"Ughhhh…" Harland groaned, letting their head hit the desk in front of them for probably the fifth time in the past hour. Paperwork. It was paperwork day. The worst day of the week. It was staggered amongst the reapers, obviously, since death never took a holiday and someone was always dying out there. So today was their day. And it sucked.
What was even worse? Both of their partners were on the field today. So there was no one around to distract them.
Well, almost no one.
"What's wrong, shortstack?" A heavy thump on their back and a subsequent light tug on the back of their hair made them lean back to look up at the smirking face of Eric.
"Paperwork day…" they pouted, leaning back further in their chair to kick their shoes up on their desk. Eric took a step back and leaned down to continue grinning at them.
"Pity! Not me, I'm about to head out m'self," Eric spun his scythe around to show his point, then hefted it up over his shoulder. "Get yer work done early and maybe you can join Alan and I, eh? Sure there'll be plenty t' clean up. That twerp and his dog are out causing trouble again."
"Oh?" Ciel and Sebastian. Typical names around the office. Very very common. "What are they doing now?"
But Eric shook his head. "Can't tell ya now, gotta get busy, but stick around and I'll fill ya in when I get back, alright?" He put his hand under the back of their leaning chair and sat it back upright, forcing them to take their legs down or get squished. "And stop leanin', or William'll be on your ass again."
"When isn't he?" Harland sighed but waved Eric off as he left the room, leaving them alone again.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
The next hour dragged by, horrendously slow. Sheet after sheet of dull paperwork was filled out until finally, they heard a familiar voice outside in the hallway.
"– oh and my hair! He messed up my precious hair, that damn Bassy, I'll teach him a lesson or two in manners one of these days!"
Harland perked up, glancing over at the door that led to where they were sitting now. Another voice joined into the conversation. "Yeah yeah. It doesn't even look that bad? I don't see what you're crying about."
The door to the room opened and Grell and Ronald both stepped in. Grell was a pouting mess, her hair vaguely out of place but otherwise beautiful as ever. The makeup under her eyes was a bit smudged as well but nothing severe. Even Ronald looked a bit roughed up, his tie untucked and a forming bruise on one cheek bright against his pale skin.
"Yeesh, what happened out there?" Harland remarked with a low whistle as Grell made her way over, shrugging off her signature red jacket to hang it on the back of Harland's chair. She grabbed a nearby chair of her own and rolled it over, taking a seat with a dramatic sigh.
"Oh dear, it was horrible! Absolutely horrible!" She leaned back, draping the back of a delicate hand over her eyes. "There I was, collecting souls and minding my own business, when out of nowhere, Bassy and his little brat showed up! Oh and of course he had to make a show of it, always does, that devil~" She sat up suddenly and wheeled closer to Harland, putting her hands on the arms of their chair and getting all up in their face. "Look, he even got my makeup all messy! Oh the horror, the unfairness of it all!"
Harland smiled and reached forward to gently thumb away the smudges until Grell's makeup was perfectly acceptable once more. "Ohh you poor thing. Would a kiss make it better?"
Grell grinned, sharp-toothed and sly. "Wellllll, it certainly might~ Who's to say~?"
"I might have something to say about it," Ronald interjected with an eyeroll, grabbing the back of Harland's chair and yanking them backwards, away from Grell, who nearly fell forward from how far she was leaning towards them. Before Harland could say anything, Ronald had stolen a peck on their lips. When the two pulled apart, he was smiling brightly down at Harland's blushing face. "You know I get first dibs on kisses. Don't want Grell's lipstick rubbin' off on me."
"Oh, booo," Grell pouted. "You'd look rather dashing with a smidge of lipstick I think! Ladies love a man with a bit of flair~" As she spoke, she dragged Harland's chair back over and leaned in to give them a kiss of her own. As expected, it left a tint of red on Harland's lips that definitely would have gotten onto Ronald afterwards.
"Guysss, I'm supposed to be doing paperwork," Harland faked a whine, like they actually cared about the damn papers when their two lovers were around.
"I think you'll find the two of us much more interesting, no~?" Grell pulled Harland from their chair to sit in her lap instead, snuggling her head into their neck with a purr. Ronald came over as well, reaching down to tilt Harland's head up with a grin.
"Yeah, come on, hang out with us instead! Boring old Will doesn't have to find out!"
"I'm afraid you're mistaken."
The telltale emotionless voice made all three freeze and slowly turn towards the door. William stood there, looking unimpressed at the display of affection before him. His lip turned down in a sneer.
"Mr. Harland, your paperwork is due in an hour, I hope you realize. I will not be staying overtime to pick up after you again," he then turned his gaze to the two others. "And you two. You're needed on the field. Again."
"Oh William, such a stoic man you are~" Grell kissed Harland's neck before gently maneuvering them back into their chair. Harland pouted as she left their side, but grinned again when Ronald gave them a sneaky peck on the top of their head while Grell was in between them and William's line of sight. "How about you beg me to join you on the field and little old me might even oblige– ow!" She yelped when William gave her a smack on top of her head with the end of his scythe.
"Honestly…" William grumbled, annoyed, as he retracted his scythe, plucking a long strand of red hair from the blade and letting it fall to the ground. "If you can't behave and follow orders you'll be put back on administration duty again. Is that what you want, Miss Sutcliff?"
"No…" she heaved a long dramatic sigh, rubbing her head where William had hit her. She glanced over her shoulder. "Well, Ronnie, let's gooo~ And Harland, darling, we'll see you later, alright~?" She blew a kiss their way, which Ronald pretended to swat out of the air.
"Yep, I'll see you guys later!" Harland giggled, picking up their pen and spinning it while the two reapers followed William out the door. Ronald stopped briefly to send them a quick wink and a peace sign before being dragged by his tie from the room by Grell.
Harland glanced over at the clock on the wall. An hour left… Just an hour. They could do this. And maybe even be able to join in on the fun in the field afterwards, if they were lucky. Determined now, they set back to completing their paperwork, not caring if their handwriting was a smidge messier than usual in their haste.
