Into the Depths

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 5 : 𝓑𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼

The ballroom in Fontaine was alive with laughter and the soft clinking of glasses as nobles and dignitaries milled about, discussing politics and pleasure in equal measure. Wriothesley stood near the corner, his presence a quiet storm amid the extravagance, watching the interactions around him with an icy detachment. His duties as a warden kept him at a distance, but tonight—tonight, there was something else stirring inside him.

Across the room, Neuvillette stood, talking with a group of foreign dignitaries, his usual composed demeanor slipping only slightly when a woman in a sparkling gown laughed too loudly at one of his comments. Wriothesley's gaze darkened as he watched the way the woman leaned in, touching Neuvillette's arm with an intimacy that sent a tight knot of frustration winding through his chest.

He wasn't sure what it was—envy, desire, or something else entirely. All he knew was that the sight of someone else touching Neuvillette, of anyone else taking his attention, made something raw flare to life within him. It was a feeling he didn't want to acknowledge, but it refused to be ignored.

As the woman's hand lingered on Neuvillette's arm, Wriothesley's jaw tightened. He had spent so much time convincing himself that his feelings for Neuvillette were nothing more than fleeting infatuation. But now? Now, the jealousy gnawed at him like a poison, stirring emotions he was far from ready to confront.

Without thinking, he made his way through the crowd, his eyes never leaving Neuvillette. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to do something—anything—to stop the burning frustration building inside him.

In a swift movement, Wriothesley reached Neuvillette, his voice calm but sharp as he interjected into the conversation.

"Neuvillette, I need to speak with you. Alone."

Neuvillette's eyes flickered to Wriothesley, and for a moment, he seemed surprised, though not displeased. The woman—who had been hanging on every word Neuvillette had said—raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting to one of mild confusion. Neuvillette offered her a polite smile.

"Excuse me," he said smoothly, his tone apologetic yet authoritative.

Without another word, Wriothesley led Neuvillette toward a quieter part of the ballroom, his hand gripping Neuvillette's elbow just a little tighter than necessary. Neuvillette didn't resist. In fact, there was something in his eyes—curiosity, perhaps, or something darker—that suggested he knew exactly what was coming.

They passed through a narrow corridor and into a small closet near the back of the building. The door closed with a soft click behind them, and the air seemed to thicken as they stood in the dimly lit space, the shadows of their bodies falling across the walls.

Wriothesley stood there for a moment, chest heaving with the tension he had been trying to suppress. Neuvillette, ever the calm one, merely watched him, his expression unreadable.

"What's going on?"

Neuvillette asked, his voice low, almost teasing.

Wriothesley didn't answer right away. He stepped closer to Neuvillette, his eyes blazing with intensity, the emotions he'd been holding back rising to the surface in a rush. "You were too close to her," he finally muttered, the words coming out sharp, raw.

"I don't like it."

Neuvillette tilted his head, his gaze growing more intense as he realized what was happening.

"You're jealous," he said quietly, almost amused.

"Is that what this is about?"

Wriothesley's hands gripped Neuvillette's shoulders, spinning him around and pressing him into the wall of the small closet, the movement sharp and possessive.

"Don't act like you don't know."

Wriothesley growled, his voice rough with frustration.

"You're always surrounded by people—by women—and I... I can't stand it."

The words hung between them, and for a moment, the air was thick with the unspoken. Neuvillette's breath hitched, a small smile tugging at his lips as he realized the depth of Wriothesley's feelings.

"So, you're claiming me now?"

Neuvillette asked, his voice almost a whisper, but there was something in it—something that made Wriothesley's heart pound harder in his chest.

Wriothesley didn't respond with words. Instead, he closed the space between them, his lips crashing against Neuvillette's in a kiss that was almost frantic—desperate. He could feel Neuvillette's breath mingling with his own, the warmth of his body pressed up against him, and it only fueled the fire inside him. He needed this. He needed Neuvillette to know that he couldn't—wouldn't—let anyone else have him.

Neuvillette moaned softly into the kiss, his hands finding Wriothesley's waist, pulling him closer, as if he too had been waiting for this moment. As their lips parted for a breathless moment, Neuvillette's voice was low, filled with a mixture of surprise and desire.

"You've never wanted me like this before."

"No."

Wriothesley breathed, his hands moving up to grip Neuvillette's hair, tugging him back into a heated kiss.

"But I want you now. Only you."

The tension in the air crackled as their bodies pressed together, each movement filled with an intensity that had been building for so long. The sounds of the party outside seemed miles away now, and there was nothing left in Wriothesley's mind but the man in his arms—the dragon who had quietly captivated him in every way possible.

Neuvillette responded to Wriothesley's intensity with equal fervor, his hands sliding down to grip Wriothesley's belt, tugging it off with expert hands.

"Then show me, Wriothesley."

Neuvillette murmured, his voice thick with desire.

"Show me how much you want me."

The sound of Wriothesley's breath catching in his throat was all the answer Neuvillette needed. And in that moment, nothing else mattered.