Work Text:
Furina had come to the conclusion that the journalists at The Steambird had absolutely nothing better to do with their lives, over the past few weeks, the newspaper had published an offensive number of articles about her love life. First, they had speculated about her supposed loneliness, then suggested that perhaps she needed some company, and finally had the audacity to publish a column titled, ¿Has Fontaine’s Former Star Given Up on Love?
As if her love life were any of their business!
So, when a journalist asked her during an interview whether there was someone special in her life, Furina decided she had had enough, it was time to shut them all up.
“Of course I do, I have a boyfriend.”
The journalist stopped writing.
“Could you tell us a little about him?”
Furina smiled, pleased that she had finally managed to put an end to those questions. besides, she was excellent at improvising, so coming up with an answer shouldn't be a problem.
“He’s an extraordinary man, elegant, intelligent, well-mannered, and incredibly handsome also he has a beautiful voice, is exceptionally competent, and always knows what to do, even in the most complicated situations. He’s also very attentive toward me. He remembers the little things, listens when I speak, and never makes me feel as though my concerns are insignificant.”
The journalist scribbled away at her notes.
“What a wonderful description! And what does your fortunate, mysterious boyfriend do for a living?”
“Well, he has a lot of responsibilities. He’s a very busy man, but he always makes time for the people he cares about. And although he can seem a little too serious at times, he’s actually quite kind.” Furina folded her arms, proud of her improvised yet surprisingly well-thought-out invention.
“All in all, he’s practically perfect.”
The following morning, Fontaine awoke to a headline on the front page of The Steambird:
¿SECRET ROMANCE IN FONTAINE? ¡ALL SIGNS POINT TO IUDEX NEUVILLETTE!
Furina nearly choked on her breakfast pastry.
“W-WHAT?! HOW DID THEY COME TO THAT CONCLUSION?!”
The answer was very simple actually. Furina’s description matched Iudex Neuvillette far too well, and the journalists had decided that such an accumulation of coincidences could hardly be accidental. Not to mention that Neuvillette was the person she interacted with most frequently, making him the obvious first suspect even if her description hadn't been so precise. By the time she finished reading the article, the rumor had spread throughout the entire city, becoming the popular topic. In a panic, Furina rushed straight to the Palais Mermonia.
“NEUVILLETTE!”
The man in question looked up from the newspaper he was reading.
“Good morning, Lady Furina. Is something the matter?”
She thrust the newspaper in front of his face.
“THIS! THIS IS THE MATTER!”
Neuvillette calmly examined the headline.
“Hmm. I see...”
“No, you don't! This is all my fault! Now everyone in Fontaine thinks we're dating!”
“I wasn't aware you were in a romantic relationship.”
“BECAUSE I'M NOT!”
Furina clutched her head, after a few moments of sheer desperation, she turned to him with a pleading expression.
“I need you to do me a favor.”
Neuvillette calmly folded the newspaper.
“What kind of favor?”
“I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend for a while. Just until the rumors die down and everyone loses interest. Then we can announce that we've had a discreet breakup or something, and everyone can get on with their lives.”
The silence that followed lasted several seconds.
“Wouldn't it be simpler to admit that you lied?”
“NO! You don't understand! My reputation is at stake! I need your help!” she exclaimed, clasping Neuvillette's hands in desperation.
Neuvillette sighed.
“Very well, I'll help you resolve this matter, Lady Furina.”
Furina thanked him and left his office, convinced that she had solved her problem.
Over the following week, Neuvillette accompanied her to tea, reserved a table for her at her favorite café, and remembered which pastries she liked best. Whenever journalists approached them, he responded with impeccable composure, neither confirming nor denying the rumors, although he seemed to enjoy leaving the press guessing.
“How long have you known Lady Furina?” a reporter asked. “That's one of the questions Fontaine's citizens have been asking for generations!”
“For a very long time, in fact to give you an idea of just how long, five centuries have passed since we first met.”
“¿And how has your relationship developed over all those years?”
“Our relationship has developed in an interesting way. At first, we had our differences due to our respective natures... However, over time, we learned a lot of each other, we learned to coexist and eventually began working together, i even bought her a house." Neuvillette replied with a smile, believing that his answer would draw the Steambird's attention toward a different subject.
Furina nearly dropped her teacup.
That was technically true!, but he was only feeding the Steambird's insatiable hunger for information! As soon as the interview ended, she dragged him into a secluded corner by his two blue horns.
“You can't say things like that! They're going to think we're madly in love!”
Neuvillette tilted his head slightly.
“I see, I thought that sharing some details about our past would redirect their attention, but I failed to consider that possibility. My apologies, Lady Furina.”
“Be more careful next time! Okay??"
“I'll keep that in mind, Lady Furina.”
Two days later, the Steambird published another article: "¡Sources close to the Iudex Claim He Has Never Looked Happier!"
Furina read the headline while sitting beside Neuvillette, who had just arrived with a tray containing her favorite pastry.
“When all this is over, I'll never talk about my love life again.”
“A great decision, considering that you're a famous person” he remarked, offering her a slice of cake.
Furina accepted it and glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
“Although... I suppose we could keep having tea together, or maybe drink some water, it would be interesting to learn to distinguish flavors the way you do.
Neuvillette smiled.
“I would love that.”
She lowered her gaze to the pastry in her hands, hiding the blush spreading across her cheeks. For once, the journalists had discovered something that even she hadn't dared to acknowledge. In any case, Furina decided that she would never give another interview about her love life again... at least not until she had a real boyfriend and a wedding to announce to everyone.