𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝐼𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢...

3. A chance meeting

"Dadddddddddddddddddddd"

Sigewinne whined, Wriothesley had indeed been late to picking her up despite the quick day. Currently, she was clinging on to a strangers leg, hid from Wriothesley and clearly in a mood.

The stranger was in quite an awkward position, and spok hesitantly.

"I apologize-"

"Please, don't apologize, this isn't your fault, she just gets like this sometimes..." Wriothesley replied awkwardly, trying to get Sigewinne to let go of the poor man's leg.

"It's alright, don't worry. Sigewinne was it? I'm sure your father has a good reason for being late."

"Uh. That's not my dad! Kidnapper! Kidnapped!" She shouted.

Wriothesley instantly covered his face in embarrassment, which didn't help his case in the slightest, as he looked up to meet the man's eyes who were looking quite judgemental. Before he spoke again to Sigewinne,

"Now, I clearly remember you whining "Dad" when he clearly came to collect you, did you not?" The stranger pointed out.

"Uh- he told me to!! This morning! And we look nothing like each other! He's not my dad!" She replied, panicking.

"That's a good point of hers actually, Sir, she is adopted, if you really are suspicious, I have the papers in my car." Wriothesley offered.

"Why would you casually have such documents in your car?" He asked suspiciously.

"Let's just say this isn't the first time she's pulled such a stunt." Wriothesley said, leading them both to his car, and pulling out the signefied papers with ease, handing them to the man.

He looked down as Sigewinne judgingly.

"Why exactly did you claim this man wasn't your father?" He asked.

"To spite him." She replied aggressively, before finally letting go of the man and disappointedly going over to Wriothesley put her arms up, her way of demanding to be picked up.

Wriothesley thought it was the least he could do since he had been late, picking her up and turning to the stranger.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience sir, she pulls stunts to embarrass me when she's not exactly happy with my actions." He said, with a nervous laugh.

The stranger smiled fondly at Wriothesley who in return admired the man's expression.

"It's quite alright, Children can be like that, I'm just glad you are actually her father. But she seemed quite intelligent for her age, you must be proud."

"Mn, very much so, she's got the mind of a teenager, which is quite irritating at times, but has its perks." Wriothesley replied, putting Sigewinne in the back car seat and clipping her seatbelt. "Please, let me take you somewhere as compensation for the trouble my daughter caused,"

"Thank you, but it's unnecessary, she didn't cause any harm."

"Are you sure?"

"Very, thank you."

"Alright the-"

"NEUVILLETTE!!"

Wriothesley got cut off by an insanely loud voice from around a corner, instantly, the stranger's facial expression dropped. He froze.

"Actually... Is the offer still standing?" He mumbled.

Wriothesley laughed, and he didn't notice the stranger's eyes slightly lighting up.

"Of course it is, hop in."

Wriothesley got in the drivers seat as the other went in the passengers. He turned the engine on and reversed out, going on the main road, only then did the man let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm guessing you're the one that she was shouting for?" Wriothesley assumed.

"Yes, my apologies, my name is Neuvillette. It's a pleasure to formally meet you....?"

"Wriothesley. The name is Wriothesley, and in the back is Sigewinne, though she seems to have fallen asleep.."

"Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you Wriothesley, thank you for the slight last minute offer. I didn't particularly want to deal with that certain person." Neuvillette said awkwardly,

Again, Wriothesley let out a small chuckle, "Don't worry about it, I would have done the exact same in your situation. What were you doing at Winnes school? If you don't mind me asking, do you have kids?"

"No, no I don't have any children, I was there to meet with one of the teachers, they're an acquaintance of mine." He replied.

"Ah, that makes sense, are you a teacher yourself?"

"No, I'm currently unemployed, what about you? Do you work with kids at all?"

"Not in the slightest actually, I'm a detective of sorts, more for the boring side of jobs, sometimes I have to secure side jobs but I get by."

Neuvillette looked in the mirror at Sigewinne,

"You have a very well raised daughter, I'm sure you and her other parent consider yourself lucky with her." He stated, without thinking.

"Aha.. Actually it's just me, always has been. I adopted Sigewinne when she was 3, I went there just to run a few errands as one of said side jobs, and the kid clung to me like glue, I ended up taking a considerably large liking to her, so one day when I made sure I had enough funds to provide for a child, I adopted her. I've never regretted my decision once." Wriothesley smiled thinking back on the event.

"I'm sure she's glad that she clung onto you, she seems to love you quite a bit." Neuvillette agreed.

"Mhm, I'm very proud of her."

"I'm glad."

The two then sat in a comfortable silence for a while, no talking, just the gentle breaths of all three of them, along with the occasional sigh from Sigewinne's nap.

Wriothesley then asked the all important question,

"So.. Where exactly do you want to go?"

Neuvillette seemed to freeze at the question, in thought.

"I'm... Actually not sure..." He replied cautiously.

"Any place in mind?"

"No, not particularly, I don't exactly go out with others."

"Hm, would you mind just coming back to ours? We have a range of teas and Sigewinne probably has some sort of biscuits and sweets around somewhere." He offered.

"Yes, that sounds lovely actually" Neuvillette smiled, and Wriothesley had enough self control not to stare for too long, simply returning the smile.

The 'stranger' in his car was absolutely beautiful.

But hell! Like he was going to admit it!? Sigewinne would bully his ass for the rest of his miserable life!!

On that topic, she had just woken up, speaking in her usual half asleep, slurred manner. . .

"Daddd"

"Yes Winne?"

"Why is there a random person in our car..."

"Sigewinne, that's rude."

...

"And aren't you the one who hid behind him in the first place!?" Wriothesley continued.

"Yeah but I didn't think it would result in you bringing someone home. It's not like you normally pull anyone." She said half mindedly.

"Sigewinne!!?" Wriothesley exclaimed.