Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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“Your Honor, what a pleasure to be able to speak to you this fine evening!” said Monsieur de Castille as he intercepted Neuvillette on his way to refill his glass of water at the refreshments table.

The Chief Justice felt annoyed at this interruption, but he forced himself to keep an impassible visage as he politely bowed his head in front of the middle-aged aristocrat.

“Likewise, Monsieur de Castille. I hope you are enjoying the ball,” said the Iudex.

The aristocrat laughed heartily, and his boisterous voice irritated Neuvillette’s sensitive hearing, already assaulted by the loud noises from the ballroom of Palais Mermonia, where more than a hundred guests from the high society were milling around. “I am indeed! Please thank Lady Furina on my behalf. I would do it myself, but our esteemed Archon is quite in demand as always,” noted Monsieur de Castille, his gaze wandering to his left.

Neuvillette followed his gaze and saw Furina, dressed in an extravagant blue gown glittering with countless jewels, laughing and talking excitedly to a group of women clad in equally expensive dresses. As always, she blended perfectly in this social gathering while Neuvillette felt like a fish out of water.

The Chief Justice found absurd that Furina was still organizing such events while the prophecy was upon them. They had much more pressing matters to attend to in his opinion, but Furina disagreed with him, saying that the people needed to keep a semblance of normalcy if they wanted to avoid having a full-blown panic on their hands.

Neuvillette despised these kinds of festivities yet had to attend every single one due to his status as Chief Justice. It was too loud and suffocating, and Neuvillette had to suffer too many interactions with people who wanted to use him for one thing or another. These receptions were always filled with political manipulations, dubious deals made in backrooms and alliances formed on the dancefloor.

Neuvillette wanted no part of it. All he sought to do was go home and rest away from all this sensory overload, but it wouldn’t be socially acceptable. He unfortunately had to endure this ordeal, like many times before.

“I will make sure to extend your regards,” assured the Iudex when he turned his gaze back on the aristocrat.

Neuvillette was about to excuse himself when Monsieur de Castille motioned to a young woman standing near him to approach. “I don’t believe you’ve met my daughter yet. Colette, come greet the honorable Chief Justice.”

Neuvillette immediately knew what this was about, and he bristled internally. Seven. He was the seventh father tonight trying to offer his daughter’s hand in marriage to him. Every time Neuvillette went to these events, this was the norm for him. He absolutely loathed it. He pitied these young women for having fathers willing to give them away to a loveless marriage for a political advantage.

Colette shyly stepped next to her father and curtsied awkwardly in front of Neuvillette, her lavish peach gown hindering her movements. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Honor,” said the young woman nervously.

“The pleasure is mine, Lady Colette,” said Neuvillette with a short bow.

His eyes studied the young women. She looked lovely, with her long auburn hair and her feminine features. Neuvillette was sure she would find a good man to take care of her, but that man wouldn’t be him. Even if he had been searching for a partner, which he wasn’t, Neuvillette couldn’t marry someone out of a political arrangement. He could only imagine the chaos amidst the aristocratic class if he showed favor to one family over the others.

Monsieur de Castille began to excitedly brag about his daughter's achievements, and Neuvillette listened distractedly, as he always did in these situations. All the while, his mind frantically tried to find a way to put an end to this conversation.

His way out came unexpectedly. Neuvillette felt a hand hover behind his smaller back, and a presence next to him. His sensitive nose was hit by a familiar scent of tea, leather and a subtle earthy cologne. He knew who was standing next to him before he turned his head to look.

Wriothesley. Neuvillette's eyes widened in surprise at seeing the Duke of Meropide. His attention had been so monopolized that he had not noticed the elusive duke had been among the guests.

Wriothesley smiled at him and handed him a glass filled with water. “Here you go, Monsieur.”

Neuvillette took the glass of water, trying not to let show his confusion at Wriothesley’s actions. Before he could process what was happening, Wriothesley had turned his attention to Monsieur de Castille. His icy blue eyes that had been so gentle when gazing at Neuvillette gained an edge as he spoke cordially; “If you would excuse us, Monsieur. Iudex Neuvillette promised me some of his time to discuss about professional matters.”

Neuvillette was even more puzzled. He had promised no such thing. A sour expression appeared on the aristocrat’s face. He bowed stiffly. “Of course, Your Grace. Thank you for your time, Your Honor.”

Neuvillette barely had the time to bow respectfully before he was prompted by Wriothesley to walk away, the duke’s hand a soft pressure at the small of his back, its heat burning through his clothes.

“Duke Wriothesley? What is the meaning of this?” asked Neuvillette with confusion.

An amused chuckle followed. Wriothesley grabbed his empty glass of water and put it down on the tray of a passing server before grabbing a glass of champagne from the same tray. “Just providing you a way out of that conversation. You looked like you would rather be anywhere else, Monsieur,” reasoned the duke.

Ah. So Wriothesley had been observing him. That also explained the glass of water. Neuvillette was very grateful for his intervention.

To Neuvillette’s relief, the duke guided him to one of the balconies, devoid of people. As soon as they emerged outside and the cool breeze hit his face, the Iudex let out a sigh of relief. Finally, he was away from the noise and the heat. He would have to go back in eventually, but this moment of reprieve felt heavenly.

Neuvillette stopped at the edge of the balcony, his free hand gripping the railing. Wriothesley came to stand by his side, leaning sideways against the railing and peering down at him. Neuvillette met his concerned gaze.

“Are you okay, Your Honor?” asked Wriothesley softly.

The Iudex let a small smile stretch his lips. “Yes, Your Grace. Thank you for your help. I was not aware of your presence here. I thought you abhorred such events,” remarked Neuvillette.

For someone who hated these fancy social gatherings of the high society, Wriothesley certainly knew how to dress formally. He looked very regal, and dared he think handsome. Wriothesley’s black hair was slicked back, with a few strands falling over his forehead. He was wearing a blood-red dress shirt, with a charcoal waistcoat over it. A heavy black coat lined with fur hung over his shoulders. The first two buttons of the duke’s dress shirt were popped off, showing the scarred skin of his throat. And as always, his tie was not properly fastened.

Neuvillette fought the urge to fix it for him, as he so often did for a reason that eluded him.

Wriothesley’s voice pulled him out of his obvious staring. “Oh, I do. Just like I suspect you do as well,” teased the duke with a secretive smile.

Neuvillette turned his gaze away. “I will neither deny nor confirm this.”

Wriothesley chuckled. He turned and leaned his forearms against the railing. They were so close that Neuvillette could feel the other man’s warmth next to him. They often found themselves in such proximity, and strangely enough the duke was the only one whom Neuvillette allowed to be this close.

“Of course. But no matter how much I despise this kind of posh event; I am a duke. I have to show my face from time to time. Besides, it is rather entertaining to see the contempt on the aristocrats’ faces when they see me prowling around,” snickered Wriothesley with dark humor.

“They are still showing their disapproval of you, after all these years?” asked Neuvillette with a frown.

Wriothesley shrugged. His eyes were looking at the horizon as he spoke nonchalantly; “Can’t be helped, really. I am an ex-convict, after all. No title will change that, no matter how prestigious, or by whom it was given.”

Indignation burned in the Chief Justice’s veins. He couldn’t hide the displeasure in his voice when he spoke; “Absurd. Your past doesn’t define who you are. You are a good man, and you deserve that title more than anyone else in here tonight.”

His words reflected what he truly believed. Wriothesley was one of a kind. He suffered so much; growing up in an orphanage selling children to human trafficking rings, running away from it to end up on the streets where he had to fight to survive; spending fifteen years in prison to pay for the crime of killing the couple who had been selling his siblings at the orphanage to human traffickers… He went through all that and ended up as one of the most compassionate and kind human Neuvillette ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Neuvillette had known after he sentenced Wriothesley to Meropide that there was something special about him. He had seen it in the young man’s eyes; instead of resignation and despair at being convicted, he had seen bravery. He had seen resolve. The Iudex had to admit he was intrigued by him from that moment on. His heart had been moved by all that Wriothesley had gone through. When Sigewinne had mentioned him in her letters, telling of how he had taken down a well-known bully in Meropide early on in his sentence, he had asked his dear Melusine to take close care of him. She had taken to updating him on how Wriothesley was faring in Meropide, even though Neuvillette had not explicitly asked it of her. The Iudex had been very pleased to learn of how well Wriothesley was doing over the years.

He couldn’t say he was surprised when he had learned that Wriothesley had taken over the fortress at the end of his sentence, booting out the frankly corrupt administrator. He had gained the respect of a lot of the guards and convicts alike throughout his sentence. While the Court of Fontaine held no power over Meropide, Neuvillette had gone down to the fortress to meet Wriothesley for the first time since he had enacted his sentence.

Neuvillette had been shocked when he had seen Wriothesley for the first time in fifteen years. The young man he had sentenced had changed so much over the years. Not only had he gained a lot of muscle mass, but countless scars were covering his skin, a testament of how rough life could be in Meropide. And when he had stood close enough to shake the new warden’s hand, he had shockingly realized that Sigewinne was right; Wriothesley was now taller than him.

That first meeting had been interesting. The Iudex had been able to see further into Wriothesley’s personality. He’d seen how charismatic, charming and friendly he could be, but underneath laid a wariness and awareness that had been honed as a result of countless years living beneath the sea.

The Iudex had left that meeting confident that Wriothesley would be the best fit to lead Meropide. He had been proven right over the following months, as Wriothesley had done a number of changes to the underwater prison to make it an easier place to live for the prisoners, to give them a chance at redemption instead of just being left to rot underwater, forgotten by the world.

Neuvillette had soon filed a petition to grant Wriothesley the noble title of Duke. It was the least he could do to reward Wriothesley for his hard work, but also as a silent apology for not having been able to prevent the tragic events of his past.

Fontaine’s justice system was flawed; Wriothesley had been forced to take justice into his own hands because of the Court’s inability to protect the most vulnerable from falling prey to the evils of this world. Neuvillette partly blamed himself for it. He had wanted to make it up to Wriothesley for his time lost following a crime he should never had committed.

The aristocratic class had not been happy to say the least. Some had openly critiqued Neuvillette’s petition, outraged that he would even think of awarding an ex-criminal with a noble title. Others had spoken among themselves in hushed murmurs, thinking that Neuvillette wouldn’t hear the echoes of their whispers. Still, the Chief Justice had not backed down from his decision. And ultimately, Furina, being their Archon, had been the one to hold the ultimate decision.

She had sided with Neuvillette in the end, trusting his judgment. But to think that after five years had passed, the aristocrats were still bitter about Wriothesley’s title… it infuriated the Iudex.

Neuvillette was pulled out of his musings by Wriothesley bumping their shoulders together. His gaze locked with the duke’s magnetic eyes, shining with fondness. “Don’t be upset on my behalf, dear Iudex. I could give a rat’s ass what they think. The only one who’s opinion matters to me is the one who named me a duke. And thankfully, he seems to believe I’m worthy of it,” said Wriothesley teasingly.

Neuvillette felt his cheeks warm up under the duke’s gaze and his words. A warm and gentle feeling spread all over his body. He had to avert his gaze, disturbed by this alien feeling that never ceased to rear its head whenever Wriothesley looked at him this way. Neuvillette didn’t comprehend it, much to his frustration. Even after nearly five hundred years living in Fontaine, some human emotions were still a mystery to him.

Neuvillette sometimes wondered if he would completely understand humans and their intricacies one day.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they sipped on their beverages. Neuvillette liked that he didn’t have to force a conversation with Wriothesley. He was the only human who never commented on how awkward being around Neuvillette could be, as the Iudex was not fond of small talk, nor did it come easily to him. Wriothesley didn’t seem to mind the occasional silence while in his company, and it was something that Neuvillette appreciated a lot.

Neuvillette’s gaze wandered over the sea shimmering under the moonlight on the horizon, his mind finally settling now that he was away from the crowd and in Wriothesley's company. He wished the duke would attend these soirees more often. Neuvillette felt they would become a lot more tolerable in the duke's presence.

Eventually, Wriothesley broke the silence with a soft voice, his eyes gliding to Neuvillette's face. “They must be missing you in there. Are you going back in?”

A long-suffering sigh escaped the Iudex's lips. “I should, but… I don’t think I can suffer through yet another aristocrat trying to give me their daughter’s hand in marriage.” Or the countless demands for a dance from other hopeful suitors, men and women alike, for that matter.

Wriothesley's gaze turned sympathetic. “That bad, huh? Somehow, I’m not surprised. You must be the most desirable bachelor in all of Fontaine,” said the duke with complete honesty.

Neuvillette was second only to Furina in the echelon of power in the Court of Fontaine, so Wriothesley’s statement was not surprising. Someone would have a lot to gain by marrying him. But having to go through this over and over again... Neuvillette was tired of it.

Neuvillette hummed. He closed his eyes and sighed again. “You flatter me, Your Grace. Nevertheless, I wish I did not have to deal with this.”

Wriothesley didn't answer right away. He shuffled on his feet, and Neuvillette opened his eyes again to peer curiously at him. The duke wore a strange expression on his face, as if he was debating with himself whether to speak his mind or not.

Neuvillette was about to question him on it when Wriothesley finally spoke. His voice was quiet, almost drowned by the muffled sounds of the people mingling together in the ballroom. “Unfortunately, Monsieur, it will only stop if everyone thinks you’re taken.”

“Which I am not,” replied Neuvillette. Wriothesley was right. And since Neuvillette could not – would not – entertain a romantic relationship, then he was doomed to suffer through those endless attempts at earning his favor.

Wriothesley huffed fondly. He said just as quietly, as if his words were a secret for them only; “I said if everyone thinks you are unavailable. It wouldn’t have to be real, just that the tabloids think it is.”

Oh. Neuvillette pondered over Wriothesley's suggestion. The Iudex felt a bit uneasy about going through a deception like that. It felt close to lying, which Neuvillette didn't do. But he supposed, if he neither denied nor confirmed his relationship status and merely let the news speculate, he wouldn't be lying per se.

He was actually entertaining the idea, to his own surprise.

Neuvillette faced Wriothesley. “I… understand. I agree that it would probably work to deter many suitors, if not all. But how could I ask someone to do something so ludicrous? Furthermore, I would have to trust them not to reveal the truth of my deception,” argued the Iudex.

Additionally, Neuvillette couldn't possibly pick just anyone to fake a relationship with him if he was to do this. It would have to be someone of equal standing to him, so no one could think that Neuvillette’s integrity was compromised, or that he was abusing his power over someone of lower status. Except for Furina – which was not an option in Neuvillette's mind – he could only think of one option in all of Fontaine. Only one man stood his equal in status, in the sense that he controlled the only institution that the Court had no power over.

The warden of Meropide.

Neuvillette looked into the duke's eyes as the latter pushed away from the railing and turned to face him. Wriothesley’s expression was unreadable as he said softly; “Ask me. I’ll do it if you want.”

Neuvillette was taken aback by the offer. With his surprise mixed another feeling that he couldn’t quite recognize right away. “I cannot possibly ask this of you, Your Grace,” protested Neuvillette quietly.

“You can. I’m offering to help you,” insisted Wriothesley, his voice as gentle as could be.

“Why? What would you possibly gain from this?” asked Neuvillette with confusion. From his point of view, only Neuvillette would benefit from this arrangement. It would only be a burden for Wriothesley, and that was the last thing that the Iudex wanted.

A gentle smile appeared on the duke's face and his eyes, usually piercing, became unusually soft. “The pleasure of your company, if nothing else.”

Neuvillette didn't know what to say. Wriothesley seemed serious with his offer, and in response the Iudex couldn't stop himself from imagining what it would be like to say yes. To have an excuse to spend more time with Wriothesley outside of a work setting was very tempting indeed. Neuvillette always looked fondly on their time spent together as he secretly enjoyed being in Wriothesley's company.

What would it be like to be courted by the duke? Of course it would be fake, but Neuvillette was curious to know.

Wriothesley pulled him out of his thoughts. “I know that you like to think things through, so you don't have to answer me right away. If you ever decide you want to do it, my offer will stand,” assured the duke softly, still smiling down at Neuvillette.

Seeing that smile directed at him made Neuvillette's heart beat faster against his ribcage. He swallowed and nodded. “I will consider it, Your Grace,” replied the Iudex.

Wriothesley seemed pleased by his answer. He turned his gaze towards the ballroom. “I’ve lingered enough here. It’s time I get back to Meropide. But before I do…”

Neuvillette watched as the duke took the rainbow rose that was sticking out of his waistcoat's breast pocket. He broke the stem to a shorter length and took a step towards Neuvillette. The Iudex was frozen in place as Wriothesley delicately placed the rose in his silver hair, just above his pointed ear. His gloved fingers brushed against the shell of his ear as they slowly retreated, and Neuvillette shivered at the contact.

It was the first time Wriothesley had touched his bare skin. The duke was always respectful not to touch Neuvillette unless necessary. They had shaken hands a handful of times to conclude deals between the Court and Meropide; their fingers had brushed occasionally as they exchanged documents; the duke's hand had been a gentle pressure on his back on rare occasions he needed to guide him somewhere, but Wriothesley had never touched him like this.

And never before did it leave Neuvillette feeling flustered and wanting more of that fleeting touch.

“A parting gift for you. I’ll see you later, Your Honor,” said Wriothesley as his gaze roamed over the Iudex's face.

“Goodnight, Duke Wriothesley,” replied Neuvillette wistfully.

The duke bowed his head and departed from his side after a last lingering glance, his coat fluttering behind him.

Neuvillette stood on the balcony for a while after he left, his mind mulling over the duke's proposition. He could still smell his pleasant fragrance lingering on the rose he had gifted him.

It made a pleasant warmth spread all over Neuvillette's body, and a shy smile to appear on his lips.

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Neuvillette twirled his pen between his fingers in a distracted manner as his draconic eyes were glued to the rainbow rose lying on his desk. He had been looking at it for a good fifteen minutes, debating on whether to write a favorable response or not to the duke following his proposition from last night. He wanted to say yes, but he was hesitant.

Neuvillette had sworn to never entertain personal relationships publicly for fear of his impartiality being questioned. While their relationship would be fake, to the public it would be real. Could he take the risk when there might be consequences for both him and Wriothesley?

Neuvillette knew in his heart that he had never been impartial when it came to Wriothesley. He had cared for his wellbeing for two decades now. It had become one of his most guarded secrets. Neuvillette had broken his own rule of impartiality for the duke.

Even Wriothesley himself was unaware of Neuvillette's regard towards him. Only Sigewinne was privy to this secret.

Because of his fondness for Wriothesley, he really wanted to say yes. He greedily wanted to spend more time with the duke. He has been alone, deprived himself of companionship for almost four hundred years, ever since Vautrin and Carole. He was tired of it. But could he really afford the potential risk to his integrity?

At the same time, many people were vying to earn his favor, so a portion of the population seemed to think it perfectly normal if Neuvillette was to have a romantic relationship with someone. Wriothesley had also told him himself a few weeks back that the people of Fontaine didn't view him as an outsider anymore, and that they trusted his judgments, trusted him.

This was all very frustrating. Neuvillette didn't know what to do. His mind and heart were at odds on this matter.

Neuvillette was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear someone enter his office.

“... villette! Monsieur Neuvillette!”

The Iudex finally snapped out of his swirling thoughts and his gaze fell on Sedene, standing in front of his desk with a pile of documents held in her paw-like hands. She looked concerned.

Neuvillette put his pen down and smiled apologetically to his secretary. “Oh, pardon me Sedene. What can I do for you?”

“Here are the files for next week's trials, as you requested!” said the Melusine, her inquisitive gaze roaming over Neuvillette's face.

The Iudex stood up and leaned over his desk to collect the files from her. “Thank you, my dear.”

Sedene stood still, looking like she wanted to say something, surely ask if Neuvillette was feeling okay. She had the habit of worrying too much over him. Neuvillette took it upon himself to calm her fears. “I am fine, Sedene. I was merely lost in my thoughts. There's no need to worry about me,” assured the Iudex softly.

Sedene perked up. A smile lit up her face. “Oh, okay! Have a good day, Monsieur Neuvillette!” She waved at him.

Neuvillette chuckled softly, happy that the Melusine was reassured. “You too, Sedene.”

His secretary happily skipped to the entrance of his office, and she closed the door behind her, leaving him alone with his thoughts once more. Neuvillette put the files down on his desk and sat back in his chair. He should get started on those documents instead of spacing out, but the Iudex couldn't stop his gaze from sliding to the rainbow rose again.

He grabbed its stem and brought the flower to his nose, inhaling its sweet fragrance and the remnants of Wriothesley's cologne. He recalled the moment the duke had put the flower in his hair in a daring move, and how gentle his fingers had been.

Neuvillette wanted more of it. He recognized what he had felt when Wriothesley had made his unusual proposition; eagerness and dare he say, excitement.

The Iudex made up his mind. He opened one of his drawers and pulled out his personal seal. He so rarely used it that it was covered in dust. The Iudex took a piece of parchment and his pen and wrote a short message in his usual cursive. Once it was done, he sealed the letter and looked at it with a small smile.

He was excited to experience something new, and with Wriothesley no less. It would be worth the risk. Hopefully, his letter would make it to Meropide by the end of the day.

Chapter Text

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Wriothesley was sprawled over his desk with his head buried in his arms when Sigewinne found him that morning, carrying a tray with both their breakfasts on it. The duke grimaced at the loud sound of the tray hitting the surface of his desk.

“Your Grace? Did you drink too much last night? If you are hungover, I can make you a milkshake full of vitamins! You'll be on your feet in no time!” exclaimed the Melusine cheerfully as she sat in the chair in front of Wriothesley's desk.

The duke grunted and straightened up. He massaged his temple and sighed heavily. “No thank you. I'm not hungover. And if I was, your abyssal concoction would finish the job.”

Sigewinne huffed and glared at Wriothesley. “You are so mean! My milkshakes are delicious! Even Monsieur Neuvillette says so!”

At the mention of Neuvillette, dread reared its ugly head again. Wriothesley had not caught a wink of sleep last night, too mortified at what he had done during the ball.

He had propositioned the Iudex, offered to court him. Fueled by too many glasses of champagne, his dumb ass had seen an opportunity and went for it. How stupid had he been?

The thing was, Wriothesley had been enamored with the Chief Justice for years now. What had started as infatuation towards who Wriothesley considered the most beautiful man he’s ever seen quickly became adoration paired with a deep respect towards the man who fought for his title. And along the years of working in tandem with Neuvillette, with strictly professional meetings that turned more casual with offers of tea, sometimes late into the evening in a Palais Mermonia devoid of people, that adoration slowly evolved into a deep-seated love and yearning.

He loved everything about the man; from his no-nonsense attitude to his deep caring of the Melusines, from his inability to fully understand humanity to his difficulty in expressing himself. Everything about Neuvillette was so endearing to him. It didn’t matter to Wriothesley’s heart that Neuvillette was unattainable, or even that he was clearly not human.

Wriothesley wanted Neuvillette like he'd never wanted anyone else before, in all meanings of the word. But he had resolved himself to admire him from afar, knowing that having him would always be an impossible dream for someone like him.

Neuvillette was like a delicate art piece; someone to be admired, but never touched, and certainly not by the likes of Wriothesley. He was a murderer, an ex-convict. No noble title would erase that. His hands were stained with blood. He would only defile Neuvillette if he was to lay his dirty hands on him.

He never should have made such a ridiculous proposition in the first place. He had a lapse of judgment, a moment of weakness. His heart longed for Neuvillette, longed to know what it would be like to be able to cherish him, even under the guise of faking it all.

Wriothesley didn't know how he would show his face in front of Neuvillette ever again after what he did. Wriothesley's only hope was that Neuvillette would brush his suggestion off and never bring it up again. The duke could then go on with his life, hopelessly pinning after the Iudex as usual and basking in his beauty from afar.

Wriothesley began to dig into his breakfast even if he wasn't hungry. He needed the energy, especially since he wanted to go train in the Pankration ring later to clear his head.

“If you are not hungover, then what's wrong?” asked his head nurse after a moment of silence. Her curiosity was tinged with concern.

The duke sighed defeatedly. “I did a very stupid thing last night.”

Sigewinne's eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What did you do? Did you get into a fight?!”

Her eyes widened and roamed over the duke's body. The latter lifted a hand in the air to pacify her. “No, nothing like that. Don't worry about it. I just embarrassed myself in front of Neuvillette,” said Wriothesley, and regretted it immediately when he saw the look on Sigewinne's face.

Her eyes were bright with curiosity and a teasing smile sat on her lips. “Now I'm even more curious.”

Wriothesley narrowed his eyes at her as he took another bite of his scrambled eggs. “I'm not telling you, so you can drop the subject,” said the duke firmly after swallowing his food.

His head nurse wasn't happy with his response. She pouted and kicked her feet in frustration. They ate their breakfast in silence after that, and Wriothesley believed Sigewinne had effectively dropped the subject.

He almost chocked on his tea when the Melusine blurted out as she grabbed their empty tray, preparing to leave his office; “I think I'll make a trip to the surface today. I haven't seen Monsieur Neuvillette in a long time. I'm sure he'll have a lot of things to share with me!”

“Don't you dare!” exclaimed Wriothesley, alarmed.

She never said anything, but Wriothesley suspected she knew of his long-harbored feelings for Neuvillette, always bringing him up in conversation and asking Wriothesley what they did together when he came back from meetings with the Iudex. Wriothesley would never hear the end of it if Sigewinne learned of what he did. That little rascal, there was no end to her curiosity, especially when it was at his expense.

The Melusine smiled sweetly at the duke, and he knew what was coming. Sigewinne didn't disappoint. “If you don't want me to ask him, you'll have to drink my milkshakes every day for an entire month!”

Wriothesley shivered in disgust just thinking about it. That wouldn't be worth the humiliation of Sigewinne knowing how pathetic he was.

“One week,” argued the duke. He could survive the taste of desolation for one week. Probably.

Sigewinne's teasing smile grew. “Three weeks. It's my last offer.”

Wriothesley groaned. Really, Neuvillette shouldn't be worried about Sigewinne being bullied. She was the one terrorizing everyone down here. “Fine. Now scram, you little terror,” said the duke with exasperation. He already dreaded the next three weeks.

Sigewinne jumped down from her seat with a victorious smile. She giggled and exclaimed as she made her way to the stairs; “I'll be back soon with your milkshake!!”

As soon as Sigewinne left him alone, the duke leaned back against his chair and stared blankly at his ceiling. “I just had to open my big mouth...” That's what he got for being so stupid, it seemed.

He could already taste the desolation on his tongue.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley put so much strength in his last punch that the dummy broke in half, the broken pieces falling loudly on the ground. Roussimoff sighed from where he stood a few meters away from the duke, already loathing the fact that he would have to replace yet another dummy, something that happened quite often when Wriothesley visited the Pankration ring to train.

The duke exhaled with exhaustion. He felt really energized after that hour long workout. His mood was better than this morning. The embarrassment of last night would probably stay with him for a long time, but at least he didn't feel like burying himself five feet underground anymore.

Wriothesley wiped the sweat off his forehead and bare chest with his towel before putting his dress shirt back on. He draped the towel over his shoulders, took his discarded clothes and left the Pankration ring after saying goodbye to Roussimoff.

As he made his way back towards his office, the warden already looked forward to a hot shower, followed by his dinner. He could work through his remaining paperwork while he ate, and hopefully not finish it too late.

Wriothesley greeted the guards who stood vigil near the doors to his office and entered his working space. He climbed the stairs to get to the second floor, where the door to his private quarters was. Just as he was passing his desk, his eyes were attracted to a letter that had been deposited on his desk while he was out of his office.

He frowned and approached his desk to grab the letter. The seal on the letter was unknown to him. Wriothesley’s gaze roamed over the cursive writing addressing the letter to him. His eyes widened in recognition and his heart skipped a beat.

Neuvillette. He would recognize that elegant writing anywhere. This must be his personal seal. That meant… in this letter was surely the Iudex’s answer to Wriothesley’s absurd proposition. The duke exhaled shakily and broke the seal, already preparing himself for a rejection. How could it be any different?

Unfolding the letter, Wriothesley read over the words. This time, his heart began beating madly in his chest.

To Duke Wriothesley, Administrator of the fortress of Meropide,

I hope this letter finds you well. As promised, I have been thinking long and hard about your proposition to help me last night. I would like to take you up on your offer, if it stills stands of course.

I will be eagerly awaiting your response.

Iudex Neuvillette, Chief Justice of Fontaine

Gripping the letter tightly in his hands, the duke went to sit on his couch in a daze. He read and reread the letter, thinking he must have misunderstood Neuvillette’s words. But after his sixth read, he couldn’t fool himself anymore.

Neuvillette said yes. Shock and excitement overwhelmed Wriothesley. He was not only expected but welcomed to court the Iudex. Wriothesley was so sure that Neuvillette would decline that he did not think about how to even begin with his courtship. Wriothesley quickly squashed the panic that threatened to take over him.

He would figure it out. He had daydreamed so often about calling Neuvillette his that this shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

A part of him still thought it was incredibly stupid of Wriothesley to do this, knowing it would only end up hurting him in the end to have a taste of what he wanted, with knowing that he would never truly have Neuvillette. Didn't deserve him, even. The other part of him couldn’t pass up the opportunity to experience what it would be like to romance the man he loved.

Wriothesley couldn’t fuck this up. Even if their relationship would be fake, for the duke it would be anything but, and he intended to treat Neuvillette with as much care and respect as he deserved.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Neuvillette frowned as a commotion outside of his office pulled his attention away from his paperwork. The gestionnaires were talking loudly among themselves, a stark contrast to how they would usually work in almost total silence. What was going on out there?

The Iudex was about to investigate the disturbance himself when there was a knock at the doors to his office. “Come in!” said Neuvillette as he lifted his gaze to the doors in time to see Sedene peek her head inside his office.

Even from far away, Neuvillette could see the odd expression on his secretary’s face. “Monsieur, there is a delivery for you. Can I let them in?”

A delivery? It couldn’t be his bi-monthly delivery of specialized water; Neuvillette wasn’t due to receive it before next week. It was the only thing he had scheduled to be delivered to his office. Neuvillette’s curiosity was piqued, to say the least.

“Please, send them in, Sedene,” said the Iudex as he stood up from his seat and rounded his desk. The Melusine pushed the doors wide open, and a young woman entered the room.

Neuvillette’s eyes widened in surprise at seeing what she was carrying; the biggest bouquet of Rainbow Roses he had ever seen. The young woman quickly joined the Chief Justice and handed him the bouquet with a nervous smile.

“Good afternoon, Monsieur Neuvillette! We from Vert Tige Boutique have a delivery for you!” said the young clerk nervously.

Neuvillette carefully took the bouquet from her shaking hands, mindful not to damage the delicate flowers. What a beautiful bouquet. The Iudex had never received one before. It made a warm feeling settle in his heart.

“Who is it from?” asked Neuvillette. He had an inkling of who his benefactor might be, but he could be wrong.

The clerk shook her head and stammered; “I - I don’t know, Your Honor. I was merely tasked to deliver these flowers to you.”

Neuvillette frowned, but before disappointment could settle in his heart, his eyes spotted a little card tucked between two roses.

“Thank you, miss,” said the Iudex distractedly as his fingers took hold of the card.

The young woman bowed quickly and answered with a soft blush on her cheeks; “You’re welcome, Monsieur! Have a good day!”

The clerk promptly left, and as Neuvillette watched her go, he saw his curious gestionnaires all gathered around the entrance of his office, doing a poor job at trying to be inconspicuous as they clearly eavesdropped on the conversation. One look from the Chief Justice was enough to have them all quickly scurry back to their stations.

As soon as Sedene had closed the doors to his office, leaving Neuvillette alone, he brought the card closer to read the words written on it.

Dear Iudex, I received your letter. Of course, my offer still stands. I hope you enjoy this bouquet of roses. If you are amenable to it, I would like to take you out for lunch tomorrow. I’ll come by Palais Mermonia tomorrow at noon. I’ll await your favorable response.

W.

Wriothesley. Of course it was him. Who else would send him such a wonderful gift? A small smile bloomed on his lips. How sweet of Wriothesley. Not only that, but he wanted to take him out tomorrow. Is that what humans called a date? He would get to spend time with the duke outside of a professional setting or a mundane event, just the two of them.

Neuvillette was eager for it.

The Chief Justice rummaged through the cabinet under his tea station – if he had it installed after learning of the duke’s voracious appetite for tea, it was a secret for him only – and found a vase tucked away in the corner. He filled it with water and put the bouquet of rainbow roses in it.

Neuvillette made some room on the corner of his desk to place the vase on it, so he could see and smell the flowers as he worked. The Iudex took a small moment to admire his lovely gift. He then wrote a quick response to the duke, expressing his gratitude and approval for tomorrow’s lunch.

As soon as his letter was ready, Neuvillette left his office to ask Sedene to send his letter via express delivery. She looked at him with that same odd expression, and this time Neuvillette recognized it. Incredulousness.

Her expression was mirrored by the gestionnaires who did their best not to be obvious in the way they were staring at Neuvillette.

He could understand their reaction, he supposed. Neuvillette had never received a gift before. No one had been daring enough to send him one. Not only that, but he accepted the gift. The Chief Justice was certain that tomorrow, there would already be an article published about this. Which was fine, since this was the desired outcome. But it didn’t stop him from shying away from the scrutiny.

As soon as Sedene assured him she would send the letter right away, the Iudex locked himself in his office for the rest of the afternoon.

He was ashamed to admit that work went a lot slower for the rest of the day, as his eyes often strayed to the roses on his desk and his mind kept drifting to the anticipation of the next day.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Breaking: Chief Justice Neuvillette has a secret admirer?! All the details on page 2!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

“Hey Sedene! How are you doing?” asked Wriothesley as he stopped in front of her desk.

The Melusine ignored his question and got straight to the point. “Do you have an appointment with Monsieur Neuvillette?”

“Sort of? It’s not on the schedule, but he’s expecting me,” explained Wriothesley.

Sedene narrowed her gaze, her inquisitive eyes leering at him. The duke was used to it by now, so it didn’t faze him in the least. Frankly, the Melusines looked too adorable to be intimidating.

“In any case, you will have to wait. He is currently in a meeting with Lady Furina,” said Neuvillette’s secretary.

“Oh, I see. No problem, I’ll wait,” replied the duke. He was a few minutes early, so he wasn’t surprised that Neuvillette wasn’t free yet. He went to sit on the bench next to the closed doors to Neuvillette’s office and began to wait. The weight of Sedene’s gaze fell often on him, but the duke ignored it.

Frankly, Wriothesley was a little too preoccupied to worry about Sedene’s judging gaze. He was here to take Neuvillette out on a first “date”, after all. While it didn’t show outwardly, the duke was a nervous wreck inside. He’d never in his wildest dreams think he would actually take the man he secretly loved out on a date. A public one, at that.

A few minutes later, the doors to the office opened. Wriothesley stood up in time to see the Iudex step out of his office and turning around, his arms crossed over his chest. “For the last time, Lady Furina, I am not telling you anything. Now if you would please leave, I have another appointment.”

Furina emerged from the office, rolling her eyes with an annoyed sigh. “Ugh, So boooring. I’ll find out myself then!”

Furina walked past Neuvillette and came face to face with Wriothesley. It seemed she had not noticed his presence as she let out a shrill yell and her eyes widened in shock. “Ah! Duke Wriothesley?! You scared me!”

Her outburst attracted every gestionnaires’ attention on them. Wriothesley bowed his head respectfully. “My apologies, Lady Furina. I did not mean to scare you,” said the duke, even though he had done nothing wrong. He could get in trouble if he showed her any amount of disrespect. She was their Archon after all, no matter how eccentric she was.

Furina blushed and harrumphed. “It’s – it’s fine. Do announce your presence next time,” said the Archon before she departed swiftly, ignoring the stares at her back.

Wriothesley turned his gaze on Neuvillette in time to see him sigh quietly. The Iudex motioned to his office with a small, shy smile. “Your Grace, you may come in.”

Wriothesley followed Neuvillette in his office, trying not to let his nervousness show. They stayed near the entrance after Neuvillette closed the doors behind them to give them privacy. The duke’s eyes roamed over the desk at the other end of the room and his heart skipped a beat at seeing the flowers he gifted Neuvillette sitting on a corner of his desk.

It was almost pathetic how giddy it made Wriothesley feel. He smiled at Neuvillette, who was standing a few feet away from him, staring at his face. “I take it you liked my gift?”

Neuvillette looked at the bouquet and a very faint blush painted his cheeks and the pointed tips of his ears. Wriothesley couldn’t tear his eyes away from the Iudex’s gorgeous face. How pretty he looked right now. The duke felt very lucky to witness the sight of a blushing Chief Justice.

“Very much. Thank you, Your Grace,” said the Iudex quietly as his mesmerizing lavender eyes met his own.

Oh, how Wriothesley wanted to touch him right now. His fingers twitched at his side, but he controlled himself. He didn’t want to do anything improper, especially since he wanted to make sure Neuvillette had not changed his mind beforehand. He also planned to ask Neuvillette over lunch if he had any boundaries that Wriothesley should not cross.

He would hate to do anything to disrespect Neuvillette or make him uncomfortable.

“Please, when we’re alone, call me Wriothesley,” said the duke. He always disliked being called by his official title, even more so by Neuvillette. He knew it was the polite thing to do, but it felt like a barrier that he desperately wanted to break down between them.

He didn’t expect Neuvillette to acquiesce to his request. Neuvillette smiled shyly and said, “I will try my best, Wriothesley. Please pardon me if I slip.”

Wriothesley was happy that the Iudex was willing to drop the formalities for him. He decided to push it a little further. “May I call you Neuvillette?”

Neuvillette nodded without hesitation. “You may. So did you have a place in mind for our lunch?” asked the Iudex with what seemed to be eagerness.

It was hard sometimes to decipher the Chief Justice’s mood, since most of the time he wore an impassible expression, but Wriothesley had picked up on the little things that betrayed it; the intonations of his voice, the almost unnoticeable pull of his lips or eyebrows, or that little glimmer in his eyes when he was interested or excited about something.

Right now, he had that glimmer in his eyes. Wriothesley loved to see it. “How about Café Lutece?” suggested Wriothesley.

“Hum, yes. I do love their Ile flottante,” commented the Iudex eagerly.

Wriothesley chuckled. “Café Lutece it is then. So, you haven’t changed your mind? We’re doing this?” he asked softly, hoping his nervousness didn’t shine through his voice.

He didn’t have to worry as Neuvillette nodded promptly, a resolute glint in his eyes. “We are.”

Wriothesley smiled freely. He offered his arm to the Iudex, who looked at it with slightly widened eyes. “Alright. Let’s go, then. I’m famished.”

Neuvillette hesitated for only a split second. Soon, he was linking his arm with Wriothesley’s, and laid his other hand gently over the duke’s bicep. Wriothesley’s heart was beating like crazy at having his beloved so close, touching him. And the fragrance of his hair; a heady mix of petrichor and Romaritime flowers. Wriothesley was instantly hooked.

He knew the minute they would leave Neuvillette’s office, there would be no coming back from their decision to go through with this fake courting. The Fontainians would begin speculating about them as soon as they would see their Iudex on his arm. The duke guided Neuvillette to the door and looked down at him as he put his hand on the wooden surface, ready to push it open.

Neuvillette looked up at him, smiled softly and nodded. Wriothesley didn’t need more of a confirmation. He pushed the doors open and left the office with Neuvillette on his arm. As they made their way out of the Palais, Wriothesley watched the gestionnaires’ reactions from the corner of his eye.

Cornelia’s jaw hung open in shock; Iaune dropped the pile of documents he was holding on the floor; Semaine punched the keys of his writing machine so hard one of them broke; Roialte was so focused on staring at them that he walked right into Cornelia’s desk, bumping his knee on the hard wooden surface; Imena’s face was completely red.

Yep, there would definitely be an article in the Steambird tomorrow about them.

Another glance at Neuvillette told him he was still okay with their decision. It made the duke’s heart flutter in his chest. Even if it was all a ruse, he was the one walking around with their gorgeous Iudex on his arm. It was surreal and so exhilarating to have that privilege.

They emerged out of the Palais to a blinding sun. They took the elevator down to the lower level of the city and Wriothesley slowly guided the Iudex through the busy streets towards the Café. He could hear gasps and whispers from the pedestrians as they walked by them. At least the Fontainians had the decency to look away when Wriothesley shot them a pointed look.

Wriothesley felt Neuvillette tighten his grip around his bicep. He looked at him with concern. “You okay, Neuvillette?” he asked quietly.

Neuvillette nodded and spoke just as quietly; “Yes. It is just a matter of getting used to it.”

Wriothesley hummed. His free hand came to rest upon Neuvillette’s, and he gently squeezed it. “They’ll probably calm down eventually. As soon as another scandal hits the papers, they’ll forget all about us.”

They soon arrived at the café. Wriothesley asked for a table with a more intimate setting, tucked away from view of the street. The wide-eyed, nervous waitress quickly showed them to a small, round table for two. Wriothesley pulled out a chair for Neuvillette, to which the Iudex thanked him with a flustered look on his face.

The waitress came by to take their orders once they were both seated. As soon as they were left alone, Wriothesley looked at his beloved. Neuvillette was sitting in a relaxed position, his hands intertwined on the table and his eyes slowly looking around them to the other tables, where the patrons thankfully kept to their own apart from a couple of furtive glances at the pair.

“You seem relaxed,” commented Wriothesley, bringing the judge’s mesmerizing gaze on him.

“Now that we are mostly out of the scrutiny, I can enjoy our outing. I rarely go out of the Palais or the Opera Epiclese during the day. This is a nice change of pace,” answered the Iudex with a small smile.

The waitress came back to give them their drinks, water for Neuvillette and tea for Wriothesley. When she left, the duke brought up the subject he had meant to breach. “I’m glad, then. I wanted to ask you something about our arrangement, if you would.”

Neuvillette put down his drink after taking a sip and gave Wriothesley his undivided attention. “Go ahead.”

They held gazes as Wriothesley spoke quietly, making sure not to be overheard by the other patrons; “Obviously, since we’re doing this in public for everyone to see, we need to give the illusion that we are courting. I need to know what you’re uncomfortable with, if you have any boundaries that I should not cross.”

Neuvillette tilted his head and his eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion. Archons, Neuvillette looked adorable when he was confused.

Wriothesley went on to explain further; “Things like, is there anywhere that you don’t want me to touch you? Anything off-limits?” Of course, the duke wasn't planning on doing anything indecent or unbecoming towards Neuvillette, even less in public. But even something that can be perfectly normal for someone can be a no-go for someone else.

Neuvillette's eyes lit up in recognition. The Iudex averted his gaze as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. “...To be honest, I don’t know. I’ve never done this before,” he admitted with what looked like embarrassment.

Wriothesley was left speechless by his beloved’s words. Was Neuvillette telling him that he never had a romantic relationship before? For... hundreds of years? He didn't know what to feel about this information. How lonely it must have been. If anything, it strengthened Wriothesley's resolve to not fuck this up. If this was to be Neuvillette's first romantic experience, fake or not, the duke would make damn sure it would be a good experience for him.

Part of Wriothesley was happy to be Neuvillette’s first in that regard.

With a surge of courage, Wriothesley leaned over the table and gently covered one of Neuvillette's hands laying on the table. Lavender eyes snapped to his face in an instant, uncertainty shining inside them.

The duke smiled tenderly at him. “Okay. Just tell me if I do anything that you don’t like.”

Neuvillette nodded. “I will. Thank you for being so considerate.”

Wriothesley squeezed his beloved's hand. “It’s the least I can do. I would never want to disrespect you,” replied the duke softly.

Wriothesley released the Iudex's hand to grab his cup of tea. Something flashed so quickly on Neuvillette's face that he wasn't sure he saw it clearly; was it disappointment because Wriothesley’s touch left him? Before the duke could ascertain it, it was gone and Neuvillette was speaking; “I must admit I am eager to know what it is like to be courted by you. I find myself enjoying your company, and I feel quite blessed to have an excuse to spend more time with you.”

Wriothesley was taken aback by Neuvillette's blunt honesty. His words were so sincere and so sweet that it was the duke's turn to blush. Neuvillette enjoyed his company. It felt ludicrous to Wriothesley, but he knew Neuvillette was completely serious.

The duke chuckled incredulously, his hand stroking his nape in an embarrassed gesture. He forced himself not to let his gaze wander away from the judge's curious stare at his reaction. “Damn, Neuvillette, how can you say things like that with a straight face?” muttered Wriothesley.

He was incredibly happy to know that Neuvillette enjoyed his company. He couldn't comprehend why he did, but he wouldn't complain about it.

The waitress came by with their food as Neuvillette was about to answer something. It seemed whatever he wanted to say was lost as they began to eat and chat quietly about mundane things going on in their lives. Wriothesley listened with rapt attention to every word coming out of the Iudex's lips, secretly enjoying the sound of his voice. He could listen to Neuvillette talk for hours and not get tired of it.

But what Wriothesley loved even more was hearing Neuvillette laugh. It was such a shy, beautiful and elusive sound, that he cherished it the rare times he managed to pry one out of the Iudex. So when the duke heard that wonderful shy laugh escape his beloved's lips after he told a story of Sigewinne's antics in Meropide, Wriothesley considered this first date a success.

Sooner than he'd like, it was time for them to part ways as their respective offices awaited. Wriothesley accompanied the Iudex back to Palais Mermonia like the perfect gentleman he was. They stopped at the base of the stairs leading to the Palais. Neuvillette smiled at Wriothesley as he unlinked their arms.

“I had a great time during our... date. Thank you, Wriothesley,” said Neuvillette quietly.

Wriothesley took one step forward and he gently grabbed Neuvillette's hand. He slowly brought it up to his lips and laid the softest kiss on his beloved's clothed knuckles. A quiet gasp escaped the Iudex's lips, and when Wriothesley lifted his gaze back up, his vision was rewarded by a vivid blush on Neuvillette's cheekbones.

Such a pretty sight. Wriothesley would never tire of seeing it. It was such a delight to be able to fluster the Chief Justice this way.

“No need to thank me. I'll see you soon, Neuvillette,” said Wriothesley with a soft smile.

Neuvillette's gorgeous eyes were soft as he replied quietly; “I'll be eagerly waiting for it.”

Wriothesley let go of his hand and watched as the Iudex climbed the stairs. He only walked away once Neuvillette had disappeared inside the building. The duke was keenly aware of the stares he got from Melusines and humans alike who had witnessed the scene, but he couldn't give a damn about them.

His heart felt lighter than ever before. He was already looking forward to their next date.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Breaking: Chief Justice's secret admirer turns out to be the Duke of Meropide?! Caught on a date yesterday at Café Lutece! All details on page 2!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Neuvillette couldn't say he was surprised when Furina burst into his office first thing in the morning without permission. Nor was he surprised to see the flustered look on her face as she walked over to his desk, holding a crumbled edition of this morning's Steambird.

From where he was, he could vaguely see himself and Wriothesley plastered all over the front page of the newspaper.

Neuvillette threw a disapproving look at the Archon as he continued gathering the paperwork he needed to bring along for the trial that would begin in one hour at the Opera Epiclese.

“Lady Furina, I would appreciate if you knocked to announce your presence. I hope this will be swift, I must leave for the trial shortly,” said the Iudex calmly.

The Archon dropped the newspaper on Neuvillette's desk and pointed at it with a shaking finger. “You – you and the duke?!” exclaimed Furina in a shrill voice.

Neuvillette sighed as his eyes roamed over the front page. Charlotte had snapped several shots of them; one while they walked to the café, another one during their lunch, and lastly while the duke had kissed his hand as they said goodbye.

He had expected it, but it didn't mean it was pleasant for Neuvillette to be put on blast like this. It was the price he had to pay to deter his suitors, he supposed.

“What of it?” asked Neuvillette as he lifted his gaze on Furina.

The Archon looked at him with incredulousness. She scoffed. “Are you serious right now? Mister “I avoid forming any personal relationships?!” And now you and the duke are courting?!”

Neuvillette crossed his arms over his chest in a defiant attitude. “I don't own anyone an explanation. There are no laws stating that I cannot entertain romantic relationships,” defended the Iudex.

Neuvillette did not even entertain telling Furina the truth. No one in Fontaine loved gossip more than their Archon. If he told her of his arrangement with Wriothesley, he risked it getting leaked to the public. It was better that she thought he had a change of heart.

Furina sighed. She put her hands on her hips and said in a calmer fashion; “Of course there's not! But can you blame me for being surprised? That's all everyone's talking about this morning! Our Iudex, famous for shooting down ever last suitor coming his way without a second glance, finally giving someone a chance after five hundred years!”

“I suppose I can understand the uproar,” conceded Neuvillette. Hopefully, like Wriothesley said yesterday, the gossip would die down quickly enough. He would never understand what was so appealing about his personal life that it would be worth the frontpage of the newspapers.

Wriothesley... Neuvillette could still feel the ghost of his lips on the back of his hand. How he wished he had not worn his gloves then. He longed to know what they would have felt like on his bare skin.

How lovely their lunch had been. Neuvillette found it so easy to open up to Wriothesley. He had blabbered on about subjects that he was sure were boring to most people, and still the duke had listened to every word with interest. Neuvillette had also been happy to learn more about Wriothesley, about all the little things that brought him joy.

And the way he had looked at him; his beautiful blue eyes had shone warmly under the afternoon sun, their gaze so gentle the Iudex had felt flustered to be looked at this way.

He had enjoyed his time with the duke and was eagerly waiting for their next outing.

Furina's voice pulled him out of his reminiscing. “And have you thought about the repercussions this relationship can have?” asked Furina with concern.

Neuvillette gathered the rest of the paperwork as he answered, “You know as well as I do that I have no control over Meropide or Duke Wriothesley. There is no conflict of interest.”

He began walking towards the exit of his office, and Furina fell in step beside him. “I know that. That's not what I'm concerned about. The aristocrats won't be happy,” argued the Archon softly.

“I could care less about what they think,” replied Neuvillette.

He was well aware that they wouldn't be pleased at the news of Neuvillette having seemingly chosen Wriothesley as his partner. They would probably take it as a slight towards them, after having tried again and again to have Neuvillette marry into their families. The Iudex expected to hear the whispers of their dissatisfaction before long.

Furina sighed and talked quietly as they approached the doors. “I can see that. I just want you to be prepared for the possible downfall. For what it's worth, even though I don't understand what you see in Duke Wriothesley, you have my support,” said Furina.

Like many others, she completely misunderstood the duke. Neuvillette heard people talk about Wriothesley from time to time. The consensus was that he looked scary and intimidating. Neuvillette seemed to be one of the few people who knew the true warden of Meropide, who knew how kind Wriothesley was, and how friendly he could be with people he trusted.

Neuvillette felt privileged to be counted among these people, to have gained the trust of someone who didn't award it easily, which was understandable given his past.

“Thank you, Lady Furina. Are you going to assist the trial?” asked Neuvillette as he opened the doors to his office.

“Of course! But please, don't make it end pathetically early this time! I need a magnificent, dramatic trial!” exclaimed Furina, returning to her usual theatrics as she left Neuvillette's office.

The Chief Justice sighed and shook his head as he followed her. “So you've said numerous times.”

He didn't know why Furina insisted on such drama, but Neuvillette feared he would never understand the inner workings of their Archon.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley's morning started normally enough, all things considered. He was aware of the whispers and side glances from the convicts sitting at the tables near the cafeteria as he went there first thing in the morning to get his breakfast. The duke knew why as soon as his gaze landed on a copy of the Steambird left on one of the tables . He was not surprised to see himself and Neuvillette on the cover of the newspaper from their date the day before. It was the result they wanted, so he wasn't mad about it.

However, it did mean the entire fortress would soon know that their warden was cozying up with the man who sentenced them to prison. Wriothesley expected some backlash. He would keep an ear to the ground to be sure to squash any nefarious plots against him in the bud.

Wriothesley was content to ignore the whispers and gossip and went back to eat his breakfast in his office as he had a lot of paperwork to fill. He had a feeling that going through that pile would take longer than usual, as his mind kept wandering on the wonderful time he spent in his beloved’s company yesterday.

He hoped he would be able to take Neuvillette out again soon, but he had a feeling he might have to delay their next outing, depending on the convicts’ reaction to today’s newspaper.

When a knock resounded at the doors of his office a few hours later, he was sure it would be Sigewinne here to pester him about the article in the Steambird. He had not expected one of his guards to come up to his desk and say in an incredulous tone; “Your Grace, hum... there are a dozen Melusines from the surface asking for an audience with you. Miss Sigewinne brought them to the infirmary for the moment, but I fear they won't leave until they see you.”

Melusines? What did they want with him? Somehow, it must be related to the Steambird’s article. He did receive visits from Melusines from time to time, but it was rare. They usually came down to the fortress to visit Sigewinne instead. To have a dozen of them asking to see him... It couldn't be a coincidence.

“Thank you for letting me know. I'll go meet them,” said Wriothesley.

The guard nodded and promptly left. Seeing no reason to dawdle, the duke departed his office right away in search of the infirmary. While he made his way there, he mentally prepared himself to face Sigewinne's scrutiny.

When Wriothesley entered the infirmary, he saw that the guard was right. Including Sigewinne, he counted twelve Melusines packed around the nurse's desk. He recognized a couple of them; Aeife, Muirne and Menthe. The others looked unfamiliar to him.

Every pair of eyes were soon on him. Wriothesley smiled as he walked down the stairs to join the gaggle of Melusines. “Welcome to Meropide, dear guests. What can I do for you?”

Wriothesley made sure to not meet Sigewinne's piercing gaze. He could already anticipate the talk he would have with her after this.

One of the Melusines stomped her feet on the ground and pouted at him. “So you're the one who wants to steal Monsieur Neuvillette away!”

Wriothesley lifted his hands in front of him. “Whoa, no stealing anyone here! What is this about?” While the duke had guessed this was about Neuvillette, he admitted he was confused about that reasoning.

This time, it was Aeife who talked, her tone accusatory; “Liath said that when two people get married, they don't have time to spend with anyone else after that! Because of you, Monsieur Neuvillette will not be able to visit us anymore!”

Wriothesley sighed and put his hands on his hips. He argued softly; “Okay, that's not true. I would never stop Neuvillette from seeing any of you. Not that he'd let me, anyway. You have nothing to fear.”.

His words were met with doubtful eyes. Wriothesley couldn’t stop himself from thinking that the Melusines looked adorable. The fact they cared so much about Neuvillette that they were willing to confront him warmed his heart.

Wriothesley smiled softly, hoping it would help get his point across. “Look. I care deeply about Neuvillette. I would never do anything to hurt him, or his relationship with the ones he loves.”

The Melusines’ gazes softened at his words. Muirne approached Wriothesley and pointed a finger at him. “You better not hurt him ever!”

Wriothesley had to stop himself from laughing out loud. He really was getting the shovel talk from a bunch of adorable Melusines. He never thought he’d see the day. It seemed even more ludicrous when Wriothesley suspected Neuvillette was probably strong enough to break every bone in his body if he felt like it. The duke had never seen his beloved fight, but he knew he was not someone to mess with. He had heard rumors of Neuvillette subduing people in court with ease, including a Fatui harbinger, and without the use of a vision. On top of that, managing to seal the Primordial Sea beneath the fortress without any help…

Between the two of them, he was probably the one who needed protecting the less. It wouldn’t stop Wriothesley’s desire to protect him from harm, though.

“I won't, I promise. I know that it might be hard for you all to believe me since you don't know me. Maybe Sigewinne can vouch for me?” suggested the duke as his eyes settled on his head nurse for the first time since his arrival.

Sigewinne held his gaze as all the Melusines turned to look at her. Her neutral expression was soon broken by a soft smile. “His Grace is a good man. I trust him with my life, and with Monsieur Neuvillette,” said the head nurse.

Wriothesley was touched to hear those words. They rarely expressed affection towards each other out loud. They both cared for each other in their own way. Their affection translated in all the little things; how Sigewinne always made sure Wriothesley didn’t skip meals, how she worried about his health, how she insisted on covering his personal belongings with her stickers. Wriothesley always made sure to keep an eye out for her to make sure she was safe; he ensured that she didn’t want for nothing, be it books, medical supplies or even supplies for her stickers; he kept her company whenever she felt lonely, missing her sisters or Neuvillette.

Wriothesley smiled gratefully at his head nurse before turning his attention back to the gaggle of Melusines. “So do you believe me now?”

Aeife nodded enthusiastically with a blinding smile. “Uh huh! We'll give you our seals of approval now!”

Wriothesley frowned. Seals of approval? What did she mean? The duke watched with bewilderment as all the Melusines went to Sigewinne’s desk to grab something. When he realized what they were doing, he sighed with a resigned smile.

“Alright, go ahead, but just this once,” conceded Wriothesley.

He stood still as the Melusines began to cover his clothes with Sigewinne’s stickers. Seeing how happy they were, giggling and smiling, Wriothesley couldn’t bring himself to care about how ridiculous he would look. Evidently, Neuvillette wasn’t the only one who had a soft spot for the Melusines.

He might complain every time Sigewinne did this, but deep inside he didn’t mind it seeing how happy it made her.

The last one to approach him with a sticker was Menthe. She pulled on his sleeve insistently, and the duke understood what she wanted. He bent down, and the little Melusine promptly stuck a shark sticker on his cheek with a soft giggle.

Once their job was done, the Melusines waved at the duke and Sigewinne with bright smiles on their faces. “Goodbye, Duke Wriothesley! Goodbye, Sigewinne!!”

Sigewinne and Wriothesley bid their guests farewell, and as soon as they were alone, the duke could feel Sigewinne’s stare on the back of his head. He sighed and turned around to face his head nurse. “Come on, lay it on me.”

Sigewinne ran to him and hugged him tightly. “I'm so happy, Your Grace! I thought you would never tell Monsieur Neuvillette what you feel about him!!” exclaimed the Melusine with excitement.

Oh no. She really did know of his feelings for Neuvillette. And if Wriothesley didn’t say anything, there was a chance she would reveal them to the Iudex in her next letter to him. He had to set things straight with her, no matter how much he dreaded that conversation.

Wriothesley grabbed Sigewinne’s shoulders and gently pulled her away to look her in the eyes. “Hum, about that... it's not what it looks like.”

Sigewinne frowned. “What do you mean?”

Wriothesley sighed and ran a hand through his unruly hair. He looked behind himself to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them before whispering; “Don't tell anyone, but... we're not actually courting. Neuvillette needed a way to discourage his many suitors, so I proposed that we fake a relationship to get them off his back.”

Silence followed his words. Sigewinne was looking at him blankly for such a long time the duke began to worry he’d broken her.

Eventually, Sigewinne heaved the most irritated sigh he’d ever heard. “You are such an idiot!”

Wriothesley flinched. “Ouch?”

Sigewinne put her fists on her hips and glared at the duke. “Why wouldn’t you just tell him the truth instead of pretending!? You've been in love with him for such a long time!”

“I'm not in love with him,” denied Wriothesley, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Sigewinne frowned and her eyes narrowed in defiance. She went on to say a little bit too loudly; “But you are! I read all about it! You are displaying all the signs of someone in love when around Monsieur Neuvillette!! Your pupils dilate when you look at him, you always smile more around him, you make all these lame jokes to get him to laugh, your heart beats faster, your -”

“Okay, okay! I get it! You’re right. But that doesn’t mean I should tell him how I feel,” said Wriothesley quickly, cutting her off before she could enumerate all the embarrassing ways he acted around Neuvillette.

There was no point in denying his feelings when Sigewinne was so perceptive. Her Melusine senses could even hear the rhythm of his heart. How could Wriothesley hide anything from her?

Sigewinne’s expression softened a little, growing more confused. “Why not?”

Wriothesley avoided her gaze as he answered quietly; “Because I’m… me. And he’s the Chief Justice of Fontaine.”

Sigewinne mulled over his words before muttering; “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I don’t deserve him, is what I’m saying. Besides, it’s clear he doesn’t feel the same way about me,” explained the duke. He already felt lucky to have the privilege of Neuvillette’s company, he didn’t dare hope for more. The last thing he wanted was to push the Iudex away with his unrequited feelings. Wriothesley had learned long ago to never shoot for the sun or else he would get burned.

The Melusine’s expression turned sad, with a twinge of frustration. “How about letting him decide that? I think if you were to confess, you would be surprised by the result,” argued Sigewinne.

Wriothesley frowned. Did she… did she know something he didn’t? Did Neuvillette tell her something? No, it was unlikely. Surely not. Why would Neuvillette be interested in him when he could have anyone of his choosing? And with how blunt and honest the Iudex was, surely he would have said something to him. Neuvillette had never been one to let a situation fester.

“I doubt it. I think it’s best I content myself with this ruse. It’s the best I could ever have with him,” said Wriothesley firmly.

Sigewinne scoffed and shook her head. “You really are an idiot,” complained the Melusine as she went to sit at her desk, effectively putting an end to this unpleasant conversation.

Wriothesley was about to leave when he remembered she had not promised her silence on the matter. He had to make sure this ruse would stay secret.

“Can I count on you not to tell anyone about my arrangement with Neuvillette?” asked Wriothesley.

Sigewinne looked back at him and frowned. Wriothesley could see how displeased she was with him. He expected her to refuse out of spite. Instead, it was way worse.

“It’ll be another month of milkshakes for my silence,” said the head nurse casually.

A shiver of disgust ran down the duke's spine. He was just on day two of his original three weeks of milkshakes, and now he would have to go through another month on top of it. Celestia have mercy on him.

“Damn it, Sige. Fine,” grumbled Wriothesley before leaving the infirmary swiftly. She really knew how to take advantage of any situation. The duke would admire that quality if it wasn't often at his expense.

He made his way back to his office and noticed even more people staring at him. It wasn't until he arrived at his destination and found Clorinde waiting for him near the doors that he understood the staring.

Clorinde's eyes roamed over him and a small, teasing smile appeared on her face. “Cute. Is that your new style?”

Wriothesley looked down and swore when he noticed the countless stickers still stuck to his clothes. He sighed and pushed past Clorinde to enter his office. The duelist followed him promptly.

“Why does today feel like an intervention?” complained the duke, as he knew why Clorinde popped up this morning when she wasn’t here on official business.

“I don't think you can blame people after a front page like that in the Steambird,” said Clorinde with humor.

“Of course,” sighed the duke.

Seeing the look on the duelist’s face, she wouldn’t back down until she got all the juicy details. Wriothesley wasn’t looking forward to that conversation at all. Getting her off his back when she smelled something fishy was like trying to pry a Rishboland Tiger off his prey.

As Wriothesley prepared himself to undergo another interrogation, he hoped Neuvillette’s own day was going better than his.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

“I will send a courier to Meropide to take these back to Duke Wriothesley,” said Sedene as she went to grab the pile of documents signed by Neuvillette.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary, Sedene. I’ll bring them myself,” said the Iudex quickly, stopping her in her tracks.

Sedene stared at him, and Neuvillette could almost hear her think. He understood her confusion; Neuvillette only went down to Meropide when it was absolutely necessary, both because of a lack of time and of the possible unrest his presence could cause in the underwater prison. They always sent couriers for such mundane tasks as sending signed paperwork.

But Neuvillette missed Wriothesley. It had been almost a week since their lunch together. Wriothesley had sent a letter, apologizing for not being able to make time to take him out again, and promising to do so soon. Sent with the letter had been a gift of Neuvillette’s favorite water. The Iudex had been touched by the gift, and promptly sent a letter back thanking the duke and that he would be waiting eagerly to see him again.

Neuvillette didn’t know what came over him. He was used to go weeks, sometimes even months without seeing Wriothesley. But now, here he was finding excuses to go see him, even if for a fleeting moment. How ludicrous. He should have more control over his desires. And yet, he didn’t want to go against what his heart craved.

Sedene’s eyes lit up with understanding. She smiled softly. “Of course, Monsieur Neuvillette.”

She took the rest of the documents that needed to be sent out to the different government agencies and left those destined for Meropide. She was about to turn around to leave the office but stopped and spoke meekly; “You seem very happy lately, Monsieur.”

Neuvillette was taken aback by her words. He tilted his head in a confused motion. “What makes you think that?”

Sedene held the documents closer, and her smile widened. “You’re smiling a lot more. And it hasn’t rained for almost a week,” noted the Melusine.

Neuvillette realized she was right. Just thinking back on the lunch he had with Wriothesley – which he did often - was enough to make him smile as he reminisced. “I… suppose I am,” conceded Neuvillette.

Sedene giggled. “I’m glad, Monsieur. I want you to be happy!”

“Thank you, my dear,” replied Neuvillette warmly.

Sedene’s smile turned teasing. “Say hello to Duke Wriothesley for me, Monsieur!” she said with a small wave of her hand before she skipped out of his office.

Neuvillette felt his cheeks grow warm. Sedene had not stopped prodding playfully at his relationship with Wriothesley all week. He didn’t really mind it, as he knew it came from a good place. And like her, his other Melusines all seemed happy about this development. Neuvillette felt guilty that he was hiding the truth from them, but he couldn’t tell them less he risked it leaking out to the media.

Nevertheless, seeing them accept Wriothesley this way warmed his heart.

Neuvillette looked at the grandfather clock. He would put in one more hour of work and then he would depart for the fortress of Meropide to give the documents to the duke.

His heart fluttered strangely in his chest at the thought. How peculiar. What was happening to him?

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley was waiting with his back leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, when finally, his target emerged from the hallway just beside him, with five convicts following him.

“What are you up to this time, Lambert, hum?” asked the warden loud enough to make the convicts jump out of their skin in surprise.

They stopped and turned around to face him. Their leader, Lambert, was a big burly man with an ugly scar splitting his cheek. He crossed his arms and bristled at Wriothesley, trying to look intimidating. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” seethed Lambert.

Wriothesley pushed away from the wall and approached Lambert, stopping a few feet away from him. The duke leveled him with a glare that would send many running. “Oh really? So you didn’t spend the week trying to rally people to overthrow me?”

Lambert’s silence spoke volume of his guilt. Wriothesley narrowed his eyes dangerously. “You don’t have anything to say about that?”

Lambert closed his hands into fists, and Wriothesley prepared himself to take him down if he foolishly swung a punch at him.

“You can criticize me as much as you want, but I draw the line at badmouthing the Chief Justice and trying to foment a coup,” said Wriothesley with seething anger.

It didn’t take long before Wriothesley had begun to hear whispers of discontent aimed at him following the article of the Steambird. He had expected it, but when he discreetly followed the whispers to their source, Lambert, and heard the foul things he was spewing about Neuvillette to whoever would hear, along with trying to get an uprising going, that’s where he drew the line.

Lambert spat on the ground. He took a step closer to Wriothesley, looking down at him as he exclaimed; “You don’t deserve your title!! That fucking judge was already warming your bed back then, didn’t he?!”

Fury burned in the duke’s veins at the foul accusation. He grabbed a fistful of Lambert’s shirt and yanked him closer. “I told you not to badmouth Neuvillette. You got a problem with me, we’ll settle it in the ring,” seethed Wriothesley.

Lambert scoffed. “Easy for you to say. No one has ever beat you one on one!”

Wriothesley pushed the convict away and crossed his arms over his chest. “Who said anything about one on one? I’ll take you and all your little cronies at once. If you win, I’ll step down. If I win, you’re going to spend a week in the isolation cells, and I better not hear you say another word about the Iudex,” challenged Wriothesley.

Lambert turned his head towards said cronies, and they all nodded with enthusiasm. Fools, the lot of them. Their overconfidence would cost them. If they thought that they would win six against one, they were sorely mistaken. Wriothesley couldn't wait to kick some ass in the Pankration Ring and make them regret spewing vile things about Neuvillette.

Lambert turned his attention back on Wriothesley. He smirked and said, “Deal.”

Oh, it was on. Wriothesley would wipe the floor with that guy. He wouldn't be smirking for long. “See you in the Pankration Ring in ten,” declared the duke before turning on his heel to make his way to the arena.

Hopefully this would teach a lesson to anyone else who would dare conspire against him and badmouth his beloved.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

When Neuvillette left the elevator and emerged on the administrative area of the fortress, he noticed how deserted the place was. This was unusual; it was the end of the afternoon, there should be a lot of convicts and guards milling around.

The Iudex made his way towards Wriothesley's office. The guards posted at the entrance were there as usual, and they looked surprised to see him approach. Neuvillette had not announced his visit, after all.

“Oh, Your Honor? If you are looking for His Grace, he is fighting in the Pankration Ring at the moment! Would you like to wait in his office?” offered one of the two guards.

“The Pankration Ring? I... would like to watch, if you could kindly show me the way,” said Neuvillette, hoping he kept his expression neutral enough.

Neuvillette had never seen Wriothesley fight. He admitted he was curious to see him in action. That would explain the lack of people around; most of the fortress’ residents must be in the arena to watch Wriothesley fight. Was there some kind of tournament going on?

The guard seemed taken aback by the request. He quickly recollected himself. “Of - of course, Your Honor! This way, please!”

The guard left his post and began making his way towards another elevator. Neuvillette fell in step behind him. Once they were in the elevator, The Iudex could hear the clamor of voices shouting, getting louder the closer they got to the arena.

Once out of the elevator, the guard guided Neuvillette down a short hallway, and they soon emerged in the arena. It was packed with people, making it difficult for the Iudex to see the ring. Neuvillette moved through the crowd until he found a spot with an unobstructed view of the ring. The guard forced the convicts to stay away from Neuvillette and stayed behind him, making sure no one would try anything on the Iudex.

It would surprise Neuvillette, as all eyes were glued on the show down below. And what a show it was.

Wriothesley was facing three opponents. Three more men were lying unconscious on the ground. The duke looked as if he was doing an intricate dance; he wove between his opponents with agility, swift on his feet as he easily dodged the punches thrown at him. It was a hypnotizing sight. Neuvillette's cheeks felt warm as his eyes roamed over the expense of Wriothesley's bare torso. His scarred skin was covered in sweat and his muscles rippled and flexed as he moved, landing swift punches with his bare hands with a deadly precision.

Neuvillette couldn’t help thinking Wriothesley was a very handsome and attractive man. He didn’t know when he began feeling that way about the duke, but the thought wouldn’t leave his mind now that he had a good view of his impressive physique.

Another convict fell to the ground, knocked out cold by a powerful uppercut. The crowd erupted in cheers, and a chant of Wriothesley's name echoed all around the arena.

Neuvillette watched, enthralled, as Wriothesley sidestepped to avoid another punch. He quickly grabbed the man's arm that was still extended, and in a move so quick Neuvillette almost missed it, the duke threw the convict to the ground. Stomping his feet on the man's back, he twisted his arm painfully until the convict tapped out of the fight, too wounded to continue.

The last man standing, a tall, burly convict with a scar on his face, charged at Wriothesley, throwing vicious punches at him. Wriothesley easily avoided every punch, side-stepping and moving around the increasingly exhausted convict. Never once did the duke attempt to land a punch on him.

Neuvillette realized he was toying with his adversary. As the Iudex watched Wriothesley’s fluid movements, a weird fluttering feeling settled in the pit of his belly. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the duke. Such a magnificent sight he made when he was in his element, owning the arena.

As if he felt the weight of his gaze, Wriothesley suddenly turned his head towards Neuvillette, and their gazes locked. Those blue eyes widened in surprise. A second later, Neuvillette gasped as the convict took advantage of that split moment of inattention to punch Wriothesley square on the jaw. The audience erupted once again in boos and cheers as Wriothesley stumbled back. Neuvillette watched with worry as the duke regained his balance.

It seemed like Wriothesley was done playing with his opponent after that punch landed as he immediately went on the offensive. He landed a barrage of punches, each one more powerful than the last, and the convict had trouble blocking his strikes as he was continuously pushed backwards.

Neuvillette could see how exhausted and angry the convict was getting. Wriothesley finally gave him an opening and he took the bait. He threw a punch at the duke's face. Wriothesley ducked and swiftly tripped him with a low sweeping kick. The convict fell face first on the ground with a grunt of pain. Wriothesley was quick to push his knee into his smaller back and held him in a chokehold.

The convict struggled to break free, but when he realized it was futile, he tapped out. The crowd cheered loudly as Wriothesley was announced the winner by the manager of the Pankration Ring. Neuvillette only noticed now that the fight was over how fast his heart had been beating as he had watched the duke in action.

Wriothesley was a magnificent fighter.

Neuvillette waited until the fighters had been transported out of the ring and for the crowd to disperse before he made his way down to Wriothesley. The duke had left the ring to reach a table tucked against the wall on which his discarded clothes were laying.

Wriothesley was in the midst of wiping off the sweat on his forehead when Neuvillette approached him. The duke turned towards him and smiled. “Neuvillette? I wasn't expecting to see you here. I didn't forget a meeting, did I?” asked the duke breathlessly.

Neuvillette had to force his gaze away from Wriothesley's glistening bare chest covered in various scars to look into the duke's icy eyes. He realized he had been caught staring when he saw the small glint of amusement in that gaze, paired with a slightly raised eyebrow. Neuvillette tried to fight off the blush of embarrassment that covered his cheeks and ears, but to no avail.

“No, not at all. I'm here to drop by some documents for you,” said Neuvillette in a way he hoped was casual. He lifted the pile of documents he had been holding.

Wriothesley finished wiping the sweat off his skin and grabbed his dress shirt. “And you came yourself instead of sending a courier as usual?” asked the duke with confusion as he put his shirt on and buttoned it halfway, to Neuvillette's disappointment.

Neuvillette cleared his throat and his gaze wandered to the side. “Yes. I... I wanted to see you,” admitted the Iudex.

He chanced a glance at Wriothesley to see him looking surprised. A small smile appeared on the duke's face, coupled with an almost unnoticeable blush. “Then would you like to stay for tea?” asked Wriothesley.

“I would love to,” answered Neuvillette promptly. He didn't have any expectations by coming down here unannounced, so the Iudex was very happy to be able to spend some time with Wriothesley.

“Let's go to my office then,” said Wriothesley. He grabbed the rest of his discarded clothes and hung them over his forearm. He motioned to the exit of the Pankration Ring and they both began the short walk towards the duke's office.

They were walking close enough for their shoulders to bump, and Neuvillette wanted to link his arm with Wriothesley's, but he didn't know if he should. They were inside the prison, surrounded by convicts that Neuvillette himself sent to prison. Neuvillette couldn't predict the reaction they could get here if they were seen fraternizing too much.

He decided to abstain himself and spoke to distract himself from his inappropriate urges; “That was an impressive display, one against three.”

Wriothesley chuckled. “Ah, you're flattering me.”

Neuvillette turned his gaze to look at the duke. “I'm being genuine. Watching you fight is like witnessing a complex dance. It was very impressive, and dare I say mesmerizing,” insisted the Iudex.

Wriothesley lifted his free hand to rub at his nape in a gesture that Neuvillette grew to recognize as embarrassed.

“Thanks, Neuvillette,” said the duke sheepishly.

They arrived at Wriothesley's office, and the duke opened the doors for the Iudex. Neuvillette thanked him and made his way to the second floor with Wriothesley right behind him. The duke dropped his clothes on the back of his chair and immediately began preparing their tea.

Neuvillette put the documents down on the tea table and sat on the couch. He asked with curiosity; “Why were you fighting those convicts? Was it a tournament of some sort?”

Wriothesley looked at him over his shoulder as he put tea leaves in two cups. “Uh, no. I was actually settling a score there,” said the duke.

Neuvillette frowned. “A score?”

While the water boiled, Wriothesley turned around and leaned his hips against the tea station. He seemed to hesitate for a moment. His eyes were on the floor when he spoke; “Yeah. Um, they were inmates who didn't take too well the news about our “relationship”. Not only did their leader say vile things about you, but he was also attempting to overthrow me. There's no better way to settle a dispute down here than in the ring.”

Neuvillette's heart sank. He knew there might be some backlash in Meropide as well, but he didn't think about what exactly this might entail for Wriothesley. He felt incredibly guilty. “I caused you trouble. I must apologize for this,” breathed Neuvillette quietly, guilt bleeding into his words.

Wriothesley smiled gently at him. “Don't apologize. It's not your fault. Besides, I'm the one who suggested our arrangement, and I was well aware this could happen. I took care of the problem, and I will continue to do so if it happens again,” assured the duke.

Neuvillette frowned. “You shouldn't have to,” he said dejectedly. The Iudex’s guilt shut down the part of him that thrilled at the revelation that Wriothesley had defended his honor in the ring. It would be very inappropriate of him to feel happy about this situation.

Wriothesley was about to answer him when the water came to a boil. Wriothesley poured the water in their cups and brought the tray with their drinks to the tea table in front of the couch. He then sat next to Neuvillette, close enough for the latter to smell his cologne.

Wriothesley turned his face to look at him. “Hey, I don't mind. It's a good way to unwind. I'm always up for a good workout in the ring,” said the duke with a cocky smile and a wink.

Seeing him up close like that, Neuvillette noticed the discoloration in Wriothesley's cheek from the punch he received in the ring.

“But you got hurt because of me,” whispered the Iudex. He acted without thinking then; he reached out to brush his fingers against the duke's bruised cheek, only to have his wrist caught in Wriothesley's hand before his fingers could make contact.

Wriothesley seemed as surprised as Neuvillette by his sudden movement, so the Iudex could only guess he moved instinctually. Which wouldn't be surprising. Wriothesley was a cautious man; he didn't grant his trust easily. He must be wary of people touching him without express permission.

Neuvillette lowered his gaze and attempted to take his wrist back. “Please forgive me, I acted without asking. I -”

Wriothesley's grip tightened, and he pulled softly until Neuvillette's fingers made contact with his cheek as intended. “It's okay, you just surprised me. I don't mind you touching me,” said Wriothesley quietly.

Their gazes met and Neuvillette could see that Wriothesley wasn't lying to him. Neuvillette's heart pounded fast in his chest, and he was sure Wriothesley could feel his erratic pulse where his fingers still held his wrist. His breath caught in his throat as those fingers stroked at the hem of his glove, brushing against his skin, just over a patch of hidden scales.

Wriothesley's fingers stopped moving and the duke frowned. Neuvillette anticipated questions, anticipated Wriothesley releasing him out of confusion or disgust. But he did none of those things. He brought Neuvillette's hand down and grabbed the hem of his glove, a silent question in his eyes.

Neuvillette swallowed hard and nodded shyly. He let Wriothesley pull off his glove and expose his bare hand for the first time. Wriothesley's eyes locked on the patch of aquamarine scales on the back of Neuvillette's hand. The Iudex waited with bated breath, nervous as he'd never been before.

He was aware everyone knew he wasn't human, including Wriothesley. No human could have occupied his post for almost five hundred years like he did. But there was a difference in knowing and seeing the proof of Neuvillette's inhuman nature.

Wriothesley gently stroked his thumb over the scales, and a shiver ran down Neuvillette's spine at the pleasant sensation. The duke brought his bare hand up to his lips and laid a tender kiss over his scales. Neuvillette gasped as the pleasant sensation heightened, and he felt his cheeks warm up as that hypnotizing icy gaze locked with his own.

“You have very pretty hands, Neuvillette,” said Wriothesley with such gentleness that it shook Neuvillette. He didn't know what to make of this fluttering feeling in his belly, but he knew he wanted more of it.

Neuvillette was relieved that Wriothesley did not seem to mind his scales, and that he was tactful enough not to ask any questions. The duke was a very considerate man.

Wriothesley released him to take the tea leaves out of their cups as they had steeped long enough. Neuvillette felt a twinge of disappointment at their loss of contact, but then he remembered why he wanted to touch Wriothesley's cheek in the first place.

When Wriothesley was about to give Neuvillette his cup of tea, the Iudex gently cupped his bruised cheek and turned the duke’s face towards him. Wriothesley grew still, and his eyes widened as Neuvillette's elemental power poured out of his fingers to seep into his skin, instantly providing a soothing sensation to his swollen skin.

Neuvillette released Wriothesley and spoke quietly; “I am not well versed in healing, but I can at least ease the swelling.”

Wriothesley looked at him with wonder. He smiled softly. “That's a neat trick. Thank you.”

Neuvillette smiled shyly in return. “It's the least I could do. Think nothing of it,” said the Iudex.

While Neuvillette put his glove back on, Wriothesley took their cups of tea and handed one to Neuvillette, who took it with a soft thank you. They began to drink their tea to the soft sound of the gramophone in the background.

Wriothesley looked at Neuvillette and spoke softly with regret in his eyes; “I'm sorry for not being able to see you this week. I had my hands full making sure the fortress ran smoothly following that article in the Steambird.”

Neuvillette shook his head. “I understand. Even though I am eager for our next outing, I will wait however long is needed,” assured the Iudex.

“Well, now that I dealt with Lambert and his cronies, how about I take you out tomorrow after work? We could go on a walk through the gardens behind the Palais and have a nice picnic as we watch the sunset,” proposed the duke.

“That sounds lovely,” said Neuvillette without missing a beat, his eagerness clear in his voice.

The Palais' gardens were particularly beautiful at the moment; it was spring, and the flowers were in bloom. It would be a very beautiful setting for a picnic.

Wriothesley chuckled mirthfully. “It's a date, then,” he said with fondness in his eyes.

Once again, that fluttering feeling was back in Neuvillette's belly. He hoped he wasn't coming down with something, because he would hate missing out on their date.

Neuvillette couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley was content to ignore the whispers around him coming from the citizens walking through the colorful gardens of Palais Mermonia after a long day of work. He had much better things to focus on, namely a lovely Iudex walking by his side, their arms linked together.

The sun was about to begin setting, and the air was still warm, ripe with the sweet fragrance of the flowers in bloom all around them.

The duke's heart felt light as a feather, pleased to bask in his beloved's presence.

“This was a great idea, Wriothesley,” said Neuvillette, pulling him out of his musing.

Wriothesley turned his head to smile at Neuvillette. “I'm glad you think so. I'm relieved the weather is being agreeable for our picnic. It's often unpredictable, though my contacts up top told me it's been sunny all week,” remarked the duke.

Wriothesley was intrigued when he saw a soft dusting of pink appear on those lovely, pointed ears. “Indeed, it has,” answered the Iudex softly.

It wasn't the first time he noticed Neuvillette's strange and subtle reactions whenever the weather was mentioned. Wriothesley had an inkling about why that was.

Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry.

Wriothesley had his theory about Neuvillette's identity. Being inhuman, there were only a handful of possibilities to what he could be. Somehow, must of those theories flying around just didn't fit. Call it intuition on Wriothesley's part.

The duke had made the link between the rain, the trials and Neuvillette's changing moods. That, paired with how powerful the rumors make him out to be and those pretty scales he saw yesterday... In Wriothesley's mind, he had to be the Hydro Sovereign.

But not matter who Neuvillette turned out to be, it could never deter Wriothesley from loving him. The duke wondered if Neuvillette would confide in him his most guarded secret someday. He certainly hoped so.

Neuvillette's voice brought him back to the present moment. “Has there been any more trouble in Meropide concerning us?”

Those mesmerizing lavender eyes shone with concern. Wriothesley was quick to reassure him. “Nope. I think yesterday was enough to send a message. It means I can go on our date with peace of mind.”

Neuvillette smiled. “Good.”

Soon, Wriothesley stopped near a nice empty spot under a large tree that would provide them with some shading against the still bright sun. He was aware that Neuvillette preferred not to stay under the direct sunlight.

“What do you think of this spot?” asked Wriothesley.

“It is perfect,” said the Iudex.

“Sweet! Let me set up, then.” Wriothesley let go of Neuvillette to open the basket he had been carrying. He pulled out a blanket that he laid down on the grass. He extended his hand to Neuvillette. The latter immediately took it, and Wriothesley helped him sit down on the blanket. He then emptied the basket, pulling out containers of food, bottles of water and cutlery.

Neuvillette was watching him with soft eyes as he finally sat down next to him, close enough for their shoulders to brush. “You thought of everything, haven't you?” said the Iudex with fondness.

Wriothesley smiled brightly. “Of course! I have to be prepared if I'm taking you on a date! Can't disappoint our dear Iudex, can I?”

“You could never disappoint me,” replied Neuvillette with honesty.

It never failed to fluster Wriothesley when Neuvillette was brutally honest like that towards him, just like when he admitted yesterday that he came down to Meropide because he wanted to see him. “Good to know,” replied Wriothesley after clearing his throat.

He handed Neuvillette one of the containers of food. The Iudex took it with a soft thank you.

As soon as Neuvillette opened the container, the delicious aroma of Poisson Seafood Soup tickled Wriothesley's nose. “Did you make this food?” asked the Iudex with curiosity.

Wriothesley opened his own box of Duck Confit as he answered, “Sadly, no. Had I more time, I would have borrowed Wolsey's kitchen to make our dinner myself. Instead, I took some takeout from Hotel Debord. I hope it's okay?”

Neuvillette nodded, a reassuring smile on his lips. “It's perfect, don't worry. Though I would love to taste your cooking someday.”

Wriothesley felt relieved. Despite Neuvillette's words, he still feared he would disappoint him somehow. Even though they had not shared a meal often, the duke was at least aware that Neuvillette despised dry or fried food. He thought that going with a hearty soup for him would be the safest option.

Neuvillette took a spoonful of soup. Wriothesley watched his beloved's face for any sign of disapproval, but when Neuvillette's expression stayed perfectly neutral after he took a second helping, he had to ask nervously; “Is the soup to your taste?”

Neuvillette turned his gaze to Wriothesley, and his eyes shone warmly. “It's very good. Do you want some?”

Next thing Wriothesley knew, a spoonful of soup was being presented to him, Neuvillette holding a hand beneath the spoon to avoid spilling the soup everywhere.

Wriothesley flushed bright red at Neuvillette's intention to feed him. In public. Something only couples did. Right. They were supposed to give this illusion. This was perfectly normal. Yep. No reason for him to panic.

As the seconds ticked by with Wriothesley having an internal crisis, Neuvillette raised an eyebrow. He seemed to conclude that he overstepped when he made a move to retreat the spoon. Wriothesley snapped out of it and gently held Neuvillette's wrist to bring the spoon to his lips. The duke closed his eyes as he savored the food, trying not to freak out at the realization that he was having an indirect kiss with Neuvillette by eating off the same spoon.

He felt like a freaking teenager all over again. Ridiculous. He supposed it couldn't be helped since this was about Neuvillette, the only person he has ever truly loved. With him, it felt like Wriothesley was experiencing everything all over again, with an intensity he had never felt before. It was as exciting as it was nerve-wracking.

The distinctive sound of a camera snapping pictures pulled Wriothesley out of the moment. His eyes snapped open, and they both turned their heads towards the sound. The duke caught some movement from behind a tree a few meters away, along with a flash of pink and red.

“What was that?” asked Neuvillette with a frown.

Wriothesley sighed as he turned his attention back on his companion. “Charlotte, it seems like. Who else could it be?” Oh, he could already imagine the cover of tomorrow's newspaper.

That reporter was nothing if not tenacious. She must have tried at least two dozen times to get an interview with Wriothesley in the past, so it spoke of how stubborn she was. She must be trailing Neuvillette whenever he's out, because she never failed to be the first to report every little bit of information that is deemed news-worthy on him.

Deciding to ignore her, Wriothesley began to eat his meal, and Neuvillette resumed eating his soup as well. “I really cannot understand what is so interesting about my personal life,” sighed the Iudex.

The duke chuckled. He threw a side-glance at Neuvillette, and he had to fight the urge to smooth out the frown still on his face. He playfully bumped their shoulders together.

“Are you kidding me? Many of us consider you on equal standing with Furina. You've always been so secretive, it's no wonder the journalists would pounce on any information they can find about you,” reasoned the duke.

“It feels intrusive. I don't like it,” admitted Neuvillette.

Dread settled in the pit of Wriothesley's stomach. He pulled up the courage to ask quietly; “Do you regret your decision? We can end our “courting” whenever you want. You just have to say the word.” What they were doing now no doubt made things worse for Neuvillette in terms of journalistic scrutiny.

To Wriothesley's surprise, Neuvillette was quick to speak with a determined gaze. “No. That's the last thing I want. Like I already said, I enjoy spending time with you. If this is the price to pay for it, then so be it. I was fully aware of this outcome when I decided to accept your offer.”

Wriothesley smiled softly as his beloved's words snuffed out his fear. “Alright. I'm glad to hear that.”

They took their time eating their dinner, chatting quietly and watching the sun slowly set on the horizon. While there were some people walking through the gardens or enjoying a picnic nearby just like them, thankfully no one dared to bother them. Neuvillette looked completely relaxed while he ate one of the rainbow macarons Wriothesley had bought for dessert. He was looking at the beautiful tapestry of colors painting the sky in shades of orange and gold.

But Wriothesley was admiring something even more beautiful. Neuvillette always looked so pretty; he was the epitome of beauty in Wriothesley's eyes. Right now, he looked ethereal; the blue appendages on his head – Wriothesley was dying to know what they were – were glowing a soft blue, as if they had a heartbeat of their own; his eyes shone brightly, and his skin looked so soft under the setting sun.

Breathtaking. Wriothesley wanted to touch his face. He wanted to cup his cheek, turn his face towards him so he could lean in and capture those rosy, tempting lips into a tender kiss. They were so close. It would be so easy to do. He could -

No. Bad Wriothesley! The duke sighed quietly and snapped his gaze away, infuriated by his own indecent thoughts.

His sigh caught Neuvillette's attention. The Chief Justice turned his face towards the duke and asked with concern; “Wriothesley? Is everything okay?”

No, everything was not okay. As much as Wriothesley craved these moments together, loved to spend time with his beloved, it was not enough. It would never be enough. He feared he would go mad with the restrain he had to use to not spill out his feelings for this gorgeous, pretty man, to not kiss him silly in a way that would be very indecent in a public space.

The last thing he wanted was to scare Neuvillette away. He would take suffering in silence a thousand times over that outcome.

“I'm fine, don't worry,” answered Wriothesley instead, hoping the strain in his voice went by unnoticed.

Neuvillette tilted his head cutely like he would often do when he was clueless about something, but he said nothing. They finished their dessert in pleasant discussion, and Wriothesley packed the leftovers and used utensils in the basket. Only then did he pull out a small box from his coat pocket.

“Neuvillette... I have a gift for you. You would do me a great honor if you were to accept it,” said Wriothesley as he presented the box to Neuvillette.

The Iudex widened his eyes in surprise. A second later, a small, amused chuckle left his lips. Wriothesley was taken aback, wondering what Neuvillette found so funny. Before his thoughts could spiral out of control, he watched as Neuvillette pulled out a wrapped, circular and flat object that had been tucked between his waistcoat and his judge's robes.

“What a coincidence, because I also have a gift for you,” said Neuvillette with a shy smile.

It was Wriothesley's smile to laugh. “You're kidding me?”

“Not at all,” replied the Iudex as he offered the gift to Wriothesley. The duke felt incredibly touched to receive a present from Neuvillette, and probably a little too giddy.

They exchanged the presents, and Neuvillette pressed him to open his first. Wriothesley tore off the paper to reveal a phonograph record. Neuvillette explained with a voice that sounded self-conscious; “You told me Allard was your favorite composer. I managed to get my hands on his newest record.”

Wriothesley felt incredibly touched that Neuvillette had remembered that. This was a very thoughtful gift. He couldn't wait to play this record while he would drink his evening tea tonight. He lifted his gaze on Neuvillette to see him looking unsure, as if he thought Wriothesley wouldn't appreciate the gift.

“Thank you, Neuvillette. I love it.” Wriothesley was quick to reassure him. Neuvillette's expression instantly turned pleased.

Now it was the Iudex's turn to open his present. He gasped as soon as he opened the box and peered at its content. Neuvillette took the gift out of the box and admired how it glimmered under the setting sun. “A jabot jewelry? Oh, it's lovely...”

When Wriothesley had seen the jewel in the shop while he'd been browsing for a gift for Neuvillette, he knew he had to buy it. It had cost him a pretty penny, but nothing was too good for Neuvillette.

The duke rubbed his nape as he said, “Don't force yourself to wear it. I understand that it might not fit your style, but its color reminded me of your pretty eyes. I couldn't pass this up.” The jewel in the center of the golden accessory was of a brilliant lavender. The clerk at the jewelry shop had said it was a rare ore from Natlan. Wriothesley had never seen anything like it, so he was inclined to believe him. The clarity of the gem gave no doubt about its quality.

His compliment caused Neuvillette's ears to turn a soft shade of red at the tips. The Iudex quickly shook his head. “Nonsense. I will be happy to wear it. In fact, I would like to do so right away, if you would be kind enough to help me.”

“Of course,” replied Wriothesley quickly, feeling ecstatic that Neuvillette wanted to wear his gift.

Neuvillette took off the jewel decorating his jabot and put it in the box. He then handed Wriothesley the new one so he could fix it for him, having no mirror to do it himself. Wriothesley hoped his fingers weren't shaking too much as he pinned the new jewel in place.

As soon as Wriothesley retreated his hand, Neuvillette caressed the jewel with his own fingers, a beautiful shy smile appearing on his face as he looked at Wriothesley. “I will treasure it. Thank you,” said the Iudex softly.

Wriothesley swallowed hard, hypnotized by that beautiful smile and the sight of his beloved wearing his gift. Oh, it did things to his heart... “You're welcome,” replied Wriothesley quietly.

A sudden gust of wind blew harder, and a couple of leaves from the tree detached themselves to finish their course on the blanket around them, apart from one that got stuck in Neuvillette's hair.

Wriothesley easily succumbed to the temptation of removing it. He reached for Neuvillette, who froze when he felt the duke's fingers brush against his hair. Wriothesley quickly took hold of the leaf, but no one would be the wiser if he let his touch linger, dragging his fingers through those silky tresses of spun silver for a little bit longer than necessary.

So soft...

By the time Wriothesley pulled his hand away, the blush on the Iudex's ears had spread to his cheekbones. The duke showed the leaf to Neuvillette. “You had a leaf in your hair,” he explained softly.

Neuvillette quietly thanked Wriothesley before turning his attention back on the setting sun, which was only a sliver on the horizon by now. The lamplights turned on as darkness settled in slowly. The air grew a bit chilly now that they were deprived of the sun’s warmth.

The duke looked at his beloved. He didn't seem especially cold, but Wriothesley didn't want to take that chance. He unclipped his coat, and under Neuvillette's intrigued gaze, he gently draped it over the Iudex's shoulders.

“It's getting a bit chilly. I don't want you to get cold,” explained Wriothesley.

“But what about you?” asked Neuvillette with concern as he eyed Wriothesley's attire, which admittedly revealed a lot more skin than his own.

Wriothesley smiled softly. “Don't worry about me. I rarely get affected by the cold nowadays. Maybe it's a side-effect of my vision, who knows?” Since he received his vision, Wriothesley had never felt the cold the same way as before. He wasn’t immune to it per say, but it would take a lot more than a spring chill in the air to make him uncomfortable.

Neuvillette studied him for a moment, and soon he nodded and grabbed the coat to bundle himself tighter under it. Wriothesley didn't know if he imagined it, but he was sure he saw Neuvillette subtly bury his nose in the furred collar for a short moment.

“Thank you,” said Neuvillette softly.

Wriothesley's heart felt full as he sat there, shoulder to shoulder with his beloved draped in his colors, and he dreaded having to part ways soon. It was inevitable. They had finished their dinner, and the night was settling in. If it was just for him, he would stay here all night with Neuvillette.

When Neuvillette spoke next, however, it wasn't to utter the words he had anticipated. “Do you have to go back to Meropide soon?”

“Not right away. Why?” asked Wriothesley curiously.

Wriothesley froze when he felt Neuvillette move to lay his head on his shoulder, his body pressed tightly against his arm. “Selfishly, I would like to stay here for a while longer with you...” whispered the Iudex.

Wriothesley's heart hammered in his chest like crazy. His nose was filled by the addictive smell of Petrichor and Romaritime flowers. It was intoxicating having Neuvillette so close. Wriothesley wanted nothing more but to wrap his arm around Neuvillette's sinfully small waist, but he didn't know if it would be going too far.

Instead, his hand found Neuvillette's laying on the blanket between them and he slowly held it, intertwining their fingers and squeezing softly. “Of course, Neuvillette. I’ll stay for as long as you want.”

Wriothesley would give him everything he ever asked for. Oh, how completely smitten Wriothesley was with his Iudex...

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Breaking: Chief Justice Neuvillette and Duke Wriothesley seen in the Palais' gardens on a romantic picnic! Reporter Charlotte on the scene! All details on page 2!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Neuvillette put down the Steambird with a heavy sigh. It had indeed been Charlotte spying on them yesterday. While Neuvillette admired her dedication to her job, he couldn't help but feel annoyed at the fact she had been spying on him and Wriothesley during their picnic.

How odd for him to feel this way. The fact she was there meant he would get the result he wanted from his arrangement with Wriothesley. He shouldn't be bothered by it. But part of Neuvillette wanted to keep these moments with the duke private, shared between them only. Neuvillette was a dragon. Like his kin, he jealously wanted to keep and guard his hoard of treasures, but this was the first time he felt this way towards a human.

Every little gesture of affection Wriothesley showered him with fanned the flames of his draconic instincts. Neuvillette managed to contain them until now, but it was getting more difficult, especially when Wriothesley gave him that wonderful gift and offered his coat as protection from the cold during their picnic yesterday. It stirred something inside him that he couldn’t quite yet describe, an itch right under his skin.

Neuvillette had almost purred in delight in response to Wriothesley’s sweet gestures yesterday. That would have been hard to explain.

He sighed again. Best he put these thoughts aside for the moment and not let them distract him from his work. He had a long day ahead of him; two trials were on the schedule, along with a heavy pile of paperwork to go through.

He should get started on that as soon as he finished going through the morning mail.

The next thing on the pile was a package with a letter attached to it. Intrigued, Neuvillette took the letter and he smiled when his gaze settled on the little shark sticker resembling a certain duke stuck on a corner of the sealed envelope.

Sigewinne.

He had not received a letter from her in a while. Eager to read over her words, Neuvillette quickly opened the letter and unfolded it.

Dear Monsieur Neuvillette,

I hope you've been well!! I miss you a lot. Daily life in the fortress is as mundane as ever, but I love it. I even managed to make His Grace promise to drink his milkshakes for almost two months straight! He always complains about the taste, but it's good for his health. I wish he would understand that someday.

Neuvillette couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped his lips. He was curious to know how Sigewinne managed such a feat. The Iudex couldn't blame Wriothesley for refusing to drink Sigewinne's milkshakes. It was... an acquired taste.

Kiara told me there will be a street fair held near the Opera Epiclese next week! I've never been to one of those and I would really like to go! I've already asked His Grace if he would come with me, and he agreed. But I would love it if you would come with us too!

Oh, the street fair. Furina had mentioned it in passing a few days ago. He also has never been to one and was under the impression it mostly catered to children. But if Sigewinne was going along with Wriothesley, then Neuvillette couldn't refuse such an invitation. A pleasant warmth washed over him at the thought of having an occasion to spend time in Wriothesley and Sigewinne's company.

You must have noticed the package I sent you? It's one of my favorite books. I thought you would like to read it. I found chapter 9 especially interesting to read. I hope you'll enjoy it just as much!

Take care Monsieur Neuvillette! I hope to see you soon! I miss you lots,

Sigewinne

Intrigued, Neuvillette put down the letter and grabbed the package. He tore off the wrapping paper and his fingers glided over the worn book. A study of humanity, the tile read. Interesting. Like Sigewinne, Neuvillette was still learning about the intricacies of humans. So many things confused or intrigued him when it came to them. He couldn't deny this might be an interesting and enlightening read. He would certainly give it a try.

Neuvillette made a mental note to send a reply to Sigewinne before the end of the day as he grabbed the next letter on the pile. It turned out to be an official invite to the annual charity ball organized by the Spina di Rosula. Neuvillette sighed. Another ball so soon? Looking at the date, this one is due in three weeks. While the ball was thrown for a good cause – there was an auction organized and the funds collected from it went to provide aid to the citizens living in poverty – Neuvillette loathed having to go just like every year prior.

But then Neuvillette thought about Wriothesley. While the duke often skipped social events, he had never missed the Spina's charity ball. He was sure to attend this year too. Maybe they could formally go together instead of crossing paths at the event? It would make the ball much more pleasant if he was to spend its entirety at Wriothesley's side. Should they appear together, it would also most certainly solidify their “courting” to the elite class.

Should Wriothesley want that, it would be best if they had matching outfits made. Three weeks would be a short notice for a commission, but Neuvillette knew just the right person for the job.

It seemed The Iudex would have two letters bound for Meropide to write in the end.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Two days later, when Neuvillette emerged from his office at the end of the afternoon, he found Wriothesley leaning on Sedene’s desk, chatting with the Melusine. He smiled at seeing Sedene giggle at something the duke said. What a pleasure it was to see his usually serious secretary warming up to Wriothesley.

Neuvillette walked towards them, and Wriothesley turned his head at his approach. “I apologize for the wait, Your Grace.” As much as Neuvillette wanted to drop Wriothesley’s title as he had asked, he was well aware of the gestionnaires’ subtle glances towards them as they were clearly eavesdropping.

Wriothesley didn’t seem to take offense. An easy smile settled on his lips. “Nah, don't worry. I was a little bit early. Besides, Sedene kept me company.”

Neuvillette looked at his Melusine and saw her holding a bundle of stickers that looked familiar. Oh, they were Sigewinne’s stickers. Wriothesley must have given them to her. How sweet of him.

The Iudex motioned towards the exit of the Palais. “Shall we, then?”

“Of course,” said Wriothesley as he pushed away from Sedene’s desk. They both said goodbye to the Melusine and walked towards the exit of the building, greeting the gestionnaires on the way out. Part of Neuvillette felt amused at seeing them trying not to ogle them too much but failing poorly.

As soon as they were out of the Palais, Wriothesley offered his hand to him instead of his arm. Neuvillette’s heart skipped a beat as he laid his hand in the duke’s. Wriothesley smiled at him, and they began slowly walking hand in hand towards Chioriya Boutique. Neuvillette marveled at how such a simple gesture made him feel warm inside.

As soon as Neuvillette had received a message back from Wriothesley stating that he would love to accompany him to the charity ball, the Iudex had booked an appointment with Chiori to have matching outfits made. The seamstress assured him that she would be able to have them done in time for the ball.

Wriothesley squeezed his hand as he asked gently; “Did you have a good day?”

“Yes, all things considered. And you?” asked Neuvillette as he looked at Wriothesley.

“Pretty good. Oh, Sigewinne says hi. She told me that she also invited you to the fair?” said the duke.

At the mention of Sigewinne, Neuvillette smiled softly. “Indeed. Is it okay with you? It’s been so long since I could spend time with her that I would love to come along.”

Neuvillette rarely had occasions to spend much time with Sigewinne. Just like all the Melusines, she was like a daughter to him. He missed her terribly and could never stop worrying about her no matter how many times Wriothesley reassured him of her wellbeing. He trusted Wriothesley to take good care of her, more than he would trust anyone else, but a parent would never stop being concerned for their children’s comfort, safety and happiness.

Wriothesley bumped their shoulders together playfully. “Of course! I would never pass up an opportunity to spend some time with you. Sigewinne will be over the moon too.”

Neuvillette was always pleased to see how deeply Wriothesley cared for Sigewinne, that he wasn’t looking after her only because Neuvillette asked, but because he wanted to.

Wriothesley truly was worthy of his trust.

“Thank you for agreeing to accompany me to the charity ball,” said Neuvillette as they approached the boutique.

“Think nothing of it. I would have gone anyway but having you by my side will make things tolerable for once,” replied the duke teasingly.

“You flatter me, Wriothesley,” said Neuvillette quietly, trying not to show how much these words affected him.

Wriothesley intertwined their fingers and brought their hands up to kiss the back of Neuvillette’s. He smiled softly at Neuvillette, his icy blue eyes looking at him gently. “Telling the truth, my dear Iudex. Your presence is always delectable.”

Neuvillette tried to fight off the blush slowly spreading across his cheeks, to no avail. He was still blushing when they arrived in front of their destination, coming across Kiara who was exiting the boutique.

Kiara’s face lit up happily at seeing them and she waved energetically. “Monsieur Neuvillette! Your Grace! Good afternoon!”

Her eyes slid down to their linked hands, and she suddenly looked even happier. Neuvillette regained his composure as much as he could as he answered, “Hello, Kiara. How are you doing?”

Kiara giggled and balanced herself on her feet, her hands linked together in front of her. “Fine, Monsieur! It's rare to see you out and about during the day!”

“We have some shopping to do. I would like to stay and chat with you if I could, but unfortunately, we have an appointment with Miss Chiori,” explained Neuvillette softly, his voice holding an edge of disappointment.

Kiara shook her head. “That's okay! Some other time, then! Have a good day!”

“To you too, Kiara,” said Wriothesley as they walked by her, patting her head as they did so.

They entered the boutique to the sound of Kiara’s giggling. At the sound of the bell, Chiori lifted her head from the mannequin she was currently fitting with a gorgeous gown.

“Ah, Monsieur Neuvillette, Duke Wriothesley. Just on time,” said the seamstress. She pinned the gown in place and came to meet the two men near the entrance.

Neuvillette bowed respectfully in front of Chiori. “Good afternoon, Miss Chiori. You have my thanks for accepting my commission on such short notice.”

“No need to thank me. It’s my honor to have the both of you wearing my brand for the charity ball. Let's start right away, shall we? Monsieur Neuvillette, if you could take off everything except for your shirt and pants so I can take your measurements,” said the seamstress as she motioned to a chair where the Iudex could place his discarded clothes.

“Of course.” Neuvillette walked to the chair as he began to disrobe, starting with his judge’s robes. As he shed layer after layer of clothing and accessories, the Iudex felt the weight of a gaze on his back. He turned his head around to peer over his shoulder, only to catch Wriothesley staring at him.

The duke cleared his throat and turned his gaze away, showing a sudden interest in a display of fabrics.

Neuvillette tried to ignore the fluttering in his belly that made itself present again and sat on the chair to take off his shoes and spats. He caught Wriothesley stealing quick glances at him, only to quickly avert his eyes whenever their gazes met.

Strange. He had never seen Wriothesley act like that. It wasn't like Neuvillette was showing an inappropriate amount of skin. He was still wearing his pants, his poet's shirt and his gloves.

Neuvillette decided to ponder over the duke's strange behavior later as Chiori was waiting for him. He joined the seamstress and stayed still while she began taking his measurements, only moving when she asked him to. As the Inazuman worked, Wriothesley busied himself with looking over the mannequins displaying the seamstress's previous works.

Chiori was quick and efficient, and soon enough, it was Wriothesley's turn. While Neuvillette redressed himself, it was now his turn to watch from the corner of his eye as the duke took off every article of clothing apart from his pants and dress shirt. Neuvillette tried not to steal glances, but it was beyond his control. Now it was him getting caught staring and the Iudex felt as embarrassed as Wriothesley had looked when the roles were reversed.

He should get a hold of himself. This was inappropriate, especially since they had company.

If Chiori noticed all the stolen glances, she made no mention of it. She was the spitting image of professionalism as she began to take Wriothesley's measurements.

“Did you have a design in mind or a color palette?” asked Chiori while she noted down the duke's measurements in her notebook.

Neuvillette met Wriothesley's gaze. They had not discussed this yet. The duke shrugged his shoulders. Neuvillette answered Chiori; “Not really, as long as the outfits match together, you could have carte blanche on the design.”

Chiori seemed pleased with his answer. “I see. I already took the liberty of sketching some designs. Once I’m done taking His Grace’s measurements, we could go over them.”

Neuvillette wasn't surprised. Chiori excelled in designing clothes, she really was the cream of the crop in Fontaine’s fashion industry. The Iudex was eager to see her sketches. “Sounds perfect.”

A few minutes later, Chiori closed her notebook. “Alright, all done! You can put your clothes back on, Your Grace.”

“Thank you, Miss Chiori,” said Wriothesley with a small bow of his head. As soon as he was dressed, the seamstress invited the two men to join her at the counter. She pulled out a thick sketchbook from beneath the counter and flipped the pages until she found what she was looking for. She turned the sketchbook around to show her designs to them.

Neuvillette let his eyes roam over the different sketches. Chiori had designed three different suits for each of them, in varying colors complimenting each other very well. The Iudex was very impressed by each design, but one set caught his eye more.

“What do you think?” asked Chiori after giving them enough time to peruse her sketches.

“I really like those,” said Neuvillette as he pointed to the second set of sketches. He looked at Wriothesley to get his opinion, only to find him looking back with a soft smile on his lips.

“I was thinking the same thing,” said Wriothesley.

“Great choice. I am very partial to this one. So you want this design?” asked Chiori, wanting to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

“Yes,” answered Neuvillette firmly as his gaze settled on the young Inazuman. Neuvillette couldn't wait to see Wriothesley wearing that suit. How handsome he would look.

Chiori took a quick note in her sketchbook and closed it with a satisfied smile. “Alright. I’ll get started right away.”

“You have our thanks, Miss Chiori,” said Wriothesley with a lopsided smile.

Chiori nodded. “I’ll send a message to Palais Mermonia and Meropide once the outfits are ready for the fittings. Have a nice day, gentlemen.”

Neuvillette bowed his head politely. “To you too, Miss Chiori.” With the assurance that their outfits would be completed in time for the ball, Wriothesley and Neuvillette left the boutique together. As soon as they were outside, Wriothesley stopped and turned towards Neuvillette.

“Did you have to go back to work?” asked Wriothesley, a hopeful note in his voice.

Neuvillette shook his head, eagerness filling his heart as he could guess why Wriothesley was asking. “No, I made sure to complete my work before our appointment with Miss Chiori.”

“Then do you want to go grab a bite to eat? My treat,” said the duke with a blinding smile.

Neuvillette chuckled at his enthusiasm. “With you, always...” said the Iudex quietly, his voice fond. His words made the duke's cheeks flare up in an endearing sight.

Neuvillette secretly liked that he could fluster Wriothesley with his words. The duke mumbled something under his breath, but it was too quiet for the Iudex’s sharp hearing to pick up.

Next thing Neuvillette knew, his hand was caught gently, and he was pulled down the street by Wriothesley. Neuvillette was content to follow the duke, looking forward to spending more time with him no matter where they went.

And for the first time in his long existence, he found himself looking forward to a social event. He never thought he would see the day.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley smiled widely when his sight was graced with his beloved as soon as he emerged topside behind the Opera Epiclese. Neuvillette was waiting for them at the beginning of the bridge. Sigewinne let go of the duke’s hand to run towards the Iudex.

“Monsieur Neuvillette!!” exclaimed the Melusine as she hugged his legs tightly.

While Wriothesley walked towards them, he saw a tender smile grace Neuvillette's rosy lips as he gazed at the Melusine. “Sigewinne! It's so good to see you. I missed you.”

Sigewinne lifted her head to smile brightly at Neuvillette. “I missed you too! I'm so excited to spend some time with you!”

“Likewise. Hello, Wriothesley,” said Neuvillette as he lifted his gaze on the duke, who stopped a few feet in front of them.

Neuvillette looked lovely tonight. He had foregone his judge's robes, opting to wear a waistcoat over his poet's shirt that sinfully accentuated his small waist. He was still wearing his jabot, and Wriothesley felt giddy at the sight of his gift adorning it. The Iudex had braided his long hair, and the duke realized it was the first time he was seeing it styled differently.

Seeing Neuvillette without his judge's robes wasn’t good for his heart, just like that time in Chiori's boutique. Devoid of his more formal wear, it made Neuvillette look... softer. Less unreachable, as if a barrier had been stripped between him and the common mortals.

Plus, being able to see the curves of his body hiding beneath those heavy robes... Oh, Wriothesley shouldn't stare too much, or he would be in trouble.

Wriothesley snapped himself of his shameless ogling to answer his beloved; “Hey! Sorry for the delay, I had to make sure everything was in order before we came topside,” explained the duke as he rubbed at his nape.

Neuvillette smiled softly at him. “No need to apologize, I did not wait long, and the evening breeze is quite pleasant.”

Sigewinne suddenly grabbed both Neuvillette’s and Wriothesley's hands and began pulling them towards the Opera Epiclese. “Come on, let's go!!”

Both men chuckled at Sigewinne's enthusiasm and began walking with the Melusine between them, holding their hands. Wriothesley felt amused at the picture they must make, looking like two parents with their daughter. He really, really liked that idea. In a way, it wasn't far from the truth; even though Sigewinne was way older than him, she acted like a child most of the time and it prompted the duke to think of her as a daughter. He also knew for a fact that Neuvillette considered all Melusines as his daughters.

Knowing that Neuvillette trusted him to look after one of his daughters for him was very humbling. Wriothesley would make sure to never let him down.

As soon as they made their way in front of the building, they saw that the fair was in full swing. Rows upon rows of stands lined the street all the way from the Opera Epiclese to the Aquabus station. Garlands of flowers were hung from lamppost to lamppost and the street was packed with people.

Sigewinne excitedly pulled them towards the crowd, marveling at the different stands holding merchandise, street foods, or games to win prizes. Some booths even allowed people to try different forms of art like painting and calligraphy.

A particular stand quickly caught Sigewinne’s eye. “Oh look!! So many plushies!!”

The trio approached the stand where a small crowd had gathered in front. Pinned to the back of the stall, behind the young man in charge of the stand, were a plethora of cute plushies in different sizes. Next to the clerk stood a pole with a bell on top. Wriothesley watched as a teenager took a mallet given by the clerk and brought it down on the lever at the base of the pole as hard as he could. A metal puck rose along the pole only to fall short of touching the bell. Wriothesley guessed the puck would have to hit the bell if one wanted to win a prize, as the teenager dejectedly left without a plushie.

Neuvillette asked Sigewinne; “Do you want to try winning one?”

“Yes!” said the Melusine with an excited smile.

Wriothesley chuckled as he walked towards the clerk. “Good thing I brought some Mora.” The duke handed the clerk the amount of money necessary, and the young man handed Sigewinne the mallet.

Wriothesley stood by Neuvillette's side as they watched Sigewinne get ready to try her luck at the game. The duke was so focused on watching Sigewinne that he almost missed his beloved gently holding his hand, lacing their fingers together.

Before the duke could turn his head to spy the expression on Neuvillette's face, Sigewinne brought down the mallet on the lever, and the puck came flying out, only to also fall short of the bell. Sigewinne handed the mallet back to the clerk with a pout.

“Better luck next time, little one!” said the clerk with a smile.

Sigewinne came back to their side looking disappointed. Oh, that won't do. Wriothesley walked to the clerk and handed another sum of Mora. “I'll try.”

The clerk handed Wriothesley the mallet with what seemed to be reluctance as he eyed him up and down. Surely, he knew someone like the duke would have much more chance to win at this game than a scrawny teenager or a Melusine.

Wriothesley stood in front of the pole and lifted the mallet over his shoulder. He eyed the lever and when he was ready, he brought the mallet down on it with as much strength as he could. The puck flew up quickly and hit the bell with a deafening sound.

Wriothesley turned around with a victorious smile, to see Neuvillette smiling proudly and Sigewinne clapping excitedly.

The duke handed the mallet back to the clerk who said almost reluctantly; “Which one do you want?”

Wriothesley looked at Sigewinne, motioning for her to approach. The Melusine ran to his side and pointed to one of the bigger plushies in the form of a Blubberbeast.

“The Blubberbeast!!” exclaimed the head nurse.

The clerk took the plushie from the wall and handed it to Sigewinne. “Here you go, little one.”

Sigewinne took it and turned towards Wriothesley with the brightest smile he had ever seen. “Thank you so much, Your Grace!!”

Wriothesley smiled and ruffled Sigewinne's hair. “You're welcome.” They both returned to Neuvillette's side, and the duke noticed that the Iudex was looking intently at the wall of plushies. Wriothesley followed his gaze, and he was pretty sure his beloved was looking at the biggest plushie pinned there, a very cute leisurely otter that funnily enough really reminded Wriothesley of Neuvillette.

When the duke turned his gaze back on Neuvillette, he didn't miss the way his pretty eyes shone with interest. “Neuvillette... do you want the otter?” asked Wriothesley.

That finally brought Neuvillette's attention to Wriothesley, and he suddenly looked flustered. “Ah, well... no, I was simply staring. My apologies,” muttered the Iudex with embarrassment.

Wriothesley knew better. It was clear Neuvillette wanted it. Who knew the Chief Justice of Fontaine would be into cute things like oversized plushies? Being the dedicated fake boyfriend he was, there was no way the duke wouldn't win it for him now. He motioned for Neuvillette and Sigewinne to wait for him and he went back to the clerk.

“I'll have another go at it,” said Wriothesley.

The young man sighed as he exchanged the Mora for the mallet, knowing he would lose another plushie so easily. Indeed, when Wriothesley brought the mallet down on the lever for a second time, the bell ran loudly once more, earning the duke his second prize.

“Which one will it be?” asked the clerk as he took back the mallet.

Wriothesley pointed to the otter and soon enough, it was in his possession. The duke hastily went back to his companions and presented the plushie to Neuvillette.

“For you,” said Wriothesley with a warm smile.

Neuvillette's eyes grew wide as he looked at the adorable otter being offered to him. “Oh, Wriothesley, you shouldn't have...”

“Nonsense. You seemed like you wanted it,” argued the duke.

Those beautiful lavender eyes settled on his face. “While I find it very cute, and I appreciate the gesture, I don't think it would be very appropriate for me to have it,” said the Iudex softly, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Wriothesley's smile grew indulgent. He spoke softly; “Why not? If anything, it can serve as decoration in your house! But if you don't want it, we can give it away to a kid.”

As soon as he made the suggestion, Neuvillette grabbed the otter and hugged it tightly. It seemed to be an instinctual movement, judging by the shock in his lavender eyes. A second later, Neuvillette was blushing vividly from ear to ear, and he avoided Wriothesley's gaze as he spoke softly; “Thank you. I will cherish it.”

Oh, Wriothesley's poor heart couldn't withstand such cuteness. He blurted out without thinking; “You are so cute, Neuvi.”

He silently cursed himself for spilling out the nickname that he'd begun calling Neuvillette in his head. He didn't mean to let it slip. Fortunately, Neuvillette didn't seem offended by it. If anything, his blush deepened in color.

“I don't think anyone has ever called me that before,” said Neuvillette quietly, looking more flustered than Wriothesley had ever seen him. It made the duke want to tease him more, but he abstained himself. The last thing he wanted to do was push it too far and make Neuvillette upset.

“What, Neuvi or cute?” asked the duke softly.

“Both,” replied Neuvillette, his eyes still not meeting Wriothesley’s gaze.

His tone gave nothing away of what he thought of it. Wriothesley's heart beat faster in his chest and he tilted his head to seek his beloved's gaze. “Do you mind me calling you Neuvi?”

Those gorgeous eyes finally met his gaze, and the joy in them stole Wriothesley's breath away. “Coming from you, no,” admitted the Iudex quietly, his cheeks still colored a lovely pink.

Warmth filled Wriothesley at Neuvillette's admission. He realized he must have been staring at Neuvillette's pretty face for far too long when Sigewinne's giggles snapped him out of his daze.

Wriothesley turned his gaze on the Melusine to find her looking at them with a wide, teasing smile, still laughing in pure glee. Wriothesley shot her a glare, silently telling her to keep her mouth shut. He could already sense her eagerness to spill out damning comments that would give away his hidden feelings.

It seemed Sigewinne understood his silent warning, as instead she grabbed their hands again and pulled them forward. “Come on, I want to see the other stands!!”

Neuvillette chuckled warmly, and it made Wriothesley smile to see him so happy. They wandered around through the crowd, looking at the different stands until Sigewinne stopped near a booth selling some kind of sugary treat. Sigewinne looked closely as the young woman tending the stand handed something that resembled a ball of cotton on a stick to a young boy, who took it and began eating it with enthusiasm.

Sigewinne pulled on Wriothesley's sleeve. “What is he eating?” asked the Melusine as she sought his gaze.

Wriothesley shrugged, completely clueless. “I’ve never seen that before. Neuvi, do you know what it's called?”

Neuvillette rested his hand beneath his chin in a thoughtful pose. “If I'm not mistaken, I believe it is called “cotton candy”. I've never tried it, but I am curious to know what it tastes like.”

Wriothesley looked at Sigewinne and saw the curiosity in her gaze. He smiled and said, “I'll be right back, then.”

Wriothesley left Neuvillette and Sigewinne's side and entered the queue to buy cotton candy for the three of them.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

As they waited for Wriothesley to come back with some cotton candy, Neuvillette squeezed the otter plushie in his arm. The joy in his heart at holding Wriothesley's gift overpowered the self-consciousness he felt at being seen holding what many considered appropriate for children only. He couldn't bring himself to care anymore.

Wriothesley had seen how much he had wanted it and provided it for him. His draconic side thrilled at the care Wriothesley was showing him. How considerate the sweet duke was.

“You seem happy, Monsieur,” observed Sigewinne at his side, still holding onto his hand.

Neuvillette hummed as he looked down at his Melusine. “Do I? Funnily enough, Sedene made the same observation not long ago.”

Sigewinne turned her gaze on Wriothesley for a quick second before looking back at him. “Could this have something to do with His Grace? You've been spending a lot of time with him lately,” remarked Sigewinne, quietly enough that Wriothesley would not hear her from his place nearing the stand.

Neuvillette felt no reason to hide the truth, so he answered honestly. “You are correct.”

Sigewinne smiled brightly in response. She quickly asked with excitement; “If you don't mind me asking, what do you feel about him?”

Neuvillette was taken aback by the question. He frowned, his gaze gluing itself on Wriothesley's broad back, covered by his coat. “I... To be honest, I am having trouble deciphering my emotions still. Wriothesley is a good man, kind, honest and selfless. I care about him deeply. I do know that I trust him more than anyone else, and that I feel at peace and happy by his side. He is the only human with whom I can be completely myself and not be judged for it...”

Sigewinne's answering silence caused him to look back down at her. Her smile had become kind, and somewhat... hopeful?

“Hum, I see. Have you begun reading the book I sent you?” asked the Melusine.

Neuvillette felt confused, not seeing the link between her two questions. Still, he indulged her. “Not yet, but I promise I'll get to it.”

Sigewinne's eyes shone brightly. “You should! Maybe some things will become clearer if you do. And if I may tell you a secret, Monsieur,” finished the Melusine in a whisper, motioning for Neuvillette to come closer.

Intrigued, Neuvillette bent down so the head nurse could whisper in his ear; “He would probably never admit it to you, but you are His Grace's favorite person in the world!”

His... favorite person? Him, a dragon Sovereign who was so recluse he had trouble mingling with and understanding humans? Surely Sigewinne was jesting. But when Neuvillette pulled back to look into her eyes, he could see how genuine she was.

And Neuvillette felt incredibly moved and happy to know that Wriothesley favored him above everyone else. The dragon inside him was purring in delight.

Before the Iudex could respond to Sigewinne, Wriothesley came back with two cotton candies in hand. “What secrets are you spilling out now, Sige?” asked the duke with suspicion, his eyes narrowed.

Sigewinne merely giggled and rocked back on her heels. “Nothing!”

Neuvillette watched, intrigued, as Wriothesley glared at the Melusine. The duke sighed and handed one of the cotton candies to Sigewinne. “Righht. For you, little rascal. And for you, Neuvi.” Wriothesley's voice turned softer as he handed the second cotton candy to Neuvillette.

Neuvillette's heart skipped a beat at hearing that new nickname. While he should probably not allow Wriothesley to call him something so familiar in public, he loved it too much to ask him to stop. Thankfully, the pedestrians around them were all too busy enjoying themselves to pay the trio too much attention.

Neuvillette took the cotton candy and smiled at Wriothesley. “Thank you.”

Sigewinne took a first bite of the candy, and her eyes lit up. She seemed to like it. Curious to try the candy himself, Neuvillette took a small bite under Wriothesley's watchful and expectant gaze.

As soon as the exceedingly sugary taste hit his tastebuds, Neuvillette scrunched his nose in displeasure. Wriothesley burst out laughing. “Judging from your face, you don't like it very much,” said the duke between his laughs.

Neuvillette became flustered by Wriothesley’s reaction. “I apologize. It is way too sugary for me,” said Neuvillette dejectedly. He abhorred the idea of wasting something that Wriothesley had bought for him, but he would not be able to eat more of the candy.

Wriothesley smiled softly at him as he took back the cotton candy. “Don’t be sorry. I'll finish it for you. I had the impression this would happen, that's why I didn't get one for myself,” said the duke teasingly with a small chuckle.

Neuvillette huffed as he gazed fondly upon his companion. “You know me too well.”

They resumed their walk down the street, following Sigewinne along as the Melusine stopped at numerous stands. By the time they had perused about half the booths, Wriothesley had won her a couple more plushies and even a thick pile of colorful stickers. Neuvillette chuckled when the duke complained that even more of his personal belongings would be covered with Sigewinne's stickers from now on.

Neuvillette could see from Wriothesley's small, lopsided smile that he secretly liked it. He would not have won the stickers otherwise.

After they had just departed from a booth where magic tricks were being performed, they suddenly heard excited voices calling their names. Neuvillette turned his head towards the voices and smiled fondly as he saw Kiara and Aeife run towards them.

“Sigewinne!!” yelled Kiara and Aeife, just before the three Melusines hugged each other tightly.

“Kiara! Aeife!!” exclaimed Sigewinne, giggling in pure joy at seeing her sisters.

When they broke the hug, Kiara and Aeife waved happily at Neuvillette and Wriothesley before pulling on Sigewinne's hands. “Sigewinne, there's a stand where they are doing face painting! Come on!” exclaimed Kiara with excitement.

“Hum...” hesitated Sigewinne as she looked back at the two men.

Wriothesley nodded with a smile. “You can go, Sige. We'll catch up with you later.”

Neuvillette nodded as well, and the head nurse smiled brightly. “Okay, then! See you later!”

Wriothesley and Neuvillette watched as the three Melusines ran off down the street. “It's been so long since I've seen Sigewinne look so happy. It warms my heart,” said Neuvillette with fondness.

Sentencing her to Meropide had been one of the most difficult things he had to do as Fontaine's Chief Justice. She went through so much, from suffering discrimination in the early years of the Melusines’ arrival in Fontaine to losing her teacher so suddenly, only to be locked away in Meropide for the crime of changing her appearance to help a young girl who she considered a friend.

To witness that today, she could smile so brightly and freely, there was nothing a parent wanted more for their children.

Wriothesley pulled him out of his musings by gently holding his hand. “I agree. Do you want to continue looking around while we wait for her to come back?”

Neuvillette held the duke's icy gaze and nodded as he smiled softly. “Yes.”

The began walking down the street, weaving effortlessly through the crowd of people. They barely had time to look at a few stands when they met two familiar faces in the crowd.

“Oh, what a surprise to see you two here!” exclaimed Navia with a sweet smile. By her side was the champion duelist, Clorinde. Neuvillette noted it was a common sight to see them together like this recently, ever since the truth about the death of Navia's father came to light. He was glad they managed to reconcile.

“We were accompanying Sigewinne, but she ran off with her sisters,” explained Wriothesley.

Clorinde's gaze fell on their linked hands, and the plushie Neuvillette was holding. She raised an eyebrow as her lips formed a teasing smile. “How convenient...”

Wriothesley huffed. “Come on, Clo. You know I wouldn’t lie about that.”

Before Clorinde could continue their banter, Navia put her hands over her heart and spoke softly; “Pardon me if I'm being too forward, but you look adorable together.”

Neuvillette's cheeks and ears flared up at Navia's comment. It must have been very visible as Navia giggled in delight, hiding her smile behind her hand.

“Um... thank you, Miss Navia,” said Neuvillette with embarrassment. He sneaked a glance at Wriothesley, to see him rubbing his nape and avoiding the young woman's gaze. At least Neuvillette wasn't the only one flustered by her comment.

Clorinde's smile turned even more teasing as she looked at Wriothesley. “Pardon my language, but I never thought I would see the day when you would finally grow a pair, Wriothesley.”

While Neuvillette was left confused by the strange idiom, Wriothesley scoffed and narrowed his eyes at the duelist. “I could say the same thing. Since when did you two reconcile? Looking pretty cozy there...” retaliated the duke as his eyes traveled between the two women, a smirk on his lips.

Navia coughed behind her hand, and it was her turn to look flustered. Clorinde sighed and gently grabbed Navia's wrist, ready to get on their way. “I don't know what you're talking about. Let's go, Navia. Best we let Wriothesley and Monsieur Neuvillette enjoy their date in peace,” said the duelist.

“Oh, okay! It was a pleasure to meet you! Enjoy your evening, gentlemen!” exclaimed Navia as she was dragged away, waving them goodbye.

Neuvillette stayed silent, mulling over this peculiar interaction. He felt his heart constrict painfully at witnessing the banter between Wriothesley and Clorinde and seeing them being so familiar with each other. He remembered witnessing a similar interaction between them after Neuvillette sealed the Primordial Sea under the fortress. He had not thought much of it at the time, but it bothered him now to witness such a complicity between the duke and the duelist.

They resumed their walk, and Wriothesley looked at him with concern when he noticed his silence. “You okay there, Neuvi?”

Neuvillette pondered over his thoughts for a little while longer, thinking about how to articulate them. He couldn’t bring himself to look the duke in the eye when he finally answered, “Yes. I was just thinking that you have a very curious relationship with Miss Clorinde. You two seem close.”

Neuvillette surprised himself with how bitter his voice had sounded. He had to physically stop his draconic side from growling in displeasure. What was going on with him?

Wriothesley lifted an eyebrow in surprise. He hummed and leaned closer to Neuvillette. His breath caressed the shell of the Iudex’s ear and sent shivers down his spine. “Are you being jealous, my dear Iudex?” whispered the duke.

Is… is that what it was? Jealousy? Neuvillette hated this emotion. It made him want to resent Clorinde for no reason. Such an irrational reaction that was. Neuvillette looked positively embarrassed as he answered Wriothesley, forcing himself to look into his curious blue eyes. “I apologize, it was uncalled for.”

Wriothesley smiled gently at him. His voice was soft when he spoke; “No need to apologize. It’s true that Clorinde and I are good friends, but there's never been anything romantic between us and never will be. I do believe her preferences would make it impossible anyways.”

Neuvillette frowned. “Preferences?”

Wriothesley’s smile turned teasing. He said quietly; “She much prefers the company of the fairer sex. She and Navia are not being very subtle.”

Neuvillette’s eyes widened in recognition. Oh. He had not realized their relationship was of the romantic nature. He completely failed to see the signs. “I see... And what about you?” asked the Iudex before he could stop himself. Now that they were on the subject, Neuvillette found himself curious about Wriothesley. He wanted to know more about him.

Wriothesley chuckled and bumped their shoulders together. “I never thought the Chief Justice would inquire about my preferences someday,” said the duke mirthfully.

Wriothesley’s words made Neuvillette realize how horribly inappropriate his question was. He was mortified. The Iudex averted his eyes. “Forgive my lack of propriety. I should not have asked something so personal,” he said quietly.

Next thing he knew, Wriothesley was gently pinching his reddened cheek playfully. His eyes were incredibly gentle as they gazed at him. “Hey, I'm just teasing. I don't mind telling you. I like both women and men,” revealed the duke casually.

“I see. You must have experienced both, then,” commented the Iudex, feeling inexplicably… upset at the prospect? How absurd it was; Wriothesley was free to do what he wanted, and it was perfectly normal for humans to experience physical intimacy with others.

He was probably the odd one, living for hundreds of years while remaining untouched. He had never felt the need to share the pleasures of the flesh with someone. Dragons were different; they mated for life, and as far as Neuvillette knew, it was unheard of for one to seek out physical intimacy with a partner other than their mates.

Wriothesley went on to answer without any shame; “Before I became administrator of Meropide, yeah. I experimented a bit, but I haven't been intimate with anyone since I became warden.”

Wriothesley had been abstinent for five years? Surely, with his good looks and charming personality, he must not be lacking in terms of suitors. “Why?” asked Neuvillette with curiosity.

“Being in my position severely limits the options. The power imbalance wouldn't be good. But most importantly, I don't care about meaningless sex anymore. Physical intimacy should be shared with someone you love. In my opinion, at least,” said the duke with a soft, wistful look in his eyes.

Neuvillette smiled at Wriothesley and gently squeezed his hand. “Even though I have no experience with such things, I agree with you. That is what I would want too,” said Neuvillette.

Wriothesley smiled back, but his smile seemed… sad? No, melancholic should be a better word to describe it.

Before Neuvillette could try and make sense of it, they arrived at a stand where an old man was currently making pottery. Neuvillette was instantly intrigued. He pulled Wriothesley closer to watch the sculptor work. It looked almost magical, how the wet clay slowly took form on the pottery wheel, its shape carefully controlled by the man’s skillful hands. When the sculptor noticed Wriothesley and Neuvillette standing there watching him, he pulled his feet away from the base of the pottery wheel and smiled brightly at them.

“Oh, welcome, gentlemen! Would you like to try your hand at pottery?” The old man motioned to three pottery wheels not currently being used.

Neuvillette looked at Wriothesley, and the duke was smiling at him. The Iudex turned his head around and nodded to the man. “If it's not too much trouble.”

The sculptor stood up and excitedly beckoned them closer. “I would be happy to show you the ropes, Your Honor!”

They both watched intently as the old man made a demonstration for them. Neuvillette found it fascinating how malleable clay could become when mixed with water, and how it could be used to make so many decorative or practical objects. It was truly an intriguing form of art, and the Iudex was eager to try.

When the demonstration was over, Neuvillette was happy to see Wriothesley sit down at the wheel next to his own, eager to try his hand at pottery too.

The sculptor gave them some wet clay and Neuvillette took off his gloves to avoid dirtying them. His eyes fell on his now exposed scales, and he gasped quietly. He had completely forgotten about them, too excited he was at trying a new art.

Just as he was considering abandoning the idea to avoid anyone seeing them, his hands were suddenly cradled in Wriothesley's big, calloused ones, and wet clay was smeared all over the back of his hands, hiding his scales.

Neuvillette was left speechless by the duke's brazen and clever move. He lifted his gaze to Wriothesley's face, to see him smiling secretly and winking at him. The Iudex was grateful that his companion was so considerate, so willing to help keep his secret safe.

A second later, he was taken by surprise as his nose was suddenly covered in wet clay. Wriothesley chuckled heartily, thoroughly amused at his little trick.

Oh, two could play at that game. Neuvillette quickly gathered some of his clay and swiftly spread it all over the duke's cheek. Wriothesley looked so silly that it was Neuvillette's turn to laugh freely, uncontrollably.

Wriothesley's eyes became impossibly fond. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you look when you laugh?” said the duke quietly, his voice brimming with amazement.

Neuvillette was taken aback by the compliment. He became instantly flustered, and a pleasant warmth spread all over him. “Never. No one has ever dared. You are a bold man, Wriothesley,” replied Neuvillette shyly, trying to stop his cheeks from heating up, but failing miserably.

Now that he thought about it, Neuvillette was sure the duke was the only one able to pry such a laugh out of him. It felt so easy to just let go of his inhibitions when in Wriothesley’s company.

Wriothesley said nothing in return, but he was wearing a pleased smile as he began working on his wet clay. Neuvillette calmed his hammering heart and followed suit, trying to work the clay into its intended result.

Their first attempt was disastrous, to say the least. But they tried again after listening to the old man giving them tips and tricks, and at their third attempt, they managed something passable. Neuvillette was beaming as he presented a soup ladle in the form of a silly water dragon to Wriothesley. If the ladle was supposed to be a representation of himself in some way, only him would know.

“A gift for you,” said Neuvillette shyly.

Wriothesley was left speechless, his eyes glued to the ladle. “Neuvi, you shouldn't have...” said the duke, looking moved by his gift.

“I insist. However, I will give it to you later as I would like to paint it beforehand. It looks rather plain like this,” said the Iudex.

Wriothesley smiled widely. “Thank you. I will be looking forward to it.”

The duke had made two little teacups, and Neuvillette wasn’t surprised in the least given his undying love for tea.

Once the sculptor had carefully packaged their creations to make sure they wouldn’t break while they dried, Wriothesley and Neuvillette cleaned the dried clay from their faces and hands. They thanked the old man who had graciously shared his passion with them and were about to leave the stand when Sigewinne found them.

Her face was painted with colorful butterflies. Wriothesley whistled when he saw her. “Look at you! Looks like you had fun with your sisters!”

“Yes! I'm sorry for having left you alone so suddenly,” said the Melusine, but strangely enough her expression did not seem regretful.

“Do not worry, Sigewinne. You are allowed to spend some time with your sisters. We had a very pleasant evening regardless,” said the Iudex in a soft tone.

Neuvillette looked around them and noticed that the stands were slowly beginning to pack up. Oh, time flew by it seemed.

“It's getting very late. We should probably head home,” said Wriothesley with a sigh. Neuvillette nodded, but he couldn’t stop the disappointment he felt at the prospect of parting ways.

Sigewinne grabbed Wriothesley's sleeve. “Your Grace, you should accompany Monsieur Neuvillette to the Aquabus. I remember there’s something I forgot to ask Kiara. I’ll head back to Meropide on my own!”

Before Wriothesley could protest, Sigewinne was already going back the way she came. The duke sighed and shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

Neuvillette tilted his head, confused by Wriothesley's reaction. The duke grabbed his hand and began gently pulling him along. “Come on, I'll walk you to the Aquabus.”

The Iudex nodded, pleased to spend even a few more minutes in his sweet duke’s company. They walked the short trek in a comfortable silence. When they arrived at the Aquabus station, they waited for it to arrive in a secluded spot away from the other people waiting.

“I hope you had a good time tonight,” said Wriothesley with a wistful smile.

Neuvillette nodded. “I had the most wonderful time. I will look back fondly on this evening,” assured the Iudex as he squeezed the otter plushie he was holding.

Happiness shone in Wriothesley’s eyes. He was about to say something when the Aquabus arrived at the station, ready to take passengers.

“Oh, the bus is here. I guess this is goodnight,” sighed the duke.

Neuvillette smiled sadly at Wriothesley. “Indeed. Thank you again for the gift.”

Wriothesley took a step forward and his fingers gently brushed against a loose strand of silver hair, tucking it behind Neuvillette’s pointed ear. “You’re welcome, Neuvi…” whispered the duke wistfully.

Neuvillette didn’t know what possessed him at that moment. Maybe it was the wonderful evening he spent with Wriothesley, maybe it was the gift he bought him, maybe it was that nickname that he was quickly growing to adore, or maybe it was the way Wriothesley was looking at him right now… But Neuvillette forced himself not to overthink it and just went with the flow.

Neuvillette stepped forward until he was crowding Wriothesley’s space, until his nose was filled with the addicting scent of tea, leather and that earthy cologne the duke loved to wear. Wriothesley stiffened, and a second later, Neuvillette leaned in to lay a tender kiss on the duke’s cheek, as delicate as a butterfly’s wings.

When the Iudex pulled back, Wriothesley was looking at him with wide eyes, a vivid blush on his cheeks.

Neuvillette smiled shyly, silently hoping that he had not overstepped. “Goodnight, Wriothesley,” whispered Neuvillette.

Wriothesley swallowed and nodded weakly. Neuvillette was relieved when he saw no anger or outrage on the duke’s face, but merely a small, genuine smile.

Not wanting to miss the Aquabus, Neuvillette forced himself to turn around and leave the duke’s side, feeling his heavy gaze burning on his back. As the Aquabus departed for the Court of Fontaine with the Iudex on board, Neuvillette noticed that his heart was beating faster than it ever did.

His fingers touched his lips, and if he focused hard enough, he could still feel the wonderful sensation of the duke’s skin against them.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Neuvillette was sitting in a remote corner of the large parlor in Countess Hulot's manor, sipping on his glass of water, his eyes glued to the entrance of the parlor. The loud conversations around him from the aristocrats mingling about was probably the root of his burgeoning migraine.

He sighed for what felt like the millionth time when Furina approached him, taking a seat in the empty plush chair at his side. She looked quite lovely tonight, wearing a sleeveless, dark blue cocktail dress with a lace corsage, and a fur shawl over her shoulders.

“Neuvillette? Is everything okay?” asked Furina with concern, her eyes seeking his gaze.

The Iudex inclined his head. “Yes, of course. There is no need for worry, Lady Furina.” For her to come to him instead of entertaining the rest of the guests spoke volume of how dejected Neuvillette must look.

Furina frowned and hummed. She swirled her champagne around in her glass and spoke in a whisper; “Are you perhaps waiting for a certain duke to arrive?”

Neuvillette let out a quiet chuckle. “Am I being that obvious? Yes. He's late.”

Furina scoffed. “Isn't he always?”

“You are correct, but this time he assured me he would be here on time,” said Neuvillette as his gaze returned to the entrance of the parlor, hoping he would see Wriothesley pass the threshold at any second.

It had been almost a week since their outing at the street fair. Both of them had been buried under a massive amount of work and had not been able to make time to see each other. The only contact they had were letters sent every day, and while Neuvillette loved to read over Wriothesley's flowery words of flattery and receive the little gifts he often attached to the letters, he missed him dearly.

They had both been invited to the coming-of-age celebration of Countess Hulot's daughter, held at the family manor. Knowing Neuvillette was obligated to go, Wriothesley had promised him in his last letter that he would make sure to arrive on time for once to keep him company through the tedious social event.

Wriothesley was an hour late. Neuvillette worried something serious had happened. It wasn't in the duke's character to break promises.

Furina gently tapped his hand. “I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Running a prison is surely no smooth process. He might have been held up by something,” reasoned the Archon.

“I imagine so,” replied the Iudex quietly.

Furina held his hand properly and tugged gently on it as she got to her feet. “In the meantime, you should come with me to wish a happy birthday to Mademoiselle Elise. I know how much you loathe socializing, but you should at least do that. Then, you can go back to your corner to sulk in peace,” said the Archon with a teasing smile.

“I was not sulking,” protested the Iudex with a frown, but he stood up, not about to refuse a demand from his Archon.

Neuvillette offered his arm to Furina like etiquette demanded, and she promptly linked their arms together. “Of course not,” whispered Furina with an amused chuckle.

What followed was half an hour of socializing by Furina's side, Neuvillette forcing himself to exchange pleasantries with every noble that accosted them. While he was used to these interactions, the Iudex was taken aback by the cold shoulder he received from some of the aristocrats. Their smiles were visibly strained as they addressed the Iudex, and their gazes held something close to contempt.

He knew why. Wriothesley.

This was the first social event Neuvillette attended since he began his “courting” with Wriothesley. He was experiencing firsthand what Furina had warned him about. While Neuvillette could care less what they thought of his decision, he was very displeased upon seeing how many members of the nobility despised Wriothesley.

Neuvillette slipped away from the crowd and their false pleasantries as soon as he saw a window of opportunity, eager to get a reprieve from the tense atmosphere and the judging gazes.

Unfortunately, his reprieve wouldn’t last for long. As he was about to refill his glass of water at the refreshments table, his keen hearing picked up whispers of his name coming from a private lounge which door was right next to the refreshments table. Neuvillette stood still, straining his hearing to catch the conversation that was quiet enough that a normal human wouldn't be able to eavesdrop.

Judging from the voices he heard, he assumed there was at least five men sitting in that private room.

“... careful about what you say. This could be labelled as slander, you know,” said one of the voices.

Another voice scoffed in disdain. “How is it slander if it's the truth? Why else would the Iudex push so much for this street rat, this criminal to be named duke? A low life who had nothing to his name! I always thought it was an insult to all of us. Now it makes sense why he did it.”

Neuvillette bristled, anger burning in his veins at the degrading words that man called Wriothesley. How dare they speak ill of him that way?! Wriothesley was a better man than all of them combined!

“You really think Monsieur Neuvillette has been sharing his bed with the duke even back then?” a third voice said with incredulousness.

“Why else would he show such favoritism? It's no wonder the Iudex has been refusing our daughters. He was already spoken for, he just decided to go public with it. To think he would stoop so low as to fall in bed with a murderer,” the second voice spat with disgust.

Neuvillette grabbed a flute of champagne instead of his water and downed it in one go. The warmth of the alcohol going down his throat was a good enough distraction from his instincts screaming at him to go in there and confront these vile allegations. Nothing good would result of such confrontation.

Still, who did they think he was, that he would award someone a title in exchange for sexual gratification?

Neuvillette grabbed another glass of champagne and promptly left the table. Now that his mind was reeling from the repulsive words being spewed at him and Wriothesley, the only way he could deal with his misery at being here alone, surrounded by so many judging stares, was to drown his thoughts in champagne.

He was not proud of his decision, but what else could he do? It was way too early for him to make his escape, and Wriothesley had not yet arrived. He wanted to see him. His sadness and worry at his absence did not help his misery.

So, he drank. And since Neuvillette rarely indulged in alcohol, after only his third glass of champagne, he was feeling the pleasant buzz of alcohol thrumming in his veins. He felt too hot under his clothes, and everything was spinning, to the point of making him nauseous. It did have the intended effect to distract his mind from the conversation he overheard.

Neuvillette was rather tipsy when he eventually made his way to the balcony, hopefully not giving away his state of intoxication as he walked there. He sighed in relief at the cool breeze against his heated skin. He leaned against the railing and closed his eyes to fight the nausea.

He was so out of it that he did not hear someone approach him until a hand was firmly gripping his shoulder. He quickly whipped his head around, expecting to see Wriothesley, but his gaze was met with the face of a young aristocrat he had seen a couple of times before. His clouded mind couldn't recall his name, and Neuvillette frowned as that hand still lingered on his shoulder.

“Are you feeling alright, Your Honor?” asked the young man, but his voice was devoid of the concern such a question usually brought.

Neuvillette brushed the hand off and turned his gaze back to the private garden below. “Yes… thank you. I just... needed… some fresh air,” said Neuvillette, praying he didn't slur too much.

He hoped the young man would leave him alone, but it was wishful thinking as the noble took a step closer instead, crowding Neuvillette's personal space.

“Are you sure? You seem flushed. Perhaps you should lay down for a while,” the young man suggested, a honeyed smile on his face.

Neuvillette narrowed his gaze in warning, not liking how friendly this man was with him. “I appreciate… your concern, but what I really need... is some time alone. If you would… excuse me,” muttered the Iudex.

He pushed away from the railing rather unsteadily, intending to go back inside and find a small corner to settle in away from this man, but his wrist was suddenly caught, and he was yanked closer to the aristocrat. “Come now, Your Honor, don't be shy. I can clearly see you are not feeling well. Allow me to help you.”

Neuvillette was outraged by this man's nerve. If his head wasn't spinning so much, he would have already pushed him away with a snarl on his lips. But he was feeling so dizzy that he had trouble standing on his two feet, let alone pry himself free.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley cursed under his breath as he hurried down the streets towards the countess’ manor. He was almost two hours late, and all because of one stupid inmate causing enough chaos by initiating an all-out brawl that sent at least a dozen prisoners and guards alike to the infirmary. And of course, just as the duke was about to leave for the overworld to accompany Neuvillette to that coming-of-age celebration. What a mess it had been to clean up, and it took much more time than Wriothesley would have liked to squash that brawl, throw the perpetrators in the isolation cells and provide help to Sigewinne who had her hands full treating everyone who had been injured.

And if that wasn’t enough, due to getting some blood on his own clothes, Wriothesley had to waste even more time to change before hurrying top side.

When he finally reached the manor, Wriothesley internally mulled over how he would apologize to his beloved for making him wait so long.

As soon as the two doormen standing at the manor’s front entrance recognized him, Wriothesley was let inside and ushered towards the parlor where the guests were still milling about.

His eyes scanned over the lavish room filled with nobles drinking and talking, trying to locate long silver hair or a flash of lavender eyes. Not seeing Neuvillette right away, the duke began walking around the room, greeting the few people who acknowledged him in good faith, and ignoring both the disgruntled glares towards him and the few young ladies who were gushing over him in not-so-subtle ways.

He couldn't see Neuvillette anywhere. Wriothesley frowned. Did he go home already? It was unlikely. He kept looking around, and spotted Clorinde leaning against a wall, her eyes glued on their Archon currently chatting with a group of ladies. He wasn't surprised to see her here; she always attended these social events in an official capacity as Furina's security detail.

Wriothesley approached his friend and waved at her when they made eye contact for a split moment. “Hey, Clo. Do you know where I can find Neuvillette?”

Clorinde frowned, mulling his question over. “Sorry, I haven't seen your boyfriend in a while. He was with Lady Furina half an hour ago. You might want to try the balcony. He does have a habit of escaping there,” said the duelist with a small smile.

Wriothesley scoffed. She never missed an occasion to tease him about Neuvillette ever since she learned of their “relationship” in the Steambird. But luckily, Wriothesley had managed not to spill the beans about their deception. Her teasing would take on new highs, no doubt.

“Thanks,” said Wriothesley with an amused shake of his head. He left her side to make his way towards the balcony doors that were wide open.

When he stepped onto the balcony, he stopped dead in his tracks. Neuvillette was there, but he wasn't alone. A young noble was at his side, leaning close into his personal space. Wriothesley frowned, feeling like he intruded on something he shouldn't have. His heart sank in his chest at the prospect, and he had to remind himself that Neuvillette wasn't his. He had made no claim over the Iudex’s heart.

His assumption turned out to be wrong though, as he witnessed Neuvillette push away from the railing and turn to leave, only to have his wrist caught in the man's hand who yanked him back to his side.

Wriothesley saw red. How dare that man lay his filthy hands on Neuvillette! He strode forward quickly and grabbed the aristocrat by the arm, harshly tearing him away from Neuvillette. “What the fuck do you think you're doing?” hissed the duke menacingly, his gaze narrowing dangerously at the noble looking back at him with wide, fearful eyes.

The young man backed away from Wriothesley and stammered fearfully; “Y – Your Grace! Nothing, I was just trying to help Monsieur Neuvillette!”

Yeah, right. It was clear to Wriothesley what his real intentions were. The duke put himself between Neuvillette and the noble, and he snarled at the latter. “Get the fuck out of here before I do something I'll regret!”

The aristocrat didn't need to be told twice. He pushed away from the railing and hurried back into the parlor, as if the devil was at his heels. Wriothesley would have loved to teach him a lesson for putting his hands on Neuvillette against his will, but the last thing he needed was to stain his reputation even further, especially when it would inevitably affect Neuvillette.

Wriothesley turned towards Neuvillette to see him waver unsteadily on his feet. He caught the Iudex just in time, holding him upright by his arms. He frowned. “Neuvi? What's going on? Are you okay?”

Neuvillette's hands grabbed fistfuls of his vest and he pushed himself against Wriothesley, burying his nose in the duke's neck to the latter's shock.

“Wrio... You're here...” said Neuvillette happily, his words slurring a bit at the end. The Iudex rubbed his nose against his neck, sending shivers down Wriothesley's spine.

As much as he enjoyed a clingy Neuvillette, something felt very wrong here. His beloved was never this affectionate, even less in public. Wriothesley reluctantly pulled Neuvillette away from him, and he gently held his chin to tilt his face up and get a good look at his eyes. They looked glassy, unfocused. That, paired with the slight flush over his cheeks immediately told Wriothesley what was going on.

“And you look wasted. What happened? Did someone spike your water?!” asked Wriothesley, alarmed.

Did that aristocrat drug him in the hopes of taking advantage of him?! If that was the case, then to hell with his reputation! Oh, when he would get his hands on him…

But Neuvillette weakly shook his head. “No. I think... I think I drank… too much champagne,” muttered the Iudex.

Now Wriothesley was very confused. He let go of the Iudex's chin to hold his shoulder instead to keep him steady. “Okay... why? You never drink alcohol...”

Neuvillette didn't respond right away. Instead, his glassy eyes were focused on Wriothesley's neck, as if the only thing he wanted to do was press his face there again.

As much as Wriothesley would like to let him do that, his worry for his beloved was stronger. What could possibly have happened to make him drink so much as to be tipsy? He tightened his grip around Neuvillette's arm to gain his attention. “Neuvi?”

Neuvillette sighed and muttered with a hint of distress; “I just... just couldn't bear to listen to the... the vile things they were saying anymore...”

Ah. Now Wriothesley understood. Still, what he heard must have been particularly nasty if he decided to indulge in alcohol to distract himself from it. The duke felt guilt rear its ugly head at knowing it was his fault that Neuvillette found the need to drown his distress in alcohol. If he'd never entangled himself with him, Neuvillette wouldn't be dragged through the mud along with Wriothesley.

Wriothesley sighed. “I see. Sorry, I should have been there with you. Something urgent came up at the fortress and I was late because of it. If I'd been here, they might have kept their mouths shut,” said Wriothesley dejectedly.

Neuvillette shook his head slowly and hummed. “It's alright. You're here now,” said the Iudex with a pleased little smile.

Wriothesley released Neuvillette when he thought him steadier on his feet, but as soon as he did, Neuvillette pressed himself against him again like a needy cat, once more rubbing his nose against the duke's neck.

Wriothesley was left speechless when he felt something vibrating against his chest. Was... was Neuvillette purring?! Was this some freaky dragon thing? Did dragons purr? Wriothesley’s brain felt like it was getting fried, overloaded by the sensation of having the love of his life clinging to him in such a manner, something straight out of his most vivid dreams.

It was no doubt the alcohol making him act this way.

Even though Wriothesley enjoyed the sudden closeness, they were in public. Neuvillette had an image to preserve, an image that would undoubtedly shatter if people saw him like this. The duke looked over his shoulder and felt relieved to see no one watching them, the nobles all too focused interacting with each other. And if they did glance at the balcony, they probably wouldn't notice Neuvillette right away since the duke’s larger frame was shielding him from prying eyes in their position.

The duke brought his attention back on the very clingy dragon purring against him. “Okay, I don't think you're in any shape to stay here. I should bring you home to rest,” said Wriothesley softly.

“But you just… got here,” came the confused and slurred response, muffled against Wriothesley's skin.

Wriothesley pried Neuvillette away from him for the second time, and almost chuckled at the look of disappointment on the Iudex's pretty face. If he didn't know any better, he would think their Chief Justice was pouting. “It's fine. I'd rather be anywhere else anyway,” answered the duke.

Before Neuvillette could protest further, Wriothesley wrapped an arm around his waist and gently held his hand with his other hand, offering as much support as he could without being too obvious. “Come on, let's go,” prompted the duke as he began walking.

Neuvillette obediently followed, but he was leaning heavily on Wriothesley, and it would be clear to anyone who would be watching close enough that their Chief Justice was intoxicated. That wasn’t good. There was no way they would leave the manor without any of the nobles seeing them.

The duke stopped where the balcony gave way to the parlor, keeping Neuvillette out of the line of sight. His eyes searched for Clorinde and found that she had not moved from her spot. She might be able to help him. Her eyes were scanning the room constantly, alert towards any kind of threat to Furina. Eventually, her gaze fell on Wriothesley, and she frowned. The duke discreetly motioned for her to approach, which she promptly did.

“Wriothesley? What is going on with Monsieur Neuvillette?” asked Clorinde as she stopped in front of the two men, her concerned eyes roaming over the Iudex clinging to Wriothesley.

“He's not feeling very well. I'll escort him home. I’d rather avoid too many people seeing him like this, though,” said the duke.

“Give me a minute, I’ll clear the coast for you,” assured Clorinde.

Wriothesley watched with gratefulness as the duelist weaved through the crowd towards Furina. She pulled the Archon to the side and whispered something in her ear. Furina’s eyes slid over to the balcony as a concerned expression appeared on her face.

Furina moved until she was standing against the opposite wall of the balcony and loudly cleared her throat. The cacophony of conversations soon died down, and all eyes were on their Archon. Furina smiled brightly and announced loudly; “Esteemed ladies and gentlemen! I would like to make a toast in celebration of Mademoiselle Elise's coming of age!”

As she began a speech that was a clear diversion to allow Wriothesley to leave with Neuvillette in secret, the duke tightened his hold around the Iudex’s waist and made his escape as quickly as he could, making sure not to be seen by anyone.

As soon as they were out of the manor and away from the doormen, Wriothesley turned his head to look at Neuvillette. The Iudex was plastered against his side, his head laying against the duke’s shoulder. Wriothesley shook him a little, trying to gain his attention.

“Neuvi? You’ll have to guide me to your home. I don’t know where you live,” said the duke gently.

Neuvillette nodded, his hair tickling the exposed skin of Wriothesley’s neck as he did so. Fortunately, he was lucid enough to be able to give slurred directions, and Wriothesley slowly guided them along the thankfully empty streets due to the late hour.

Neuvillette did not live too far away from the countess’ manor, which was a small mercy. It didn’t surprise Wriothesley, as the nobles and high-ranking officials of Fontaine mostly lived in this high-class district of the city. Wriothesley himself had been offered a house in this district following the reception of his noble title, but he declined. What use would he have of a house in the overworld when his work kept him in the fortress around the clock?

Soon, they were standing in front of a modest-looking, two-story house with a little garden near the front porch. So, this was where Neuvillette lived. Wriothesley didn’t think he would have the privilege to enter his house one day. Granted, bringing a tipsy Chief Justice home was not how he envisioned his first visit could be like.

“Neuvi, can you give me your key?” asked the duke.

Neuvillette hummed and his free hand rummaged through his pants’ pocket in an uncoordinated fashion, searching for his key. It would probably be easier for him if he didn’t insist on clinging to Wriothesley like his life depended on it.

When Neuvillette finally retrieved his key, the duke took it and unlocked the door. He brought the Iudex inside the house and let out a sigh of relief at finally being out of sight of any prying eyes. He hoped that no journalist had witnessed their Iudex inebriated. If they did, he was sure there would be an article written about it first thing in the morning.

The house was dark, preventing Wriothesley from taking a curious glimpse at the décor. He guessed the foyer gave to a living room, as he could barely discern a couch and a love seat through the darkness, as well as a fireplace and a tea table.

“Where is your bedroom?” asked the duke gently.

“Upstairs,” muttered Neuvillette drowsily.

Wriothesley eyed the stairs through the darkness and knew immediately that trying to drag an almost unresponsive Neuvillette up those stairs would be a pain, not to mention dangerous. Better take the most secure option.

“Up you go then. Don't throw up on me,” warned Wriothesley, before bending down to swing an arm beneath the Iudex’s knees, sweeping him up into his arms bridal style.

Neuvillette gasped in surprise, but he did not protest. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the duke’s neck and began purring again, louder this time. By the Archons, Wriothesley would go mad at this rate with the restraint he had to use not to respond to such a show of affection coming from his beloved. This was even worse than that damnable kiss to his cheek from last week that has haunted him for days.

Neuvillette was intoxicated. What he was doing now was merely a result of that, and not a manifestation of his feelings. And Wriothesley would never take advantage of him, no matter how hard it was for him to keep his cool.

Wriothesley began to walk up the stairs carefully, mindful not to trip and hurt them both. Neuvillette was a dead weight in his arms, but surprisingly light despite his tall stature. Wriothesley greatly enjoyed carrying him in his arms like this.

Once upstairs, the duke quickly found what he assumed to be Neuvillette’s bedroom. Because of the soft rays of moonlight peering through the window into the room, he could discern a large bed and a vanity equipped with a mirror, with various beauty products and brushes laying on the wooden surface.

As Wriothesley approached the bed carrying his precious cargo, he smiled fondly when he saw the otter plushie he had won for his beloved sitting on the bed between two pillows. Neuvillette was sleeping with it? How cute was that?

The duke carefully laid Neuvillette on the bed, but when he tried to pull away, the Iudex tightened his hold around Wriothesley’s neck with surprising strength, forcing him to hover above him on the bed with his hands on each side of the Iudex’s head.

“Neuvi... you have to let go of me now,” said Wriothesley softly, half amused and half nervous at the precarious position he found himself in. They were so close that if the duke was to lean in a bit more, he would feel his beloved’s breath against his lips.

Neuvillette’s eyes seemed to glow unnaturally in the darkness, still glossy and shining like the most magnificent jewels. Neuvillette shook his head weakly. “I don't want to... If I do, you'll leave… and I'll be all alone again,” he said sleepily, his voice showing a vulnerability that Wriothesley had never been privy to.

It seemed alcohol not only made Neuvillette clingy, but it also loosened his tongue more.

Wriothesley had no idea Neuvillette suffered from loneliness like that. He supposed not even immortal beings were immune to it. It pained him to know that.

Wriothesley smiled tenderly at his beloved. His fingers gently brushed away the strands of silver hair covering his forehead. “Sweetheart... you know I'll always be there for you, right?” whispered Wriothesley, the pet name escaping his lips naturally before the duke could stop it. Fortunately for him, there was a good chance Neuvillette would have a hard time remembering all the details of this evening.

Wriothesley was weak for that gorgeous man, and his heart yearned for him. Being so close to him right now was killing him.

“I always... miss you...” whispered Neuvillette as his eyes fluttered close. His arms finally loosened their grip around the duke’s neck, enough that Wriothesley was able to pry them off to gently lay them on the bed.

“Me too,” admitted Wriothesley softly.

A small smile stretched the Iudex’s lips. He seemed so relaxed that Wriothesley was sure he would fall asleep any second now. The duke was about to pull back when he heard Neuvillette whisper sleepily; “Wrio... I wanted you to know... you are… my favorite human...”

Wriothesley was taken aback by the confession that came out of nowhere. He had not expected it. He couldn’t describe how happy those words made him, his heart bursting with love for his beloved. “Really? I'm honored,” whispered Wriothesley, his voice filled with emotion.

He still didn't think himself worthy of such consideration, but it made a part of him hope for more, for a deeper relationship between them, to become Neuvillette's one and only. He shouldn't get his hopes up, as it could end up crushing him in the end. But how could he not yearn when hearing such words?

Neuvillette truly would be the death of him someday.

“Go to sleep, Neuvi. You'll feel better in the morning,” whispered Wriothesley before making a move to leave the bed.

Before he could go too far, Neuvillette’s hand shot out and his fingers tightly gripped Wriothesley’s sleeve. The duke looked at the Iudex’s face to see those gorgeous eyes were half-opened, looking blurrily at him.

“Stay, please...” muttered Neuvillette sleepily.

Wriothesley hesitated. Was it really a good idea? There was no way Wriothesley could share a bed with Neuvillette and not end up doing something regretful. The couch downstairs could do the trick, though. The Iudex seemed so earnest in his demand that the duke did not have the heart to tell him no.

The couch it would be then. Hopefully everything would run smoothly in the fortress until his return.

Wriothesley smiled fondly at his beloved as he allowed his fingers to card through the long silver hair spread on the pillow, gently caressing the silky strands. “I'll stay. I promise.”

Neuvillette smiled and closed his eyes. That soft purring came back again, and Wriothesley stopped the chuckles that threatened to leave his lips. He stayed seated on the edge of the bed, waiting until the Iudex would fall asleep, his fingers never stopping their soothing caresses through that wonderfully soft hair.

It wasn't long before Neuvillette was fast asleep. Wriothesley began to carefully disrobe the Iudex, taking off his robes, cravat, gloves, spats and shoes. He had considered letting him sleep fully dressed, not wanting to do something inappropriate, but sleeping in those stuffy clothes would be beyond uncomfortable.

Wriothesley figured it should be fine, since he wasn’t stripping Neuvillette bare.

As he worked on the Iudex's clothes slowly and carefully, Wriothesley thought with a hint of disappointment that this was not the context in which he had imagined undressing his beloved.

Alas, now might be the only time he would ever do this.

Neuvillette moved a little in his sleep while Wriothesley disrobed him, but thankfully stayed blissfully asleep. Wriothesley finished by taking off the Iudex’s hair accessories and tucking him beneath the sheets, dressed in only his pants and poet’s shirt.

The duke took a moment to watch over his beloved. He looked so peaceful like that, with the soft rays of the moon caressing his regal face.

Wriothesley couldn't stop the urge to lean over his beloved and lay the most tender kiss on his forehead. “Goodnight, my love...” whispered the duke quietly against Neuvillette's forehead.

Before he did anything else even more stupid, the duke left the bedside to close the curtains. He then departed the room, but not without throwing one last glance at the Iudex, still blissfully asleep.

Wriothesley made his way back downstairs and sat on the couch. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. This was not how he had expected the evening to go, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad about it. While he hated the reason that pushed Neuvillette to indulge in too much alcohol, he didn’t mind seeing a different side of him.

And Wriothesley wondered; would Neuvillette had been clinging this way to anyone or was it just reserved to him? He might be best off not knowing the answer to that question.

Feeling the weariness in his bones, Wriothesley undressed himself, until he too was only wearing his pants and dress shirt. He grabbed the blanket that was neatly folded over the back of the couch and laid down on the couch under the blanket.

It took him a long time to fall asleep, due to his thoughts furiously running around in his head, but when he finally did, it was to a dreamless slumber.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley grunted as he was pulled awake by someone gently shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes groggily, only to see Neuvillette staring closely at him with concern, a deep flush over his cheeks. He frowned, not understanding why he was seeing Neuvillette upon waking up. But when he looked around, and realized he was not in his own bed in Meropide but on Neuvillette’s couch, the memories of last night came crashing down on him.

Neuvillette drunk, Wriothesley bringing him home to bed, and crashing on his couch afterwards. His heart skipped a beat as he remembered how clingy his beloved had been last night. Seeing the deep flush currently on his cheeks, it was not a stretch to think Neuvillette might remember some of it, if not everything.

Sweetheart. Archons. Hopefully he did not remember that part.

“Hey, good morning,” said Wriothesley as he slowly lifted himself up on his elbows, peering at Neuvillette who was kneeling by the side of the couch.

The Iudex looked positively lovely this morning; he appeared like he came straight out of bed. His hair was disheveled, unbrushed, and his eyeliner had smudged during his sleep. Wriothesley loved seeing him imperfect like this, looking so soft and pretty.

“You stayed,” whispered Neuvillette with surprise in his voice.

Wriothesley smiled softly as he properly sat up, the blanket pooling over his lap. “You asked so earnestly yesterday; I couldn't say no.”

Neuvillette averted his gaze and said meekly; “You could have ignored my drunken demand. I feel guilty for making you stay here out of a silly whim.”

Wriothesley pinched his beloved’s flushed cheek playfully, bringing his attention back to him. “Don't be. Your couch is comfortable enough. I’ve had worse, believe me.”

Neuvillette smiled shyly in return. He hesitated for a moment before he spoke with a hopeful note in his voice; “Let me make myself more presentable and I’ll make breakfast for you as an apology for my behavior last night.”

“You don't have to do that. There’s nothing to forgive,” assured Wriothesley. He didn’t want Neuvillette to think he owed him something. Wriothesley would never need compensation for taking care of the man he loved.

Neuvillette stood on his feet, and he had a resolute look in his eyes. “I insist. Unless you had to go back to Meropide right away?” asked the Iudex wistfully.

“Nah, it should be fine. It's not an hour more that will make a difference at this point,” said Wriothesley, deciding to abdicate since Neuvillette seemed so adamant that he stayed for breakfast. Besides, it would give Wriothesley an excuse to spend a little bit more time with his beloved. Who knew when next they will be able to see each other?

Looking through the window, he noted that the sun had barely started rising, so it was still very early in the morning. Even if he stayed for breakfast, he would be able to get back to the fortress at a reasonable hour.

Neuvillette’s eyes shone with joy. “Good. I’ll get myself presentable, it should not take too long. Feel free to use the bathroom on the first floor if you need to freshen yourself up,” said the Iudex as he pointed to a door next to the entrance of the dining room.

“Thanks,” said Wriothesley. He watched as Neuvillette left his side to go back upstairs. He felt ashamed to say that his eyes lingered a bit too long on how delightful his beloved’s ass looked in his tight pants, leaving next to nothing to the imagination.

Wriothesley felt thankful that Neuvillette was always wearing his heavy robes, hiding this delectable sight from prying eyes. It was better for his sanity that he didn’t get to see it too much.

The duke stretched his limbs and rubbed the soreness from his neck before standing up and making his way to the bathroom. He took his time washing his face and brushed his wet fingers through his hair, trying to tame the fluffy strands, but to no avail.

Once he was done in the bathroom, the duke went back to the living room to put his discarded clothes and boots back on. While he was doing so, Wriothesley let his eyes roam over the living room now that he could see it clearly in the soft morning light.

He smiled as he looked at the walls painted blue, paired with the beige couch and loveseat. It was very… Neuvillette. His smile turned impossibly fond when he noticed the paintings hung on the walls and the various trinkets decorating the bookshelves, obviously gifts from Melusines by how childlike the decorations looked.

Neuvillette’s house felt very welcoming and warm, like every house should be. Something that sadly Wriothesley never truly had.

Neuvillette came back downstairs just as the duke’s thoughts threatened to spiral back to a time he would rather forget. His eyes landed on the Iudex, to see him in a new change of clothes, with his makeup and hair done flawlessly as always. He wasn’t wearing his waistcoat, robes or gloves yet. It would probably be impractical for making breakfast.

They exchanged a small smile and Neuvillette invited Wriothesley to follow him to the kitchen.

Wriothesley watched as Neuvillette began to fetch ingredients from the pantry and fridge to make what must be pancakes. He also took out a container of leftover soup from the fridge to reheat it over the stove. “Do you need some help?” asked the duke. He was never one to stand around and do nothing while other people worked.

Neuvillette turned to look at him and shook his head with a soft smile. “Thank you for the offer, but you are my guest. I will not make you work. Oh, I think I have some tea stashed somewhere. I’ll see if I can’t brew a pot.”

“Allow me to brew the tea, at least,” offered Wriothesley as he stepped next to Neuvillette. The latter seemed to want to protest at first, but when he saw how earnestly the duke wanted to help, he nodded.

Neuvillette found the tea in one of the kitchen cabinets, and Wriothesley got to work on brewing it while Neuvillette prepared their breakfast.

When the tea was ready, Neuvillette invited the duke to sit at the table while he finished making the pancakes. He did just that, quite content to watch his beloved as he moved around the kitchen.

As he sipped his tea, he realized how domestic it all was. It was something out of his most tame fantasies; being able to enjoy mornings at Neuvillette’s side, and then coming back to him after a long day at the fortress, to bask in his calming presence and spend relaxing evenings with his beloved.

His heart yearned for such warmth and simplicity.

Neuvillette soon came over and set the table. He went back to the kitchen to fetch the food and began putting everything down on the table. Before long, there was a stack of pancakes, jam, cream, bowls of Consommé Pureté and some bread littering the table. Neuvillette finally sat in front of Wriothesley with a glass of water.

“Please, help yourself,” invited the Iudex with a soft smile.

Wriothesley did just that, pilling a couple of pancakes on his plate. “Thanks for the breakfast, Neuvi,” said Wriothesley with a smile of his own.

“You are most welcome. I am not the most skilled chef, but I do hope you’ll like it,” replied the Iudex as he grabbed himself a bowl of soup.

Wriothesley took a first bite of his pancakes covered with jam and he hummed. “It’s delicious,” assured the duke.

Neuvillette seemed incredibly pleased. “I’m glad.”

As they began eating, Wriothesley decided to breach the subject that was obviously on both of their minds. “So… how much do you remember from last night?”

While Wriothesley had not done anything particularly incriminating, it would be hard for him to explain the pet name he had used to call Neuvillette.

Neuvillette grew still with his spoon halfway to his lips. The tips of his ears turned pink, and he spoke with a small voice, looking incredibly embarrassed; “Hum… some bits and pieces… I must sincerely apologize for my uncouth behavior. My actions were utterly shameful.”

Wriothesley leaned over the table and squeezed Neuvillette’s free hand in a reassuring gesture. “Don’t apologize, it’s fine. We all act out when we drink too much. Though I must say… I think it’s adorable that you’re a clingy drunk,” teased Wriothesley with a grin.

He was tempted to bring up the purring and the nose rubbing, but he didn’t want to embarrass Neuvillette further nor put him on the spot. If that behavior was truly due to his draconic nature, he didn’t want to force his beloved to reveal a secret he didn’t want to share.

The redness on Neuvillette’s ears spread to his cheeks. The Iudex huffed. “Please don’t tease me, Wriothesley.”

“Sorry, can’t help it,” chuckled the duke. He squeezed Neuvillette’s hand one last time before releasing him to resume eating his pancakes.

His expression grew more serious as he asked; “But… what happened exactly to make you drink that much? You mentioned some people saying unsavory things…”

Neuvillette’s eyes darkened with anger, and it took Wriothesley aback. It was the first time he saw his beloved express anger like that. Displeasure, sure. But pure, unadulterated fury… He hated it. Such a kind soul as Neuvillette should never be given a reason to feel this way.

“I dare not repeat their words, but… they insulted you at length, and were implying that… I was sharing my bed with you five years ago, and that it was why I pushed for you to receive your title,” revealed the Iudex, his tone upset as he averted his eyes.

Wriothesley had guessed something along that vein. It pissed him off that they dared spread rumors like that about Neuvillette. No one had a more noble character than Neuvillette. The Iudex would never stoop to such levels. One had to be mad to believe that.

What pissed Wriothesley off even more was knowing that he couldn’t settle this with the nobles like he did in Meropide. It would only make things worse if Wriothesley was to confront them.

“I see… I know it’s hard, but don’t let it get to you too much. I don’t care what they say about me, so you shouldn’t either. As for those rumors, people would be mad to believe them. Let them spew what they want. You’ve proven yourself to be fair and impartial time and time again. The best thing you can do is ignore them,” advised Wriothesley gently.

Neuvillette nodded. “I agree. I had a moment of weakness, but I won’t let it happen again. Thank you for helping me leave with my dignity yesterday,” he said with a small smile at the end.

“No need to thank me. I’m just glad I could bring you home safe,” replied the duke with honesty.

He didn't want to think about what could have happened to Neuvillette had he not stepped in when he did. What did that noble wanted to do to him? Granted, Neuvillette was far from defenseless, but tipsy and vulnerable as he was... Even their mighty Iudex could have found himself in a very unsavory situation.

Wriothesley finished his pancakes and grabbed a bowl of soup. He was curious to try it for the first time, knowing this soup was Neuvillette's specialty.

Wriothesley took a first spoonful of broth, and he froze as the flavor of the soup hit his tastebuds. That taste... It was familiar. Memories flashed in his mind, memories of a cold winter night, of hunger so bad it was devouring his insides, and soon his eyes filled with tears.

Neuvillette noticed the duke's silence. He stopped eating and frowned at Wriothesley with concern in his eyes at seeing the expression on his face. “Wriothesley? Is something wrong? Is the soup not to your taste?”

The duke took a moment to gather his thoughts and settle his emotions. He put his spoon down and covered the lower half of his face with his hand as he willed himself to calm down.

Neuvillette grew more concerned by the second, so Wriothesley spoke as soon as he could, his voice thick with emotion; “Your soup tastes exactly like the one a Melusine gave me once a long time ago, when I was homeless, surviving on the streets. I could never forget the taste of it...”

Neuvillette's eyes widened in surprise. They soon shone with recognition, and the Iudex's expression turned bashful. The silence that followed felt heavy, as if there was a hidden truth hanging in the air between them.

When Neuvillette eventually spoke, his voice was meek, almost hesitant; “It is not a coincidence. I have a confession to make... I was the one who made that soup and instructed that Melusine to give it to you.”

Wriothesley was left speechless by that confession, his heart skipping a beat. He didn't know how to process that information, and what it implied.

Neuvillette took advantage of Wriothesley's stunned silence to continue, averting his eyes in something akin to nervousness. “When I saw you on the streets that day, you looked so cold and hungry. I felt compelled to do something, but I could not show any kind of partiality or favoritism to anyone. I had also forbidden my Melusines to give presents to humans, to make sure they would not put themselves in a vulnerable position where they could be harmed. I... broke the rule I put in place by asking that Melusine to bring you the soup I made,” admitted the Chief Justice quietly.

As a tense silence fell over them, Wriothesley was caught in a whirlwind of emotions. Awe, disbelief, yearning, love... It was all too much. But above everything else stood one emotion in particular.

Gratitude. Neuvillette had cared for him this far back, even if he was a total stranger to him, cared enough to break his own rule for him. He had been the only one giving a shit about him when Wriothesley had been at the lowest point of his life, trying to survive on the streets and grow strong enough to take down his caretakers and save his siblings.

All these years… the soup, and then the correspondence between Neuvillette and Sigewinne relaying Wriothesley’s daily life in the fortress, that he had mistakenly labelled as spying… it was all because Neuvillette cared about him from the beginning.

Wriothesley stood up so abruptly that the chair he had been sitting on toppled to the ground loudly, the sound making Neuvillette jump out of his skin. The duke let his emotions take over him and he quickly rounded the table to stand at the Iudex's side. Under Neuvillette's stormy gaze, Wriothesley gently grabbed his beloved’s hands and pulled him to his feet.

Neuvillette gasped as he was suddenly pulled in Wriothesley's embrace, the duke's arms wrapping around his waist and shoulders. Wriothesley held him tightly and pressed his nose against Neuvillette's hair, inhaling the sweet scent of Romaritime flowers and Petrichor. “Thank you, Neuvi, for saving my life...” whispered Wriothesley with a trembling voice.

Neuvillette tentatively lifted his arms and embraced him back, his hands gripping the back of Wriothesley's vest tightly. He pressed himself closer to Wriothesley, making the latter's heart hammer against his ribcage. “I... it was only a bowl of soup. Surely you are exaggerating...” whispered the Iudex quietly.

Wriothesley shook his head and exhaled shakily. He opened his heart then, allowing himself to be completely vulnerable around his beloved. “But it did... I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I had gone weeks without eating anything. I was frozen to the bone, and so, so hungry... I was tired of it all. All I wanted to do that day was lay down on the pavement and just let death take me. But then came that Melusine with a hot bowl of soup, and I realized that at least one person gave a damn if I lived or died. I couldn't let such a gesture go to waste, so I survived another day. And after that day, every time I felt like giving up, I remembered that small gesture of kindness and I just kept going...”

Wriothesley felt Neuvillette hug him tighter and bury his face in his collarbone. He let his beloved's warmth settle in his very bones, a balm for long forgotten scars. He still had trouble wrapping his head around this new revelation. How kind and compassionate Neuvillette was, going to such length for a complete stranger. How could anyone think Neuvillette was cold and unfeeling?

Wriothesley didn't think it was possible, but he felt himself fall even more in love with that wonderful man.

The soft pitter-patter of rain against the window broke the silence of the room. A few seconds later, the duke suddenly felt wetness against his collarbone. He frowned and gently pulled Neuvillette away, only to feel his heart constrict painfully at seeing those beautiful lavender eyes glistening with tears. One tear escaped his eye and slid down a pale cheek. Wriothesley did not think twice about cradling his beloved's cheek and tenderly wiping that tear away with his thumb.

“Neuvi... why are you crying?” whispered Wriothesley with concern.

Neuvillette lifted a tentative hand, and after hesitating for a split second, he let it rest over Wriothesley's chest, just over his beating heart. Their gazes met and Neuvillette spoke with more emotion than Wriothesley had ever heard before; “I feel incredibly sad that you once considered ending your life, and all because Fontaine's system has failed you... I failed you. but I am also infinitely grateful that despite everything you went through, you are here today. I apologize, my emotions are sometimes easily stirred, especially when it concerns someone that I care deeply about...”

Oh, what those words did to him... Wriothesley wanted to kiss him so badly right now. A part of him wanted to give in and just go for it... with how Neuvillette was talking about him, with how well he was responding to his courting, could it be farfetched to think that he may be feeling the same way?

But the part of Wriothesley that feared rejection stopped him from giving into his desires. If he was wrong and pushed Neuvillette away, he didn't know how he would be able to live with himself.

He couldn't afford to lose Neuvillette.

The duke also filed in his mind Neuvillette’s apparent guilt towards his past, to be brought up later, when they would have more time. He would take his time to reassure his beloved that he did not consider him personally responsible for his fucked-up childhood.

Wriothesley sighed and slowly brought their foreheads together. He heard Neuvillette gasp quietly in surprise, and he closed his eyes as he pacified his sinful desires to kiss the Iudex silly.

“It's unfair for you to say things like that, you know...” whispered Wriothesley in the space between their lips. Oh, how easy it would be to close that gap...

“How so?” asked Neuvillette quietly.

When Wriothesley opened his eyes again, he could see those lavender eyes looking at him with confusion, a cute frown upon Neuvillette’s pretty face.

As much as Wriothesley wanted to enlighten his beloved on the meaning of his words, he couldn't do that less he offered Neuvillette a window to his festering desires.

Instead, Wriothesley pulled away, and with his hand still cradling Neuvillette's cheek, he tilted his beloved’s head down to lay a tender kiss on his forehead.

“Never mind. We should finish our breakfast before it gets cold,” said Wriothesley with a soft smile as he pulled away, witnessing a vivid blush on Neuvillette's cheeks.

Call it payback for that kiss on his cheek from last time. Now it was his turn to fluster his beloved with a kiss of his own. His treacherous heart would have to be satisfied with this.

And hopefully, it would tide him over until the next time he would have the privilege to see his beloved.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Neuvillette’s attention was pulled out of his paperwork as Sedene knocked and entered his office. He smiled as the Melusine skipped to his desk with a joyous expression on her face.

“Monsieur Neuvillette, don't be late for your date! His Grace has arrived and is waiting for you!” exclaimed Sedene with a bright smile.

Neuvillette's gaze turned to the grandfather clock in his office. He had not seen the time pass, too engrossed in his work. “Is it that time already? Thank you for reminding me.”

Just the mention of Wriothesley was enough to make his heartbeat go faster lately. Knowing that he was waiting for him just outside his office filled him with joy.

Neuvillette put down his pen and quickly sorted the unfinished paperwork on his desk, to be picked up tomorrow. Sedene grabbed the tall pile of signed paperwork sitting on one corner of the desk. “I'll take these off your hands, Monsieur.”

Neuvillette stood up and rounded his desk. “Thank you. I took care of every pressing matter. If anything else comes up, leave it on my desk and I will peruse it first thing tomorrow,” said the Iudex.

He felt a little bad for leaving work at the beginning of the afternoon, but he had already agreed to go on an afternoon date with Wriothesley.

Sedene picked up on his emotions and she said in a reassuring tone; “Monsieur, you look apprehensive. You are allowed to take an afternoon off. We will take care of things here. I want you to enjoy your date with peace of mind.”

“Considerate as always, my dear Sedene. I will leave everything in your capable hands, then,” conceded the Iudex with a small smile.

He left his office with Sedene, and his sight was immediately graced with Wriothesley waiting near the Melusine's desk. Wriothesley smiled fondly at him when their eyes met. “Hey,” greeted the duke softly.

“Hello, Wriothesley,” replied Neuvillette with a smile of his own, excitement filling his heart at the sight of the other man.

Instantly, his mind recalled their last meeting. He recalled how gentle and caring Wriothesley had been towards him when he had been inebriated and vulnerable. He remembered the hug, the kiss on the forehead... Neuvillette had to admit that these memories haunted his every waking moment. The Iudex shamelessly wanted more. More of Wriothesley's tender touches and words. More of his warmth and addicting presence.

Neuvillette also remembered how shamefully he had acted around Wriothesley in his inebriation. Pressing himself against him, purring, and Sovereigns forbid scenting him... He had not been able to control his draconic instincts in his intoxicated state. For some reason, the dragon in him had wanted Wriothesley to smell like him, as if it possessively wanted to lay a claim, to make everyone else back off from the duke.

Fortunately for his pride, Wriothesley had not mentioned his shameful behavior. It was a small mercy that he was grateful for. Neuvillette would make sure to try and control his instincts more from now on. Never getting inebriated again would be a good start.

Wriothesley pulled him out of his reminiscing. “Are you ready?” he asked gently as he gestured towards the Palais' exit.

Neuvillette nodded and they began walking together, ignoring the stares of the Gestionnaires working at their desks. “I am curious to know where you are taking me. It is not like you to be so secretive,” noted Neuvillette as they approached the exit.

Wriothesley opened the doors for Neuvillette. “You'll see soon enough, my dear Iudex,” replied the duke with a secretive smile.

Neuvillette wasn't usually one to like surprises, but he trusted Wriothesley with his life. He knew his surprise would be pleasant and enjoyable.

As soon as they were outside, Wriothesley grabbed his hand and began walking, gently pulling Neuvillette along. While they walked towards the mysterious destination, they made small talk about their respective few days since their last meet up.

Neuvillette was beyond curious when he realized Wriothesley was taking him outside of the city. They made their way north, and up to a country house with a ranch that apparently bred horses.

As they approached the ranch, a big man with a beard sitting on the front porch of his house stood up and met them halfway.

“Welcome back, Your Grace! The horses you requested are ready,” said the rancher as he motioned to two horses standing apart from the others in the enclosure, one black and one white, saddled and ready to go.

“Thank you, good man,” replied Wriothesley as he handed the man a purse of Mora.

The rancher gestured for them to follow him, and they entered the enclosure. Neuvillette approached the black horse and gently stroked its mane, marveling at the softness of its hair. Such magnificent creatures they were.

“We are going a bit far, so I thought this could be a good idea,” explained Wriothesley from his place next to the white horse.

“Horses... We've only recently began breeding them in Fontaine. Have you ever ridden one, Wriothesley?” asked the Iudex curiously. He himself only had a handful occasions of doing so, and he found himself really enjoying the hobby.

“No, but how hard could it be?” said the duke nonchalantly.

“You could be surprised,” said Neuvillette with an amused smile.

“It will be fine,” assured Wriothesley with confidence.

Neuvillette did sure hope so. Thankfully, the rancher took some time to explain to Wriothesley how to ride a horse; how to make it slow down or stop, how to gently guide it along or speed up. Once he was done explaining, Neuvillette mounted his horse gracefully, feeling Wriothesley's eyes on him the whole time. The duke was a fast learner, it seemed, as he easily mounted his own horse, copying the Iudex's movements.

The rancher opened the enclosure, and they were free to go. Neuvillette rode his horse slowly out of the enclosure, and Wriothesley followed suit without too much difficulty. He was doing good so far, to Neuvillette’s delight.

“Now I'm even more curious about our destination,” said Neuvillette as they rode their horses side by side at a slow trot.

“Patience, Neuvi. You'll soon find out,” answered Wriothesley with a wink.

Neuvillette shook his head and smiled softly. He followed Wriothesley along, content in listening to the clopping sound of their horses’ hooves and the sounds of the nature around them. They were going northeast, but the Iudex still had no idea where they were going. He looked at Wriothesley when he felt the weight of his gaze on him.

Wriothesley was smiling at him, and his blue eyes were incredibly gentle. “You're a natural at this,” observed the duke.

“Am I? Thank you. It is my third time, actually. I find horseback riding very enjoyable,” said Neuvillette.

The previous two times happened when he had been invited by Duchess Audry to her manor for afternoons of leisure along with Furina. Duchess Audry was one of the only nobles who was truly down to earth. She was an older lady who had recently lost her husband. She regularly donated large sums of money to charitable causes. She had always had a soft spot towards Neuvillette, and in return he quite liked her company. He found her very kind and somewhat easy to talk to.

They kept riding their horses at a comfortable trot, enjoying each other's company. They were getting closer and closer to the coastline, noted Neuvillette. He was growing more curious by the minute.

Suddenly, something seemed to spook their horses. Maybe there was a predator nearby. Neuvillette easily calmed his horse down, but the same couldn't be said for Wriothesley. His horse reared up, and Wriothesley nearly fell off, managing to barely hold on to the reins.

“Woah! Calm down, buddy!” exclaimed Wriothesley, trying to calm down the animal.

It was a lost cause. The horse suddenly galloped forward, desperate to escape whatever spooked it. Worried, Neuvillette kicked the sides of his horse, and it broke into a gallop, following the duke in the hope of helping him control his horse. Wriothesley’s horse galloped at full speed towards the coastline, straight towards a small dock.

“Wriothesley! Watch out!!” yelled Neuvillette, alarmed.

Alas, there was nothing either of them could do. When the horse reached the dock, it put its weight on its hind legs as it came to an abrupt stop, ejecting Wriothesley forward, straight into the waist-deep water.

Neuvillette watched as the horse ran off in a random direction. He stopped his own horse near a tree, quickly dismounted and tied the horse’s reins around the tree to make sure it wouldn't run off. Neuvillette ran to the docks and knelt at the edge, looking at the water where Wriothesley had surfaced.

“Wriothesley! Are you okay?” exclaimed the Iudex with worry.

Wriothesley sputtered the water he had swallowed and shook his head to get his eyes free from the wet locks of hair sticking to his forehead. A clump of algae was stuck to his head, and he looked positively nothing short of a wet dog. It made for a very silly picture, far from the usually composed duke.

Neuvillette couldn't help himself. He laughed out loud, freely and uncontrollably. The Iudex tried to stop laughing, but it was impossible. Wriothesley pouted, and it only made Neuvillette laugh harder, until tears were pricking his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, keep laughing,” grumbled Wriothesley as he grabbed the clump of algae and dropped it in the water.

Neuvillette's laughing must have been contagious, as Wriothesley found himself laughing along with him.

When Neuvillette finally regained his composure, he wiped at a stray tear and said mirthfully; “I apologize. I swear I am not making fun of you. You just look... very endearing right now.”

Wriothesley approached the dock and grabbed the edge of it as he looked up at the Iudex, still kneeling near the edge. “If I can hear you laugh like that every day, then I would gladly ridicule myself anytime,” said Wriothesley with a dopey smile on his face.

Neuvillette huffed fondly. He offered his hand to Wriothesley. “Here, let me help you.”

The Iudex saw a mischievous glimmer flash in those icy blue eyes. Wriothesley grabbed his hand and pulled hard, making Neuvillette lose his balance and fall in the water with an undignified cry.

He surfaced and coughed the water he unfortunately swallowed, only to see Wriothesley chuckle at him.

“Wriothesley!” scolded Neuvillette, but there was no heat behind his words.

The duke lifted his hands in a pacifying gesture, and his smile grew soft. “Sorry, sorry. It was too tempting. Besides, we're going underwater, so it doesn't matter that you're wet, now does it?”

“Underwater?” repeated Neuvillette, surprised.

“Yep! Come on!” exclaimed Wriothesley as he offered his hand to Neuvillette. The Iudex didn't hesitate to take it, and they both dove underwater.

A sense of peace immediately washed over Neuvillette. He was in his element, and nothing delighted him more than to swim freely amongst the underwater wildlife, becoming one with the water.

Swimming slowly hand in hand with Wriothesley made the experience even more enjoyable. Neuvillette let himself be guided through the underwater trenches, already enjoying their outing immensely even though they had not arrived at their destination yet.

After a few minutes of swimming, Neuvillette watched with delight as four curious leisurely otters began to follow them along, weaving between them and teasingly playing with their clothes and hair. Wriothesley and Neuvillette exchanged an amused smile. The Iudex always had a soft spot for these cute creatures. He was quite happy to have them along for the ride.

Not long after their little companions joined them, Neuvillette could discern a small, underwater structure ahead of them. Wriothesley seemed to be going straight towards it. When they got close enough, Neuvillette noticed a shimmering blue barrier at the entrance of the structure.

Ah, so the inside of the structure was dry. Was this where Wriothesley wanted to take him? His question was answered as Wriothesley traversed the barrier first, pulling Neuvillette along with him. The otters were content to stay and play outside the structure, swimming along the large windows.

Neuvillette let his eyes roam over the spacious room. There was a table and a couple of chairs in the middle of the room, bookshelves along the walls, a couch and a tea table on the far side of the room, and a gramophone near the entrance. On the table were a tea set ready to be used and a tray with deserts and snacks on it.

Did Wriothesley come here earlier in the morning to set this all up?

Wriothesley let go of Neuvillette's hand and walked a few steps forward, gesturing around them. “Here we go! I thought we could enjoy a nice, relaxing afternoon with some tea and treats, while having an unbeatable view,” said the duke with a warm smile.

Unbeatable view indeed. They could have had tea and treats anywhere really, but Wriothesley always aimed to make their dates as unforgettable as possible. Neuvillette felt very touched by the lengths his sweet duke went to for him.

Neuvillette smiled as he walked towards the table. “This is an excellent idea. Oh, let me,” he added as he noticed how Wriothesley and himself were currently trailing water everywhere from their soaked clothes and hair.

Neuvillette lifted his hand and drained the water from them both, before dropping it outside of the barrier with a flick of his wrist.

When his gaze returned to his companion, Wriothesley was looking at him with an impressed smile and a raised eyebrow. “That's a pretty neat trick. Thanks,” said the duke gratefully.

“You are welcome,” replied Neuvillette as he went to sit at the table while Wriothesley fiddled with the kettle had had brought along with the tea.

“How did you find this place?” asked Neuvillette with curiosity. The Iudex knew these underwater structures were once used by the Research Institute but had been abandoned a long time ago.

Wriothesley answered while he put tea leaves in two cups; “I like to take a swim late at night sometimes. It really helps to clear my mind after a difficult day at work. I stumbled upon this place on one of my longer swims.”

Neuvillette instantly grew alarmed by Wriothesley's words. “I hope you are being careful. With the entrance to the Primordial Sea right under the fortress... You also told me it had begun leaking into the waters around the fortress,” said Neuvillette with concern.

Wriothesley sent a reassuring smile his way. “Don't worry, I'm being careful. Though it could be a good way to test if I'm Fontainian or not. Being an orphan, who knows where I’m truly from,” commented the duke casually, one hand coming to rest beneath his chin in a thoughtful pose.

Neuvillette must have looked positively horrified, as Wriothesley broke into soft chuckles and said, “That was a joke. I would never do that. They're merely intrusive thoughts.”

The Iudex relaxed a little, but he frowned at the duke. “Please do not joke about that. I would be very upset if you were to be hurt by it, or worse,” said Neuvillette with a hint of distress. If Wriothesley were to dissolve in the water… Neuvillette could not even fathom the possibility of losing the duke like that.

The water came to a boil and Wriothesley poured it in their two cups. He handed one of the cups to Neuvillette, their fingers brushing fleetingly. The duke's eyes went soft as he replied, “I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen, I promise.”

Wriothesley took a seat across from Neuvillette at the table and he asked with curiosity; “What about you? Would you be affected by it? You didn't even hesitate to face the Primordial Sea head on, alone...”

Neuvillette hesitated to answer, as the subject veered towards his identity, his most closely kept secret. Lately... the desire to tell Wriothesley what he was had begun to surface. He trusted Wriothesley not to reveal his secret.

Only the irrational fear that Wriothesley might reject him for who he was held his tongue.

“I wouldn't. I have a... peculiar relationship with the Primordial Sea. It cannot hurt me,” decided to reveal Neuvillette, letting his gaze wander to the underwater scenery outside the windows.

“Good,” came the response from the duke. Never pushing, never inquiring as to why. Always respectful of his boundaries.

Neuvillette turned his gaze back on Wriothesley, and upon seeing how softly he was looking at him, he finally made up his mind, his heart racing in his chest.

“Wriothesley...” whispered Neuvillette, his voice sounding more vulnerable than he would have liked.

“Yeah?”

“There is something I have been meaning to tell you,” began the Iudex quietly. He put his hands on the table and laced his fingers together to stop their nervous movements.

How would Wriothesley react to knowing who he was? Would he be repulsed by the reveal of his inhuman nature? No, he was not so shallow... Besides, it was very probable Wriothesley was aware that he was not human. Neuvillette had never hid that part, which would be difficult seeing his rhinophores and pointed ears were out for everyone to see. Not to mention his scales...

“I'm listening,” offered Wriothesley with an encouraging smile.

Neuvillette took a deep breath and spoke quietly, forcing himself to lock gazes with the duke; “I'm sure you are aware of my inhuman nature. As for what exactly I am... I am the Hydro Dragon Sovereign.”

Somehow, speaking those words aloud felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It felt liberating to confide his deepest secret for the first time.

Silence fell over them. Neuvillette nervously awaited Wriothesley's reaction. He needed not be nervous, as a tender and grateful smile soon appeared on Wriothesley's face, and he leaned in to squeeze his hand gently. “I figured as much but thank you for confiding in me.”

Neuvillette's eyes widened in surprise. “You did? I guess I should not be surprised. You have always been exceedingly perceptive...”

Was it the rain that gave it away? His scales? Maybe a mix of both. Wriothesley never ceased to surprise him. He was also very relieved to see acceptance shining in the duke’s eyes.

Wriothesley released his hand to take the leaves out of their tea. Neuvillette spoke quietly; “If you could keep this secret to yourself... It is not something I am ready for everyone to know. In fact, you are the only person I've confided this secret in.”

Now it was Wriothesley's turn to look surprised. He froze with his teacup near his lips. “Truly?”

“Yes. The only others who know are Furina, and the Traveler and Paimon, but not because I told them. That is how much I trust you,” revealed Neuvillette, feeling his cheeks warm up at the confession.

Wriothesley smiled brightly. “Wow. I'm honored truly. But I'm curious; why tell me now?”

Neuvillette had to think about his answer. He smiled bashfully as he answered, “I'm unsure. I think... I think I just want you to see me as I am.”

He knew it wasn't a satisfactory answer, but he couldn't offer anything more as he failed to understand why it was so important to him that Wriothesley knew his secret. But it appeared to be enough for Wriothesley. The duke leaned in and gently grabbed hold of his gloved hand to bring it to his lips, kissing his knuckles reverently.

“I'll guard your secret with my life, oh Hydro Dragon,” whispered Wriothesley, mirth shining in his eyes.

“You're teasing me,” huffed Neuvillette, the tips of his ears turning red by the second. Still, despite Wriothesley's teasing, Neuvillette knew he was being serious. He did not fear the duke telling anyone. Furthermore, being accepted so wholly by him filled the dragon with joy.

“I would never,” replied Wriothesley with a soft chuckle.

He released the Iudex's hand in favor of drinking his tea. Neuvillette tasted the tea in turn, and even though it was not his favorite drink, it was tasteful enough. Wriothesley always chose the best blends and always brewed them to perfection.

How peaceful it was here, just the two of them, at the bottom of the ocean, isolated from the world. Neuvillette smiled at the playful otters still swimming outside of the room where they sat.

The Iudex suddenly remembered something he wanted to bring up with Wriothesley. He turned his gaze back to the duke to find him already staring at him. “Have you received a notice from Chiori? It appears our outfits for the ball are ready for a fitting,” said Neuvillette.

Wriothesley nodded. “Yeah! She delivered as promised, a few days ahead of the ball on top of that. I plan on going to see her tomorrow after work.”

Neuvillette hummed. He was looking forward to the ball, four days from now. It had been a short deadline, but he knew Chiori could achieve it. “Chiori is truly an outstanding seamstress. I often go to her to have new outfits done,” said Neuvillette.

“I can't wait to see you wearing yours for the ball,” said Wriothesley with a hint of excitement in his voice.

“Likewise,” admitted Neuvillette.

He was sure Wriothesley would look very handsome. He always did, after all, but there was just something about seeing him in full regalia that made him look even more attractive.

Wriothesley's smile turned teasing. “I won't be late this time, I promise. I must make sure you won't drink yourself silly waiting for me...”

Neuvillette sighed. “Again with the teasing? You are incorrigible,” he scolded with slightly narrowed eyes.

The duke chuckled over his cup of tea. “What can I say? You are so easy to fluster,” said Wriothesley with mirth.

Neuvillette's eyes grew softer. He said quietly, warmly; “Only with you. It perplexes me how easy it is for you to fluster me...”

His admission seemed to take Wriothesley aback. The duke's smile turned almost shy, and he said meekly; “So I'm a special case. You flatter me, Neuvi.”

They fell into a comfortable discussion then, talking about mundane things that happened in their respective lives, while indulging in the delicious snacks Wriothesley had brought along.

Neuvillette found himself enjoying how comfortable such moments were with Wriothesley and prayed for them to never stop.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

When they finished their tea and snacks over pleasant conversation, the afternoon was well on its way to bleed into the evening. Wriothesley calmed his nerves and said casually as he stood from the table where they sat; “You know, there was actually another reason why I brought you here.”

He walked towards the gramophone, and he could feel his beloved’s gaze on his back.

“Really? And what would that be?” asked Neuvillette with curiosity.

Wriothesley didn’t answer in favor of placing a record he had brought along on the gramophone. Soon, the sound of a musical waltz filled the room.

Wriothesley walked back towards Neuvillette, and he smiled at the way the dragon was tilting his head in this adorable manner of his. “With the ball coming, there will be a lot of dancing to be had. I would hate to stumble and be unworthy of our Chief Justice. I figured some practice might be in order.”

Before Neuvillette could say anything, Wriothesley placed a hand behind his back, bowed and offered his left hand to the Iudex. “Would you grant me this dance, Your Honor?”

Wriothesley’s heart was hammering in his chest as he waited for his beloved’s answer. Truth be told, the duke was very confident in his dancing ability. With years of attending such events, one couldn’t always avoid dancing. Wriothesley just didn’t want anyone to witness their first dance. He wanted to keep and treasure this memory, guard it jealously.

Neuvillette laid his right hand in Wriothesley’s, a shy smile on his lips. “I could never refuse you anything.”

Those were dangerous words. If Wriothesley was a lesser man, how easy it would be to abuse such heartfelt sentiment.

Wriothesley gently pulled Neuvillette to his feet and brought him to the middle of the largest empty space in the room.

“Do you want to lead or follow?” asked Wriothesley.

Neuvillette promptly laid his free hand on the duke’s shoulder and their gazes locked. “Lead the way,” said the Iudex quietly.

Wriothesley smiled brightly. His arm snaked around his beloved’s waist and gently brought him closer. “With pleasure, my dear Iudex,” whispered the duke.

He began to gently lead them along the music in a simple but graceful waltz, enjoying the warmth of his beloved in his arms. He was pleased to see how easily Neuvillette followed his rhythm along, their feet quickly growing synchronized.

The duke lost himself in the music, lost himself in those mesmerizing eyes looking so softly at him, lost himself in his beloved’s gentle and addictive scent.

They twirled and swirled along the music, and Wriothesley’s heart felt full at seeing the pure joy in his partner’s eyes and smile.

As the tempo picked up its pace, Wriothesley suddenly spun Neuvillette away, marveling at the way his hair and clothes flowed with the graceful movement, and he brought him back into his arms, close enough that their chests were touching. It felt so right having Neuvillette in his embrace like this, dancing away at the music, lost in a world of their own making.

When the music came to its apex, Wriothesley spun Neuvillette again, but this time, when he caught him, Neuvillette’s back was against his chest. Wriothesley’s hand gripped that narrow waist firmly. He breathed in deeply, close to that tempting neck, and he felt Neuvillette shiver against him. Oh, Wriothesley was tempted to lay a tender kiss against the sliver of skin peaking over his high collar.

The music track died down to make place to a new one. Wriothesley turned Neuvillette around in his arms and he let go of his hand to boldly embrace his waist with both arms. In turn, Neuvillette laid his hands on his shoulders as their gazes met.

How lovely Neuvillette looked right now, with his eyes shining like the most precious jewels and a beautiful, subtle flush to his cheeks.

“You are an exquisite dancer, Wriothesley,” said the Iudex breathlessly, breaking the silence between them.

They were so close that their breaths mingled together in the small space between their lips. Wriothesley fought hard not to stare at those tempting lips. “I'll return the compliment. Dancing with you is absolutely delectable, Monsieur,” whispered Wriothesley, teasing him with his title that he had long since stopped using when they were alone.

Neuvillette opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly. He averted his eyes, looking hesitant. Just as Wriothesley was about to gently question him on it, those lavender eyes bore into his own once more and Neuvillette whispered quietly; “I prefer your other term of endearment.”

“You mean Neuvi?” asked Wriothesley with a soft smile.

Neuvillette shook his head. The words he whispered next made the duke’s heart stop in his chest. “No... I mean sweetheart…”

Wriothesley chuckled nervously. “So you remember that, huh?”

Neuvillette nodded slowly. Well, he was busted it seemed. But wait… Neuvillette said he liked when he called him that, didn’t he? And the way he was looking at him right now, as if he was expecting something…

Wriothesley was watching Neuvillette so closely that he didn’t miss it when those eyes quickly looked down for a split second.

Down at his lips. Oh.

Wriothesley’s heart was in his throat when one of his hands abandoned his beloved’s waist to tenderly cradle his cheek instead. He felt more than he heard Neuvillette’s quiet gasp.

“Sweetheart...” whispered Wriothesley with unending fondness.

A furious blush colored Neuvillette’s cheekbones and his eyes drooped down once more.

The duke ignored the voice in his head screaming at him that this was a bad idea, that he could fuck things up beyond repair if he gave into his desires. But how could he resist the call of those lips anymore?

Wriothesley caved in. He gently tilted Neuvillette’s face up and leaned in to finally capture those soft-looking lips in the most tender kiss.

Neuvillette tightened his grip on the duke’s shoulders, and he froze, looking unsure of what to do. With his heart hammering against his ribcage, Wriothesley softly caressed his beloved’s cheekbone and angled his face, slowly moving his lips against Neuvillette’s, showing him what to do.

The Iudex relaxed and began following Wriothesley’s example, a little awkwardly at first, but he quickly gained assurance.

And boy, all Wriothesley’s carefully constructed fantasies did not hold a candle to what it felt like to kiss the love of his life. The softness of his lips, the little breathless gasps Neuvillette let out, the warmth of his body pressed against Wriothesley…

This was heaven. Wriothesley could die right now, and he would die a happy man.

When they broke apart for air, Wriothesley asked quietly, unsure; “Sorry, was that... was that too far?”

The last thing he wanted to do was cross a line that he shouldn’t have. After all, he must remind himself that Neuvillette wasn’t his.

In fact, all these moments alone when Wriothesley indulged in his desires for closeness with Neuvillette threatened to reveal his hidden feelings. After all, he wasn’t here kissing Neuvillette to further their ruse; there was no audience to witness this moment but those little otters swimming outside.

But Wriothesley was greedy; he would take everything he could get, until Neuvillette inevitably caught onto the truth behind his actions or decided he went too far.

Neuvillette had a dazed look in his eyes as he stared at Wriothesley’s lips. “No... kiss me again,” he whispered.

How could Wriothesley ever deny such a sweet request? Their lips met once more, and even though the duke wanted nothing more but to deepen the kiss, he kept it chaste, tender, not wanting to overwhelm Neuvillette.

Neuvillette was quick to reciprocate this time, and his hands slid up in favor of circling his arms around the duke’s neck. Wriothesley sighed between their lips and savored the intimate moment, savored how perfectly Neuvillette fit in his arms. He was sure he would be dreaming of this moment for weeks to come.

Lost in such a blissful moment, Wriothesley lost track of time, of how long their lips were locked in that intimate, sensual dance. When they finally broke apart for the last time, Neuvillette laid his head against Wriothesley’s shoulder and snaked his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Wriothesley was sure Neuvillette could hear how fast his heart was beating as he embraced his beloved back, gently swaying them to the rhythm of the music. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his beloved’s silver hair, letting his sweet scent calm his nerves down so he could stop thinking too much and enjoy the tender moment.

Come what may after this, at least he would be able to look back fondly at this moment.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

“It's getting late, we should probably head back,” said Wriothesley eventually, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over them as they swayed gently to the music.

Neuvillette could see Wriothesley was right, as the water around them had gotten increasingly darker as the sun set. Still, the Iudex wished they didn't have to leave. He loathed having to break this fragile bubble of peace and warmth he found himself in.

He sighed and slowly pushed away from Wriothesley's embrace. “You are right, we should,” said the Iudex quietly.

His eyes roamed over the duke's face, and the maelstrom of emotions he had felt as Wriothesley kissed him returned to wreak havoc in his mind. The only thing Neuvillette was certain of, was that he had loved every second of being kissed by Wriothesley, yearned for more even now.

He could not make sense of exactly what he was feeling, and right now, being in Wriothesley's presence was overwhelming.

Later. When he would be home alone, he would try to decipher what he felt. There was no use wasting the time he had left in the duke's company by getting lost in the mess that was his emotions.

Wriothesley offered his hand to Neuvillette, and he did not hesitate to take it, letting himself be pulled towards the barrier. They traversed it and began the swim back to shore, with the otters following them along.

The swim back was as pleasant as before. Once they reached the shore, their little otter friends bid them farewell, returning to wherever they came from.

As soon as they were back on dry land, Neuvillette drained the water from their clothes and hair, receiving a soft thank you from the duke. Neuvillette peered curiously at him. Wriothesley seemed uncharacteristically bashful now, and Neuvillette was sure it had something to do with the kisses they exchanged.

Did he... did he regret it? Surely not, as he was the one who initiated their encounter. Wriothesley must have wanted it as much as Neuvillette did. Then why was he acting this way?

What Neuvillette was sure about though, was that something had shifted between them since they kissed. The air was charged with something, but he could not say what. It wasn't oppressive, nor tense... The Iudex felt hard-pressed to describe it.

As they approached Neuvillette's horse eating away at the grass near the tree to which it was attached, Wriothesley spoke with a hint of embarrassment; “Ah, right. There's only one horse now.”

Neuvillette undid the knot he had made in the reins and led the horse away from the tree. “We can ride together. There's enough room for two,” suggested the Iudex.

When he looked back at Wriothesley, his bashful expression had come back. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, “Alright. I guess we can do that.”

Neuvillette smiled shyly and gestured to the horse. “Get in front.”

Wriothesley lifted an eyebrow. “You sure you want me to handle the horse? It didn't go well last time,” argued the duke.

Neuvillette chuckled quietly. “Nonsense. You did pretty well. You would have been fine had the horse not been spooked. Besides, the more practice you have, the better you will be,” said the Iudex.

“Alright,” replied Wriothesley. He approached the horse and swiftly climbed on it, scooting forward to leave some space for Neuvillette.

The Iudex handed the reins to the duke. Wriothesley offered him his free hand in return. “Here, I'll help you.”

Neuvillette grabbed Wriothesley's hand, and with his help he climbed on the horse, settling himself behind Wriothesley. He tentatively wrapped his arms around Wriothesley's waist and pressed the side of his face against his broad shoulder, the fur of his coat pleasantly tickling his nose.

Neuvillette made himself comfortable as Wriothesley guided the horse to a trot down the road, neither of them particularly pressed for time.

They rode in comfortable silence, and Neuvillette was glad for it. His mind kept replaying the memories of the intimate moment they shared, and it distracted him so much that he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle a conversation right now. His heartbeat quickened, his cheeks warmed up, and there was a fluttering in his belly as he reminisced on their underwater outing. He felt incredibly happy.

He wanted more of that feeling, craved it.

Neuvillette felt disappointed when they eventually arrived back at the ranch, as he had enjoyed riding while being pressed closely against Wriothesley. They were surprised to see that Wriothesley’s horse had made it back safely to the ranch. Neuvillette was relieved. He would have hated for the rancher to have lost one of his precious horses, even if they were to compensate him monetarily.

Once they had dismounted and given the horse back to its owner, they walked back to the city hand in hand, with the moon and stars now visible in the clear night sky.

Wriothesley walked Neuvillette back to his home in a comfortable yet charged silence. It seemed neither of them could do as if nothing had happened between them. And Neuvillette asked himself why as they walked through the near empty streets; why did Wriothesley kiss him? Neuvillette had wanted to kiss him out of curiosity. But Wriothesley was no stranger to kissing. So why? Did he simply realize Neuvillette wanted it and he merely satisfied his curiosity?

Before he could ponder more on the matter, they arrived at Neuvillette’s house. They stopped in front of his door, and Neuvillette wished he didn’t have to say goodbye.

“I had a wonderful time today. Thank you,” said Neuvillette with a soft smile.

Wriothesley smiled back wistfully. The were still holding hands, so Wriothesley lifted his free hand to softly place a stray lock of hair behind Neuvillette’s ear. “Don't mention it. I'm glad you enjoyed our outing.”

Wriothesley looked down at their laced hands. He sighed and said quietly; “Well, I guess this is goodnight. Next time we'll see each other will probably be at the ball.”

Neuvillette squeezed the duke’s hand and whispered back; “Yes. I will eagerly be waiting for it.”

Wriothesley stepped closer and his hand gently cupped Neuvillette’s cheek, exactly like he did after their first dance. The Iudex held his breath, and his eyes instinctively fell to the duke’s kiss-bitten lips.

“Can I kiss you goodnight?” asked Wriothesley quietly as he leaned closer, his breath hot against Neuvillette’s lips.

“Please...” begged Neuvillette, almost desperately.

Wriothesley closed the gap between their lips, and Neuvillette melted at the tender touch that sent his nerves ablaze. His mind went blank, only focused on the sweet sensation of their lips moving together in a slow motion.

He was quickly growing addicted to Wriothesley’s lips, chasing this feeling like a man parched.

The kiss ended too quickly for his liking. He opened his eyes to see Wriothesley staring back at him closely, a small smile on his lips.

“Sweet dreams, sweetheart,” said the duke quietly as he took a step back, his hands falling away from Neuvillette.

“Goodnight, Wriothesley...” said the Iudex with flushed cheeks, his voice trembling.

Neuvillette watched the duke walk away with a wave, and he only unlocked and entered his home once Wriothesley had disappeared from view.

Neuvillette shakily walked to his couch and sat on it. He closed his eyes and finally let himself bask in everything he felt since Wriothesley kissed him. He had never felt such intense emotions. Such joy, and need, and desperation to feel more, to be closer to Wriothesley, as much as he could…

How could he even begin to understand these intense feelings? Maybe if he was to talk to someone about them… Not Wriothesley, evidently. Sigewinne, maybe?

Have you begun reading the book I sent you?

Sigewinne's book... She did say he might get his answers about what he felt for Wriothesley in there, but he never got around to reading it for lack of time.

Neuvillette stood up and made his way to his bedroom, finding the book on his bedside table. He grabbed it and sat on the edge of his bed as he flipped it open.

Reading through it all would take some time, but Neuvillette remembered in her letter that Sigewinne was recommending reading chapter nine. Neuvillette swiftly turned the pages until he found the right chapter. He froze when he read the title.

About human emotions: Love

Neuvillette's mind went blank as he began reading over the passages that Sigewinne had highlighted.

Perhaps the most significant form of love humans can feel is of the romantic nature. Humans are social creatures by default. They seek a partner with whom they wish to build a life, a family with.

How to recognize romantic love:

The person who is in love will constantly think about the object of their affections. It can feel even obsessive, and it is not rare for them to feel jealousy if someone gets too close to the one they covet. When in love, the body releases hormones like dopamine that may make someone feel excited, euphoric and/or anxious when around the one they love.

A person in love will have trouble depicting a future without their loved one. Their loved one's opinions will matter a lot to them, especially about themselves.

When in love, a person will feel a constant desire to be with the object of their affections, and they will feel the happiest when in their company.

Someone in love will also show physical signs when around the one they love; they will be much easier to fluster, their heart will tend to beat faster, they will seek out more closeness, they will laugh and smile more around them.

Neuvillette stopped reading and dropped the book in his lap. He looked at the wall without really seeing it as his mind processed what he just read. Finally, finally he could put a name on what he felt for Wriothesley.

It was very likely that he was in love with him.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley was feeling very nervous as he approached Neuvillette's house to pick him up for the ball. He fiddled with his tie, fixed properly for once, courtesy of Sigewinne who helped him dress in the outfit Chiori had tailored.

Normally, Wriothesley wouldn't be so nervous about meeting up with his beloved and attending a ball. But he couldn't stop thinking about their last interaction, how he had kissed Neuvillette. They had exchanged correspondence since then, but they had not mentioned that intimate moment. And now it would be their first time seeing each other since. Neuvillette had looked quite happy to return his kisses then. But... would he have changed his mind? Was he looking back on it with regret now?

Wriothesley was mentally preparing himself for it.

Once he was standing in front of Neuvillette's door, he exhaled shakily and knocked on the door. It quickly opened, and the sight Neuvillette made stole his breath away.

Chiori's sketch held nothing to the real deal.

The three-piece suit Neuvillette was wearing hugged his form perfectly, showing off the alluring curve of his waist and his long, shapely legs. His jabot, satin gloves and dress shirt were all white, contrasting with the rest of his clothes. His waistcoat was made of a light-blue fabric, with delicate golden embroidery weaved in it. His jacket was of a darker blue, with a subtle floral motif in the expensive fabric and golden embroidery lining the edges. His tight-fitting pants were of the same blue, paired with black dress shoes. The jacket was held closed by a golden, floral ornament with a ruby inlaid in it. In fact, all the accessories Neuvillette was wearing – a dangling earring on his left ear, his jabot jewelry, a hairpiece and a ring on his right hand – were all adorned with rubies, to perfectly match with the color palette Chiori had gone with for Wriothesley.

Wriothesley was wearing a similar three-piece suit. His dress shirt was the same red as the rubies decorating Neuvillette's outfit. The duke's waistcoat was charcoal, with the same embroidery as Neuvillette, but silver. His jacket also matched Neuvillette's motifs, but his was black, as well as his tie, gloves, pants and dress shoes. To match with Neuvillette, the gems decorating Wriothesley's outfit – a dangling earring, a ring and a cravat pin – were all sapphires.

Completing their outfits, both men were wearing half capes draped over their shoulders. Wriothesley's was draped over the right shoulder, the fabric the same red as his dress shirt, with silver lining on the edges. Neuvillette's was draped on the opposite shoulder, white with golden edges.

Wriothesley had to admit Chiori had done an amazing job.

Once the duke was done taking in his beloved's outfit, his eyes were drawn to his hair. The long silver locks flew freely down his back, with twin braids woven from the sides of his head and joined in the middle with a beautiful hairpiece. It looked even lovelier than usual.

As for Wriothesley, Sigewinne had managed to slick his hair back away from his face, taming his unruly hair for once.

“Neuvi... you look absolutely lovely,” said Wriothesley with amazement.

Neuvillette flushed prettily and a shy but happy smile appeared on his face. “Thank you, Wriothesley. You are very handsome yourself.”

Now it was Wriothesley’s turn to feel flustered. He cleared his throat and said; “Hum, thanks. Were you ready to go?”

“Yes. Oh, wait a moment.” Neuvillette walked back to his living room and grabbed something on the tea table. When he came back to the duke’s side, he showed him the object. It was a golden brooch with the same pattern as the seal Neuvillette had created over the entrance to the Primordial Sea. “I was forgetting this,” said the Iudex.

“Oh. Yeah, let's exchange them.” Wriothesley unpinned his own brooch of a three-headed wolf, and he stepped closer to Neuvillette to carefully pin his brooch to the lapel of Neuvillette’s jacket. He stayed still as Neuvillette did the same, his hand lingering over his heart after he was done.

Their eyes met and Wriothesley lost himself in how beautiful his beloved’s eyes were. His throat was suddenly dry as he wanted nothing more but to kiss his beloved again, but before he could do anything untoward, Neuvillette spoke quietly; “Now we can go.”

Wriothesley swallowed the lump in his throat and stepped back outside to allow Neuvillette to exit his house and lock it. As soon as he was done, the duke offered his arm to him. Neuvillette was quick to link their arms together, and they began walking down the streets towards the Palais.

“How have you been these past few days?” asked Wriothesley.

“Quite good, thank you. And you?” said Neuvillette in reply as he looked at Wriothesley.

“Can't complain,” replied Wriothesley.

A charged silence fell over them, just like it did last time after they kissed. Wriothesley was waiting for Neuvillette to bring up the subject at any moment, to tell him off for his actions, for crossing a line he shouldn't have.

Instead, Neuvillette pressed himself closer to him and said quietly, slightly hesitant; “You look nervous.”

It showed that much, huh? “Not gonna lie, I am a little bit,” answered the duke honestly as they stepped in the elevator that would take them to the Palais.

Neuvillette hummed. “Right. It is our first time attending a social event together since we started our agreement.”

That was not what he was nervous about, admittedly, but he would take the out. Wriothesley usually wasn’t one to flee his problems, but if avoiding this particular conversation led to him being able to extend the time he could spend with his beloved, he would.

So Wriothesley forced his nervousness away, not wanting it to ruin this evening in Neuvillette’s company.

“Um, yeah. That's why. It's just... I hope no one will dare say demeaning things this time around. I don't know how I'll stop myself from making a scene if they do,” said Wriothesley, feeling a little bad for lying about the reason for his nervousness. Though the rest of his words were true; he’d better not hear anyone badmouthing Neuvillette in his presence.

“I'll make sure you don't. The last thing I want is for you to get in trouble,” said Neuvillette with a frown on his pretty face.

Wriothesley chuckled. He leaned in and couldn’t help himself from dropping a tender kiss on his beloved’s temple, inhaling his sweet, addictive scent. “I'll try to be on my best behavior,” replied the duke with an amused smile.

Neuvillette looked up at him with such a soft expression, it warmed Wriothesley's heart. His nerves settled at last, as the duke figured Neuvillette would not be looking at him like that if he regretted kissing him.

The elevator arrived in front of the Palais, and they both walked towards the towering building, their arms still linked. The doors were wide open, and two doormen were ushering the attendees inside after verifying their invites.

Once they walked inside, they immediately came face to face with Navia, who welcomed the guests as the organizer of the charity ball. She beamed happily at seeing them.

“Your Honor, Your Grace! Welcome to the Spina’s charity ball! I am honored to count you among the guests tonight. I hope you’ll enjoy your evening! You are looking very sharp, by the way,” said the young woman cheerfully.

Neuvillette bowed his head respectfully. “Thank you, Miss Navia. We wish you an equally pleasant evening,” said the Iudex cordially.

Wriothesley mirrored his wishes, and they walked towards the entrance of the grand ballroom.

“Here we go. Ready?” asked Wriothesley quietly as they were about to enter the ballroom, from where a cacophony of voices reached their ears.

“Yes,” replied Neuvillette firmly.

Wriothesley led them inside, and he let his eyes roam over the ballroom. The massive room was filled to the brim with people draped in their finest clothes, mingling about and chatting over glasses of champagne. The dancing wouldn't take place until after the auction, so in the meantime the guests were free to socialize among their peers. It was by far the part Wriothesley disliked the most, and he was sure Neuvillette felt the same.

Waiters weaved among the guests, carrying trays with flutes of champagne. There was a refreshments table in one corner of the room, and Wriothesley decided to lead them there to get themselves something to drink. He was pretty sure Neuvillette would prefer to sip on water rather than champagne, considering what happened last time.

As they weaved between the crowd with their arms still locked, they greeted numerous guests who greeted them in passing. Wriothesley could feel many pairs of eyes following them, along with excited whispers. He wasn't surprised. This was their first public appearance as a “couple”, and they looked quite the part with their matching outfits. Wriothesley didn't mind too much, as long as those whispers didn't turn into vile words. Let them talk.

Wriothesley threw a look at his companion, and was pleased to see Neuvillette seemed relaxed enough. He dared hope his presence had something to do with it.

They were about halfway to the refreshments' table when Furina suddenly accosted them, a bright smile on her face.

“Ah, my dear Iudex! How wonderful for you to grace us with your presence! The same goes for our esteemed Duke of Meropide, of course!” said their Archon with a pleased laughter behind her hand. Wriothesley didn't miss the slight uneasiness in her eyes when she addressed him. That wasn't unexpected, he supposed. She, like many others, was wary of him. He was used to it by this point.

“Good evening, Lady Furina,” greeted Neuvillette with a short bow of his head.

Wriothesley bowed in turn. “It’s a pleasure to meet you this fine evening, Lady Furina. You look quite lovely tonight. Monsieur Neuvillette, would you like something to drink?” asked the duke as he turned his attention on his companion. Saying his beloved's title felt like ash in his mouth after spending weeks of having the privilege of being so familiar with him.

Neuvillette smiled softly at him. “Just water for me. Thank you, Your Grace,” answered the Iudex warmly.

“I’ll be right back,” said Wriothesley. He departed from the duo and made it to the refreshments' table without further interruption. He grabbed himself a flute of champagne, and a glass of water for Neuvillette. When he turned around, he found himself face to face with Clorinde, who was eying him approvingly.

“I must say, someone’s looking good tonight,” praised Clorinde with a small tilt of her lips.

“Hey, Clo. A rare compliment from you. I’ll take it,” chuckled Wriothesley.

He would offer a compliment in return, but Clorinde was dressed in her work clothes, as usual. It wasn't surprising, really, as she was currently working.

“As you should. Just a heads-up; see the noble who's now with Lady Furina and Monsieur Neuvillette?” began Clorinde as she gestured behind her.

Wriothesley looked over her shoulder and saw that there was indeed an aristocrat who had approached Furina and Neuvillette. He was an older man, with a trimmed mustache and very expensive clothes. Wriothesley had seen him a couple of times, and had always received the cold shoulder from that man.

“Yeah, what of him?” asked Wriothesley as he frowned.

“That's Count Maltais. I have it under good authority that he's been saying nasty stuff about you and Monsieur Neuvillette. In fact, he's one of the principal culprits behind the rumor mill making the rounds lately,” revealed Clorinde.

Wriothesley believed her instantly. Clorinde was not one to lie about such things. She spent so much time accompanying Furina to these social events that it didn't surprise him at all that she was privy to such information. It was her job to keep her ears and eyes open to neutralize any nefarious plots in the bud.

This man has been spewing shit about them, and he was there talking to Neuvillette? No, Wriothesley didn't think so.

“Is that so? Thanks for the input,” said Wriothesley as he left Clorinde and made his way back to Neuvillette's side.

Count Maltais was talking, bragging about the success of his side business, when Wriothesley interrupted.

“Here you go, Monsieur Neuvillette,” said Wriothesley with a smile as he handed the glass of water to his beloved.

Neuvillette seemed relieved to see him back. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

Wriothesley turned his attention to Count Maltais, who was trying and failing to not show his displeasure at his arrival.

“Ah, Count Maltais. What a pleasure to see you. I hope you've been well,” said Wriothesley with a smile that was a bit too malicious to be sincere.

The count narrowed his eyes. Neuvillette and Furina stayed silent, watching the exchange that was about to take place.

“... I have. Thank you for your regard, Your Grace,” said Count Maltais in a frigid tone.

Wriothesley took a sip of his flute and asked nonchalantly; “So what's the latest news in town? From what I've heard, You've always been quite invested in the social life in the Court of Fontaine. I must admit I don't get out much. Running an underwater prison is a lot of work, so I unfortunately have no time to get up to speed on the latest rumors and gossip.”

Wriothesley imagined Count Maltais wasn't stupid. The Court of Fontaine was filled with sniveling, clever and manipulating rats, ready to do anything to preserve their standings. The duke was certain the count would know what he was alluding to. It was Wriothesley's pleasure to put these kinds of people on the spot.

Count Maltais visibly bristled, and his eyes briefly veered to Neuvillette before returning to the duke. He said with a false smile that did not reach his eyes; “I'm sure you are very busy, Your Grace. Though I must disappoint you; I am nowhere near as learned as you make me out to be, I'm afraid.”

Wriothesley was about to push him further when an older noble lady joined their group, stopping near Neuvillette. The duke recognized her as Duchess Audry.

“Monsieur Neuvillette! What a pleasure to see you, my dear!” exclaimed the duchess joyfully, a warm smile on her aging face as she presented her hand to Neuvillette.

The Iudex gently took her hand and bowed to kiss her clothed knuckles. “Duchess Audry. I must return the sentiment,” said Neuvillette with a small smile as he straightened up, letting go of the duchess' hand.

Wriothesley could see how sincere Neuvillette looked. It seemed he quite liked the duchess. It didn't surprise him, as he had heard of the lady's kind and open heart. Out of all the nobles in Fontaine, she was one of the few who seemed to truly deserve her title.

Duchess Audry's gaze turned to Wriothesley. Her eyes were warm as she chuckled, fanning her face with her hand fan; “Oh, and you've brought your beau along! I must say, this old heart of mine was delighted to know that you've finally chosen a partner for yourself! And the Duke of Meropide, no less! What a catch!”

She presented her hand to Wriothesley, who promptly imitated Neuvillette in showing his respect. “You flatter me, Duchess Audry. If anything, I am the lucky one,” said Wriothesley, a gentle smile on his lips as he looked at his beloved.

Neuvillette's ears quickly turned pink, to Wriothesley's delight. Duchess Audry laughed behind her fan, her eyes shining with mischief. “What a charmer you are, Duke Wriothesley. Now I must warn you though. I am quite fond of Monsieur Neuvillette. I would beseech you not to hurt him.”

Despite her light tone, Wriothesley did not miss the underlying warning. He smiled softly and said with conviction; “You do not have to worry, Your Grace. I would never dream of it.”

The duchess smiled warmly. She turned her gaze back to Neuvillette and said; “I quite like him. Monsieur Neuvillette, I would like you to bring him along next time you visit my estate with Lady Furina.”

Neuvillette's blush spread to his cheeks. “Of course. If His Grace would like to accompany me,” replied the Iudex, his gaze turning to Wriothesley.

“I would be honored to. I thank you for the invitation, Your Grace,” said Wriothesley with a short bow of his head.

Duchess Audry seemed highly pleased with his answer. For once, Wriothesley accepted the invitation of a fellow noble out of genuine interest. He felt no animosity from this woman throughout their exchange. Spending some time in her company would probably be pleasant, especially since Neuvillette would be with him too.

“Wonderful! Have a good evening, gentlemen! Oh, good evening to you too, Count Maltais. Now, Lady Furina, if I could have some time alone with you?” asked the duchess as she turned towards the Archon, who had watched the exchange with a secretive smile on her lips.

Count Maltais, on the other hand, seemed positively fuming that he had been ignored completely.

Furina giggled and gestured for the duchess to follow her. “But of course! Let's move to a private salon.”

“If you would excuse us, gentlemen,” said Duchess Audry with a small curtsy before departing with Furina.

Count Maltais promptly excused himself, stiffly walking away in a sour mood. Wriothesley snickered gleefully. “Duchess Audry completely snubbed him.”

Neuvillette hid a small smile on the curve of his glass as he took a sip of water. “She did. Somehow, it makes me happy.”

Wriothesley chuckled and smiled teasingly at his beloved. “Neuvi! I didn't think you had it in you!”

“You must be rubbing off on me,” replied Neuvillette with eyes shining with mirth.

Wriothesley shook his head, fondness filling his heart. Seeing Neuvillette so relaxed in a social setting was refreshing. Wriothesley would make sure it would continue for the rest of the evening.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

“How do you do that?” whispered Neuvillette in awe.

It was the third time Wriothesley guessed correctly who among the crowd would bid on the item on sale in the auction.

They were currently attending the auction held by the Spina to rise charity funds. While Neuvillette rarely bought items from these auctions, he liked to sit and watch from time to time, curious to see what items would fetch the biggest prices. Wriothesley, on the other hand, had turned the auction into a game.

They were both sitting on the last row of benches lined in front of the stage where the auction was held, so the duke could have an unhindered view of the auction participants.

“I'm used to observing everyone around me. Most of the time, I can make pretty accurate judgments in a matter of seconds on somebody. It's just a matter of practice,” explained the duke.

“Or a stroke of luck?” suggested Neuvillette teasingly.

Wriothesley huffed quietly and bumped their shoulders together. “Teasing me again? Oh, I'll show you. Let's see with the next one,” replied the duke, eager to take on the challenge.

But as Wriothesley explained to Neuvillette why he thought Marquis De Sully would definitely buy the ugly painting presented on stage, the Iudex was only half listening to him. He was too entranced with watching his handsome face, lost in his own thoughts.

For someone who had so much trouble being in tune with his emotions, Neuvillette had found it surprisingly easy to accept that he was most probably in love with Wriothesley. He realized now why he had acted in such an inappropriate way towards Wriothesley while he was intoxicated; While his heart had not come to terms with its feelings yet, his draconic side had been more honest.

It had recognized Wriothesley as a potential mate.

And seeing him today, dressed so regally, being such a warm and comfortable presence at his side, and feeling his own heart fluttering in his chest, Neuvillette felt confident in the decision he had made last night.

He would confess his feelings to Wriothesley after the ball.

Neuvillette didn't think it was fair to continue with their agreement under false pretenses. He wanted nothing more but to keep up this charade if it meant spending as much time as possible with Wriothesley, but his heart wanted to do so for the right reason.

Not to push his suitors away, but because they both wanted to be with each other out of mutual feelings.

But... he didn't know if Wriothesley felt the same yet. Part of Neuvillette was terrified that he did not, and that it would signify the end of their courting.

But he preferred knowing now if it was to be the case, rather than to get in too deep and end up miserable in the end.

Neuvillette was pulled out of his thoughts when Wriothesley gently nudged his shoulder. “Neuvi?”

The Iudex flushed at being caught so distracted. He looked towards the stage just in time to see the painting being sold to Marquis De Sully, just as Wriothesley had predicted.

“Marvelous,” whispered Neuvillette with awe. Wriothesley really was good at this.

This little game of theirs went on for a few more items, until the last item came on stage. It was a frankly weird-looking sculpture of a bird, and very few nobles bid on the item. Neuvillette was left speechless when Wriothesley lifted his paddle, bidding on the sculpture.

“Wriothesley? Please tell me you don't really intend to buy this,” asked Neuvillette quietly as the other bidders put in new offers to outbid the duke.

Wriothesley smiled and leaned in close to whisper back; “Nah, just getting the stakes higher. The money goes to a good place, so it would be a pity if it sold for less than nothing.”

While Neuvillette understood his reasoning, he was risking going home with something he didn't want. The Iudex watched as Wriothesley put in another offer, and it was once again met with a counteroffer. However, the third time the duke upped the stakes, no higher bid was made. Neuvillette could see Wriothesley's expression turn slightly worried as the auctioneer counted to two, and was about to lay down his gavel to declare the item sold when fortunately for Wriothesley, a new counteroffer was announced at the last second. Wriothesley let it go this time.

Wriothesley whistled lowly. “That was a close one.”

Neuvillette couldn't help himself. He muffled his laughter behind his hand. Wriothesley looked at him with an appalled expression. “Are you laughing at me?” said the duke with slightly narrowed eyes, but mirth was shining in them.

Neuvillette took hold of Wriothesley's hand and laced their fingers together as he smiled tenderly at the duke. Love warmed his heart as he whispered; “I wouldn't dare.”

Wriothesley's cheeks turned pink, and he rubbed at his nape in this endearing way that gave away his embarrassment.

The guests began to trickle out of the auction room to go back to the ballroom where the dancing would begin imminently. Wriothesley stood up and gently pulled Neuvillette along, joining the crowd in leaving the room.

Neuvillette's heart began beating faster as he looked forward to dancing with Wriothesley. He would have to do his obligatory dance with Furina eventually, but Neuvillette expected to spend the rest of the evening in his sweet duke's arms.

When they entered the ballroom, many couples had already taken to the dance floor, dancing away at the sound of a waltz. Wriothesley smiled at Neuvillette and promptly led him to an empty space of the dance floor. The duke's arm wrapped around his waist and he was brought closer to Wriothesley. Neuvillette laid his free hand on his partner's shoulder and repositioned their laced hands. They exchanged a soft smile just as Wriothesley led them into an intricate waltz following the tempo of the music.

As they swirled and twirled around the other dancers, the same exhilarating feeling as last time washed over Neuvillette, the same warmth and joy at being held closely in Wriothesley's tender embrace. Neuvillette could feel numerous pairs of eyes on them as they danced, but he paid them no attention. Not once did his gaze stray from Wriothesley's icy blue eyes, so warm and gentle as they gazed at him.

They were in their own world, and nothing and no one could ruin this moment.

They must be making quite the sight as they expertly danced in perfect synchronicity at the rhythm of the music. Whispers and admiring glances were aimed their way from several ladies of the court. Neuvillette felt gleeful at the thought that none of them would have the privilege of dancing with Wriothesley tonight. Neuvillette would make sure to jealously hoard his treasure for himself.

And what a pleasure it was to let Wriothesley lead their dance, to be able to just bask in this euphoric feeling of dancing with the man he cherished, to get lost in his magnetic gaze.

Wriothesley brought Neuvillette close after spinning him away gracefully, and his smile was dazzling as he looked at the Iudex. “Everyone is watching,” whispered Wriothesley with a chuckle.

“As they should. You are an excellent dancer, Wriothesley,” replied Neuvillette quietly.

“I think you are the one who has them so hypnotized, sweetheart. You look absolutely stunning,” whispered Wriothesley back, topping his words with a wink.

Neuvillette flushed at the compliment. He shook his head but said nothing, knowing that arguing with Wriothesley was a lost cause. Besides, he preferred focusing on their dance than pointlessly bickering with his sweet duke.

One dance turned into numerous. The songs succeeded each other, and while many dancers exchanged partners or took a pause from dancing to drink and chat, Wriothesley and Neuvillette kept on dancing, pressed closer than what would perhaps be deemed appropriate, but the Iudex couldn't care less. He was so incredibly happy in the arms of the man he loved.

As the current song came to an end, Neuvillette found himself dipped low, Wriothesley bending over him with an arm at the small of his back, smiling softly down at him as they regained their breathing after that last frantic song.

Neuvillette was pulled back upright, their faces close enough that should he lean a little bit closer, he could taste Wriothesley's lips again. He wanted nothing more but to succumb to the temptation, but that would be very inappropriate while being surrounded by so many people. Not to mention Neuvillette had spotted Charlotte amongst the crowd. He didn't want the cover of tomorrow's Steambird to be a big shot of them kissing.

Neuvillette saw Wriothesley look down at his lips and he realized the same thoughts were probably going through the duke's head.

Fortunately, they were joined by Furina and Duchess Audry before they could do anything incredibly stupid.

Furina curtsied gracefully. “Duke Wriothesley, I am sorry to intrude, but could I steal Neuvillette away from you for one dance?” asked Furina politely. Neuvillette was pleased to hear no wariness in her voice. Was she warming up to Wriothesley? He sure hoped so.

Wriothesley let go of Neuvillette to his disappointment, but the tender kiss he laid on his knuckles before letting go of his hand was a balm for his heart. The duke bowed in front of their Archon. “But of course, Lady Furina. Duchess Audry, would you do me the favor of a dance?”

The duchess giggled, her gaze amused as she looked at Wriothesley's offered hand. “I would be honored to, Your Grace,” said the duchess as she took the duke's hand.

Neuvillette watched them move a few meters away before offering his own hand to Furina, who promptly took it and laid her other hand on Neuvillette's shoulder. The Iudex put an arm around Furina's waist and began their dance.

While Neuvillette preferred dancing with Wriothesley, he was used to this tradition by now, and dancing with Furina had become a comfortable and enjoyable enough affair. Furina could be quite good company when she wanted to be.

Furina's voice pulled him out of his musings. “I think this is the first time I'm seeing you enjoy a social event, Neuvillette,” observed the Archon with a pleased little smile.

Neuvillette's eyes slid to Wriothesley. He smiled fondly as he saw him dance with the duchess, seemingly in an animated discussion with her if the way they smiled and laughed was any indication. Neuvillette was incredibly happy to see that at least one noble was in Wriothesley's corner.

“You would be correct,” said Neuvillette as he turned his gaze back on Furina.

Joy shone in her eyes. “You look very enamored. It's a good look on you. I'm glad to see you so happy,” whispered Furina with sincerity.

It moved Neuvillette to witness such heartfelt sentiment coming from her. They might have their disagreements sometimes, especially when it came to how to handle the Prophecy, but they both cared for each other.

“Thank you, Lady Furina. Know that I wish the same for you as well,” said Neuvillette with a small smile.

Furina smiled wistfully in return, but said nothing. Neuvillette couldn't help but think that smile was hiding some deep secret that only Furina was privy to. He hoped she knew that she could always come to him if she needed someone to confide in.

They finished their dance in a comfortable silence, and Neuvillette took advantage of the break to fetch a glass of water. All of this dancing had left him parched. He had just grabbed himself a glass when he heard a familiar gait approach followed by a warm body pressing close behind him.

He turned around to see Wriothesley leaning close in his personal space, a warm smile on his lips. Neuvillette's heart picked up the pace immediately.

“Hey...” whispered Wriothesley, his eyes roaming over his face to end up looking insistently at Neuvillette's lips. The Iudex flushed as he was immediately reminded of their last dance, how he had wanted nothing more but to kiss Wriothesley, audience be damned.

“Hi.” Neuvillette found himself saying back, too distracted himself by everything that was Wriothesley.

Wriothesley leaned in closer until he could whisper in Neuvillette's ear; “I'm getting tired of the scrutiny. What do you say we find a more... private room?”

A shiver ran down Neuvillette's spine at the intensity of Wriothesley's stare when he pulled back. Even for someone with next to no experience in regard to romantic affairs, it was clear to Neuvillette what would happen if they were to do as Wriothesley proposed. He recalled the kisses they had exchanged in the privacy of the underwater chamber. How indecent to consider doing such things in a public building. But Neuvillette had to admit that the possibility of feeling the duke's lips on his own once again was very alluring.

Neuvillette quickly made up him mind. He discreetly pointed towards a closed door on the other side of the ballroom. “See that door? Just past it there is a hallway. First door on the right, there is a small meeting room,” whispered Neuvillette, hoping his voice did not reveal how exalted he was at the idea of being alone with Wriothesley. Ever since he realized his feelings, the mere thought of physical intimacy with the duke easily flustered him.

Wriothesley leaned in again, and this time, his lips brushed the shell of Neuvillette's ear, making him shiver. “Give me a five minutes head start. It's best no one sees us leave together,” whispered Wriothesley.

That was prudent. They would never hear the end of it if Charlotte was to catch them frolicking about in Palais Mermonia. What a scandal that would be.

When Wriothesley leaned back, Neuvillette nodded. The duke threw him a joyful smile and swiftly departed from his side. Neuvillette watched him leave with trepidation, watched him weave his way through the crowd to the other side of the room. Wriothesley discreetly looked around, and when he saw no one watching him, he opened the door and quickly slipped through it, leaving it slightly ajar for Neuvillette.

While he mentally counted the minutes ticking by, sipping at his glass of water that he held in a shaking hand, Neuvillette couldn't believe what he was about to do. It was so unlike himself. At over five hundred years old, he should be above acting in such manner. But whenever he was with Wriothesley, he always forgot his age. Wriothesley made him feel young, and it was a feeling that he reveled in.

When the five minutes passed, Neuvillette put his empty glass down on the table and walked through the crowd towards the door Wriothesley slipped past. Fortunately, no one tried to stop him, most of the guests already engrossed in discussions or dancing to notice him. He easily made his way to the door, and once there, he looked around just like Wriothesley had done, wanting to make sure no one was watching him.

The coast was clear. Neuvillette quickly slipped through the open door and entered the empty hallway. He walked to the closed door of the meeting room and turned the doorknob. It gave way, and Neuvillette entered the dark room, partly lit by the moonlight coming through the window. He frowned when the room appeared empty. Did Wriothesley go into the wrong room?

The door closed behind him, making him jump. Neuvillette turned around just in time to be caught into the duke's arms, and his lips were claimed in a hungry kiss that stole his breath away. Neuvillette gasped and angled his head to return the kiss. He held the sides of the duke's neck and closed his eyes, melting against him.

Wriothesley's arms embraced him closer. The duke turned them around and moved forward, pushing Neuvillette to walk backwards until his back collided with the closed door.

Wriothesley broke the kiss but stayed close enough that their breaths mingled heatedly. One of his hands came up to cradle Neuvillette's cheek, his thumb softly caressing over the Iudex's bottom lip. Neuvillette shivered under the teasing gesture.

“I've been wanting to do this all evening,” confessed the duke quietly.

“As did I...” said Neuvillette breathlessly, his heart racing in his chest. He wanted more kisses, more of this warm comfort Wriothesley showered him with.

He didn't have to ask. Wriothesley pressed his forearm against the door next to Neuvillette's head, and he pushed closer, using the hand still on Neuvillette's cheek to angle his face up into another kiss. Neuvillette eagerly kissed him back, circling his arms around his beloved's neck as he was pressed tightly between the door and Wriothesley. The duke's arm caused his back to arch away from the door in a slightly uncomfortable position, but he didn't care.

Neuvillette would have lost himself in the kiss if it wasn't for the tongue suddenly licking at his lower lip. Neuvillette gasped at the foreign sensation, his lips falling open as he did. Wriothesley took advantage of it to slip his tongue past his lips, lazily exploring the inside of his mouth. Neuvillette found it weird at first, not sure if he liked what Wriothesley was doing. But when Wriothesley's tongue found his own and slowly coaxed him to move his tongue along his own, Neuvillette surprised himself by how pleasurable this kind of kiss was.

He relaxed and let Wriothesley lead the dance of their lips and tongues, and he moaned softly when the duke playfully bit at his lower lip. It only encouraged Wriothesley to kiss him with even more eagerness. This kind of kiss was wet and messy, and Neuvillette felt a strange, foreign warmth pool in his belly the longer he was kissed so passionately.

Neuvillette held tightly on Wriothesley's shoulders, pulling at the fabric of his jacket in an effort to bring him even closer. Wriothesley broke the kiss and panted against his lips. Neuvillette felt the duke's entire body shake against him. Before he could ask Wriothesley if he was okay, the latter nudged his thigh in between Neuvillette's legs. The hand that had been cradling his cheek slipped to the back of his head, grabbing a handful of hair to gently but firmly tilt Neuvillette's head backwards. Next thing the Iudex knew, a warm mouth latched on the side of his neck, sucking and kissing at a patch of unmarred skin above his collar.

Neuvillette couldn't stop the moan of pleasure that left his lips at being feasted on in this manner. He flushed deep red for having made such an embarrassing sound, but it seemed to encourage Wriothesley. The duke groaned and nibbled on his skin. His free hand caressed up and down Neuvillette's spine over his clothes, making him shiver and arch his back further, their chests pressed firmly together.

Neuvillette felt like he was burning from the inside out. Being trapped against the door, kissed and ravished by the man he loved... it was too many new sensations for his brain to compute. Still, he wanted more.

It got even worse when Wriothesley's knee moved a little between his legs, sending a jolt of pleasure to course through his veins. Neuvillette moaned louder, and Wriothesley cursed against his neck.

The duke suddenly pulled back from Neuvillette's neck, and the latter looked at him with a dazed and confused expression. He opened his mouth to speak when Wriothesley put a finger on his own lips.

“Shh...” whispered Wriothesley.

Neuvillette understood why when his dazed state dissipated. His hearing picked up footsteps and soft giggles in the hallway on the other side of the door. A man and a woman, from the sound of their voices. They muttered something and the doorknob beside Neuvillette turned. The Iudex froze in mortification, until he realized that the people on the other side of the door would not be able to open it with the weight of two grown men pressed against it.

The couple muttered something, giggled again, and walked away, probably to find another empty room to get frisky into.

Their eyes met in the darkness of the room, and Wriothesley smiled sheepishly at Neuvillette. “Seems like we're not the only ones who had this idea,” he said amusingly.

Neuvillette swallowed the lump in his throat, steeling his nerves as he replied quietly; “Perhaps... perhaps a more private setting would be better...”

Wriothesley froze, and his eyes observed Neuvillette's face intensely. “What do you suggest?”

Wriothesley's neck suddenly looked very interesting as Neuvillette answered, not able to meet the duke's gaze; “... We could go to my home.”

He knew what his proposition sounded like. Neuvillette might be inexperienced in these affairs, but he was not uninformed. He knew that bringing a potential romantic partner home in such a context was an open invitation for sex. He... was certainly not against it, but only if Wriothesley received his confession favorably. Neuvillette was still determined to have this conversation with the duke tonight.

The Iudex forced himself to look back up at Wriothesley's face. There was a strange look in the duke's eyes, something that Neuvillette could not describe. He felt nervous, wondering if he had crossed over a line by proposing they go to his home.

His nervousness faded away when a shy, bashful smile appeared on Wriothesley's face. “Yeah. Okay. Hum, now?”

Neuvillette nodded as he mirrored Wriothesley's smile. It was late, and the ball was due to finish in an hour at most. It would not be inappropriate for them to leave now.

Wriothesley pushed away from Neuvillette and cleared his throat. “I'll go first, it will give you time to make yourself presentable. Sorry about that,” whispered the duke as he brushed a stray strand of hair behind Neuvillette's pointed ear. His hair must be a mess right now.

“No need to apologize. See you soon,” replied Neuvillette shyly as he moved away from the door so Wriothesley could leave.

The duke did just that, but not before landing a sweet kiss on the Iudex's lips that made his cheeks burn. As soon as Neuvillette was left alone, his mind raced furiously as he fussed over his clothes and hair, trying to not make his illicit behavior obvious to prying eyes before leaving the room.

His heart was beating so fast in his chest it was almost making him dizzy. He had to calm down, this couldn't be good. Why did the prospect of confessing his feelings to Wriothesley make him so nervous? Or was it the potential of sex if all went well that made him such a nervous wreck?

Was it normal to feel so irrational and nervous when in love?

When Neuvillette was ready to leave, a few minutes later, he grabbed the doorknob and was about to open the door when he heard multiple female voices in the hallway. Neuvillette locked the door instead and stayed silent, waiting for the women to be on their way.

As he waited, he couldn't help but pick up on their conversation. It seemed like the women were drunk, as they giggled uncontrollably and slurred their words. His ears perked up when he heard them mention Wriothesley. He froze and listened more intently.

“... Duke Wriothesley? Such a pity that he's taken,” moaned one of the ladies.

One of her companions giggled and commented drunkenly; “You've always liked the shady ones.”

A third voice said excitedly; “But he is a duke. Imagine being made a duchess? What kind of life you could live? He's also very handsome. I wouldn't mind bearing his children.”

A gasp of outrage was heard. “You are drunk, to say these things!”

Another giggle was heard. “She is right, though. It's such a shame that he is taken by someone who cannot give him biological children. A duke should aim to further his lineage, no? If he ever breaks up with Monsieur Neuvillette, I wouldn't mind taking up this honor myself.”

Her words were followed by more giggles. The voices slowly died down as the women walked further down the hallway. But even as their voices completely faded, Neuvillette stood frozen in place, his hand gripping the doorknob hard enough to splint the wood.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley was beginning to worry. He had been waiting for Neuvillette for a good fifteen minutes now, his back against the wall next to Neuvillette's front door.

Did someone stop him on the way out of the ball? Did Neuvillette change his mind?

Wriothesley wasn't even sure what to expect here, why Neuvillette invited him to his house. Did he just want to keep making out? Did he expect sex? As much as Wriothesley desired nothing more but to make love to his beloved, his heart was conflicted. He didn't want to do this under false pretenses. It would be going too far. Their first time – if it ever happened – deserved more than that.

If this was what Neuvillette wanted, then Wriothesley would have to confess his feelings.

As much as the idea of confessing terrified him, having that weight off his shoulders would certainly be freeing. Hopefully the duke wouldn't fuck things up between them. Best case scenario, Neuvillette would return his feelings. Wriothesley didn't dare hope too much for this outcome, though.

Wriothesley was pulled out of his thoughts when he finally saw the Iudex approach the house. The duke smiled nervously. This was it, then. No coming back now.

But when Neuvillette stopped at his side and smiled back at him, Wriothesley frowned at seeing how strained his smile was. Neuvillette seemed highly troubled by something. The thought that he might have changed his mind came back to rear its ugly head.

They were both silent while Neuvillette unlocked his door and entered his home, with the duke at his heel. Once the front door was closed behind them, Wriothesley stood in the foyer, not knowing what to say or do, watching Neuvillette as he went to light the lamp in the corner of the living room.

Neuvillette stayed there for a moment, facing away from Wriothesley. The silence between them was tense, and with each second that passed, Wriothesley grew ever more nervous.

The Iudex finally turned around and walked back towards Wriothesley, but he stopped a few feet out of arm's reach. Wriothesley hated the sudden distance, but it was nothing compared to the soft, quiet words that Neuvillette suddenly uttered, his eyes cast to the ground; “I want to put an end to our agreement.”

Wriothesley felt like he just received a punch to the gut. His world came crashing down around him. Dread settled in the pit of his stomach as Wriothesley asked in a breathless whisper; “...why?”

Silence answered him. Neuvillette's expression was neutral, giving nothing away of his thoughts. Wriothesley forced himself not to panic as he took a step forward. He needed to see his beloved's eyes. They had always been a mirror of his soul, the best way for Wriothesley to understand Neuvillette's emotions.

But Neuvillette took a step back, still not looking at him, keeping the distance between them.

Wriothesley felt his heart break. He talked in a hurt voice, unable to hide his pain; “Neuvi... If it's really what you want, then we'll end it. But don't I deserve to at least know why? Please?”

Neuvillette looked up, and his lavender eyes were filled with pain. The Iudex finally answered him softly; “It's not fair to you. Having you tend to my selfish needs... I should never have allowed it.”

Wriothesley frowned. Not fair? Where did these thoughts come from? He did not understand... Neuvillette had told him multiple times that he enjoyed these moments spent together, and Wriothesley himself had assured him he wanted to do this. Hell, he was the one who offered in the first place.

Wriothesley took another step forward, but this time, Neuvillette held his ground. “Something happened after I left, didn't it? You were perfectly fine with me kissing you not even an hour ago in that room. What happened?”

Neuvillette shook his head. He opened his mouth, only to promptly close it. His eyes once more strayed away, this time finding purchase on the wall. Wriothesley waited with bated breath, hoping to understand how everything could end in such a way. The thought of not being able to spend time with Neuvillette anymore outside a work setting, to not have the privilege of loving him anymore... it was so unbelievingly painful, just like he knew it would be since the very beginning.

Neuvillette eventually spoke, his voice vulnerable and full of pain; “I overheard some nobles say what a shame it was for someone of your standing to throw away everything that your title is awarding you. And they are right. Because you are doing this deception for me, you are throwing away your chances to have a wife, to build a family, to build a legacy to your name. I refuse to have you discard all that for my sake, no matter how much I'm enjoying our courting.”

Wriothesley couldn't help it. He laughed. He laughed in such an unhinged way, torn between relief and bewilderment. Neuvillette looked at him with a mix of confusion and concern.

Oh, Neuvillette almost gave him a heart attack. Wriothesley had feared he had done something to push him away. But no, this was just Neuvillette being incredibly selfless as always, wanting to put an end to their agreement for Wriothesley's sake. Oh, the irony of the situation.

Time for Wriothesley to be completely honest, it seemed. It would be the only way to clear this misunderstanding.

He settled his laughter down and smiled tenderly at Neuvillette, who was looking back at him with wide, uncertain eyes. Wriothesley took another step forward. Now finally within arms' reach from his beloved, he gently held Neuvillette's hand in his own. The Iudex's hand twitched, but he let Wriothesley do as he wanted.

“Oh, sweetheart. I'm exactly where I want to be. If you want to break our agreement for my sake only, then there's no need for that,” whispered Wriothesley with conviction.

Wriothesley brought that hand to his lips and tenderly kissed his beloved's knuckles. Neuvillette's eyes softened. They looked so beautiful right now, reflecting an uncertainty and vulnerability that Wriothesley was rarely privy to.

The duke continued, the sound of his hammering heart in his ears almost drowning his voice as he confessed softly; “I am infinitely grateful to you for having fought for my title. But with all due respect, I don't give a damn about the privileges that come with it. The only thing I've ever wanted, desired so much it keeps me up at night... is you.”

There it was, the truth of his feelings laid out in the open. Neuvillette's eyes widened in surprise, and dare Wriothesley say hope?

The duke took another step forward, now standing so close to Neuvillette that he could see every individual speck in his beautiful eyes. The duke let go of Neuvillette's hand to cradle his cheek instead.

Wanting no more misunderstanding between them, he whispered with his heart in his throat the three words that he'd longed to say for years now; “I love you, Neuvillette...”

His heart was now in Neuvillette's hands. Whether it would be crushed or gently cradled and nurtured would be up to the beautiful dragon gazing up at him.

Neuvillette gasped, and his eyes wavered with emotion. He whispered quietly; “... since when?”

Wriothesley smiled wistfully. “For years,” he admitted.

Neuvillette's expression grew sad. “Oh, Wriothesley... Why didn't you say anything?”

Wriothesley's thumb shakily caressed over his beloved's cheekbone as he laid his heart bare; “Because I don't feel worthy of you. I'm an ex-convict, a murderer. How could I ever hope to call you mine, such a pure and untouchable being? I feared that I would only taint your beautiful soul If I was to put my hands on you. But I'm weak, and greedy. So when I saw an opportunity to have a glimpse of what it would be like to have you, I went for it. Our courtship has been real for me from the very beginning. I knew it was a foolish idea and that it would only hurt me in the end, but like I said, I'm weak for you.”

Wriothesley had closed his eyes at the end of his confession. Because of it, he could not anticipate what Neuvillette did next. Wriothesley suddenly felt warm hands gently rest over his chest. He snapped his eyes open to see Neuvillette lean in to lay the most tender kiss on his lips.

Expecting a rejection, Wriothesley was so shocked that he didn't have time to react to the kiss before Neuvillette was pulling away. The Iudex looked at him with such tenderness that it shook him to the core.

“You're enough, Wriothesley,” whispered Neuvillette, with fierce honesty in his lavender eyes.

Wriothesley's eyes widened, and he felt them suddenly burn with unshed tears. These words... such simple words, and yet he had waited his whole life to hear them targeted at him. To have the love of his life say those words to him... it felt unreal.

Neuvillette smiled softly and brought a hand up to card through Wriothesley's hair. “You're more than enough for me. You are everything to me. I never thought I could feel so deeply for a human, and yet here you are...” confessed the Iudex with a voice full of raw emotion.

Wriothesley's heart overflowed with love and gratitude. He couldn't stop a tear from spilling out of his eye, and seeing that, Neuvillette brought his hand down to Wriothesley's cheek to tenderly brush the tear away.

Neuvillette leaned in to kiss Wriothesley again, and this time, the duke responded. He wrapped trembling arms around his beloved's waist and brought him close as he let the sweet slide of their lips calm his overflowing emotions.

When they parted, Neuvillette pressed their foreheads together and whispered in the space between their lips; “I think... I love you too.”

Wriothesley chuckled quietly, tearfully. “You think?”

Neuvillette smiled at Wriothesley as his thumb tenderly caressed his cheek. He explained softly; “Strong emotions like love have always been foreign to me. I can read about them, witness them through other people, but it is not the same as experiencing them myself. But what I know... is that I cherish you more than anyone else in this world. You light up my days like no one ever did. Being with you brings me such joy, that I never want to leave your side. I cannot imagine a future where you aren't there. What else could this be but love?”

Wriothesley smiled brightly, a tender warmth washing over him at his beloved's words. “It does sound like love to me, sweetheart...”

Neuvillette's answering smile was more joyful than anything Wriothesley had ever had the pleasure to witness. He was suddenly struck by the reality of the situation. Here he was, with the most beautiful being in all of Teyvat in his arms, and they had just confessed their feelings.

Neuvillette loved him. This incredibly gorgeous, kind, selfless man loved him back. Wriothesley was the luckiest man on Teyvat.

Feeling completely giddy and enamored, the duke captured his beloved's lips in another chaste kiss, but this one was a lot hungrier and sweeter. Wriothesley poured all his emotions into the press of their lips. Neuvillette eagerly kissed him back, his arms circling Wriothesley's shoulders as he pushed closer in the warmth of his embrace.

One kiss turned into many, as both of them seemed unwilling to have even a millimeter between their lips. When arousal burned low in Wriothesley's gut, he forced his mouth away less he took things too far.

He chuckled when Neuvillette chased his lips, only stopped by Wriothesley's hand gently holding his chin, his thumb softly caressing over a kiss-bitten lip.

“I could kiss you all night long...” whispered Wriothesley hoarsely, lust burning in his veins.

When he looked into Neuvillette's eyes, he found them burning with a similar need.

“Then don't stop... stay,” pleaded Neuvillette oh so sweetly.

And if Wriothesley wasn't sure what Neuvillette meant by those words, he understood when his beloved took his hand and gently led him towards the stairs leading to the second floor, where he knew his bedroom was. His heart picked up the pace, anticipation burning in his veins.

Wriothesley truly was the luckiest man on Teyvat.

Chapter Text

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Neuvillette slowly woke up that morning to a hand caressing through the hair at the small of his back. He shivered at the pleasurable sensation, and groggily opened his eyes to the soft morning light coming through the curtains of his bedroom window.

“Morning, sweetheart...” came Wriothesley's voice from above him, followed by a tender kiss being pressed at the crown of his head.

Neuvillette smiled and pushed himself closer to the warm body of his now lover. He could hear Wriothesley's strong and steady heartbeat against his ear, as Neuvillette's head rested over the duke's chest, just above his heart.

“Good morning...” replied the Iudex sleepily.

He began purring as he remembered what happened last night, after the ball. How wonderful their intimate embrace had been. Wriothesley had been so gentle, so caring. He had made sure that Neuvillette was comfortable and was not in any pain, and he had prioritized Neuvillette's pleasure over his own.

And the way Wriothesley had moved in him, the feeling of being joined together in such an intimate way... How warm Wriothesley's embrace had been, so tender as he had whispered praises in his ear while holding him close... Neuvillette shivered just thinking back on it. He had felt so incredibly loved, it almost brought tears to his eyes just remembering that wonderful embrace they shared.

It had been perfect. Wriothesley was such a caring lover, not that Neuvillette had expected anything less. Neuvillette couldn't help but fall a little bit more in love with him.

Wriothesley's hand moved up to gently caress Neuvillette's arm. “How are you feeling this morning, love?” asked the duke softly.

Neuvillette hummed. He stretched his limbs, and could feel a faint soreness all over his body, comparable to the aftermath of a good workout. “Sore, but happy. I love waking up in your arms...” admitted Neuvillette, followed by a purr of contentment.

Wriothesley moved them until Neuvillette's back was against the sheets, the duke hovering above him. His cheeks heated up as he found himself in the exact position they had made love last night, with his beloved pressing against him between his parted thighs.

But when Wriothesley leaned down to steal a kiss from his lips, there was no heat behind it, only a deep tenderness. When he pulled back, Wriothesley brushed Neuvillette's bangs away from his forehead and smiled at him. “I'm also very happy to wake up to your gorgeous face. You look so pretty when you sleep,” said Wriothesley.

“Flatterer,” said Neuvillette wit a fond sigh, pinching one of Wriothesley's cheeks.

Wriothesley chuckled and leaned down to pepper kisses all over Neuvillette's face. The Iudex laughed at the ticklish sensation, and managed to make his lover stop by holding his face and guiding him into a kiss.

They kissed for a long time, languidly and lazily. Neuvillette knew he shouldn't indulge, as he had to get prepared for work, but Wriothesley's lips were too tempting. Neuvillette's heart was bursting with love, and he was weak for his sweet duke.

When they eventually managed to keep their lips to themselves, Wriothesley tenderly caressed Neuvillette's cheek and asked; “Are you hungry? I could make breakfast for us.”

Neuvillette sighed. He held his lover's wrist and turned his head to kiss his palm. “I'm afraid I'll have to pass, darling. I'll already be late at work as it is. I apologize,” sighed the Iudex.

Wriothesley smiled softly and kissed the tip of Neuvillette's nose. “No need to apologize. We can have breakfast next time I stay over. How about a bath, then? After last night's... activities, I think we're both in need of one.”

Neuvillette's heart skipped a beat at the mention of a next time. Of course there would be one. They had not explicitly confirmed the status of their relationship, but it didn't need to be said out loud. They had both confessed their feelings for each other. From now on, they could freely express their love without reservation. It made Neuvillette incredibly happy to be the recipient of Wriothesley's affection.

Neuvillette smiled and nodded. He could spare some time for a bath. He did feel the need to clean up after last night.

Wriothesley dropped a quick kiss on the Iudex's lips and said as he pulled away from him; “Alright. Stay here, I'll go prepare the bath for us.”

Neuvillette turned on his side and watched as Wriothesley left the bed and walked towards the ensuite bathroom, not caring that he was still naked. Neuvillette's eyes zeroed in on the duke's... generous behind, and he found himself flushing for shamefully checking out his lover. He couldn't help himself; Wriothesley had an impressive physique that Neuvillette could admire for hours.

While Wriothesley rummaged around the bathroom to start their bath, Neuvillette laid comfortably in bed, dozing off and purring as his bed smelled of his and Wriothesley's scents combined. His draconic side thrilled, and the word mate reverberated in his mind. Their mixed scents were very soothing, and he was about to fall back asleep when Wriothesley came back, now offering Neuvillette an unhindered view of his front.

Neuvillette averted his eyes this time, but not before seeing the amused smile on Wriothesley's face. The duke leaned over the bed and offered his hand to Neuvillette. The Iudex took it, and upon remembering that he was also very much naked, he held onto a bedsheet as he was pulled out of bed, trying to shield himself from Wriothesley's gaze.

The duke might have seen everything last night, but there was a difference in being seen under the cover of darkness, while lost in the throes of passion, and in broad delight. This side of their relationship was still so new, and Neuvillette was not yet comfortable enough to show himself bare in such harsh daylight. He hoped Wriothesley would not take offense in it.

Wriothesley didn't comment on Neuvillette's shyness. Instead, amusement shone in his eyes, just before he scooped Neuvillette into his arms bridal style in one smooth move.

“Wriothesley! I might be sore, but I can walk!” chastised Neuvillette, cheeks burning in shame.

“I know, sweetheart, but I love carrying you. Indulge me,” said Wriothesley before kissing Neuvillette's forehead.

The Iudex shook his head in fond exasperation, but he let Wriothesley do as he pleased. He was put down on his feet next to the tub filled with warm water and scented bubbles. The duke stepped into the bath first, and sat against the edge. He looked up at Neuvillette with a smile, offering his hand to him.

Neuvillette finally dropped the bedsheet he'd been holding to take his lover's hand, and he was gently pulled into the bathtub to be comfortably seated on Wriothesley's lap, facing him. He feared that this position would lead to some more heated action – not that he was against more, but he would already be late enough for work as it is, without losing himself to carnal pleasures – but he was proven wrong.

Wriothesley could prove to be reasonable. When his soapy hands began to roam over Neuvillette's body to wash him, his caresses were soft, tender, with no heat behind them. Neuvillette returned the favor, enjoying this aftercare, how easy it was to be so vulnerable when in the presence of the man he loved. They exchanged soft kisses as they washed each other, and Neuvillette found himself more relaxed than he'd ever been.

Neuvillette was moved by how much trust Wriothesley was awarding him, letting Neuvillette touch every inch of his body, a body that bore the scars of his hard and unforgiving life. This man who kept himself closed off to everyone but a few chosen ones, whose trust was rarely awarded, was completely relaxed under Neuvillette's hands. The Iudex vowed to always make himself worthy of Wriothesley's trust and love, vowed to fill Wriothesley's days with love and happiness from today forward.

When Wriothesley's callused hands began rubbing shampoo through Neuvillette's hair, gently massaging his scalp, the dragon purred loudly as he completely relaxed against Wriothesley's chest. He felt the rumble of a soft chuckle against his ear. Neuvillette might have felt self-conscious of his decidedly inhuman actions, but Wriothesley's words were quick to quell his insecurity. “I love it when you purr, love. It's an honor to know that you are comfortable enough around me to show me every facet of you.”

Neuvillette hummed and sank even more against Wriothesley. He showed his appreciation by purring louder. Wriothesley laughed gleefully at that.

The duke finished washing Neuvillette's hair, and the Iudex returned the favor for his mate, enjoying how soft the duke's hair felt between his fingers. Wriothesley seemed to enjoy the treatment, as he closed his eyes, a soft smile on his lips while Neuvillette washed his hair.

Once they were done with their bath, they wrapped themselves in Neuvillette's fluffy bathrobes and went back to the bedroom. The Iudex sat at his vanity and grabbed his hairbrush. He was about to begin brushing his hair, when he stopped and looked at Wriothesley through the mirror. The duke was in the midst of taking the sheets off the bed to put them in the wash.

“Darling?” asked Neuvillette softly.

“Yeah?” Wriothesley stopped what he was doing, and their gazes met through the mirror.

“Would you brush my hair for me?” asked Neuvillette hopefully as he held out his hairbrush.

Wriothesley approached him and put his hands on his shoulders. He leaned down to kiss the crown of Neuvillette's head. “It would be my honor,” replied the duke joyfully.

Wriothesley grabbed the hairbrush and began to gently brush through the long silver hair, starting at the bottom, carefully untangling the knots as he slowly made his way up. Neuvillette began purring anew, and he closed his eyes as he enjoyed the attention from his mate.

“I've always been fascinated by your beautiful hair. I've dreamed so many times of being allowed to touch it like this you know,” admitted the duke quietly, no wanting to break the comfortable quietude of the room.

Neuvillette opened his eyes halfway to stare at his mate through the mirror. “It seems liked you dreamed of many things regarding me...” commented the Iudex, curious.

Wriothesley did admit last night to having often thought about making love to Neuvillette. The Iudex had no idea that the duke also wished about such mundane things as brushing his hair.

Wriothesley's hand stopped for a second, but he was quick to resume the gentle brushing through those silver strands. “Guilty as charged. But I can't help it when it comes to you. Do you want to know what else I've dreamed about?”

Neuvillette nodded, and held his mate's gaze as Wriothesley continued in a whisper; “I've dreamed of growing old with you, of spending the rest of my life with you, of retiring to a seaside cottage where we can while away the days hopelessly intertwined. I've dreamed of marrying you some day, when I would have worked up the courage of asking for your hand. I've dreamed of us adopting a couple of children, and of having a dog, maybe even a couple of cats. I've dreamed of spending countless lazy evenings curled up on the couch with you, reading books and drinking tea. I've dreamed of making love to you every night, and waking up every morning with you in my arms.”

Neuvillette was left breathless by Wriothesley's confession. Love burst out of his chest, overwhelming him. His eyes began to burn with tears.

Wriothesley finished brushing his hair and put the hairbrush down on the vanity. He embraced Neuvillette from behind and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I want everything with you. That's how much I love you,” finished the duke in a loving whisper.

Neuvillette turned his head to capture his mate's lips with his own. He hoped he could convey the depth of his affection and joy through their kiss. He didn't know if words could ever be enough to express his feelings.

Everything that Wriothesley said... Neuvillette wanted that too. He could imagine it; a small wedding with only their loved ones; a seaside home, filled with the wonderful pitter-patter of small children running around, filled with the sound of laughter and with so much love . Endless nights wrapped in his husband's warm and heated embrace... Neuvillette's heart longed for it desperately. To build a life with his beloved, a life full of warmth and love.

Neuvillette's heart constricted painfully at the thought that this life would be fleeting; that Wriothesley would leave him someday, and that Neuvillette would have to pick up the broken pieces of his heart and move on.

But he refused to think too much about the inevitable, refused to let it taint the present. This life they could build together, no matter how fleeting, would be worth the unbearable heartache that would follow. Wriothesley was here now, and Neuvillette vowed to take advantage of every moment he could have at his side.

When they pulled apart, Neuvillette affectionately nuzzled Wriothesley's cheek. “It all sounds so wonderful. I'll be looking forward to it,” said Neuvillette with a voice shaking with emotion.

Wriothesley's answering smile was blinding. He kissed Neuvillette's lips again before wordlessly releasing him to allow Neuvillette to continue his morning routine.

While the Iudex applied his makeup, he found himself reflecting on how domestic this all felt. Having Wriothesley move around his home like he belonged here, sharing his space so effortlessly... It was a novelty that he could get used to.

By the time Neuvillette was ready to get dressed, Wriothesley had put his pants and dress shirt from the ball back on, having no other option. His stay over had been an impulse on Neuvillette's part, after all. If Wriothesley staying over would become a common occurrence – Neuvillette sure hoped so – then it might be beneficial for the duke to keep several changes of clothes here. Neuvillette felt inexplicably giddy at the thought of keeping some of Wriothesley's personal belongings in his house.

Wriothesley insisted on helping Neuvillette get dressed in his usual attire, and the Iudex protested at first, as he was perfectly capable of dressing himself. He couldn't understand the appeal of helping him dress, and he certainly didn't want to be a burden. But as usual, arguing with Wriothesley when the latter had his mind set on something was futile and Neuvillette eventually let his mate have his way.

Neuvillette had to admit he was sorely mistaken a few minutes later, as he sat on the edge of his bed, with Wriothesley kneeling in front of him as he put Neuvillette's spats on for him. It felt oddly intimate to have the duke helping him dress. Maybe it had something to do with how careful and tender Wriothesley's gestures were, as his fingers climbed higher up his thighs to close the buckles on the outer sides. Neuvillette shivered as Wriothesley's hands caressed up and down his thighs once he was done. His leg twitched when Wriothesley laid tender kisses on the inside of his left thigh.

“Wriothesley, stop teasing...” warned Neuvillette as he narrowed his eyes, but he was sure that the flush on his cheeks voided his warning.

Wriothesley chuckled and leaned back, lifting his hands up in the air. “Sorry, it was too tempting. Have I already told you that I'm obsessed with your legs?”

Neuvillette shook his head and he frowned. Wriothesley gently held one of Neuvillette's socked feet to put on his heeled shoe. “No, you didn't. I don't understand why you would be, they are just legs,” argued Neuvillette. As far as he knew, there was nothing special about his legs.

Wriothesley smirked teasingly at Neuvillette. He put his second shoe on and quickly attached the spats under his shoes before leaning into Neuvillette's space, between his legs. He held the Iudex's chin as he whispered; “That's where you'd be wrong. You have the sexiest legs I've ever seen. So long and shapely, in particular when you're wearing these spats. And your thighs... Later, I'll show you how much I appreciate them...”

Neuvillette's blush spread to his ears. “I never knew you had such a foul mouth on you, Wriothesley,” scolded the Iudex, but his words held no heat. Neuvillette loved hearing Wriothesley's praises, but he felt embarrassed at how easy it was for Wriothesley to fluster him. The duke always found new ways to do so. He hoped he would get used to it eventually.

Wriothesley chuckled. He leaned in to kiss Neuvillette. He whispered once he leaned back; “You've heard nothing yet, my dear.”

Wriothesley pulled back then, giving Neuvillette some space to finish dressing up. The Iudex huffed, secretly amused by his lover's playful mood. He went to his wardrobe to get his robes, and he quickly and efficiently put them on. Wriothesley was content to watch him finish putting on the last of his accessories as he grabbed the rest of his own outfit from the ball, slinging the clothes over his arm.

Once they were both ready to depart, they made their way down to the foyer of Neuvillette's home. Neuvillette felt incredibly sad at having to part ways with Wriothesley. Last night had been nothing short of magical, and now they had to go their separate ways with no certitude of when they would see each other again.

Wriothesley gently brushed Neuvillette's hair behind his ear and smiled wistfully at him. “Don't be sad, sweetheart. You're going to make me sad too...” whispered Wriothesley.

Neuvillette leaned closer and pressed their foreheads together. “I will miss you...”

“Me too. How about I pay you a visit tomorrow with Sigewinne? She hasn't come to see you in a while,” suggested Wriothesley.

“I would love that,” promptly replied Neuvillette with a smile, joy filling his heart at the prospect of seeing Wriothesley again soon, along with his dear Melusine.

“Great. Can't wait,” said Wriothesley, eyes shining with happiness. He leaned in to kiss Neuvillette, and the Iudex melted into the touch, happy to feel all the love from his sweet duke through the tender press of their lips.

Even though parting from Wriothesley would be harder from now on, their reunions would certainly be made all the sweeter for it.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Wriothesley greeted the two guards standing vigil near his office doors, ignoring their curious looks at his attire. They weren't the only ones; Wriothesley had endured such looks all the way from Neuvillette's house. He didn't recall having to do the walk of shame before. It was clear to everyone seeing him that he'd spent the night somewhere else than in his private quarters.

But Wriothesley was much too happy to care about what anyone might be thinking. Nothing could get his mood down today, not when his mind was filled with the wonderful memories of last night and this morning. He was already missing his lover, but at least those memories would be able to tie him over until he could have him back in his arms tomorrow.

Wriothesley entered his office, and climbed up the stairs while whistling. He was a bit startled when he arrived at the second floor and came face to face with Sigewinne sitting at his desk, currently decorating his personal belongings with her stickers.

“Sige? What are you doing in my office?” asked Wriothesley with a sigh as he draped the clothes he'd been carrying on the back of the couch.

Sigewinne lifted her head from her work and smiled at the duke. “Waiting for you, what else? I wanted to know how your evening went at the ball with Monsieur Neuvillette!”

“Good morning to you too. What? What is that look?” said Wriothesley as Sigewinne's smile turned downright teasing and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

“You didn't sleep in Meropide last night, so that means... You slept with Monsieur Neuvillette?!” exclaimed Sigewinne, bouncing in her chair with excitement.

Wriothesley fought the blush that threatened to cover his cheeks. He cleared his throat and pointedly avoided looking at the Melusine as he went to his tea station to brew himself some tea. “If by that you mean that I slept at his place, then yes,” replied the duke, keeping his tone even. There was no way he was admitting to Sigewinne that he got lucky last night.

Sigewinne narrowed her eyes. She hopped down from her seat and skipped to Wriothesley. The duke froze as his head nurse leaned in close and began to smell him.

“Oh, please, I can smell him all over you!” said Sigewinne with a joyful giggle.

Wriothesley turned towards her, a shocked expression on his face. “How is that possible?! I took a bath this morning!”

Sigewinne said joyfully; “You forget that a Melusine's sense of smell is much more developed than a human! Also, you are doused in his elemental energy, as if Monsieur rubbed himself all over you!”

Wriothesley's mind came to a screeching halt at the mental image Sigewinne's words brought forth. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Alright. You are correct. We... consummated our love.” His cheeks turned pink, and he couldn't bring himself to look Sigewinne in the eyes. There was no use hiding anything from the head nurse, it seemed. How mortifying it was.

Wait a minute... Did that mean every Melusine Wriothesley came across this morning on his way back to Meropide knew he and Neuvillette had sex the night prior?! Oh, no... That would explain the strange looks he received from the little creatures.

How would Wriothesley ever face them again, he didn't know.

Sigewinne bounced excitedly on her feet and gripped Wriothesley's sleeve. “Does that mean that you finally told Monsieur Neuvillette how you feel about him?!”

“Yeah. And it appears you were right. Neuvillette returned my feelings,” confessed Wriothesley.

Next thing he knew, he was pulled into a tight hug. “Yes!! I'm so happy!! I told you that Monsieur Neuvillette felt the same way!!” exclaimed Sigewinne joyfully.

Wriothesley chuckled, moved by Sigewinne's happiness. “I know, I should have listened to you from the start. By the way, I told Neuvillette that we'll pay him a visit tomorrow. Is that okay with you?” asked the duke as he ruffled the Melusine's hair.

Sigewinne pulled away and nodded energetically. “Yes!! Oh, I'll have to make another batch of my newest milkshake for tomorrow, I can't wait to have him try it!”

Wriothesley grimaced and resumed preparing his morning cup of tea. “You have a strange way of showing him your affection, you know,” remarked the duke with amusement.

Sigewinne huffed. “Oh please, he loves them! Monsieur Neuvillette has a refined palate, unlike you! This reminds me, I'll go get our breakfasts and your daily milkshake! I'll be right back!!” exclaimed Sigewinne.

Before Wriothesley could protest, the Melusine stuck a sticker on his hand and hurried down the stairs, leaving him alone in his office.

Wriothesley sighed, an indulgent smile on his lips. Despite this massive change in his life with the beginning of his new relationship with Neuvillette, some things never changed.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

“Did you receive Duchess Audry's invitation?” asked Furina before she took the last bite of her cake.

She was sitting in front of Neuvillette's desk, enjoying a late morning snack while they reviewed a new legislation that was being proposed by the Maison Gardiennage. Neuvillette lifted his eyes from the papers to look at the Archon. “Yes, it was with the morning mail. Are you going to attend?”

Furina smiled widely. “Well of course! Will you be bringing Duke Wriothesley along?”

“I would like to, if you are comfortable with the prospect. I am aware that you are a bit... wary of him,” said Neuvillette. He wouldn't want to make Furina uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted was an awkward atmosphere while they were graciously invited by the duchess.

Furina's smile turned soft. “I was, but not anymore. I admit that I was wrong about him. He didn't seem very scary at the ball when he was looking at you like you were the most precious treasure in the world,” answered the Archon honestly.

Neuvillette couldn't prevent the small smile that graced his lips as he remembered that wonderful evening, dancing the night away in Wriothesley's arms. “I am glad that your opinion of Wriothesley changed,” said the Iudex. Hopefully, after that night, Furina wasn't the only one who saw the duke in a new light.

Furina laid her arms on the desk and leaned closer, her smile suddenly growing teasing. “By the way, how was he? I'm curious to know.”

Neuvillette frowned and tilted his head. “Pardon?” He didn't understand what Furina was alluding to.

The Archon chuckled mirthfully. She lifted a hand beside her mouth and whispered, even though they were alone in Neuvillette's office; “As a lover; how was he? Is he gentle and caring, or wild and feisty?”

A fierce blush colored Neuvillette's cheeks. He dropped his pen and looked completely outraged. “Lady Furina! You have no shame to be asking such a personal question!”

To Neuvillette's embarrassment, Wriothesley had been spotted on his way back to Meropide the morning after they... consummated their love. Speculations had arisen, with many people guessing he had spent the night at Neuvillette's house. While Neuvillette still had no intention to hide his relationship with Wriothesley now that it was real, this did not mean he wanted all of Fontaine to speculate on their sex life. And now Furina brought up the subject.

Neuvillette felt mortified.

The Archon burst out laughing, holding her middle as tears sprung to her eyes. “I'm just kidding, of course! You should see your face!”

Neuvillette huffed. He glared at Furina and said with slight irritation; “You are very similar to Wriothesley in the regard that you both enjoy teasing me too much.”

Furina managed to calm her laughter, and she wiped the tears from her eyes. “What can I say? I love seeing you flustered.” There was a sudden knock on the doors to Neuvillette's office, and the Iudex perked up as he recognized it as being Wriothesley. Right on time, as always.

Furina turned her head towards the doors before turning her attention back on Neuvillette. She smiled mischievously. “It seems your guests have arrived. I will take my leave then. We'll finish reviewing this legislation later, my dear Iudex!”

Neuvillette inclined his head towards Furina as the Archon stood up. “Have a good rest of your day, Lady Furina.”

The Archon curtsied dramatically, as she was bound to do, and walked towards the exit. Neuvillette stood up from his seat just as Furina opened the doors to reveal a surprised-looking Wriothesley on the other side.

“Oh? Lady Furina? A pleasure to meet you,” said the duke as he bowed in front of the Archon.

Furina giggled behind her hand and she gestured for Wriothesley to come in the office. “Likewise, Duke Wriothesley. Your beloved is all yours,” said the Archon before departing swiftly.

Wriothesley walked towards Neuvillette's desk, a tender smile on his lips. Neuvillette smiled back as happiness overtook him at the sight of his mate. Behind him, through the open doors of his office, he could see Sigewinne chatting happily with Sedene at the latter's desk.

Neuvillette rounded his desk just in time for the duke to join him. Wriothesley seemed to be holding something behind his back.

Neuvillette didn't have time to inquire about it that an arm was wrapped around his waist and he was pulled into a tender kiss that stole his breath away.

“Hey, sweetheart,” whispered Wriothesley with warm eyes as they broke apart.

Neuvillette cupped Wriothesley's cheek, his thumb gently caressing over the scar beneath Wriothesley's right eye. “It's good to see you, beloved,” said Neuvillette joyfully.

Wriothesley teasingly rubbed their noses together and a teasing glint shone in his eyes. “Hum, I like when you call me that. Here, a small gift for the love of my life,” said Wriothesley as he finally showed what he was hiding behind his back, holding it between them.

A beautiful bouquet of Romaritime flowers. Neuvillette was suddenly reminded of the beginning of their courtship, when Wriothesley had sent him a bouquet of Rainbow roses as he had asked him out on a first date. Neuvillette grew emotional just thinking back on it. It was only a little over a month ago, but it felt like eons had passed since then.

“Oh, they are lovely, thank you,” said Neuvillette as he carefully took the bouquet from Wriothesley. He took a small moment to smell the flowers.

“You are welcome. Come here,” asked Wriothesley as he embraced Neuvillette closer. Neuvillette wrapped his arms around the duke's neck, careful not to damage the flowers.

Neuvillette was pulled in a deeper kiss, and he melted against Wriothesley, feeling his love through their kiss. Neuvillette could never get enough of Wriothesley's kisses. They warmed his soul, made his world burst alive with colors.

Their foreheads pressed together once they broke their kiss. “I missed you,” admitted Wriothesley quietly, his fingers gently caressing the shell of a delicate pointed ear.

Neuvillette shivered and closed his eyes. “So did I. I admit I had trouble working for the last two days as my mind has been completely overtaken by thoughts of you,” admitted the Iudex.

It had been very hard for him to concentrate, as shameful as it was for him to admit it. Neuvillette should not let his personal relationship with Wriothesley affect his duties, but here he was. All he wanted to do was to be back in Wriothesley's protective embrace, to feel his love and warmth that Neuvillette had quickly grown addicted to.

He was sure it was the novelty of their romantic relationship that caused this, and that it would stop affecting his work sooner than later. At least he hoped so.

Wriothesley chuckled and smiled teasingly. “Oh yeah? What were you thinking about specifically?”

Neuvillette cleared his throat and averted his eyes as his cheeks flushed a soft pink. “Hum... I'm afraid some of those thoughts are not to be said out loud.”

Like how eager Neuvillette was to make love with Wriothesley again. No, those were certainly not thoughts he would be caught saying out loud, in his office of all places.

Wriothesley seemed to read his mind. He leaned in to whisper against his ear, sending more shivers down Neuvillette's spine; “Naughty dragon... Maybe you could show me soon what you've been thinking about, in the privacy of your house...”

When he pulled away, Wriothesley's smile had turned mischievous. Neuvillette huffed fondly, and his hand came to rest over Wriothesley's nape. “I would love that. You can stay over anytime you want,” he said, thrilled at the thought of having Wriothesley home again soon.

And it wasn't just about the sex, but about waking up to Wriothesley's warmth, about having his presence by his side in the morning, about spending more time with the man he loved.

“Careful there... I might never want to leave with such a nice invitation,” said Wriothesley giddily before leaning in for another tender kiss.

Their lips moved slowly as they savored the sweet moment, and they were so engrossed in their kiss that they didn't hear Sigewinne enter the office. Only when she loudly cleared her throat did they realize her presence.

Neuvillette pushed away from Wriothesley, cheeks burning in embarrassment. Sigewinne's smile was as mischievous as it was joyful. A second later, Sigewinne was upon the Iudex, hugging him tightly. “Monsieur Neuvillette!!”

“Sigewinne. I'm happy to see you,” said Neuvillette as he embraced her back with one arm.

“Congratulations, Monsieur! I'm so happy that you and His Grace are together!” exclaimed Sigewinne with happiness as she pulled away from the Iudex.

Neuvillette chuckled. He answered as he went to fetch a vase under the tea station to hold the bouquet of flowers; “I must thank you for that, my dear. If it wasn't for your book, I might never have realized what I felt for Wriothesley. Or it would have taken me a lot more time to understand my feelings.”

Wriothesley frowned, his gaze traveling between Neuvillette and Sigewinne. He put his hands on his hips. “A book? What book?”

It was Sigewinne who answered him, looking positively gleeful; “When I realized you were too stubborn to tell Monsieur Neuvillette how you feel, I decided to help him along instead! I sent him one of my favorite books, A study of humanity! I told Monsieur Neuvillette to read a specific chapter about love!”

Wriothesley scoffed and looked appalled. Neuvillette watched him with amusement as he filled the vase with water and put the flowers in it, setting the vase on a corner of his desk.

“You little rascal. You've been meddling in our relationship?” accused the duke with narrowed eyes.

Sigewinne beamed proudly as she looked back at Wriothesley. “You should be thanking me! If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have a relationship right now!”

Before Wriothesley could bicker even more with Sigewinne, Neuvillette approached his lover and placated him with a tender kiss to his cheek. Wriothesley looked at him with such soft eyes that Neuvillette's stomach fluttered pleasantly.

The Iudex looked fondly upon his Melusine. “I am grateful, Sigewinne. How about I treat you to lunch to thank you for helping us?”

“Yes!!” Sigewinne jumped excitedly.

Wriothesley sighed. He wrapped an arm around Neuvillette's waist and brought him close to kiss his temple. “You are spoiling her too much, sweetheart,” said the duke with amusement.

Neuvillette pinched Wriothesley's cheek, and chuckled as he saw him pout in return. “I don't see anything wrong with spoiling the people I love dearly. That goes for you too. I'm treating both of you to lunch.”

That seemed to do the trick, as Wriothesley dropped a sweet kiss on his lips and looked at him with the most loving look. “Alright. Have it your way, then, love.”

Beside them, Sigewinne seemed over the moon at seeing them looking so in love. She promptly grabbed both their hands and began guiding them towards the exit of Neuvillette's office so they could go get their promised lunch.

Neuvillette's heart felt full, and he couldn't believe that a month ago, he had been living without this all-consuming love. As he exchanged a gaze with Wriothesley, that wonderful man he loved dearly, he felt fortunate for that fateful night when his sweet duke had worked up the courage to begin courting him, even if under the veil of fakery.

Now, their love could bloom freely, and Neuvillette was eager to build a wonderful life at Wriothesley's side.