Inseparable. | Wriolette

((Chapter 2))

Neuvillette moves on. Well, that's he tells himself. The 'crying at a single mention' episode is gone at least.
Now he just keeps his mind off things with work. He buries himself in paperwork so he barely has time to think about anything else anymore.

But one day he decides to go for a walk. Just when was the last time he took a walk? Around 100 years ago?

Mm.

He throws on that damned coat that doesn't smell like Wriothesley anymore on his shoulders and heads out.
He forgot how Wriothesley smelled at this point.

"Monsieur Neuvillette!"

"Ah, good afternoon, Sedene. How are you?"
"I'm good, what about you, Monsieur? Where are you going?"
"Ah, I've decided to go on a walk. It's been a while since I've had one."
"Have fun, then!"
"Thank you, Sedene. Stay safe."

____________

Neuvillette's hair became even longer, long enough to brush against his ankles gently when he walks.

He sighs softly and takes a look around.
New buildings, new faces, a few new aquabus lines.

He walks over to a poster board and looks around some posters hanging there. Maybe he should attempt an event soon? It's been a while.

Neuvillette stops in his track and his eyes widen. He walks up to a poster and stares at it. A boxing match. Tommorow. Nothing special but the man at the poster––the man at the right, he–

His throat goes dry.

These eyes– he touches the poster, softly carresing the piece of paper.

He'll recognise those eyes everywhere.

"Wriothesley."

 
The rain soaks his clothes and hair in one moment.

Is it really him?

This is.. so weird. A weird feeling spreads throughs his body, paralysing him and he's left staring at the poster like a maniac.

_____________

Neuvillette storms into his office and makes a mess of his desk. He takes out all the files and records from the past 40 years.
His breaths rapid and short, he rummages through them, looking for the man.
  

"Monsieur Neuvillette! How was––"
Sedene walks in to the biggest mess she's ever seen in Neuvillette's office.
"Monsieur?" She turns serious and walks up to the desk, trying not to step on any documents.

...

"He's.. Sedene, he's back, I–"

"Who is?"

"Wriothesley." Neuvillette whispers shakily.

"Wriothesley?" She takes a moment to think. "Oh, Wriothesley! The Duke, your husband. But isn't he.. dead? What do you mean?"

"Sedene, I––I'd recognise those eyes everywhere."

Sedene looks up at him with confusion.
"Have you found the man's files?"
"I have."

Sedene takes a file from Neuvillette and nods slightly as a 'thanks'.

"Wriothesley." She reads aloud. "Well, he looks alike. And.. has the same name. And there's something.. Nostalgic about him."

...

Neuvillette looks at the photo as in some kind of trance. He doesn't move, he just stares at these damned eyes.

"How about talking to him?"

Neuvillette looks up at her with a hesitant expression.

He wants to. He really does but is he ready to face him?