'til death do us part

3

"You're truly marvelous, Neuvillette, with just a few adjustments the place is already running far more smoothly," Wriothesley smiled, leaning up against the table. Neuvillette nodded, cutting the breakfast on his plate for a bite. 

"No need to thank me." 

"I'd like to give credit where credit is due." 

"Mm," Neuvillette nodded, allowing it. "I'll do my best to accept it more graciously in the future." 

"Are you always this way?" Wriothesley leaned against the table, resting his chin on his folded hands. 

"What way?" Neuvillette was still too focused on his food. He didn't so much as glance in Wriothesley's direction. 

"Formal." 

"It's a-" 

"Side effect of your disposition? I feel as if that may be your go-to rebuttal," Wriothesley chuckled. 

"I apologize," Neuvillette placed his silverware down, finally looking at Wriothesley. "I don't wish to be intimidating or formal, but it's become a habit, so to speak." After living so long, he didn't know any other way of talking. Remembering all of the misunderstandings this style of speaking caused, his mood began to sour. He let out a small sigh. 

"I don't mind," Wriothesley cupped Neuvillette's face with his hand. "Don't apologize for things like that. Better yet, don't apologize to me at all." 

"I'm not sure I follow." 

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me, my dear," Wriothesley smiled. "You've changed so much for the better just by being here a few days. There is no need to apologize for being yourself." 

"I'm glad you think so," Neuvillette placed his own hand on top of Wriothesley's. An odd warm sensation filled his torso. He never experienced something like this before. 

"When you look at me like that, it makes me want to kiss you," Wriothesley confessed, lightly chuckling. 

"My expression hasn't changed...?" 

"I can tell, it's all in your eyes," he said, rubbing his thumb underneath Neuvillette's eye. "May I kiss you?" 

"You may," Neuvillette surprised himself with his answer. He meant to ask why. 

Wriothesley cupped Neuvillette's face in both his hands and leaned down to press his lips against his. Coarse, dried out, from being exposed to these harsh winter conditions. Warm. Despite his best intentions, Neuvillette found himself wanting to explore Wriothesley's mouth with his tongue. He flicked his tongue out, as a snake would for sniffing, tickling Wriothesley's lips. Taken aback, Wriothesley stood up straight, slapping his hand over his mouth, blushing furiously. 

"What was that?!" 

'Come here' Neuvillette gestured with his hand. Wriothesley skeptically returned to his former closeness. Neuvilette grabbed his hand, holding it in front of his mouth palm facing the ceiling, and stuck out his tongue. Thin, snake-like, and most importantly forked. 

"That shocked me," Wriothesley admitted. He held Neuvillette's tongue in between his fingers, examining it closely. Upon feeling the sudden, and unfamiliar, urge to tease him, Neuvillette revealed the length of his tongue by twisting it around Wriothesley's fingers. 

"Ehh??" Wriothesley's eyes widened at the length of Neuvillette's tongue. Mesmerized, he blurted out: "Please put that inside me." 

"Pardon?" Neuvillette stared, wiping Wriothesley's hand with a napkin. 

"Nothing, nothing, ignore me, please ignore me."