𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 destruction in it's wake - personal belongingss staining the streets, homes in shambles, and infrastructure crumbling. but there was miracles in the lack of lives lost, the way that his ship had only briefly needed to be used, and how fontaine was able to so quickly... immediately pick back up again. of course, for the powers that be that meant nothing. it was a concentrated effort - their rebuilding, and though wriothesley had only caught bits and pieces of what had occurred with furina, neuvillette, and some weird whale initially, by the time a week had passed... he'd pieced together the story well enough. after the events they had suffered through, a week was far too long apart from his beloved - but wriothesley knew they both had their parts to play, so he played his - until the itch beneath his skin became too much and he needed to see neuvillette.
the palais mermonia seems mostly put together - a few pieces of furniture having been lost in the flood and one busted window, but otherwise the grand building was relatively unscathed. wriothesley advances through it like a man on the prowl - nodding once at sedene - before he enters neuvillette's office without even bothering to knock. he was a man on a mission, of course, and he was certain that it was likely the iudex - with his new found powers transcending that of an archon - could sense his presence anyway.
❝ neuvivi. ❞ the door clacks shut behind him, and wriothesley very purposefully clicks the lock into place, before turning his lupine gaze on the other. he advances gracefully, gaze surprisingly neutral as two hands brace upon the elder's desk, and the duke leans forward, rumpling paperwork as he goes, until they are only a hair's width apart. a soft, quiet exhale - breath smelling of mint and tea, and wriothesley's kiss is a soft, fleeting thing - too much wood between them, too much emotion roiling in his unsteady, fragile heart. for neuvillette though, he keeps it together. ❝ i've been so worried about you. ❞ he whispers into soft tiers, letting the dragon engage him instead. he was a little unsteady... not frightened, just... unknowing if what had happened had changed his beloved at his core, if a mere wolf hybrid was even still judged to be worthy of the full-fledged hydro sovereign's love.
wriothesley sincerely hoped so.
@sourcewater
