Work Text:
Who was he
A better question, who had he been
His life he had been something, what was that
Wriothesley stood tall, watching the fortress life believe him, the people talking, one who was building some contraption, another had a metal dog it played fetch with, a third read in the corner
To think this was the most despicable criminal holding location in all of tevet
He broke his gaze, swiftly walking back to his office to calm himself
Few knew of his bedroom that lie under his office, in a similar sliding passage to the basement was a simple hallway leading to a simple room. More times than not he found himself sleeping on any old floor, but whenever he wanted privacy the room held solace
And that’s just what he wanted
The fortress was lonely, that was a fact, hr was no exception. People often banded together to form companionship, to make romantic partners, to ease the psychological burden the prison had
He practically grew up in the place, he should be an expert at dealing with the emotion, yet the coldness that had routined itself never spared him
When he was younger he used to let himself get throne around in the ring. It in no way was sustainable, it hurt, he still had scars from those days, but he loved it, the cuts and bruises and redness, the soreness of the following day, if he were lucky his opponent would hold a hand out for him to take, he cherish that several second contact, where warmth would wash through and over his bones until all the ice had melted, that he adored
People now would admire him for being beaten and bruised utill he surpassed those around him, no one knew his true motives, save for the nurse
He once threw his vision far away into the disgusting brown water of the mechanics factory, hoping it would warm him, the stupid gem was always freezing, always cold, maybe without it he would be better
It didn’t, he dove in to retrieve it several days later, the soppy smell of filth not washing out for weeks
He walked to his bed and flopped upon it, sighing away the feelings he refuse to acknowledge, wanting to let himself fall into a deep sleep where his feelings wouldn’t hurt him
His feelings always hurt him
Clorinde came to visit, her reasoning unknown, he didn’t mind the company, it was nice. She spoke of a recent duel, detailed her tactic of victory, he admired her. She was strong, she was brave, she admirable, he was far from it
His tea was cold when she was done talking, he hadn’t even taken a sip
Part of him wondered why he allowed her to come and go she pleased, he the ache of her departure would sting double when she inevitably left and he hated it so much
Why should he allow her to make him feel that way
He was the warden, he was the duke, he was the one in control, and he would control that
He politely requested they meet up at the surface if they were to talk, already knowing he would never agree to it
She looked hurt in a way, confused, a flash of something in her eye as she left, perhaps worry, he had no idea. As the door shut he sighed, the feeling spreading through his bones, aching in a such a way so familiar
If he turned everyone away, no one would do it to him
If he left first, no one remained to leave
He had let himself get to close to others, to people who lived in a world so different from his, not all bridges were built to last, it was time he burned his to the ground
He lived breathed and existed underground, his icy gaze keep all those deserving punishment silenced, he had a reputation to uphold, he had to keep it.
He stalked back through the fortress, his footsteps echoing, commanding attention of those who watched
It was his fortress, it was their punishment, he would uphold that
A change was obvious in those who resided in the metal walls of meropide. The once popular, friendly, fair duke had changed. Anyone who broke a rule would be met in private, the metal glove groaning as the man himself would see to it. Whatever rule had been broken was not once more tested
Wriosthley had no need to return to the surface. He used to a lot, used to love the sunshine and the breeze and the ocean air, but the love faded leaving nothing but longing in its place. The sky only reminded him of what he lost, of what would always be too far for him to truly grasp
His love turned to hatred, he hated the sky
He stalked through the halls once more, the people bowing their heads upon his footsteps. He marched towards the ring where he heard of a fight using illegal means, he couldn’t let that stand, he would destroy whoever it was and then some, it was his duty
A Cryo sheilded robot, somehow the creator embedded elemental energy into his guns and shields
When wrioslthley demanded he stop he was meant with violence, something he expected, but his situation was far from ideal
His vision was useless but he was ok with that, he jumped over attacks, he rolled under barrages of ice, he slid under the machine to hack at its base, he grabbed its metallic arms, trying to bend them down to stop its guns
In the end he was successful, he destroyed the curs-ed thing. He turned upon the creator, dragging him away to a secluded location, and broke every bone in his right arm. The man no longer would build anything
Wriosthley was far from unharmed, his fists bled rivers, his eye swelled purple, his skin darkened with crimson, but it was nothing new
He cooled his hand with his ice and held it to his face, sighing at the feeling of relief
He settled in a freezing bath of ice water, closing his eyes at the solace it brought, all the aches melted, all the soreness sank, it was heavenly
How far had loneliness taken him that his release reflected it so purely
Suigwinne scolded him for disappearing for three days, voicing her worry and demanding she check on him, he brushed her off, slipping back into the many walls of the fortress. There was no room for her worry, not for him, never for him
Word of his actions had spread, he heard mutterings of his cruelty but didn’t care to address them, why did it matter
The sound of his boots marching soon commanded more then just respect
Visits from the surface he kept curt, he never allowed more than the necessary procedure, he would take the prisoner and disappear, leaving the escort at the surface. He would nod if it were chlorinde or someone else he once acquainted with but no matter, the two words were separate upon his order
Neuvillette not once had come to see him
He used to, when he arrived at the courthouse they would talk for hours, enjoying their beverages under a shady tree, it was pleasant, it was calming, he loved it
Neuvillette always smiled upon seeing him, always checked up on him in a way no one else did, all made sure he was ok
Neuvillette always seemed to know when he wasn’t, yet his actions to comfort him were subtle and kind and exactly what he needed
Wriosthley missed it
He was almost sad that the chief justice never came to see a prisoner off, he understood that there were no matters pressing enough to warrant an in person meet, but a part of him wanted Neuvillette to come see him, to demand he return to the surface, to enjoy a cup of tea and a plate of pastries under the warm sun, the salty breeze in their hair
His wish was nothing but a fantasy, a far away dream, Neuvillette never would see him, they weren’t friends
They were just colleagues who worked to create a balanced and trusting relationship, nothing more
He watched the ocean pass through the massive windows of the prison, he saw a small jellyfish bobbing along uncaring, he saw a stingray swimming along, he saw a row of marching crabs
He, like all citizens of fontaine, knew how to swim, but it had been so many years since he was first thrown into a pool that he couldn’t remember it. He had watched the waves yet never swam through them
Maybe he should try
The ocean depths were so calm, so peaceful, the dark and gloomy waters looked glorious to him as he watched
So quiet, unbothered, uncaring to everything
Maybe he should drown in their depths, let himself be washed away and lost to the seas
The thought made him think
He had never considered taking his own life before, but now that he thought about it maybe it wasn’t so bad. His life had been lived enough for it to count hadnt it
He looked away, lost in questions he only tried to answer
The idea followed him like a shadow, he reflected upon his existence more times than he ever had before, the more he did the worse it all became
His life had nothing but misery, but loneliness, but a future full of metal walls and locked doors, of ordering and patrolling, of weatherless sky’s made of metal, of an artificial world
He was scared
Scared of what he might do
But at the same time the thought was so alluring
So tempting
So tantalizing
He made his choice
What good was living no different from the prisoners, why did he deserve to suffer such as they did
His life was loveless, his heart was soulless, he was nothing but a man who followed the role he was given, outside of that, he was nothing
He had always lived for others, now he would die for himself
He knew his decision was brash, he knew he should logically approach the situation and properly deal with his thoughts, but he didn’t want to
So left
He kissed sigwinnes forehead and told her what an amazing nurse she was, he praised her skills and talents, he apologized internally but never once hinted at his goal
He made sure everything ran smoothly before slipping away in the dead of night, no one noticed his absence, no would check on him for days
When they entered his office they would see a note on the desk, a short one filled with information of business that would need to be taken care of
No one would care to read his final thoughts, he had no one to say goodbye to
So he left as if nothing would follow, he left without looking back, he knew what would soon become of him
The stars shone so brightly above him, a million tiny suns so far away, the moon smiled down, crescent almost mocking
He stared for what felt like hours when in truth it was mere minutes, his eyes reflected the silver in perfect mirror
What a beautiful night
The smell of the ocean was hypnotizing, the sound of waves was perfect
It was too kind an end for him, who was he to complain
He stepped onto the water, the liquid freezing underfoot. He had chosen a secluded area known for its deep water, too deep for most recreational usage and posing no gain for capital, it was perfect
The waves were small, the water was cold, it was perfect
So he walked, he walked and walked and walked until fog had overtaken him and stolen the shore from his eyes, he sat down on the ice, a chill in his blood that he chose to ignore. He stared at his vision, his god granted gift that was wasted on him, the pale blue was beautiful but the gem itself burned his skin with frigid touch
He threw the gem as far out as he could, watching is sink beneath the waves
He stood, stretched once, then dove
The cold was refreshing, the feeling was familiar
The water blanketed him a way that felt comforting
The feeling of water at first was wet but then clung to him in a way he enjoyed
The further he sank the more relaxed he became, all thoughts dissipating like sea foam
Washing away as if they were nothing
He smiled softly to himself as he sunk, the pressure making him tired
He opened his eyes a final time, gazing at the silver light above him belonging to the moon but too far to distinguish itself from the stars
He smiled, feeling the energy of ocean surrounding him, feeling accompanied by the life it held in his last moments
He exhaled a thank you for no one to hear as he slipped away, sinking deeper Into the abyss
Neuvillette had known something was off for quite a while
It started when Wrioslthey made himself scarce, hurriedly leaving whenever they met, washing his questions away with a joke and never truly being present when they did manage to meet
He chalked it down to stress
He knew Wriosthley well, better than others would think, he understood the burdens of the profession all too well, yet despite his efforts he never could effectively connect with the duke if meropide
When Wriosthley drifted away he thought nothing of it, not until chlorinde mentioned to him her most recent meeting and his odd behavior, he voiced how he would pay the man a visit but she informed that he didn’t wish for visitors
Neuvillette should have stormed down right then and there to make sure everything was ok
He convinced himself it was fine, Wriosthley was strong, he could handle it
He underestimated much in the long run
He never should have believed the facade he was shown
As the weeks turned to months and no one from the surface had seen the duke, he made preparations to visit, there was no emergency, not an official one, but Neuvillette had to ease his worry
One night, as he watched the sky, watched the clouds illuminated silver when he felt as if something shot through him
A burning feeling that lit his skin on fire and made his heart race, his blood pumped with adrenaline with no cause
He had to find the source, if he didn’t he knew something terrible would happen
His search was desperate, he summoned all the powers of the sea as he searched, panic growing as his heart raced faster, fear overtaking him, causing his vision to blur and reasoning to be overcome
He found it
It made him want to sob
There, falling in slow motion, was the person he so desperately wanted to see
The look on wriothesley face was peaceful, it was calm, he looked it ease
Part of Neuvillette was glad that the duke was relaxed in such a dire circumstance
The other knew better, the other knew the source of such an expression
without wasting a second he grabbed Wriosthley, kicking up from where they sunk, using his abilities to speed
They broke the surface in seconds, arriving at shore in an equal pace
Using his abilities he coaxed the water out of Wriosthleys lungs, holding his hand over his chest to make sure he was breathing, instant relief when he was
Neuvillette rested his head atop Wriosthley's stomach, breathing deeply to calm his mind. He squeezed the others hand tightly, pulse reassuring him of the truth
The truth that now he would have to make sure would never grant such a serious outcome
The truth that he failed but now had chance do redeem, could do better
He swore to everything that he would
He gently picked the duke up, muttering an apology to his forehead before swiftly standing and returning to his home
He tucked the still damp man into his bed, pulling a dark blue velvet blanket over his shivering form, allowing him rest
With that Neuvillette stood, sitting in a chair mere paces away, waiting, hoping it all would end ok
Wriothesley woke up
His pale eyes opened and viewed the ceiling, one he didn’t recognize, but all he felt was misery
He was still in his lonely cold world, emptiness clawing through his body
He couldn’t help the single tear that dropped down his face
Neuvillette knew the second Wriosthley was awake, he didn’t make a move to alert him, just watched, his heart aching upon the sight
He stood, gracefully walking over to the man, kneeling next to the bed, a single palm on his forehead
“You are lucky I found you, had i not you would have…” Neuvillette cleared his throat, knowing his words meant nothing. “you are safe here, safe with me, this I promise
Still no reaction, several minutes had passed, those icy eyes opened yet stared towards the ceiling, no sign of acknowledging anything, it was almost frightening
“Wriosthley?” Neuvillette moved his hand to gently cup Wriosthleys cheek, pulling it ever so slightly so the man would look at him. Pale eyes met his own.
“Can you hear me?” A slight nod
“Do you feel alright, physically?” Another nod
“Would you like me to leave, just for now?” Shake
“Then I shall stay.” With that he sat silent, no words he knew would be heard, his support all he knew was needed
All the pieces connected in perfect unity that night, like a framed photograph, he knew everything. He knew of the lovelessness, knew of the sadness, knew of the loneliness, knew of it all
He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he did
The sky darkened that night, clouds blocking the moon as a light drizzle dusted the city
Days passed with little change, the duke still bedridden, the skies still gray and cloudy, the whole of Fontaine was dreary despite only two knowing of the situation
Neuvillette swiftly informed sigewinne of the situation, he could only imagine her reaction he had not left Wriosthleys side
Wriosthley
Neuvillettes worry only grew
He had managed to convince him to take a few sips of soup, nothing else had even garnered a reaction. His skin was cold despite the warmth of the blankets, his skin flushed yet pale, a slight shiver sometimes would run across his skin. The black around his eyes darkened in a way that worried Neuvillette, who felt powerless despite his glory
Neuvillette took him outside, the edge of the beach to be more exact. It wasn’t hard to carry a limp body across the sands, no body cared to press on why the judge held an unconscious man, despite the weather the beach was calming
It was cool but not cold, a breeze blowing but not windy, the air moist but not dampening, The smell of salt was strong in the air, seaweed and sand being carried through the gusts of cloud
Neuvillette laid Wriosthley on the sand, holding him up to overlook the sea, their hands placed intertwined, only for an anchor
“Tell me, your honor, why all this?” His voice was rough from unuse, scratchy from dehydration, deep from sadness, it was tired, a sense of exhaustion clinging to every syllable
“You don’t deserve such a punishment”
“Who are you to judge of that.”
“I’ve seen crimes far worse punished far less, it is my goal to serve everything the justice they deserve, you do not need such a thing”
“I see” neither spoke for many minutes, enjoying the silence
“I’ll return to the fortress immediately, I’m sure my absence has caused a disruption.” He moved to stand
“You will be doing no such thing” Neuvillette pulled his hand down sharply, surprised, Wriosthley sat
“On whose authority do you-“
“I shall happily retrieve our archons approval if you so wish, yet to my understanding you do not want for that, for my silence you shall grant me your time, is that understood?” His voice was harsh, he knew Wriosthley would only respond when given no remaining option, perhaps the approach was too forward yet Neuvillette couldn’t risk his remaining chance being stolen
“Apologies for my curtness, I understand your desire for solitude but I am unable to allow you to be left alone, from my perspective you must understand. I acknowledge you cannot accept my reasoning but in due time you will, this I promise.”
“You don’t know me, why pledge so much?”
“I don’t know.” Once more silence filled the air, the clouds still dark, the air still salty, the beach still sandy, the sea still reeling
By no means did Neuvillette find taking care of Wriosthley a chore, quite the opposite, in fact. He adored the actions, adored the time they spent even if he was the only one aware. He wasn’t quite sure why he feel such a strong desire to help the duke, he knew to listen to it though
He had come into the habit of pulling the other into his lap, gently petting his hair in an affectionate way. Wriothesley never complained, shooting a glare occasionally but not once trying to remove himself, Neuvillette took that as agreement
Progress was slow, but he understood perfectly the situation, his years of living had taught him rushing only would make everything worse, he knew his silent support was enough
So he lay there, wriothesley snuggled deep into his side, comfortably asleep, enjoying every aspect of the moment: the heart beat, the gentle breathing, the calming warmth, the sense of affection, the reassurance, and after so many nights of such, Neuvillette realized his feelings were more than a worried acquaintance
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Wriosthey didn’t know what to feel anymore
He didn’t know what to do about the so sudden change in his lifestyle, as if everything he knew had been reversed, his nights spent alone in the cold jow replaced with company under the sky, the metal walls were gone, white ceilings in their place, a plush mattress and heavy blankets where stiff bedding or cold floor once stood. He didn’t know how to continue
He was lost in a sea he created, part of him wishing for the comfort that was so close, yet his arm felt so heavy whenever he tried to lift it, his fingers almost brushed the tip of the words but in the end, all was absorbed back into the misery he sunk in
He was forever grateful to the judge for everything, every second they spent embraced in the presence of any other was so comforting, so perfect, so new, so scary, so soothing, so wonderful, so much he wasn’t sure what to make of it
Whenever he felt that warm hand on his head, coaxing him to swallow spoonfuls of soup, the soft praise when he managed to eventually, the kindness, the way he was told just everything he so desperately wanted to hear, it all was so perfect, he adored it all
He was scared of it
Scared of the affection he was shown, scared of the consequences when it all would end, scared of being lonely again, the thoughts plagued his dreams and ruined the perfect image of life he so desperately wanted
His solace was always there when he dreamt such thought, holding his scarred hands warmly, pulling his head into a hug and kissing his forehead till he felt better, grounding him in a way no one had done before, was this what he had missed out on his whole life
He wanted to reject the feeling, reject the world, go back to his old lonesome life and hide away where he could continue to pretend he was ok, where every feeling was his own to control, where everything was his
Everything wasn’t his
He sound that out by the soft pleas for him, pleading with him to stand, to open his eyes, to eat, to drink, to show he was alive
No one had ever wanted him alive before
He opened his eyes, stood up for the first time in seemingly decades, his eyes surveyed the room, met the ocean blue below him, looked deep into that endless expression, the dusting of moisture underneath those beautiful eyes; his face softened, a hand meeting his cheek like had been done to him so many times previous, he tucked his head into Neuvillettes shoulder and sobbed
He had a faint memory made when he was young, he couldn’t remember quite who was in it but he remembered enough for the message to stick; he had spilled his drink, maybe it was good, he couldn’t recall, holding back tears as he grieved his loss. Crying was bad, crying was weakness, crying would solve nothing, and those words repeated as a chorus in his head, chiming his weakness for only him to hear. As he stared at the spill he remembered a voice, a hand on his shoulder, telling him it was ok to cry, crying would make him feel better. He turned around and yelled at the man whose face he couldn’t remember, yelled at him that he wasn’t a weakling, that he was strong
Perhaps he finally embraced that part of him that would never quite go away, the part that haunted hsi conscious and poisoned his thoughts, the part he always ran from, unknowing to the fact that escape never was an option, not for him
He woke up in a perfect warmth, in a perfect way, a way he didn’t first register to being real. There was a weight surrounding him, the source unknown yet no less appreciated, he adored it. He rubbed his head further into whatever it was, mind fuzzy with sleep, before returning to the land of dreams
The second time he woke he was more awake, he realized where he was, his situation, he felt his face rise with flush; there, lying next to him was his savior, his metaphorical knight in shining armor, the person who had granted him so much, lie next to him, in his grace and glory, the scent of seasalt and rain and a hint of something more; Neuvillette was so comforting, his arms holding him in a way no one had ever had, he felt, safe, he felt cared for, he felt ashamed that such a seemingly simple thing meant so much
“While a small part of me wishes to tease you, it does pose no gain.” He opened his eyes wider, feebly attempting to move way but unable to due to the arms keep him still
“My apologies.” He hated his voice, his gaze was to only the patterned sheets below, his face grew ever more hot, he hated how he felt
“Nonsense, it was I who arranged this, if anyone is sorry, it shall be me.” Wriosthley tried once more to move way, this time being allowed to, his face still burning red
“I’m afraid you held onto me last night and I was unwilling to let you go.”
“Oh” his face burned bright red, having no experience with such a situation
“Worry not my friend, I am truly honored you have finally found enough reassurance in yourself to act somewhat freely, I am proud of you.”
Proud? He was…proud? Wriosthleys face showed confusion and embarrassment, earning him a chuckle from Neuvillette. He felt the same gently hand petting his hair, slowly relaxing into the touch as he let his eyes close.
“I’ll be here when you wake, my dear.” Neuvillette leaned over and gently kissed wriothesley forehead, sweetly making it known how much he cared
His words held true, hours later he awoke once more, the comforting hand carding through his hair being the first he felt, the kind touch, the warmth, the softness of the gesture, he couldn’t help smiling to himself, smiling at the situation, for the first time in so long it felt real
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The routine held steady, they would wake up, limbs entangled, arms draped around torsos in a way that was nothing short of perfection, Neuvillette would make them both breakfast, tea and coffee being brewed alongside, their days were filled with sunshine and sea breeze, of walking throughout the city or around the mountains, the beaches, the ruins, it all was so new, so wonderful, so beautiful
Times flowed smoothly and soon their outings became more, their hands intertwined in the middle, the grounding comfort never leaving him, the touch scaring the loneliness away from his mind, so reassuring, so real, he could no longer allude it to just being a dream
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“Neuvillette?” They were sitting on the porch, sipping their preferred beverages as the sun set, sky painted every color imaginable
“Yes my dear?”
“What have I done to deserve such kindness?”
“On the contrary, why don’t you believe you deserve such kindness?”
“…” he looked away, gripping his mug harder
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Why did it have to be so hard? He had what he wanted, he wa proven time and time after that the affection was not simply a single occurrence, if he showed an signs of wanting comfort it was given to him, he was out of prison, out of that hole, he wasn’t able to hide away in his office, the sun shown bright above him everyday, so why wasn’t he better
Maybe he was the problem, he blamed the environment has justification for an issue he was the source of
Maybe Neuvillette was wasting his time trying to save something such as him, someone who wasn’t meant for where he was
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He received letters from sigwinne almost daily, her wishing him well, telling stories, adding little pictures he didn’t realize how deeply he cherished. He smiled while looking at them, smiled at the kind words written, words wasted on a being such as him
He wanted to leave, desperately wanted to leave; he didn’t want to leech affection, leech resources, leech time, was that all he was, a leech on the person who has given him so much
His eyes glazed over with sadness as his gaze rose to the sunshine, the warm yellow light that even now he didn’t quite believe to be the standard so many people had accustomed to, how could such a beautiful thing be so easy, so free of suffering that tagged behind everything in his life?
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“I have something for you, my dear.”
“Hmm?”
“I found this hidden in the sand.” Neuvillette reached into his pocket and retrieved a small blue gem, a vision, it glowed softly, steaming in the warm air.
“Oh… i- thank you.”
“You don’t seem to enjoy it, may I ask why?”
“It’s nothing, really, thanks for this.” He snatched the jewel and dropped it in his own pocket
“If it has caused you grief can I can make it so you don’t have to involve yourself with it, shall it ease your mind.”
“Really, it’s fine, thank you.”
“Wriosthesly, my dear”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t feel obligated on my behalf, i am unaware of your mind yet I understand enough to know somewhat of your reasoning, should such a thing return you to a place you do not wish to be than I shall gladly remove it from your person, do you understand.”
“Yeah, yes, really, it’s fine, all good here”
“While I doubt your words I see no reason to push further, please know I am here for you.”
“Yeah…”
Wriosthesly found himself unable to care about much anymore
He allowed nuevillete to guide him throughout the day, allowed him to hold his arm as the walked the street, allowed him to wrap him in blankets to keep him warm, allowing him to gently hold him as he drifted to sleep, allowed him to judge his actions and followed whatever response he was given, he still felt bad about it, bad for being a leech, bad for his passive existence yet he couldn’t find the care to do anything more
Months had passed since his dip in the ocean, months of gentle care, months of careful affection, months of unfiltered love. He knew that now, knew he was doing better, he could say he was happier
He still felt guilt, still felt hatred, still felt unbridled depression at his life, yet always there was a gentle hand resting on his head, words of affirmation and appreciation telling him he was ok, he eventually learned to believe it
So he walked alongside the judge, chlorinde and sigwinne paces ahead as they toured the city, the sun so brightly above, a cloudless day, the breeze gentle and warm, the air flowing and beautiful, the sounds and smells of the city so perfect
He let himself smile, let himself laugh, let himself live