George Kendall

@ghostofhislove

The love we feel can never die // vsmp oc rp account // he/him

149 posts

Where is my beloved? Have you seen him? I know he's dead, but if I'm back, surely he is too? Viktor wouldn't have brought only one of us back. He's not that kind of man.

Have you seen William?

OOC: lore and mod below cut

#george kendall #vsmp oc rp

owen-the-lumberjack

//closed opener for @doctor-legundo (set after current rp with @/ruins-priest) //

When Legundo returns to Owen’s gravesite he finds the man standing in middle of the space, tears steaming off of his face. His eyes are far away and one hand is still floating in the air as if he’s just let go of something. Or someone.

He doesn’t notice the doctor’s approach.

"Owen..." He said, carefully walking towards him, hand raised to offer some comfort if he wished to take it, whether it be to wipe away his tears or just to hold his hand, he would be there.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

owen-the-lumberjack

His head snaps towards the sound of his name.

“What? Oh- oh yeah. I’m fine.”

He lifts a hand to wipe the tears from his face, it makes a hissing sound as the last few evaporate.

He didn't believe that for one second, but he wasn't one to push. "Have you got everything you may need?" He asked, reaching to take Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Yeah, yeah.”

He waves at a bag resting against the wall of the nearby tower.

“How did talking to the boys go?”

"They should be arriving shortly. I think William wants to be here to make sure I don't kill someone." He chuckled.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Whatever was bothering him earlier is gone now, he’s actually more happy than Legundo had though he would see him.

"He doesn't want me to 'regress back to how I was', as Abolish puts it." He said, taking Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

"The more people talk about this past doctor the more I want to meet him."

He lets his hands be taken, stepping fowards with the action.

"Maybe I'll let you." His eyes flashed, smiling. "Do you like men covered in blood?"

owen-the-lumberjack

Owen's cheeks immediately start glowing.

"I don't know, I've never seen you covered in blood."

"May have to treat you then." He smiled, pulling him into a hug.

owen-the-lumberjack

He leans back, trusting his weight to Legundo's arms.

"I would offer to help, but it's sounding like you would have it handled."

"Something something six thousand men." He smiled. "When are the boys getting here-?"

"Here! We're here."

William pops up, not from the treeline but just next to the two of them.

"Don't scare them, beloved-" George mumbled, adjusting his bag with one hand, holding onto William with the other.

"Scare them? They were starting to scare me."

He grins mischievously at his boyfriend.

"How could we scare you?" Legs asked, keeping one arm around Owen as he turned to look at the other two. "We're the least terrifying people ever!"

"It's like watching your parents kiss. Please stop flirting."

He takes gagging.

"If I'm forced to watch you two flirt, I'm going to flirt with my darling spark."

owen-the-lumberjack

"You're spark?"

He does his best to hold his composure, something he's remembering is a lot harder with a technical heartbeat.

"I can come up with a different nickname, if you'd like-?"

owen-the-lumberjack

"No, I like it."

A few blocks away a tree bursts fully into flame.

"I see...." He giggled. "Shall we head on?"

"Yeah!"

He pauses for a second.

"Where are we going?

"Away from here." Legs shrugged. "Wherever the road takes us."

"Sounds like fun."

William had spent most of his life following orders, first from parents, then from commanders and Sargents. The idea of just following the road without direction was wild to him.

George stood there awkwardly, hand in William's. He'd never met Owen, and he hadn't seen this version of Legs in a *while*, so everything felt... alien.

"You okay Dear?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, sorry." He said, taking a breath. "Just... New people."

He frowns.

"You know L. Is something wrong with Owen?"

"You know I'm not good with new people..."

owen-the-lumberjack

"Anything I could do to help?"

"Dunno..." He mumbled. "Give it time, maybe."

owen-the-lumberjack

He humms.

"I'm a bit of a mess with new people too, if that's any stress relief."

"It is a bit." He nodded, holding onto William. "L seems to trust you."

owen-the-lumberjack

//closed opener for @doctor-legundo (set after current rp with @/ruins-priest) //

When Legundo returns to Owen’s gravesite he finds the man standing in middle of the space, tears steaming off of his face. His eyes are far away and one hand is still floating in the air as if he’s just let go of something. Or someone.

He doesn’t notice the doctor’s approach.

"Owen..." He said, carefully walking towards him, hand raised to offer some comfort if he wished to take it, whether it be to wipe away his tears or just to hold his hand, he would be there.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

owen-the-lumberjack

His head snaps towards the sound of his name.

“What? Oh- oh yeah. I’m fine.”

He lifts a hand to wipe the tears from his face, it makes a hissing sound as the last few evaporate.

He didn't believe that for one second, but he wasn't one to push. "Have you got everything you may need?" He asked, reaching to take Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Yeah, yeah.”

He waves at a bag resting against the wall of the nearby tower.

“How did talking to the boys go?”

"They should be arriving shortly. I think William wants to be here to make sure I don't kill someone." He chuckled.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Whatever was bothering him earlier is gone now, he’s actually more happy than Legundo had though he would see him.

"He doesn't want me to 'regress back to how I was', as Abolish puts it." He said, taking Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

"The more people talk about this past doctor the more I want to meet him."

He lets his hands be taken, stepping fowards with the action.

"Maybe I'll let you." His eyes flashed, smiling. "Do you like men covered in blood?"

owen-the-lumberjack

Owen's cheeks immediately start glowing.

"I don't know, I've never seen you covered in blood."

"May have to treat you then." He smiled, pulling him into a hug.

owen-the-lumberjack

He leans back, trusting his weight to Legundo's arms.

"I would offer to help, but it's sounding like you would have it handled."

"Something something six thousand men." He smiled. "When are the boys getting here-?"

"Here! We're here."

William pops up, not from the treeline but just next to the two of them.

"Don't scare them, beloved-" George mumbled, adjusting his bag with one hand, holding onto William with the other.

"Scare them? They were starting to scare me."

He grins mischievously at his boyfriend.

"How could we scare you?" Legs asked, keeping one arm around Owen as he turned to look at the other two. "We're the least terrifying people ever!"

"It's like watching your parents kiss. Please stop flirting."

He takes gagging.

"If I'm forced to watch you two flirt, I'm going to flirt with my darling spark."

owen-the-lumberjack

"You're spark?"

He does his best to hold his composure, something he's remembering is a lot harder with a technical heartbeat.

"I can come up with a different nickname, if you'd like-?"

owen-the-lumberjack

"No, I like it."

A few blocks away a tree bursts fully into flame.

"I see...." He giggled. "Shall we head on?"

"Yeah!"

He pauses for a second.

"Where are we going?

"Away from here." Legs shrugged. "Wherever the road takes us."

"Sounds like fun."

William had spent most of his life following orders, first from parents, then from commanders and Sargents. The idea of just following the road without direction was wild to him.

George stood there awkwardly, hand in William's. He'd never met Owen, and he hadn't seen this version of Legs in a *while*, so everything felt... alien.

"You okay Dear?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, sorry." He said, taking a breath. "Just... New people."

He frowns.

"You know L. Is something wrong with Owen?"

"You know I'm not good with new people..."

owen-the-lumberjack

"Anything I could do to help?"

"Dunno..." He mumbled. "Give it time, maybe."

owen-the-lumberjack

//closed opener for @doctor-legundo (set after current rp with @/ruins-priest) //

When Legundo returns to Owen’s gravesite he finds the man standing in middle of the space, tears steaming off of his face. His eyes are far away and one hand is still floating in the air as if he’s just let go of something. Or someone.

He doesn’t notice the doctor’s approach.

"Owen..." He said, carefully walking towards him, hand raised to offer some comfort if he wished to take it, whether it be to wipe away his tears or just to hold his hand, he would be there.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

owen-the-lumberjack

His head snaps towards the sound of his name.

“What? Oh- oh yeah. I’m fine.”

He lifts a hand to wipe the tears from his face, it makes a hissing sound as the last few evaporate.

He didn't believe that for one second, but he wasn't one to push. "Have you got everything you may need?" He asked, reaching to take Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Yeah, yeah.”

He waves at a bag resting against the wall of the nearby tower.

“How did talking to the boys go?”

"They should be arriving shortly. I think William wants to be here to make sure I don't kill someone." He chuckled.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Whatever was bothering him earlier is gone now, he’s actually more happy than Legundo had though he would see him.

"He doesn't want me to 'regress back to how I was', as Abolish puts it." He said, taking Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

"The more people talk about this past doctor the more I want to meet him."

He lets his hands be taken, stepping fowards with the action.

"Maybe I'll let you." His eyes flashed, smiling. "Do you like men covered in blood?"

owen-the-lumberjack

Owen's cheeks immediately start glowing.

"I don't know, I've never seen you covered in blood."

"May have to treat you then." He smiled, pulling him into a hug.

owen-the-lumberjack

He leans back, trusting his weight to Legundo's arms.

"I would offer to help, but it's sounding like you would have it handled."

"Something something six thousand men." He smiled. "When are the boys getting here-?"

"Here! We're here."

William pops up, not from the treeline but just next to the two of them.

"Don't scare them, beloved-" George mumbled, adjusting his bag with one hand, holding onto William with the other.

"Scare them? They were starting to scare me."

He grins mischievously at his boyfriend.

"How could we scare you?" Legs asked, keeping one arm around Owen as he turned to look at the other two. "We're the least terrifying people ever!"

"It's like watching your parents kiss. Please stop flirting."

He takes gagging.

"If I'm forced to watch you two flirt, I'm going to flirt with my darling spark."

owen-the-lumberjack

"You're spark?"

He does his best to hold his composure, something he's remembering is a lot harder with a technical heartbeat.

"I can come up with a different nickname, if you'd like-?"

owen-the-lumberjack

"No, I like it."

A few blocks away a tree bursts fully into flame.

"I see...." He giggled. "Shall we head on?"

"Yeah!"

He pauses for a second.

"Where are we going?

"Away from here." Legs shrugged. "Wherever the road takes us."

"Sounds like fun."

William had spent most of his life following orders, first from parents, then from commanders and Sargents. The idea of just following the road without direction was wild to him.

George stood there awkwardly, hand in William's. He'd never met Owen, and he hadn't seen this version of Legs in a *while*, so everything felt... alien.

"You okay Dear?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, sorry." He said, taking a breath. "Just... New people."

He frowns.

"You know L. Is something wrong with Owen?"

"You know I'm not good with new people..."

owen-the-lumberjack

//closed opener for @doctor-legundo (set after current rp with @/ruins-priest) //

When Legundo returns to Owen’s gravesite he finds the man standing in middle of the space, tears steaming off of his face. His eyes are far away and one hand is still floating in the air as if he’s just let go of something. Or someone.

He doesn’t notice the doctor’s approach.

"Owen..." He said, carefully walking towards him, hand raised to offer some comfort if he wished to take it, whether it be to wipe away his tears or just to hold his hand, he would be there.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

owen-the-lumberjack

His head snaps towards the sound of his name.

“What? Oh- oh yeah. I’m fine.”

He lifts a hand to wipe the tears from his face, it makes a hissing sound as the last few evaporate.

He didn't believe that for one second, but he wasn't one to push. "Have you got everything you may need?" He asked, reaching to take Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Yeah, yeah.”

He waves at a bag resting against the wall of the nearby tower.

“How did talking to the boys go?”

"They should be arriving shortly. I think William wants to be here to make sure I don't kill someone." He chuckled.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Whatever was bothering him earlier is gone now, he’s actually more happy than Legundo had though he would see him.

"He doesn't want me to 'regress back to how I was', as Abolish puts it." He said, taking Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

"The more people talk about this past doctor the more I want to meet him."

He lets his hands be taken, stepping fowards with the action.

"Maybe I'll let you." His eyes flashed, smiling. "Do you like men covered in blood?"

owen-the-lumberjack

Owen's cheeks immediately start glowing.

"I don't know, I've never seen you covered in blood."

"May have to treat you then." He smiled, pulling him into a hug.

owen-the-lumberjack

He leans back, trusting his weight to Legundo's arms.

"I would offer to help, but it's sounding like you would have it handled."

"Something something six thousand men." He smiled. "When are the boys getting here-?"

"Here! We're here."

William pops up, not from the treeline but just next to the two of them.

"Don't scare them, beloved-" George mumbled, adjusting his bag with one hand, holding onto William with the other.

"Scare them? They were starting to scare me."

He grins mischievously at his boyfriend.

"How could we scare you?" Legs asked, keeping one arm around Owen as he turned to look at the other two. "We're the least terrifying people ever!"

"It's like watching your parents kiss. Please stop flirting."

He takes gagging.

"If I'm forced to watch you two flirt, I'm going to flirt with my darling spark."

owen-the-lumberjack

"You're spark?"

He does his best to hold his composure, something he's remembering is a lot harder with a technical heartbeat.

"I can come up with a different nickname, if you'd like-?"

owen-the-lumberjack

"No, I like it."

A few blocks away a tree bursts fully into flame.

"I see...." He giggled. "Shall we head on?"

"Yeah!"

He pauses for a second.

"Where are we going?

"Away from here." Legs shrugged. "Wherever the road takes us."

"Sounds like fun."

William had spent most of his life following orders, first from parents, then from commanders and Sargents. The idea of just following the road without direction was wild to him.

George stood there awkwardly, hand in William's. He'd never met Owen, and he hadn't seen this version of Legs in a *while*, so everything felt... alien.

"You okay Dear?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, sorry." He said, taking a breath. "Just... New people."

owen-the-lumberjack

//closed opener for @doctor-legundo (set after current rp with @/ruins-priest) //

When Legundo returns to Owen’s gravesite he finds the man standing in middle of the space, tears steaming off of his face. His eyes are far away and one hand is still floating in the air as if he’s just let go of something. Or someone.

He doesn’t notice the doctor’s approach.

"Owen..." He said, carefully walking towards him, hand raised to offer some comfort if he wished to take it, whether it be to wipe away his tears or just to hold his hand, he would be there.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

owen-the-lumberjack

His head snaps towards the sound of his name.

“What? Oh- oh yeah. I’m fine.”

He lifts a hand to wipe the tears from his face, it makes a hissing sound as the last few evaporate.

He didn't believe that for one second, but he wasn't one to push. "Have you got everything you may need?" He asked, reaching to take Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Yeah, yeah.”

He waves at a bag resting against the wall of the nearby tower.

“How did talking to the boys go?”

"They should be arriving shortly. I think William wants to be here to make sure I don't kill someone." He chuckled.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Whatever was bothering him earlier is gone now, he’s actually more happy than Legundo had though he would see him.

"He doesn't want me to 'regress back to how I was', as Abolish puts it." He said, taking Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

"The more people talk about this past doctor the more I want to meet him."

He lets his hands be taken, stepping fowards with the action.

"Maybe I'll let you." His eyes flashed, smiling. "Do you like men covered in blood?"

owen-the-lumberjack

Owen's cheeks immediately start glowing.

"I don't know, I've never seen you covered in blood."

"May have to treat you then." He smiled, pulling him into a hug.

owen-the-lumberjack

He leans back, trusting his weight to Legundo's arms.

"I would offer to help, but it's sounding like you would have it handled."

"Something something six thousand men." He smiled. "When are the boys getting here-?"

"Here! We're here."

William pops up, not from the treeline but just next to the two of them.

"Don't scare them, beloved-" George mumbled, adjusting his bag with one hand, holding onto William with the other.

"Scare them? They were starting to scare me."

He grins mischievously at his boyfriend.

"How could we scare you?" Legs asked, keeping one arm around Owen as he turned to look at the other two. "We're the least terrifying people ever!"

"It's like watching your parents kiss. Please stop flirting."

He takes gagging.

"If I'm forced to watch you two flirt, I'm going to flirt with my darling spark."

owen-the-lumberjack

"You're spark?"

He does his best to hold his composure, something he's remembering is a lot harder with a technical heartbeat.

"I can come up with a different nickname, if you'd like-?"

owen-the-lumberjack

"No, I like it."

A few blocks away a tree bursts fully into flame.

"I see...." He giggled. "Shall we head on?"

"Yeah!"

He pauses for a second.

"Where are we going?

"Away from here." Legs shrugged. "Wherever the road takes us."

"Sounds like fun."

William had spent most of his life following orders, first from parents, then from commanders and Sargents. The idea of just following the road without direction was wild to him.

George stood there awkwardly, hand in William's. He'd never met Owen, and he hadn't seen this version of Legs in a *while*, so everything felt... alien.

owen-the-lumberjack

//closed opener for @doctor-legundo (set after current rp with @/ruins-priest) //

When Legundo returns to Owen’s gravesite he finds the man standing in middle of the space, tears steaming off of his face. His eyes are far away and one hand is still floating in the air as if he’s just let go of something. Or someone.

He doesn’t notice the doctor’s approach.

"Owen..." He said, carefully walking towards him, hand raised to offer some comfort if he wished to take it, whether it be to wipe away his tears or just to hold his hand, he would be there.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

owen-the-lumberjack

His head snaps towards the sound of his name.

“What? Oh- oh yeah. I’m fine.”

He lifts a hand to wipe the tears from his face, it makes a hissing sound as the last few evaporate.

He didn't believe that for one second, but he wasn't one to push. "Have you got everything you may need?" He asked, reaching to take Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Yeah, yeah.”

He waves at a bag resting against the wall of the nearby tower.

“How did talking to the boys go?”

"They should be arriving shortly. I think William wants to be here to make sure I don't kill someone." He chuckled.

owen-the-lumberjack

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Whatever was bothering him earlier is gone now, he’s actually more happy than Legundo had though he would see him.

"He doesn't want me to 'regress back to how I was', as Abolish puts it." He said, taking Owen's hand.

owen-the-lumberjack

"The more people talk about this past doctor the more I want to meet him."

He lets his hands be taken, stepping fowards with the action.

"Maybe I'll let you." His eyes flashed, smiling. "Do you like men covered in blood?"

owen-the-lumberjack

Owen's cheeks immediately start glowing.

"I don't know, I've never seen you covered in blood."

"May have to treat you then." He smiled, pulling him into a hug.

owen-the-lumberjack

He leans back, trusting his weight to Legundo's arms.

"I would offer to help, but it's sounding like you would have it handled."

"Something something six thousand men." He smiled. "When are the boys getting here-?"

"Here! We're here."

William pops up, not from the treeline but just next to the two of them.

"Don't scare them, beloved-" George mumbled, adjusting his bag with one hand, holding onto William with the other.

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

"You're telling me L listened to someone else for once in his life? And it wasn't me?"

He's not longer crying but he sniffles once or twice.

"Well..." he chuckled quietly. "I did say that you wouldn't have wanted him to go on how he was. It worked, for a bit..."

"He would have wanted revenge. Revenge and blood. Blood I will take, for William. You cannot deny me that."

"George, dear, did you lie to L to try to keep his morality intact?"

"...I did what I had to do." He said sadly.

William surges forward and kisses George.

"I'm so incredibly in love with you."

"What.... sparked this this time?" He asked, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"I've been trying to get you to lie to L for years my love."

"I've lied to him about a lot-"

"What? When?"

William grabs both sides of George's face with his palms and starts steering him boyfriend's head around.

"How come I didn't know about this?"

"You didn't need to know-" he said, staring up into those big old eyes. "It wasn't that big of a deal, my love, just some small things-"

William grumbles to himself a bit, something he'd only do around George.

"I feel somewhat betrayed."

"I am immensely sorry, my love." He pressed a kiss to William's temple. "Please forgive me."

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

"You're telling me L listened to someone else for once in his life? And it wasn't me?"

He's not longer crying but he sniffles once or twice.

"Well..." he chuckled quietly. "I did say that you wouldn't have wanted him to go on how he was. It worked, for a bit..."

"He would have wanted revenge. Revenge and blood. Blood I will take, for William. You cannot deny me that."

"George, dear, did you lie to L to try to keep his morality intact?"

"...I did what I had to do." He said sadly.

William surges forward and kisses George.

"I'm so incredibly in love with you."

"What.... sparked this this time?" He asked, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"I've been trying to get you to lie to L for years my love."

"I've lied to him about a lot-"

"What? When?"

William grabs both sides of George's face with his palms and starts steering him boyfriend's head around.

"How come I didn't know about this?"

"You didn't need to know-" he said, staring up into those big old eyes. "It wasn't that big of a deal, my love, just some small things-"

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

"You're telling me L listened to someone else for once in his life? And it wasn't me?"

He's not longer crying but he sniffles once or twice.

"Well..." he chuckled quietly. "I did say that you wouldn't have wanted him to go on how he was. It worked, for a bit..."

"He would have wanted revenge. Revenge and blood. Blood I will take, for William. You cannot deny me that."

"George, dear, did you lie to L to try to keep his morality intact?"

"...I did what I had to do." He said sadly.

William surges forward and kisses George.

"I'm so incredibly in love with you."

"What.... sparked this this time?" He asked, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"I've been trying to get you to lie to L for years my love."

"I've lied to him about a lot-"

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

"You're telling me L listened to someone else for once in his life? And it wasn't me?"

He's not longer crying but he sniffles once or twice.

"Well..." he chuckled quietly. "I did say that you wouldn't have wanted him to go on how he was. It worked, for a bit..."

"He would have wanted revenge. Revenge and blood. Blood I will take, for William. You cannot deny me that."

"George, dear, did you lie to L to try to keep his morality intact?"

"...I did what I had to do." He said sadly.

William surges forward and kisses George.

"I'm so incredibly in love with you."

"What.... sparked this this time?" He asked, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

"You're telling me L listened to someone else for once in his life? And it wasn't me?"

He's not longer crying but he sniffles once or twice.

"Well..." he chuckled quietly. "I did say that you wouldn't have wanted him to go on how he was. It worked, for a bit..."

"He would have wanted revenge. Revenge and blood. Blood I will take, for William. You cannot deny me that."

"George, dear, did you lie to L to try to keep his morality intact?"

"...I did what I had to do." He said sadly.

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

"You're telling me L listened to someone else for once in his life? And it wasn't me?"

He's not longer crying but he sniffles once or twice.

"Well..." he chuckled quietly. "I did say that you wouldn't have wanted him to go on how he was. It worked, for a bit..."

"He would have wanted revenge. Revenge and blood. Blood I will take, for William. You cannot deny me that."

"William?"

@ghostofhislove

"George?"

"My dear?"

"William!" George ran over, finally finally after all this time. He stared at his lover, eyes wide and shocked. He looked as beautiful as the day he had lost him.

"George!"

He was here. He missed him so much. George hadn't been there for the incident. He hadn't seen him for days.

And now, here he was.

George immediately threw himself at William, wrapping his arms around him with a smile. "It's been so long-" he said, holding him close.

William pulls George to his chest and swings him through the air in joy.

"I missed you so much."

George laughed softly, holding onto William as tight as he could. "Careful, I don't want to fall-"

"Have I ever dropped you my dear?"

He lowers George gently to the ground, dropping him back in a dip last second.

"Ah!" he yelped, not expecting it and clinging onto his lover's neck so he didn't fall. "That's terrifying, bunny-"

William leans down and presses a quick kiss to George before pulling them both back up, giggling.

"Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, not moving his arms from where they were. "How've you been?"

"How I was doing doesn't matter any more. You're here, I'm wonderful."

William lets his arms rest past George's sides, linking his fingers together behind him, holding the other close.

"That makes it sound like you've not been doing well, bunny-" he said cautiously, instantly concerned.

He looks away, debating how much George should know.

“L is… not doing great….”

"What's happened to him-" George asked, immediately concerned.

“A lot….?”

Abort. This was a bad idea. He should’ve just lied and said he ate something funny. He’s not ready to deal with this.

"I see... how's he actually doing?" George held William's face in his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

“Well…. Uh.”

William works a lip between his teeth. Nervous. George remains the only man William will ever truely be scared of and he would rather not make his boyfriend angry or worried enough to reach that point.

“Vampires are real apparently? And superpowers?”

"That... makes sense." He said, sighing. "We are ghosts, after all."

“Right.”

He takes a step back, letting his arms drop.

“So L, might have been fighting vampires, and then become a vampire, and then sacrificed himself so that the townspeople could be cured, and now he’s back but he’s stuck in his own head?”

"I... see." He said, thinking back to Legs after William had died, that vengeful, hate filled, lost man. "Don't tell me he's worse at taking care of himself and is much more vengeful now-"

“Uhhhh… I’m not sure. He’s kinda just locked himself in his study as far as I know. But I’m not sure how long he’s been back?”

Oh he’s definitely messed up somewhere. Maybe he can still fix it?

George sighed under his breath. "Sounds like him..." He caressed William's face lightly, smiling. "We can sort this out, it's fine."

William leans into the touch.

“I’m worried about him. I don’t want to lose him again.”

"We'll get him back." George assured. "I promise."

“As long as he’s safe. That’s all. I’ll love him no matter what.”

William lets himself sink back into George.

"I think I know what might be wrong with him." George admitted, holding William close and comfortingly.

"I just don't want him hurting."

"Try and be there for him. It's the best thing you can do."

"After all he's done for me? How could I not."

William nuzzles into George's shoulder, just enjoying having his boyfriend close again.

"He might think you've just died again, if it's as bad as it was last time." George muttered, holding William close and running his hands through his hair. "Be careful, bunny."

"He.. was he like this after I died? Is this my fault?"

"It's not your fault, William, it's never been your fault. It was the enemy. It was always the enemy. It was never you, bunny-"

It’s too late, William has already begun to sink into his own thoughts.

“I never should have been there. I should’ve stayed in my cot. If I hadn’t then maybe… But he was struggling. I was just trying to help….”

William begins to sink to the ground, muttering under his breath as he goes.

George sat down with him, holding his hand. Why did he say that?

"William, you did what you had to. You felt like you needed to make sure he was alright, you're alright, Will. He didn't slip because of you. You did what you thought was best there. You're alright." He held his shoulder in his other hand, trying to ground him.

William flinches back at the contact, lashing out with his knife. How did he get his knife.

“No! Get back! I won’t let you hurt him.”

George pulled back, but not too far in case he needed to help William. "Will, it's me. George. Your partner. You're safe, L is safe, we're all safe-"

All William manages to catch are the names.

"Where are they? What have you done with them?"

He lunges forwards, knife aimed for George's arm. The blade comes away crimson.

George stares at the wound, panicked. He holds a hand to it and it comes away coated in blood, blood he hasn't had coursing through his body in years.

"I've done nothing to them, William." He said, voice slightly angrier than earlier. Normal tones, for him, when talking to other people. Not normal for Will.

William drops into a crouch, knife held at the ready, a snarl on his face.

“If you’ve hurt them, I’ll kill you.”

William is in full survival mode. It’s been a long time since George has seen him quite this aggressive, he’s usually far more tactical with his movements.

"I promise I haven't hurt them." The panic was rising within him, his brain racing at a hundred miles an hour. "I would never hurt them-"

How did he get him to calm down last time this had happened? How could he do it again? Why had he reacted like this, why was he so aggressive, why? Why?!

William slashes again with his knife.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

"It's me, William-" He said, trying to grab his knife arm, but not before he himself got nicked with it. "It's me, bunny-"

William snarls at the obvious attempt to take his knife.

Then he hears the name. Bunny. The only person who ever called him that was George.

George, who was standing in front of him, bleeding.

“George? Dear?”

Did he do that?

"William-" He said cautiously, not taking his eyes off of the other to tend to his wound, the blood pooling under his hand from the initial slash in his arm. He didn't even care that much about the others.

“You’re hurt.”

All William can see is the red seeping from between Georg’s fingers.

His knife is in his hand. He thought L had it.

George looked down at it, humming. "It's fine." He said, turning back to William. "Are you alright?"

“Don’t bullshit me. That’s so much blood.”

He drops the knife without thinking, hands moving to fuss at George.

"William, I'm fine-" George assured, pulling away slightly. He could deal with it later, William was the focus here.

“Well I’m not until you’re cleaned up.”

He was doing his best to hold it together. He hated seeing George hurt.

George sighed, pulling his hand away. There was a lot of blood, a lot of it. Normally he was good with it, normally he could handle it, but today it felt off. He felt sick to his stomach from it. It wasn't fun.

William looks at the wound, then back up at George's face. He can tell his boyfriend isn't handling this well.

He reaches out and clamps his hands either side of the wound around George's arm, doing his best to slow the blood flow.

"Do you have your kit?"

He had some bandage in a pocket but George's kit would be better equipped for this situation.

George silently leaned down, picking up the bag he carried everywhere. It had his sketchbook and paint kit tucked into the side pocket, but a vast majority of it was taken up by the medical supplies. He handed it to William.

William sighs, that would make things easier.

"Can you find some rags? Just to tourniquet so I can move my hands."

He is praying George can do this. He's lost enough blood as it is and he'd rather his boyfriend not lose any more.

Silently again, he rummaged through the bag, handing a long strip of sterile fabric out, doing his best to tear a length off it off with his teeth for William.

Big breaths Willaim, he could do this.

He motions for George to apply pressure where he removes one hand and immediately begins tying the strip of fabric around the limb on the other side of the wound. Then he gets George to let go so he can repeat on the other side.

"Okay."

He pulls the pack towards himself, rooting around for where he knows George keeps his cleaning supplies.

"I have no idea if this is going to hurt you or not. I'm sorry in advance."

"I'll be fine-" He said, wiping his hands on his trousers legs. Too much blood, too much blood on his hands.

William carefully begins cleaning the wound, mopping up the blood. There's far more than should be possible for both the size of the cut and for George to still be concious. He chalks it up to weird ghost physics.

The wound doesn't look as scary with the bleeding stopped and the blood cleaned away. He still has to flush the wound but hopefully George will be able to focus better now.

He winces a few times as the cleaning supplies touch raw flesh, but he doesn't shout out. "I'm sorry-" he said quietly, looking at William as he cleaned his wound. He shouldn't have to do that.

William's eyes snap up to George's.

"Give me one good reason why you're sorry or take that back this instant."

He gently lets go of George's arm to go looking for his suture supplies.

"You shouldn't have to be doing this for me, it's my injury and I'm the medic." He said, voice quieter than normal, awkward.

William retrieves the supplies and begins setting them out.

"And who cut you in the first place?"

He's made at himself. How could he be so blind as to not recognise George. To go as far as to attack him. To hurt him. The one thing he swore he wouldn't do.

"Someone scared and cautious that I had hurt the ones they love."

"Yeah, well, I should've known better."

He holds out a strip of cloth in offering in case George wants something to bite down on while he does the stitches.

"You didn't need to know better. You did what any sane man would have done."

"A sane man wouldn't've mistaken his own boyfriend for the enemy!"

William drops the supplies, thankfully onto a clean cloth. There are tears running down his face now.

"You're hurting, William, it's fine." George said, wiping William's tears away.

"It's just... I'm supposed to be able to protect you, and here I am hurting you because I couldn't hold onto what was real or not."

He leans into the touch a little.

"How am I supposed to keep you safe if I'm jumping at shadows that aren't even there?"

"We all jump at shadows that aren't there. You're doing your best, that's all that matters to me."

William lifts a hand, mirroring George, cupping his face.

"I would kill every single person on this planet if it meant keeping you safe. You are my number one priority. Always will be."

"...maybe we don't kill every single person, William-" George chuckled, leaning into the hand.

"I won't."

He leans in to give George a soft peck.

"Unless it's necessary."

"Murder isn't necessary when it's for me, William. There's already too much death."

"If you saw so my dear."

He leans forwards and presses another quick kiss to George's face before sitting back and picking up the sharp needle, intent on getting back to the more important matter at hand.

George stared at the needle for a split second longer than he should have, a bit scared. He shouldn't be scared, he was fine, he was a medic, he was used to this.

William notices his boyfriend start to panic.

"Hey, eyes on me. You're going to be okay."

George looked up at William, blinking. He could trust William, he could trust him. He nodded slightly.

"I trust you."

He offers the scrap of fabric to bite again before beginning to flush the wound and cleaning and threading the needle

George took it, biting down on it to get himself ready for the inevitable discomfort, nodding to tell William he was ready.

William sets to to work immediately. He's not as good at this as George or L, and he's lacking in the neatness he's sure would reduce scarring. But he works quickly. In, out, tie it off. And again.

The longer he worked, the worse it got. William was good, but that doesn't stop the pain from it. He bit down on the fabric to stop himself from screaming in agont, but thst didn't stop the small and pathetic sounds of pain from escaping him.

William works as fast as he can, blocking out the sound of William’s pain like he’d learned to do when helping L in the infirmary.

He goes quickly fishing for fresh gauze and bandages to wrap the fresh stitches as soon as he’s finished. Eager to get the injury out of both of their sights.

Once the wound is wrapped and the injury is hidden, George fell into William's arms, holding onto him. "Thank you-" He said, breath whispering across his boyfriends cheek.

“I love you.”

He clings to George like he’s going to fall out of his arms any second. He’d just gotten him back, and he’d almost tried to send him away again.

"I love you too, bunny." He said, letting himself melt into William's arms. He wanted to stay here forever.

William lifts a hand to run through George’s hair, gently combing through curls. He hadn’t been able to do this is forever.

He leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. He hadn't felt the softness of those hands in... years. "You're amazing..." he mumbled, face still slightly buried in his chest.

“I do my best.”

William smiles down at his boyfriend.

“But only for you.”

"I'm honoured." he said, leaning up to kiss him quickly before burying himself in William's jumper again to hide the blush on his cheeks.

“You’re a warmth thief is what you are.”

William brings his hands up to George’s waist and begins to tickle his boyfriend mercilessly.

"Hey-!" He laughed, trying to wriggle his way out of William's grip, lightly and playfully hitting his hands away. "That's cruel!"

William lets off, arms curling around George as he begins to pepper his boyfriend’s face with kisses.

George giggled, still trying to pull away, but only now to hide the sheer blush that had bloomed on his face.

"Noooo. Don't leave me."

There's no seriousness in his voice, mostly whiny dramatics as he chases after his boyfriend.

George giggled, ducking away for only a second, before returning (he couldn't let him leave for too long, clearly) to give William a kiss, a smile on his face as he did so, arms wrapped around William's neck instantly to hold him close.

William giggles too and nestles into George's neck and shoulder, happy to have him near. He missed just getting to be around his boyfriend. The lack of current war was definitely helping too.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..." He whispered, stroking William's hair carefully. "Maybe even more so."

William doesn't speak but George can feel the tears that begin to soak into his shirt. He shakes a little as silent sobs rip through him.

"hey, hey, hey-" he said, planting a kiss on William's forehead. "It's alright, my love, you're safe."

William looks up at George's face. His eyes are full of tears and there are trails down his face.

He takes a shuddering breath and pushes a wobbly smile onto his face.

George cupped his face, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "It's alright, bunny, you're safe now. You're here, you're safe." he comforted.

He sniffles a little.

"It's just so unfair that you had to deal with all of that alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"The worst thing I had to deal with was Legs, and he listened to me." Half lies. He didn't want to worry William with everything that had happened after he had died, in life and in purgatory. "I managed, but it was hard without you."

anonymousglassofwater

Dear Water,

Unfortunately, intitating interraction with someone I know from one meeting when I had just realised I exist on this plane again is quite hard, so you'll have to do with a letter to initiate this.

I would really like to talk to you again. You seem like a nice person, so I apologise if I came off too harshly in our initial interraction as I'm not the best with new people and I didn't have William to push me to do better.

I have found William now, and I'm glad to know he's the same murderous little freak as ever. Thank you for pointing me in the correct direction.

I hope this message finds you well. If you want to meet and talk again, I would love to speak again in person and will be at the memorial for William at about noon.

Yours in good faith, Private Kendall

( @ghostofhislove )

Water wandered into the chrysanthemum clearing, carrying a few red flowers from a separate patch to bring over. The crown they made for the memorial the week before had been either blown off or taken away, so they brought some more materials to make a new one.

They scanned the clearing for the artist, blinking to get used to the sunlight after wandering through the darkness of the forest. What was left of it, anyways.

George leaned against the headstone, weaving red, white, and purple flowers together silently. He didn't expect Water to show up, truth be told, but he waited there, just in case.

anonymousglassofwater

Water spotted him by the memorial, and wandered over. The clearing hadn’t changed much from the last time they visited, but it looked… fuller. Maybe the flowers were growing back quicker.

“George?”

George looked up, eyebrow raised. "You came?"

anonymousglassofwater

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” They say down on the grass, placing their flowers on the ground next to them.

"Thought you'd be busy or something." he said, looking back down as he weaved the flowers together.

anonymousglassofwater

“Never too busy to come at the request of a friend.” They picked up two of their own flowers and begun a clumsy weave. They’ve gotten better at it, but some things still poked out at the wrong places.

"You really are a good person, Water." george said, watching them. They were better than he was when he was starting out, but he had had years of experience. Purgatory is different for everyone; for him, it was a field with men he couldn't save, but so many flowers and so much time.

anonymousglassofwater

“Everyone says so… I just try to help.” They watched George weave, trying to pick up on a few things that he was doing to make theirs better.

"Helping as many as you can is always a good thing, Water. Never lose that spark." He said, positioning his hands so Water could see better.

anonymousglassofwater

“I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. I want to give what I never got. It’s what I do.”

Water watched more carefully, seeing how he dipped a stem a certain way that seems to solve how the flower stuck out in one direction.

"That's entirely understandable. People give out into the world what they long to receive." He said, picking up a pair of small, jewellers pliers and attaching a ring with a small W on it onto the flower crown. He should make one for Water, once this is done.

anonymousglassofwater

“…you use tools? Dedication. I like it.”

"My younger sister wanted to be a jeweller. I picked this up when helping her, perfected it when I saw her in purgatory."

anonymousglassofwater

“…I hope your time with her was good. I’m sorry that you were pulled away from that. I’m sure she would have been amazing, if she had a brother like you.”

"She was... she was a bit of a gremlin, but the best sisters are."

She could have had such a life ahead of her, she could have done so much. It's a pity she died so young.

anonymousglassofwater

“That they are.” Water said, thinking of Potato as they poked at another stem.

He nodded, placing the purple, red, and white crown down at his side with a smile. One of his more... symbolic works. He picked up some blue flowers and started weaving again.

anonymousglassofwater

Water looked over the finished crown that he just put down, trying to see how he finished off the ends and made it look seemless.

"The ends are hard to do, it took me a while. I could do them for you and show you, if you'd like-" he said, holding out his hands.

anonymousglassofwater

“That would be nice.” Water hands off the half-made crown. They half expected it to fall through his hands like what happened with William, but it didn’t.

"Here-" he took it, carefully and slowly performing a series of knots so they could see. "This will stop them from falling-" he explained as he twisted them in a practiced way.

anonymousglassofwater

“Oh, guess I never thought about it that way…”

"You pick up a lot from a few decades in purgatory-"

anonymousglassofwater

“…I’m sure you do, with nothing else to hold your attention.”

"First few years is different. The bodies, the sensations, the pain, the lack of communication. But then again, purgatory is different for everyone."

anonymousglassofwater

“…sometimes I wonder what mine will be like. Most times I end that train of thought with ‘I don’t want to know.’”

"You wouldn't go to purgatory. You're too good. You'd go to heaven."

anonymousglassofwater

“…that’s if I don’t do anything awful in the future. Besides… if you and Legs both went to purgatory… I’d never see you again. I don’t know if Will did… but if so than him too.”

"I don't know if William had purgatory. I don't think he did." He said, braiding the flowers again. "I wouldn't want you to be in purgatory... it's not a good place to be."

anonymousglassofwater

“I’m not wishing for it, simply asking that I’m not taken from the people I care about in death… although I have a feeling that it will be a long time before I die of age.”

"I see... maybe we'll have redeemed ourselves enough to go to heaven with you. Or maybe you'll join us as a ghost." he shrugged.

anonymousglassofwater

“Who knows.” They nod slightly, picking up their crown again and adjusting the way a few buds sit.

George silently braided the blue flowers together, ensuring an intricate yet confident design. Careful and loving, like the person who it would belong to.

anonymousglassofwater

Water finished poking the flowers they wanted into place, and put it down on the open book face of the memorial. They knew that Will was floating around as a ghost now, but it still felt good to leave flowers for him. Maybe it was to make up for the years that they didn’t know him.

He wouldn't leave this for anyone, he wouldn't dare. He would give it straight to the new owner.

More braiding, more plaiting, more intricacies that seemed too practiced to be normal. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to it, eyes focused on one point rather than the whole piece.

anonymousglassofwater

Dear Water,

Unfortunately, intitating interraction with someone I know from one meeting when I had just realised I exist on this plane again is quite hard, so you'll have to do with a letter to initiate this.

I would really like to talk to you again. You seem like a nice person, so I apologise if I came off too harshly in our initial interraction as I'm not the best with new people and I didn't have William to push me to do better.

I have found William now, and I'm glad to know he's the same murderous little freak as ever. Thank you for pointing me in the correct direction.

I hope this message finds you well. If you want to meet and talk again, I would love to speak again in person and will be at the memorial for William at about noon.

Yours in good faith, Private Kendall

( @ghostofhislove )

Water wandered into the chrysanthemum clearing, carrying a few red flowers from a separate patch to bring over. The crown they made for the memorial the week before had been either blown off or taken away, so they brought some more materials to make a new one.

They scanned the clearing for the artist, blinking to get used to the sunlight after wandering through the darkness of the forest. What was left of it, anyways.

George leaned against the headstone, weaving red, white, and purple flowers together silently. He didn't expect Water to show up, truth be told, but he waited there, just in case.

anonymousglassofwater

Water spotted him by the memorial, and wandered over. The clearing hadn’t changed much from the last time they visited, but it looked… fuller. Maybe the flowers were growing back quicker.

“George?”

George looked up, eyebrow raised. "You came?"

anonymousglassofwater

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” They say down on the grass, placing their flowers on the ground next to them.

"Thought you'd be busy or something." he said, looking back down as he weaved the flowers together.

anonymousglassofwater

“Never too busy to come at the request of a friend.” They picked up two of their own flowers and begun a clumsy weave. They’ve gotten better at it, but some things still poked out at the wrong places.

"You really are a good person, Water." george said, watching them. They were better than he was when he was starting out, but he had had years of experience. Purgatory is different for everyone; for him, it was a field with men he couldn't save, but so many flowers and so much time.

anonymousglassofwater

“Everyone says so… I just try to help.” They watched George weave, trying to pick up on a few things that he was doing to make theirs better.

"Helping as many as you can is always a good thing, Water. Never lose that spark." He said, positioning his hands so Water could see better.

anonymousglassofwater

“I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. I want to give what I never got. It’s what I do.”

Water watched more carefully, seeing how he dipped a stem a certain way that seems to solve how the flower stuck out in one direction.

"That's entirely understandable. People give out into the world what they long to receive." He said, picking up a pair of small, jewellers pliers and attaching a ring with a small W on it onto the flower crown. He should make one for Water, once this is done.

anonymousglassofwater

“…you use tools? Dedication. I like it.”

"My younger sister wanted to be a jeweller. I picked this up when helping her, perfected it when I saw her in purgatory."

anonymousglassofwater

“…I hope your time with her was good. I’m sorry that you were pulled away from that. I’m sure she would have been amazing, if she had a brother like you.”

"She was... she was a bit of a gremlin, but the best sisters are."

She could have had such a life ahead of her, she could have done so much. It's a pity she died so young.

anonymousglassofwater

“That they are.” Water said, thinking of Potato as they poked at another stem.

He nodded, placing the purple, red, and white crown down at his side with a smile. One of his more... symbolic works. He picked up some blue flowers and started weaving again.

anonymousglassofwater

Water looked over the finished crown that he just put down, trying to see how he finished off the ends and made it look seemless.

"The ends are hard to do, it took me a while. I could do them for you and show you, if you'd like-" he said, holding out his hands.

anonymousglassofwater

“That would be nice.” Water hands off the half-made crown. They half expected it to fall through his hands like what happened with William, but it didn’t.

"Here-" he took it, carefully and slowly performing a series of knots so they could see. "This will stop them from falling-" he explained as he twisted them in a practiced way.

anonymousglassofwater

“Oh, guess I never thought about it that way…”

"You pick up a lot from a few decades in purgatory-"

anonymousglassofwater

“…I’m sure you do, with nothing else to hold your attention.”

"First few years is different. The bodies, the sensations, the pain, the lack of communication. But then again, purgatory is different for everyone."

anonymousglassofwater

“…sometimes I wonder what mine will be like. Most times I end that train of thought with ‘I don’t want to know.’”

"You wouldn't go to purgatory. You're too good. You'd go to heaven."

anonymousglassofwater

“…that’s if I don’t do anything awful in the future. Besides… if you and Legs both went to purgatory… I’d never see you again. I don’t know if Will did… but if so than him too.”

"I don't know if William had purgatory. I don't think he did." He said, braiding the flowers again. "I wouldn't want you to be in purgatory... it's not a good place to be."

anonymousglassofwater

“I’m not wishing for it, simply asking that I’m not taken from the people I care about in death… although I have a feeling that it will be a long time before I die of age.”

"I see... maybe we'll have redeemed ourselves enough to go to heaven with you. Or maybe you'll join us as a ghost." he shrugged.

anonymousglassofwater

“Who knows.” They nod slightly, picking up their crown again and adjusting the way a few buds sit.

George silently braided the blue flowers together, ensuring an intricate yet confident design. Careful and loving, like the person who it would belong to.

anonymousglassofwater

Dear Water,

Unfortunately, intitating interraction with someone I know from one meeting when I had just realised I exist on this plane again is quite hard, so you'll have to do with a letter to initiate this.

I would really like to talk to you again. You seem like a nice person, so I apologise if I came off too harshly in our initial interraction as I'm not the best with new people and I didn't have William to push me to do better.

I have found William now, and I'm glad to know he's the same murderous little freak as ever. Thank you for pointing me in the correct direction.

I hope this message finds you well. If you want to meet and talk again, I would love to speak again in person and will be at the memorial for William at about noon.

Yours in good faith, Private Kendall

( @ghostofhislove )

Water wandered into the chrysanthemum clearing, carrying a few red flowers from a separate patch to bring over. The crown they made for the memorial the week before had been either blown off or taken away, so they brought some more materials to make a new one.

They scanned the clearing for the artist, blinking to get used to the sunlight after wandering through the darkness of the forest. What was left of it, anyways.

George leaned against the headstone, weaving red, white, and purple flowers together silently. He didn't expect Water to show up, truth be told, but he waited there, just in case.

anonymousglassofwater

Water spotted him by the memorial, and wandered over. The clearing hadn’t changed much from the last time they visited, but it looked… fuller. Maybe the flowers were growing back quicker.

“George?”

George looked up, eyebrow raised. "You came?"

anonymousglassofwater

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” They say down on the grass, placing their flowers on the ground next to them.

"Thought you'd be busy or something." he said, looking back down as he weaved the flowers together.

anonymousglassofwater

“Never too busy to come at the request of a friend.” They picked up two of their own flowers and begun a clumsy weave. They’ve gotten better at it, but some things still poked out at the wrong places.

"You really are a good person, Water." george said, watching them. They were better than he was when he was starting out, but he had had years of experience. Purgatory is different for everyone; for him, it was a field with men he couldn't save, but so many flowers and so much time.

anonymousglassofwater

“Everyone says so… I just try to help.” They watched George weave, trying to pick up on a few things that he was doing to make theirs better.

"Helping as many as you can is always a good thing, Water. Never lose that spark." He said, positioning his hands so Water could see better.

anonymousglassofwater

“I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. I want to give what I never got. It’s what I do.”

Water watched more carefully, seeing how he dipped a stem a certain way that seems to solve how the flower stuck out in one direction.

"That's entirely understandable. People give out into the world what they long to receive." He said, picking up a pair of small, jewellers pliers and attaching a ring with a small W on it onto the flower crown. He should make one for Water, once this is done.

anonymousglassofwater

“…you use tools? Dedication. I like it.”

"My younger sister wanted to be a jeweller. I picked this up when helping her, perfected it when I saw her in purgatory."

anonymousglassofwater

“…I hope your time with her was good. I’m sorry that you were pulled away from that. I’m sure she would have been amazing, if she had a brother like you.”

"She was... she was a bit of a gremlin, but the best sisters are."

She could have had such a life ahead of her, she could have done so much. It's a pity she died so young.

anonymousglassofwater

“That they are.” Water said, thinking of Potato as they poked at another stem.

He nodded, placing the purple, red, and white crown down at his side with a smile. One of his more... symbolic works. He picked up some blue flowers and started weaving again.

anonymousglassofwater

Water looked over the finished crown that he just put down, trying to see how he finished off the ends and made it look seemless.

"The ends are hard to do, it took me a while. I could do them for you and show you, if you'd like-" he said, holding out his hands.

anonymousglassofwater

“That would be nice.” Water hands off the half-made crown. They half expected it to fall through his hands like what happened with William, but it didn’t.

"Here-" he took it, carefully and slowly performing a series of knots so they could see. "This will stop them from falling-" he explained as he twisted them in a practiced way.

anonymousglassofwater

“Oh, guess I never thought about it that way…”

"You pick up a lot from a few decades in purgatory-"

anonymousglassofwater

“…I’m sure you do, with nothing else to hold your attention.”

"First few years is different. The bodies, the sensations, the pain, the lack of communication. But then again, purgatory is different for everyone."

anonymousglassofwater

“…sometimes I wonder what mine will be like. Most times I end that train of thought with ‘I don’t want to know.’”

"You wouldn't go to purgatory. You're too good. You'd go to heaven."

anonymousglassofwater

“…that’s if I don’t do anything awful in the future. Besides… if you and Legs both went to purgatory… I’d never see you again. I don’t know if Will did… but if so than him too.”

"I don't know if William had purgatory. I don't think he did." He said, braiding the flowers again. "I wouldn't want you to be in purgatory... it's not a good place to be."

anonymousglassofwater

“I’m not wishing for it, simply asking that I’m not taken from the people I care about in death… although I have a feeling that it will be a long time before I die of age.”

"I see... maybe we'll have redeemed ourselves enough to go to heaven with you. Or maybe you'll join us as a ghost." he shrugged.

#// apologies got caught up drawing the gays

George Kendall @ghostofhislove - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag