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Neuvillette was well and truly in love with Wriothesley.
It was a realization he came to after they had been in their relationship for about a year. After Furina's trial and just new found responsibilities to the people of Fontaine as the Hydro Sovereign, it became ever harder for him to grow close to people. It didn't help that Furina had pulled away from him for a time to get acclimated to her new life. He had felt isolated... lonely.
Wriothesley was the only constant companion Neuvillette saw during those months. He always stayed a few extra minutes when talking with Neuvillette, asking how he was doing. He got more specific eventually, asking Neuvillette if he was sleeping or if he was eating properly. Wriothesley began to bring him little gifts. When Neuvillette told him it was really just a lot of work giving him stress, Wriothesley had been kind enough to offer his private room at the fortress, should he need it, and oh, did Neuvillette need it.
Wriothesley was a safe place. A warm touch and kind heart that drove out Neuvellettes anxieties. The first night Neuvillette had traveled down to the fortress, he had felt almost suffocated in his own loneliness. The tea and conversation were enough of a salve on that wound but Wriothesley had surprised him with another idea entirely.
Not that it was unwelcome, Neuvillette was more than happy to begin a relationship with Wriothesley. He believed Wriothesley to be a good person, a good leader. He had fought for Wriothesley’s title for those reasons. Despite his past, he was a kind man with a good heart. It only helped that Wriothesley was so damn alluring.
Neuvillette was shocked at how easy being so in love with Wriothesley was. Some days, he'd take a walk to Wriothesley's office to ask a question that was not important just to have tea and talk. Even as Furina became more comfortable with their new situation and gradually became a more stable presence in his life again his feelings for Wriothesley never changed.
Neuvillette had recently been stuck with the idea that it was time for a change in their relationship.
The idea had come to him while walking by the Fountain of Lucine several weeks ago. As he walked, a sudden shout of “I do!” caught his attention. In front of the fountain, a young lady in a lovely pink dress was pulling up a man from his knee in front of her. Neuvillette had been witness to many proposals by the fountain. It was a lovely spot, but it got him thinking of proposing to his beloved.
He knew Wriothesley had talked about wanting a family, but also that he was resigned to the reality he would never have one. Neuvillette wondered if Wriothesley might consider him his family now they were together. He also wondered if Wriothesley would consider marriage. Over the next few weeks he has imagined himself on one knee before Wriothesley, ring and hand.
Which is why when the trials of the day had worn him thin, and the ache behind his eyes set in, Neuvillette had begun his familiar walk before he even fully realized it.
Meanwhile, in the Fortress of Meropide, The Duke once again tried to stretch the aching muscle in his left shoulder. The day had been a miserable one with endless problems that he could only seem to half-resolve. To make matters worse, he couldn't even sleep now. A pulled muscle usually wouldn't have bothered him but he was so exhausted whenever he laid down it was all he could think about.
The knock at the door only further added to the stress. It was familiar. It was almost certainly Monsieur Neuvillette.
Wriothesley was blindly, stupidly in love with Neuvillette.
It was almost pathetic, the way he offered himself to Neuvillette when Furina wasn't speaking to him. Wriothesley wanted to comfort him. After that first night together, Wriothesley had floated the idea of dating to Neuvillette.
“In over 400 years I'm afraid I've never ‘dated’ anyone. I'm not sure I know how to.”
It was probably the gentlest rejection Wriothesley had ever gotten. He'd assumed whatever it was between them ended with a one night stand, until Neuvillette had shown up the next week with his favorite tea. Most of his ‘relationships’ boiled down to casual sex so it wasn't as if he was a stranger to it. He was happy to be near Neuvillette in any way the man would allow.
Except maybe tonight. He was exhausted and really just wanted to rest. That didn’t stop him from opening the door and inviting Neuvillette in, of course, even if his smile wasn’t as high as it usually was.
When the door was shut, Wriothesley leaned in to kiss Neuvillette. He was surprised when Neuvillette didn't deepen it, instead pulling away to place his hand on Wriothesley's cheek. Slowly rubbing his thumb under Wriothesley's eye.
“You look tired,” Neuvillette said.
“Heh, yeah just... just a long day.”
Neuvillette smiled. “For me as well. Why don’t we go rest. Would you mind if I borrow some of your bedclothes? I didn’t think to stop and get mine.”
Wriothesley let go of a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding, “What’s mine is yours.”
Neuvillette went to change as Wriothesley put aside the rest of his papers. When he finally walked into the bedroom, Neuvillette had made himself comfortable against the pillows. He looked good in Wriothesley’s clothes. They were a little too loose for him but he looked relaxed. Wriothesley wished he could get this view every night. Neuvillette smiled as Wriothesley approached him.
“How do you want me?” Wriothesley asked.
“Just come here, love.”
Wriothesley allowed Neuvillette to guide him down, laying on top of him, with his head on Neuvillettes chest. He let himself relax against his lover's chest, trying to will away the restlessness that had kept him up in the first place. Neuvillette’s left hand slowly massaged at his head, while the other was running up and down his shoulder and back. It was so damn sweet, Wriothesley could’ve cried. They stayed like that for until Wriothesley began to drift to sleep.
“Do you ever think about marriage?”
Wriothesley had taken less painful punches to his gut. Immediately his body tensed. This was it, Neuvillette found someone worth dating, someone worth marrying. It was fine. Wriothesley was fine. He knew this day would come eventually, even if he had hoped it would come after his death. Neuvillette didn’t miss the way he tensed, his hands stopping, going slack.
“Wriothesley,” he said softly, after what felt like years, “If the idea of us getting married is upsetting to you it’s not something I need by any means, I just thought it might be nice.”
Wriothesley pushed himself up to meet Neuvillettes eye, starling him in the process. They stared at each other for a moment. Wriothesley could see they hurt on Neuvillettes face, the surprise of Wriothesley’s sudden movement too fresh to mask it.
“You want to get married? To me?” Wriothesley asked, in disbelief. Neuvillette nodded his head yes, “Why?”
“Because I love you.” Neuvillette answered earnestly. “Have we not dated long enough for that? I told you, I’ve never dated anyone before you, is a year too soon?”
Wriothesley buried himself back into Neuvillette, moving his arms to hold him around his chest, laughing. He hadn’t rejected Wriothesley, he was just being honest with him. Fuck, fuck. Suddenly everything had a different context. They weren’t returning gifts back and forth, they were courting one another. Nothing was just sex, Wriothesley’s feelings were reciprocated, they had been the entire time. He was dating Neuvillette.
“.”Is everything alright Wriothesley?” Neuvillette, voice laced with panic and confusion.
“Yeah,” Wriothesley answered, muffled by Nauvellettes shirt, as he tried to get his laughter under control, “Yeah, I’d marry you. Right now if you want.”
Neuvillette still wasn’t sure what was going on with Wriothesley, but couldn’t help himself from smiling anyway. Perhaps he had jumped the gun, talking about marriage when this was the first time he had told Wriothesley he loved him, out loud anyway. Still, as Wriothesley settled down against him and fell asleep, Neuvillette thought about the ring he’d have made for his Duke and fantasized about the way he would propose until he fell asleep himself.