Part Seven

Pairing: Reed/William
Implements: none
Type: slash
Series: Navigating the World and Relationships
Warnings: none

Part 7


Reed startled awake to the rude sound of the alarm clock. As he got up to hit
the snooze button, he saw that it was thirty minutes earlier than they normally
got up. He set the snooze and crawled back into bed, reaching for William. Reed
kissed the back of William's neck and let his hand caress down William's back
and slip inside William's boxers to rub his bottom.

"Mmmm," William murmured.

Reed continued to kiss his neck as he let his finger tease William's opening.
William was tight, and the lube from last night wouldn't be enough. Reed rolled
over and reached for the tube on the nightstand.

"As much as I would love to continue, I have to get going," William said, his
voice muffled from the pillow.

"I'll get you going, just let me get some lube," Reed teased.

"No, I really have to get home," William said, getting out of bed. "The main
office is sending some people over; I have to wear a suit today. I only have
khakis here. I set the alarm half hour early, so I can run home and get a suit
on."

"We could go for a quickie, and then I can drive you to your apartment," Reed
said, lying in bed.

"No, I don't need you to drive me around. It's my own fault for not remembering
to bring a suit over on Friday night."

"I know you don't need me to drive you around, William. It was an offer, a way
that we could have a little fun before the work day starts. Not a slur on your
independence," Reed said a little sternly. William had a chip on his shoulder
when it came to accepting help. Reed was trying to show him that he could accept
help without losing independence.

"Sorry, I know. I'm just nervous about the bigwigs coming to our branch."

"Is there a reason for you to be nervous?" Reed asked, accepting the apology.

"No, my job's secure. I'm the only one there who can keep all the computers up
and running," William said, getting into his jeans from the previous day. "I'm
going to go and shower at my apartment. I think I have shampoo there. We bought
some for here, right? I didn't bring it from home, did I?"

"No, we bought some. Why don't you move in here? Then all your clothes would be
here, and you wouldn't have to wonder if you have shampoo." He had wanted to
bring up William moving in and had been waiting for the right time. This wasn't
the right time, but the words sprang from his mouth before he knew what he was
saying.

"What?" William asked, his cane clicking as it unfolded.

"Just something to think about," Reed said. "Let's talk about it tonight. Let me
drive you over to your place. It's dark and it's cold out there."

"Reed, it's always dark; I'm blind. I don't need a keeper; I've been doing this
on my own for a long time." William said.

"William, corner, now."

"Reed, I don't have time for that now. I have to get going," William said,
walking to the door of the bedroom. Reed followed him, taking his arm gently,
and leading him to the corner of the living room.

"I won't discipline just when it's convenient, it's full time. Stand here, and
think about how you just talked to me, your tone. Think how hurtful that can be
to me and to our relationship." Reed watched William stand stiffly in the corner
for several minutes. He's not going to settle down, Reed thought. William
shoulders and back were stiff, his knuckles were white where they gripped the
cane.

"William, I love you and want to keep you safe. I would offer to drive anyone at
this hour whether they were blind or not. I'm going to take you to your
apartment, wait while you shower and dress, and drive you to work," Reed said,
as he laid his hands on William's shoulders. Reed felt William's muscles
finally loosen and knew he was accepting the offered ride. "I shouldn't have
brought up you moving in. It isn't the right time, and I apologize. Come here
after work and we can talk."

"OK I'm sorry I snapped at you," William said, as he turned from the corner. "I
will let you drive me since you made me late."

"I didn't make you late, your attitude did. And since you are going to accept my
kind offer of a ride, you won't be late." Reed slipped on a track suit and
jacket, grabbed his keys, and held the door open for William. "After you,
love."

They rode the short distance to William's apartment mostly in silence, each lost
in his own thoughts. Reed followed William into his apartment. He wandered
around the small one bedroom apartment while William showered. He couldn't help
but notice how clean and organized everything was. Reed walked into the bedroom
as William stood with a towel around his waist, reached in the closet, and
brought out a dark blue suit. Once William was dressed, standing with the tie in
his hand, Reed walked over to him.

"Are you going to snarl at me if I offer to help with the tie?" he asked,
looping the tie around William's neck. "Isn't this what lovers
do for each other?"

"No, I'm not going to snarl at you, I don't have a clear corner to stand in,"
William joked.

Another reason for you to move in with me, Reed thought, but this time wisely
kept the words inside. "I'm sure I could figure something out for you, but since
you so graciously accepted a little help, that won't be necessary. There all
done; are you ready? I'll run you to work."

"I'm good," William said, as he felt his Braille watch. "I have enough time to
walk."

"I can clear out a corner pretty quickly," Reed said, warningly.

"No, I wasn't snarling or having an attitude. I'm just saying I can get to work
on time."

"I would like to take you. That would give us just a few more minutes together,"
Reed explained.

"OK, I accept," William said and leaned over to kiss Reed. "It's the least I can
do since we couldn't make love this morning."

"Oh, I think that's just on hold until tonight," Reed said, kissing William
back. "Let's go."


The rest of the day, Reed kept thinking about his slip that morning. He had
been thinking of asking William to move in for weeks now, but he had envisioned
a romantic dinner and some sweet kisses as William welcomed the idea. He didn't
imagine asking him first thing in the morning while William was in a hurry to
get to work. Well, he thought, the subject has been brought up. We'll just
continue it tonight. It was Wednesday, a light day without a lot of clients, so
he decided to go to the store then go home and prepare a nice dinner for
William.


"Hey, you're early," Reed greeted William, as he walked in the door. "I thought
you'd go home and change first, but I'm glad you didn't. I've been thinking of
you all day."

"I just came here without even thinking," William said. "My mind was on other
things."

"Oh, what were you thinking about? I hope you weren't too distracted. You have
to pay attention to traffic sounds."

"Don't be an O&M now. I listened; I went to the intersection, and I made it here
safe and sound," William said. Reed knew that William was distracted as he made
the comments without the accompanying snarl.

"Come on in the kitchen and telling me what has you so distracted. I'm making
chicken enchiladas for dinner."

"The bigwigs, the guys from central office, came in to talk to me," William
said.

"Oh, I thought you said they were just looking over the branch?" Reed asked.

"That's what I thought, but they wanted to talk to me about the assistive
technology I use. They wanted to know what was available that would make
employment more available to people with differing abilities." William said the
differing abilities with a sarcastic tone.

"I doubt they meant it to be insulting. People just try to be politically
correct," Reed said.

"Yeah, I know but still. Anyway, they would like me to start up a program that's
designed to help them employ, people who are blind, or deaf, or have
communication problems. They want to send me to the assistive technology
conference next month."

"Hey, I'm going to that. We could share a room. Honey, this is really wonderful
for you. Are you excited; do you want this?" Reed knew that William liked his
safe little ruts in life. He was worried that William would stress over this
change.

"I don't know. They told me I could think about it for a few days. Of course it
comes with a raise, but I would have to move to the main office," William said.

"Their office is down on Commercial Street. You could take the bus, there's a
bus stop right in front of the office."

"Yeah, I'm thinking about it," William said. Reed watched William as he got up,
went to the cabinet, and took out a glass. William was comfortable here, he knew
where everything was, and he was as relaxed here as he was at home. Maybe not
the best time to bring up William moving in but he could see all the benefits
for William and for himself.

"You know, the bus stop is just at the end of the block here. So, that's another
reason you should move in here. You wouldn't have to worry about having clothes;
you'd have all your toiletries in one place, and the most important reason, I
love you and want us to share are lives together forever."

"Yeah, I thought about that all day today too. Reed, I just don't know. I love
you so, but I worked hard to have my own place, my own life."

"I'm not asking you to give up your independence. I'm asking you to share your
life with me and let me share my life with you. You're here most nights; it's
gotten to the point where your apartment is an expensive storage unit, not your
home. Your home is here, with me. You even said you came here without even
thinking," Reed said.

"But you're an O&M," William said.

"I thought we'd settled that. Have I acted like an O&M or like a lover? Last
night I certainly wasn't telling you how to navigate," Reed said.

"But if I move in, it will change. You would be constantly telling me how to do
things, or worse doing it for me," William said.

"Look how often you're here. Do I do that now?" Reed asked and then
continued when William shook his head. "Things will change, but for the better."

"Can I think about it?" William asked.

"Yes, of course you can think about it. We'll talk about it more too. Nothing
has to be decided tonight," Reed assured him.

They ate dinner, talking about the upcoming conference that they would both
attend if William took the new position. The clean up was done in easy
companionship. The rest of the night was spent talking about the different
technologies that were available.

As they were getting ready for bed, Reed heard William take a deep breath and
say, "Yes."

"Yes?" He questioned, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

"Yes, I want to move in, I want us to share our lives together."
Reed took him in his arms and finished what he had started that morning.

TBC