at the breakfast table brought with it a great sense of relief, and one for a worry that William hadn't realised he'd been carrying with him to such an extent.

It was also a blessing that his lack of anywhere to go meant that William could remain there, waiting until either his stomach pulled him from bed or Jameson arose, whichever came first.

The latter ended up being the case, Jameson making a small noise as if he were an animal. His good mornings were like that: coming to consciousness at a slow pace, like bread dough rising under the darkness of a kitchen towel. First there was a faint noise, then there was him shifting—that morning, it was to snuggle closer to William's chest, and then at last the creaking open of those jade green eyes, still blurry from sleep but the brilliance no less compelling for it.

"Good morning, dearest," William said, brushing across the freckles upon Jameson's cheek.

"Good morning, William." Jameson yawned soon after, but he did tuck his lips underneath William's chin to leave a peck there, and his smile evident in that brief connection. "Were you waiting long?"

"It hasn't felt like it." Watching Jameson was an idyllic sort of activity, like watching the waves crash up against the shore and back again: time seemed to have no meaning throughout the process. "I know you've watched me in sleep before. Did it not feel the same way?"

"It did." Jameson nuzzled in even closer, though he did adjust to ensure he could still look at William's face while they talked. "Though of course you'd be conscious of something, even whenever you're not awake to witness it."

If William were to describe it, it was almost as if he had a thin layer of memory for what happened around him at all times, though it was like attempting to view fine details through a fog. "Just a general impression. From there, I have to make deductions as per usual."

"And your deductions are often right on the money," Jameson said, a fond smile forming on his lips.

"So it seems." William took a little longer to mull over the words in his mind, then decided it would be better to be upfront than considering a multitude of possibilities. "I had a thought," he said, and Jameson tilted his head to the side in silent question. William was struck with the urge to kiss him again—nothing intense, just a gentle peck upon the lips—but he also feared he might forget what he was to say should that happen, so he refrained for the moment. "It seems with our young friend in the house, it may become more difficult to get time together like this. But your concern is that it might be obvious whenever we indulge in each other, yes?" Jameson nodded. While William had no such reservations, he had no intention of violating Jameson's boundaries whenever it was a reasonable concern. "While going out for dinner was wonderful, and I plan to do so with you again, I don't believe we need to have so convoluted of an approach. I've come upon a much simpler solution."

"And that might be?"

"That we share a bedroom." Jameson's beat of silence spoke plenty, though the surprise slipping into his expression further cemented just how little he'd expected that to be William's proposed answer. "It's optional, of course. But I can think of a much worse way to spend my nights than with you sleeping at my side." Having Jameson comfortable beside him was such a treat that it would be welcome for the future—not to mention that William found that he slept so much better with such company at his side.

"Are you…?" Jameson cut himself off, seeming to think better of asking the question that William could guess: Are you certain? "No, you must be, if you're offering." Good, he'd been able to reach that conclusion on his own. "I…think I would like to do so. I do confess that I can't help but worry, though."

"Worry?" William asked, wishing to give Jameson all the space necessary to speak his mind. As much as William would enjoy the company, his own satisfaction paled in comparison to Jameson's own comfort.

"I…do not always sleep well through the night, even still." William didn't comment, instead letting Jameson hold onto his hand beneath the blankets, squeezing back when he was able. "It's gotten better! But there are still nights whenever I awake in a panic, and I worry…what if in such a state I mistake you for someone who wants to hurt me?"

What if I believe you're Stratford or one of the regulars?

It wasn't as if such a thing hadn't happened before, but just as frequent were the nights that found Jameson wandering his way to William's chambers, seeking comfort from his nightmares. "It's up to you," William said, "but I feel as if that's all the more reason to share."

"What do you mean?"

"If by chance you do mistake me—" because William would never presume such a thing wouldn't happen; his previous mistakes were reason enough "—I would be able to do my best to prove to you that you are safe. It may not be perfect, but it would be better than your suffering alone." William leaned his head forward, letting their foreheads touch, and Jameson relaxed into the contact. "I do not in any way consider being able to provide you help an inconvenience. And perhaps, with enough nights sleeping side by side, you'd be able to feel much more comfortable and have such thoughts less and less."

There was no way to guarantee such a thing, and William wouldn't make any such promises. But it was a possibility, and if it would help Jameson, then William would be willing to try.

Jameson seemed interested, but there was still a layer of worry covering his gaze. "You'd be willing to put up with that for me?"

"Have I not been by your side through everything else you've asked of me?" Yes, he had stumbled in some cases, but whenever Jameson had wanted him nearby, William had strived to fulfil his requests. "Jameson, I do not consider helping you in any way to be 'putting up' with you. I would enjoy sharing more space with you if you'd be willing to do so. In fact, I want to have you close by." He hadn't admitted the thought to himself until that moment, but William wouldn't take it back, and he reached over to push some hair out of Jameson's face. "Of course, if you want to try it and then decide to move back to your own room, I wouldn't object on that matter, either." He did, more than anything else, want to give Jameson the choice to do as he pleased.

"…But you want me to stay with you?"

"I do." The answer was as honest as it was instantaneous, and William squeezed Jameson's hand, the warmth between them far stronger than anything else in that moment. "Will you do me the honour?"

"Yes," Jameson whispered. "I…I would like that very much, William."

"Then it's decided. We can sort out moving your things about in the morning." And with that, he dropped a kiss upon Jameson's forehead, Jameson leaning in to take a peck upon the lips as well. "For now, it seems we should get ready for the day so we can start to move your things after breakfast.

Whenever they awoke the following morning, with Jameson half sprawled across his chest and with a mouthful of russet hair in his mouth, William thought that might have been the best night of sleep he'd had in quite a long time.

It had taken them some time, but they had at last finished cleaning up the remnants of the group that had taken Miss Alice from her home.

The operation had been slower, and it had used a variety of methods to handle the targets. While Robson's death had been made to look like a suicide, that didn't mean the others involved wouldn't be concerned. After all, the same night that Robson had died was the exact same one that their primary headquarters had been broken into, the women there escaped, and several of their hired guards having gone missing. It was plenty to make anyone worked up, and, while that meant some grew paranoid, their fear also made them sloppy. To make them all experience unfortunate accidents or go missing was simple enough, and the trafficking had been dismantled. While they'd all participated, Albert had lead most of the operations, using his military expertise to take care of securing whatever information the men had and organising it.

That was the report he'd given upon their follow-up meeting that evening, and everyone listened all the way through. Even Fred, who was new, had absorbed everything in a careful sort of silence, doubtless soaking in the details for future reference.

"Even if the matter is settled," Louis said, "I doubt this is the last we'll be seeing of these sorts of incidents." William couldn't help but agree, though he wished it weren't the case. While not all trafficking operations were interested in using their victims to fulfil sexual desires, it didn't change the fact that there were plenty of people out there willing to take advantage of others. Even worse, there were many groups that most people with power weren't interested in protecting in the slightest, even beyond those in the slums and sex workers like Alice. As seen in the traffickers they'd handled in February, many of those victims were immigrants, those foreigners viewed as prime targets since they, like the poor, often didn't have the same level of support. "In the end, we'll need to reform society to stop the root of these problems, but even then…"

Even then, removing the class system is just one hurdle that humanity needs to overcome. William was more than aware of that, more than aware of the limitations his ambitions had, as grand as they were—but erasing the ability of the nobility to get away with whatever atrocities they wanted was a good place to start.

"That will come in due time, though, yes?" Jameson asked, easing some of the gloomy atmosphere that threatened to overtake them. Considering that William had half expected Jameson to be the most impacted by their temporary powerlessness, his confidence helped out matters of morale. "We did a good thing. We saved people—helped someone from where I grew up." Given Carol's stubbornness, William could surmise their assistance had also prevented her from running off on her own, which could have also led to another disappearance, and one that would impact Miss Penny's boarding house at that. "And you all helped me whenever I went and promised more on my own than I should. Perhaps it's not my place to say, but I think that stopping whatever atrocities we can while we're still working to make a much larger change is still important. Hell, even if all we ever were capable of was saving one person at a time, that would still have value."

So said Jameson, who was that one person that had been saved.

Albert offered a smile. "I think if anyone has right to talk about what matters, it would be you, Jameson." The mirth in Albert's expression didn't last long, though. "We were able to find something, though." William knew from the furrow in his brother's brow that it wasn't anything pleasant. One might claim that such things were to be expected in their line of work, but that didn't change the fact that Albert seemed more tense than usual—and when his emerald eyes glanced to Jameson, William was able to draw enough of a conclusion that he took Jameson's hand before even hearing the words. "It seems our group here has connections to the Duke of St Albans."

Jameson drew a breath that William had expected, but it was still not pleasant to experience. While he'd known the duke was on Jameson's list of targets, the new context made a handful of things start to click into place for William, while several others were obscured, but none of that mattered if he didn't confirm their starting point. "Jameson, do you—"

"Yes," Jameson said before Louis could even finish the question, and William did a rather poor job at containing his grimace. "Yes, I wasn't the only one. There were…others…my friend…"

"You don't have to say more if you don't wish to," Albert said, and Jameson took that permission with stride. While William would admit he wished to know just so could provide a fraction more of comfort, that was not his place to decide what Jameson would and wouldn't divulge. "If you also wish to not talk about this now, we can wait until you're of more sound mind…"

"N-no. I'm fine." Jameson did not sound nor did he look fine, and he shook his head as if in recognition of that fact. "Or rather…it's much more accurate to say that I want to keep talking things over. If…the Duke has been funding such things, that's all the more reason to decide how we will handle the matter sooner than later, yes?"

There were, after all, but two of the regulars left to take care of.

"I have been looking into matters, yes," William said, becoming the centre of attention. "I've known all the names since Jameson told me, but as much as it would be fitting to approach Beauclerk as our next target, he and his family have just gone out of the country for an extended holiday. While it wouldn't be impossible to track him down, it would put us at a great disadvantage to not be able to control the entire situation. Even more than that, for Jameson to happen to be out of the country at the same time…"

It could be passed off as a coincidence, yes, but it was still a thread that could be traced, should one look close enough at it.

But even more than that…

"I don't think such an operation is impossible," Albert said, "but it would be difficult to pull off, what with you needing to go back to teaching soon."

The new semester was but days away, and that restricted William's movements. It would have been one thing if they were to travel for weeks at a time in the middle of summer, and he was certain his own privilege as the second son of the Morarity Earldom would earn him some leeway, but William would have preferred not to abuse such power whenever his utmost goal was to destroy such a hierarchy altogether.

"I…" Jameson said, his shoulders having hunched in together. It made him look so much smaller, so much more in distress, but, seeing as Jameson was yet to be on the verge of tears, William restrained himself from acting. Besides, Jameson was right beside him; he could reach out to William if he wished. "I know the duke is going to be a big ask. And if it's to be more complicated than expected, I don't wish to add to that." Whenever he looked up, his eyes were clear, even if the rest of his expression was the slightest bit forced. "I've trusted you to handle the logistics thus far, William. So if you think waiting is best, then I'll accept your judgement."

It was, as always, an exceptional amount of trust that Jameson was willing to place in him.

"I will note that I have been giving some thought to our next steps for your consultancy, Jameson." No matter what other events happened—be they mundane, like fulfilling social obligations, or much more critical, such as Carol and Alice's case—William was always turning those plans over in his mind, conducting an extra bit of research to see what was possible. It may have been a long-term endeavour, but that didn't make each and every second until then essential.

Much like a spider attempting to catch flies, one had to finish crafting the web first.

"If we are in agreement that we will be holding off on Beauclerk for the time being—" there, William paused to ensure that they were, in fact, in agreement, and Jameson nodded "—then it makes the most sense for us to handle Marquis Waterford next. The timing also works out, as the social season is almost over, and he'll be returning to his main residence in Birmingham soon." Birmingham was not anywhere near as far away as the continent, but it still presented similar complications to Beauclerk's case.

"So it's either in our best interest to wrap this up before he heads home or while he is heading there," Louis said, picking up on William's intentions with ease. In fact, William's initial drafts had handling Waterford before Leinster, as the Countess's primary residence was in London, but the photographs at Harris's home had complicated matters. "That doesn't give us much time at all."

"Indeed," Albert said. "It's a matter of weeks at this point."

"Um," said Fred, the fact that he'd mustered the strength to speak at a louder volume than usual catching everyone off guard. The concentrated attention of the four men almost seemed like too much for him to handle. It was a testament to his growing familiarity with the residents of Moriarty Manor that he pulled himself together a few seconds later to continue. "Sorry to interrupt. But about this case. I'm not…certain what it's about."

Ah. The transition between resolving the Robson affair and the case of the regulars had been seamless enough that no one had had the time to remember that Fred was new to the group, and thus didn't have full context for the affair. William glanced to Jameson; it was his story, and thus his right to decide how much he would divulge. Jameson caught the look and nodded before turning to Fred once more. "It's my request," he said, the pace of his speech indicating just how much he was considering his explanation. "Remember how I told you I was adopted from Whitechapel and into the nobility? After that…I went through things that no person, let alone a child, should have to go through."

Whether it was out of consideration for Fred's age or just that he was not in the mood to discuss further that led Jameson to omit details, it was difficult to tell. Still, given the context of what they'd just been discussing and that there was an apparent connection between the two consultancies would no doubt be enough for Fred to put some things together, should he think upon it further. "So then, this Beauclerk and Waterford you've mentioned…"

"Are both people I wish to kill, yes. Just like Miss Alice felt about Robson." Fred let those words sink in, not commenting more than necessary, though there was a furrow forming in his brow. Jameson kept to the facts, but his voice was not unkind as he said, "There were others, but they've already been taken care of, thanks to everyone's help. If you don't mind, Fred, I'd appreciate your assistance with these cases as well."

The boy nodded. "Just let me know what to do."

"That's going to depend," William said, seeing his opportunity to take back control of the conversation. "As I'm sure you can imagine, sorting out these matters can be a complicated affair, even at the best of times. I feel as if making matters appear to be some sort of accident while Waterford is heading home might be simplest, but that still supposes a lot of other variables are in place. What we will need to do is ensure that we will be able to have the target in an appropriate place at an appropriate time where we can act on matters without drawing undue suspicion upon ourselves." Half of the explanation was for Fred's benefit, as he was still new, so William paused a moment to ensure the boy was aware of the circumstances before continuing, "Will you permit me a bit longer to devise our options, Jameson? If we can get an idea of Waterford's movements and when he intends to leave, along with some other information, it will make progressing all the easier."

Jameson nodded his approval, as did Louis. Albert gestured to the reports he'd compiled. "Shall we also keep an eye on where Beauclerk's resources are going? If he's travelling, I doubt he'll be in a state to manage any trafficking operations, but this is still the second time we've closed up one of his options. If any sort of business I was involved in had been obstructed twice, I would be frustrated."

"Yes, let's do that. Fred, I think your skill set would be best to handle that if you don't mind. Jameson, right now, the best thing you can do is rest so that you're ready from the time comes. Louis, if you could maintain things as usual, including confirming what resources we have available, that would be appreciated." Everyone accepted their roles as usual, though Fred looked motivated to participate. "And with that, let's call it a wrap for today."

The rest of the work would be up to him.

[Author's Notes]

Happy birthday to Jameson! For this very special occasion, I offer you all a fluff chapter! Took these two long enough to share a room, smh.

Thanks very much to anyone who has read or left kudos since last chapter; you're all the best. I hope you enjoy this bonus update. Extra thanks to beta Noiz for editing an extra chapter this month, too; I couldn't do it without you.

But, yeah, the unexpected side effects of adopting a child: you have to actually think about when you're having sex. A new arrangement has been made, and yet these two dumbasses can't work out their relationship properly. It truly is a struggle.

Also, can you believe we're less than a month away from part two of the manga starting? William's new monocle is very cute. I'm just thinking about all the fun canon scenes I'm excited to share with you, plus the opportunity to draft more Jamie material as the manga returns... It's an exciting time, indeed!

Title of the chapter is from sasanomoly's "Sora to Utsuro."

Next time: His Fourth Bow, Act Two. Please look forward to it!

-Avi

[11 November 2024]