It is said the Iudex of Fontaine wishes not to indulge in human activities beyond the extent of his duties. As such, social events meant merely for status and entertainment were not his strong suit as Neuvillette rather preferred to stay cooped up in the comfort of his office. However tonight, it seemed the Hydro Archon had other plans.
"It is final, Neuvillette. I am not going to entertain your silly objections!" Furina stated, crossing her arms.
"If I may-"
"No you may not!" she interrupted. "You are also my subject, and this is an order. I order you, Chief Justice, to attend my birthday party tonight!"
She left right after speaking, leaving no room for him to argue.
And that was how Neuvillette found himself preparing to attend the grand ball held in honor of Furina's Birthday at the Opera Epiclese. No matter how much she insisted that it was a small gathering, he knew the woman had never heard of the word 'simplicity' and would certainly go over the top with this, like every year.
This could prove beneficial, he thought to himself as consolation. It was a chance for him to view the humans in a setting so unlike the atmosphere of the trials he so attended and held. A chance for the being to understand better the people he judged on a daily basis. If all goes well, I really should thank Lady Furina for this opportunity.
The lavish Opera House seemed to shine even brighter that night, adorned by streamers and ribbons commemorating the Archon's birthday. The stage, one that was usually so empty you could hear the footsteps of every person to grace it, was now filled to the brim with countless familiar and unfamiliar faces, with Furina in the middle of it, glowing and outshining all the others.
Timidly, Neuvillette took a step in, suddenly conscious of all the eyes on him. Strange, it was unlike him to hesitate this much. So what exactly was this feeling, then?
Before he could gain a better understanding of the situation, he was swept away by a firm hand and led to a corner of the room. "Clorinde?"
"My apologies, Monsieur Neuvillette. It just so seemed that you required assistance from a familiar face, you don't attend such events after all," she replied, brushing off her clothes. She, too, was in an attire most different from her normal clothes, choosing to sport a midnight blue suit not unlike the color of her hair. Despite her words, Clorinde seemed... off.
"I take it that you do not fancy social gatherings either, Miss Clorinde?"
"You are right, I do not. Most of the time it is Navia that drags me along for these; she is somehow always invited to every event there is known. There she is right now, actually," She mentioned, pointing to the crowd where a blonde woman stood with a drink in hand, laughing radiantly as she entertained her acquaintances. Neuvillette could see why the Champion duelist was so utterly enraptured by the President of the Spina, and why Clorinde chose to inconvenience herself for Navia's sake.
"I see," he answered. A glass of champagne had made its way into his hand, as to how, he was unsure of.
He stood with Clorinde for a while, quietly observing his surroundings, and the people that occupied it. Eventually, Navia made her way to them through the crowd, her cheeks blushed pink and her azure eyes sparkling. Tipsy, she nod her head in greeting to Neuvillette and grabbed Clorinde by the hand.
"Dance with me!" she said, leading her to the area that had been cleared for the dances. Clorinde looked back at the Iudex apologetically but he waved it off and stood, observing the dances instead.
It was truly mesmerizing. The dancers glided across the polished floor with effortless grace, their movements synchronized to the enchanting melody that filled the air. The swirl of their clothes, the movement of their bodies, the oh so delicate way they turned... A scene worth savoring carefully.
Neuvillette found himself captivated by the dancers' expressions, each face reflecting a mix of concentration and joy. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, their smiles radiating happiness. It was as if they were transported to another world, completely lost in the magic of the moment. Perhaps some small part inside him yearned to be a part of that enchanting dance, to feel the exhilaration of being swept away by the music and the rush that came with it.
He must not have been aware of everything around him, for it was only when an individual addressed him that he noticed them standing in front of him, offering a hand. It was none other than the Duke himself.
"Would you care for a dance, Monsieur Neuvillette?" Wriothesley asked.
"I fear I am not skilled enough to be a partner for your Grace," he said, though he could not dismiss the voice inside him wanting to dance. He took the Duke's hand reluctantly.
"I have a feeling you'll enjoy it," his partner replied, leading him to the midst of all dancers, the spotlight.
As the musicians started another piece, Wriothesley guided him through the stance, one hand in his, and placed the other on his waist, pulling him closer. The opening notes played, giving Neuvillette a minute to appreciate the man he would dance with. Wriothesley was an acquaintance. No. Perhaps he was more than that. It was unclear, even to the Iudex himself, what their relationship was exactly. Nonetheless, he knew that with the Duke he shared an intimacy quite unlike any of his other... acquaintances.
Neuvillette glanced at what he was wearing. Maybe he was giving in to his humanlike desires, but he felt it a treat to be able to see the Duke in such flattering attire. Clad in a black suit with red embellishments, Wriothesley did look otherworldly, atleast to his dance partner.
"Shall we?" he inquired.
Without waiting for an answer, he swept Neuvillette off the floor and into a waltz, starting off with strong, firm movements, his hand still holding the other's gloved one. As the notes advanced, he could not stop staring into the white-haired man's eyes, as the latter noticed. How would it feel to caress the skin around them? To brush his fingers, ever so lightly, across the scar below Wriothesley's left eye. His arm instinctively reached up, but he stopped it in time, and merely made a motion of brushing off the other's shoulder to try and cover up his movements.
"How did you know I wished to dance?" Neuvillette asked after a moment.
"Well," his partner smiled. "The look in your eyes. The way you looked at the people, as if dancing seemed to amaze you."
As if on cue, the dance called for them to pull close, and Neuvillette took it as an invitation to lace his fingers through Wriothesley's. They stood still for a moment, a brief look of shock apparent in the latter's eyes. In that intimate moment, their gaze spoke volumes, the subtle dance of their pupils betrayed the unspoken, overflowing affection they held deep inside. One not confessed, one not unknown, but one so natural that it seemed they were destined as stars to be forever intertwined.
"You are astute as ever, Lord Wriothesley," Neuvillette chuckled.
At this gesture something came undone inside the former's mind, and he pulled Neuvillette closer than ever, until he was sure his partner could feel his breath on his neck. Though the latter could feel a slight blush trickle onto his cheeks, he did not seem to notice the way his horns had started to glow, a stark contrast against his white hair.
"And you, Sir Iudex," Wriothesley whispered against his ear, "are as radiant as the water's surface on a clear morning."
The rarest, smallest of smiles broke out onto Neuvillette's face as he closed his eyes. "By you, I am forever charmed, your Grace."
~~~
A/N
ART BY THE AMAZING YEOBO-SAN!!!!! This fic is dedicated to them and inspired by their latest Wriolette art.
Sooooooooooooooo, new wattpad account. (ao3 soon im just waiting on my invite lol) First fanfic in 5 years... I hope you guys can cut me some slack if it's not the best lmao. It was only tears and pressing the backspace key countless times that lead me to this place. If you liked the fic, please vote or lmk in the comments!! It'd be the best motivation for me to write more fanfics in the future.
Click next for Wriothesley's part <3
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A Fleeting Glance - Wriolette Short Story
FanfictionThe man took his hand, and it was as if nothing else mattered in the world, as if it was just the two of them, gliding across the floor in the flashing lights of the Opera House. "By you, Wriothesley, I am truly charmed." Cover Art and Story Inspir...
