𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 - Wriothesley x Neuvillette

The end (Chapter 39)

Neuvillette searched through the Liffey region, desperately searching for Wriothesley. He had to find him. It wasn't safe to leave him in this state. He searched through the hills, using his powers to try and find him. He went to an open area and found some remains of a well-destroyed clockwork meka. There were oil remains on the ground and a bit of a trail up a hill. It had to be Wriothesley. Neuvilette quickly rushed up the hill, scanning the area. Neuvillette's eyes searched the ground, and finally, he found him. 

He was lying there amidst the blood-stained flowers, looking ever so beautiful. He rushed over to him and held him in his arms. Wriothesley slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Neuvillette. It hurt. It hurts so much. Every bone in his body was aching, and his head was pounding. Not only that, but Neuvillette was here, holding him. Couldn't he even die in peace? Neuvillette pleaded and begged Wriothesley to keep his eyes open. 

"C'mon Wriothesley, you can do it. You have to. Please don't close your eyes, please don't leave me." 

Neuvillette's words filled his ears, words of regret. Wriothesley lay there, every inch of his body tense, fighting to stay alive, but for what? He loved Neuvillette so much, but remembering what he had said to him, how Neuvillette had told him how little he mattered, what was there to fight for? It was hopeless.

 "Neuvillette.." His voice was distant and so quiet, too quiet. "Just this once, will you tell me you love me?" 

Neuvillette's eyes widened, and he took a quick breath in before swallowing the lump in his throat. 

"No, Wriothesley, you have to stay. I-I will tell you when I know you will survive-" 

"Neuvillette, please." 

Wriothesley looked into Neuvillette's eyes. Wriothesley was crying, and the rain was pouring around them. The clouds were black, and a thunderstorm was roaming Fontaine now. The wind made their hair get in their eyes, but none noticed anything, lost in each other's eyes.

 "Wriothesley..I love-" Wriothesley went limp in Neuvillette's arms, his eyes becoming distant. It looked like he was still looking at him, but his eyes were so far like he was staring right through Neuvillette.

Wriothesley could see Neuvillette mouth some words, but he had lost his hearing. Everything soon went black, and he was swallowed by the darkness. It didn't hurt anymore. There was no pain here. He could stay here in the comforting darkness, where he wouldn't have to suffer ever again.

Neuvilette couldn't do anything but sit and stare at Wriothesley. He had been too late. He hadn't realized what he had done. He had pushed Wriothesley away, and it had resulted in this. It was his fault. He couldn't even cry. He had never hated that so much before. The clouds were sobbing for him, but he couldn't get a single tear out of his eyes despite feeling like his heart was being torn out of his chest. 

He cradled Wriothesley's body in his arms and held him tightly. How could he have let this happen? He looked to the side and saw a clockwork meka. Its arm had come off, and it looked as though it had been punched through its body. On the remaining arm, there was blood, Wriothesley's blood. It took Neuvillette less than a second to demolish the thing to dust. 

After that, he gently scooped Wriothesley up into his arms. He had already started becoming cold. He put his coat over Wriothesley in an attempt to keep him warm just a little longer. Just a little longer. That's all he needed. He pressed his lips against Wriothesley's, his heart throbbing in agony as he felt the coldness that graced his lips. There was no response. Even though he knew Wriothesley was dead, it still hurt to not get a response, to not see him wake up and tell him it was a joke. It hurt so unbearably much. 

He carried Wriothesley back to Meropide, shielding him from prying eyes and whispers. He went straight to the infirmary, straight to Sigewinne. He couldn't cry. He couldn't even speak as he laid Wriothesley down on one of the beds. He couldn't do anything but watch as Sigewinne broke down crying, yelling at Neuvillette. It was his fault, and he knew it. Sigewinne cried and punched him, but her punches were as weak as Neuvillette felt. He just crouched down and pulled her into his arms, holding her as she sobbed. 

There was nothing to do but cry, but Neuvillette couldn't. He wanted to cry so badly. He needed to cry. But he couldn't. He never could. As he walked through Meropide to inform the administration of the Duke's passing, he felt all eyes on him. It was as though everyone could see it was his fault. Like they knew what he had done. 

He informed the administration and went straight to Wriothesley office to send a letter to Palais Memoria. He wanted nothing more than to drown himself on the bottom of Fontaine's water but knew he had duties to fulfill. Duties that had pushed them apart. Duties that had killed Wriothesley.

 He sat in Wriothesley's office for hours, staring into nothingness, clutching one of Wriothesley's shirts. He intended to keep that. He refused to let go of it. Even when he had to return to his office in Palais Memoria, he was keeping the shirt close. He spoke to no one, not even Sedene when she came to check on him. Not many knew why the Iudex was nowhere to be seen, but the few that knew how he had loved Wriothesley, the few that knew he was the Hydro dragon, also knew there were regular storms and floods in Fontaine for weeks. 

Suffer :)