shipwrecked || furina & neuvillette

🫧 11 🫧

*• earlier that day •*

Neuvillette sits in his office, waiting for the sun to rise. He's had this meeting arranged for days - since he had realisations surrounding who might what Furina dead. He's been dreading it for just as long - because he does not know what the conversation will hold. He is aware that it is a conversation that he must have, but it is not one that he desires at all.

The door to his office opens, and Clorinde strides into the room.
"You're up early, Clorinde." Neuvillette says, barely glancing up from the papers in front of him. He's not sure that he is even paying attention to what's in front of him, but nevertheless, there is work that must be done.
"I can't sleep - these days, I find myself lying awake for hours on end." Clorinde perches on a chair in front of him, and he finally looks up at her. "As much as Furina can truly be aggravating at times, I do not like the thought of people setting out to harm her."
Neuvillette clenches his jaw. "No, I can't say that thought overly thrills me."
"How are we supposed to go up against them? And if Tsaritsa is involved..." Clorinde shakes her head. "I keep trying to think of other ways to go about this. Focalors - all she wanted was for Furina to live a good, human life. And now she's on the run from the Fatui because they're trying to kill her. She's a target."
"I need you to get her out of the Palais Mermonia this morning," Neuvillette tells her.
"Why?" Clorinde asks, and he shakes his head.
"I have a meeting, that's all. You know Furina, she takes matters like these far too seriously. Besides, it will be good for her to get out and about." He knows that she doesn't necessarily like being out and about, knows that she doesn't like the way that people watch her. But he cannot afford to have her here, not this morning.
"She won't like that - if she finds out that you specifically sent her away." Clorinde rolls her eyes.
"She will be mad, but I can live with that." He didn't want her here for this meeting. He didn't want anyone here for the meeting - not Clorinde, not Navia, not anyone. If he could get them all locked in the Fortress of Meropide for the day - he would. Even though he's sure Wriosthesley  could keep them entertained as long as needed, he isn't prepared to ask him for help. That simply isn't an option.

So having Clorinde take Furina out of the building was going to have to be the plan of action.  The further Furina is from any of this - the better. He still remembers how stressed and worried he'd be for every single one of the meetings Furina had with The Knave - and he wanted to keep her from feeling like that again. It wasn't her responsibility anymore and he would do whatever he could to keep her from situations like that before.

While Lyney, Lynette and Freminet had given a certain level of information - Neuvillette needed more. He needed to know more about what was going on so that he could put a stop to it. So that he has the best possible chance of making sure that he can get Furina out of this situation. The funeral for Focalors was a good idea. The whole act of pretending to be indifferent to the whole situation was important too... Furina's immortality once again - the act that only the two of them know about. That would stop the Fatui from being able to even attempt to manipulate the Vision. As long as he remains alive, Furina will too.

Neuvillette stares out of the window of his office, guilt settling in his chest. Furina didn't want to leave - she was quite content with the idea of curling up in a chair and reading a book. But Neuvillette refused - the idea of her being anywhere near the Palais Mermonia makes him anxious. Sure - he was a hydro dragon, and he'd dealt with many stressful things in his time, but things were different when it comes to Furina. It was a different panic, a different concern, a different love. He's never felt it before and he damn sure isn't going to let anything happen to her. Particularly not when he knows that Furina is one of the most selfless people in Teyvat - to the point where her sacrifices are not known by all. Only a handful of people know what she did for Fontaine, and he knows she'd do it again without even a second thought. That was dangerous. It scared him more than most things ever could.