shipwrecked || furina & neuvillette

🫧 12 🫧

Furina is shivering, her clothes wet and heavy against her skin.
"You were alone? How did she find you? Where was Clorinde?" Neuvillette sounds panicked, and he finally turns to face her. When he does so, Furina sees the overwhelming anxiety that is written across him. The rain still has not ceased, which is part of the reason why she knows he's not telling her the truth.
"I needed some time alone," she tells him honestly. "She just wanted to talk."
"Furina-" there's disappointment in his voice. His eyes meet hers, and she can see him worrying about how she's trembling. "Let's get you warm." Furina knows that's not what he was going to say, knows that he changed his mind as he opened his mouth.

Neuvillette brings her a bathrobe, draping it across her shoulders.
"Will you... would you have a warm shower?" He asks her quietly.
Furina doesn't want a shower. But she nods because she doesn't want to be annoying. What she really wants is to go and find out exactly what was going on. What he was doing, and what secrets he is keeping from her.

The sound of the shower turning in makes her jump, even though she tries to pretend it doesn't bother her. Sure, she'd spent a long period of time in the rain this morning, but if she thought about it for too long, she feels nausea seeping into her head. If she focuses on the fact that her socks are wet in her shoe, or if she focuses on how she's not wearing her gloves because they got too wet, or how her collar has suddenly become so incredibly heavy... that's when she feels like she might break.
Neuvillette comes back out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of pants.
"It's... it's ready."
Furina nods, and she stands up slowly. A shower wouldn't kill her. Logically, she knows that water won't kill her.
Furina steps into the bathroom, the sound of the water hitting the ground make her ears burn. She tries to force herself to take another step, or to begin to get undressed, but she can't. Furina can't even bring herself to shut the door. Because if the door was closed, there'd be no escaping it. If the water were to rise, if it were to trap her in the glass box then there'd be no escape. It'd be like she was in Lyney's magic act - but there was no one there to save her. If the water were to rise so fast that there'd be no escape like the flood that haunts her dreams. Furina steps backwards, panicked. She couldn't do it. Cold or not, she couldn't.
"Furina," Neuvillette's hand intertwined with hers.
"I can't. I can't do it-" Neuvillette turns to face her, his face soft.
"I won't let it hurt you. I won't let anything hurt you." It's a promise that he's disguising as a remark of comfort.
"Would you... would you stay with me?" Furina murmurs. "I know you're busy and-"
"Of course I can." Neuvillette kisses the tip of her nose, kissing her as if his life depends on it.
"I... I haven't had a shower since it happened." Furina admits, looking down at the ground as he guides her into the bathroom.
"I promise that it will be okay," he assures her, closing the bathroom door.
"I... I need it open. Just a little bit. I... I know it's silly, but... but I have to know that there's somewhere to escape to, if..." if it were to flood.
He opens the door, nodding.
Furina turns to face the shower - it is a fancy one that comes all the way from the ceiling. She's used it throughout her life, but this time is different. She hasn't used it since the prophecy was fulfilled. She remembers how she used to sit beneath the shower and sob - it was one of the only places she could not be caught out for doing so.

She takes off her shoes and her socks, finding relief in getting them off of her feet. She knows that she should probably be scared about undressing in front of Neuvillette - because she's never been naked in front of him before, but she's not.
"Will... Will you come in with me?" Furina asks as she takes off her Vision, even though she does not like being parted from it. She places it on the bathroom sink, right beside the shower. That way, it is still close if she should happen to need it.
"Are you sure?" Neuvillette asks gently, clearly not wanting to do anything that she's not ready for. Furina nods with a small smile as she takes off her suit piece by piece, leaving her in nothing but a her shorts and her bra. She brushes her hair out of her eyes before removing her shorts.
Neuvillette is watching her when she looks over at him. His face is soft, his lips pressed together in a smile.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, my lovely Furina."
She can't help but grin in return, doing a little curtsy in response.
He takes a step towards her, a hand cupping her cheeks.
"I love you," he breathes, his voice low and quiet.
"I love you too," she looks up at him. He's taller than she is - particularly because she's not wearing her shoes. The height difference makes her smile. "Will you help me?"
Although Furina has never found the time to be intimate with another human, she has read about moments like these. There's an author that writes the best love stories from Inazuma, and sometimes she would allow herself to get away from everything by getting lost in the pages of it.
He nods, and she turns away from him, moving her hair so that it wasn't in the way. His hands are warm and soft against her back. Each touch leaves a golden touch stronger than the last.