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"Do I make you nervous?"
Neuvillette's eyes narrowed as he regarded the usurper before him. Furina's eyes blazed bright as she knocked the end of her blade against his throat. If he so much as breathed harshly, it would be all too easy to have it dig into the thin skin of his neck. Not even the smattering of scales could protect him from this. His eyes narrowed as he held his tongue. This woman before him, the sovereign knew what she wanted, knew what this battle and clash of wills entailed, yet he could not give it to her, would not. He was the last of his kind, a sovereign, a dragon, and he would not cave.
For why would lies ever be uttered from his mouth?
He gritted his teeth as his fingers, tied behind his back, flexed. The ropes creaked.
"Do." Each word was enunciated.
"I."
"Terrify."
"You."
His chin was forced to tilt upwards. His exhale was shaky as the corner of his lips thinned. Amethyst-colored eyes clashed with mismatched blue ones. His teeth clicked as he watched impatience flit across the other's face. Her lips twitched at his stubbornness. Neuvillette stilled as a shadow fell across him. The light bioluminescent light of the room was lost behind her shoulder. He was unrepentant in his glare as he watched Furina stab her sword into the floor. The hiss that left him was sharp alongside the tug at his chin. He could feel her heartbeat pulse from where her gloved hand met his chin. The dragon frowned this time.
He knew the answer to this question. Knew just why Furina was doing this but he would never betray himself like this. Even if it was for her. Especially because it was for her. He had promised her happiness, promised to give her everything but falsehood. And Neuvillette would always be a man of his word.
"Neuvillette. Answer me." For a moment he was distracted by the sweetness of vanilla, and tide pools, of the heady scent that was her. But there was something more, salty, bitter...the taste of— The grip on the dragon's face strengthened, just enough that his eyes focused once more.
"Neuvillette..."
The dragon ripped his head out of her grasp as he turned his gaze resolutely at the wall on the left.
"No, you are not terrifying at all, Furina."
He winced at the whine that parted her lips and the frustrated wet sniffle that followed. The rope that had been weakly wrapped around his wrist snapped as he surged to his knees. Hands took the quivering one before him as another wet sniffle ripped through the air.
"I- I...why can't I get this role right? How am I going to capture the essence of a villainess?!"
Neuvillette had a distinct feeling that the issue was not her but him. Nothing about Furina was terrifying to him, even though formulaically, she had followed every action to a tee. It was simply an issue with his perspective; there had only been one moment in his two lives when he had truly felt fear. He had died already and knew what would come after...terror to him, felt foreign. The horror of losing her—he slammed the door closed to that line of thought.
"Furina, I have known you far too long to be terrified of you. As—" his thumb ran soothing circles against the back of her hand. "Perhaps finding someone else to practice with would have been a better notion. As I told you earlier, I do not experience emotions as humans typically do." Loathed as he was to let go of the scant time they got to spend together already. And now that he knew exactly how she would enact the scene from her latest play, he was less inclined to have someone else practice with her. Not when...she was so physical. The humanity within him quickly shoved away the draconic line of thinking. His eyes sharpened as Furina exhaled.
"B-but..." He cocked his head to the side as the petite woman's face flushed. Her eyes darted left then right as she shuffled in his grasp.
"Yes?"
Was there another reason for her to ask him to practice with her? With what he knew about her current schedule, he had not expected to see her this evening, much less get roped into a quick session. He knew she had many who were willing to help her. Her current troupe, Clorinde, or Sigwinne were not opposed to helping her practice. Many of the Melusines were also more than eager to help if she asked. He knew this, as he had seen them on multiple occasions. His brows furrowed in the middle.
"Furina, is everything alright?" He pulled her close to him, not caring that they were still in his office as he curled his arms around her. There had already been too much time wasted with propriety and hesitation. His chin rested against her waist as her hands fell to his shoulders.
"Y-yes!" He watched with unconcealed adoration as her cheeks turned a pretty shade of red that matched apples. "Ijustmissedyou."
His eyes glinted in the low light. Oh, how he felt utterly blessed by his enhanced senses at times like this.
"I missed you too," Neuvillette crooned. He watched as he looked at him with wide eyes and a steadily growing embarrassment. "Quite a bit." He truly did. Even a day away from her felt unbearably droll. A part of him was viciously delighted that she seemed to miss him as much as he missed her.
"Really?" Furina's voice quivered, a mix of hope and vulnerability that made Neuvillette's heart clench. "You're not just saying that because I'm upset, right?" He shook his head, his gaze never wavering from hers though another part of himself wanted to purr. It was a testament to how much things have gotten easier between them that she had even deigned it safe to ask. "I would never lie to you, Furina. Not about this, not about anything."
Neuvillette watched as the corners of her eyes softened. He always meant every word to her. "T-then..." he watched as she sucked in a sharp breath. Her gaze met his once more. "Tell me why, I'm not scary." Mirth bubbled, a soft huff that she knew was laughter. Of course, she would not let her goals go despite their little moment.
The dragon's shadow fell across his love's as he stood. He watched as her eyes widened and she took a step back to accommodate his stature. He did not let her go too far. "From a personal standpoint, I can never find you terrifying Furina," he started, fingers tracing her palm in a slow circle. "You're simply too kind for that and even if you are acting...well, I can not quite disconnect that." There was a soft chuckle, and the corner of his mouth rose at the feeling of her pulse jumping beneath his touch.
"However..." the whisper was met with eagerness. "If you want a practical demonstration of intimidation, I am confident enough in my abilities in that department." He is the Iudex after all. It was part of his role. No one would respect an Iudex that was soft, now would they?
"Oh? Then please do," she said. He watched as a shudder ran through her. He knew his fangs were a tad sharper as he loomed over her. Furina's heart was racing like a fleeing rabbit under his grip. His hair formed a curtain around them when he drew her close. Her hands pressed against his chest as she instinctively stiffened up at his abruptness. The sovereign bent down towards her, voice low and husky.
"Oh, do I make you nervous?"