The Chief Justices Assistant (Neuvillette x Reader)

Morning Coffee

Hey lovelies! Sorry for the year wait! (Also read back if you can I kinda predicted the 5.1 archon quest(very proud of myself))

Y/N rolled out of her bed at 5-something AM after a sleepless night of going over her thoughts on Neuvillette again and again, wrapping her head around why two words made her stomach turn in such an obscure way. What had made her feel worse is that she turned herself inside out for such a trivial feeling towards her boss that probably didn't mean anything.

-but if it didn't mean anything then why am I freaking out over it?-

After getting ready for the day, with sunken eyes Y/N bended over to slip on her navy stained leather stilettos with surprising delicacy after her lack of rest. A glistening white hair laid on her creaky timber floorboards, as a result from their interaction the previous night. A simple glance at the white hair was all it took to make Y/N's heart strain for a prolonged moment that induced flash backs of his shallow breath while she ran her hands through his hair, and that sunny smile even at dusk while saying "goodnight".

Her palm met her face as a self-punishment for her reaction to a single strand of hair in her home, though the impact was weak enough to leave no mark. But with the creeping attachment to that moment, she picked up his lost hair and placed it on her windowsill to bask in the rays of the morning. Those same rays hit a small copper cube with a clock in its side that displayed a time too shocking to let Y/N catch another wasteful breath.

"O' The Seven, by the heavens I'm going to be late!"

Her fatigued state made time run slow and the clock hands had progressed more than three hours ahead in what felt like one. Tripping over her toes Y/N grabbed the first hat she saw on her wall hooks and slung a starfish embroidered satchel over her head running towards the door and shakily locking it behind her. Y/N took too deep of a catching breath and choked on the air surrounding her porch, looking at her long sprint to the Palais Mermonia.

~ ~ ~

Neuvillette was filing a mixture of papers at his desk when a clumsy figure came crashing though the Palais Mermonia

A small screech sounds from Sedene's mouth as loud bumps and thuds echoed towards him

"Monsieur!! I'm-," Y/N huffed, still stumbling towards his desk, "I'm terribly sorry I'm late, how- how must I make it up to you!"

Before the Iudex could peep a word a bone chilling crack was heard beneath Y/N's body as she pummeled towards the floor, palms first.

She had broken her stiletto.

"Y/N are you alright?" Neuvillette exclaimed, charging towards her with an ironic elegance for a concerned individual, finally reaching out a hand to help her to one of the couches in front of his desk.

"Oh! Monsieur you mustn't worry 'bout me all I'm concerned about is how I'm going to make up being this late to you!"

Neuvillette looked towards a clock on his bookshelf showing 9:07.

"Miss Y/N you are only 7 minutes late, you are perfectly fine. Right now your lateness is the last thing you should be worrying about-"

"Y/N! Neuvillette! What is all this racket! Also why must you run though our halls Y/N, this is terrible etiquette..." Sedene shrieked.

"Don't worry now, Sedene I'll sort this out. These matters should no longer concern you," He gracefully spun towards Y/N, "Miss Y/N what are you doing?" Neuvillette questioned.

Y/N bowed awkwardly with little balance due to her broken shoe towards Sedene. She began to softly tremble in her speech, "I apologise Sedene, shouldn't happen again."

"Won't. Won't happen again." Sedene growled.

"Yes, Yes! I'm gratefully sorry." She performs a wobbly bow before slumping back on the couch while the Melusine is exiting the room.

With a tight, upright posture Neuvillette stares down at Y/N's once perfect, now muddied and broken shoes and sighed, relaxing his stance ever-so-slightly.

"What to do with you, Y/N. How did you end up like this in the first place?"

"Uh, I might have had a sleepless night and been so tired this morning that I lost track of time and leaving my house with not much time for me to travel here, as you know I live far away. So I ran all the way here and was still late." She rambled as she tried to sit tall to keep her professionalism.

"Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have had you clock in the day after a very long weekend trip," he uttered with a pensive expression painted on his face. "Was there any particular reason you were awake all night? Is it concerning enough that we should get a medic to maybe get a remedy for it?"

Thinking about an answer made Y/N go red in the face. The cause of concern was right in front of her, and she would shrivel up in embarrassment if she were to address it.

"Oh, uh... um.. those damn hilichurls! They were migrating and passed by my home, it being uh, unmarked and all. It had me thinking I was going to get ambushed. Even after they had passed the fright kept me up all night." Y/N sluggishly stuttered.

"That's quite peculiar, especially around that time and area. I'm so sorry that happened to you Miss, I better tell the adventurers guild what happened to stop that from prevailing."

Y/N squirmed to the thought of bringing other people into her lie, she scrambled to add another onto it to prevent that.

"I have already informed them. That's the other reason why I'm so late filling out- uh forms!" She blabbed.

The cover up took so much mental energy out of the woman her eyes started twitching with exhaustion. Neuvillette studied this behaviour before acting on it.

"Alright I'm satisfied to hear that. But miss, you must rest. I'll let it be on the clock too, so don't worry about your payroll. I usually pride myself on fair work but these conditions are too strict for a young woman like you to work with such exhaustion. I'll get Sedene to walk you to a nearby sleeping quarters, please ignore any daft remarks she sends you way."

"But isn't there things that need to be done? What about the upcoming carpenters trial that needs to be translated? I can work. I just need my morning coffee."

"That trial isn't until next week, it's a minor one anyway. After this past trip there has been a much lighter workload for me and the staff. Come on now, we can't have you dropping to your knees in the middle of my office asleep, do you want me to fill out more paperwork? Let's not file away another workplace incident file." Neuvillette reassuringly said with a warm smile.

Y/N slowly slipping towards the ground softly groaned, "Okay, but I'll take an extra unpaid shift next Saturday, for that one landlords trial."

"No you won't. If you are here, you're getting paid." Neuvillette argued, as he helped her upright from her slouched position. "Sedene! Send Miss Y/N to the nearest vacant sleeping quarters with grace."

"Sir," Sedene grunted. "All the walkable quarters are full with multiple-day-stay occupants. We can't have Y/N walking to the further away locations with that broken heel, it would take us too long to get her fitted."

"Well put her in the nearest hotel. If they're all full the hotels shouldn't be."

"Sure thing Sir. Walk with me Y/N. You know you shouldn't be getting this special treatment for being a bit tired. Go sleep in your own home."

"Sedene it's not special treatment" Neuvillette chuckled as the two were leaving. "I would do it for you too."

"Maybe I should start spending my nights having fun or baking. Maybe I could get paid to sleep then."

"Maybe. And Y/N?"

Y/N sleepily glanced back.

Neuvillette smiled wider

"Goodnight, Y/N."

Sorry this took like a YEAR? To come out.

Big chapter coming this Wednesday. (I'm probably lying but I'll try my best for it to come out then. It may come out sooner aswell xx)

I'll try upload more chapters these upcoming months, if this next amazing yet terrifying year doesn't catch up to me