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Although Wriothesley wasn't necessarily the type of person who was interested in observing tradition, he observed certain customs religiously if he could get behind their rationales. His and Neuvillette's anniversary as a couple was one of them. For most couples, this date serves as an annual celebration of their long-standing romance but in the duke’s case, he took it as a sign to improve himself. If he managed to have the esteemed iudex by his side for a year, then he should work hard to keep it that way for at least another year, and so on and so forth until their fifth anniversary, when he considered something more ambitious. Perhaps he could secure his future with Neuvillette several years down the line without constantly worrying about whether they'd still be together for the succeeding year–something like a tenureship similar to that which he enjoys as the administrator of the Fortress of Meropide. Sure, asking Neuvillette to remain as his lover for around six more decades was a burdensome request, but he realized that it wouldn't take up much of an immortal’s lifespan. And it would hopefully be more exciting than a tenureship at work. No, the arrangement he wanted was something closer to marriage–but not actually marriage itself. That might not be feasible for them…
His thoughts were disrupted by Neuvillette’s deep voice.
“Hmmm, are you open to starting a conversation or are you preoccupied with something?”
“What is it about?”
“I simply wanted to point out my observations that counterfeiters of gems tend to produce fake diamonds most often due to their widespread use in engagement rings. So I was wondering, is a diamond ring truly non-negotiable when it comes to proposing to someone?”
As random as the topic was, Wriothesley didn't question it after years of them coming up with the wildest excuses to chat leisurely.
“Perhaps it's like that for other people, but I don't think it should really matter that much.”
His answer was fully honest, but he left out the fact that if he were to buy his beloved a ring, he would probably still default to diamonds. Anything less would be insulting. But then again, Neuvillette's indifference to human customs would allow him to see the value of other gems, which may come across as even more unique than widely coveted diamonds.
“If that's the case, are there any good alternatives?”
“Huh, I think I've heard of some jewelers trying to work with trishiraite, noctilucous jade, clearwater jade, obsidian, amethysts. All of those would look great, especially trishiraite. It's just that they haven't been traditionally associated with engagement rings.”
“I see…the industry does need to make a shift somehow.”
“You’re really taking an interest in human society now, aren't you? You're so cute.”
Neuvillette's eyes darted from side to side looking a bit bashful even without obvious signs like blushing. It's part of why Wriothesley enjoys complimenting him.
“Thank you for entertaining my concern. What about you? Do you wish to discuss anything?”
Wriothesley stalled by gazing adoringly at Neuvillette for a minute before answering.
“Can you believe we've been dating for nearly five years already?”
“Mmmm, frankly…to me, it feels like we have been together for longer. Recalling my life before meeting you has proven to be a bit more of a challenge for me recently.”
If that's the case then surely, he wouldn't mind spending half a century more with Wriothesley.
“Oh really? How long does our relationship feel to you?”
“Hmmm…two decades, I suppose?”
“Well, I suppose two decades for you is roughly the same as five years for me.”
“Mhm.”
Enamored with his rather shy but honest lover, Wriothesley peppered kisses all over Neuvillette's face.
~~~
The warden and the iudex were supposed to be enjoying their little picnic with both of them sitting on a mat facing the Weeping Willow, but Wriothesley was staring off into space instead, gazing far away from Neuvillette even though they were supposed to be celebrating their anniversary together.
Soon enough, however, a little tap on his shoulder caught his attention.
“My dear…”
“Yes?”
The dragon pointed at the serene blue lake in front of them, with his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Would you like to come swim with me?”
“...No.”
Diving into the serene blue water and weaving through the underwater roots of the Weeping Willow was an annual tradition for the couple. Although they never decided on it with a spoken agreement in the past, Wriothesley’s refusal this time made Neuvillette anxious. However, he chose to remain silent regarding his disappointment.
“...I suppose I can take a little dip by myself.”
“Wait, no.”
“Hm?”
“Please stay. I have something to tell you.”
Neuvillette let out a sigh of relief upon finding out that his lover didn't seem to bear a grudge against him.
“Oh. By all means, go ahead.”
“Stand up.”
For a moment, Wriothesley's voice sounded strict and domineering, making Neuvillette a little bit flustered. While he had a secret fondness for hearing the warden boss inmates around, he never expected such a command to be directed towards him. Nonetheless, the iudex did as he was told despite not understanding the context behind what was happening.
As Neuvillette slowly propped himself up, he noticed that his sweet lover's indigo eyes were frantically darting from side to side in contrast to his stable voice. He also shifted around and ended up kneeling on one knee, holding some kind of velvet blue box in his hand. This couldn't be. He must have been dreaming yet again…
“My beloved Neuvillette, I hope this doesn't come as a surprise to you, but I've really thought hard about asking you: will you marry me?”
Wriothesley opened the box and revealed a ring with a little gem shaped like a lumitoile on top of it, likely made of condessence crystal. After witnessing such an act, the typically calm and reserved Chief Justice of Fontaine could do nothing but blink his beautiful lilac eyes.
“Don't worry, I don't intend to put this on the record legally. There are no legal restrictions against the iudex marrying but I understand the complications that could arise from such an arrangement. I know that your status comes with its constraints and I've long accepted that but…I was just hoping for a way to solidify our commitment informally. There are many people with lifelong partners that aren't recognized by the law and they're just as happy as your average married couple, sometimes even more. So, what do you say, Neuvillette?”
The dragon’s pupils dilated in surprise for a split second before he closed his eyes and shook his head. Although Wriothesley couldn't sense it, Neuvillette was focusing on steadying the rapidly accelerating beat of his heart.
“I sincerely apologize but I cannot accept your proposal in good conscience.”
As disappointing as it was, Wriothesley knew that the chances of his proposal being accepted was probably only equal to that of a coin toss. He had already decided beforehand that Neuvillette's refusal wouldn't be a dealbreaker for him. This proposal wasn't meant to be an ultimatum anyway, as it was for most couples. And besides, his lover's gentle voice was enough to reassure him of his genuine feelings of love despite the rejection.
“I must admit that's rather disappointing but it's not a problem. I won't leave you simply because you don't want to get married. By no means is it the end all and be all of romantic relationships.”
“Thank you for your kindness and understanding, my love. Now stand up.”
Neuvillette rarely uses a commanding voice when addressing his lover, but a moment like this required urgency. Feeling the iudex’s deep and powerful voice resonate within him, Wriothesley sprung up within seconds.
“Now it's my turn to make a counteroffer, which you will find to be a far superior option,” Neuvillette explained with the steady and authoritative tone with which he recaps the facts of a case in court.
But then, this projection of strength was softened with a sigh before the judge slowly lowered himself to the ground.
“Wriothesley, the love of my life, will you marry me in the Palais Mermonia, with two witnesses, leading to the provision of an official marriage certificate?”
He swiftly opened the box in his hand, revealing a ring with a tiny but intricate replica of Wriothesley’s badge depicting a wolf, an emblem of the Fortress of Meropide, seemingly crafted delicately from trishiraite.
At this point, Wriothesley was at a loss for words. Who wouldn't be, after having their marriage proposal rejected only to receive a proposal in return? Well, he should've known how insistent Neuvillette was. He'd never let his own proposal plans be thwarted by his own lover of five years proposing to him before he got the chance to.
“Ah,” Wriothesley chuckled a little bit before continuing, “so that's why you asked about the engagement ring industry.”
“Yes.”
“I feel embarrassed now. This ring looks much better than the one I got for you.”
“Nonsense. It has a lumitoile-shaped gem on it, which will always remind me of you.”
Earnest as ever, Neuvillette could easily make Wriothesley's heart race without intending to flirt. His honesty about his own feelings was enough to make his lover swoon.
“Well, I'm pretty sure you know what my response is going to be already. You really made me nervous back there. I genuinely thought you didn't want to marry me.”
Neuvillette stood up and dusted off his robes. His head was hung low, worried that his intention to commit to the love of his life wasn't apparent for the past five years. Was he too cold and unfeeling?
“I mean, I definitely didn't think it was impossible for you to agree or else I wouldn't have proposed in the first place.”
“I see. Thank you for trusting in my love for you. Does that mean we can schedule it seven days from now?”
“Schedule what?”
“... Our wedding…or…is it too soon?”
Well, frankly, it would be. Wriothesley would have wanted to savor a longer engagement giving their relationship a more relaxed pace and giving him the opportunity to refer to Fontaine's chief justice as his fiancé when speaking to him in private. Yet part of him also knew that the rules surrounding engagement are governed by arbitrary human customs. He decided that he adored Neuvillette more than he valued adhering to standards of normalcy.
“No, of course not. Especially when my fiancé is so excited to get married.”
“...The truth is…if not for human customs surrounding courtships, I would have asked you to marry me as soon as we started dating…”
“Human customs? Even immortals like the yokai and the adepti don't rush into relationships like that…” Wriothesley thought. Part of him also wanted to tell himself that Neuvillette was crazy, but part of him wouldn't allow that sentence to form in his head.
“Well…I'm glad to know I've done nothing in the past five years to dissuade you from proposing to me.”
“What about you, when did you decide to propose to me?”
“Hmmm, I think I've always wanted to marry you someday. It's just that we humans are often taught to consider this decision carefully–for good reason. I mean, you know that seeing that you've given quite a few guilty verdicts to people who've murdered or stolen from their own spouses. Kidding aside, I wanted to make sure that I was a decent enough partner to even date to ask you to marry me. After five years, I thought that if I was undeserving, you would've left me already but you haven't yet so it's clearly a good sign.”
“I see. In any case, I'm glad we thought of the same thing.”
Upon hearing Neuvillette's words, Wriothesley's pensive expression quickly shifted into a subtle flirtatious smirk.
“Oh, if that's how it is, do you believe we're thinking of the same thing right now?”
Frankly, Neuvillette knew that there was no surefire method of predicting W
riothesley's thoughts, but making a hopeful guess was enough.
And so he wrapped his arms around his lover's strong waist and pulled him in for a kiss.