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“It’s a nice night, ain’t it?”
“Yes. A clear evening seems so rare.”
“Yeah…” Ronald’s eyes were glued to the stars. “Y’ know all the constellations, right?”
“Not all.”
“More then me.” he sighed, leaning back against the wall of his bedroom.
William shook his head, his eye roll unknown to the blonde. “I’ve also been around far longer then you have Knox. On the rare days I find myself not stuck with overtime, I find myself settled in with a good book.”
“That’s even rarer then a clear night.” he joked with a faint chuckle. “Sir?”
“Yes?”
“How long do we gotta keep quiet?”
“Pardon?”
“How long do I gotta keep watchin’ Grell openly try t’ flirt with y’ when I’m your lover?”
William fell silent for a long while, closing his eyes. His right hand curled into a fist as he leant the back of his head against the wall. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
Ronald frowned, pulling his knees up to hug one arm around them. “’s not fair.”
“No, I know it isn’t but I’d rather you not end up under Sutcliffe’s scythe because I am no longer eligible for courtship.”
“I…” he felt the prick of tears in his eyes and hastily tried to wipe them away. “I hate it.” he choked out.
William blinked at the sound, the hand that held the phone tightening, the other coming up to grip his wrist. “…Ronald, are you…crying?”
“Wha’? Me…?” he swallowed, trying to hold back another sob so William wouldn’t hear it over the phone. “N-No.”
“You needn’t lie to me. I can hear it. Has…has this upset you this much?”
Again, he wiped at his eyes then gave up when the tears were persistent. “Yes.” he breathed. “Yes!” he shouted when his emotions fell out of his control. “Of course I’m bloody upset! I can’t even spend a damn evenin’ with y’! We gotta watch the stars together over the damn phone! I wanna be with y’! I wanna be able to hug y’ and kiss y’! I don’t wanna imagine you beside me, I wanna see y’ here!”
William winced, his heart cracking at the emotion in Ronald’s voice. “I…I want to be there, with you.” he replied, sinking down to rest at the base of the wall. “But we can’t. There’s too much at risk for us to be seen together. Our jobs, reputations, maybe even your life if Grell finds out. That especially is what I can’t risk.”
Ronald collapsed to his bed. “I…” he swallowed thickly, tears streaming sideways down his face. “Damnit, it’s not fair.”
“No, I know it isn’t but one day, Ronald, I promise. We won’t need to keep this a secret anymore.”
“…you promise that?”
“Yes. I promise.”
He looked up, catching the tail end of a shooting star and upon that stat, he wished that one day, he’d be able to make the promise a reality.