Judicial Temptations :: WRIOLLETTE

24 :: Morning Michief

Neuvillette woke up to the soft light of morning filtering through the curtains. The first thing he noticed was the warmth pressed against his back, Wriothesley's arm draped over his waist, holding him close. For a moment, Neuvillette let himself revel in the sensation—the strong, steady heartbeat against his skin, the peaceful rhythm of Wriothesley's breath. But as memories of the previous night came flooding back, he became aware of... another sensation. One that made his face flush a deep crimson.

Oh no.

Neuvillette carefully peeled Wriothesley's arm away from his waist, moving with the precision of someone defusing a bomb. He slipped out of bed, holding his breath as Wriothesley stirred slightly before settling back into sleep. Good. Neuvillette exhaled quietly. He took one last glance at Wriothesley, who had shifted onto his back, his shirt completely discarded at some point in the night. Neuvillette found himself staring at Wriothesley's well-defined torso for a little too long, the broad chest and defined muscles too enticing for his sleep-addled brain to ignore.

Get a grip, Neuvillette. He mentally chastised himself, quickly making his way to the bathroom to... fix his situation.

---

Wriothesley woke up not long after, blinking groggily as he reached out for Neuvillette, only to find the other side of the bed empty. He frowned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The smell of something delicious wafted through the air, making his stomach growl in response. He stretched, cracking his neck before standing up and heading for the kitchen, still shirtless and only half-aware of his terrible bedhead.

He found Neuvillette at the stove, wearing a casual t-shirt adorned with an otter that vaguely resembled him and a pair of comfortable-looking tracksuit pants. The sight made Wriothesley pause. Neuvillette looked... beautiful. Peaceful, even. The domestic scene before him was such a stark contrast to the usual stern and composed judge he was used to seeing at work. Wriothesley felt a swell of affection in his chest as he silently approached Neuvillette from behind.

Without a word, Wriothesley snaked his arms around Neuvillette's waist, pulling him close and resting his chin on Neuvillette's shoulder. "Good morning," he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep.

Neuvillette tensed for a moment, startled by the sudden contact, but quickly relaxed into Wriothesley's embrace. "Good morning," he replied softly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He continued to stir the contents of the pan in front of him, the smell of eggs and bacon filling the kitchen. "Breakfast will be ready in about thirty minutes."

"Perfect," Wriothesley hummed. He pressed a quick kiss to Neuvillette's temple before dashing out of the kitchen, leaving Neuvillette blinking in surprise.

"Wriothesley? Where are you going?" Neuvillette called after him, confused.

Wriothesley reappeared a few moments later, buttoning up his discarded dress shirt from the previous night. "I'll be back," he said with a grin, "but with more comfortable clothes." He leaned down to give Neuvillette a sweet kiss before heading for the door.

Neuvillette watched him go, a soft smile on his face as he turned back to the stove. He couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment settling over him. This... this was nice. It was normal. And after everything they had been through, normal felt like a blessing.

---

Fifteen minutes later, Wriothesley returned, dressed in a gray jumper and black tracksuit pants. He looked relaxed, his hair still a bit tousled but somehow making him look even more handsome. He tossed his keys onto the counter before flopping onto the couch, pulling out his phone and scrolling through messages.