William Holloway

I'm a devil in disguise

Despite his best efforts, the Duke's composure teetered so delicately on the edge of that insanity that threatened to consume him. Months and months of being pushed into the delirium that his power brought on had left a broken, trembling man in its wake. He was nothing compared to that confident young Duke that had roamed the streets of London with the Earl. His once proud shoulders hunched over as if he was trying to make himself smaller. His usually eloquent speech came out in awkward stutters. His clothing was torn, his hair long and shaggy. William didn't recognize himself, inside or out. He especially did not recognize his own actions as Sebastian so delicately reached for him. That flinch was noticeable between the two men, the Hunter's lips parting just slightly to offer up an apology that never quite escaped his lips. Instead, William focused every strand of his remaining sanity on the sensation of Sebastian's cool fingers upon his own skin. His long fingers curled instinctively around the vampire's as though it was a lifeline. And perhaps, though Will would hesitate to admit this, it was. After all, it had been Sebastian's supposed presence within the Hunter's compound that had forced William to do exactly as they had said lest they take out their frustration on the Earl.

That continued promise that William intended to remain by his childhood companion's side was met instead with the other man pointing out the appearance of the Duke. In truth, his own appearance didn't matter to the hunter, and yet he could hardly fault the vampire for struggling with the sheer amount of blood. Truthfully, William had no idea how much of the blood belonged to himself or his captors, nor did he care about it much more than the way that it affected his friend. Still, that glimpse of the man he once was shimmered through in that playful tease, the man offering up his own blood if only he was able to rest first. Still, there was that unspoken agreement between the two men, that acknowledgement that it would be a long time before William was strong enough to withstand giving up any of his own blood, even if he wanted to. Instead, Will was more than willing to agree to a warm shower and the promise that their conversation could continue once the man was not covered in blood. But the relief of that promised shower was so short lived, Sebastian seeming keen on bringing up his desire to seek out assistance in protecting the hunter.

Luckily for the Duke, Sebastian was more than willing to consent to leaving the topic for after he had showered. William was sure that once he showered, he would be able to convince his companion that seeking out any kind of aide for him would be a horrible idea. How that anxiety gripped at William's chest! He'd spent the past several years considering exactly what might have been happening to his companion within the hands of his captors. And though Sebastian was alive, safe, and unharmed, William had no intentions of allowing anything to harm him now. And after the council discovered a dozen or so slaughtered Hunters and their escaped prisoner, William doubted they would hold back in following through with any and all of those threats. But William didn't voice those dark thoughts that crossed his mind, instead the man focused entirely on following Sebastian through the pristine halls of the mansion. The man fought that instinct to reach out to Sebastian as he walked. It was so reminiscent of when he was a young boy, William always finding the need to hold on to his mother's skirts for comfort. How childlike and anxious the man felt having to need Sebastian in such a way!

That anxiety seemed to grip at him as he stepped into that bathroom, his, albeit brief, separation from Sebastian making his heart seem to thud in his chest. Paranoia gripped at him then, that decision to leave the bathroom door ajar remained simply for his own protection. In a more lucid state, William would have known that Sebastian would have never trapped him against his will. And yet, after years of captivity, William was unwilling to settle for any indication that he might be unable to freely leave a situation. It was only when the man was confident in his perceived freedom that he started that shower, shedding his bloodied clothes before he stepped into the heated glass shower. The feeling of the water caused a gentle, pleased groan to escape his lips. The Duke leaned his head against the cool marble of the shower wall, enjoying that sheer sensation of the heated water against his skin. He could have stayed there infinitely, but that promise to get back to Sebastian forced the man to busy himself with the soaps and shampoos, using plenty of product if only to make sure that no blood remained upon his frame. The water was cold again by the time he finished, that coolness being the motivation to finally turn off the water.

The realization that he needed a towel was enough to make the Duke's cheeks turn a bright, flaming red. Still, he didn't hesitate to call out to his companion. William's eyes locked upon Sebastian as he entered the room, a shaky breath escaping from the Duke. William was not oblivious to the way that the other Englishman observed his naked flesh, that dark gaze dipping lower and lower upon William's frame. Even more surprising to the Duke was the way he hardly minded Sebastian's observations of him, even if his frame was laced with bruises and cuts. As that white, fluffy towel was handed to him, William ducked his head down if only to hide the redness in his own cheeks. "Thanks," He murmured. He could care less of the fit of his clothing, nor if they were the kind of clothes that might have been suitable for his noble status. "I'll be out in a minute." He promised, working to dry himself off before he stepped out of the shower. The Duke dressed slowly once he was dry, those long fingers deftly buttoning that crisp shirt. How different he felt after merely a change of clothes and a shower. The man was certainly still fragile, but he was at least closer to himself.

It was only when he had towel dried his shaggy hair that he emerged from the bathroom. For a moment, William stood within the doorway, silently observing his companion as he sat on the bed with that sleek phone in his hand. How the mere sight of him made his heart beat a little faster. Slowly, silently, William crossed the room. He laid on the bed beside him then, the hunter gently resting his head on Sebastian's thigh. He cared little for if this was appropriate, as he might have in their youth, instead finding himself needing that closeness and comfort that only Sebastian could provide. For several moments, William laid there with his eyes closed, a relaxed smile spreading across his face. "I missed you," The Duke said finally, those three words holding so many words in between the lines. That he had done everything he could to protect him. That he loved him. William opened his eyes then, peering up at Sebastian through those long eyelashes. "What do you want to know? I'll tell you anything."