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“Let's end this here, Wriothesley.” 

He's not one to stop Neuvillette from doing whatever he wants within the bounds of reason (especially when he does always act reasonably without a doubt) and his decision to break up with him is totally acceptable despite its abruptness. Wriothesley always wants Neuvillette to stay true to his feelings, and that's all that matters. However, he just has one last concern.

“Alright. I have no choice but to accept fate. But you do owe me an explanation.”

“Really? Even if the truth may not be pleasant?”

“Obviously, that's why I'm asking.”

“Well, to be honest, I've developed a repulsion towards you for the past few months.”

Months?!

“Is that all? Can you at least tell me what caused it? I'm not asking to change your mind. I just need to know what I did wrong.”

Frankly, Wriothesley doesn't remember committing any transgression towards Neuvillette but he was most probably the one at fault, right? The ever flawless chief justice would never wrong him in any way. He must've deserved this heartbreak somehow.

“Oh. Hmmm, how do you put this? After spending too much time with you, I've grown disillusioned with your character. You deceive people into thinking you're honest, kind, generous, diligent, and wise but it's all for show. We both know that deep down, you're hiding all your grotesqueness.”

“... That is a rather accurate assessment, but you should have known that before we started dating.”

“To be fair, Wriothesley, I was blinded by my intense attraction to you before. You should know that even the iudex of Fontaine can also be a bad judge of character once in a while. But it ends now. I must rectify my past decisions.” 

Wriothesley feels like there's some argument to be made against that but he can't even think of it, much less say it. And he doesn't want to. Loving Neuvillette means letting him go. At least, he should leave his manipulativeness out of romantic matters. 

“I see now, Neuvillette. Severing our romantic ties is indeed the only option we have left, but I would caution you from allowing this to affect our supplier-client relationship.”

Just as Neuvillette was about to open his mouth, an obnoxiously repetitive noise cut him off.

Oh, it was Wriothesley's alarm clock. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on his bed with a sense of disorientation so bad it almost paralleled that time he woke up in the hospital after bleeding out the day he killed his foster parents. That's the feeling brought by newfound singlehood, he guessed. But work goes on even after a heartbreak. 

That's why he found the will to make his way towards the bathroom and strip his clothes in preparation for his morning shower. Then suddenly, his attention was drawn to the scar on his forearm from that time he pierced his own skin to test whether receiving Neuvillette’s love confession was a dream or not. Wait, that happened just two days ago which meant…

He was still in a relationship with Neuvillette, if he remembered correctly. For now, he could only hope that the cold water hitting his skin would help him recall the truth.

~

After drafting all his evaluation reports for his subordinates for the quarter, Wriothesley visited the production zone to finalize his decisions for who to promote next. However, as soon as he reached a few meters outside his office, he noticed groups of inmates huddling and whispering while avoiding his gaze as they did so. Even the guards were doing the same, although they did look at him once in a while and Galvaryet finally decided to approach him. Whatever it was they were talking about, he was confident in his ability to handle it. He did temporarily halt the flow of primordial sea water after all. 

“Your Grace, I was tasked to inform you about a rather…unusual item that has been sent to you from the overworld.”

“Unusual? Are we playing a guessing game? What's the prize?” 

“Oh, I apologize, Your Grace. It's an ordinary object but we're hardly used to encountering them down here. It's a bouquet of flowers for you specifically. The sender is unknown but Sedene and Chief Justice Neuvillette himself signed a document that authorized its shipment based on their verification of this anonymous person's identity and intentions. However, Monglane and some others are still inspecting it thoroughly.” 

At this point, Galvana, Estienne, and Camden had already caught up to Galvaryet and surrounded the duke with an anticipatory look.

“For your safety, we would like to know if you have any inkling of who the sender could be and how trustworthy they are,” Galvana chimed in. 

He supposed that the only person who would ever dare to send him flowers is Neuvillette, and no one can possibly be more trustworthy than him.

“Your mental gymnastics are unnecessary. If you're curious about my secret admirer to fuel your gossip, why not be honest about it? I certainly want to know who sent this to me. There's a 50/50 chance it could even be a symbolic death threat instead! Who knows?”

“Please forgive us, Your Grace. We can't help but feel excited for the first time we've received flowers on your behalf down here at the Fortress,” Estienne admitted.

“Although that's not to say you haven't ever received flowers in the overworld before!” Camden added frantically.

“Hm, to satisfy your curiosity, I'll confirm that this is the first time I've received flowers in my entire life. If you have anything more to add, you can chat with me while I claim the bouquet from Monglane.”

As he turned around to head to the reception area, he heard audible gasps from the guards as if they were so surprised to find out that no one had done that gesture for him before. Frankly, it should've been obvious because he really isn't the type of guy anyone would want to give flowers to. He isn't beautiful enough (both inwardly and outwardly speaking) to be on the receiving end of these acts of romantic devotion. In truth, he's probably just sufficiently attractive to be leered at creepily (and this did actually happen a few times in the past). The only reason he was given flowers this time around was because of Neuvillette's very odd and niche romantic tastes which made him fall in love with the duke. 

“Ha-ha-ha,” Galvaryet laughs awkwardly in a failed attempt to relieve some tension. “I mean, anyone who admires His Grace that way probably struggles to summon the courage to let him know!”

“Or alternatively, it could just mean I've had no admirers previously,” Wriothesley commented.

He couldn't see them, but all four guards looked at each other with raised eyebrows in utter disbelief. It's a legend among the staff that if you work in the Fortress of Meropide, you will develop a crush on Duke Wriothesley for at least one week. But these feelings do fade eventually once they realize he deserves a more upright and brilliant partner from the overworld (who obviously also isn't his subordinate). 

After reaching Monglane’s desk, he confirmed his willingness to receive the bouquet, which was filled entirely with lumidouce bells alone. Attached to it was a carefully sealed letter tied to the bouquet with a blue bow. Of course, the envelope had nothing written on the outside in line with the sender choosing to remain anonymous. He thanked the receptionist and the guards for the hard work and took the bouquet back to his office before leaving once again to carry out his actual agenda for the early afternoon. 

~

After taking down notes for his human resource evaluations, he returned to his office and was nearly startled by the presence of lumidouce bells in a vase even though he himself put it there. He had been so immersed with his discussions and inspections that he had completely forgotten about them. 

Wriothesley was certain that not a single soul actually knew of his love for flowers. Every time he passed by a flower shop in the overworld, he contemplated purchasing a bouquet for himself but he always dissuaded himself from doing it, telling himself that they'd stick out like a sore thumb in his dreary office. So how on earth did Neuvillette know? And what reason did he have for giving him these? Regardless, he was drawn to the lumidouce bells as if he were a bee, touching them lightly with a faint smile on his face. It was also then that he noticed and remembered the letter tied to it and decided to read it simply out of curiosity without having any expectations for its contents.

Without any subtlety whatsoever, it started with:

My beloved W,

To be honest, I never really had an interest in flowers. Yes, they were beautiful, yet I was never captivated by them in the same way most Fontainians were, especially when receiving them as gifts. One day however, perhaps a year after we became acquainted, I came across lumidouce bells growing near the coastline surrounding the Court of Fontaine and I was so enchanted by them that I found myself rushing to pick three flowers from their stems. I then took them back to my office and pressed one of them between the pages of my personal schedule planner. You may be wondering, “what inspired this change of heart?” Well, the answer is rather simple: their color reminded me of your stunning indigo eyes! Would you believe that at that time, I still didn't realize that I was in love with you? It should have been obvious by then, but it is easier to understand certain phenomena in retrospect. 

Now that I am much better informed of my own feelings for you, I wanted to present you with a gift that would truly make you understand the effect you have on me. Perhaps, the sight of these delicate and fragrant flowers would serve to remind you of your own beauty and grace. 

Interestingly, as I was commissioning Kiara to purchase these flowers secretly, Sedene informed me that lumidouce bells represent parting and a wish for reunion, which coincide exactly with my sentiments about you. Nonetheless, I want to clarify that I believe our partings can be just as sweet as they are sorrowful. Whenever you depart from my office, I immediately feel the pain of missing you but at the same time, I feel relieved and comforted by the fact that you will be returning to the underwater fortress you consider home and will have a good rest for the night. Then when you wake up the next day, you will continue to fulfill the duties you take pride in after feeling rejuvenated by a peaceful slumber. Meanwhile, your being away from me will lead me to anticipate our next meeting. These ebbs and flows in our relationship are sacred to me and I hope that these flowers will encourage you to meet up with me as soon as our schedules would permit. 

Don't worry about the logistics, as I should be sending you an invitation letter either tomorrow or the day after detailing the dates and time slots when I am available. I hope for your favorable response so that I may once again be graced by the sight of your lovely indigo eyes. 

Your dedicated admirer,

N ♡

Wriothesley's mind went blank after reading the letter from start to finish around three times, double checking that he didn't misread a single line on the page. He also had to ensure that the kiss mark that was placed near the letter W wasn't just a hallucination. It's not that he was too taken aback by Neuvillette's words. The letter did sound like it was truly written by him without copying snippets from a romance novel or a book of flirting tips, and the handwriting did match that which appeared on the forms Neuvillette filled out. Every single sentence came across as genuine and the warden knew that these words could only be for him as the letter included some details about his personal interactions with the iudex. Even the presence of that flirtatious kiss mark was within the realm of reality considering Neuvillette often put on lipstick for him apparently. And yet, despite his logic confirming that the romantic letter was certified real and definitely addressed to him, he still felt as though he was a stealthy secret intelligence agent, intercepting a letter meant for someone else. It was because he could hardly recognize the person Neuvillette was supposedly talking about.

Still, he felt grateful for the gift so he drafted a letter in response, complimenting the sender for accomplishing a logistical feat and expressing relief that the chief justice took the time off work for more relaxing activities like keeping in touch with someone he appreciates. Wriothesley composed an entire message all while trying to mask his confusion and hesitation with pleasantries. 

Just as he signed off the letter as “W” and put it into an envelope, he heard a light knock on the door. The particular knocking rhythm was one that the head nurse used to signal her presence, so he let her in immediately. 

“Hello, Sigewinne. Nice to see you again. What brings you here? Are you gonna count the number of stickers on my back again?”

“Oh! Are there any?”

“You can check if you want.” 

“Alright! But while I tally our scores, can I chat with you about something?” 

“Sure. Go ahead.” 

Nothing could've prepared Wriothesley for what Sigewinne was about to say next.

“Did Monsieur Neuvillette give you these flowers?”

Oh god, he couldn't lie to Sigewinne. But perhaps, there could be a workaround somewhere.

“Yes. They're quite lovely aren't they? But what made you think of him right away? Did any of your sisters tell you?”

“I just guessed. So Your Grace, does that mean he's courting you?” 

If he said no, it wouldn't technically be a lie. There's no need for Neuvillette to “court” him because he reciprocated his feelings already (that still felt so surreal to say, even in his head). Also, how did Sigewinne guess?

“No. I suppose this is just a late birthday present. Flowers aren't automatically romantic.”

“Aw, that's a shame. I thought Monsieur Neuvillette was finally going to have a love life of his own.”

“Well, he doesn't need one. And if he did decide to enter the dating market then I doubt I'd be a top choice. Regardless, these flowers are really very beautiful. Can you teach me how to take care of them? How should I start?”

Luckily, it did manage to distract Sigewinne as she went on her ramble about botany like the enthusiastic sweetheart she was. Ultimately, although she was prying into Wriothesley's private life, he felt lucky that she came to visit him as she always helped relieve his anxiety to some capacity.

~

“I often forced myself to say something romantic about your eye color. In truth, they're but a generic shade of blue.”

“I know.”

~

Sigewinne once let on a secret that Sedene had told her about during their little catch-up: It was that Wriothesley was the first Fortress of Meropide Administrator that Neuvillette wrote handwritten meeting invitation letters to using his own personal stash of parchment instead of the stash from the office purchased using tax revenues. Now that the two of them were already dating (he still couldn't stop thinking about how weird it sounded in his head), he wondered if the chief justice would make his messages even more personalized. And he was right.

Dear Wriothesley, 

If you read the letter I sent yesterday then you should have been expecting his invitation already. If you have not read it yet, I hope it's because you're saving it for a better day. Anyway, this “official” invitation letter is meant to address two matters: one is about our professional dealings and another one pertains to my proposed plan for our next date. 

Allow me to explain further: We both have expressed our desire for a more thorough witness protection program within the Fortress of Meropide and I do know you have an excellent grasp for how to ensure the safety of inmates who have given their written testimony in court, so I would like to discuss ways for us to standardize these protocols for future reference. My trial last week required the prosecution to solicit letters from one of your inmates recounting the abuse he faced from his employer who snitched on him while protecting his own illegal business. I know you kept on rejecting those requests yet the person volunteered their statement so I am rather worried about how you will handle the situation in the underworld. Of course, I know for certain that your conduct will be flawless in such a scenario but I still do hope you won't feel overly burdened without enough support from Palais Mermonia. Hence, I'd like to discuss this matter on the fourth day of the week at 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., if that is not too soon for you.

Now, you may be thinking that this is simply a ploy for me to force you to present your gorgeous face in front of me, but that assumption is incorrect because I plan to dedicate that entire hour-long meeting for the agenda I outlined previously. Instead, I hope to invite you to come to my office once again for our actual “date” on the evening of the sixth day, during the time slot for my last appointment for the day at 7:30 p.m. to ensure that we can extend for as long as reasonably possible. Yes, I am inviting you to two meetings this week–one professional and one personal. I have rearranged my schedule sufficiently to accommodate such a plan so do not worry about me. However, I understand it may seem demanding from my end so please decide based on your own availability. After all, I suggested this arrangement for entirely selfish reasons. 

Either way, I hope to have a fruitful discussion with you soon enough. I'm glad to know you liked the flowers I gave you and of course, I can't forget to thank you for the incredibly charming lumitoile samples you sent me. You really do know how to please me, don't you? As such, I will strive to send another bouquet as soon as I can. In the meantime, please do take care of yourself. 

Sincerely,

Neuvillette

The iudex was far too angelic for his own good, sacrificing his precious time for someone who was lazing around for breakfast like a retired father. As much as he loved the idea of meeting up with Neuvillette twice a week, he had a feeling that it would benefit himself more than it did the chief justice, who would have to cram processing relevant documents to free up his schedule further for the sake of a date. If he keeps on putting too much effort into the relationship compared to the warden, then he'd surely burn out and start viewing the relationship as a tiresome chore. And the more often they meet up with each other, the sooner Neuvillette will get to uncovering the truth about Wriothesley–that his projected noble magnificence befitting of a duke was but a facade (and that's besides the fact that he is a criminal because that's already common knowledge between the two of them). Hence, perhaps a good way to truly lengthen their relationship was by ensuring that the burden he placed on Neuvillette was as light as possible.

Thus, he drafted an alternative proposal–one where they could meet on the sixth day of the week for around one and a half hours, dividing the entire session into a 45 minute discussion on witness protection and a 45 minute date. That way, everything would be smooth and efficient just as it should be. 

As soon as he finished composing his response, he immediately started to write his comprehensive list of discussion points for that Palais Mermonia correspondence on witness protection. He had to do well with that at least.

~

“Wriothesley, we've spent thirty minutes on this conversation. Why are you so opposed to a swift separation?”

~

When Neuvillette so much as walks into a room, he commands everyone's attention with his status, his elegance, and his natural beauty. Of course, Wriothesley was one of the poor souls who couldn't take his eyes off the iudex no matter how mundane his actions were. 

Wriothesley was trying his hardest not to get frustrated after the mechanics researcher, who was supposed to explain her cost-benefit analysis of adopting a new module for future gardemek production, hadn’t arrived at Café Lutece yet 30 minutes after their scheduled meeting time. As expected, his internal monologue reprimanding the neglectful scientist was interrupted by the sight of his beloved gracefully walking over to the counter to order something. However, as he was talking to the manager, he began looking and gesturing towards Wriothesley's direction, then nodded enthusiastically with an adorable faint smile on his face. Meanwhile, the “lord incognito of the depths” tried to avoid eye contact as much as possible to avoid suspicion. His attempts were all in vain as Neuvillette approached him immediately.

“I bought you two more cups of what you're currently drinking. Sigewinne told me to find you here while she catches up with her sisters.” 

“Thanks. You should get going. People are staring.” 

Neuvillette may not have been sitting down with the warden at that moment but the last thing Wriothesley wanted was to be the reason for the judge's impartiality potentially being questioned by the public.

“I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you but I should really leave now.”

“No need to apologize. You've been so kind to me. Thanks again for the tea,” Wriothesley clarified while still staring out into the blue to avoid Neuvillette's gaze.

“You deserve it. I thought I'd find you here meeting up with the researcher you wanted to consult but it seems like she hasn't arrived yet. A duke shouldn't be made to wait like this. Hopefully, the additional cups of tea would serve as a consolation to you.”

At this point, Wriothesley could already notice how Neuvillette was slowly but surely beginning to act like a concerned lover, unless he was reading too much into the situation. It felt too surreal for comfort. 

“You too. Drink the Earl Grey I gave you, alright?” he said lovingly, despite still avoiding eye contact with his…partner–no, the iudex.

“Alright, mmm…farewell then.”

Before Wriothesley could bid him farewell in return, Neuvillette swiftly turned away and made his way back to the Palais Mermonia. 

Ugh, none of this felt right. He should've been the one to rush to the Palais Mermonia and serve Neuvillette tea in a pristine porcelain cup, produced artisanally from Qiaoying Village. And yet Neuvillette was the one to reach out to him in front of prying eyes (although to be fair, none of them would really come to the conclusion that the two of them were dating because that's too absurd even for some of the most insane conspiracy theorists.) And he couldn't even do anything to make their interaction worthwhile enough so it's as if the most important government official of Fontaine wasted his time on some random dude who was waiting for an appointment.

Luckily, however, his train of thought was cut short by the researcher in question actually arriving. Back to business, then.

~

After Wriothesley wrapped up his meeting (and downed an extra cup of tea), he picked up Sigewinne from Palais Mermonia and she whispered to him that there was something important that she needed to relay to him once they reached his office.

As soon as they both took their respective chairs and sat behind his desk, the duke prompted the melusine for a little gossip.

“So, is there any intriguing insider information you've heard from your sisters? They are the best detectives in the nation, after all,” he asked with a little smirk.

“Your Grace, the message I wanted to relay to you is from Monsieur Neuvillette himself. He wants to apologize for telling me that the two of you are dating. He didn't know you wanted to keep it a secret even from us melusines.”

“Ah…um, perhaps I should be the one to apologize for lying to you. I was trying not to, originally, but Neuvillette does have his reputation and I wanted to maintain it as much as possible.”

Ugh, why was he fumbling so hard with their relationship? Even with decent intentions, he was doing nearly everything wrong all while Neuvillette had been so patient, kind, and open to him. And yet he dared to keep him like a shameful  secret? Well, he also did it to protect the chief justice’s projected sense of impartiality but it must have come across differently. 

“It’s alright. I understand where you're coming from. I wouldn't have minded if you had kept it a secret.”

Wriothesley let out a deep sigh.

“Thank you. You've been so kind–and rather calm too, I must say, for someone who just found out their father figure is now seeing someone.”

“Of course! I'm pleased to know that Your Grace is romantically involved with Monsieur Neuvillette because it makes him happy.”

“Really now?”

He tried to play it off as some kind of sarcasm, but he was truly asking for reassurance because for some reason, Neuvillette's own sweet letters weren't enough to assuage his doubts.

“Yes! When he told me that both of you are dating, he was grinning widely and giggling! He even said he felt so lucky to be in a relationship with you!”

Wriothesley could imagine it clearly–the sparkles in Neuvillette's eyes and a triumphant expression plastered on his face. He must've looked so beautiful as he was divulging his well-guarded secret. His voice must have also sounded warm, silky, and fond while uttering something along the lines of, “Wriothesley and I have recently started dating.” The iudex must have spoken of him so sweetly that it probably sounded like he was talking about something divine and abstract instead of some guy running the prison system. 

Suddenly, he remembered the old name he used back when he was still living in that god forsaken “foster home”. He felt as if the “Wriothesley” that Neuvillette was in a relationship with was some other respectable gentleman while he was just ******, some random person who didn't fit into the equation.

Oh, Sigewinne seemed confused. He should've appeared more pleased with that sort of news, right?

“Neuvillette is really sweet, isn't he?” 

~

“I know the melusines will find out about our separation eventually, so allow me to inform them first. I can hardly trust you to retell the events accurately.”   

~

“How often do you usually write to the family of an inmate you're protecting? And do you communicate entirely using formal language or do you strive to incorporate empathy and personalized messages in your letters?”  

Wriothesley should be given credit for sitting there calmly and focusing on the topic at hand even while the person in front of him was wearing such a bright shade of lipstick and kept tucking his hair behind his ear as he listened to the warden speak. 

“I do add some personal well-wishing but only minimally of course. I don't think it should matter for our list of protocols since I suppose we can leave these minute details to the discretion of future administrators. As for how often, I typically do it monthly or every three months. It depends.”

“I see. You really do handle everything so gracefully.”

They continued on like this, with Neuvillette asking Wriothesley about some specific details surrounding the logistics of his plans to keep certain testifiers safe in the Fortress of Meropide, and the duke answering in return. He didn't really understand why the iudex was so thoroughly impressed by each response as if he were some genius and not just someone stating the obvious. 

“Here are the notes from today's meeting to aid you in your attempt to come up with an official standardized protocol. All of these are your inputs and I simply compiled them. Your efficiency and practical knowledge has always been of great help to us here in the Palais Mermonia. On top of that, you also managed to finish ahead of time, which leaves us with more time for our date. You always make things easier for me, don't you, honey?” 

Honey?! Did Neuvillette really just say that? 

“Wriothesley, excuse me. I asked if you'd like some honey biscuits with your new cup of tea.”

Whew, alright. He only hallucinated that endearment. Neuvillette wouldn't throw that word around easily. 

“Ah, I don't need a new cup…”

“Hm? What's wrong? You'd never refuse more tea. Unless, oh I'm very sorry–did I make you feel embarrassed with the endearment I used?” 

“It's alright, I'll have whatever you wish to offer.” 

Neuvillette sighed and stood up from his chair to walk over to where Wriothesley was seated and plopped down beside him.

“Before we partake in our snacks, perhaps we need to discuss an important matter first. This has been a concern of mine for the past week so please do bear with me.”

Wriothesley inhaled sharply, anticipating that his nightmares might become true at this moment, at least partially, although Neuvillette does seem kinder and gentler compared to the version of him that appeared in his dreams who always came across as rather harsh. 

“Sure. Go on.”

“I have this sense that my romantic gestures often…miss the mark so to speak. I have been attempting to perform the necessary courtship rituals for you yet I doubt that I have properly taken your own unique desires and preferences into account.”

What? Was Neuvillette worried about what he was doing wrong? That makes no sense. If anyone is at fault, it should be Wriothesley.

“Huh? Where did this come from? What made you think that?” 

“Mmm, this may just be my own perception but you seem to have been quite embarrassed by my various romantically oriented actions towards you, to the point that you have become somewhat avoidant.”

Ugh, of course Neuvillette would notice. Did he think he could get away with his behavior? 

“Ah, now I see where you're coming from. I'm sorry, it's not your fault at all. I should have been more vocal in expressing my appreciation for what you've done for me.”

“Yes, I know you've been very grateful to me but I also need your personal feedback regarding which romantic gestures you like receiving or not. I may know little of the intricate interactions between humans yet I have learned that not all romantic gestures are universally liked by everyone due to people's varying preferences. Hence, I tried a variety of courtship rituals–sending flowers, writing letters, scheduling dates, buying tea, and addressing you with pet names and most of them didn't seem to communicate my love and admiration effectively. Because of this, I would like to know which romantic acts you enjoy the most and the least so I can properly cater my expressions of love to your own unique tastes.” 

God, why was Neuvillette being so dedicated? It's not like he's worth all the effort.

“I'm not picky honestly. If the iudex of Fontaine does anything remotely nice for me, who am I to refuse?” 

As soon as Neuvillette heard this, he slouched like a wilting flower and bowed his head in embarrassment. Why has Wriothesley been disappointing him so much lately?

“I…”

Neuvillette sighed and tried to compose himself before continuing. 

“Please don't think of me as the iudex when I do all these romantic things for you. I hope you can view me as your…hm, what's the term for this– prospective lover ?”

“Alright. My answer is still the same. I would never make it difficult for my prospective lover to please me.”

Saying those words out loud felt incredibly strange, but it seemed like it was exactly what Neuvillette wanted to hear.

“Perhaps that is the case, but I can sense which things give you discomfort. For instance, you don't seem to be comfortable with me calling you “honey” so is it possible that you prefer another endearment, or would you want me to refrain from using them?” 

Wriothesley didn't want to open the can of worms about him not feeling like he was sweet enough to deserve the pet name, so he simply said,

“It's just because I'm not used to it.”

“I understand. After all, I reckon I'm the first person to express this much affection towards you, and I daresay I have been the first to love you this much. So, would you like for me to help you slowly become accustomed to endearments?”

“It's up to you.”

“Hm, maybe I should refrain from addressing you with terms other than your name or your title for now. What about when I bought tea for you in public, did I understand correctly that you would prefer for us to have more discreet dealings? Would you have felt comfortable if I purchased the additional cups of tea for you and walked away right after?” 

How should Wriothesley even begin to answer such a question? Why did he feel uncomfortable about literally everything sweet Neuvillette has done for him?

“Perhaps. I do generally prefer to keep our relationship under wraps for your sake.”

“I see. What about the time I sent you flowers? Did you like them?” 

“Yes. I did mention it in my letter. They're very beautiful and they make my office look much less dull.”

Neuvillette shook his head gently, with his blue horns swaying around as well.

“I think your office is lovely and the lumidouce bells simply complemented its warmth. Good, good. I'm very pleased to know at least one of my romantic gestures pleased you. Now, should I start sending you flowers every two weeks?” 

“No, no, no. Neuvillette, that's far too often. Don't stress yourself out, okay?”

“I wouldn't consider showering you with my undying affection as stressful but I suppose buying flowers for you every two weeks could potentially lead to environmental degradation in the long run so perhaps once every two months shall be fine. Now, the only problem left is that this repetitive romantic gesture could contribute to a sense of monotony within our relationship yet I heard that romantic relationships must always feel interesting and refreshing. To alleviate this issue, I hope to ask for your personal recommendation. So, in what other ways would you like to be courted?”

“I…haven't really thought about it.”

“Oh I see you're making things more challenging for me, but I don't mind. I'm willing to learn what it is exactly that makes your heart beat the fastest.” 

The chief justice blinked slowly, his eyes sparkling with fondness as if he was staring at a glass of water. But Wriothesley doesn't believe he's as pristine and clear as pure water. He's probably more like toxic allogravity condensed water or something. 

“...”

“You don't seem comforted by my words.”

“What do you mean? I'm completely alright. In fact, I'm looking forward to chatting with you over tea.” 

“As beautiful as your forlorn gaze looks, I believe the negative thoughts behind your eyes need to be addressed. Could you please tell me what's been bothering you? I want to help you after all.” 

In an instant, Wriothesley felt exposed. Perhaps it was time to be honest to a certain extent.

“There's just one thing I don't understand. Has it never crossed your mind that my lukewarm response to your romantic gestures could be a result of my own attitude problems? It could be the case that I'm too cold, distant, and negligent for your liking.”

Neuvillette flinched a bit hearing this, and gave the duke a quizzical look.

“There's no reason for me to entertain an idea which I already know to be false. You picked lumitoile samples for me, you wrote to me twice with such sweet words that I could hardly read your letters without my cheeks feeling warmer, and you constantly prioritize my convenience and comfort when it comes to courting you. Even your obvious display of anxiety contradicts the notion that you're being apathetic towards me.” 

“You have a point, but regardless, I have personal problems that only I should address. Don't burden yourself with such trivial matters.”

“Burden, you say…it seems that you're constantly worried about being a burden to me. Is that why you've been trying to discourage me from carrying out romantic gestures for you?”

Everyone else insists that Neuvillette has trouble comprehending human emotions, so why was he suddenly so perceptive at this moment? Where did he get the ability to see through Wriothesley?

“I just don't want you to feel obligated to follow the dictates of society. The demands of romance are incredibly exhausting.”

Neuvillette sighed deeply and dejectedly.

“I recognize the fact that I'm someone who has lived my life strictly fulfilling my neverending duties as a Fontaine's iudex. My lifestyle is almost entirely determined by set rules, even including my own hairstyle–but make no mistake, my personal involvement with you is motivated purely by desire. For instance, let me ask, do you view tea preparation as a chore?”

“Of course not. You know how much I love tea.”

“Exactly. Brewing or steeping tea may be tedious or time-consuming, but you don't mind putting in the effort knowing that there will be high-quality tea waiting for you at the very end. The same goes for my romantic gestures. I view them the way you might view tea preparation, except in this case, the resulting “tea” would be your sense of satisfaction, your beautiful smile.”

“Hmmm, but what if all your hard work ends up being wasted on disgustingly sour tea?”

“That’s impossible, because nothing from you could ever leave a sour taste in my mouth, metaphorically speaking of course.”

Wow, Neuvillette was indeed dedicated to a fault as a lover–no, prospective lover , so much so that Wriothesley was progressively losing the strength to resist his displays of affection.

“You're too kind…”

“Why wouldn't I be? You should know how much I love you.” 

The proper, sensible, and logical response to receiving declarations of love from someone you admire romantically is to grin widely, blush with a deep shade of red, and feel your heart skip a beat. Meanwhile, Wriothesley's chest started to feel heavy, as if he were told that all the tea in the fortress ran out.

Neuvillette continued, “One of the reasons why I love you so much is your unique ability to soothe and comfort those who are distressed, including myself. Listening to your kind and insightful words of advice feels similar to running one's hand under cool water after getting burned. Sometimes, your presence alone is enough to bring comfort to my weary soul. Now, as your lo–prospective lover, I wish to return the favor as best as I can, although I am clearly not as effective as you are.” 

“There will naturally be a limit to your effectiveness at comforting others when they're not forthcoming about their personal concerns.”

“...”

“I can sense you holding back your curiosity and I haven't been treating you well this past week, so I suppose I owe you an explanation. Recently, I've been having nightmares almost daily with a recurring theme.” 

Upon hearing this, Neuvillette's pupils widened in worry, yet he remained silent to show respect for Wriothesley's boundaries. It was his way of communicating that he wasn't going to demand full disclosure. Nonetheless, Wriothesley did believe his prospective lover deserved it. 

“Well, technically you could argue my dreams weren't actually nightmares considering the lack of death and horror. Regardless, they were distressing to me, because the first dream I had of this kind involved you breaking up with me, and in the succeeding ones, you were further explaining your disgust towards me.” 

“Wriothesley…to think you were going through so much pain this past week!”

“It's alright. It was my fault for thinking too much about those senseless dreams. I know better now.”

“But aren't these dreams simply reflections of your real life anxieties?”

“I suppose.”

“So what was my reason for parting ways with you in my dream?” 

In such a rare moment, the chief justice's voice sounded shaky, as if on the verge of crying (although tears weren't forming in his eyes).

“Something about you being disillusioned with me.” 

“Disillusioned? Wriothesley, you're a criminal! I am already perfectly aware of your greatest flaw and I fell in love with you even while knowing this.” 

The warden couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter with how wonderfully absurd that sounded. Who else would have their partner– future partner , rather–comfort them by being reminded of their shameful past? And yet he felt as if at least one thorn was pulled out of his heart. Luckily, Neuvillette didn't take offense and a soft, gentle smile formed on his face as he was silently watching the person next to him giggle for a slightly prolonged period of time. 

After taking the time to regain his composure, Wriothesley made it a point to clarify, “Yes I know, but there are mild-mannered criminals and ill-tempered ones. I myself have been described as devious a few times before.”

“I know. And I endlessly adore you for it.”

Wait, did Neuvillette just say “for it,” not “despite it”? Huh, it seemed like Wriothesley still had a lot to learn about the inner workings of his prospective lover's mind. 

“If you were any less cunning, you wouldn't have risen to the position of administrator, and I wouldn't have met you. To be frank, I must admit I have been hoping to personally witness your scheming side more clearly ever since we started dating. I secretly hoped that you would steal kisses from me and sneakily touch me lightly every now and then. I imagined you'd conjure up all sorts of excuses to meet with me more regularly, coaxing me flirtatiously. Of course that's not to say at all that I'm dissatisfied with your careful and considerate attitude. I know you naturally have a gentle disposition, yet I can sense you're also holding back on claiming what's rightfully yours.”

“I didn't realize that's what you wanted. I spent three years firmly believing that you were too good for me, and that becoming involved with me romantically would come at a cost to you, so I should do my part to help you cut your losses. I know you made your feelings clear to me ever since your confession last week, but long-held beliefs are difficult to correct even if they've been proven to be false. You've spent these past few days attempting to further convince me to believe in your love, yet I remained resistant to it because as painful as my dreams were, they still seemed less absurd than reality. I wish to challenge my preconceived notions but I don't know where to start.” 

Neuvillette inched closer to Wriothesley and stared into his light indigo eyes longingly then averted his gaze bashfully.

“If it would help you, you may set aside the image of a stern and intimidating judge. Instead, when you read my letters, imagine that they were written by a lovesick maiden who had pined after you for three years and had lost sleep sulking at the thought of you possibly marrying someone else. Surely, someone like that would never dare to part ways with you.”

Marrying another person while remaining hopelessly in love with Fontaine's iudex–what a preposterous notion! Of course he'd never do such a thing! And yet, that's not something Neuvillette would have actually known at that time. Wriothesley was often under the assumption that since Neuvillette had been the most virtuous, intelligent, powerful, charismatic, and possibly even the most beautiful person to have ever set foot in the Court of Fontaine, he'd surely be able to have anyone he wanted because that's exactly what he deserved. With how well he got along with the overworld’s highest ranking official, he nearly forgot how the public also tended to view the judge as stiff and aloof. After almost five centuries spent alone, he must have been under the impression that a majority of humans under his watch would wind up being paired off while it seemed like no one was ever reserved for him. Perhaps he also held the false belief that romantic love was a well of water that he wasn't supposed to drink from–not a single sip. If that were the case then both of them can be considered to be in the same position. Wriothesley could no longer make the claim that this budding relationship would end up being more beneficial to himself than it was to Neuvillette. 

Although Wriothesley still struggled to let go of the belief that he didn't really deserve Neuvillette's affection and that his potentially foul traits needed to be acknowledged and taken more seriously, he came to the realization that Neuvillette had long since stopped caring, probably as far as three years back. He should at least stop predicting what his prospective lover's thoughts and feelings will be in the future, especially when the evidence easily countered his conjectures which were mostly based on anxiety. 

“Mm, such a sweet girl deserves an amount of love as vast as the ocean’s expanse.” 

Wriothesley leaned forward and tucked a few strands of Neuvillette's hair behind his ear. The latter's pupils were blown wide in awe and anticipation, though he immediately closed his eyes. He understood what was about to happen and his heart was racing in response. Meanwhile, the duke was still busy cringing at himself for approaching the act like a leading man in a romantic drama even though he was just an officer from some dark and gloomy place. It didn't suit him in the slightest, but he considered it his duty to sweep the iudex off his feet as his prospective lover. If he truly wanted this so much, who was he to refuse?

As soon as Wriothesley cupped Neuvillette's cheek and gently placed his other hand on his waist, he was also reminded of his own desire and the fact that Neuvillette apparently enjoys sensing it from him, further evidenced by the way he wrapped his arms around Wriothesley's shoulders. This momentary boost in confidence pushed him to close the distance between them in an attempt to share a slightly more passionate kiss than their first, which happened a week ago. He repositioned his other hand so that both of them wrapped around Neuvillette's waist and the judge responded by pulling him closer and deepening the kiss…

Until he immediately pushed Wriothesley away.

“I'm very sorry. I didn't get to ask before I intruded–”

“It’s alright. You could choke me with your tongue and I'd probably still like it.”

Ugh, now he was spouting out nonsense again. How badly can one ruin a romantic atmosphere?

As such, Neuvillette stared at him in shock before chuckling ever so softly.

“I see your sense of humor is back. I'm relieved.”

Seeing Neuvillette's subtle smile spurred him to continue what they were doing previously, savoring each other's taste. Just two weeks ago, Wriothesley would have thought that Neuvillette didn't experience pleasure from physical sensations as did many others, yet he was proven wrong in the best way possible. Well, specifically, it was more like the chief justice found it enjoyable only when a certain person was involved (not that he ever had a point of comparison, but love is not an area which requires impartiality).

As they were running out of breath, Neuvillette broke the kiss for a moment to confess something. 

“This is not to insinuate that you're lying, but I find it difficult to believe that you hadn't kissed anyone before me.”

“Huh? Is this supposed to be your way of telling me I'm a great kisser? Because it’s as if I had prior experience?” 

Although the words themselves might have come across as arrogant, Wriothesley's tone was genuinely questioning, because why else would Neuvillette say something so far-fetched?

“Hmmm, I have no way of knowing the difference between kissing experienced kissers and inexperienced kissers. What I mean to say is that I can imagine a considerable number of people fantasizing about their own lips touching yours and yet only I was granted the privilege to do so. How is that possible?” 

Wriothesley's first instinct was to attempt to deny the claim as vehemently as possible, citing that no one had ever approached him with such a request and stating that Neuvillette’s romantic preferences were unusual, in a similar way that melusines enjoyed Sigewinne’s milkshakes which could easily make even the bravest traveling chefs uncomfortable. As much as he loved the melusines, he always shudders when recalling its taste and he figured most people would react similarly to the thought of kissing him.

Then he remembered that any ounce of self-deprecation from him made Neuvillette uncomfortable. Even if it was true to some extent, he didn't need to bring it up just to sour the moment. Perhaps, Wriothesley needed to practice choosing a different option no matter how difficult it was for him to accept his prospective lover's praise. 

“Well, you know me, my standards are too high.”  

Neuvillette let out a small gasp and turned his head to the side in embarrassment. Luckily, he wasn't prone to blushing so his face didn't expose his feelings that easily. Regardless, it was enough to let Wriothesley know he had made the right choice. 

“I feel highly honored to meet those stringent standards of yours.”

How could he not? In fact, he was the one who was responsible for setting Wriothesley's romantic standards. He wouldn't have been sold on the idea of a pure and sweet kind of romantic love if not for Neuvillette. Could it have been possible, then, that Neuvillette's romantic ideals were formed around him? But if that was the case, what concepts did the iudex associate with romantic love now–rebellion, disruption? Hmmm…

They continued kissing for around another minute until Neuvillette pushed Wriothesley away yet again, but based on past occurrences, it seemed like there wasn't any issue. He probably just wanted to say something.

“I nearly forgot your tea! Please wait.”

However, as soon as Neuvillette was about to get up to run the errand, a hand grabbed his forearm tightly and forcefully, pulling him back down to his seat.

“Nevermind that. I have the exact same blend down at the fortress. Time spent with you is much rarer.”

This was a strange new occurrence, being more demanding of Neuvillette in such a way that coincidentally spared him an errand. How convenient! 

“Wriothesley…does this mean you like me more than tea?” 

Neuvillette's eyes were wide and curious, blinking innocently even after asking such an absurd question. In response, Wriothesley squinted at him in disbelief. 

“Obviously…why would you ever ask such a thing?”

“Hmmm, are you suggesting that setting aside time for you is the most effective courtship strategy?” 

“Yes, I think so.”

“I see. Although you rejected my request to meet with you twice this week, I suppose it was a result of your hesitation rather than your actual preferences. However, now that I know how you truly feel about the matter, do you believe it is possible that your nightmares will gradually disappear as we spend more time together?” 

“Oh, right. My nightmares–I nearly forgot. I suppose that could remedy the situation, but your daily schedule must be full. At least twelve hours of your day are probably spent on work, so when else will you find time? Unless we sleep in the same bed, it's just not feasible.”

For a while, Neuvillette didn't respond and his pupils restlessly avoided eye contact with his conversation partner. 

“Wait, are you seriously considering it? Personally, I don't think I can risk spending the night at your fancy quarters at the Palais Mermonia–that’ll definitely cause a scandal. If you were to stay at the Fortress of Meropide, you'd have to swim there every night.” 

“I enjoy swimming.”

Once again, Neuvillette was being painfully persistent but at the same time, too shy to make his request clear.

“How about the idea of sleeping in my bed? Are you comfortable with such a high level of intimacy?”

In truth, Wriothesley was greatly enamored with the image of his prospective lover falling into a deep slumber with a peaceful look on his normally stern (but still lovable) face. And even better, waking up to such a beautiful scene would immediately remind him that his dreams didn't resemble reality in any way. Still, he had to make sure that Neuvillette fully understood the implications of his suggestion.

“Oh, it slipped my mind that most couples need to have at least dated for a few years before sleeping in the same bed. I apologize for forgetting my propriety for a moment. And besides, I should not be bothering you this way.”

It was at this point that Wriothesley better understood Neuvillette's worries and frustrations. Seeing your  partner become shackled by self-consciousness felt rather uncomfortable because why should someone so close to you have to walk on eggshells out of fear of displeasing you, especially when you love them so dearly that you'd want to fulfill all of their desires? Perhaps it was a bad habit that they both ought to get rid of.

“Come on, now. There's no need to be so prudish. Arbitrary rules around dating are not worth fussing over. I'd love to welcome you if you're willing to go through the effort of sneaking into prison for me.” 

As he reassured Neuvillette, Wriothesley put his arm around him and gently rubbed his shoulder. However, it didn't seem to put the iudex at ease since he remained frozen in place. Well, even if the far out proposal ended up being rejected, at least they made an attempt to move forward in their relationship. 

After five whole minutes of silence, Neuvillette brushed off Wriothesley's arm and stood up.

“Excuse me, I shall pack my things for my visit later tonight. Would it be alright if I ask you to take the bag to your room for me?” 

For once, the duke was extremely grateful to have refused tea because if he were drinking some at that moment, he would have immediately spat it out in shock.

~

He should stop spying on Neuvillette bathing in the lethal hot spring which had cooled down, but he can't help but feel sorry for the iudex who had to scrub his arms so vigorously to the point that his skin had reddened, in a desperate attempt to to rid himself of any last blemish. 

Then, he began to make out what Neuvillette was mumbling, something along the lines of “it's his fault, all his fault,” over and over again.

~

As expected, Wriothesley's nightmares didn't suddenly terminate, although last night, they shifted from scenes of Neuvillette directly sneering at him to images of him simply expressing regret over their newly ended relationship. Either way, it was a sign of improvement, albeit very slightly. On top of that, he found it easier to tell that he was dreaming even while he was still asleep. 

That's why when he woke up to the sound of his blaring alarm and found an arm wrapping incredibly tightly around his waist and a head nuzzled into his neck, he recalled right away that he invited Neuvillette to sleep over at the fortress without having to sort through hazy disorientation. 

Unfortunately, catching a glimpse of the sleeping angel beside him proved to be more difficult than he expected as the arm that was wrapped around him pinned him down so strongly, as if its owner was afraid to let him go. Eventually, he was able to wiggle out of Neuvillette's grasp and although the sleeping beauty stirred, he still wasn't roused despite the major disturbance. Huh, his sleep was so deep that he didn't even hear Wriothesley's alarm, which he set early for Neuvillette's sake so he could swim back to Palais Mermonia without getting caught!

Thus, Wriothesley began his quest to wake Neuvillette up from his deep sleep. He started by shaking his shoulder lightly but he didn't seem to budge, so he moved onto speaking into his ear, removing the comforter from his body, and pulling him up by the arms to no avail. 

The chief justice couldn't afford to be late to work for any reason, and the situation might eventually turn disastrous if the Palais Mermonia conducted a search party for the nation's head of state and it would look like the administrator of the Fortress of Meropide had kidnapped him (and went so far as to put him in a frilly knee-length night dress made of silk!). At this point, he was willing to douse his lover in cold water if that's what it took, or he could also skip steps by simply using his vision and touching Neuvillette's face with frigid hands to startle him.

Luckily, Wriothesley remembered one more trick he could attempt before moving on to his last resort. The night before, Neuvillette explicitly granted him the permission to touch and kiss any part of his upper body even while he was unconscious. And so he gently lay down on top of the iudex and placed a light kiss on his lips. Neuvillette's eyes fluttered open immediately in response and he continued staring at the person who kissed him with a hazy gaze that revealed how entranced he was by the sight of him. 

“Are you real? Or am I still dreaming?” Neuvillette mumbled in disbelief. He asked this as if the idea of the duke he'd been desiring secretly for around three years kissing him “awake” was too good to be true.

“Of course it is. We are lovers now, aren't we? Anyway, you should get out of bed already. You still have to head back to the surface.”

Neuvillette sighed in relief.

“Thank you, Wriothesley. I love you so much.”

It was at this moment that Wriothesley pledged to never question the chief justice's love for him from hereon.