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“Congratulations!” Navia's loud voice boomed, followed by pops of champagne bottles and rain of confetti. Squeals and giggles filled the room as the famous film director Furina de Fontaine got hugs from Navia, Clorinde and even Neuvillette. Instead of joining the group hug, Wriothesley opted for a pat on her back.
“Thank you all for standing by my side and supporting me. I couldn't have asked for better friends!” Furina laughed, wiping her teary eyes. She had made a name for herself in the film world. She had been working on several productions and her hard work clearly paid off. Her new film based on a popular murder mystery book was going to be in theaters and Furina invited everyone for the film's opening.
Now. Wriothesley was proud of her. He really was. From what he had heard of the prophecy and her trial, Furina had not been well from then on, refusing to live in the Palais Mermonia and instead making a new name for herself, living somewhere in the Court of Fontaine. The truth came in bits and pieces to him, gossip from Sigewinne and Clorinde, letters from Neuvillette and Charlotte’s SteamBird reports. But he'd never known the full story. He knew that Furina had been struggling for centuries, suffering from mental degradation and instability and clinical insanity. Neuvillette mentioned repeatedly and expressed how much he worried for Furina's health, concerned for her. Despite having an idea of what she struggled with, Wriothesley still didn't know much, leaving her as an enigma and a mystery.
But if he was being honest, she had forever been a mystery to him. He was just able to see her more now.
Regardless, he was still happy that she was recovering from her struggles. He was actually surprised to receive an invitation for her after-party, since they had but one conversation in total. But he still made himself attend the party.
The after-party was held in the Hotel Debord with only a handful of people present. With Neuvillette's authority, it wasn't hard to book an entire hotel for themselves. And Neuvillette had truly gone out of the way to spoil her. Hotel Debord was decorated with colorful balloons, banners and ribbons, a large four tiered cake in Furina's favorite flavor and all her favorite foods. It was obvious that she was celebrated by everyone. Loved, even.
Here she was, cutting her big beautiful cake that Neuvillette paid Escoffier handsomely to make, a bright and joyful smile on her face. She first turned to Neuvillette who had never looked so happy and smitten, bending to accept the slice of cake she fed him. Furina went to Clorinde and fed her cake while Navia clapped. The white haired woman happily fed Navia, playfully smearing a little bit of frosting on her cheeks. Furina's smile however wavered just a little when she turned her attention to him, as if she just noticed his presence, as if she had totally forgotten about him.
“Congratulations,” he told her, wanting to lighten the mood. It had hurt him that she still looked at him like he didn't exist. He was hardly unnoticeable, tall as he was. His reputation preceded him. And yet. His smile was hurting.
Something in her eyes changed. She offered a miniscule smile and stepped back. Wriothesley hadn't understood why until he noticed the slice of cake sitting on the platter, waiting for him to pick up and eat. Because she couldn't offer him some. Because she could extend the courtesy to everyone, even Navia who she had a rocky background with but not him. Because he, unknowingly and unintentionally, had done something that made her hate him. So much so that she refused to acknowledge him, refused to read and respond to his letters, refused to meet him, refused to hold a conversation with him.
Wriothesley didn't know why his eyes were stinging. He forced a smile and took his cake, finding the sweet syrupy dessert nauseating.
It shouldn't have been so surprising, considering how Furina never bothered to speak to him for years. That even if she was willing to talk to others, people that she didn't get along with, she'd never do that with him. He was somehow beneath her, too lowly to be part of that upper echelon she orbited. After all, he was, out of everyone here, the only one who came from a lower class background.
The rest of the celebration went by a blur. He subjected himself to simply standing by and making small talk with Neuvillette and Clorinde, distracting himself from the humiliation and burn. Wriothesley did not have thin skin, he did not get upset at things like this. He had grown up in a terrible world and had developed the necessary skills to protect himself from it. Being treated like the dirt underneath some rich noble's feet was not unusual nor was it painful to him anymore. Had it been any other member of the Fontaine government, he would not have paid a mind. He'd have merrily remained in his office, drinking tea and ignoring them. And yet.
“Are you not enjoying yourself?” Clorinde asked, a drink in hand.
“Oh, no, I am fine. Just not interested in doing the talking.” He lied through his teeth.
“Well, do you want a drink?” She offered.
Wriothesley shook his head. “No, I'm good. Please carry on.”
The last thing he wanted was to ruin the fun for everyone. Navia looked giddy and excited, discussing something animatedly with Neuvillette. Charlotte had shown up halfway through the party and none of them were able to say no to her party-crashing. The journalist could be seen interviewing Furina who was radiating a glow, looking like the main star that she was. The ex-Archon looked like she belonged. Hotel Debord’s polished floors and ivory walls could possibly be her stage, the chandeliers her spotlight.
It brought a tinge of unwelcomeness and discomfort. As always, she made him feel like he was back to being a ten year old, still naive and trusting. He would be comfortable in his own skin until she showed up in his view, and all of a sudden, he lost all the bravado.
“—you sure? You haven't touched anything at all. That slice of cake couldn't have been enough.” Clorinde was saying and he blinked, realizing that he hadn't been listening to her.
“It's alright. I just don't feel the need to eat. Or drink.”
Everyone who knew him knew that Wriothesley never had alcohol and he was not going to start tonight. Even if there were non-alcoholic drinks, he'd rather not have anything if he could. His nerves were getting the best of him and he didn't want anything to upset his stomach.
Thankfully Clorinde didn't badger him about drinks or food, and let him be. Wriothesley stood against the wall, feeling like he was somewhere he shouldn't be. He couldn't help but see Furina at the corner of his vision, confident and comfortable and happy. He was happy for her, but he couldn't help but feel anger bubbling inside his calm exterior.
By the end of the after-party, Navia, Charlotte and Furina were drunk, giggling at each other. Furina particularly had way too many drinks, evident in her reddened face. Neuvillette had tried, and failed, to get her to flush the alcohol out of her system, but the never-been-drunk-before Iudex was not knowledgeable about dealing with drunk people and so after Clorinde dragged a smiling Navia out of the Hotel Debord, Charlotte promptly following the two, it left Wriothesley, Neuvillette, Furina and a couple of staff members.
“Uh…” Neuvillette looked around, trying to find a way to help Furina, a tight grip on her wrist but she was more interested in finishing the remainder of her glass. The Iudex was completely out of his comfort zone. The poor man had no idea what to do. “Please stop drinking more alcohol. It's important to drink water.”
“Oh, come on, Neuvillette. I'm drunk, not incapacitated. You're worrying too much,” Furina waved his concerns away, a wide smile on her face. She soon got distracted as a couple of staff members went up to her, requesting an autograph. It was not hard to see that she was particularly popular with men. Though she had fans of every group, gender and she, men in particular could be seen flirting with her quite often. Like now as she all but simpered and laughed as the two staff members congratulated her and praised her appearance. She did look beautiful. Dressed in her sleek dark blue ensemble, she had the flair of a star.
Staring at her be all smiles with the two men when she couldn't even bother to look at him, Wriothesley suddenly wanted nothing to do here anymore. He wanted to leave and return to the Fortress of Meropide, his self-esteem having taken too many hits in one night. And he was about to when Neuvillette caught his eyes and gestured for him to come to him.
With a sigh, Wriothesley made his way to Neuvillette. “What happened? Is everything alright with you?”
Neuvillette casted a worried glance at Furina and confessed, “I'm not well-advised on matters of alcoholism. Furina seems quite tipsy and I don't know what to do.”
“Well, she has what? Four glasses? I think it is perfectly fine. I assure you that she will be alright.” Wrio told him. He's seen far too many drunkards in his life and known how much was too much. Furina fit neither of those concerns. At most, she'd have a headache in the morning. But the Iudex of Fontaine had a soft spot for her, so it made sense that he would be so concerned for her. He'd do anything for her, wouldn't he?
Still, Neuvillette seemed unconvinced and hesitant. “Are you sure? I have never had a drop of alcohol ever in my life, so I have no experience with it.”
At that, he put a hand on Neuvillette's shoulder. “Well, being the administrator of Meropide, I've seen my fair share of inebriated people. You just need to eat something and rest. That's all.” Wriothesley let his hand drop, feeling exhausted from the social interaction. It was time to return home.
“Wait, Mr. Wriothesley,” Neuvillette spoke, not willing to let him go. “Since you're more familiar with this, why don't you help me?”
He stifled his frustrated sigh. “Of course, I can do that,” he told Neuvillette in a calm manner.
Right then, Furina returned, having finished her conversation with her fans. Her face was red and flushed, sweat beading on her forehead. Evidently she was tipsy, her movements slightly slow. There was no sign of nausea or discomfort which was good, but there was a relaxed demeanor to her.
“Neuvillette! Stop looking so glum! I didn't invite you to my party for you to play as a doctor.” She rolled her eyes.
“I'm only worried about you. You had a lot of drinks tonight—”
“Five—”
“—and I have heard that being inebriated can be dangerous if not taken care of.” Neuvillette told her, his serious expression faltering with his concern.
“I'm totally fine!” Furina shook her head. “It's getting late and we might be overstaying our welcome here. Don't you have trials tomorrow?”
Neuvillette sighed. “You're right. I do have to return to the Palais Mermonia.”
She brightened at that. “Well, don't let me hold you back. Good night, Monsieur Neuvillette. Good night, Your Grace.”
Furina waved at the two of them with a big grin on her face, while a part of him internally flinched at her acknowledging him the second time this night.
“Actually, I was hoping that you might help Furina deal with her tipsiness before either of you retire for the night,” Neuvillette said, turning to him. “I would have helped but I don't know what to do. Considering you dealt with drunk people before, I trust you will be able to take care of her.”
Wrio hesitated. On one hand, he wanted to lessen Neuvillette's worries. But on the other hand, he didn't know if he could handle being near her any longer. He didn't want to be subtly insulted or mistreated by her for whatever prejudice she had towards him. He glanced at Furina who uncharacteristically did not look away from him, nor did she ignore his existence. She only had a relaxed smile and said, “That won't be necessary. I can go back j-just fine. Don't you have a lot of work to do, Duke?”
He blinked, completely surprised and taken aback by her casually speaking to him. “Uh…I suppose.”
“See?” Furina tilted her head at Neuvillette, letting out a laugh. “Let's not get him involved. Let's all go home and get to bed.”
Neuvillette frowned, looking at him, not seemingly happy with him. Wriothesley exhaled tiredly and said, “Still, Monsieur Neuvillette has a point. It's not a good idea to return home when you're inebriated. Let me get you something to eat, it'll help.”
She was definitely drunk, because it took a while for her to catch his meaning. Furina widened her eyes and shook her head. “Oh no, no, you don't have to—I don't want to bother you.”
“It's alright,” he said, though he was still surprised and honestly, confused. “You would not be bothering me. Monsieur Neuvillette and I would just like to ensure that you remain safe.”
She let out a sigh, having no rebuttal to offer. She must not like that they were concerned for her, but the alcohol seemed to have loosen her inhibitions because she nodded soon enough. “Alright, then.”
“Take care, Furina.” Neuvillette had the softest expression on his face, looking at her with such adoration and affection that Wriothesley felt envious. He too wished to be the subject of adoration from someone. “I'm very proud of you, I hope you know that.”
Neuvillette finally looked at him and there was a hint of that affection, so minute compared to the ocean of love he held for her. “Please make sure she reaches home safely. And take care of yourself too, Mr. Wriothesley.”
Wriothesley could only say, “Of course, Monsieur Neuvillette. See you soon.”
He left then and suddenly the interior of the Hotel Debord started to feel suffocating. Wrio didn't anticipate that he'd find himself in the role of caretaker for her but he had seemingly made a promise to Neuvillette, so he'd have to bear this duty as well. He turned to the ex-Archon. “Why don't you freshen up while I get some food for you? It's good to have food when you're drunk.”
Instead of ignoring him or rolling her eyes, Furina looked confused, as if she hadn't expected that. Before he contemplated repeating what he said, she shook her head. “That won't be necessary. I'm not in the mood to eat right now. Sorry Neuvillette got you involved in this. I'm totally fine, you don't need to do this.”
“As I told you, I want to make sure that you are safe. I don't mind spending more time if it helps you.” Nevermind that this was their third conversation together. But he still wanted to be considerate.
She sighed, rubbing her eyes. He could tell that she didn't like that he stayed behind to help her, neither did he but something about her always attacked his self-esteem. Wriothesley just didn't want to get insulted in return for being caring.
“Okay,” she said, surprising him. She sounded smaller and exhausted, which had to be because of her tipsiness. “I'll…I'll just wash my face, meanwhile you can get the food.”
Furina stumbled her way to the bathroom, leaving him to wonder what she wanted from him. He couldn't handle this anymore. Lost and confused, he ordered something from the reception desk. He waited for her to return while holding onto a bag of takeout, feeling like a servant. But that explained their dynamic perfectly, didn't it? He was nothing in comparison to her. She was an Archon, a once-goddess. By all likelihood, he should have left; he should not have subjected himself to this but he'd still remained. For the same reason why he'd never stopped sending her letters and tried to interact with her.
Furina didn't make him wait for too long. She emerged from the bathroom, face flushed and cheeks reddened. Whether she was embarrassed to have him or that was just the alcohol, he did not know.
He gestured at her. “Ready to go?”
“Let me take the bag.”
He moved his hand away, not letting her grab it. “It's okay, I don't mind carrying it.”
“You don't have to,” she said, still trying to reach for it.
“You don't exactly have the best motor abilities and these could potentially spill on your expensive clothes,” he reminded her. “Besides carrying this is the least I can do.”
Furina blew out a frustrated breath, looking unimpressed. “But I will be returning home and you'd have to go to the Opera Epicleise to reach Fortress of Meropide. There's no reason you should carry it for me.”
“I don't plan to board an aquabus until I take you back to your place. It's not safe for you to be on the street when you are drunk.”
Suddenly she had nothing to say. She just stared at him with confusion, her reactions delayed. Sighing, he decided to start walking, knowing that she would follow him. Just as he stepped outside the Hotel Debord, he heard her footsteps behind him.
“Lead the way,” Wrio said.
Huffing, she gestured at him and started walking in long strides. He walked behind her, finding that she kept a distance of at least five steps from him, hurrying her steps. He didn't know why but it was yet another thing she did that hurt him much too deeply. He had been nothing but polite, kind and considerate to her, and she'd rather stomp away from him.
She was walking in a hurry like she couldn't wait to get away from him. Yet with her sluggish movements all it achieved was her stumbling on the last stair. Furina let out a sound of pain as she tripped. He immediately reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her from falling to the ground on her hands and knees.
“Are you alright?” He asked her, his eyebrows raised high.
She looked up at him and jumped, eyes going wide at him. That small action was a knife to his chest. She might as well have sneered and shoved his head into a forced bow. Indignation rose within him, and his jaw clenched before he realized that she was mostly uncomfortable with his grip on her.
Wriothesley let go of her instantly, stepping back from her. She breathed deeply and stood straight, looking startled. “T-thank you,” she said, looking away. But he had seen what he needed to.
“Are you afraid of me?” he asked, the breath knocked out of his chest.
“What?” Furina whipped her head around, shocked. “N-no, what are you talking about?”
“You just flinched when I helped you,” he informed her. He knew what signs of discomfort and fear were, he'd seen it firsthand, he'd been that person and he knew that he had an intimidating presence. And she had clearly displayed that. Suddenly his anger faded, realizing that he was intimidating her. He was taller and bigger than her; to her, he must have been scaring her, walking behind her late at night. He had completely forgotten to see things from her perspective and he felt terrible. Wriothesley shook his head and took a step back. “Actually, I apologize for scaring you. That was not my intention. I didn't realize how I was coming off as. I won't be going with you since you feel unsafe with me.”
“No!” She yelled. Her eyes widened at the loud voice, surprised by herself. “I'm not scared of you. No, no, no.”
“You do not need to console me. I'm going to leave you alone, you don't have to worry about me doing anything.” Wriothesley told her, giving her the bag. The last thing he wanted was to make her get more scared. It was unfortunate that she was uncomfortable with him, but it would be awful if he only worsened the situation. He just hated that he never noticed the signs.
A part of him was crushed to think that the god he wanted to impress was afraid of him. His own conscience wouldn't rest if he didn't rectify this. And that wasn't even including Neuvillette who would likely wring his neck if he ever learned that Wrio acted untoward to her.
But to his incredible shock and confusion, she grabbed his wrist with an iron grip. “I'm not scared of you, just listen to me. Listen to me!” Furina raised her voice, a strange determination in her heterochromic eyes. “It's not what you were thinking!”
He didn't know whether he was scared or impressed by her tone. “Okay, it's okay.” Wrio told her in a gentle voice, trying to not instigate her. “Why don't we just get to your house and I will be out of your way.”
“It's not what you think,” her eyebrows knitted together. Whatever she wanted to say got held back as she suddenly made a retching noise. He jumped back, not wanting to get his boots covered in vomit. Furina didn't vomit but she seemed dazed.
He cautiously put a hand on her shoulder, hoping that she wasn't going to panic at his touch. She didn't, so he tightened his hold on her. “Are you okay? Are you going to vomit here?” He asked, rubbing her shoulder and trying to calm her down. The worst part of having to vomit was that you could possibly choke on it.
He started patting her on the back as he shepherded her out of the street and into the grounds of some rich Fontainian’s house. Surely any complaint would be handwaved away when they realized it was the beloved Furina de Fontaine. Furina hunched over, making more retching noises. He made sure to scoop her hair away so it wouldn't get messy. A part of him briefly thought how her white hair was so soft. He blinked, surprised by his own line of thinking.
Thankfully she didn't actually vomit.
After a moment, she weakly said, “I am–I am fine.”
Wriothesley helped her to stand up, looking over to make sure that she was actually fine. She looked more sweaty than anything, but he didn't think she was lying. He nodded at her. “You should have some water, it'll help.”
Furina shook her head, raising a hand. “No, it's okay. I just don't know why I feel worse all of a sudden.”
“Probably because you had more drinks than solid food.”
She made a face at him. “That's not…true.”
He let out a laugh. “Of course, of course, my apologies.”
To his surprise, she cracked a smile. It was still startling that she was not only looking him in the eye but she was also talking to him face-to-face. The circumstances were not great but he was enjoying their conversation. Years ago, this was what he wanted. He just wanted to befriend her.
Wrio patted her on the shoulder, trying to comfort her out of a disoriented state. “I think it's too late, we should get going.”
But Furina said, “I can't walk right now. I need to rest for a bit.”
The thing about her was that what she said would always be the final word. She didn't wait for him to add his two cents, she just stumbled in the dark and found a seat, slumped over herself. Finding nothing else to do, he decided to sit next to her as well. Both of them were trespassing on someone's private property but it wasn't as important as dealing with the ex-Archon besides him. He turned to stare at her hunched over, covering her face with her hands, a million things ready to be said at the tip of his tongue. He didn't know why he wanted to ask her so many questions, he'd never have on a different occasion but after talking to her face-to-face for the first time, he found himself curious.
“How do you feel right now?” He asked her, unable to see her facial expressions.
“‘m okay,” a muffled response came.
“You keep saying that but I don't think you're being honest.”
She went silent. Wrio didn't know if she didn't have an answer or if she was too sleepy to say anything. He experimentally poked her arm, trying to get a reaction from her. Furina finally removed her hands from her face, revealing her tired expression.
“Hm?” She turned to him, her eyes hazy.
He sighed, shaking his head. Nevermind. She was too tired anyway. “Nothing. You look like you'll fall asleep.”
“Won't.” She yawned, betraying her own words. “...Just give me a moment, my head is swimming.”
“Do you think you will vomit again?”
“No, I don't think so.” Furina fell silent again, rubbing her eyes. And then out of nowhere, she said, “Sorry I'm making you waste your time.”
He didn't think she would bring that up. But then again, he hardly knew her. She was such a mystery to him that every time she opened her mouth, he was more and more surprised. Maybe that's why he wasn't as upset at spending time with her, he was curious to understand her. He made himself say, “It's alright, the least I can do.”
“Blame Neuvillette. He's the one who set you up for this.” She let out a breath.
“Well, he really cares about you. And I don't mind helping you. Really, it's fine!” He laughed to hide his feelings.
Furina looked at him, her heterochromic eyes pinned on him. Everyone said that she was no longer a god but beneath her gaze, he felt like he was being judged by a deity. He felt as though she could see into his mind.
Her voice was quiet but assured as she said, “No, you don't.”
He flinched like he was hit, her words ringing in his ears. He couldn't imagine that she actually had said that, shocked. But Wriothesley soon collected himself, grateful that she at least could be confrontational when she wanted. It meant that he would stop having to pretend and be cordial. So he looked at her straight and said calmly, “You're right. But that doesn't mean I would enjoy leaving you out here when you're drunk. That means I'm considerate.”
He didn't want to sound so bitter at the end. But all the anger boiling inside him would finally surface. The whole time she acted like she couldn't bother to acknowledge him. What else was he supposed to say?
But Furina, who was neither sneering or scowling or looking down at him, sighed, her expression grievous and forlorn. She nodded at him like she understood. “It makes sense,” she said, her voice lost. “I wouldn't blame you. It's not like you have a reason to tolerate me.”
He blinked. “Tolerate? What are you talking about?”
He didn't have a reason to tolerate her? When did he ‘tolerate’ her? All he had done was ask for her help when he was a young boy, and then later wanted her approval, forgiveness and attention. She had given him neither. He'd wanted to befriend her but she refused to respond to his letters. What part of that was tolerating?
Instead of answering him, she lowered her head, looking more interested in staring at the grass than looking at him. Several moments passed as he stared at her silent form. He had all but given up the hope that she would tell him what hatred or vendetta she had against him, when she said, “Do you still hate me?”
Silence followed between them. Wriothesley couldn't muster any words, he was so startled and shocked. He had clearly heard what she said but it still hadn't made any sense in his mind. He listened, he waited and wondered what she possibly meant. When she didn't say anything else, he couldn't make sense of it all.
“Excuse me? What are you saying?” Wrio asked, flabbergasted. “Are you alright? Because you're not making any sense.”
Furina shook her head. “I know what I am saying. I'm sorry. You can leave if you want.”
“I'm not leaving. And what do you mean? What makes you think I hate you? When have I ever hated you?” His questions started to feel like an interrogation but this was the closest he ever got to a confrontation. He needed to unearth the mystery and this drunk Furina was the most honest.
She finally lifted her head to look at him. There were tears in her eyes, shocking him. “Don't you hate me? I did you so wrong all those years ago.” Her voice cracked at the end and he drew a breath.“I'm surprised you can–even stand to be near me.”
He was at a loss of words. “You were the one who sent the invitation,” Wrio found himself saying, not understanding what she was saying. If she thought he couldn't stand to be near her, why would she invite him? And all those letters? Why would he send her letters and gifts if he didn't want to interact with her?
“Because you are one of my friends!” Furina said loudly, the alcohol loosening her tongue. Once again, he found himself startled by her words. Friends? She considered him one of her friends?
“Then why do you treat me like that?” Wriothesley couldn't hide the pain in his voice.
“Like what?”
She possibly couldn't be so oblivious, so unaware that she treated him awfully. That she would ignore him and never interact with him until she was forced to. The only reason they were even having a long conversation was because of the unfortunate situation. Had she not been drunk, she would have ran to her house and not even spoken a word to him.
He glared at her, memories of being disappointed by her replaying in his mind. “Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about.”
“What do you mean?” She asked, looking confused. “I don't—I don't understand.”
“You can barely look at me, you act like I set you on fire every time I talk, then you look down at me like I'm beneath you.” She gasped at his words but he kept going. “And you have the audacity to ask me what I mean?”
“I don't…I don't look down at you at all,” Furina mumbled, aghast. “Where are you getting this from? None of this is true.”
“This evening, when you were cutting the cake, you had no problem feeding everyone but when it was me, you couldn't be bothered to.” He told her, sounding very calm and yet angry at the same time. “You don't look at me, you don't make small talk with me, you have never in twenty years reached out to me, you have never written me back even though I kept sending you letters. If there's anyone here who hates someone, it is clearly you. I, on the other hand, have tried unrelentingly to befriend you.”
As expected, she had no answer to give. She fell silent, staring at him, her face unreadable. Wriothesley blew out a sigh, forgetting his place. He never should have run his mouth. Not just because it was a waste of time but also because he should have known better than to expect Furina to have an explanation.
“I'm sorry for snapping at you. You're clearly not sober and I don't think we should be having this conversation now. Forget everything I said.”
Wriothesley was about to stand up when she grabbed his hand. A jolt of electro rushed through him where she touched him. “No, no, let's hear what you have to say. You seem to have a lot in your head.”
He looked at her incredulously. “Why would you want to hear that?”
“Because you sound hurt,” she said matter-of-factly. “Might as well get it out, y’know?”
“I just insulted you, Miss Furina. Why would you possibly want to hear that?”
“Because I deserve it.”
He couldn't help but stare at her in shock and disbelief. That someone like her, proud and arrogant, could admit her defeat, could admit when she was in the wrong. He stared at her, dumbfounded. A part of him was vindictive to hear her admit her fault, that she was responsible for crushing his self-esteem. But that vindication soon faded, leaving him a sense of concern. Why a once-goddess would sound so defeated and broken, was beyond him. But he wanted to know.
“What do you mean?”
“For walking away that day. I know you remember it clearly, how I left you alone when you were in pain. I know you must have cursed me. How can I be the face of justice when I left an innocent person to be punished?”
His chest tightened at the memory. “Of course. I remember.”
It was impossible to forget it, not when it was singlehandedly one of the most important moments of his life. He still vividly remembered Furina getting up from her seat and walking out of the Opera house. He still remembered in clear details how he frantically looked at her in hopes that she would save him. Alas she couldn't make herself sit through his trial.
“I have never forgotten that trial, I don't think I will ever forget it. Such a tragedy, such a young boy. What were you supposed to do if not to fight back?” She closed her eyes, as if recalling that day. “You deserved so much more than what you're given. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.”
“Stop.” He choked out. He didn't want pity. He didn't want to be coddled. He didn't want to hear her anymore. “Stop talking.”
“It broke my heart to leave you to that fate,” she kept going, continuing to drive a knife through him. “It hurt that I couldn't save you. But I still failed you, so all your hatred is deserved. I can't blame you for anything. In fact, after everything, it's a miracle that you are still here, talking to me.”
“Then why?” He couldn't help but ask, his accusation heavy. “Why did you do that to me? You realize what you did is wrong, then why did you do that? Why did you walk away from me in that trial? I have no idea what I could have done to you that made you dislike me so much. I have no idea why you have treated me with such loathing. What have I done to you? What did I do wrong?”
What did I do that disappointed you?
The pain and hurt he carried with him for years weighed him down; the realization that he, a little boy, had done something that made a god upset at him, so much so that she walked away from his life. He had built a name for himself, and yet he could never stop trying to earn her approval, in hopes of redeeming himself.
“Nothing. You didn't do anything wrong.” Furina sounded like she was about to cry. He had no idea if it was the alcohol turning her emotional or if it was her repressing the memories. “I was the one in the wrong. Even now. I just didn't understand until now. I n-never should have done that to you.”
Wriothesley had no response. He didn't know what to say, everything evaded him at the moment. It had given him clarity to hear her apologize but he was still confused, not understanding. So he said, “I just want to know what happened. Why did you do that? Say it and put an end to this.”
He could not bear to be in the dark anymore. He had to know so he could stop worrying about this, so it would not eat him away at night. Belatedly he noticed that she had yet to let go of his hand. Now that he had, he found it hard to ask her or remove her hand altogether. For a reason he couldn't explain to himself, he let her hold his hand. Wrio observed her face for any signs of manipulation or deception, but could only find sadness, so deep and unfathomable that it unnerved him. His cynicism reminded him that she was a talented actress and could be lying to him. But one look at her drunkenness told him that she wasn't sober enough to trick him.
“You must know that it was not because of you.” She shifted in her seat to give him her full attention, lips wobbling. “You didn't do anything, rather it was my own fault for which I had to step away from the trial. You were…I mean, I was so emotional that I couldn't stop myself from crying. I had to leave the Opera Epicleise so I could cry in the bathroom. It had nothing to do with me being disappointed by you.” Furina leaned forward, her expression serious and determined in a way that he had hardly seen her be, squeezing his hand. “In fact, I could not hold myself from breaking down for you.”
She said it so casually. For you.
That metaphorical knife twisted in his chest, the serrated blade cutting him so deep. He opened his mouth but hesitated. Words alone could not convey his thoughts.
At the end all he could say was, “You…cried for me?”
She nodded, holding back her tears. But a single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. “Had I stayed there, I'd have cried because of the injustice to you. And I had to leave. I'm not proud of it. I-I should have done more.”
“You never returned to watch the rest of my trial. You never came back,” Wriothesley said, piecing the puzzle together. “Because you were…crying.”
“I'm sorry,” she wiped her face, finally letting go of his hand. “I can't be sorry enough for what I did to you.”
“Why? Why would you cry for me? I was a nobody.”
“Because you were innocent,” Furina said, sincere. All he could do was gape at her. A god crying for a nobody. “And I knew I couldn't save you. What a rubbish meaning of justice, no? I was powerless to save you from your cruel fate. I couldn't face you afterwards.”
All those times, all those years ago when he had wanted her to save him, she had run away instead. That hurt but it was the fact that she had been unable to stop herself from crying. Because of him. Because he was sent to the Fortress. His anger all but left him, he saw her for the person she really was, the person she pretended not to be. Someone kind enough to cry for him. That someone he looked up to actually cared for him.
“You mean it?” Wriothesley asked, still in disbelief. It sounded too good to be true. “That the reason why you walked away was because you were crying?”
“I am crying right now. Does that prove it to you?” She was crying. And it was just as shocking as her words. “I'm not saying this to make you change your mind. You're allowed to loathe me all you want. I won't blame you at all. I'm just—saying this so you don't think it was because of something you did. You're innocent and you did nothing wrong.”
“What about all those times I sent you letters?” He retorted. “If you think so highly of me, why would you push me away?”
“I…” her experience faltered, revealing hesitation. She lowered her gaze and said, “I didn't read any of them nor did I send you anything back, because I didn't think you'd appreciate it.”
He couldn't help but bark a laugh at that. Ridiculous. “I gave you gifts every single year without fail and that's the conclusion you reach? Why would you possibly think that?”
Furina drew her eyebrows together in concern. “Because…because I abandoned you. You even admitted that. And I didn't think much of your letters and gifts because I thought those were pleasantries. I thought you only did that because I was the Archon.”
“Of course I did that because you were the Archon!” He shot back. “Everyone in the damn country admires you and wants to impress you.”
She widened her eyes. “...Even you?”
He fell silent at that, realizing his folly. Of course, he too used to admire her and wanted to impress her. He'd argue that he still did, otherwise he wouldn't be having this conversation with her. Quietly he admitted, “So what if I did?”
“I always thought you were above that sort of blind worship.” How strange that she thought of him in that way.
Wrio huffed, looking away. “I am. I'm not particularly religious by any means.”
“But here you are.” Furina sounded like she couldn't believe it. He didn't understand it either. He used to be like every other child in Fontaine, growing up with tales of their Archon. Just like everyone else, he looked up to her. And after becoming the administrator of Meropide, he was closer to her than an ordinary person. He'd wanted to redeem himself to her, a thought so ludicrous that he found it embarrassing to admit to her.
“Here I am,” he ended up saying, not elaborating himself. Changing the topic, he asked her, “So you never read any of the letters?”
She shook her head. “No, I was too ashamed to read them. Didn't know if you were writing about how much you hated me. But I did brew the tea blends you sent me.”
Despite the topic of their conversation, he laughed. “Well, I'm glad you at least enjoyed them. Would be a shame if they went to waste.”
Furina burst into laughter. She covered her mouth with her hand and he regretted that she had to muffle herself. “Um, thank you? They were really good. But again, I'm really sorry.”
“Yeah, you already said that before,”
She looked crestfallen. “Oh, you're right. Thank you for at least listening to me then. In-in that case, I think I should go.”
He couldn't explain himself; he placed his hand on top of hers, keeping her sitting. “Won't you ask me why I sent you letters? Or what was in them?”
“Is that okay for me to ask?” She asked, unsure. Wrio could not believe that this was the same woman who always had it her way. “Aren't you tired of being here with me? I thought after everything, you wouldn't want to be sitting with me.”
He sighed. “I have always looked up to you. When I was young, I wanted to be blessed by you. I believed in the justice you promised to give us. And when my trial happened, I had so much faith in you that you'll be there to save me. I thought you would protect me. But you didn't.”
Furina turned still. From the corner of his periphery, he could see that she was staring at him but he couldn't look at her when he was being emotional and honest.
“I—”
“Shh, just let me talk first,” he interrupted her gently. “I was heartbroken, I was crushed. The god I prayed to walked up and abandoned me. Could anything be any worse? But I didn't stop there, I became the administrator and the Duke of Meropide. Despite my rocky start, I made a name for myself. I'm not the same little boy anymore. I don't need pity from anyone. And yet for years, I chased after your approval. I sent you letters, gifts and whatnot. I wanted you to look at me, pay attention to me. I wrote to you, telling you about my day and how I was getting used to living in the Fortress as the new Duke. I wrote to you so you may know me. I wanted you to know me so I could finally make you proud, so I could finally impress you. But every time you shut me out, you ignored me for years and the only time you've ever sent me something was twenty years later. And even then you hardly looked at me the whole time. I've spent years wondering what I have done that makes you treat me like this. I wrote letters to you, trying to improve my image so you would notice me. I gave you gifts, not just because it was customary to send the Archon gifts but because I wanted you to finally look at me.”
He got cut off as Furina wrapped her arms around him out of nowhere. He stiffened, looking down at her. She burrowed her face into his chest, crying.
“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,” she could barely speak, that was how hard she was crying. “Please forgive me. I'm sorry.”
Wrio hugged her back, unable to hold back his compassion; it was hard not to when she looked and sounded so hurt. Her shorter form was practically getting dwarfed by him but she didn't stop crying and hugging him. Sighing, he said, “It's alright. You don't have to apologize anymore.”
“No. I'm the worst person in the whole world and I deserve to be hated by you!” She cried against him, her voice muffled.
Wrio ran his fingers through her short hair, in an attempt to calm her down. “There are worse people in the world, actually. Like the criminals in the Fortress of Meropide.”
His joke was not appreciated as she pulled away just enough to send him a weak glare. “Don't you…don't you have resentment towards me? I thought you would be shouting at me or getting angry.”
“I don't need to do any of that, because it's not worth it. What good would it do me if I got angry at you?”
“Wouldn't it put your mind at rest?” She asked quietly. “I know some people would pay to insult me, throw rotten tomatoes at me or just shout at me.”
“Well, how about you kindly point me to these people who are so eager to attack you? I'd like to have a word with them.”
Furina huffed out a frustrated breath. “You should be angry at me.”
He looked at her with sincerity. “I am.”
“Then why don't you take it out on me? Gods know I deserve it. I hurt you so much. I ruined your life. As you said, I made you think less of yourself. Why don't you hurt me in return?”
“Because that's not the kind of person I am. I don't take my anger out on others, nevermind a god. No matter how much you've hurt me in the past, I will not lift a finger against you.” Wrio told her, maintaining eye contact. He had no idea why someone like her was so vehement to receive punishment. What kind of person would be so ready to be hurt? Yes, she abandoned him but even he would say that it was too much to hurt her back.
Furina was still teary-eyed. “Then, what? What do I do?”
“Tell me why you avoid me. Even years later, you never came to see me. You would hardly look at me. Why?”
She furrowed her brows. “Why—that's all you ask? Why?”
“Tell me. I want to know why you ignored me all throughout the party. You were the one who invited me and yet you were too busy flirting with the staff members than acknowledging me,” he calmly stated. “If you feel so ashamed and hurt from hurting me, then why would you continue to push me away?”
Furina hesitated, averting her eyes. Her silence was painful. “Oh, that. I…”
“Yes, that. It shouldn't be hard to answer.”
“I didn't know…I mean, I thought you would appreciate it.” She started to ramble.
Wriothesley blinked, taken aback by everything she said. “Why on Teyvat would you think that?”
She was shaking her head. “You have to understand. I kept my distance from you because up until today, I thought you hated me. I was ashamed of talking to you because I knew…I mean, I believed that you were angry at me.”
He looked at her like she had grown two heads. “I have been angry at you, but I have never hated you. Why would you even think that? Haven't my attempts to reach out to you explained everything?”
Furina cried softly, “I don't know. I guess I hate myself and I wanted you to hate me too. Why don't you hate me?”
Realizing that she was going to cry, Wriothesley hugged her again, wanting to comfort her. “Shh, it's okay. I don't hate you.”
“Don't comfort me.” She snapped, still crying. “I don't deserve it.”
He began to pat her shoulder, gently rocking her back and forth. “Hey, hey, calm down.”
He didn't think it would work, but to his great surprise and joy, she did calm down. He had never thought that there would come a day where he'd be comforting a crying Furina in some rich noble's yard.
“Ugh, I'm so sorry for getting your jacket dirty,” she moved away from him, eyeing him. “I keep ruining things.”
“Don't worry about it. I'm more concerned about you.” He gave her a look-over, trying to make sure that she was actually okay, instead of pretending to be. He surprised himself and her by wiping her face and just then, the otherwise dark area was lit up. Both of them flinched and covered their eyes.
“Oi, who the hell do you think yourself to be, trespassing in my house?” A voice barked. The light lowered and they found themselves looking at a disheveled middle-aged man dressed in sleepwear. The man's infuriated expression faltered at the sight of them, turning white from shock. Wriothesley immediately removed his hands from her and Furina jumped straight to her feet. “F-Furina de Fontaine? What brings you here, my lady? And is that…the Duke of Meropide?”
He didn't wait then, he grabbed her hand and ran, dragging her with him. Thankfully the fussy woman didn't fight him and went with him willingly. They ran blindly, only stopping when they had left that house by a block. Wrio caught his breath, turning around to look at her. Furina didn't have the same experience as him. She was doubled over, panting heavily. Before he could help her, she vomited all over the meticulously groomed hedges. With a hiss, he jumped back but the worst had already happened.
“Oh, I'm so sorry for making you run like that. That was really dangerous,” he said, moving the hair out of her face. He placed a hand on her back, coaxing her to vomit some more if she had to. “Are you alright?”
Furina nodded, but she certainly looked like she had been through a lot. His heart softened and he found himself tugging her closer in case she started getting cold.
“I had no idea that the owner of the house was going to show up like that. I guess we both got carried away by the conversation,” he said light-heartedly. “We'll probably be on the SteamBird headline tomorrow.”
She suddenly jerked, looking aghast at the realization. “Oh no. No, no, no. This is not good at all. They're going to have rumors about us now.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I…suppose so.”
He really didn't like the idea of that. It went against his principle of staying incognito. But everything about Furina was tabloid material. He should have known that either way, they were going to end up on the news. He recalled the position they were found in and flushed. Well, no doubt the rumors would be scandalized.
“I also left the food in there,” he sighed forlornly.
“How did it turn out like this?” She sighed, shaking her head.
She suddenly couldn't make eye contact with him. Averting her eyes, she blinked at nothing. He stayed silent, growing awkward as the silence continued. His thoughts were occupied with what happened. Their conversation was prematurely cut short and he still found himself curious to know.
I guess I hate myself and I wanted you to hate me too.
Despite getting closure, there was still so much he didn't know about her. Why did she step down from Archonhood? Why did she act so incompetent and frivolous when she was actually down-to-earth and kind? Kind enough to cry for a stranger. She was such an enigma and it made him want to know her. So much so that he didn't want to reach her house yet.
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked in the quietness.
She shrugged. “Go on.”
“Tonight, when you were cutting the cake, you fed everyone a slice, but not me. Why?” Of all the things he could have asked, it surprised him that he chose to ask this. Furina too looked surprised that he asked her this.
“Oh,” she blinked. “Um. That was because…you're not exactly a short guy, you know that, right?”
“What does that have to do with this?”
“Um, I couldn't have been able to feed you the cake since you're quite tall.”
“You could have asked me. I could have bent my head. Or you could have jumped. Of all the possible things you could have done, you instead chose to do nothing. That hurt my feelings.”
She suddenly looked more red in the face. “Oh, I'm really sorry. It's just that…the actual reason is really embarrassing.”
“Well, now I want to know what that could be.” Wriothesley perked up.
“Ugh,” she covered her face once again, making a noise of frustration. He thought her reaction had to be a little too much for something so small but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious. Furina removed her hands and pressed her lips into a thin line as she said, “It’s because…you kind of intimidate me.”
He blinked, not expecting that. “I intimidate you? But you're the Archon. Or at least you used to be. In fact, I'm the one who is intimidated by you.”
She let out a nervous laugh, looking around them. “Come on, you have to know that you're rather a tall and strong guy. You're what, twice my size? You don't answer to me, your line of work is quite…scary, and you don't necessarily have a great opinion on me. I always thought you were an intimidating man.”
He could hardly process her words. That Wriothesley could intimidate someone like her, powerful, beautiful and confident, was beyond him. In fact it was him who ought to be intimidated by her. And her admitting that she was scared of him because of his role as the jailor…it made him frown. Before he could get sad from her thinking of him like that, he recalled something she said earlier. “But you said you weren't afraid of me?”
“I'm not. I mean it!” Furina widened her eyes, raising her hands. He would've believed her if it weren't for the brief flicker of panic and shyness that passed through her eyes. Maybe she felt like she had to put up a brave front…“I'm just…nervous around you. When I looked at you after cutting the cake, you made me nervous and I couldn't think to ask you. I didn't mean to hurt you…but I guess I did it anyway.”
He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. “So let me get this straight, you're intimidated by me and I make you nervous. Is that correct?”
Hesitantly she nodded. “But Neuvillette talks about how you are a good person, so I know I can trust you.”
“That doesn't matter. Are you scared of me now?” The realization that he had been making her nervous while he was confronting her made him disappointed with himself. He really was blind to not see any of the signs.
She shook her head. “I'm not.”
“You are aware that I won't ever do anything to you, right?”
“Of course. You're a trustworthy person, Duke. I know that.” And yet. “Neuvillette has nothing but praises for you. Don't start behaving differently for my sake.”
“Of course I will change the way I behave. I don't want you to feel hesitant and nervous around me. That was never my intention.” Wrio told her very seriously, lowering his head to look at her in the eye. “And I'm sorry for dragging you through the street. Did it scare you?”
She blinked at his words, taken aback. “N-no, it's alright. Please. You didn't do anything to feel responsible for this. Besides, if anything, it's because of my actions that I struggle to face you.”
He stared at her face, reeling from her words. He still could not comprehend that she used to give him a wide berth because she was ashamed of what happened between them years ago. All those times she would not look at him was not because of him, or what he did. It was her own guilt. “Regardless, I don't want to make you nervous from now on. That's not what I want. ”
“Oh,” she looked surprised, glancing up. “You…you still want to hang out with me? Even after all that?”
“Why not? You said I was one of your friends, right?” Wrio shrugged. “That means we'll have to see each other. I don't want you to run away every time we meet.”
She looked surprised to hear that they were going to meet again. Her look of confusion and delayed reaction was an odd but adorable combination. “I guess you are right. I just thought…you wouldn't want to see me after I told you all that.”
He sighed and decided to reach out to hold her cold hand. “Let me get this straight. I'm angry at you for what you did. For abandoning me during my trial and then ignoring my existence for all the years afterwards.”
Her face fell.
“But despite all that, I still looked up to you. I wanted to befriend you, I wanted to impress you because of course I did, you were the Archon. I will admit that your behavior towards me hurt me, but I still care about you. I want to know you.”
She parted her mouth, startled. “You mean it?”
“I do. I have no idea where you got this idea that I hated you. On the contrary, I always admired you. And if you want to make up for years of accidentally hurting me, then you can't avoid me anymore.”
Furina choked out a laugh. “Oh, I'm…I don't know what to say. Thank you? It really is so sweet of you to say that when I assumed that you couldn't stand me. I don't deserve your friendship nor do I deserve your admiration.”
Her words of self-deprecation tugged at his heartstrings.“I never hated you, and don't say that.”
“Sorry.”
“I don't want to hear that either. No more apologies or self-loathing anymore, okay? It's already ridiculous how we both thought we hated each other. No more of that.”
Furina nodded.
“You're not going to avoid me from now on, will you?”
“No, I…won't avoid you. Even if I'm nervous, I will do my best to talk to you.” Her drunken rambles made him chuckle. No matter how strange it turned out, this night ended up lifting a huge weight off his shoulders. He didn't have the right words for it but it felt incredible to realize that she had never looked down at him, that she worried about him. No longer would he have to think about if she had an issue with him. She asked, then, “Won't you ask me?”
“What?”
“Why I'm no longer the Hydro Archon. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”
He stilled. “Of course I have a lot of questions I want to ask you. But since no one has yet to tell me, I'm assuming that it's because you didn't want me to know.”
Furina gaped at him. “How did you figure that out?”
“This is kind of my job, Miss Furina. And it's not hard to connect the dots when you're friends with the Iudex. No, Monsieur Neuvillette hasn't told me anything yet.”
“I…may have told him that I don't want others to know,” she sounded unsure, hesitant.
In a different time, he would've been hurt to hear that but he was discovering that the superstar Furina de Fontaine was a contradiction. He now knew that if she was keeping him in the dark, it wasn't because he wasn't worthy to know it. He was starting to understand that she was kinder than anybody could've thought. Besides her secret was none of his business; should she decide to confide him in, that would put his worries away.
“You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.” Wriothesley told her. The last thing he wanted was to ruin their newfound friendship.
But she shook her head, backing away from him. “No, I…I think you of all people deserve to learn the truth. After all, it's connected to the prophecy.”
He waited with abated breath. For a while, she couldn't seem to get the words out and he just stared at her. Concerned. When she started to speak, he was confused. Five centuries ago was where the story began, with an inexperienced Furina learning the ropes of being a ruler. Her face was stony and blank as she retold him the story, but years of dealing with criminals and innocents alike, he could see the tell-tale signs of someone remembering a traumatic event. He didn't understand at first, that was how twisty and incomprehensible her words were but when she said the name Focalors, he truly went still.
Furina continued all the while he felt sick to his stomach. And when she ended her story, ending with her trial, he suddenly had no words, no response to give her.
“The reason why I couldn't save you, couldn't save Mr. Callas and so many others, was because I never had any divinity to begin with. I had to–forgive me, but I couldn't help but let the cruelty and arrogance of the Fontainians shape the ideals of justice. It wasn't.” Tears spilled down her face freely, her voice cracking at the end. “I wanted to stop it, I wanted to stop it all but if I stepped out of line, everyone would have turned on me.”
“Oh, gods, that's…” he struggled to speak. How could he when he couldn't stomach the things she just told him? “That's awful.”
“I couldn't do anything,” she said, sounding heartbroken. “I'm sorry.”
“No, no, I am saying that what happened to you was awful.” He shook her by the shoulders, she had to know that she was not at fault. “I have no idea how someone could even go through all that and turn out the way you did. Five centuries of mental torture? Furina, most inmates can't handle twenty years. I can't even imagine how unbearably painful it must have been on your mind.”
Her eyes glistened with her unshed tears, looking like the finest polished gems. “But I lied to everyone—I deceived everyone. When the flood came to dissolve the Fontainians, I was truly defenseless. I was a false god who couldn't do anything.”
Wriothesley couldn't believe that she thought that. “You may not have been of divine origins but what you did is nothing short of a miracle. You bought us time. I mean, I used to think your silence was because you simply didn't care about anybody but yourself. But here you were, losing your sanity for all of us. You are the Hydro Archon.”
She shook her head. “But–but I'm not. I failed you. Just because I did it for a great cause doesn't mean that I haven't been horrible to everyone. It killed me on the inside but I was still hurting people with my arrogance and cruelty. I would have cried in front of the audience for you and done something to save you if it weren't for the fact that I had to pretend to be an untouchable god.”
A part of him was crushed that she thought so little of herself but after knowing the full story, it was no wonder that she was the way she was. “Don’t you understand?” He tried to make her understand. “Even though you hurt people, those who know your sacrifice don't blame you. Does Neuvillette hate you? No, he thinks of you highly because you do deserve to be. And I think so too. You have done something that any ordinary person couldn't do. Don't you get that you continued to sacrifice yourself for five hundred years all because you loved Fontaine? How could that make you an awful person?”
Furina stifled her cry, wiping her eyes. “But—”
“Don't say a word.” He placed a finger on top of her lips, shushing her. “As the jailor, I think I know how to be a good judge of someone's character and you are not someone who deserves to be punished. Neither by the system nor by the people in your life.”
She looked at him with open curiosity. “Do you really believe it?”
“Of course I do.” He told her. “I’m actually quite infuriated right now because it's a damn shame that Fontaine has no idea of the sacrifice you have made. People don't know that you are not the frivolous woman everyone thinks you are.”
“No, no, no, tell no one. I don't need people to know. I just want to be able to live normally. I just want to live in peace.” She was panicking, her eyes blown wide. It hurt him that she had been so deeply tormented for centuries that she now only wanted peace. He could understand her.
“Okay, okay, don't worry,” he consoled her. “I won't tell anyone. Promise.”
Wrio would keep it to his grave if he had to.
Furina exhaled tiredly. “Thank you so much.”
“Please don't thank me. This is the least I can do for you.” He told her. He wanted to hug her but knowing that she was nervous and skittish around him, he didn't want to push her boundaries. “Thank you for telling me this.”
She rubbed her eyes and smiled at him. “I…actually feel so much better now, like I can finally breathe.”
He smiled too. “Exactly. Isn't that crazy that we both thought the other hated us? Before tonight, I thought you had a personal vendetta against me and it turns out that I couldn't be further from the truth.”
“Yeah, it's something.” Furina let out a quiet laugh.
“Now we're both even.”
She blinked, surprised. “Huh?”
“You said you felt guilty for abandoning me. Now that I realized that I and the rest of Fontaine were in the dark about your hardship and sacrifice, I feel guilty for thinking of you as incompetent and cruel. We're even now.”
“You don't have to let go of your anger just because of what happened to me! That's not what I want.” She furrowed her brows.
“I’m allowed to hate you, and I'm also allowed to change my mind.” Wriothesley reminded her.
“But—” She started to argue.
“You’re going to have to accept that, sooner than later, Miss. I don't want to be angry at you anymore. And I also don't want you to continue wallowing in your guilt and self-loathing. I think it's a waste of time and I don't like beating around the bush. We're both mature adults and we need to act like it.” He gave her a serious look. She still looked like she wanted to refuse but under his gaze, she had to finally admit her defeat. “Do you get me?”
She deflated, her face falling flat. Petulantly she frowned. “Okay, Your Grace.”
He couldn't help but burst out laughing. And she cracked a smile at that. It was so funny and unbelievable that he began this day feeling angry and hurt, and now he was laughing and joking with the ex-Archon. The sight of her smiling was incredible, making him want to smile wider.
“Exactly. You should listen to me as I'm the Duke of Meropide,” he told her, still smiling.
“What is this, an order? We're not in the Fortress, might I remind you,” she rolled her eyes but he could tell that she was joking.
“Doesn't matter. Or I'm going to…I don't know, collect all the letters I sent you over the years and dump them in your mailbox. It'll take weeks to read them all.”
She gasped, outraged. “You would not!”
“I will. You know what? I'll read them out to you personally and then have you handwrite responses to all of them.”
“No, no, no! There's no way I can do that.” She actually believed his bluff. He laughed at her expression; she could be so hilariously endearing sometimes.
“Then we're going to let this stay in the past. I want us to be friends, okay?” He extended a hand to her, like it was a business proposal, serious.
Furina enthusiastically grasped his hand and shook it vigorously, a wide smile on her face. “We’re best friends now!”
Her enthusiasm made him smile. “That's what I like to hear. But we really should get going now, unless we want more rumors to start.”
It must have been well over midnight; had they been talking for hours? Such an idea would have made him laugh in the past but he was pleasantly surprised by the change. Regardless of how much fun he was having, she was drunk and tired, and they really shouldn't be standing in the cold for too long, lest she fell sick.
She stepped back and gave him a smile, sweet and charming. Furina surprised him by linking her arm through his. “Come on then, let's go. It's just around the corner. Or I might vomit again.”
He didn't have to be told twice. He followed her direction, walking with her silently through the streets, secretly glancing at their linked arms. A warm, fuzzy feeling started taking root in his chest.
“My house is right there, on the main road. It's beside a bookstore which is perfect because I don't have to walk too far if I want to buy anything,” she was telling him, her words slurring. “It's not that big though, but it's really expensive.”
Her steps were shaky and he let her lean on him whenever she lost her balance. Their height difference made them look a little odd together but they made it work. A part of him was speechless to hear her ramble, for so long he had seen her from afar as an untouchable god, but another part of him was giddy that she was sharing facts about herself with him. How many times had he wished that she would acknowledge him and tell him that she was proud of him?
She turned to look at him and asked, “Would you like to come inside? I might have some of those tea blends you sent me.”
The idea was tempting. But it was obvious that she was really tired and needed to sleep. So he told her, “Maybe some other time. You should rest. You have a big day tomorrow.”
“R-right. My film.” She widened her eyes, like she just remembered that.
He couldn't help but laugh, finding her reaction adorable. He resisted the urge to ruffle her curly ringlets.
“You should come to see the film too. It's a murder mystery film based on a popular book. Don't know if you like films or not but it's going to be really awesome.” Her heterochromic eyes were filled with seriousness and determination as she pointed a finger at him, going full film director mode.
“I will make the time for it, don't you worry.” Wrio promised her. He wouldn't miss it for sure.
She laughed, her eyes lighting up with happiness. The sight of it hit him solidly in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. Far too soon, she looked away and said, “Here we are. That's my house!”
Underneath the warm streetlights, he could see a two-storied building, decorated with the crowning that every other building in the city had. But one thing Furina had failed to mention was the size of it.
“That's a small house to you?” He couldn't help but utter in disbelief.
“It's not?” She glanced at him and then back at her house, surprised. “It’s one of the smaller houses I could buy.”
He sighed, flicking her forehead. “Well, for all the people who didn't live in a palace for all their lives, this is not small by any means.”
Her face turned pink and she scratched her face awkwardly. “Oh. I sound really spoiled now, don't I?
“No one is surprised to hear that. You're the brightest and most popular star of Fontaine after all. I'd be surprised if you didn't become spoiled.”
She frowned, her upset expression so adorable and endearing that he felt the need to laugh. They stopped before her front door and she rummaged through her pockets to fish out her keys. The second she clicked open her door, a sense of disappointment and sadness washed over him and he couldn't explain why but he regretted that their time had to come to an end. He didn't expect to enjoy tonight so much and now he was starting to feel disappointed that he would have to leave.
“Ta-da, this is my house. Please don't bring up the dirty dishes or the messy clothes everywhere. I live chaotically. It's a great thing that I got a maid to clean up for me. She shows up in the morning, though.” She rolled her eyes. He glimpsed into the house, his attention snagging on the mess of books piled on her shoe rack, resisting the urge to stick his head in and take in the sight.
“It looks nice,” Wrio said, finding the inside of her house so cozy and unique that he was amazed. It was like he was getting to see the inner workings of her mind.
She smiled, pleased to hear that. She leaned on him, bending to take her shoes off. She unceremoniously shoved her shoes inside before she turned to give him her full attention. She was still smiling and he still couldn't believe that before tonight, her paying him attention was something out of a dream. She surprised him by going on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you for bringing me home and thank you for forgiving me. I feel so much better now.”
He hugged her back, leaning into her. “I'm happy to know that everything was just an unfortunate misunderstanding.” Then in a more vulnerable and quieter voice, he asked, “Everything's okay between us, right?”
“Of course.” Furina let go of him, grinning awkwardly. She suddenly looked embarrassed. “It means a lot to me that you listened to me and helped me.”
“Glad to be a good friend, then. I hope you can rely on me if you ever need to talk. I'll be there for you.” He reluctantly had to step away from her, finding it hard to hide his disappointment the longer he stayed.
To his surprise, she leaned close to him and pressed her lips against his jaw, startling him. He sucked in a breath, shocked and taken aback. All too quickly, before he could even comprehend what happened, she moved away and smiled at him, eyes hazy. She waved at him like she hadn't fried his mind. “Goodnight!”
The front door shut close, leaving him with his muddled thoughts and confusion. He lifted a hand to gently touch where she had…kissed him. No, that wasn't…it couldn't have been a kiss, could it? Could've been a La Bise. Yes. That had to be the case.
His heart started beating too loudly, overwhelming him. He blinked at the closed door, feeling like his heart was turned inside out. For a moment he wanted to knock on the door but changed his mind. It would do him in no good if he did.
Logically he knew that he should board an aquabus to the Opera Epicleise, if they even were running at this time. Logically he needed to return to the Fortress where he had a million things to work on, things that he had put on pause to celebrate her film opening. But all he could do was stew in his confusing thoughts, staying rooted where he stood. It was such a small action, many people kissed as a greeting, so why did it startle him so much? Why did it suddenly affect him so much?
It couldn't have been because of alcohol since he didn't have a drop of it. She was the drunk one. And yet he felt so confused and flustered that he was unable to compose himself. Shaking his head, he told himself that he was overreacting, even though his face was hot enough to warm his hands. The thought of her made him grow even more flustered, he couldn't stop spiraling now that he started thinking about her. Strange and so startling. Was it because of the kiss? Or was it because of the conversation they had? Either way, Wrio found himself unable to stop repeating the moment in his head.
Sighing, he dragged a hand through his face, wondering why he felt this way. The last he felt this way was…oh. Oh no. He possibly couldn't be catching feelings for the ex-Archon, could he? First, he vehemently denied it—they had only cleared their misunderstanding between each other tonight, how was it possible for him to start seeing her in a different light? He thought he only liked Neuvillette. But then he recalled the fluttery feeling that Furina made him feel when she kissed him goodbye. He recalled the years he spent admiring her from a distance, wanting to impress her, wanting to befriend her. It made him feel like an idiot that he failed to see how it correlated.
He huffed out a sardonic laugh. Of course. Of course. Shaking his head, he turned to glance at her house one last time before he began to walk away.