thedispatch | Forgiven

If I hadn't returned and they'd caught you, then yes, it would be. How fortunate for you that that isn't the case.

[ Sipping at his sweetened coffee has a calmness return to his features. He even closes his eyes, humming softly to himself. ]

Were you aware that there is no coffee in heaven? I certainly wasn't.

[ He's right - and it isn't that she doesn't want to trust him; she simply doesn't believe that he could ever value her this much. Leaving forever made much more sense.

She leans over the table a bit more, just to be closer. ]

The more I hear of it, the more dreadful it seems. [ She reaches out to hold William's wrist reassuringly. ] You'll never be short on coffee while you're with me, I'll see to that.

[ A bit of playfulness to lighten up her otherwise shitty attitude with him so far! ]

Alcohol and cigarettes as well, I hope.

[ Could sound playful back, 'cept that he's dead serious. ]

We may need to do some grocery shopping. You don't have much here.

[ There were a few things left in the fridge since she'd left, but he wasn't willing to see if they were still good. ]

[ It's because he's so serious that makes it so amusing. William earns a snerk, followed by that crooked smile. ]

For you, anything. [ Though, she soon looks less than excited about the idea of grocery shopping. ] Perhaps you should know that I don't typically keep much groceries, though. As you might remember, I'm not much of a cook.

I will be here for awhile, unsurprisingly, so I don't mind cooking for us. You can be in charge of coffee and tea, since he haven't seemed to burn the complex down doing so.

[ And it's actually really good coffee, too. ]

[ Oh. Suddenly, Grell's entire demeanour lightens, eyes near sparkling! ]

You'll... cook for the both of us...?

[ Her hands touch her rosy cheeks. ]

Will, that's-- so sweet.

I'm not so cruel as to cook for myself and leave you hungry. Unless, of course, you give me reason to.

[ He ignores her crooning and goes back to sipping his coffee. ]

[ She bats her eyes. ]

Don't be silly, I'll be as nice as you'll allow me~

Don't blame me for your poor behavior.

[ He looks almost insulted! ]

[ Hands curling away from her face, she gives him a humoured, but pointed look! ]

That's not what I meant.

[ His brows knit as he goes back over what she'd said. Finally it clicks and he huffs into his coffee. ]

Go and get ready, or I'm getting lunch without you.

[ With a self-satisfied smile, Grell picks herself up and grabs her mug to take with her. ]

You should join me. [ She fondly smooths a hand over his hair as she passes. ] Tell me more about this Heaven of yours.

Must I?

[ But perhaps just because she'd due for a rough day, he sighs and follows her. It's bad enough he'll have to deal with her moods later. ]

What do you want to know then?

Everything.

[ She spares him a glance over her shoulder, and looks rather grateful to see him following her. ]

Did they have you face the God Almighty Himself? Were you able to catch a glimpse of the higher-ups, at all-- such as Michael, for example?

[ She settles into the chair placed at her vanity, placing her cup within reach while she cants her chin to look over herself in the mirror. ]

And what was Heaven, for you?

[ As Grell goes about her daily pampering routine, William speaks about his brief time in Heaven with little excitement. He's actually quite relieved when she doesn't take as long to get ready as he'd thought - also meaning they could move on to chatting about other things.

During their late lunch together, William could sense just how anxious Grell was becoming. It was still odd to see her in such a state, but it seemed far better than the one he'd found her in yesterday. Finishing up, William hurried them off to headquarters.

The meeting went as you would have expected. Plenty of scoldings and reminders that she's lucky to be given another chance. Though there were many protests from her, she was issued a medical bill for the agents she'd injured, had her scythe revoked indefinitely - without scissors to substitute this time! - and had been transferred to custodial detail. Whether or not that was better than the original plan of cafeteria worker was left up for debate, but William had insisted that putting her in the kitchen was going to bring them even more damages.

Having concluded, the two of them linger outside the higher offices, William very much ready to have that cigarette. ]

[ After the inevitable fits, Grell looks positively drained-- but not as she usually might be. Her shoulders aren't slumped, and she isn't whining for attention. The redhead simply looks-- void.

After standing there for a long and quiet moment. ]

...Will?

[ He knew none of this was going to sit well, but her current state is something entirely new. ]

Hm?

[ With a breath of resolve, she seems to be struggling at pulling herself to the present. ]

Could you-- hold my hand?

Let's return to your flat. I don't believe either of us want to be here, right now.

[ And he will take her hand, both fulfilling her request and bringing them back home, quickly. ]

[ Once they've arrived, Grell holds onto his hand with a firm desperation, and looking up at him somewhat meekly, she steps closer to lean her weight against his chest. ]

[ Being that he's let her do this twice since he returned, he allows it with no refusal. As in the first time, he places his free hand on her lower back. ]

Would apologizing help?

[ He'd admitted he felt guilty, and whether or not Grell sentences were her fault for getting out of control, or his for leaving in the first place are unclear, even in his logical mind. ]

No. [ Her response is immediate - and muffled against his chest. ]

I used to love the job. Be proud of what I was. All at once, I was left wondering why. A hundred years of going nowhere, pretending to redeem myself toward something I never really cared for.

[ She closes her eyes with a heavy sigh. ]

You're it, Will. The only reason I'd stay.

[ He's silent, not sure how to respond. He'd only ever shoved her aside when he professed her adoration of him, but he can't bring himself to do that now - he doesn't want to. Why she ever fell for him, he still can't fully understand, but he has no doubt of her sincerity anymore.

Remaining quiet, he allows his gesture of holding her a bit closer let it speak for itself. ]

[ Swallowing down the emotion that quells in her throat, she nuzzles nearer. While she knows that William won't judge her for crying, she still can't bring herself to openly do so.

It's so nice to have him near. Supportive. Or, at the least, not kicking her down when she's weak because he's just terribly guilty.

She, in turn, feels like a terrible person for continually doubting him, but it all just seems too good to be true, after so long. Perhaps fabricated by her fantasies, not all that it seems to be. She's been told that she tends to blow things out of proportion like that, after all. ]

My rock in the storm. [ She mutters, perhaps somewhat incoherently, both to remind herself and confess his importance. Her voice cracks just so. ]

[ He can't quite make out what she says. But that doesn't really matter at the moment. There's a pat to her back, indicating he'd like them to part. But, as they separate, her hand remains firmly grasped in his. ]

Today has been exhausting. Adding the uncomfortable sleep we both had, I think a nap is in order.

[ Not what Grell wanted to hear, surely. Though, she may rethink that when he leads her by hand down towards her bedroom. ]

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