Waiting for you | Wriolette

Chapter Ⅰ

"I love you Neuvillette"

The sound of Wriothesley's voice rang in the hydro dragons mind. Never stopping, never giving him peace. It had been a week since the emissaries confession. He remembers the moment so clearly. Specifically how his heart broke hearing those words and not being able to say them back. It wasn't that he didn't love Wriothesley, it was simply that he couldn't love him. He wouldn't allow himself to. It went against everything for him. He didn't have room for another loss. Watching countless people he'd loved die was brutal. Those were just friends and acquaintances. He couldn't burden himself with the pain of losing a lover.

"I'm sorry.." a mix of rain and tears falling from his face. "Neuvillette.." Wriothesley looked at him heartbroken but also a hint of worry in his eyes. "I can't be in a relationship with you. No matter how much I want to." Although Wriothesley didn't understand what he meant by that, he was sure of one thing. "No matter how much you want it..? So you do love me." Neuvillette looked up at him only to be more shocked as Wriothesley seemed as happy as ever. "Wrio.. I'm rejecting you. We cannot be together." Despite hearing those words the smile from the missionaries face never dropped. "It's okay. I'll wait for you" Wriothesley said wiping the tears from Neuvillette's face, his hands cold and wet from the seemingly neverending rain "However long you need my beautiful dragon. I'll wait for you."

Neuvillette blushed red thinking about those words. What a mess he'd gotten himself into..
He wasn't sure what to do. Should he just act as if nothing and hope Wriothesley gets tired of "waiting" and gives up. Or shall he try to reject him again and hope Wriothesley gets it this time? Though it didn't work very well last time. Wriothesley's confession had caught him completely off guard.
Sure they'd been spending more time together over the last year and grown quite close, their feelings for each other growing stronger in the process. But he'd never have guessed the feeling would be mutual. He's well aware how emotionally oblivious he is.
Despite having felt every feeling there is to feel, done everything there is to do, he still remains as clueless as ever when it came to the romance department.

He simply didn't have space in his heart for another love then Fontaine, the law and the hydro archon. He wasn't quite sure if he had it in him to be in a relationship. He's had feelings and attractions to people in the past but never tried experimenting with them. And they never seemed to be mutual or to have lasted that long.
So this wasn't something he was used to. It was scary but in a good way. He was anxious about what could happen next between him and Wriothesley but excited too.

And as if on queue, a knock was heard from his door. He recognized the knocking pattern. "Come in." Neuvillette quickly composed himself before turning to look at the taller male making his way into the room. "What do you need Wriothesley?" Hearing the duke's voice despite everything that had happened just a few days prior was comforting, though he wasn't sure as to why. "I'm just checking in to see if you're okay." Neuvillette hummed, "You didn't need to come all this way just to check up on me, I assure you I'm quite alright." Wriothesley smiled which made the judges heart skip a beat.

"The weather outside begs to differ." Neuvillette's attention turned to the window which showed the harsh wind and heavy rain going on outside his home. "I hadn't realized. I'll keep my emotions under control next time. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Neuvillette apologized, breaking the seemingly everlasting eye contact. "I'm not here because I do not like the weather, Neuvillette. However I do feel bad for whoevers outside right now.." Neuvillette turned to face the other lord. "Then why are you here?" "Because I'm worried about you." Wriothesley said it so bluntly like it didn't mean anything, but to Neuvillette it meant the world.

"I can assure you I'm perfectly fine." Wriothesley sighed at the hydro dragons stubbornness. "Neuvi, we both know you're far from it. Is this about my confession?" Neuvillette flinched at the mention of it. Of course that's what this was about. But he didn't want Wriothesley to know that. "Is this about how I said i'll wait for you?" Getting no reply from the judge who wasn't quite sure what to reply with, Wriothesley walked over to him to face him directly. "Awnser me Neuvillette." The missionary pushed the other's long hair out of his face hoping Neuvillette would atleast look at him. "You need to move on. I'm not worth waiting for." Neuvillette said it, as simple as that. "That's not true. When are you going to see yourself the way I see you.. You're worth more than you give yourself credit for." Neuvillette could feel his hands begin to shake as the rain picked up outside. This didn't go unnoticed by Wriothesley of course but he opted not to say anything. "I wish I could believe that. But you're simply blinded by your love for me. Once that passes you'll wonder what you ever saw in me."

Wriothesley grabbed Neuvillette's chin forcing him to look at him. "Don't talk about yourself like that." His voice was stern and his face serious. "I.." Neuvillette wasn't sure how to respond. The hand on his chin moved to caress his cheek. "I know you feel you're not worth anything. Maybe that's part of the reason you rejected me. But you mean a lot to me. Someday I hope you'll realize that. And once you do I'll be here waiting for you." Again with the whole waiting for him thing. It made Neuvillette angry. Angry at how Wriothesley could so blindly love him not knowing what a terrible person he is. How many innocent people might have been executed or imprisoned because of him. How many people's families hes torn apart because of this. As if his personality and looks weren't enough to make him unlovable this was just the cherry on top.

"Stop saying that.." Wriothesley stopped his movements, "Saying what?" "That you'll wait for me." Tears were now running down the white haired man's face. But this time not of pure sadness but rather a mix of anger and sadness. "I'm not easy to love. Nor am I capable of being in a relationship. You cannot say you'll wait for me and waste your time for nothing." Wriothesley looked at him a bit taken back. He's well aware Neuvillette struggles with how he sees himself, but does his self hatred really go that far? "Neuvillette.. I don't know what to do or say to make you realize you're worth so much. Not only to me but to the people of Fontaine, the melusines and even to Lady Furina" Neuvillette stayed silent, the rain outside not ceasing even once. He was tired. Tired of everything. All of this made his heart hurt. Like an arrow had shot through a vase, except the feeling wouldn't go away.
He wanted to believe Wriothesleys words but he just couldn't.

Neuvillette leaned his head on Wriothesleys chest, tears falling from his face to the ground. In the intense silence he swore they could hear the drops hitting the wood underneath them. "I'm sorry you had to fall for someone like me." Wriothesley only sighed at this. "Don't you get it yet Neuvillette?" The older flinched at the tone of Wriothesleys voice. He sounded mad and annoyed. "I want you. I want you and only you. I like who you are, I don't want anyone else." Wriothesleys hugged him tightly, like if he didn't Neuvillette would pull away, leave and never come back. Though he did have the strength to pull away quite easily, he decided not to. They stayed like that for some time. Never leaving each other's grasp.

Neuvillette thought for a moment. "Are you really willing to wait for me?" This quickly got the attention of the cryo user who had suspected this might have been a second rejection. "Of course." The room went silent. The only thing you could hear was the sound of their hearts beating and the soft pattern of the rain outside. It wasn't pouring outside anymore but rather simply raining. "I'm not sure how long you'd have to wait." Neuvillette awnsered honestly. "Doesn't matter." The white haired man hummed at the quick awnser. He could hear Wriothesleys heart beating faster and faster each time he spoke a word. "Then.. will you please wait for me?" Wriothesley let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, it was like a giant wave of relief washed over him.

"Yes. I'd be honored to."