closed psl.

[untodeath]

[ Word travels fast around the office. By the time Grell had returned from her shift to submit the appropriate paperwork, a secretary had already asked her if she'd been by to check on Mister Spears.

Now, she had known that he had been sent on an investigative mission with Ronald earlier that day, so she immediately assumed the worst. Demanding to know where to find them sent her bolting off to the lower levels. The new recruits were smart enough to dash out of the way - and some of them even directed her to the appropriate department; the optometrist's office, where she found William sulking in the lobby.

The poor man was without his glasses, but aside from a scuffed cheek and some healing bruises, appeared to be in one piece. It was his pride that seemed wounded, as the very air about him seemed heavy. ]

Oh, Will.

[ Heaving a sigh of relief, she sinks down into the chair beside him. Though knowing fully well that he won't like it, she won't be kept from fussing over him; reaching out to gingerly dash back some of his hair left mussed by his scuffle, while taking a good look at his wounds. ]

What did I tell you about taking care of your glasses, mm?

Comments

[death_glare]

[ Just what he needed to make this day better. Whichever lady from HR directed Grell to where he was will certainly be getting glares from the man once his glasses have been repaired and he can properly see her.

And of course the redhead has to go and invade his personal bubble the moment she sees him. It's not consoling at all, and the comment she provides only serves to irritate him more. He makes to get up and move a few chairs over, but even that seems difficult with the view of the room being nothing but a blur of moving colors. Embarrassingly enough, he has to pat along the shape of the seat before he feels confident enough that's he'll sit in it properly. ]

Do not mock me, Sutcliffe.

[untodeath]

[ What begins as a huffy pout of protest quickly turns to quiet sympathy, as Grell watches him struggle. Gripping onto the armrest of her seat, as she resists the urge to help him! ]

I'm not mocking you, I-- [ SIGH. ] I was worried, you know. That's all. [ Fidgeting, she contemplates quietly moving closer. Perhaps he wouldn't notice. ] Won't you tell me what happened?

[death_glare]

That ruddy demon.

[ Said with so much disgust that you can almost feel the rest of the room's inhabitants step away slightly. He'd complain that shooting a reapers glasses from their face with your utensil projectiles is playing completely unfair, but this is a demon they're speaking of. He's more frustrated with himself for being taken off guard. He won't admit that, though.

But there's another who he can complain about without any restraint. ]

And Knox couldn't be bothered to watch where he swung that ridiculous scythe of his.

[untodeath]

You saw Sebaby, did you?! Oh, it's always when I'm not there, darn it all!

[ Oh, right, she's actually quite worried. Getting back to that, then! Lowering her hands from her cheeks, she leans over one of the few armrests between them. ]

Wait-- so Ronnie broke them, you said? [ Sitting back, she SIGHS. ]

[death_glare]

[ Not aiming to irritate himself more, he avoids speaking more about the demon. ]

He completely mangled them. I'll be lucky if they can even be repaired.

[ The concern briefly shows on his face before he's back to scowling. ]

[untodeath]

[ Well, now she's legitimately concerned! Lenses take time, and considering the influx of new recruits, they would likely be on back order. ]

I don't suppose you still have your old frames lying about somewhere...

[death_glare]

Honestly, I wish I'd had that foresight.

[ No pun intended. The generics frames were the first thing that popped to mind. Though, his eyesight has most likely worsened since their days at the academy. ]

[untodeath]

[ The redheaded reaper holds her breath to resist snickering at that unintentional pun! Regardless, she's smiling when she stands up to offer her hand - and not simply by extending it to him, as that would be rather useless, lack of eyesight in mind. No, she carefully cups her hand under his. A surprisingly considerate move, perhaps, but he's at a terrible disadvantage, at the moment. ]

Why don't I take you back to your flat, and we can search for them together, mm?

[death_glare]

[ Grell, or rather, the wall just next to her, will be getting quite the suspicious look. He can't imagine that finding his glasses is the only thing she'd be looking to assist him with were he to allow her inside his home. ]

You are not coming home with me.

[ And he moves his hand away from where he'd felt it touch his. ]

[untodeath]

Oh, my darling... I'm over here.

[ Since he won't be taking that hand, she'll use it to snap, so he can get a better sense of direction here. ]

You can't very well find them on your own like this, now, can you?

[death_glare]

[ William's eyes quickly shift to where he hears Grell snapping. But that action, along with her words only irritate him more. Not only was he humiliated by that demon, but now he has to admit defeat. Because she's correct, he's not going to find them without his eyesight. Or do anything correctly, for that matter. ]

No, I won't be able to. [ A heavy sigh. ] I suppose I have to concede [ He'll stand from his seat on his own though, thank you very much. ]

[untodeath]

[ With a nod, Grell is beaming! Not that he'll be able to see either - but, at the very least, he can likely sense the satisfaction in her tone. ]

Very good. Now, then, hang on♥~.

[ That's the only warning William will receive, before she scoops an arm around his and teleports them to the apartment complex, right outside his door! ]

Ta-daa~. [ Patting that arm, then! ] Key, please!

[death_glare]

[ Teleportation has become so everyday for reapers that he's surprised he's taken off guard by it. Thus, he stumbles slightly when they reappear, bracing himself against the door frame as if he were about to topple over. ]

Can you give me more than a second's notice before doing such things. Honestly.

[ But he's tugging his arm free to rustle in the inner pocket of his jacket for the key. ]

[untodeath]

Yes, dear.

[ A standard in-one-ear-and-out-the-other response. She might be more than a little amused at how thrown off his game William is - but also quite worried for him, which is the strange part about it. Nothing that she can't conveniently ignore in favor of swooping in to play the heroine and nabbing some favour, though!

Waiting, she folds her arms behind her back, humming as she sways her shoulders to and fro. ]

[death_glare]

[ He'd attempt to unlock the door himself, but that would just prove a waste of time. So he begrudgingly hands the key over, pausing briefly to give stern instruction. ]

You will give this back to me immediately after you unlock the door.

[ Can't have her scampering off with it when she leaves. ]

[untodeath]

[ Grell ticks her tongue. ]

If I really wanted it, I'd take it from you later, and you'd be none the wiser.

[ She reaches to pluck the key from his grasp, so they can get in and on with it! ]

Not that I don't want a key to your flat, just to be clear♥.

[ After swinging the door open, she'll reach out to take his hand and press the key back into it - holding on for just a couple moments too long, really. ]

[death_glare]

[ William just huffs and pulls his hand back, indication that he has no intention of giving her one, any time soon. He pats the door frame as he walks through it, then uses his knowledge of the layout of his home to pat his way to the sitting room couch. He sits down heavily, seemingly more frustrated than angry now. ]

Do you think you are capable of making a pot of tea without burning my flat down?

[untodeath]

[ Well, a girl's got to try! It's not like she was expecting it, but she still huffs through her nose, before following behind and leaning against the door to close it. ]

--Hm?

[ And then she got distracted by gazing across his living area. It's very tidy, as she would expect. Perhaps minimal on the decor, but everything faintly smells of him, which is entirely redeeming.

Did he really just ask her to make tea, though? He must have forgotten who he's speaking to. ]

Of course, Will. What an absurd question.

[ She can make it. Probably. It will just taste horrid.

Still, she's already crossing over into the kitchen, more than excited to scope out yet another area of the flat! She does stop short a step past the doorway, though. ]

Might you be needing anything, in the meanwhile? [ Oh, this is already fun. She almost feels like a proper housewife! ]

[death_glare]

My cigarettes.

[ He says before really thinking it through. If he recalls from this morning, the package is sitting on his bedroom dresser. Not somewhere he wants to instruct Grell to go. ]

Never mind. Just black tea with sugar.

[ He can already hear her opening all the cabinets so he doesn't bother calling out where things are kept. For now he simply tries to piece together just where he would have stashed those old frames, if he even kept them, to begin with. ]

[untodeath]

[ Grell hum doubtfully as he changes his mind, but she'll let it be-- for now. There's snooping to do! For the kettle, of course. Thankfully, it's predictably been placed in one of the lower cabinets - so she's on to giving it a rinse, before filling it to place on the stove.

It takes her a few tries to get the burner ignited, though. By then, she's had the gas running for a good few moments, and manages to receive a very impressive flame cloud!

Jumping back with a squeak, Grell presses a hand to her chest, wearily glancing over her shoulder. ]

How do you find the time to keep this place so spotless?!

[ ...Smooth cover. Truly. ]

[death_glare]

What in the...

[ William remarks to himself. He knew asking her to make him tea was a mistake. Still, he's almost impressed with how quickly she seems to have messed something up.

It will take him a minute or so, be he finally shows up in the doorway to the kitchen. ]

I don't. I am simply never home to make a mess of it.

[ Overtime, and all that. He sniffs a bit, noting the gas scent that remains from her leaving it on a bit too long. ]

I said not to cause a fire. Have you never used a stove before?

[untodeath]

[ By then, she's rummaging through the cupboards again. Having managed to find his tea cabinet, she's got a tin in each hand - which notably clank together, once her attention snaps over to him. ]

I didn't, and of course I've used one before! I just-- had a bit of trouble with the burner, is all. [ Can't you just hear the pout in her tone, William? ]

While you're here-- green or blue tin?

[death_glare]

[ He's known Grell long enough that he can tell when she's pouting at him even without words. And as usual, he opts to ignore it. Instead, he decides to take a seat at the kitchen table - as gracefully as he can. At least he can somewhat keep tabs on her, then. ]

Blue. The other is empty.

[ Which may imply that he enjoyed that one more and hadn't been able to replenish his supply, yet. ]

[untodeath]

[ Grell does seem to take not of that, looking that green tin over before slyly setting it aside.]

I see. Blue it is, then!

[ Taking it with her, she leaves the tea by the stove, ready to be used once the water's come to a boil. She's humming as the plucks up the mugs she's left there, carrying them over to the table to be filled once everything's done. ]

Sooo, how do you occupy your time, on the rare occasion that you have it, mm? We've ruled out cooking.

[death_glare]

[ William has to take a moment to think. Apparently, his free time isn't all that exciting. ]

Sleeping.

[ Which could be taken as a sarcastic joke from anyone else, but he's being quite serious. ]

Though, sometimes I take walks through Saint James' Park in the early mornings. There is a cafe I visit on occasion. They serve wonderful coffee.

[ Somehow his voice has calmed as he speaks of the activity, almost as if just thinking of the place is relaxing to him. Though the last bit does have him giving a side eye to the kettle, which is just threatening to whistle. ]