Chapter Text
Neuvillette was fond of humans.
He found them intriguing, and since he dealt with them daily for work, he had seen many sides to them.
There were some humans who were selfless and kind and did everything to help others. There were some who only took and who hurt people for their own gain. There were, of course, mostly a mixture of the two.
In trying to save one person, a human might murder another. In trying to protect themself and themself only, they might give another a home.
He saw a thousand cases of all kinds of humans, and he had found it had led him to feel very fond of them.
Humans and their complex motives and their confusing ways of thinking that made him reevaluate how he saw them over and over again.
Of course, this fondness and emotional attatchment had meant it rained a lot more often in Fontaine nowadays.
Many people noticed, but not many at all knew the reason.
Some speculated it was a geological circumstance, some guessed Furina was being difficult.
None guessed the right reason.
Or, none except three of them.
The Traveller knew, he was fairly certain of that, and by extension, his companion. That made two.
The third was rather unexpected.
His office door opened without a knock. Neuvillete sat up quickly at his desk, fixing his collar.
The rain hit heavy on the windows.
"Monsieur Wriothesley."
The Warden nodded a hello, closing the door behind him. He kept his gaze on Neuvillette as he did so, the faintest hint of concern on his face.
He walked closer to the desk and crossed his large arms, looking down at him. Neuvillette stared right back, each of them carrying an impenetrable expression.
"Chief Justice." His voice was a lot less gentle than that of the dragon, and he carried an accent that indicated his hometown was one of many below the nation's streets.
"How may I assist you today?"
The rain continued to hammer at the glass panes. They couldn't even see outside.
Wriothesley glanced to one such window.
"I wanted to..." He paused, tilting his head. His black hair flopped about, reminding Neuvillette of a dog's floppy ear.
The rain let up for a split second, but when he looked back down at the open case file on his desk, it went right back. The warden looked at him, his eyebrows furrowed.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay."
The chief justice looked up, his eyebrows slightly raised.
"Do tell, why do you believe that is necessary?"
Wriothesley sighed, uncrossing his arms.
"I'm not dumb. I made the connection pretty easy. The rain, you... I know."
Neuvillette paused, fitting his hands together on the desk.
"You... I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean."
The warden huffed.
"Don't make me say it. I'll sound childish."
"You may have to say whatever it is. I don't understand. My apologies."
Wriothesley looked away, to the assault of rain on the building.
"What was it? Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry." He muttered, his voice suddenly soft and caring as he put his hands in his trouser pockets.
Neuvillette froze.
He was implying he knew that? How?
And he broke the news with such a careful tone. This was rather a big deal.
The rain once again softened, and Wriothesley gained a small smile.
"I think the dragon heard me, don't you?"
It was silent. Neuvillette stared at him, his eyes a bit wider than usual despite his efforts to keep his expression under control.
The warden met his eyes.
"I've had my suspicions for a while. Assuming the fairytale was real, and the dragon was someone I was aware of, they had to be in the court system, because it rains more at trial times. It's probably someone important, but not Furina, since she's the archon, and we know the dragon isn't the archon. Considering how much of a softie I know you are at heart, there was really only one option left."
He moved closer to the desk. Neuvillette had never seen him look so... so kind.
He was concerned, the knot in his eyebrows there to say "Please let me help" over anything else.
Neuvillette didn't get many people offering help to him, especially not on the subject of his emotions.
He had presumed his emotions were for him to handle and him alone, but this worried gaze and the hand that carefully, hesitantly reached out and rested on his caged ones spoke a new story.
The rain picked up again, and Wriothesley sighed and came around the desk. He stood by Neuvillette's chair, and the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the Iudex who never faltered and delivered justice with a swift, strict and cool hand, melted into his gloved hand when he felt it on his shoulder.
The warden smiled a little and Neuvillette closed his eyes, bringing his hands up to his face as if in prayer.
They stayed there for a second, only linked by Wriothesley's hand on his shoulder and the silence between them. An understanding seemed to form, one that let Neuvillette know what the other man was thinking.
It's okay. Let it out.
The raindrops got heavier and heavier. It would be believable for the window to break under the intense attack. Wriothesley stayed the whole time, in silence for nearly five minutes of Neuvillette letting it all go.
Neuvillette opened his slightly watery eyes with a little shaky gasp and the rain slowly receded, the sun beginning to shine into the room.
He sighed and lowered his hands, a sort of relief spreading across his body. That certainly felt better than just trying to ignore the weather, as he usually did.
He felt the hand on his shoulder move, as if it were going to leave, and he brought his own hand up to stop it.
It was quiet. Birds sang outside.
Wriothesley smiled, a small and gentle one Neuvillette turned over his shoulder to see.
"Thank you. I was... rather caught up in my work."
They maintained eye contact for longer than usual, and Wriothesley nodded.
"You can't do your job if you're that hurt. It's really no problem."
The dragon nodded, and the warden hesitated as his hand slid from his shoulder, Neuvillette's fingers reaching for him for a second.
He walked back around the desk, and was about to continue walking towards the door when Neuvillette spoke again.
"Do you have much urgent work to be getting back to?"
He stopped, turning his head to the side.
"Not really. There aren't many inmates recently, and the other guards have the ones we do have under control. Why?"
Neuvillette paused, then cleared his throat, gathering the papers of the file on his desk into a neat pile.
"I think it's best if I take a break. Say, an hour?"
He stood up and picked up his cane, his chair scraping along the floor.
He walked over to Wriothesley with his usual intimidating stride, but the look on his face told a separate story.
He looked a bit worried. Apprehensive, even.
"I know somewhere that makes quite wonderful afternoon tea, and I don't like to eat by my lonesome."
The warden raised his eyebrows, then nodded.
"Well, who am I to leave you alone? I trust there's a seat at your table for me?"
"Of course."
They shared another small smile as they began walking next to each other.
When they got outside, Wriothesley noticed a rainbow.
He didn't point it out, but they each knew it was there.
They decided to eat at an outside table. Why make waste of such fine weather?