reader (Cynthia) x Wriothesley

chapter 1

"This is... such a big party, " you murmur, loud enough to be heard over the baroque music in the background. "Such a grand party, do you mean? " Furina asks, striding up to you. She is no longer Fontaine's archon, but she still seems to be wherever anything important happens. Her presence doesn't bother you; in fact, you're happy to see her. Hearing about her last had broken your heart when you heard about it, and you feel rather happy that she's finding joy in her new life.

"Grand indeed," you grin. You look around; huge crystals chandeliers, paintings, candles, and tables filled with food and drinks sprinkled miscellaneously around the room all contribute to the almost overwhelming sights you are seeing. But the best part is seeing all the people talking, eating, dancing... They are what fill the room with liveliness and excitement. Chatter fulls your ears as you then back to Furina. "I think it's wonderful."
"Hmph. Of course it's wonderful,"
She says proudly, but even she wears a smile. "What kind of dance would it be if it weren't? Barely an audience would show up if it weren't si dazzling."
"I guess your right." You say thoughtfully.
"Ah! If I were wrong about a dance, that would be quite the predicament," she says dramatically. "Enjoy the party, I will go see what the other guests are rambling about." With that, she swiftly turns away, leaving you yo hope you hadn't offended her. But when she flashes you a smile as she leave, you realize she had been joking.

After hour conversation with the former archon, you go off into the crowd, losing yourself to the fun and organized chaos around you. Is that an appropriate way to think of dance? As you roam from place to place occasionally picking up a strawberry dipped in chocolate, you begin to tire slightly from all the people dancing around you, and you decided to take a glass of water and venture to a less crowded part of the room, where the air is cooler and the movements of dancers don't dizzy you. You take a moment to breathe, letting your body relax before you feel a prickle at the back of your neck, and you turn, knowing that you're being watched.
"It took you long enough," a familiar voice says, and you jump, not expecting to hear it in such a scene like this one. "I was starting to think you wouldn't see me."

Your eyes widen when they land on Wriothesley, the Duck of the Fortress of Meropide. "Ah! Bonsior (good evening), Wriothesley," you say in a surprise. "I didn't realize you'd be attending the dance, " you add, eyebrows raising in curiosity
"I didn't think I would either, but I was invited here as an... esteemed guest, as the invitation put it." He smirks, sitting back in his chair with a glass in his hand. It was barely touched. "However I am always unsure of how to act when these... dances occur..." He grumbled, rolling his eyes and swings the handcuffs he keeps with him at all times out of habit.
"What, surveying the room for trouble?" You joke, sitting near him but keeping a polite distance away.
"Spotted any perpetrators?"
Wriothesley shakes his head. "Well of course I've been on the lookout... It's just a simple habit, I guess," he says glancing around and then back to you. "I didn't expect you to be here, either, Cynthia."
You snort. "Ah, well, I seem to have a knank for figuring out where you'll be." A teasing grin spreads across your face. "Of course, how.." He trails off.
"You came here because I'm attending?" His question comes out of nowhere.
Your eyes widen. "Ah, you wish." You stutter, and your face heats up at his smile. "I was invited by mail invitation."
He laughs. "I'm only joking, Cynthia," he assures, even though it didn't sound like a joke, and his eyes go back to watching the dancers.
"Still searching for trouble?" You raise an eyebrows
"Actually I was trying to understand why so many people enjoy dancing. So close to so many others... It's as if they're waiting for something bad to hapoe." He frowns.
"I think they're just enjoying themselves. I mean look how happy they are," you smile, looking at them Wriothesley looks at them for a moment and then glance at you. You swallow but pretend not to notice.
"I never learned to dance," he murmurs quietly, mostly to himself, and you barely hear him. You turn to look into his ice blue eyes.
Your answer comes out of your mouth before you can even think it through "I can show you...?" You trail off, eyes widening at your own words, looking away. "Ah, or I can grab something to eat if you want-"
"No need," he waves his hand in dismissal. "I already had a nite to eat earlier, you piqued my interest, however, about the dancing," he smirks, eyes making direct contact with yours. "No! It's okay! J know you just said you didn't understand the point in dancing-"
"-Then show me, Cynthia," he replies calmly, standing up and approaching you. You swallow as he towers almost an entire head above your height, and in the candlelight, you can see the scar under his eye.
He once scared you; you'd only seen him from afar, witness to the arrest he'd made only through Steambird newspaper. Covered in scars and dressed in an outfit that was somehow both gangly and also somehow... proper, it was a normal reaction to haven't