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The Duke doesn't like being called out for being sick. Hence when he catches a cold—actually a bad cold, he tries to avoid being noticed that he has gotten sick.
But it isn't easy since the Fortress has someone like the head nurse—Sigewinne, and to avoid her is hard when everyday under here he normally see her once a day, be it at the cafeteria, the production zone, during round of Fortress' inspection or she visiting him up at his office.
Still, he tries his best to hide it, until one time when he is walking down the stairs to the area below his office, he suddenly stumbles. His head throbs badly, his eyes become unfocused, and that is when he has lost his balance. And before he can hold onto the iron rail, his boot then slips on a step. It's not a tall stair, however when gravity works together with his body weight, this isn't going to end nicely.
So he summons his gauntlet and launches the ice to cushion himself at least, it should hurt less than the hard iron because ice is his own element. Still, the thud sound is quite loud, enough to startle anyone if they are down here, but he knows there is none.
When he opens his eyes again, luckily the world is still bright, though it's a bit blurred at the edge. The ceiling looks as bright as it can be, and he groans from the feeling on his back. The impact is minimized but there surely will be bruises later somewhere.
He sits up at last, checking if there are any torn on his clothes or broken piece beside the slight pain on his body–which is only the start.
He has a high tolerance of pain, but it's a somewhat different story when he gets sick like this. He tries to fight this irregularity from his usual self, nevertheless, it brings a few mutters about hurting onto his mouth.
After he checks that his vision still looks good, he gets up again, gradually while he waits for headache to subside, he chooses to forget what he planned before going down here, it's only to check something that isn't urgent anyway. A task that his brain supplies for him to do to get distracted, and look where he is.
Those ice and frost won't also post a problem, for the floor is designed to have drainage since the fortress has nothing to its reputation but a common recurrence of water leak.
He sighs, smacks his face lightly and climbs back the curved stairs. Also beginning to consider laying down on the sofa in his office until something or someone will need him again. The thought of retreating to his quarters to confirm people's suspicion of him getting sick is surely in the way of him resting properly.
He has slacked off sometimes but he would prefer to go out, or lounging on the sofa with some books than confining himself in his dim-light quarters.
It's when he lies down on the red sofa after tossing his coat on the near table that he is out like a light. It's just lucky that he hasn't become more nauseous after hitting the floor, though it seems the fatigue has been piling up, enough for his body to switch off right away.
Wriothesley hears the sound of his name being called in his dream, his stolen name that became his.
There, while sleeping in an abandoned alley, he just begins to breathe better under the old blanket he covers himself to keep from rising shivers. His hands are still full of new blisters from yesterday's work as an apprentice of a blacksmith shop. And he thinks he feels them all too real like he has gone back there, in that instance.
Another calling happens above his head, a voice that he doesn't know of but quite familiar.
Wriothesley.
Then with a hand shaking his shoulders slightly, he snaps out of the past in the dream.
His chest heaves a handful of air inside as soon as his eyes flutter open. Someone is there, someone wearing something like gloves is touching him, grabbing his shoulders, not too hard. Maybe to help him regain his consciousness, to get him in touch with the world.
He coughs because he inhales too soon, body tries to come back from sleep. And then he sees the tall figure towering over him, his expression is looking quite intense before Wriothesley holds his hand up between them, blocking his own face and finally say:
“I'm alright… just, give me a minute.”
Neuvillette finally lifts his grip from his shoulders, Wriothesley steals a quick glance and he sees the trace of worry clearly on Neuvillette's face still.
He's not usually this startled after being woken up, the repetitive dreams aside, he mostly is hyperaware before anyone comes next to where he sleeps, Neuvillette included. That could be the same, when he's lucid, he should be ready to open his eyes and yet… must be the level of fatigueness that weighs down his senses.
Neuvillette chooses to stand next to the sofa. His long robe looks hot in his eyes and that's how Wriothesley knows his own temperature might have spiked up again. He probably needs to avoid Neuvillette touching him for now, Wriothesley thinks.
“I thought… We're not having any arrangements today.” He sits up, back against the soft cushion, as he gestures to Neuvillette to sit down with him.
“There’s no scheduled arrangement, yes, but I... heard you looked strange. And when I passed the guards, they said they heard a loud sound of something falling, but you seem to move around again after. Hence they haven't tried to check...”
It's brief when Neuvillette says it, but Wriothesley catches it and can guess how he must have heard about his news that it must be a certain someone's doing. Thus the guards might have also confirmed her wondering about his absence before, too.
“It's nothing worth worrying,” Wriothesley tries to look nonchalant, even when his previous actions linger on his mind, which can be on Neuvillette's as well. And when he says that, it sounds like he tells Neuvillette that he has wasted a trip down here for something nonsense—when he knows Neuvillette is here, with the reason that they're lovers, obviously.
It's not like he's cold to the concept of caring about each other. It's the opposite, like when he recognized his own feelings because he cares about Neuvillette more than just how someone should do with one of his friends.
Neuvillette's stress, his injuries, he cares and feels anger, and rushes to his side, despite any danger being laid out in the way.
For a certain topic like getting sick, when Neuvillette nearly never gets sick, for how long he has known the man, and during the time they have been together. Though he knows he wouldn't be hesitant about it, to nurse him back to being healthy again. And since he would have someone to rely on even when it might get a bit out of his hands, like Sigewinne.
Love is an astounding thing, it becomes the foundation of things he thought he wouldn't want to do for others that much. It shocked him, at first, as this type of adoration can reach him.
People found love and wedded here in Meropide, but it was slightly after that, when the thought about Neuvillette in another light made itself be known in his mind. And several months after that, did he confess.
And love is a learning thing, his habits of taking care of himself included, when they share their reasonings, although almost the same as he did with the head nurse, he finally accepted that his own view is not quite reasonable. (The situation ended with the dragon’s growl, when he found his wound nearly became infected.)
‘I told you, you should let the people’s cares go through to you.’ The head nurse once said, exasperated with how he hid it from people, from them, sometimes still.
It’s Neuvillette who breaks the silence and his train of spiral thoughts, whose voice still sounds soothing, who’s calmer even with the underlying effort to not chide him instead. His eyes are searching into him at the same time, warning him quietly to not try to lie.
“About the sound… Did you fall?”
He tries to slip from that gaze but still feels cornered in the place. The cold makes his nerves become simmered. When his head throbs once, the places where they took impact from before also throb.
“That would be the sound of the box fall—” Though he doesn’t yelp, a particular spot beside his arm where Neuvillette’s hand reaches out to place sends a worse throbbing sensation to his brain and makes him stop mid-sentence. Wriothesley grits his teeth instead to will his arm to not twitch under that touch. But too late, Neuvillette sees right through his expression, his slight disappointment is apparent.
“...I may have lost my footing quite a bit.” He quickly adds. “It’s the stairs downstairs…” Thinking about it. He was lucky it wasn’t this tall one, for some bones would be broken, or his neck would suffer as a result, probably.
“You haven’t checked with Miss Sigewinne.” It’s not a question but a statement. Neuvillette might conclude from how she isn’t here, arguing with him to have a bed rest already.
“I rested… You know,” Wriothesley gradually surrenders under that stare, but he’s then trying to wiggle out of the nurse’s order, because bed rest is boring—and more importantly, he believes after people realize he is sick, it’s showing weakness, it’s clear vulnerability. And it makes people worry when he’s not appearing with his usual strength, like now.
“Humans need medicine to hurry their recovery, Wriothesley.” Neuvillette takes his hand back slowly, his light eyes looking at his back and moving to his face once more, finding sweat beside his temple.
More important-importantly, Wriothesley dislikes medicines.
“Anything but that… please.” He pleads, his hand comes to pull slightly on his loose tie, Wriothesley is thinking about water, though standing up now will only make it more obvious.
It's Neuvillette again who shifts before him. He gets up in his usual elegant demeanor, and moves to pour a cup of later cold tea and give it to him.
“You look dehydrated… Drink it while I call for Miss Sigewinne. I insist.” Wriothesley is about to open his mouth when Neuvillette takes his cane, looking at him to confirm his words again. And then he goes down the stairs. Leaving Wriothesley to just groan of being found out.
“He's catching a bad cold… and I expect multiple bruises this evening.” Sigewinne who's as tall as his waist says when she finishes examining Wriothesley.
“You have exerted yourself again.” Neuvillette comments, then nodding to the head nurse, he appreciates her taking the time off the infirmary to come up here.
“You set a poor example again, Your Grace.” Her hand is on her hip, doesn't wait for his heart to accept before scolding him again whenever this happens. “You need a whole day of bed rest at least.” She adds, when he's sick, she looks more terrifying to Wriothesley than annoying. He has seen she treats people plenty, that's why he gets the aura of a strict nurse well.
“Can I just rest normally?” Though he tries to make a bargain while Neuvillette suddenly clears his throat.
“I'll make certain that he'll rest accordingly.” With Sigewinne's beaming, Wriothesley just knows that his fate is set in stone then.
“I can't believe you planned a day off in advance.” Wriothesley dusts up his coat, and he winces as he moves the muscles where they're hurting, then Neuvillette comes to take it off his hands.
“The last time I left you, you had gone from your bed shortly after… And I know Miss Sigewinne won't be able to stay with you all the time…” Even as Wriothesley is her favorite and closest person—wheras her worst patient, she still gets her works to do.
“Sedene– Well, she probably gets used to this by now.” Neuvillette nearly never takes sudden leave, until Wriothesley, she teases him once that he's a good variable (Where she got that from… possibly people from the Research Institute.) to change Monsieur's lifestyle, something like that.
Neuvillette only hums in response, following close to not letting him pause idly in the office. With that, Wriothesley has no choice but to finally give up and lead him to the Administrator's quarters.
When they pass the door, Wriothesley goes to turn on all the lamps, to light the place up. It's colder than the office at first but gradually the small machine that helps regulate the temperature in the room will work its magic. He tries to fiddle with the prototypes now, to make them for every room in the fortress. That was why he went downstairs earlier, to pick up the components and batteries he ordered, he stores them there for Jurieu and Lourvine to inspect and enhance them if possible as well.
His visitor stands in the middle of the room, looking up at the fan up in the far away ceiling. It's darker there, and the sound of it is almost just deafening.
“I always remember you said, you feel marvel by the atmosphere down here.” Wriothesley takes his coat from Neuvillette's hand, hanging it by the hook next to his closet. Administrator's quarters used to be more grand… but he distributed a lot of furniture for the dormitory, only necessary furniture left here. Though like this, it feels like his own place than before.
“It's quiet, it's… cooler here.” Neuvillette needs not to say more as Wriothesley knows he's the hydro dragon sovereign, he lets Neuvillette have that moment of taking in the surroundings again before he will remember to ask him to rest again.
Wriothesley goes into the bathroom, rubs water into his face because it still feels too chill. He grunts again when he tries to take off the strap from his arms and that's when Neuvillette appears at the doorway.
“Let me help…” He asks softly and waits for the nod before moving piece by piece. Careful where Wriothesley particularly flinches until the whole set can be lifted off entirely, along with the wolf insignia that he releases the chain from where it connects to the vest gently.
Wriothesley tries to breathe slowly, both because of the pain and the way Neuvillette's hands are moving so meticulously. His heart is thrumming despite the ache from various places, until maybe Neuvillette has noticed and lifted his chin lightly. Then he smiles, the first time since Wriothesley sees him today.
“You ought to take care of yourself more…” His tone sounds worried still, he helps Wriothesley tuck his necktie free next, and his vest. The wraps and rings on his hands go after them. Wriothesley lets him inspect any visible bruise. He huffs when Neuvillette pinches him softly to see his reaction though it's not the right place, but stops him as soon as he's moving too close to where there's a real pain.
“...I know you have had it worse, going to the dungeons and all. But getting sick makes you more vulnerable.” He might be able to guess the image in Neuvillette's mind, more circumstances that Wriothesley would force himself to go while isn't in the best of health.
“I… still follow my limits.” He tells these words also as a promise, he can't be more stupid to run into a mission with half consciousness, it's something that he can agree on readily.
“Still, please minimize the risk, sweetheart.” In their privacy then Neuvillette begins to call him with the word. They've been lovers for nearly a year… Sigewinne knows, some of their acquaintances know, including melusines. And then, he's too flustered himself sometimes, to call Wriothesley that. He keeps his stern look in the public settings, but other times he subconsciously holds his hand like he's showing Wriothesley to the world.
His love could win his heart if he hadn't been the one who fell first, still, it makes his heart flutter in his chest, every action, every word, like this one. It also melts his stubbornness down by a level as he nods down easily. (And hoping he can keep his promise afterward.)
“You should get out of your boots as well, I will bring the water and cloth.” Since Wriothesley should not take a shower at the moment, it's one of the things Sigewinne told them to do, to treat both his cold and his pain.
“Alright…” Wriothesley agrees without arguing. For now, when Neuvillette is putting his full attention on him he wants to bathe in it for a bit. Like he thought having someone can make you change, it makes the inside of his chest giddy, and he turns to exit before he shows his reddened ears too soon.
He chooses the old couch for leverage, takes off the leg straps, leg pieces and boots one by one. The stiff setup is like his everyday armor, he can stand confidently partly because of this setup. His outfit… you could say that it's one of the few things that he totally decided to spend money on, for himself for once.
And then he moves to the bed, slowly lowers himself down on the edge of the queen bed, he's not clean… yet the feel of the mattress is nice to his bones. He's currently far from being drowsy, for he just took a nap and the aches still hold him awake. And he's just glad Sigewinne agreed for home remedies instead of insisting on taking full medicines.
Wriothesley just tries to roll on his side, when he sees Neuvillette walks to the bed direction, his hands holding a basin filled with water and a small towel he just remembered he has.
“How are you?...” Neuvillette's voice is softer, no more chiding and he regards Wriothesley with the same amount of softness as his voice.
He used to say and show the evidence that he's like a human only in theory, the culture and practice of humans are beneath him. Like one time he wondered about the damp cloth on a human's forehead because he rarely gets sick himself.
The way humans heal, he only learns briefly through interaction with Lady Furina, and now learns them more from having a human's lover and through instruction of Sigewinne.
“Still good.” Wriothesley smiles, being half-hearted about wanting Neuvillette to dote on him more… Wanting to throw the reason aside though, his bones still remind him to start to be an obedient sick person as far as he can.
“That's good…” Though Neuvillette wants to entertain him from the look on his face, he brings the basin of warm water to the bedside table, a small towel is rinsed carefully before he comes to sit beside Wriothesley's body. His gloves are taken off somewhere before this, letting him see the blue mark… Before the same hand moves to place the towel down on his forehead, gently rub down on sweats and warm skin.
Wriothesley is being quiet, he closes his eyes, feeling the soft touch. The slight comfortableness is wiped away by each rub. For a while, he focuses on the nice feeling on his face before the hand stops. He hears the soft sound of rinsing, and opens his eyes in time for the new round of wiping down his neck.
“Ticklish…” He laughs softly, and then turns to make it easier to wipe down. The area of his big scar is cleaned in the process, Wriothesley sighs, closing his eyes briefly, feeling fingers rubbing his nape in between.
“That… No… just lower and it stings.” Wriothesley chuckles inwardly with guilt, but tries to be sincere. Hence Neuvillette leaves that place, rinsing the towel the third time, and rubs both of his arms in gentle strokes.
“Are you cold?” Neuvillette asks attentively, his hand not lingering too much so that he will be able to put Wriothesley under the blanket soon.
“Mm… No.” He flutters his eyes open and shakes his head, feels like a big baby although his head becomes more clear as more minutes go by. Wriothesley traces Neuvillette's profile with his eyes to find any trace of exhaustion there, too. The man likes to overwork himself, and he has been forgetting about it while being stubborn before.
“Do not bring up works, I already finished what was needed.” Neuvillette's sharp when he wants to be, and Wriothesley can be like a book if he chooses to.
“Yeah… as expected of the Iudex.” He teased light, feeling his shirt buttons popping up one by one and there he sighs again.
“You're taking care of me so well.” Wriothesley continues to murmurs, then shivers because the damp feeling contacts with his collarbones down to his chest and over his ribs. There's no response from Neuvillette and for a while, Wriothesley lets Neuvillette carefully care for him, his silver hair loosen from where it was tucked a bit. When he's done, Wriothesley tuck it back again, where the man looks at him for a moment.
And then their lips meet, in a soft yet longing kiss. His hands prop onto Wriothesley's sides, until the one under protest for air.
“Hey…” He says softly, his cheeks flush after taking in enough air and at the same time he feels his temperature have risen up again.
“Stay with me…” Wriothesley asks, voice quieter, like he still believes somewhere in his heart that it can be a bother, or if he doesn't ask, you would prefer to stay on the couch or somewhere else. In his little delirious mind, he thinks instead of painkillers, he needs Neuvillette's cool body to make him forget about all the pain.
Neuvillette, being afraid that Wriothesley's cold has become worse but when he sees a smile on that face… He brushes his hand softly over the side of Wriothesley's face, thumb traces slowly over his under right eye's scar. Soon, everything will get to him, and it'll certainly be painful for his beloved.
(He knows humans are fragile compared to beings like him, and he feels his own heart sink whenever he gets this kind of news, whether it turns out to be just a small matter or not. That's why he was in a rush… to be down here today.)
Wriothesley who meets with sudden sleepiness, feels something running through his body. It's not a typical feeling and he can only describe it as that, everywhere, the cool feeling like… streams of water.
Sigewinne told him to slip in painkillers if the pain had begun. But Wriothesley's dislikes of pills made him decide on another way. It's easier but he can’t heal anyone completely. His power of hydro, as best, used on the human body can soothe their nerves for a while. Alternate to how a painkiller works.
After the breathing of Wriothesley becomes even out, Neuvillette then moves him slowly to rest on the pillow properly. The blanket is pulled up. He sits there, watching his peaceful face for a while, before he goes to take care of the basin.
Later, he will finish brewing the herbs Sigewinne gave him. The scent wraps the whole quarters nicely but he still takes the pot to the bedside table, setting it there, the cup is ready if Wriothesley would awake.
And Neuvillette also sets himself on the bed, after taking off his robe, the spats and shoes. He has found a book Wriothesley put on another bedside table, finding it to be one of history books Wriothesley borrowed from him some time ago.
One of his hands testing Wriothesley's temperature, the other slowly opens each page to reread it. Like that, he stays with his sick human the whole time.