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There had been nearly a hundred administrators of the Fortress of Meropide so far yet this was the first and only time Neuvillette thought about and cared for the lodgings assigned to the person who held this position. After all, it wasn't anyone's business whether the prison's manager slept comfortably as long as they were able to do their job half decently. That was until the duke invited him to the one chamber in the fortress where no inmate could enter at all costs. Neuvillette nearly forgot that he entered a room that the former exiles who lived under Egeria’s rule had built and set aside for their “master”–to him, it was just Wriothesley's chambers , a place which sent little tingles down his spine at the mere thought of setting foot in it.
Granted, the duke’s lodgings were far less spacious, appeared drearier, and seemed to be furnished without any consideration for classy interior design. The shabbiness of his dwelling made Wriothesley rather embarrassed to welcome his first guest, without realizing that the iudex couldn't care less.
“So this is where my beloved retires for the night…”
Oh, he didn't realize he said it out loud.
“Yeah, it's nothing much. The bed is just decent enough for me to not wake up with a strained back and neck. If you had been patient, I could have ordered a new mattress or even an entirely new bed before you came over.”
“I apologize for the short notice of my visit. However, I will assure you that I am quite fond of your bedroom and the living room outside of it.”
“No, don't apologize. Your presence here is a call for me to finally spruce up the place. I’m just worried about your comfort.”
“How could I ever be uncomfortable when you're around?”
Wriothesley sighed and conceded, imagining that Neuvillette would feel far less lonely that night due to the company he provided. He didn't realize that the chief justice also meant that he would actually feel physically comfortable with his arms wrapped around his huggable… prospective lover who sometimes reminded him of a husky.
“Well, if you insist. Anyway, I assume you'd like to change into your sleepwear now.”
Wriothesley walked over to a short table where the bag containing Neuvillette's belongings were placed and took out a baby pink night dress from it. He was grateful for the warden's offer to take it to the fortress instead so that the judge would have a much easier time sneaking in.
“I couldn't find any other piece of clothing in your bag so I assume you're going to be sleeping in this?”
“Yes.”
Neuvillette was not ashamed in the slightest for wearing something so dainty and feminine to sleep. He enjoyed shedding the restrictive thickly layered robes he wore as the iudex in favor of donning soft, light, and delicate clothes when no one was watching. Admitting to such an innocent practice shouldn't bother Wriothesley, but there was one concern about the matter which he neglected until now.
“Wriothesley, when you brought my belongings here and allowed your subordinates to inspect it, how did they react to the pink dress?”
The warden seemed slightly confused at first until he realized that the blue dress he saw actually appeared pink to most people.
“Ah, since I'm the boss around here, no one openly questions my actions no matter how much they disapprove of them. They'll probably gossip about it, but as long as they don't suspect you, it's alright. I mean, inviting someone to my room isn't a crime unless you say otherwise.”
“I shall consider it a crime if you bring someone other than me.”
“Wow, you're a strict one. I'll go change in the bathroom so you can change in our–I mean my bedroom instead.”
Neuvillette badly wanted to insist otherwise for the sake of politeness but Wriothesley shut the door to his small bathroom before he could even open his mouth. Ugh, it would be embarrassing if he took an unusually long time to disrobe and his host caught him struggling with his layers of clothing.
As expected, the duke emerged from the bathroom within a couple of minutes, prompting Neuvillette to blurt out, “Don't look!!!” like an overly conservative young lady raised by strict parents. That might have been even more humiliating than baring himself in front of his future partner. Regardless, Wriothesley immediately obeyed his command and shut himself in once again.
“He's not going to welcome you next time if you maintain this attitude of yours,” Neuvillette thought to himself.
Thus, he tried to hasten his movements until he was properly dressed already.
“Wriothesley, I'm done!”
Upon hearing his signal, Wriothesley finally freed himself from the confinements of his bathroom clad in a black tank top and checkered flannel pants. Neuvillette didn't miss how defined those muscles looked in that sleeveless shirt despite it not looking too uncomfortably tight. What did he do to deserve the privilege of beholding this sight?
And surprisingly, with the way Wriothesley's jaw dropped as he laid his eyes on his guest, it seemed like he was also thinking the exact same thing. Was the pink dress really that appealing? Didn't it come across as a bit infantile?
“At the risk of sounding rude, I'm very curious–do you really wear these kinds of dresses to bed every night?”
“Yes. I do not wish to be unnecessarily burdened by stuffy clothing as I sleep.”
“So this doesn't bring you any kind of discomfort at all?”
“Not at all. The silk feels soft against my skin. You can feel it for yourself.”
Neuvillette's own boldness made him cringe tremendously. He wasn't even sure if Wriothesley appreciated his style of flirtation, whatever it was.
Well, it turned out that he probably didn't understand the intention behind that proposition, with how the duke simply rubbed the ends of the little loose sleeves that barely covered Neuvillette's shoulders.
“Mhm, the material was probably imported from Liyue.”
“How observant of you, but I believe you also have to feel the fabric at the right place to fully grasp its quality,” Neuvillette doubled down and guided Wriothesley's hands to wrap around his waist.
“Ohhh, is this your way of inviting me to hug you to sleep tonight?” Wriothesley teased with a smirk.
“Certainly.”
Neuvillette himself found his reactions rather conflicting. He couldn't explain why he was capable of being bold enough to flirt with the duke of the fortress then turning his head to the side in embarrassment right after confirming his intentions. Perhaps it had something to do with a combination of his inexperience and his beloved’s overwhelming presence. But then again, was there anyone in Teyvat who could handle having their crush's hands planted firmly on their waist without experiencing any kind of tingling sensation? And Wriothesley's hands were especially large, cool, slightly rough, and had a tight grip…
“Alright, but I don't sleep early so you'll have to wait a little bit. Unless you want to turn in earlier, then I can stroke your hair while I stay awake.”
How could he offer to perform such an affectionate act so nonchalantly? Won't it be tiring for his hands to carry out such repetitive movements? Nonetheless, Neuvillette was inclined to postpone the offer for another time as he had something else in mind.
“I want to stay up with you. Wasn't the purpose of my staying here to spend more time with you?”
“I suppose I did say that. So what do you want to do for the rest of the night?”
“Just do what you typically do to help you sleep, but this time, I'll accompany you.”
Wriothesley's eyes narrowed slightly and his pupils flitted back and forth for a while before settling once again on Neuvillette.
“I was about to flip through a fashion magazine. It's amusing and doesn't require much thinking. I doubt you'd be interested in that. Should I think of something else to do? I might have some cards, not like you'd appreciate that either…”
“Don’t worry about it. I believe I'd quite enjoy appreciating clothing designs with you.”
“If you say so. Come on, get in bed.”
“Already?”
“Why? Do you not want to?”
Neuvillette answered the question by taking off the fluffy slippers that Wriothesley provided him with and sliding under the covers on the left side of the bed. The mattress was indeed small, but he found it rather convenient as it forced him to stick close to his beloved no matter how much he moved at night.
In the meantime, Wriothesley grabbed Chioriya Boutique's latest collection, scooted towards the person on his left and flipped open the page.
“You know, clothes say a lot about a person. That's why my uniform's colors appear rather dreary.”
Huh? How often was he going to insert self-deprecating comments subtly, as if Neuvillette wouldn't notice?
“Hmm, so is the fact that my clothes are stuffy and restrictive supposed to mean something?”
“It means that you follow the rules impeccably.”
“Then I would say your clothes are not dreary but rather, powerful.”
Wriothesley slowly blinked at him for a few seconds before turning back to the magazine.
“We're not even talking about the contents. Let's get back on track.”
Neuvillette snuggled up closer to his beloved and rested his chin on his shoulder. Wriothesley then followed up by wrapping his left arm around him.
Suddenly, a particular design caught the judge's eye.
“Don't you think this would look wonderful on you?”
“Really? Something white and gold?”
“Mhm.”
“I beg to disagree. Delicate and luxurious designs like this would suit you more.”
“Either way, we don't need to debate on this.”
He may have said this out loud, but deep down, Neuvillette had the urge to purchase the featured outfit and encourage Wriothesley to wear it to prove his point. His mind was only changed once he came across yet another suit that would make his sweetheart look even more irresistible.
“What about this one?”
“Neuvillette, we aren't shopping.”
“You didn't disapprove.”
“Well, I disapprove now,” Wriothesley answered teasingly.
At this point, Neuvillette was too fixated on the designs presented in front of him to notice that someone was beginning to stroke his hair lightly.
“Ah, this one complements your eyes even more!”
“Are you seriously telling me that every single outfit here that was designed for men would look good on me?”
“Without a doubt. You're even more handsome and well-built than any of these models.”
Wriothesley shuddered slightly in embarrassment. Neuvillette realized he shouldn't have been that forward, considering they had just recently discussed the duke's general sense of insecurity.
“Although, once again, you do not need to agree with me,” he added as a disclaimer.
Wriothesley chuckled slightly at this. Well, at least he wasn't annoyed with Neuvillette's constant praise of him.
“It’s alright. I suppose it's normal to find your lover attractive.”
Lover? Did he forget the “prospective” part?
“Does this mean you consider us to be lovers already?”
“No, it was a slip of the tongue! I mean–I do believe our relationship is progressing far too quickly than how I intended it to, but as it is, it's difficult to deny that we're behaving like actual lovers. So if you would accept…”
“Of course. This has been my unrealizable dream for several years already. To clarify, I am referring to being your lover specifically. I never cared for romance otherwise.”
Wriothesley sighed deeply, still adjusting to his lover's words that seemed to come straight from a romance novel, except Neuvillette probably never touched any of those so this all came to him naturally.
“Likewise,” was all that he could manage to say in response.
~
Eventually, Wriothesley determined that he was drowsy enough to finally lie down and completely slip under the covers. Neuvillette followed suit and turned to his right so that he could face his lovely partner.
“Did I promise you a hug earlier?”
“Not explicitly. I have decided that I should wrap my arms around you instead. You are the one in need of comfort from your nightmares after all.”
“Then why don't we just embrace each other?”
Neuvillette pulled Wriothesley closer to him and nuzzled into his chest. They were roughly the same height but the tall dragon positioned himself in such a way that would let his head align with his lover's chest instead.
“If by any chance, I move away from you in my sleep, I welcome you to hug me once again. I consent to you touching me anywhere above the waist even when I'm unconscious.”
“Alright. The same goes for me. Anyway, good night, Neuvillette. Thank you for coming all the way here for me.”
With how comfortable and relaxed the otherwise strict and meticulous judge was, he believed that he should be grateful instead.
“It's my pleasure. I hope you will no longer dream of me attempting to part ways with you.”
~
“May I kiss you?” Wriothesley asked in the middle of idly chatting about natural life forms in Fontaine.
Neuvillette knew this whole scenario was only playing out in a dreamscape. After all, the Weeping Willow tree they were sitting under was colored a bright shade of pink. The Duke of the Fortress of Meropide was often teasing, but still far too respectful to ever request such a thing in real life. Regardless, he agreed to savor such a sweet moment, even if he would eventually wake up from it soon. Strangely enough, however, when Wriothesley gently moved closer to place his lips on his, the sensation felt far too realistic.
His eyes slowly opened to find the person in his dreams on top of him, gazing at him lovingly.
“Are you real? Or am I still dreaming?” Neuvillette mumbled in disbelief, although he was slowly gaining awareness of his surroundings such as the fact that he was on a bed in someone else's room. He must have slept so well that he was slow to fully wake up.
“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.”
“I love you too, no matter how difficult it was to rouse you.”
He couldn't be blamed! His dream was too sweet!
“My apologies. It seems that my sleep here was deeper and more relaxing than usual.”
Apologizing even when he wasn't at fault came so automatically to Neuvillette. He didn't bother to pin blame on others easily.
“No need to feel sorry. If you had woken up from my alarm, then I wouldn't have had the excuse to kiss you first thing in the morning.”
“You don't need an excuse to do such a thing.”
“That's true, but you do need an excuse to get out of work, and currently you don't have any. The nation's going to break down without you so come on, get up.”
Understanding that Neuvillette was struggling to part with the warm bed sheets, Wriothesley carried him off the bed in a bridal style and let his feet down near his guest slippers.
In a rare moment, the iudex of Fontaine was extremely tempted to skip work in favor of snuggling with his lover all day (which would mean both of them would have to take a day off). Since that would be extremely inappropriate and neglectful of him, the next best thing would be for them to sleep together every single night from now on. However, such a request would be an overstepping of Wriothesley's boundaries, especially since he expressed concerns about their relationship progressing too quickly.
“Thank you so much. Wriothesley, I think–”
“Let’s talk over breakfast, alright?”
It was five o’clock in the morning and Wriothesley still managed to prepare something for him? Neuvillette couldn't help but feel spoiled like royalty despite worrying about burdening his host.
“I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I had it made by Wolsey yesterday and placed it in a warming cauldron.”
Within a few minutes, Neuvillette had made his way to the dining area of the warden's quarters and was greeted with a warm bowl of soup.
“You've told me several times that you prefer liquid meals so here you go. I also know you like water-based soups more but this one has a cream base so you'll feel full enough after having it. What do you think?”
“I gladly accept.”
Neuvillette had intended to sip the soup from his spoon slowly and gently, blowing it to cool it down slightly first. However, after the first spoon, a hunger was ignited in him that he shoveled spoonfuls of soup into his mouth more quickly than usual, and finished it in record speed.
“So, how did you find it?”
“Perhaps I would say it was… luxurious .”
Wriothesley snickered in response and a faint pink color tinted his cheeks.
“That’s a rather strong word but I'm glad you approve of it. I know this might come as a surprise to you but I must let you know that I lied to you earlier about Wolsey preparing this. I made it myself. I withheld that information in the meantime so that you'd be honest with your feedback.”
The iudex couldn't help but gasp softly at this revelation. He couldn't believe the extent that his lover went out of his way to take care of him, as inconvenient as it was to do so. And not only was Wriothesley a dedicated cook, apparently he was a skilled one as well.
Neuvillette recalled how within his first century of living in Fontaine to fulfill his duties, he learned that he was socially obligated to attend the opera performances Lady Furina took part in, and he was even further required to understand its plotlines to fully grasp the human condition which he was so unfamiliar with. Being sharp and adaptive, he eventually came to realize that romance among humans was characterized by immense passion, desire, and vulnerability that paved the way for potential heartbreak from these ideals being shattered by reality. Romantic love was supposedly both sweet and sorrow, encompassing the range of human emotion. For over four hundred years, Neuvillette could only conceptually understand the plots of romantic operas and could never experience any of them for himself.
Even up until this point, he still hadn't. Wriothesley's love was much sweeter and more calming than what romantic novels, plays, and operas often loved to depict. He received some of the best soup he's ever tasted in his life! The normally eloquent judge was so overwhelmed that all he could do was twirl his hair.
“You shouldn't have…”
“You mean I shouldn't have fibbed?”
“No, I mean you shouldn't have gone out of your way for me.”
As much as Neuvillette understood that lovers didn't need to worry about burdening each other, he clung to his old habits. He still erroneously maintained the idea that loving him should require no effort despite him willingly working hard to prove his love to his partner. However, his train of thought was immediately cut off by a smooth, deep voice.
“You're speaking as if I made breakfast for you without any ulterior motives.”
“Hm?”
“Naturally, it was an attempt to make you consider spending another night with me. My motivations were selfish, so don't think of it as me going out of my way for you.”
Fortunately, Neuvillette wasn't the type to blush, or else he'd be as red as a tomato already. He remained silent for a few minutes, contemplating whether to accept the offer or not. If he sleeps on Wriothesley's bed just one more time, he'll never want to return to his cold, empty bed in the Palais Mermonia.
“Obviously, you shouldn't feel pressured to sleep with me again. I was merely jesting. I don't expect you to agree. You're very busy and this arrangement poses a constant risk to your reputation.”
They're doing this again–dancing around each other, always assuming that the other will feel bothered with their presence. This had to stop.
“I’m naturally a light sleeper and my appetite is often so low that I can go an entire day without eating. I don't wish to return to living that way. If I may also be selfish then I would much rather fall asleep in your arms and savor your warm soup every day. Do you find that to be too demanding of me?”
Every day–the iudex should have been careful with his words. Wriothesley internally noted how it sounded like a marriage vow even if it wasn't.
“You know I'd love to fulfill your ‘demands’, Neuvillette. As for the soup however, I'll need to learn twenty-five more recipes so I can make you a different one each day for a month.”
Neuvillette's immediate reaction would be to put a halt to this plan, to prevent his new partner from making life difficult for himself, to love him only with ease. And yet he knew that Wriothesley wouldn't appreciate such a response.
“You know that I will cherish anything you do for me.”
The duke grinned in response, fully acknowledging that Neuvillette was entirely correct without any room for rebuttal. Thus, the lifelong arrangement was forged, although at this time, they didn't fully realize exactly how long that would be.