Problematic: Chapter Nineteen

In the afternoon sun of the Shinigami world, the two Shinigami who had recently passed their test were moving around their room in total silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, merely both Shinigami needed to hurry up and pack everything away into the cases they had been given, and neither had time to talk. William was appalled at how he had arrived at the academy with a case half full with suits, and was leaving with two full cases. He wasn't really sure how it had happened, but little items he wanted to keep seemed to be filling a whole case and a half.

Grell was having much more trouble; whereas William had managed to fit all his belongings into two cases, Grell was bordering on filling a fourth case. They had been given two extra cases for their things; William had given Grell his spare case, and once the redhead had filled it he would be all out of room. Items would have to go.

"Give me one of your suit jackets." William spoke, almost an order as he opened his case and held an arm out for a jacket. Grell gave him a puzzled look.

"…What?"

"I know you took one of mine; give me one of yours to put in my case, and I'll get it sent back to you next month." Grell turned a light shade of pink at being caught out trying to smuggle one of William's jackets, and reluctantly he took one of his own, much smaller suit jackets and handed it to William.

"Don't lose it!" He spoke quietly, handing the garment over and watching as William tucked it away into his own case. He wasn't really complaining as much as he made William believe; it was a perfect excuse to keep them in contact after they'd both left.

"I'm not so absentminded as to lose a suit jacket." William answered, locking the case back up and waiting by the door. There was nothing left on his side of the room; all books had been returned to the library, all borrowed items returned and bed stripped bare so the sheets could be cleaned for the next occupants. (He hadn't risked not changing the sheets; especially not after the previous night's activities.)

"I know, I just…" Grell gave a shrug, holding his scythe up and forcing the handles of his four cases to go over the pole. Once they were all hanging off the scythe, he picked it up and slung it over his shoulder, effectively freeing himself of a difficult task of carrying four cases.

"I'm certain that that is classed as misuse of your death scythe." William commented, hand on the door handle as he waited for the redhead. Grell gave a shrug.

"I'm leaving anyway; none of them will see me again." There was a pained look behind his eyes as he spoke, although he gave a grin and gave the room one last fleeting look. "I'll miss this place. All those heated arguments that led up to that one night in November, where we sorted everything out and became what we are now. A tale worthy of a Shakespearian tragedy."

"Yes, except one of us would have to die to make it such." William answered, opening the door and letting the redhead walk through. He himself gave the room one last look, eyes remembering every fine detail until he forced his gaze away, shutting the door behind him. Once it clicked shut, the wards were back up; he'd never be able to enter it again, as it was no longer his.

Grell led the way through to the entrance hall of the Academy, his head down as he walked two steps ahead of William. As they entered, William glanced over to the counter where the grey haired old Shinigami sat, working through her files and signing things off every now and then. He gave her a respectful nod when her eyes locked with his, and she cast a grin at him before darting her eyes to Grell. Her grey eyebrow rose before she gave a small laugh and went back to her work. Grell turned to face William, stopping in the middle of the entrance hall so abruptly William nearly walked into him.

"Well, this is it." Grell's eyes were cast to the ground, cases set on the floor with his scythe gone completely. His hands were clenched into fists, and he was biting his lip.

"Indeed." William couldn't deny the small swell of feeling in the pit of his stomach that was demanding he not let the redhead leave his sight, but he wouldn't allow it to be voiced or make him take action. They were being separated, and there was nothing else to it. To hope for more would be foolish, and would only make parting harder.

"I don't want to go. I want to be silly and young and back in my first year of the Academy." Grell gave a heavy and dramatic sigh as he spoke, crossing his arms over his chest. Around them students still studying at the Academy were bustling and moving around, oblivious to the separation going on before them.

"You can't. You have to go." William spoke quietly, watching as Grell gave a glance to the doors leading outside.

"Once we go through those doors, we'll never see each other again. Ever. That doesn't bother you?"

"We can't spend the rest of our lives in despair."

"You're avoiding the question. Answer me, please." Grell pleaded, eyes hurt as he looked up to William. William gave a nod.

"Of course it does. But I won't allow it to send me into fits of depression and despair." Grell laughed at his answer, yet it was an airy and false laugh.

"Typical Will. I'll miss you. I don't expect you to say those words back to me, but I know you will too." Grell gave a smile, shrugging his shoulders sadly and picking up all four of his cases. "Keep in touch, yes?"

"We'll see each other again before a century is up. Goodbye, Grell." William answered, ignoring the pang of pain as he spoke those last two words. He took his own cases in his hands and gave Grell a rare half-smile. There would be no goodbye kisses or embraces; it would only make it more definite that they were parting for good, and not for a simple extended period of time.

"Brilliant; not long at all. Au Revoir, Will... Je t'aime." Grell gave a sad smile before he transported. He was gone before his words fully registered with William; the dark haired Shinigami could only stare at the spot, in what could be considered hidden utter despair, where the redhead had been before he himself disappeared from the hall of the Academy.

William arrived in the dull, grey and crowded entrance of the Northern England branch without the vibrant redhead at his side.

Grell arrived at a cave entrance on an ordinary shoreline, bright streaks of the suns rays in the sky and deep blues of the ocean before him, with the whispers of his last spoken words to William echoing behind him along the empty beach.