death_glare | private PSL

[ Grell notably jumps! ]

W-Will--!

[ Pressed against the opposite wall, she clamps a hand to her chest as she slumps with a sigh. Even at her most mischievous, she's more often than not had a very keen sense about her - but the reaper is visibly exhausted. Drooping lids, and circles under her eyes that concealer can only do so much to hide. ]

What do you mean, sneaking? I was just off to powder my nose, if you must know.

[ He looks her up and down, noting the half undone ribbon around her neck and what looks to be some time of food matting the ends of her bangs together. ]

Considering how many times you've left today, you've been doing an awful job of it. You look a right mess.

[ Though, she must know he doesn't believe her excuse, for a moment. ]

[ With a scoff, Grell's arms fold over her middle, chin raised with a pout! ]

What an awful thing to say to a lady.

[ Though, with his line of vision on her fringe, she can see a bit of that 'food' sticking to it... and slowly reaches up to pick it out.... ]

[ His glare moves from where her hands pick at the food, back to her eyes. It's obvious he doesn't care if he's insulted her. ]

Are you going to tell me what you've really been doing or do I need to force it out of you?

[ The redhead appears to need a moment, so she can think on that. ]

You know, that sounds like fun, but might I take a rain check on that? I've been a bit ill, which is why I've been frequenting the ladies room. IT just isn't polite to say as much!

[ Not one single swoon out of that aggression? Now he's positive she's trying to cover something up.

William reaches behind her, grabbing a fist full of hair, and giving her little time to react, proceeds to drag her back to her desk. Flinging her into her seat, he's quick roll her legs beneath the desk to seat her properly. ]

I've completed my tasks for the day and I am not staying late on your behalf.

[ He drops the pile of uncompleted forms he'd been carrying ontp her desk with an intimidating thud. ]

Edited 2018-10-03 17:43 (UTC)

[ With a squeak of surprise, Grell stumbles after him, whining all the way! Before she knows it, her head is spinning, her stomach is pressed into her desk, and air from that dreadful stack is hitting her face.

Looking up at him wearily, she clutches the edge of the desktop. ]

Fine, I'll do them! Is that all?

[ Reaching out to snatch the first paper off the top of the stack, she takes up a pen to begin filling out the proper spaces-- glancing over, in hopes of seeing him leave. ]

For now.

[ He walks back to his office, but takes care to leave the door open behind him. Her desk is in direct sight of his own, and he makes sure to coldly look up at her every few moments while he tidies up his desk. ]

[ During one of those moments, she makes eye contact with him - and bristles, quickly turning to her desk!!

Nibbling at the end of her pen, her knees bounce in place. Already, she's been here too long, and she can't see herself sneaking past him this time...

Clearly, she's given no choice but to teleport out of the office! ]

[ William looks up just in time to see Grell pop out of existence. He blinks for a moment before exhaling sharply though his nose. What on earth could be so important that she had to pull that move to get out of the office? Whatever the answer, he's not letting her get away with this sort of behaviour! Thank goodness he's done for the day, himself. Though, it seems he's going to spend a good portion of his evening tracking down that thing.

Summoning his death scythe (because he's certain he'll need it!) he visits the time clock before popping out the office and to the first place he can think to look - the reaper housing complex. Where he ends up is a floor above the one his own flat resides on. He's fairly certain Grell's is along here somewhere, and he stalks down the hall until he finds the one with her name scrawled on the door plate.

She should be grateful he's bothering to knock at all, albeit with a forceful rapping of his scythe, but still. ]

Sutcliffe. Open this door immediately.

[ Grell's entire body stiffens - which certainly doesn't feel pleasant with how tired she is - but she thinks that, perhaps, if she's completely still, he won't think that she's home.

Unfortunately, her second occupant is unsettled by the loud noise echoing through the flat and begins to cry. ]

Ohhh, no no no...

[ Pleading with the most gentle voice she can muster, Grell reaches into the child's crib, scooping it into her arms. Bouncing the baby against her chest, her lids press shut with a quiet whining sound of her own. She's absolutely busted. ]

[ William's rapping does stop, as he's completely taken aback by the sound he just heard from behind the door. That couldn't be Grell making such a high-pitched and needy sounding cry. He definitely knows that to be a baby's cry. And there is no reason she should have a child in that flat!

Before she knows it, William will have teleported past the door, entirely done with knocking. ]

Sutcliffe. [ She can probably feel the temperature change in the room with how icy his voice comes off. ] Where did you get that child?

[ Looking utterly defeated, Grell sinks down into the couch. With the baby cradled protectively against her, she eyes William almost wearily over her glasses. ]

I'd found her yesterday evening. [ The child still whines, bordering on crying once more. Grell tucks its little head under her chin with a sigh. ] After reaping her mother, a poor woman with no family. If I'd left the child, she'd have been left holed up in that dump for days, at least. She'd have died, for sure, and--

[ Teeth pressed into her lower lip, she dreads speaking of it further, because she's just certain that she'll be made to give her up now, anyway. ]

[ Walking around to the front of the couch, William stares down at the baby whimpering against Grell's chest. Remarkably, his glare softens just slightly. ]

Regardless of the circumstances, you cannot go stealing children away from the mortal realm. You've tampered with enough mortal fates, as it is. You're lucky to still have your scythe.

[ He won't say it, but he can sympathize with her feelings towards reaping or abandoning small children. It's one of the hardest things to do as a death god. One of the main reasons emotions should be kept out of the job. ]

Give her to me.

[ Dismissing his scythe, he holds his arms out, expectantly. ]

Edited 2018-10-03 19:21 (UTC)

[ With a shake of the head, Grell looks down, curling in around the child just so. ]

I didn't steal her away from anyone! I'm merely giving her a chance, anyway... Not tampering, per se....

[ And in the short time that she's had the little one, she's already become dreadfully attached. Why, even her breath has become a little shaken, which has the girl fussing. ]

Will. Don't. Please.

[ William watches the child, Grell's protective embrace seeming to calm her, for the moment. He knows what he should do, in this situation, but he lowers his arms, instead. ]

And just how do you plan on taking care of her? Your job does not offer you enough time to give her the attention she needs. She would be better off at an orphanage.

[ Though, he knows they're horrible places. But, Grell's current plan isn't going to cut it. She'd be found out by other quicker than she thinks. ]

You've seen what becomes of orphaned children.

[ It's surprising that he hasn't attempted to force the child out of her grasp, by now - although she knows William not to be a terrible man. Perhaps he's a bit soft for children, as well. ]

Even if I'd make a horrid mother, she'll-- at least be.. warm and fed...

[ Now that she's saying it aloud, she realizes that William is right, in that sense. If she managed to take care of the girl around her schedule, she'd still feel terribly neglected. ]

Oh, God, Will. You're right, I have no idea what I'm doing.

[ Head falling back with a halfhearted sob, Grell closes her eyes for the briefest moment as her head rests against the cushion. ]

All that I do know is that I'm dreadfully attached to this little thing. Babies are messy, smelly, noisy - I haven't been able to sleep, and I look like hell... But when she looks into my eyes, holds my finger, or even just sleeps peacefully, I feel as though I could do anything for her.

[ Oh Grell, William understands those feelings more than you could ever possibly comprehend.

Leaning over, William scoops the girl up before Grell has the chance to complain. Despite the stoic stance of her new holder, the child calms, watching William almost curiously. He holds her, cupped under her arms for a moment before taking a surprising turn to sit next to Grell and placing the child in his lap. With a heavy sigh, he finally speaks. ]

Honestly, you are going to get me demoted for this. At best.

[ Grell startles rather violently, panic settling into her features-- but then, William is beside her, with the baby in tow. Positively perplexed by this, her brow furrows. It even takes her a moment to register precisely what he means - but when she does, her entire body slumps with relief! Collapsing onto his shoulder, she hugs his arm with a tired croon. ]

Oh, Will♥--!

Edited 2018-10-03 21:47 (UTC)

[ William side eyes Grell as she leans on him, but he allows her to rest there. He has no idea how they're going to manage this, but it seems he's having just as hard a time to cast the child away as she is. They sit there together, in silence as the girl plays curiously with her tiny feet. It's unbelievably endearing. ]

Did the mother's file state the girl's name?

[ Thank goodness he does, because Grell is exhausted. She even yawns as she plunks her cheek down there. ]

No, unfortunately, it didn't. I've been calling her Rosalind-- because of those cute rosy cheeks, isn't that right?

[ The redhead reaches out to run a fingertip along the bottom of one of the girl's feet, fondly smiling. ]

[ Rosalind gives a high pitched giggle at the tickle to her feet. Seems she enjoys that. Though, William doesn't look nearly as pleased, as he's running this whole situation through his head, trying to make some sort of plan. ]

An unsurprising name choice for you.

[ He states blandly between thoughts. Though, perhaps it's best they don't use her actual name. They're going to need to hide her, after all. ]

Do you have a better one, Will? Mm?

[ Chuckling along with the girl's darling laughter, she plucks gently at her little toes. ]

[ He shakes his head, not having nearly the brain power to think about that now, too. ]

We'll go with that, then.

[ Jerking his arm free, William stands, holding Rosalind over his shoulder. ]

If you need to rest, I suggest you do so now. I will look after her for awhile.

[ Now to head into the kitchen to see what food Grell's scraped together to feed her. It's going to be a bit hard without a mother to provide for her. ]

[ Very nearly face planting onto the couch, Grell obviously needs it! Still, she protests, and it isn't until getting up onto her feet seems difficult that she realizes it.

For a moment, she tentatively chews at her lip. If it were anyone else, she should worry that they might remove the child at such a time, so as to spare a violent confrontation-- but William would do that to her. Surely. Right? ]

She still has a bit of a bottle left, on the counter. There's more of it in the 'fridge, if needed... and she's a binky in her crib... [ What else? Oh, she can't think. ]

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