A Test of Friendship, Chapter 3

William let Grell stay where he was for a few more minutes, but in just a short second, William felt really awkward.

"I wasn't going to say thank you," William said all of a sudden. There was, though, a slight tremble to his words.

"Wh…what?" Grell said.

"Get off of me," William said, twisting and pulling his way out of Grell's grip.

"I was about to say how unnecessary that was," Will lied, and convincingly.

"It… It didn't seem like it…" Grell said timidly, cowering infront of Will.

"You didn't give me a chance to speak," William said, straightening his blazer.

"B-but!...." Grell stared at William a moment before blushing and turning away from him, "Ah!" he exclaimed, finally realizing something.

"What?" Will asked coldly.

"I understand now," Grell smiled.

"What do you understand?" William sighed.

"Your way of showing affection," Grell said.

"And you assume my way of showing affection is different than any normal person's?"

"I don't assume, I know. You show your care for me, and how you say thank you, I suppose, with harsh words and actions," Grell said.

"Please," Will said, "I can say thank you the same way anyone else can."

"Then how come I've never heard it in the hundred some years we've known each other?" Grell asked, "You must have had some reason in those years to say thank you to someone."

"And if I haven't?" Will said.

"I think I deserve a thank you!" Grell exclaimed, his voice adopting a panicky tone.

"For what?" Will asked in a stern, but calm voice.

"I just made you feel better, didn't I? Do you still feel lonely?" Grell asked hurriedly.

Will somewhat regretted telling Grell that he was lonely and was silent for a moment.
Sometimes I think I should stop being so reticent….He thought when he found himself unwilling to answer Grell.

"William," Grell snapped in a new tone of voice when Will didn't answer. An impatient, irritated voice that grated on William's ears slightly, "there's no one else here or that can hear us!" Grell huffed tetchily, folding his arms and tapping one foot irritably, "You're impossible sometimes, I hope you know."

"I believe I have a soul to reap soon…" William said, wandering back towards his desk. When he got there, he started to check his 'to die' list when Grell slammed a hand down on top of it.

"Oh no you don't! I'm not finished talking with you," Grell said, glaring at William, "Ronald can do it. You stay here and I'll be right back!" Grell ripped the list away from William and started to storm off when Will stood up,

"Grell Sutcliffe! Get back here this instant!" He yelled, not appreciating his 'to die' list being taken from him.

"You hush!" Grell yelled back as he slammed William's office door shut, leaving Will to stare angrily at the door after Grell.

"RONALD," Grell snapped when he saw the young reaper working away on his papers.

Ronald looked up in response to his senpai, "Yeah, Sutcliffe-Senpai?"

With a flick of his wrist, the list plopped onto Ronald's desk, "You've got these souls to reap today."

"Whaa-? By myself! That's so totally too much for one guy to handle by himself!" Ronald complained.

"Shut up," Grell said with a wave of his hand, "Go get Eric or Alan or even ponytail guy or the twins to help. I'm busy with William- I'm not letting him go work until we're finished."

"…" Ronald looked at Grell.

"What?" he barked.

"Whaddyo mean by what you just said?..." Ronald asked.

"I meant we're having a serious talk that can't be interrupted by work! My goodness, Ronald…" Grell scoffed, flipping a strand of hair over his shoulder.

"Gee, Senpai, you're like, really moody today...PMSing?" Ronald chuckled.

"Just get to work!" Grell said, thwacking Ronald in the back of the head with the backside of his hand.

"Fine, fine, I will!" Ronald grumbled, leaning over his desk and turning his eyes to his paperwork.

Grell sighed irritably and stomped back to William office, where before he walked in, stopped and took a deep breath to calm his temperament. Once he felt calmer, he opened the door and entered.

"Sorry I took so long, Ronald was being an-"

"It's alright," William said, cutting Grell off, looking down at some paperwork.

Grell came in all the way and shut the door, "You're not mad?"

"I'm slightly irritated you took it from me like that, but I don't really care that you dumped it on someone else; as long as it gets done," William said, looking up from his papers.

Grell couldn't contain himself and hearing Will say that, he blushed and wrapped his arms around himself, "You're so cruel…"

William frowned, "…Is that really… a good thing though..?" he asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Grell said, coming back into reality from the theatre of his mind. He heard Will's question though, but he wasn't sure on how to answer.

"Well… while I wouldn't say it's bad necessarily, I would say that it's not the best attitude for making friends… I don't mind it personally," Grell said with a blush, "I enjoy your coldness more often than not."

"And if I stopped being cold?" William said.

"Then I wouldn't mind… I uh… I don't think… Well, I wouldn't dislike you all of a sudden, you're still my William, it's just I can't picture you like that. It'd take time to get used to it, but I definitely wouldn't stop liking you. Not in the least," Grell said.

William was silent, not sure what to say to that.

"Umm…" Grell said after a second, "William?"

"Yes, Grell?" William said.

"Why is it so hard for you to talk about yourself? Or admit things that are, y'know, kind?" Grell said.

Will thought for a moment, "I believe it is most likely in combination of this job and simply my attitude. I'm naturally self-reserved, quiet, perhaps somewhat shy at times," he admitted, "And this job requires you use no emotion, and if there is any emotion, for me the one that comes first is irritation or anger. Though I'm surrounded by incompetence that's why I'm so easily irritated..."

Grell leaned against Will's desk, "Y'know, it's things like calling people incompetent that causes them to not want to be friends with you. I don't mind though, I know I can be rather incompetent sometimes. But that's when I'm glad I have you there to guide me in what to do." He winked at Will.

"It appears you're the only one…" William said.

"But you do know well enough that this job only requires you to have neutral emotions while collecting souls," Grell said, "Don't act like you don't know that."

"Yes, I know," Will sighed, "Perhaps I'm just antisocial…" He leaned his head down and rubbed the back of his neck with both hands, "I rather stay in my office and work, unless I have to give instruction to other reapers, then I shall execute my duties stoically."

"Yes, I've caught onto that…" Grell said, both he and Will falling silent for a little bit.

"Grell…" Will said, though he said it as if he was trying with every ounce of his soul to force it out.

"Yes?" Grell answered.

"T…thank you.." he stammered, "for being… my only f…fr-friend…"

Grell's jaw dropped in shock for a moment. He shut it and then smiled softly, "Anything for you, ~Willu~."

William looked at Grell with an odd expression. Did I honestly just say that to him? Will sighed. I wonder what will happen next… I suppose the only way to find out is to wait and see what fate decides.