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Crack (Sequel to Mask)

Summary:

Wriothesley and Neuvilette have a conversation...

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

"You WHAT!?"

Neuvilette closes his eyes and takes a steady breath, endeavoring to be calm even as his Archon screams and throws objects about, her voice feral. She was ever the spoiled, pompous little lady...

"HOW DARE YOU?! ARE YOU MAD? OR MAYBE YOU'VE JUST GONE PLAIN LOONEY!"

He straightens his gloves, tugging them neatly back onto his fingers to distract his mind from the stress. In his mind a simple phrase is recited over and over, like a mantra:

                           Stay calm...

                                     Stay calm...

                            S̶̱̺͒̇̀̔̚͜͝ͅt̷̹́̄a̴̗̪͗͊͌̈́̓̓̇͘̚ý̶̨̡̢̛͕͓̼̣̳͓̓ ̶͉̻̤͔̣͍̮͇̜͊̔̑͑̎̎̈́č̸͍̱̕͝ä̵̢̧̯͇̠̺̖̞͓̈͛̌̋̀͊̀l̸̘͔͌̇̀̂͐͆̽̕m̸͙̖̜̖̟̠̹̐...

 

"...Lady Furina, please refrain from throwing a tantram like a-"

A glass flies right by his head before the words are out, the young woman glowering at him with bitterness and frightful viciousness. Neuvilette's eyes open, the purple depths burning with agitation.

 

                            [S̷̟̣̾̏͊̉̀͘T̷̮͎͉̥̦̜̿͛̕̕͘Ą̶̰͇͕͉̰͇͉͛́͜ͅY̷̞̻̠̩̅̒̋̓̈̾̋̐̐͒ ̴̩̝͖͖̩̃̊̈́̕C̷̠͙̱̟͈͍̙͛̾̏̈̆͠͝A̶̢̺̒͗ͅL̶̫̹̜̲̠̺̙̙̓͂̆̒̀̋̃̓͘͜M̶̢̨̳̦̟̞̬̠̽̓̉͝]

 

"Don't you dare talk down to me, Neuvilette..."

 

"...You are overreacting." His tone is cold, like a parent scolding an unruly child.

Furina shakes her head as she stomps to a chair and sits in it, crossing her legs. Her eyebrows knitted with frustration, "You want to keep me from taking part in the next five court cases, of course I'm furious! I am the Archon, me!"

Neuvilette's teeth grind in his closed mouth, his breathing slightly quickening as his heart races from anger.

This little, selfish girl... No matter what he does, she must always have her way, even if it means undermining others. 

He was sick of it.

Outside, the clouds quickly converge, thunder cracking and lightning striking the ground. The people scream and panic as it lashes the ground and shakes the Heavens.

"You will listen to me, Furina." His voice is commanding, no longer holding the soft sternness he usually has, eyebrows knit together and eyes squinted. His eyes are vibrantly glowing, the cane he wields creaking as he squeezes it.

The scene makes Furina jump back with her hands held up in a pacifying gesture, terrified of his sudden change in temperament. As the lightning cracks again, she screams, looking at him in terror.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry!!" She cries, and Neuvilette gasps softly, the storm quickly receding into a cloudy sky. The people of Fontaine chatter loudly, fearful of the sudden shift in weather as they slowly come from their hiding places, and the man holds his hand to his mouth as he shakes...

'What am I doing...? Losing control like this...'

Without another word, he leaves the room, the Archon shivering as she stares where he'd been. 

She had never seen Neuvilette look so terrifying before.


Navia and Wriothesley walk through the streets together, the young lady's guards still following behind her. As the storm comes, Wriothesley quickly shields her from a stray bolt of lightning, the two narrowly avoiding getting struck.

"What was that!? Its rained a few times, but suddenly a vicious thunderstorm?" She cries, her guards immediately coming to check on her. The black and silver haired man hums, his gray eyes narrowing.

"...Navia, you should get going. It's dangerous outside for a lady..." Wriothesley mutters before walking off by himself. Navia opens her mouth to protest, yet, she can't seem to find any words to say.

Watching him leave she mumbles to herself, "Just, be careful, Wriothesley."


As the events that unfolded before take their mental toll on Neuvilette further, he covers his face with a gloved hand. Sitting in a chair at the balcony of his room, he stared out into the water that sprawled from the lake and down to the waterfall.

That lake and waterfall were like his feelings: Calm on the surface, but pouring out as they reached the apex of their course. 

He had never seen Furina so terrified before, and because of him... Neuvilette knew he could never let that happen again.

A knock comes from the door-

"Neuvilette..."

"Wriothesley...?" At the sound of his... friend's...? Are they friends...? ...Irregardless, at the sound of him calling, Neuvilette weakly calls for him to enter, the slightly burly man silently shuffling into the room.

"You ok? Something bothering you?" His quiet mumble is laced with underlying meaning, and Neuvilette sits up to look at him. 

"I... snapped at Lady Furina, just a few moments ago." The pale faced man says quietly, his guilt laid bare, and Wriothesley makes a soft hum before leaning against the rail of the balcony in front of Neuvilette.

"Little brat had it coming."

"Wriothesley-"

"Hush. Lemme finish." Wriothesley sternly looks at Neuvilette before continuing, "The brat had it coming, but, you should have found a better way to handle it. Endangering Fontaine is only going to hurt you more than anything, so try to practice getting upset without getting upset, got it?"

That was... strange advice indeed. How does one get upset without doing so...? Neuvilette couldn't fathom it, but knowing Wriothesley, he would get no further advice until he made effort himself.

"...I shall try." Comes Neuvilette's soft reply, and Wriothesley nods slowly.

"Good, now how about some tea?"

A slightly smile graces Neuvilette's features at the offer as Wriothesley moves toward the kitchen, following behind his friend to join him.

"That would be... very much welcome, friend."

Notes:

Neuvilette is my muse because WOO BOY am I pumping content for him!

(YOU DID NOT SEE THE SPELLING ERROR.
YOU DO NOT REMEMBER THE SPELLING ERROR- 😂)