Work Text:
'Your first task is this; confirm that the subject, William T. Spears, is as he says. The contractor has concerns over his legitimacy and wishes for a neutral party to either confirm or deny Mr. Spears' claims. Please use the allotted one month time span to make your judgements.'
At one and a half weeks and Alan Humphries had attempted to do just that. He was quite fresh out of academy and this was his first solo task – he was determined not to fail and to prove that rookies could do just fine on their own right out of the starting gate. The man he was observing was a college professor that taught world history and so he posed as a transfer student. Quite unfortunately for Alan, he wasn’t the greatest at history (he was more of a mathematics person) and despite knowing that he’d probably heard all this jargon before, it was failing to register in his head. At one point it hit him that he didn’t actually need to pass the class and he’d wasted time taking notes on the class rather than notes on the man teaching the class.
So he redoubled his efforts, this time actually remembering to do the job he was sent to do in the first place. William got up at six in the morning sharp every day, including weekends. On a class day he would be out the door by six forty-five and in his lecture hall by seven. The man would then putter around tidying things up and getting ready for class; once satisfied he would sit at his desk and read novels until students began to filter in drowsily for his seven thirty class. Between classes William would simply read or work on planning. When classes were done for the day he would pack his things and head home, only once stopping at a small restaurant to order take out. On Saturdays, William headed to the bookstore to purchase new books. On Sundays he went out for breakfast before attending church. The man lived alone. No significant other, no family, not even a pet goldfish. This was William’s daily life; although on Thursday evenings he would go to the theater and play the piano they kept in the back for a brief while (the red haired theater professor seemed thrilled with this).
With now only four days left for his observation period, Alan was tired. This man was an utter bore. He did nothing exciting and had practically no social life. For the love of God’s green earth, the guy didn’t even masturbate or so much as look at lewd things on the Internet, and he avoided the adult themed section of the bookstore he went to like the plague.
He was currently sitting in William’s class going over documents, files, and notes. He reviewed the file of information he was to confirm and found that William was exactly as stated. A college professor teaching history at a London university. Lived alone and no pets. Spent leisure time reading or playing piano. Alan sighed and closed the file before placing it back in his bag and opening the notebook he kept of notes on this study. He tuned out William’s lecture to continue his review before flipping to the section of the notebook that held notes for the class itself. At one point he dozed off, being awoken to the sound of his name being called.
He sat upright and adjusted his glasses, staring at the professor like a deer caught in headlights. “Wh-what?”
“Class is dismissed for the day, Mister Humphries. Though I would like to have a word with you if you’ll come to my office for a minute,” he stared the detective down until Alan nodded and shoved the notebook and pencil in his bag and hastily descending the stairs to follow the man into his office.
“Close the door,” William told him when Alan entered the tidy room. The light brown haired male nodded and did just so. The office was just as organized and well-kept as the lecture hall – to be expected of William. “Have a seat. I would like to know, Humphries, how you take notes so diligently but turn around and utterly fail the mid-term.”
He gave a small, nervous laugh as he seated himself across from the professor, “History is not my greatest subject, sir…”
“And yet you did not come to me and ask for help and any point,” the older stated. When Alan didn’t reply he continued, “It’s almost as if you’re blowing the class off because you’re not actually here to attend college. Sitting next to the old lady at the bus stop across from my apartment every morning can’t be that fun. Especially since she continues to try and feel you up.”
“Ah! Y-you knew...?” Alan sat up straighter.
“Painfully obvious, honestly,” he answered with a sigh. “At first I wrote it off that you simply had a crush on me and were utterly infatuated. The watching me around the clock was unnerving as hell. However, one day you rather carelessly left an important item behind after class.” He opened the top drawer of his desk and withdrew and item, “Detective.” He tossed Alan’s badge to him gently and Alan wanted to hit himself. How careless! And he hadn’t even noticed it was missing… “I’m afraid that I’m just as boring as you’ve seen. I’m a creature of habit that’s quite a recluse who made an overseas investment. Apparently that investment alone was enough to warrant a private detective.”
“I’m so sorry! Yes I’m a detective and I was sent to confirm what was in my paperwork but I actually really do find you attractive,” Alan blurted out, quickly putting a hand over his mouth and not believing what he’d just said himself.
For once a flicker of surprise crossed William’s usually stoic face. He cleared his throat and Alan noticed the very faint rosy hue spreading across the professor’s face, “Is that so? I myself would be in denial if I said I didn’t think you were quite cute…”
“Cute!” Alan squeaked. He wanted to curl up in a pile of blankets and hide for a century.
“Yes, cute. And rather endearing while flustered,” the older allowed a rare smile to grace his features. With Alan a blushing, stammering ball of mixed feelings he continued, “Does tea after my last class of the day sound good to you?” Alan nodded furiously and William got open to open the door, “Then I expect you back after that class. Be on your way to type up your report for your company then.”