Masquerade of the guilt

Chapter 14

It has been two weeks since the last interaction between Wriothesley and Neuvillette, and during that time there has been no contact until today.

The day before the traveler arrived in the fortress of meropide, Wriothesley knew that they were coming, but didn't know why but there had to be more to it than just her and paimon eating the archon's cake. Then today before the two arrived, he got a letter from Neuvillette addressing the full situation, Wriothesley then wrote back about the sudden fatui members down in meropide too.

All the seriousness aside, Wriothesley was disappointed when Neuvillette didn't show up the week he said to if we wasn't busy, and for some reason he still hoped that he would just walk through the door to his office at random.

He hasn't had a break between childe's escape, the sudden fatui members, the primordial sea trying to bust free, and Neuvillette on his mind,he needs something to relax to, preferably Neuvillette.

There was a knock on the door to his office, then it opened. Wriothesley wished it was Neuvillette, but of course it wasn't, it was the reports for the day. Wriothesley took the reports and thanked the guard that brought them before she left.

Since the nightly report came in then it should be about the time when everyone disappears to their rooms for the night, or when night shifts guards come in. He will give it an hour then see if he can sneak out and get some fresh air.

-~-

There were so many trials for today, Neuvillette was exhausted from hearing people's excuses for a crime that they say they didn't commit. How can they lie so easily? And to someone that can easily see through those stupidity made up on the spot lies.

The night sky was only cloudy, giving Neuvillette an excuse to go for a walk before he headed back to the Court of Fontaine.

He walked to the entrance to the fortress of meropide, stopping and just looking up at the sky. The thought of Wriothesley made him smile, and the sky became clear with the stars and moon shining down on him. Maybe tomorrow he will take that visit.

There's definitely been a dramatic change between them, and the people of Fontaine and the inmates of Meropide could tell too. From the recent visit from each other some people started to speculate about their relationship to the point that there was an article in the stream bird about them. Neuvillette quickly shut it down and made the steam bird promise that they wouldn't write anything speculating on his or Wriothesley personal life.

As Neuvillette went to turn around to start his trip back to the Court of Fontaine, he heard foot steps coming up the stairs that caught his attention, making him turn back around and face the person.

"And what's the chief justice doing standing at my door this late into the night, hmm?" Wriothesley chuckled as he got closer.

Neuvillette blushed at the sly tone in his voice, he quickly got rid of the blush before Wriothesley's could notice and started walking to him too. "I was taking a walk before I leave." He replied, "And what are you doing here?" He asked and looked up at the night sky.

Wriothesley's watch Neuvillette stare into to sky, the moonlight making him glow in some way. "Getting a breath of fresh air. I've been up here too many times in the past month that im starting to get use to it."

They were quite, a nice silence between the two with the howl of the light wind and the flowing of the water.

Wriothesley slowly made his way closer to Neuvillette, his heart pounding in his chest as the back of their hands brushed against each other, and it seems Neuvillette didn't mind at all. This would be a good chance to take Neuvillette's hand into his and tell him how he feels.

"This is nice." Neuvillette softly spoke as Wriothesley was about to take his hand.

Wriothesley looked back at Neuvillette who was still looking at the sky, "It is." He replied in the same soft tone.

Wriothesley wrapped his pinky finger around Neuvillette's, they both just smiled. Once again a nice silence.

Wriothesley sucked in a deep breath, Neuvillette then turned his attention to him, "Neuvillette, after everything is settled within meropide and i can trust nothing bad is going to happen in a span to three hours..." he then took all of Neuvillette's hand in his, "I- how about we go out to dinner?" He quickly said, cheeks flushed.

Neuvillette paused for a split second, taking in what was just said, and that hand holding his becoming all to real. Wriothesley was asking him on a date? He has to be, there would be no other reason why he's red and holding his hand. Pink suddenly made its way onto Neuvillette face and ears at the realization.

"Yeah, I would like that." He said breathlessly.

The two then went back to look at the sky, at the same time a shooting star passed and they both made a wish. "Don't let this end."

Neuvillette took his chance and laid his head on Wriothesley shoulder, Wriothesley looked over at his, letting go of his hand for a quick second to pull is coat over Neuvillette's shoulders, then went back to holding in hand.

"Thank you." Neuvillette mumbled, his eyes closed almost asleep.

Wriothesley looked off into the distance at the Court of Fontaine, the aquaboat's are done for the night meaning Neuvillette would have to walk home.

Wriothesley wrapped his arm around Neuvillette to keep him standing, "You can stay with me tonight. If you want to that is." He quickly added.

Neuvillette nuzzled his face into Wriothesley's shoulder "That would be nice."

Neuvillette ended up falling asleep In Wriothesley's arms, he had been up four days straight, sleeping was now needed, especially in the comfort of his mate's arms. Wriothesley picked Neuvillette up, covering his with his coat as he slept peacefully in his arms and took him back to the fortress.

No inmates in sight thankfully, but they were still guards that gave him looks as he walked through meropide and into his office, and into his room where he laid Neuvillette down on his bed, being the thoughtful person and also taking his boots off.

Wriothesley was wide awake, once he left his room and office he ran straight to sigewinne who was trying to peacefully clean her office. He ended up scaring the poor girl, thinking that he got hurt at first, then she saw the familiar energy on him. She sighed and sat down at her desk, asking what he did.

-~-

"And now he's asleep in my bed." Wriothesley explained everything to sigewinne.

He was expecting her to flick his forehead and scold him for trying to get with Neuvillette, but this time was different. Sigewinne smiled softly.

"Your not going to scold me?"

"No, this is something you both seem to want so i will stay out of the way." This is also something she wants as well. These two are the closest she has to fathers. "Seeing you both happy is all i want."

Wriothesley let out a breath he had been holding in, "Thank you, sigewinne." He said and stood up.

"Now go, you need sleep as well." She stood up also and walked over to Wriothesley, hugging his legs, "Make sure Neuvillette is up by 10:00. He has trials in the morning."

Wriothesley's bent down and hugged her back, "I will take care of him, I know how you melusine's look up to him."

"Please do. Sedene said he hasn't slept in almost a week and was about to make me drug him with sleeping pills."

"How about you tell sedene to cancel his trials for the day and let him sleep?"

"I will." The two split from the hug and Wriothesley stood back up, "Goodnight, Wrio."

Wriothesley patted Sigewinne's head, "Goodnight, Sige." He then walked away.

When Wriothesley got back to his room he looked straight at Neuvillette wrapped in his sheets and cuddling his coat. Cute. Wriothesley slipped off his boots and went to the dresser, getting a pair of sweatpants out and changing into them.

He didn't want to possibly wake Neuvillette by climbing into bed beside him, so he got an extra blanket out of the closet and slept on the couch for the night.