#w2l

[will-to-live-reborn]

1-28

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[dented-nado]

So so- James gets sick (you decided how sick he is loll) and Walter/Stolas/both take care of him

Im sorry sickfics are just so wholesome

Takes place before William, Grelle and Ronald were reapers (or even alive at) – For the reaper realm is sort of more in a colonial era vibe, but in the human world it’s currently 1568.

James is a character that’s had one appearance in my Black Butler Fan-Comic Will to Live – Stolas is an upcoming character – and Walter is a fan character that’s formed on our discord server lol.

Hope you like this!!! I kind of hinted at Walter’s existence and helping, but I ended up writing more about Stolas trying to get James just to go heckinnn rest lol. Hope that’s okay!

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Anyone who worked anywhere within the reaper realm in England would tell you their general manager was being particularly nasty. There was a rumor going around that his eyes were turning red with rage, Red.

Stolas, being the current head manager of the London Reaper district of course ended up hearing about the rumor. One of those little things that would come up during coffee breaks. Sometimes rumors spread quickly, many of them ended up not being true or over exaggerated… all of them had been there are REALLY long time after all, and sometimes rumors were the only thing that made their grueling jobs a little bit interesting.

This one… however, made Stolas sigh, he knew James too well, if those under him are especially scared of him at the moment, something was up.

Many of his coworkers thought Stolas was insane for remaining cheery with James, or they feared him too by proxy. Stolas wasn’t stupid, he knew why everyone was scared of James – James did it on purpose for Christ’s sake. However, since he had come on some 200 years ago and had many an interaction with the guy, finding himself unphased by his scare tactics... (he had seen men much more monstrous than James after all), he couldn’t help but feel some sort of…. Sympathy? No, that might not be the word? Maybe sometimes he just got a glimmer of the kind of man James could be and wanted to reach out and pull that glittering little gem out. He just hoped he wasn’t seeing something that wasn’t there.

He gazed at the large grandfather clock ticking away in the corner of his office, such a device was new to him, but he had picked it up a little quicker than James had who had kept time by candle for much longer than most of them.

He had 10 more minutes before his break would be over…

Stolas closed his large book he had snuck in to read on his breaks, it was one on the Tudors he had gotten quite lost in. Normally more ancient societies piqued his interest, but it was harder to get good accounts… he half wished he could just explore those ancient cities and discover their secrets himself. But… alas… here he was, not that he could have gone far in his human life either.

He downed the last bit of his tea before sitting up, making sure his ink well was covered and his quill was secure for when he inevitably came back to work.

He walked out of the London office and down the hall, tapping on James’s office door cheerfully, barely waiting for a grunt before coming in.

“What do you want?” James accused, looking up from his paperwork.

Now he did look quite the sight, more tired and grouchy than usual – and judging from the redness of his nose, it was irritated.

“Well now, I had heard you were especially difficult to deal with, and now I know why!” Stolas said, pushing his glasses up his nose and grinning.

James sighed, leaning back and rubbing his left eye slightly, they looked a bit bloodshot.

“Maybe if everyone did their job correctly…”

“Yes, then you wouldn’t be so cross all the time, blah blah blah, I’ve heard the script.” He took a few steps forward, leaning on James’s desk, something only he seemed to get away with. “You’re sick.”

“You’re pissing me off.” James snipped back, baring his teeth.

Stolas shook his head. This man was like trying to be friendly to a wolf on a good day, a rabid one on a bad day.

“Why don’t you just take the day off James? If your sick its not as if you can help it.” Stolas offered.

“I can get up, I can walk, I haven’t sprouted any pustules, not that reapers could get such a horrible thing thank god…” He paused, rubbing his hands together as if having the urge to wash them. “Unless I keel over, I’m still coming into work. Any reaper disease can’t be serious, it won’t kill me.”

“You’re a stubborn man James.” Stolas said, deciding to state the obvious. “What does Walter think?” He asked, furrowing his brows.

Walter was supposedly a ghost from James’s old life that followed him around. Stolas wasn’t entirely convinced he existed, or if he was a ghost in the sense of something James had been through that haunted him, or perhaps was his way of coping with the state of things. He cared for James enough that he didn’t want to try and tell James what he was or wasn’t experiencing… he couldn’t see through his eyes after all. If Walter was real… well… maybe it was good that James still had someone around to keep him grounded. If he wasn’t… what could he really do about that?

“Walter can mind his own business too.” He growled stubbornly, seemingly reading the same sentence on his paperwork a third time over, getting more frustrated.

Stolas narrowed his eyes, he slammed his hands down on the desk briefly, startling James a bit as he suddenly crossed over to his side of the desk, leaning down from his decent height and pointing his finger only inches away from James’s face.

“Either you let me take you home willingly, or I pick you up and carry you kicking and screaming.” He said very seriously.

James’s eyes widened before turning into a glare, leaning up and meeting his gaze with his own threatening one. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Stolas grinned.

James didn’t have time to run. He growled as Stolas tackled him and lifted him up out of his seat, having no problem lifting the bearded man up onto his shoulder.

“STOLAS SANTORI YOU PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!” He barked.

Stolas chuckled, he could tell all of James’s teeth were razor sharp just from the tone of his voice.

“You stay out of this!” James then barked, seemingly pointing at thin air in irritation, and Stolas was almost sure the air got colder.

Stolas walked towards the door, ignoring James struggling. “Last chance, I can put you down and you can go with me and retain some dignity…”

James stiffened and stopped flailing before sighing and going limp. “Fine, FINE! Just put me down or I swear I’ll have you- GAH!!”

Stolas followed his order and let James fall off his shoulder, only barely catching his balance.

James breathed heavily before coughing a bit, trying to straighten his hair and jacket. “If… If I’m penalized for being gone today…”

“I’ll take full responsibility. You can say you were kidnapped.” Stolas responded, walking out into the hallway with James in tow.

“…If I were to say you kidnapped me and disrupted my work… you could be put on trial.”

Stolas simply slipped his glasses off, cleaning them as they walked. He knew the halls well enough by now he probably could have found his way around without being able to see at all.

“If it happens… it happens.”

“How can you be so calm about such a thing?” James snapped before sneezing, grumbling, and pulling a handkerchief out of his coat pocket to blow his nose into.

“If that’s my fate, who am I to argue with it. I prefer to do what I think is right James, not what is easy or safe. And right now… seeing you rested is what I believe is right.” He said, looking down at James sincerely as they walked out of the building.

James hung his head for a moment, grinding his teeth slightly before walking again to head to his assigned home, Stolas not far behind.

“You’re a fool.” He said simply, and quietly.

Stolas just laughed. “Maybe. Most people seem to think so for getting within 2 feet of you.” He said softly, nudging James with his arm.

James felt miserable, he was annoyed, and on some level, he was scared.

But despite all that… he smiled.

[will-to-live-reborn]

1-29

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To be completely clear, James is not a good person for the majority of this comic, like... at all... lol.

[will-to-live-reborn]

1-27

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I was initially going to post this along with the next page, but I think the next one is going to take me a bit and I figured it'd be good for anyone new to know who this joker is lol

[will-to-live-reborn]

Your world building is amazing! Truthfully, your comic keeps inspiring me to write within the world of Black Butler instead of AU's (which I am guilty of indulging in a bit too much LMAO) and I love all the ideas you have for William and your take on his character! He's arleady so mysterious and even though you've given us more information on him, it just makes him even more mysterious, if that makes sense at all? I'm excited to learn more about him! Especially if you have plans to expand on his past!

I also love how you show the world of Grim Reaper's in general! The bureaucracy of it feels believable and intriguing all the same! Plus your art style is just lovely! I adore the beauty marks you give William!

Honestly, your comic is one of the reasons I want to continue improving my writing just to be on the same level of depth! I'm also loving your OC's too! I can't wait to read more!

Keep up the great work! <333

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!! For what its worth I've been ghost reading your fics and I LOVE them, I adore how YOU write William and Sebawill too (because I'm WEAK and I'm starved for them interacting LOL so thank you for your contributions :D) Please please please keep writing! I'm so honored and thankful you like my take on William and Grim Reaper society in general - I'm so so excited to show more of the universe I'm building up! William as a character is so important to me and I've just... suctioned cupped onto him LOL, I totally see what you're saying with even with info he still feels more mysterious and I'm SOOOO happy that's what you're picking up, because that's exactly what I'm going for!!! Since comic pages take me a while I really do strongly encourage any curiosity/questions! It helps me get clear in some of my writing :3. Heheheh I'm glad you like Will's beauty marks, not only did I think he looked cute with them - they're actually important to his backstory/the time period he grew up in! I'm a history nerd at heart so I enjoy being able to pull a lil of that into this fancomic! Long story short - THANK YOU!!! I love your fics! Keep writing and thank you for your lovely message!!

[will-to-live-reborn]

Ask Me AnYTHiNG

If any of ya'll are waiting in the wings for a comic update (That's coming soon) but wanted to do a push that if there's anything you WANT to ask me, you're always welcome to. If its about character interpretations, ocs, writing, or maybe you just want to know what my favorite drink is never be afraid to ask. I'd love to answer. :3

[will-to-live-reborn]

1-1

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[a-week-to-live]

Is There a Poem in There?

Maybe so. I've been looking around and found one that might qualify. What do you think?

I love that the silence between us is as full of laughter, of sparkling eyes, of the joy of connection, as when we dance together.

Let the muse take the lead and follow, heedless, and eager to discover.

 And another:

 For Erin

I think each of us is a little mad. Or at least, each of us harbors a germ of madness or perhaps a spark which, given right conditions, may blossom into brilliance, or into something more frightening and unfamiliar.

Is there a poem in there, in you, aching to get out?