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It was late one evening. Both the neighbors to the house he was entering were gone for the night leaving no one home to help the man that he was sent to reap. With his scythe tightly in his grasp and death list held in the other, he entered the home with ease, coming to the body at the bottom of the stairs. “Joseph Oda,” William began as he flipped open his ledger, “age thirty three born nineteen eight-one. Cause of death, severe head trauma.” He closed up the ledger to collect the soul but for once in his afterlife, he paused before the reap. Not only was the man the same age as his human self but they looked oddly similar with the black slicked hair, the glasses and even the gloves. He glanced at his ledger and scythe before he decided to bend the rules just a tad and gave Mr. Oda a pass on death this once.
With a bit of magic from the dead, William watched as Joseph’s eyes opened, his emerald-yellow eyes meeting Joseph’s deep brown ones. There were questions forming on Joseph’s face and William offered his black gloved hand to help. “How did you get in my home?” Joseph asked, eyeing his hand before accepting the help to his feet.
“If reapers could not easily step into one’s home, we’d have trouble reaping the souls we are sent to collect.”
“…reaper?”
“Grim Reaper, Death God, Shinigami.” He watched the confusion on Joseph’s face before the human knelt to pick up the papers he had been carrying when he tripped down the stairs.
“Right. What asylum did you escape from?”
William glanced at his scythe and ledger. “Yes, I forget how hard to impress mortals are nowadays.” To Joseph’s surprise, the two items William held suddenly evaporated into thin air. “Well, even back then they didn’t believe when I spoke of what I am.”
Joseph kept on one knee for a second more before returning to his feet, shifting his papers in his hands. “That was a neat trick.” He studied William up and down, finding he quite liked the suit this ‘reaper’ was dressed in but when he saw the eyes behind the glasses, he was far more inclined to believe what William said was true. He set the papers down then pointed to his own eyes. “Contacts?”
“If I am, I wouldn’t need glasses.”
“No, I meant your eyes. They’re green and yellow. Those have to be some Halloween contacts right?”
“They are not. All us reapers have them. It, along with our scent, suit and glasses, helps discern us from mortals.” He removed his glasses, finding the room blur quite a bit. “If were not for these glasses, I’d be blind.”
“We have that in common than…like a lot of other things.” He eyed William again, admitting the reaper was quite an elegant looking man. “Joseph.” He said extending his hand. “Joseph Oda.”
“I know who you are.” William said, hesitating a moment before shaking Joseph’s hand. “William T. Spears of the London Dispatch of Reapers.”
“Alright. If what you say is real, why are you in Krimsion when you’re from London?”
“Like London used to be, our American division is understaffed thus I’ve been sent to help pick up the slack.”
“Are there Reapers all over the world?”
“Of course. If not, demons would easily snatch up all the souls and earning forgiveness would take quite a lot longer.”
Joseph crossed his arms, one eyebrow cocking as he tilted his head. “So, you’re serious about all this?”
“I am.”
Joseph turned to the stairs, stepping where he was once lying. “And, you came to collect my soul because I died when I fell down?”
“You did but you and I looked rather similar and I’d rather speak to you in person then watch your Cinematic Record. If you had not died, I would not be here.”
Joseph rubbed the back of his head, brows knitting together before he decided to just say fuck it and believe the man that had someone entered his home was a Grim Reaper that had come to collect his soul but allowed him to live because he wanted a chat. “Tea?”
William clicked out this pocket watch, nodding when he was due to clock out the next minute. “Tea sounds acceptable.” He was about to place his pocket watch back in his waist coat but Joseph stopped him by grabbing his wrist. “Yes?”
“May I see it?”
“Why?”
“I haven’t seen someone use a working pocket watch in a long time.”
William slid out the watch and carefully placed it in Joseph’s waiting hands. “There’s nothing special about it.”
“It’s old though.”
“As am I.”
“How old?” he asked returning the pocket watch when he had his fill of looking it over. “I mean, I don’t want to sound rude but if you’re a Grim Reaper, you must be quite old.”
William’s eye twitched. “In mortal years, we are of the same age but I’ve long last track of my reaper age.” He gestured to the kitchen. “Now, tea?”
“Oh, right.”
William followed Joseph to the kitchen, pleased when it looked just as clean as the rest of the home did. “What do you do in your pastime…when you’re not, working?”
“Read mostly or have a nice warm bath. I’m not one for socializing.”
“You are with me.” He pointed out then gestured to the table for William to have a seat.
“Yes but you seem to be suitable company. You’re much more agreeable then my other…co-workers.” He sighed, shifting up his glasses with a knuckle.
“You sound like you don’t have any friends.”
William scoffed. “Of course not. The only ‘friend’ I have is a Alan Humphries who, if anything, a nice guest from time to time to have tea and discuss work with. The others just simply give me a headache.”
Joseph took poured the boiling water he had prepared while William talked into the teapot with three teabags. “Do you have any workers that annoy you?”
“Three. Eric Slingby, Ronald Knox and…Grell Sutcliffe.” He rolled his eyes. “The last especially, always bargaining into my office, halting work productivity.” He glanced up at Joseph. “Yourself?”
“I have my partner, Sebastian Castellanos. He’s…it depends on what mood he’s in. Sometimes he can work a good straight eight hours but others he finds everything he can to distract himself, me included.”
“Partner? Work or romantic?”
Joseph bit the corner of his bottom lip. “Work but I do think of him as more sometimes.” He swallowed. “Does that bother you?”
“Why would it? Your preferences are your own. Even if it did, I have no right to tell you who to love.” He shrugged. “But it truly doesn’t. The Alan I spoke of before has been a longtime lover of Eric Slingby.”
Joseph sighed at that. “I’m glad to hear that.” He smiled then turned back to the teapot. “What do you take in your tea?”
“Cream.” Joseph took the cream from the fridge and poured it then gave William the cup after stirring it. “Thank you.” William nodded as he took the porcelain cup then took a sip. “Ah, lovely.”
“Good.” Joseph made his own cup then gestured for William to follow him to the living room where they sat side by side on the couch.
“You have a pleasant home Oda. Clean and simple.”
“It’s how I raised in Canada.”
“You’re Canadian are you?”
“Japanese-Canadian, yes.”
“I’ve never been. How is it?”
Joseph thought a moment. “Depends where you live but where I did, the summers were way too damn hot and winters were way too cold. Can’t imagine what it must have been like in London.”
“Rain, clouds. I quite liked it.” He replied after a sip from his tea. “But I’ve been told I don’t like adding color into my life just the basic black and white.” He sighed. “But that is part of the curse of working like this.”
“You sound like you take your job way too seriously.” Joseph said then added, “So do I.”
“You do?”
“I try too. I mean, I’m no Grim Reaper but where there are murders on the loose or missing children, it’s all that is my life until the cases are closed.” William surprised even himself with a laugh. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing.” He assured with a last chuckle. “I simply find it amusing how you are so noble with your job and I deal with the dead.”
“But, you’re also undead. A myth many have depicted in various ways. If I’m honest, my version of death didn’t look like a well-dressed, handsome man.”
William glanced at himself. “I wouldn’t say handsome so much as plain.”
“You look like me and I don’t claim to be plain.”
“So you call yourself handsome then?”
Joseph smiled. “Suppose I do.”
William set his empty cup aside then relaxed back into the cushions, folding his hands in his lap as he let his eyes closed. “I’ve not actually felt this comfortable in someone else’s home before.”
“Well, you must know I’m not a threat.”
“I can feel you aren’t.” he rolled his head to meet Joseph’s eyes. “You seem to be the better version of me.”
“Better?”
“The me that is open with his emotions, that is capable of allowing people in.”
Joseph scooted closer to William, setting his hand on the reapers folded ones. “It’s easy.”
William glanced at Joseph’s hands then back up to his face. “And what are you implying?”
“Nothing.” He replied, leaning closer. “Or maybe I’m giving you the chance to open up and relax for a bit tonight.”
“Are you normally this forward?”
“Sometimes.” He smirked. “How often do you live when you’re dead?”
“Not much.”
“Then live a little with me tonight.”
“And you’re fine with this even though you just met me?”
“You’re a Grim Reaper. Either I’m dreaming or this is the weirdest day of my life.”
“It’s the latter I’m afraid.”
“Then why not push the limits of tonight?...er, would this be necrophilia?”
“I’m not a corpse.” He surprised Joseph by placing his hand on the back of Joseph’s neck and yanking him into a kiss. It felt strange at first, for both of them having no physical contact in some time but eventually the oddness faded and Joseph slipped his arms around William’s neck, pulling closer if possible. “I needed that.” William said when the kiss broke.
“So did I.” he yanked William back into the kiss effectively pulling William on top of him. With eyes closed, Joseph slipped his hands down William’s back, feeling the curve of his spine through his clothing and William’s hands slipped up is sides, over his ribs, finding the tie and undoing it to throw it away before working on his vest, pausing when it was undone. “What on earth are we doing?” William asked as he sat up, hands on Joseph’s chest while he sat on his hips.
“Kissing.” Joseph replied “And you were undressing me.”
“Mm, seems so.” He slipped his hands up to begin undoing the buttons.
“Wait a second.” Joseph said, taking his hands. “I’m not sure where this is going to go but maybe we should go upstairs to…someplace more comfortable.”
William smirked down at him before standing. “Lead the way.”
Joseph stood from the couch and took William’s hand, leading him up the stairs (being careful not to trip, again) then too his bedroom, which, like the rest of the house, was clean and spotless. “This is much better.” He shoved William to the bed and climbed on top of him, replaying the favor of undoing his tie and jacket, waistcoat and shirt. “You reapers wear too much.” He muttered as he flipped William’s collar down to kiss over his neck.
“Ah, it’s the uniform.” He sighed, pushing his hands up Joseph’s shirt. “I seem to be the only to follow it.” He gripped Joseph’s hips and rolled them over so he was back on top.
Joseph grunted but watched as William slipped his upper clothes from his body, tossing them to the floor. “Wrinkles?”
“I don’t give a damn right now.” He pushed open Joseph’s shirt, leaning down to kiss over his chest, using his tongue to tease a nipple.
“Mm.” Joseph groaned, reaching down to entangle his fingers in William’s hair. “These look too restrictive.” He gasped, reaching down to unbuckle William’s belt, hand purposefully grazing over the tent in his trousers.
“You are correct.” He breathed, lifting up to help Joseph in undoing his pants then repeating the process to Joseph’s. “You have such lovely skin.” He said, running a still gloved hand over Joseph’s torso.”
“You’re no different.” He leaned up, holding William on his lap as he returned the favor of suckling a nipple.
“Bloody hell.” He gasped, holding Joseph’s head to his chest when the mortal used his teeth.
“Did that hurt?”
“Nng, far from it.” He reached down to rub between Joseph’s legs. “I believe it’s time we take these trousers off.”
Joseph once again took first action in shoving William back to grip the hem of William pants and yank them off along with his undergarments. “You like taking charge don’t you?”
“I do.” He smirked.
“Well, I am the boss of my reapers.” He flipped them again. “I should be in control.”
“I’m not a reaper.” He pointed out, lifting his hips as William pulled his trousers off.
“No, but technically I am far older then you are, human.” He gripped Joseph’s hardened member, pumping once.
“Hey!” he gasped. “No touching with leather.”
William looked down at his hands then brought a hand up to his mouth and bit the tip of his finger to hold the glove still as he slid his hand out, doing the same to the other glove, throwing them both to the floor afterward. “Better?” he asked, returning his hand.
“Mm, much.” He thrust his hips up then pushed William to lie beside him so they faced each other. “I meant it.” He said, removing his own gloves. “Handsome.” He gripped
William’s own hard member, stroking slowly over it, being sure to rub a thumb into the tip, satisfied when William’s back arched and he groaned.
“Ah, you are quiet the same.” He held tighter, running his hand faster, connecting their lips again and this went on until Joseph was the first one to release, groaning as he his face in William’s neck as he released over William’s hand, William quick to follow as he used his other arm to hold Joseph closer as their orgasms ripped through them.
After a few minutes, they both were too tired to get up and clean so Joseph reached over William to grab a few sheets of tissues and wipe off their hands. “I’m sorry.” He said when they were cleaned up to the best of their abilities.
“For what?” William asked, hand entwined with Joseph’s.
“For initiating this. It was probably very rude of me to just throw myself at you.”
William kissed him. “I actually need something like this. All the built up stress from work needed to be released somehow.”
“I’m pleased I helped then.” He laughed then yawned. “Will you stay the night?”
“I shall.” He said with another kiss then closed his eyes, Joseph following suit as they slept with their glasses still on their faces.