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Neuvillette and Wriothesley were the type of couple who loved going to the movies together…separately. As they couldn’t risk stoking the rumors about the Iudex’s love life by being seen sitting holding hands in a movie theater, they opted to buy tickets separately and choose different seats. Sometimes, they even had to settle with watching entirely different screenings. What was important was that they got to catch the same movie so they could talk about it later. Having that shared experience was enough for them to strike a bond even if they didn’t get to cozy up to each other in the process.
Well, that was until Wriothesley invested in a film projector he could use to watch films from the comfort of their home (Wriothesley’s living space, specifically, in the Fortress of Meropide because he was procrastinating on purchasing a property in the main city). It was quite expensive, but the duke knew how to manage his personal funds anyway.
As Wriothesley was rummaging through the box of films he got at a discount, Neuvillette was already anticipating leaning his head on his lover’s perfectly sloped shoulder as some random film played in front of them. The content didn’t even matter as much as the mere fact that they got to spend some time together and finally enjoy movies the same way most normal couples did.
“Hmmm, what should we watch tonight?”
“It’s up to you.”
“I was hoping you could help me choose. We have way too many options.”
Normally, Wriothesley was quick to decide on which films to watch when they were aired in the movie theater because there were usually only eight to ten movies to choose from at any given time and he often received recommendations from the lifestyle section of The Steambird. He wasn’t so used to having to pick a single movie from around forty options based on their titles and summaries alone. Fortunately, he and Neuvillette watched some of the films already so at least he was able to remove a few choices from the get go. The responsibility of choosing a film never fell on Neuvillette’s shoulders because he felt that Wriothesley tended to have stronger opinions on films than he did.
“Perhaps we should eliminate romantic comedies. I know you don’t like them,” Neuvillette suggested.
“Is that your impression of me? I’m not that much of a snob. You know I quite love When Harriet Met Sally.”
“That was the exception, not the rule. I also know you don’t like historical films if they aren’t historically accurate.”
“Looks like you know my tastes better than I do.”
Neuvillette smiled, taking pride in his extensive knowledge of all the miniscule details about his lover’s preferences and interests. He watched as Wriothesley continued to sift through the catalogue and noticed the moment when the duke’s eyes lit up. It looked like he finally found something worth watching.
“Oh wow, I didn’t know they sold tapes of Rope already!”
Based on Wriothesley’s excitement over finding this particular movie, Neuvillette surmised that he had seen it in an article entitled something like “Top 30 Films You Should Watch Before You Die” and had been waiting for an opportunity to see it for himself. The reviews must have been glowing for him to express this much enthusiasm over the film. Most times, he only chose films based on how intriguing their premises were, but he never really had any personal investment in one particular movie.
“Have you been wanting to watch it?”
“I’ve been meaning to rewatch it with you. It’s very well-made. I might even consider this my favorite film of all time.”
Neuvillette felt disappointed in the fact that he didn’t know what Wriothesley’s favorite film was before this conversation, as this was probably something most romantic partners knew about each other. However, it made sense that he wasn’t aware of this fact about Wriothesley as they never really engaged in the type of small talk where they would ask each other templated questions. Still, he would’ve wanted to watch the film with Wriothesley when he saw it for the first time, but perhaps it was a few years back when they weren’t in a relationship yet, which was why the duke didn’t invite him to any screening of it.
“What is it about?”
“It’s a psychological crime thriller about two men who attempt to commit the perfect murder. But instead of it being a whodunnit, we know who the murderers are from the beginning and the film explores their motivation behind committing the crime. All the events unfold in real time while they’re hosting a party and it looks like it was filmed in one long take.”
It surely sounded like the type of film Wriothesley liked. He was often fond of character-driven movies that discussed social issues and criminality, leading to thought-provoking insights. But there was something about this specific plot that didn’t sit right with Neuvillette. The concept of criminals attempting to execute the “perfect murder”...he seemed to have encountered it before. Even the title seemed to ring a bell…
“Is this the one that was based on a play? The plot summary sounds familiar.”
“Yes! The original play was also called Rope. Have you watched it before?”
“No, I only overheard some Palais Mermonia staff discussing it when it was first released.”
Actually, Neuvillette decided against disclosing the full truth behind his familiarity with Rope. Around 400 years ago, a couple of decades after the cataclysm had finally ended, Neuvillette picked up a newspaper with a story on the front cover whose headline read “Play about homosexual murderers banned from Opera Epiclese, still performed in small theaters”. It wasn’t the banner headline but the fact that it appeared on the cover page meant it was still an important story. However, Neuvillette wasn’t particularly interested in this report until his eyes scanned the page and spotted two names that he recognized from a trial he presided over a couple of years ago. The memories of their heinous crime flooded his mind, causing him to tighten his grip on the newspaper until the edges were slightly crumpled.
“I see. So the plot will be entirely new to you. Well then, are you willing to watch Alfred Heathcock’s Rope with me tonight, dear sir?” Wriothesley playfully asked as he stood up holding the film in his hand.
“Yes. I’d love to,” Neuvillette responded, attempting to conceal his hesitations in favor of pleasing his boyfriend.
“Alright. Let me get some popcorn first before I set up the projector.”
Neuvillette knew how much work Wriothesley would have to put in to set up the projector so he decided to offer his assistance.
“Let me handle the popcorn for you.”
“Thank you, Neuvillette. That would be a big help.”
After the two lovebirds completed their respective tasks and changed into their sleepwear—a pink night dress for Neuvillette and a black tank top paired with flannel pajama bottoms for Wriothesley—they finally settled down on the couch and put a fuzzy blanket over themselves. Neuvillette clung to Wriothesley's left bicep and cozied up to him. Perhaps gaining access to his lover’s bare arm was enough to compensate for his apprehensions about watching such a morbid film based on real-life events.
The credits rolled as some grand music played, and a few moments after, a loud, deep-voiced scream was heard. What a strong start.
The scene cut to two men strangling their victim with a piece of rope, after which, one of the criminals used his gloved hands to check if the victim's heart was still beating.
“Heh.”
Did Wriothesley just snicker?
“Sorry, I didn't mean to make light of the murder. It's just…the way they filmed it made it look like Brandon was fondling David’s chest as he was checking for his heartbeat.”
Ah, so those were the names of the characters. At least they weren't the same as the real-life perpetrators and their victim. That was one consolation. Perhaps this would allow him to pretend that none of this could've remotely occurred in real life.
For some reason, Neuvillette couldn't help but keep his eyes fixed to the screen. The murderers were now stuffing David's body into an antique wooden chest and after Brandon and the other man closed it, they started panting.
From the looks of it, the movie seemed to be staying true to the play in terms of how it presented the murderers’ homosexuality. Although Neuvillette never watched the play, he knew of the restrictions playwrights and directors had to work with during that period of media censorship in Fontaine, which was enacted as a response to the moral panic that followed the cataclysm. Many Fontainians believed that the nation should do everything in its power to promote moral righteousness to avoid incurring the wrath of the heavens. As a result, many citizens were in favor of censoring artistic works which promoted “immorality”. At this time, despite serving as the Iudex for a number of decades already, Neuvillette wasn’t familiar enough with the importance of freedom of speech, so he didn’t repeal these censorship laws until half a century later.
Hence, the Rope play couldn’t outwardly show the homosexual relationship between the two murderers. For one, any explicit hints to sex—whether heterosexual or homosexual—such as two characters lying in the same bed, were prevented from being shown on stage. Additionally, while society didn’t outright condemn the homosexual lifestyle, citizens were hesitant to “endorse” it, so to speak. Nowadays, Neuvillette looked back on this period in Fontaine’s history and found this notion to be ridiculous, yet he was still grateful that the film decided to retain the subtlety of the original play. He might have developed an upset stomach if he were to see the characters kissing each other after strangling their victim to death.
“Oh they’re panting too. I forgot it was this suggestive. The hints at the characters’ queerness in this movie are supposed to be subtle but they look so obvious once you start noticing them.”
As Wriothesley realized he missed a couple lines of dialogue from the characters, he decided to shut up.
“Sorry. I'll stop talking now.”
“It's alright, darling. I love hearing your commentary. It's one of the benefits of watching a film together…while sitting side by side.”
And there was also another hidden benefit—Wriothesley’s lovely voice would serve as the perfect distraction from the film.
Nonetheless, Wriothesley decided to keep his mouth shut as the characters processed the events immediately following the murder. They discussed “doing it” in broad daylight—pertaining to the murder of course, but it did sound like some sort of innuendo after Wriothesley pointed out that trend. They talked about the last drink David Kentley consumed before being killed, and of course, they spent time rationalizing their crime by pointing out how he could have died in battle and how he simply “took up space.” Brandon played with the rope they used to strangle David, and he casually put it back in the kitchen drawer as if it were just a random household item. To top it off, the murderers had the gall to celebrate their crime with champagne. How vile. When the two criminals filled their glasses with the drink and toasted “to David,” Neuvillette shuddered so strongly he thought Wriothesley must have felt it. But considering the fact that the duke appeared unshaken and continued to munch on his popcorn, it was probably only in Neuvillette's head.
“Brandon…how did you feel?”
“When?”
“During it.”
“I don't know really…I don't remember feeling very much of anything until his body went limp and I knew it was over.”
“And then?”
“Then...I felt tremendously exhilarated!”
The way Brandon talked about the act of murder made him sound…thrilled to say the least. Considering the suggestiveness of the characters’ body language that Wriothesley pointed out earlier, Neuvillette vaguely sensed that these lines also contained some sort of sexual innuendo, and he decided to ask Wriothesley to confirm it. Plus, it was also an excuse to hear his lover's deep, soothing voice once more.
“What they just said—is this supposed to be an innuendo as well?”
“It is, yeah. Even the way Brandon was twisting his hands around the champagne bottle earlier looked very suggestive.”
“In what way? Sorry, I don't follow.”
Wriothesley stared at him for a few seconds, contemplating how to explain it to him before ultimately giving up.
“Nevermind. It's not that important.”
Not wanting to end their conversation just yet, Neuvillette opted to ask yet another question, for the sake of clarification.
“Hmmm…does this mean that the film is attempting to liken murder to…homosexual intercourse, and vice versa?”
All that Neuvillette knew was that the reason why Brandon and Phillip were coded to be a homosexual couple in both the play and the film was because the real-life murderers who inspired them were also in a romantic relationship. The fact that they were homosexuals didn’t truly have a bearing on the case, but this aspect of the criminals’ identities captured the public imagination. He heard audiences in the trial whispering about their speculations that homosexuals may be more inclined towards immorality compared to the average heterosexual. Neuvillette never really cared for this sort of rhetoric, but what was important to him about the case was that these two murderers were a couple and that they committed a crime for the sake of “artistry”. This made him wonder if some romantic couples out there engaged in criminal activities as a pastime once they got bored of going to the opera or taking a stroll in Erinnyes. Now that he had a Rope fan beside him, perhaps he could gain more insight into the message that the film was implying.
“I don’t think so. Hmmm…how would I phrase it…?”
Wriothesley seemed to know the answer to Neuvillette’s question, but he couldn’t find the right words to express it. He took the question seriously as he contemplated on finding the appropriate answer to it, even taking a pause from snacking on popcorn as the gears turned in his head. As a couple of minutes passed, Neuvillette started to feel a little bit guilty for bothering his lover.
“Nevermind. You don’t need to—”
“No, it is a good question. I think the film is trying to say that these men in particular get a thrill out of murdering the same way one would feel excited about sex. It’s like they have a lust for destruction so to speak. Even if they try to pass off this murder as an intellectual exercise, it doesn’t disguise the passionate, sadistic desires behind their execution. And that’s exactly what makes these guys so rotten to the core, and they just so happen to be gay.”
There was a hint of contempt and frustration in Wriothesley’s voice as he pointed to the screen in front of them as if trying to admonish the characters on screen. Yet Neuvillette couldn’t detect the presence of genuine anger in his lover’s gaze. Instead, he saw a mix of annoyance and intrigue. Truthfully, it didn’t make much sense to Neuvillette. If Wriothesley found the main characters in Rope to be detestable, then why did he enjoy the film so much? Well, perhaps it was a mystery to be uncovered as the plot progressed. For now, perhaps he could focus less on the movie and more on his lover’s soft and cool skin.
“Want some popcorn?”
Neuvillette nodded and took a single piece. He wasn’t exactly fond of these types of snacks, but he didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to partake in whatever food his lover was consuming at the moment. After he chewed on the first piece, he continued reaching his hand out for more as he only now discovered the act of snacking to be a relaxing ritual regardless of the food’s taste. And it was made even more relaxing when Wriothesley began to stroke his soft, snowy hair.
At the same time, in the film, Brandon and Phillip began to prepare to host a party simply because they enjoyed the thrill of being able to hide a murder victim in the same room as the guests. They seemed to believe that their cavalier attitude was a sign of their intellectual superiority, as only inferior human beings would dare to feel nervous after committing a crime. The notion was rather disturbing to Neuvillette, but as far as he knew, the real-life murderers never threw a party like this, so he could distance himself from the plot from this point onwards.
As the housekeeper and the guests started to arrive one by one, Neuvillette went through alternating cycles of calmness and tension due to their interactions. For instance, when Janet, David's fiancée, entered the apartment, she charmed audiences with her quirky and upbeat nature as well as her failed attempts at creating humor. Only for her to then feel uncomfortable about being invited to the party along with Kenneth, her ex-fiancée, who was told by Brandon that he now had a chance to get back together with Janet. The way Brandon orchestrated this came across as very manipulative, as if he were treating these people as pawns in his fun game where he was the judge of who was meant to live or die and who was meant to get married.
Neuvillette's chest tightened a little bit when David’s father, Mr. Kentley entered the room along with his sister-in-law. The fact that the audience knew that his son’s lifeless body was hidden in an antique chest repurposed as a buffet table was extremely morbid and horrifying. Neuvillette wondered when and how Mr. Kentley would find out about the terrifying circumstances around his son’s death. Fortunately, his sister-in-law, Mrs. Atwater’s fondness for fortune telling was somehow comical enough to lighten the atmosphere.
Then finally, Mr. Rupert Cadell arrived. He was the former head master at the preparatory school that Brandon, Phillip, David, and Kenneth all attended. Brandon thought highly of Rupert, so much so that it was said that he used to always be “at Rupert’s feet”, which was rather rare for him considering his strong personality. Apparently, Brandon and Phillip claimed that Rupert thought of murder as a crime for most but a privilege for a few, which made his presence at the party somewhat unsettling. Yet somehow, there was a lighthearted nature to his interactions with Mrs. Atwater and Janet where they discussed theater shows whose titles they forgot.
Perhaps this was the reason why Wriothesley adored the film so much, Neuvillette assumed. Not all movies were this adept at playing with their audience's emotions after all.
Neuvillette studied his boyfriend’s face as they watched the movie together, intending to observe the little nuances in his expressions to truly understand what he thought of the film. However, even after staring at him for quite a number of minutes, all he could observe was Wriothesley's default expression—a mix of stoic and relaxed. That was until he suddenly turned his head to the side.
“You okay, my dear? Do you need anything?”
“No. I just…can't believe this is the first time I get to admire your face as we're watching a film.”
Wriothesley chuckled softly.
“You're so sweet. But I sure hope that doesn't mean this dry face of mine is more entertaining than the crime thriller we're watching.”
Truthfully, his lover’s face would always be the most entertaining thing to gaze upon for Neuvillette, but he knew that Wriothesley was seeking validation regarding his choice of film.
“No, the film isn't boring at all. Far from it.”
“That doesn't say much coming from someone who wades through piles of mind-numbing paperwork every single day, but I appreciate the reassurance.”
Neuvillette didn’t respond and they went back to watching the film. As the events unfolded, he felt calmer and more immersed in what was going on. The character of Rupert settled in and the conversations he had with the other guests were normal enough, although he seemed to be suspicious of Phillip and Brandon due to their strange mannerisms. At this point, the audience was constantly made aware of David’s body being inside the chest as the party progressed, yet this fact eventually became something that Neuvillette accepted and pushed to the back of his mind. The emotional turbulence and tension were still there but to a more manageable degree.
Until…what was supposed to be an innocent conversation took a very unexpected turn. Janet started by asking Phillip why he didn’t want to eat chicken, prompting Brandon to tell the story of Phillip strangling a chicken, which Phillip vehemently denied. And somehow, that led to Rupert making a remark about Phillip and Brandon strangling each other, which…ultimately devolved into Rupert professing his approval of murder.
“Think of the problems it can solve: unemployment, poverty, standing in line for theatre tickets…”
It was at this very moment that Neuvillette’s heart rate spiked. For the past thirty minutes of the film after Brandon and Phillip drank their champagne, he was able to separate fiction from reality in his mind. But these words of Rupert Cadell no longer existed in a vacuum. The dialogue was practically lifted from the case he tried 400 years ago. The real-life Brandon and Phillip, whose names he refused to recall, didn’t mention having a headmaster like Rupert who taught them these ideas but they nonetheless invoked these concepts—intellectual superiority and inferiority as well as the artistic merits and social benefits of murder—to defend themselves in the courtroom. At that time, Neuvillette’s logic told him that this was just as faulty a reason for murder as any, yet his gut sensed that this line of reasoning was more depraved than the usual motives. Murder was always inexcusable, but many of them did it out of desperation and were rattled with guilt in the aftermath. Hardly anyone indulged in the idea that murder made them a better person than others and hardly anyone killed people with this much of a god complex. Even as the hydro dragon sovereign, he knew he didn’t have the authority to determine who was meant to live and die—at least not on a whim.
“Well, my dear Mrs. Atwater, careful application of the trigger finger and a pair of scats in the first row is yours for the shooting. And have you had any difficulty getting in our velvet-rope restaurants?”
Although he always had an inkling of what made those murderers’ attitude to their crime truly wicked, it was only now that he allowed himself to truly feel disgusted by it because at this point in time, he was not the Iudex of Fontaine who needed to view cases with an objective lens. He was but an audience of a film that must have been purposefully written to get under its viewers’ skin.
“A simple problem. A flick of the knife, madame, and if you'll step this way—no, step over the headwaiter's body thank you, and here's your table.”
It got to the point that Neuvillette could start to feel his blood boil. Surely, it was only a figure of speech and the blood in his veins wasn’t literally rising in temperature but he did begin to feel some physiological discomfort. If he were to keep watching the film, he needed something to calm him down for the moment. Something cool to counter the burning heat inside his veins.
Something…cool…
Without warning, Neuvillette grabbed Wriothesley’s face and pulled him into a searing kiss. He was in desperate need of the perfect distraction, and nothing could possibly be more distracting than the taste of his lover’s sweet sweet lips laced with a light hint of icy cold. Even though he set aside his cryo vision before they watched the film, it took a while for the cryo aura to dissipate from his skin so devouring his lips felt like gulping down a large pitcher of water with at least seven ice cubes in it.
“Craving some attention, are we?” Wriothesley teased.
“Couples always kiss at the movies. It’s our turn now.”
And thus, Neuvillette hungrily claimed Wriothesley’s lips once more. Fortunately, his boyfriend had long since finished his stash of popcorn.
Kissing Wriothesley was always refreshing and invigorating, and the experience never failed to make Neuvillette feel as though his body disintegrated into the purest water of the primordial sea. Whenever their lips touched in the past, Neuvillette would forget his role as the Iudex and the hydro dragon sovereign, and completely surrender himself to the overwhelming pleasure…
So why…
“But then we should all be murdering each other!” Mrs. Atwater exclaimed.
Why wasn’t the kiss enough to drown out the dialogue from the movie? Why was he still paying attention? Was it not intense enough? Maybe he needed more.
Neuvillette tried harder to allow the kiss to inundate his senses, so he let his hands roam up and down Wriothesley’s back for a little bit before grasping at his soft black hair lightly. He tried pulling his lover a bit closer by tugging at one of the straps of his black tank top. And of course, he did his best to deepen the kiss even more and yet…
“Oh no! After all, murder is, or should be, an art, Not one of the Seven Lively, perhaps, but an art nevertheless, and as such, the privilege of committing it should be reserved for the few who are really superior individuals,” Rupert clarified about his stance.
That’s not to say kissing Wriothesley wasn't the slightest bit helpful. Even if it didn’t distract him from the movie, the way his partner gently played with his long white hair as they kissed reassured him that he wasn’t alone in enduring this incredibly disturbing film. He was pleasantly surprised that his boyfriend hadn’t pushed him away just yet in favor of continuing to focus on the movie. Knowing he had such a patient lover was comforting in and of itself.
“And the victims - inferior beings whose lives are unimportant anyway,” Brandon chimed in.
Of course, Neuvillette still wished that the kiss would've served as a more effective distraction, at least until this particular conversation that played out on the screen was over. At this point, he could no longer tell if the tingling sensation in his spine was due to the pleasure from the kiss or his revulsion at the words coming out of Rupert’s and Brandon’s mouths.
If he were a more rational person, he could have just easily requested that they stop watching the film. And yet, he was stubbornly dedicated to seeing it through to the end simply because this was Wriothesley’s favorite film. He was seriously that obsessed with getting to know literally everything about his lover. Besides, Neuvillette couldn’t deny that he was also curious to know how the movie would end. He was invested in the storyline already.
“Obviously. Mind you, I don't hold with extremists who believe there should be an open season for murder all year round. No, I personally prefer having...oh, Cut-Throat Week or Strangulation Day or—”
“Agh!”
Wriothesley hissed in pain when Neuvillette bit down on his bottom lip a little bit too hard.
“Oh, I'm very sorry! Are you alright?”
The duke touched his own lips then took a good look at his fingers.
“Yes, I'm fine. It didn't even draw blood. I quite liked it, actually. It was our first kiss “at the movies”.”
Neuvillette was exceptionally grateful to have a patient lover, although it was strange that he didn't seem to mind at all that they were kissing torridly as the characters on screen were discussing the benefits of murder.
“Anyway, would you like us to rewind?” Wriothesley asked.
“There’s no need. I heard everything…Let me get some water for the both of us. No need to pause the film. I’ll be able to hear it from the kitchen.”
“Alright. Thank you. The salt from the popcorn made me a bit thirsty.”
After failing to find a sufficient distraction from the film, Neuvillette already knew that nothing could really turn his attention away from the movie so the best he could do was seek the comfort of refreshing water. In the kitchen, he could overhear Mr. Kentley expressing his objection to the morbid humor, to which Rupert and Brandon clarified that they were really being sincere in their justification of murder.
“Then may I ask which of us is to decide another human being is inferior? And is therefore a suitable victim for murder?” Mr. Kentley asked.
As Neuvillette poured water from a pitcher into his and Wriothesley’s favorite go-to mugs, he thought about how Mr. Kentley almost served as a stand-in for him—a judge putting these concepts to trial. Except Neuvillette himself didn't think of inquiring about the murderers’ philosophy. His job was only to determine whether the defendants were actually the ones who stabbed a random sailor, tied him up, put him in a bag, and tossed his body into the sea. It wasn't his place to confront their beliefs. He thought the verdict itself would serve as a sufficient condemnation of their baseless ideas. And yet his curiosity persisted. He always wanted to know where that line of rhetoric would lead you if you dared to follow that twisted logic. In a sense, all murderers believed that their victims deserved to die, but not all of them decided based on superiority and inferiority—or at least they never admitted to using this criterion to form their decision.
“The few who are privileged to commit murder.”
Neuvillette couldn't help but scoff at the answer Brandon gave. It was a classic example of circular reasoning, and was therefore illogical. Now he remembered part of the reason why he didn't bother asking this question at the trial in the first place. He knew it was just an excuse—at least for the real-life Brandon. The real-life Phillip’s excuse was that his partner was the one who dragged him into this. But as a judge, he knew that the only truly valid justification for killing someone was self-defense. Other reasons could explain their actions but never truly absolve them of guilt. These “reasons” they gave were often just lies they told themselves. That was probably why someone like Wriothesley chose to recount the events of his crime truthfully without scrambling to prove his innocence even though there was room for argument that he deserved some clemency.
However, the character of Rupert complicated things. One couldn't say that he was only making excuses because he didn't commit any murder in the first place. His ideas of superiority and inferiority genuinely formed his belief system so it couldn't be dismissed as a poor justification for a crime he had already committed. Even Brandon and Phillip in the movie believed in this ideology before committing the murder, so that meant even their real-life counterparts could have genuinely believed in these concepts before acting on them.
So was this ideology truly a belief or just an excuse? Neuvillette thought about it a little more as he walked back to the couch with a mug in each hand. Upon seeing the back of Wriothesley's head and his bare arm resting on the backrest of the couch, an insight came to Neuvillette. Perhaps there were some people out there that chose to believe in ideas that were convenient for them. Whether or not a person was intending to commit murder, the type of philosophy Rupert had was very convenient and self-serving. It was the type of belief that always made you think that you were in the right no matter what you did. It never forced you to confront your own flaws and address the contradictions within your thoughts and behaviors. It was an easy belief to latch onto.
Meanwhile, Wriothesley developed certain beliefs over time as a result of his own experiences and personal growth. As he matured, he began to believe in the value of upholding the law even if that meant he always had to live with the weight of his sins instead of trying to subscribe to logical workarounds in order to dismiss them. He allowed his convictions to challenge him to improve as a person rather than lure him into complacency. That's what separated him from people like Brandon, and Phillip even if they were guilty of the same crime.
Neuvillette settled down onto the couch once more and handed Wriothesley's mug to him. His boyfriend took it and downed all the water in one fell swoop. Seeing this, Neuvillette smiled knowing that his lover's thirst was now quenched. Now it was his turn to take a sip of water to comfort himself, although he had calmed down since the conversation on murder was over.
Brandon apologized to Mr. Kentley for his comments and Mr. Kentley agreed to drop the subject. He then accompanied Brandon to look at the books he set aside for the old man.
There was a little lull in the film, when Janet and Kenneth were talking about their past romance after Brandon put on some music to create a romantic atmosphere between the two ex-lovers, knowing that the man getting in their way was already dead. It was nothing very consequential in Neuvillette’s eyes, but it served as a good reprieve from the murder drama even though this conversation was dramatic in its own way. As he began to relax, he sought the comfort of Wriothesley’s lap and adjusted himself to rest his head on those firm thighs—not the most physically comfortable to rest on but Neuvillette always found it to be a very romantic position to be in.
“Are you comfortable there?” Wriothesley asked as he looked down into Neuvillette’s eyes and stroked the white hair splayed out on his thighs.
The Iudex knew that he was gazing into the eyes of a murderer yet he never felt a single bit of disgust towards them. And it wasn’t because he downplayed Wriothesley’s crime or forgot about it. He simply believed in the power of redemption—for people who were willing to take on that path, of course…
“I’m always comfortable as long as I’m next to you.”
“But can you see anything properly from there?”
“What’s important is that I hear the dialogue.”
For some reason, this made Wriothesley laugh.
“I suppose I really do have a preference for ‘talky’ films.”
“And it’s a good preference to have.”
Wriothesley smiled at this but chose to keep quiet so he could continue listening to the dialogue which was the most important part of the film. Admittedly, Neuvillette couldn’t care less about these side characters and their romantic pasts but when Janet revealed that she moved on with David after Kenneth broke up with her, the curious judge couldn’t help but ask his lover a question.
“Why does Kenneth want to rekindle his relationship with Janet if he was the one who broke up with her?”
“Well, people have regrets, you know. And besides, I don’t think the script was meant to explore the reason behind their breakup.”
“Mhm. I see. Well…if one day, you decide to break up with me…I wouldn’t have someone to move on with, so…we can always get back together anytime.”
Neuvillette was greatly fond of professing his love for Wriothesley in random moments, especially since the duke often doubted his own value and by extension, the affection he received. Oftentimes, these declarations would make his sweet lover a little flustered—in such a way that wasn’t obvious except for when one carefully observed his lumidouce-colored eyes.
However, now, the expression in those lovely eyes was more of…confusion?
“Huh? Neuvillette…That's very sweet of you but I don’t think you should identify too much with the characters in this film. They’re all very different from us and the romance isn’t the real point of the conversation. It’s more about Brandon’s overconfidence in his meddling…”
He didn’t understand what his lover meant until the scene continued to play out. It happened more quickly than he expected. Janet confronted Brandon about why he told Kenneth that he now had better chances with her. This drew attention to David’s absence and it was becoming clear that Brandon’s party wasn’t going as planned. These events all led Rupert to become suspicious as he knew his former students very well.
Clearly, Brandon and Phillip weren’t the superior individuals they thought they were if there were cracks in their plans and by extension, their murder was far from perfect. Neuvillette started to somewhat “enjoy” this part of the movie as it looked like Brandon and Phillip were going to get their comeuppance sooner or later. That’s if Neuvillette predicted correctly.
“When you watched the film for the first time, were you looking forward to the chest being opened or were you nervous about the possibility of the body being discovered?”
“I don't recall having any sort of expectation. I was just curious all throughout.”
“I mean, who did you empathize with as you were watching? I won’t judge you for empathizing with the murderers. The story unfolds from their perspective after all.”
“I don't think I was rooting for anyone in particular. I was just…interested to see how everything would fall into place. What about you?”
“I want them to get caught.”
“I thought so.”
Wriothesley answered curtly in an attempt to avoid giving out spoilers—not that Neuvillette really cared. However, his lover was very particular about this convention so he didn't ask about the ending just yet.
Neuvillette felt rather tense as Rupert confronted Phillip about his lies regarding his chicken-strangling tendencies, implying that if he lied about that, he could have been lying about something else as well. But somehow the tension actually felt good this time around. He got off Wriothesley's lap and went back to his original position sitting beside him to better process the events on screen.
And then, in the middle of their conversation, Mr. Kentley came back to the living room with a stack of books…which Brandon tied together with the piece of rope he and Phillip used to strangle David. Neuvillette couldn't help but let his jaw drop.
He turned to Wriothesley and they locked eyes with each other. The duke flashed a cheeky grin and narrowed his eyes, carefully examining Neuvillette’s face.
“What? Are you impressed or scandalized?” he teased.
Neuvillette took a while to respond.
“Both…?”
The films he watched based on Wriothesley's recommendations often fell under the crime thriller genre. As such, he'd already witnessed several depictions of violence on screen—some of which could practically be considered gore. And yet it was a single piece of rope that made him react this way.
Sensing Neuvillette's discomfort, Wriothesley pulled him closer and rubbed his left shoulder to soothe him.
“What about you? How did you react when you first saw that scene?”
“I was amused, a little intrigued.”
After a few moments of silence, Wriothesley thought of adding a disclaimer to his answer.
“I hope that doesn’t come across as too cold and unfeeling to you.”
Neuvillette shook his head. Even as he found the film to be rather disturbing as it went on, he came to the realization that he never truly found Wriothesley’s interest in it to be a cause of concern.
He turned his focus to the film once more. By this time, Phillip had become so nervous due to Rupert’s questioning that he sought out a drink—an act which made Brandon frustrated with his partner.
“Keep your voice down and have your rotten drink.”
“I don’t know how anyone can watch this film and think these men are just friends. You can see the toxic dynamic between them mirrors that of a dysfunctional couple,” Wriothesley observed. “Couples who commit crimes together really are a different breed. They not only commit crime for a shared purpose, but they also become so involved with each other. There’s some emotional entanglement going on and it manifests in their criminal activity.”
Wriothesley talked about partners-in-crime who were romantically involved as if it were nothing—as if he didn’t personally suffer at the hands of a married couple. Neuvillette didn't know what to make of it but he nonetheless agreed wholeheartedly with his lover's observation. It also made him wonder if Wriothesley's initial exposure to romance when he was younger was him being surrounded by couples who replaced emotional intimacy with a shared inclination for evil. If that were the case, the concept of Brandon and Phillip dating was probably not surprising to him at all compared to the way Neuvillette was surprised to find out that their real-life counterparts were lovers.
They continued watching as the guests all speculated about David's whereabouts and this caused Neuvillette to feel uneasy once more. As much as he appreciated that the plot was progressing towards the murderers potentially being discovered for their crime, he felt a twinge of grief at the idea of Mr. Kentley finally coming to learn of the loss of his son. The entire party was a cruel joke on him specifically and the dramatic irony weighed heavily on Neuvillette's mind.
The guests were gradually starting to leave Brandon and Phillip’s apartment, and Rupert claimed his hat from the closet before leaving. He noticed, however, that his hat didn't feel right on his head so he took it off. The camera planned closer to reveal the initials D. K. sewn onto the inside of the hat, confirming that it was David Kentley's. Rupert seemed to know what was going on but didn't do anything about it. He just…left.
“No…”
Neuvillette wasn't the type to react very strongly to films yet he couldn't help but feel frustrated at the injustice of it all. He tried to comfort himself with the idea that the real-life murderers were convicted for their crimes but that didn't seem to soothe him. He had also watched several films in the past where the criminals weren't caught and he didn't mind this because he understood that these types of endings were meant to be taken as commentaries on injustice. But Neuvillette now became a greedy audience member. He wanted these kinds of murderers—those who considered themselves intellectually superior—to be punished in all universes where they existed, whether that be in real life or in fiction.
Meanwhile, Wriothesley continued to remain quiet to avoid giving out spoilers. Instead, he opted to press a kiss to the side of Neuvillette's head to comfort him.
Now, Brandon and Phillip had enough time to process the events of the party on their own after all their guests left the apartment.
“Determined to get drunk, aren't you?” Brandon asked Phillip.
“I am drunk.”
“And as childish as you were before when you called me a liar.”
“You had no business telling that story.”
“Why did you lie anyway?”
“I had to! Have you ever bothered for just one minute to understand how someone else might feel?”
“I'm not sentimental, if that's what you mean.”
Wriothesley scoffed at this. “Brandon wants to believe he’s such a rational human being, but that can’t be further from the truth. I would argue he’s being hysterical, albeit in a less obvious way.”
“No, that's not what I mean but it doesn't matter! Nothing matters except that Mr. Brandon liked the party. Mr. Brandon gave the party. Mr. Brandon had a delightful evening. Well, I had a rotten evening.”
“Keep drinking and you'll have a worse morning.”
“At least if I have a hangover, it’ll be all mine!”
“Is Phillip trying to imply that he has no ownership over the crime?” Neuvillette asked.
“Seems like it was mainly Brandon’s idea and he was just dragged into it.”
“But he could have refused.”
“Exactly. It would be a bad faith argument if used in court. But I think he’s talking about his personal life—how he always feels subjugated by Brandon. That’s a simple explanation, of course. When I watched the film again, I started to think of Brandon’s perspective. He must've wanted Phillip to be an accomplice in his crime because he saw Phillip as an extension of himself and he wanted to prove that both of them were intellectually superior. And I think that desire comes from a deep sense of insecurity.”
“Is this the emotional entanglement you spoke of earlier?”
“Yes. At least, that’s my interpretation of it.”
Neuvillette thought the film would end with an anti-climactic conversation where the two murderers suffered a breakdown in their relationship. Then, the message of the film would end up being something along the lines of “even if you evade law enforcement, you will still experience the consequences of your crime in other areas of your life.” If that were the case, the message would make sense but it still wouldn’t satisfy Neuvillette enough.
But just as he thought nothing dramatic was going to happen anymore, there was a knock on the door of Brandon and Phillip’s apartment. It turned out to be Rupert, who claimed to have left his cigarette case. Before opening the door to welcome Rupert in, Brandon prepared by stuffing a small gun into his suit pocket.
Finally, things were getting interesting again.
As Rupert entered the apartment and exchanged pleasantries with Brandon and Phillip, he discreetly slipped his cigarette case on the wooden chest which was turned into a buffet table to make it seem as though he left it there originally. That obviously meant the real reason for his return was something else entirely.
The three characters exchanged pleasantries for a while until Rupert found a way to segue to the topic of David’s absence from the party.
“His not showing up. You don't suppose anything did happen to him, do you?”
“What could have?” Brandon threw the question back at Rupert.
“Oh, he might’ve been run over or held up.”
“In broad daylight?”
“That's right, I'd forgotten, It must’ve been broad daylight when it happened.”
“When what happened?”
So Rupert did know. Now, the only question was whether he would approve of the murder or not. So far, it seemed as though he was in a confrontational mode, but Neuvillette couldn’t tell for sure just yet. There was still a chance that the narrative might pull the rug out from under him.
“But you always interest me, Rupert. Do you think I kidnapped David?”
“It's the sort of mischief that would have appealed to you at school. For the excitement. The danger.”
“It would be slightly more difficult to pull off now, though, don't you think?”
“Oh, you’d find a way.”
“How? I mean…suppose you were I. How would you get David out of the way?”
Neuvillette untangled his arm from Wriothesley’s and sat up stiffly as Rupert detailed his speculation of what happened step by step. He hoped his lover didn’t mind, but then again, it was also his fault for choosing a film that wasn’t exactly conducive to engaging in romantic physical contact.
Rupert revealed that he wasn’t exactly sure about his speculations but he took the fact that Brandon had a gun in his pocket as a sign of guilt. That observation led Brandon, Phillip, and Rupert to have a little squabble with the gun. Phillip was startled into firing indiscriminately but fortunately, Rupert was able to take away the gun before anyone could be injured by the bullets. Following this, the gun would no longer be the real source of tension.
“I don't want to...but I'm going to look inside that chest.”
“Are you crazy?”
“I hope so. I honestly hope so.”
As Rupert took a look inside the chest with the gun still in his hand, Neuvillette was relieved that the camera filmed the scene in such a way that the body of David wasn’t revealed to the audience anymore. It looked like it was something only Rupert was meant to reckon with. After all, this dead body was the manifestation of all his philosophical assertions.
And that’s exactly what Brandon pointed out.
“Remember we said, we’ve always said, you and I, that moral concepts of good and evil and right and wrong don't hold for the intellectually superior? Remember, Rupert?”
“Yes. I remember…”
“Well, that's all we've done, Rupert. That's all Phillip and I have done! He and I have lived what you and I have talked! I knew you'd understand because you have to, don't you see? You have to!”
“You have thrown my own words in my face, Brandon. You were right to. If. nothing else, a man should stand by his words…But you have thrown the sound of reasoning at me, not reason itself. You have given my words a meaning I never dreamed of, You have tried to twist them into a cold, logical excuse for your ugly murder.”
“Oh, fuck you. Fuck. You.”
In truth, Wriothesley wasn't the type to cuss liberally. He once told Neuvillette that he used to curse like a sailor in his teenage years out of a desire to fit in with his peers but once he reached his early twenties, he dropped the habit as it didn't feel genuine to him anymore. Nowadays, he only ever used swear words strategically when trying to make his points clearer to some inmates, so naturally, Neuvillette rarely heard him speak this way. That must've meant that he held a lot of vitriol towards the character on screen.
“Are you addressing…Rupert?”
“Sorry. Please excuse my language.”
“No, I mean to ask, why direct your anger at him while he's admonishing Brandon and Phillip?”
“It’s just…how could he act like his words don’t have any weight? If he didn’t truly mean it, why did he say he was being serious?”
“They never were that, Brandon, and you can't make them that. There must have been something deep in you, from the very first, to let you do this thing. But there has always been something deep in me that could never let me do it…or be a party to it now,” Rupert expounded.
Neuvillette was somewhat inclined to believe that Rupert had an intuitive moral compass that prevented him from actualizing his ideas. However, Wriothesley didn’t seem to be entirely convinced of Rupert’s last point even after watching the film multiple times already. That was also a sensible interpretation, considering that characters in books, plays, or films weren’t always the most reliable in explaining their own intentions.
“I understand but that doesn’t make him accountable for Brandon and Phillip’s crime. They were the ones who intended to murder David, and they might have done it even without Rupert’s influence.”
“I know. But I reckon he should learn a thing or two about the power of rhetoric—the power of ideology. His ideas don’t exist in a vacuum—especially not when talking to queer kids who must have sought his approval.”
“Did you think you were God, Brandon? Is that what you thought when you choked the life from him? Is that what you thought when you served food from his grave?” Rupert’s dialogue continued.
Meanwhile, as Rupert was continuing his long spiel, Wriothesley inched closer to Neuvillette and whispered into his ear with a low voice as he twirled Neuvillette's long white strands of hair.
“Let’s say I tried to make the argument that assassinating the Iudex would benefit Fontaine society. Everywhere I go, I'd tell people about it and if they ask to clarify what I meant, I’d say that I'm being completely serious. And let's say one of the inmates actually took me seriously enough that they resorted to stabbing you. Of course, you wouldn’t die but wouldn’t you think I'm to blame for instigating violence?”
It surely was a spine-chilling thought experiment worth pondering on, yet Neuvillette couldn't take the threat seriously as he was far too distracted by his lover's deep, sultry voice and the feeling of the vibrations in his ear. Even the tone of Wriothesley's voice was also…quite intimidating in a way that made him flustered…
“You must choose a different hypothetical scenario. This one is much too far-fetched and in this situation, you're targeting a specific person which isn't what Rupert was trying to do.”
Wriothesley distanced himself a little bit from Neuvillette and pointed at the movie screen.
“Later. Let’s continue watching. It’s about to end.”
At this point in the film, Rupert frantically paced back and forth with the gun in his hand. In between sentences, he quickly glanced at the window.
“I don't know what you thought you were doing or what you are, but I do know what you've done! You've murdered! You've strangled a fellow human being who could live and laugh and love as you never could! And never will now!”
Based on Brandon’s and Phillip’s facial expressions, it looked like they were finally understanding the true weight of their crime as the protective shield built on their rationalizations came crumbling down. Perhaps it was because Rupert made them understand the faults in their line of reasoning, combined with the mere fact that the one man who they thought would condone their actions ended up expressing contempt for them instead.
This might have been the reason why Neuvillette defended Rupert so strongly. The judge knew that this character was deeply flawed and somewhat hypocritical, yet he still couldn’t help but admire how he lambasted these criminals in a way Neuvillette wasn’t able to do in court. As long as someone—anyone—said these words, it was enough for him to feel some sort of catharsis even if it was accompanied by regret.
“What are you doing?” Brandon asked with a hint of weakness in his voice.
“It's not what I'm doing, Brandon. It's what society is going to do...What that will be, I don't know. But I can guess and I can help...You're going to die, Brandon. Both of you! You're going to die!”
Neuvillette’s breath hitched upon hearing this. Surely, as much as he detested the moral bankruptcy of both Brandon and Phillip, he didn’t believe they deserved death. If Rupert were to kill them, he’d be an even greater hypocrite than he already was.
With bated breath, Neuvillette watched as Rupert walked to the window and fired three gun shots in the air to summon the gardes to arrest Brandon and Phillip for their crime.
Brandon didn’t protest against this nor did he scramble to flee the scene of the crime. Instead, he poured a drink for himself in defeat. Phillip, on the other hand, seemed to feel relieved.
“They’re coming…It’s all over. I’m glad.”
That was the last line of dialogue in the entire film. The characters continued to sit in silence as the clanking sounds of the gardemeks rushing to their apartment echoed in the background.
“See, you got what you wanted,” Wriothesley said.
Neuvillette and Wriothesley turned to look at each other as they both missed the exact moment when the screen faded to black.
“Whew! That’s the end of it.”
Wriothesley stood up to stretch his legs and arms, flexing his biceps and back muscles for a brief moment, unintentionally putting on a show for his lover. He took a step forward seemingly to head over to dismantle the film-viewing equipment but after a split-second, he pivoted to face Neuvillette. He put both of his hands on his hips and shifted his weight on one leg.
“To continue where we left off, I agree that my analogy wasn't the most sound. And let me be clear—I wasn't trying to argue that Rupert was more morally or legally accountable than Brandon and Phillip. I'm just interested in hearing your thoughts about the matter. Suppose this were a real life case, obviously, you wouldn't find someone like Rupert to be guilty of any crime but what consequences should this kind of person face for spreading harmful ideas?”
Neuvillette contemplated his answer for a moment. In truth, he was stumped. Even as the Iudex and the hydro dragon sovereign, he didn't have the answers to everything. If he did, perhaps he could have put an end to crime and poverty all by himself.
“I suppose the guilt weighing on their conscience should suffice as a punishment…”
That was the best he could come up with. Since he didn't look straight into Wriothesley's eyes, he wasn't aware that his lover was able to sense his apprehension.
“Are you alright, Neuvillette? Did the film's content affect you negatively?”
“No. It was hardly violent at all.”
“It's still quite a provocative film nonetheless. Are you sure it wasn't too disturbing for you? I remember your reaction to seeing the rope tied around the books.”
“Well, yes. There was that…”
Wriothesley sat down beside Neuvillette and slung an arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer.
“If you didn't like the film, you can be honest about it. I won't mind. We all have different opinions.”
Neuvillette looked down, turning his gaze to his lap where he rested both of his hands as he clenched his fists.
“It's not that I don't like it. It's that…I'm not sure if you're aware but the original play was based on a real-life case. One that I tried in court roughly four hundred years ago...”
“Right. Right…I knew—I know about it. I just…conveniently neglected that fact when I suggested we watch the film together. I'm very sorry. I should've known better. If only you’d said something, I wouldn't have hesitated to pick something else.”
Neuvillette shook his head.
“That's why I decided against bringing it up. I wouldn't dare to miss any opportunity to watch your favorite film with you.”
“Is that something you really wanted to do or did you just create some sort of obligation for yourself?”
The true reason was worse—it stemmed from his obsession with his lover. But he wasn't going to mention that out loud.
“You know me. I always want to learn everything about you. So please tell me—what exactly do you like about the film? If you let me know, your answer would be worth all the discomfort I had to endure throughout the film.”
Wriothesley opened his mouth then closed it again. The way his eyes wandered made it clear that he already knew exactly what to say but needed some time to find the proper phrasing. Neuvillette blinked at him slowly, hoping to convey patience somehow. When Wriothesley's gaze finally met Neuvillette's once again, it was a sign that he was ready to speak.
“Sometimes, I go through the file of a newly admitted inmate whose crime is so heinous that it makes my stomach churn. You'd think someone like me would be immune to that kind of reaction but…apparently not. When I was new to my job as the administrator, I used to stay up all night wondering how anyone had it in them to rape, torture…well, let's not give specific examples anymore. My point is, during that time, I would try to wrap my head around heinous crimes by putting myself in the inmates’ shoes. I imagined myself holding the same weapons they did and I hoped that would help me stop feeling so disturbed.”
Neuvillette's heart sank. He so desperately wanted to reassure his lover that he wasn't as evil as he thought he was but he knew that Wriothesley’s guilt was his own to handle. His undying love for the ex-convict wasn't meant to absolve him of his sins or erase his guilt. And besides, Wriothesley seemed to be making an introduction to a different point entirely.
“Obviously it didn't work. It only made things worse. But then I watched Rope for the first time and…I realized that the film was able to do what I'd been struggling with for so long—it knew how to make sense of evil. And that…comforted me somehow. Ever since I watched it, I stopped trying to imagine myself replicating those heinous crimes. I learned that I could infer their line of thinking from a distance and accept that some people really are just morally bankrupt and it’s not up to me to look into each possible root cause of their behavior.”
Perhaps this was one of the reasons why Wriothesley disliked the character of Rupert. While Rupert found it easy to assert that he wasn't as morally bankrupt as Brandon and Phillip because there was something in him that prevented him from committing murder, Wriothesley never allowed himself to believe that he had any moral superiority over other criminals. He was hinting at it in his recent statement, but he still hesitated to make the implication more obvious. Nonetheless, Neuvillette picked up on this sentiment and agreed with it. He knew that despite being charged with murder, Wriothesley would never dare to cross certain lines, especially now that he had a much stronger moral compass than before. It made sense that certain manifestations of evil were difficult for him to comprehend.
“That might have been the reason why I forgot about the real-life case. I tend to think of the movie as an abstraction of evil. It's still based on reality, but condensed for the benefit of the viewer while still retaining enough nuance.”
The judge found himself nodding in agreement. Wriothesley was able to describe exactly what made the film effective at both unsettling audiences and providing a sense of order amidst the chaos of criminality. As he provided his commentary on the characters, it sounded as though he had been using them as case studies to practice analyzing the psychology of his inmates in order to better deal with them. It must have also helped that the main characters were gay, allowing the duke to become all the more familiar with the intricacies of their interpersonal issues.
“The film also emphasized the importance of beliefs. It's not only our backgrounds or our current circumstances that shape our actions. It's mainly our beliefs about what we ought to do. So we have to be mindful about the things we believe in and how we spread these beliefs to other people. But I suppose that also means that if someone's willing to change their beliefs, perhaps they can begin to embark on the path towards redemption…”
Neuvillette was impressed. He didn't know if anyone else would be capable of squeezing any sort of hopeful message from such a bleak film. Then again, this was Wriothesley. No one else could emulate him.
“Does that answer satisfy your curiosity?”
“Yes. I find your reflections to be very insightful. No wonder you seem to know the characters very well as if they were your own inmates.”
“I think I must know them better than many of our inmates at this point. But that doesn’t mean I’m the sole authority when it comes to interpreting them. I’m sure you have your own thoughts on the film. I’d like to hear them as well.”
Admittedly, Neuvillette hoped that his lover would have dropped the subject already as he wasn't very inclined to discuss how the film affected him. Still, he knew Wriothesley had good intentions behind his inquiry so he agreed to divulge his feelings.
“Hmmm…I must admit we have vastly different experiences with the film.”
“I can tell. And that’s not a problem at all. I like that we see things differently so please tell me more.”
“Well…to be very honest, while the film provided you with a sense of clarity, there were moments that made me feel rather distraught.”
“Right. Because you encountered a similar case in real life.”
That alone could have explained his discomfort with the film, but Neuvillette still found it necessary to elaborate further to help his lover understand him more.
“When I tried the case that time, I told myself not to think much of it. I needed to maintain my objectivity as a judge. I passed my verdict on the defendants based on the evidence presented at the trial, and my own personal feelings about their motivations didn’t matter. But this film…it allowed me to truly feel the contempt and disgust I suppressed for four hundred years, yet I don’t know what to make of these feelings.”
As Neuvillette was speaking, Wriothesley brought his hand to his partner’s cheek and stroked it lightly with his thumb. The motion mirrored that of a person wiping away someone’s tears even though Neuvillette wasn’t crying himself. It had become a habit for Wriothesley over time as he couldn’t always tell when Neuvillette was altering the weather from his bedroom in the Fortress of Meropide.
“Mhm. You’ve always been quite empathetic, Neuvillette. And I adore that about you. Perhaps, you can take the opportunity to feel your anger in its entirety and I’ll be here to soothe you.”
“There’s a part of me that wishes that…you were the administrator of the Fortress of Meropide back then. You would have been able to make those criminals understand the weight of their crimes. I imagine you would have taught them a lesson on egalitarianism…”
“You do realize there was a reason why I ended up in the fortress in the first place, right?”
“I know. I haven’t forgotten…”
All of a sudden, a soft, mushy feeling radiated throughout Neuvillette's chest. It compelled him to wrap his arms around his lover and pull him into a tight embrace. He rested his chin on Wriothesley’s shoulder as he rubbed his back lightly.
“Thank you for inviting me to watch your favorite film with you.”
He must have sounded overly dramatic in the way he expressed his gratitude as he nuzzled into the crook of his lover’s neck, but Neuvillette meant something more. Thank you for sharing a part of yourself with me. Thank you for supporting me as I confront my past. Thank you for comforting me.
“I may not have exactly enjoyed it in the true sense of the word, but I greatly appreciated it nonetheless. Your taste in films is truly impeccable.”
Wriothesley let out a low chuckle and squeezed Neuvillette tightly before gently letting go so they could talk face to face.
“And thank you for sitting through it with me. But I was thinking, maybe next time, we need to choose a film based on different criteria.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if we’re watching a film so that we can have something to discuss, we should choose something well-made with artistic merit. But if we’re just looking for an excuse to cuddle and relax, we might as well put on something that doesn’t require much thinking. Something like a rom-com.”
“But…you always point out the ludicrous plot points and criticize the love interests in romantic comedies...”
Neuvillette didn't mean anything negative with his statement, but Wriothesley still appeared flustered upon being “called out” for his habit of nitpicking romantic comedies which were supposed to be fun and lighthearted.
“...I promise not to do that this time around…”
“No. I’d love to hear your commentary, whether negative or positive. My concern is that you won’t enjoy what we’re watching.”
“Well, sometimes it can be fun to hate on a corny film. And besides, having you by my side will make anything enjoyable. Now, the question is: would you like to watch another film or would you rather do something else?”
There was the option of simply chatting casually and cuddling with his lover in bed, but Neuvillette found himself craving for something more than just idle chatter.
“Let’s watch something—something that will get you to talk a lot.”
“Hmmm…Ah! I think I remembered seeing that the package I bought contained an adaptation of Persuasion by Janet Austin. I heard it received mostly negative reviews. I suppose we can compare it to the novel as we’re watching it.”
“Alright.”
Negative reviews—how splendid! That meant that it would be unlikely for Wriothesley to shut up throughout the entire film’s run time. Neuvillette was looking forward to it.
Not one to waste time, Wriothesley hoisted himself up from the couch and looked through the box he bought for a copy of the Persuasion film adaptation. When he came back, he took the time to carefully replace the Rope film tape in the projector with that of Persuasion.
Come to think of it, Neuvillette didn't believe that watching another film would simply erase the odd feeling that lingered in his stomach throughout the eighty minute runtime of Rope. The frustration will always be there, and he learned that embracing it could be an option for him going forward. He accepted that he didn't need to be the most objective when viewing his past trials in hindsight. After all, there had always been this one particular trial that never left his mind until now…
With that, Neuvillette's thoughts drifted back to the present as he watched his lover operate the film equipment flawlessly. He sighed in satisfaction knowing that he would get to spend many more years getting to know his lover better one film at a time.