Eternal Rain - WrioLette

18

Neuvillette awoke slowly, the soft light of dawn filtering into the room. It took him a moment to realize why he felt so warm and secure-Wriothesley's arms were wrapped snugly around him, holding him close. He tried to shift quietly, not wanting to wake his boyfriend, but as he moved, Wriothesley's grip instinctively tightened.

"Good morning," Neuvillette murmured, his voice gentle.

In response, Wriothesley buried his face deeper into Neuvillette's hair, inhaling softly before murmuring back, "Good morning."

A sleepy smile tugged at Neuvillette's lips. "You seem awfully comfortable. Are you not going to let me get up?"

"Not yet," Wriothesley mumbled, pressing a tender kiss to Neuvillette's forehead. "Just stay like this a little longer. Please?"

Neuvillette's heart fluttered at the rare vulnerability in Wriothesley's voice. He tilted his head slightly and placed a soft kiss on Wriothesley's chin. "Why are you being so clingy lately?" he asked, his tone both curious and affectionate.

Wriothesley shifted, his hold still firm as he nuzzled Neuvillette's hair. "It's nothing. I just... love you too much"

Neuvillette's chuckle was soft, like the morning light. "You always know how to catch me off guard with your honesty." He sighed contentedly, letting himself relax fully into the embrace. "I love you too, you know."

They lay there for a while longer, neither wanting to break the peace that had settled over them. The world outside could wait. For now, they had this quiet, perfect moment-one where worries didn't matter and only the warmth of each other's presence did.

Wriothesley squeezed him just a bit tighter as if trying to etch this moment into memory.

"Do you have a trial today?" Wriothesley asked softly, his voice breaking the stillness but without shattering it.

Neuvillette hesitated, then nodded against Wriothesley's chest. "In a couple of hours," he replied. "But I can stay longer if you want."

Wriothesley chuckled softly, his breath warm against Neuvillette's hair. "You've got responsibilities, Neuvillette," he teased, though his hold on Neuvillette didn't loosen.

Neuvillette smiled, closing his eyes for a moment. "Responsibilities can wait for a little while longer," he said, his voice gentle. "You're more important to me."

A soft hum escaped Wriothesley's lips as he closed his eyes, resting his chin on top of Neuvillette's head. "I'll hold you to that," he murmured.

Later that morning, the sun was barely up when Wriothesley turned from the stove, where he was about to make breakfast, and called out to Neuvillette. "Could you grab an envelope from my desk in my room? I just remembered I have a coupon for Café Lucete, and I thought we could go today."

Neuvillette nodded, happy at the idea. It had been a while since they had gone out together. Wriothesley always knew the best spots in the city, and a relaxed outing sounded perfect. As he headed to the room, he couldn't help but smile, thinking about how nice the day ahead would be.

Once inside the room, Neuvillette made his way to Wriothesley's desk. The drawer slid open with ease, revealing a few scattered papers, pens, and-tucked underneath them-an envelope marked with his name. Curiosity piqued, Neuvillette reached for it, noting the slightly worn edges as if it had been handled many times before. His brow furrowed as he opened it and began reading.

--

Neuvillette,

There's something I've kept from you-something I never wanted to burden you with. A few months before we met, I was diagnosed with ALS. Back then, it was not as severe, and I managed to hide it well. But over time, it has been progressing faster than I ever imagined. A couple of weeks ago, I found out I only had one month left.

You've been the light in these last moments of my life. It is because of you that I have found happiness, even with this terrible weight on my shoulders. But now, as I feel time slipping away, I want you to know that someday, somewhere, we will be together again.

Please forget me.

Wriothesley.

--

The letter fell from Neuvillette's trembling hands. His chest tightened, anger, hurt, and disbelief swirling in his heart. How could Wriothesley hide something so serious? Why didn't he say anything earlier, when they could have faced it together?

His feet carried him back to the kitchen, where Wriothesley was casually placing all the dishes away. "You didn't find the envelope?" Wriothesley asked, a smile on his face, unaware of the storm brewing behind Neuvillette's eyes.

But that smile quickly vanished when he saw the letter in Neuvillette's hand. "You-" Neuvillette's voice shook with a mix of fury and sorrow. "How could you hide this from me? You knew, Wriothesley! You knew you only had a month, and you didn't say a word. You just let me believe we had more time!"

Wriothesley's face went pale, his usual calm demeanour breaking as he tried to reach for Neuvillette. "Neuvillette, listen, I didn't want you to carry this burden. I wanted our days to be happy, not clouded by the knowledge of-"

"Of your death?!" Neuvillette snapped, stepping back, tears threatening to spill. "You think keeping me in the dark would protect me? How could you decide that for me? Did you think I would not want to be with you every moment if I knew what was happening?"

Wriothesley's eyes softened, regret filling them. "I was trying to make it easier for you..."

"Well, you failed!" Neuvillette's voice cracked as he turned on his heel and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Wriothesley called after him, but it was no use. The house fell into a haunting silence as Wriothesley stood frozen in place, the weight of his decisions crashing down on him.

Wriothesley immediately dashed out the door, trying to find Neuvillette, but he was nowhere in sight. He ran through the streets, searching, calling out his name, but Neuvillette had disappeared into the city.

Hours passed, and Wriothesley decided to return home defeated, barely able to stay upright. The pain in his body was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. He should have told him sooner; he should have trusted him. But now it was too late.

By the time he reached the front of his house, Wriothesley's strength had dwindled to nothing. His legs gave way as he collapsed onto the pavement, his body sinking to the ground in a heavy, pained heap. The sky, as if in sympathy, began to weep, the rain starting softly at first before turning into a relentless downpour.

The cold, steady rain mingled with Wriothesley's tears as he lay there, unmoving. His breathing grew shallow, each exhale was a faint, fleeting sign of life. The rain soaked through his clothes, clinging to his skin, adding to the weight pressing down on him.

Wriothesley lay there, The last thought that crossed his mind was of Neuvillette, and the hope of someday being together again.

The rain continued to pour on

1160 Words