Chapter Text
A couple months after the big flood hit Fontaine, Wriothesley saw himself asking the Traveler for help for a much lighter topic: The wedding of the former Berett’s society members, Avice and Faissolle. Knowing nothing of the subject, he asked the blonde to help him hire people who did. That's how he ended up with a young crazy chef from Liyue, Xiangling, a drunk bard, Venti, who was also somehow responsible for the flower arrangements, as well as the famous architect from Sumeru, Kaveh. Wriothesley was very surprised when each person arrived, but the latter was the most interesting one for sure. In just a day he had sketched the whole scenario for the wedding, which would, bizarrely, use the pankration ring for the ceremony and the flying ship for the party, and he did it all with a huge smile on his face and babbling away many other improvement suggestions for the rest of Meropide. His company was so light that after that long day, the Duke invited him to dine at a bar on the surface, which was accepted with sparkling eyes.
It was also very surprising for Wriothesley how much of a light drinker Kaveh was, opposed to the amount he drank anyways. This first day he ended up giving a piggyback ride to the blonde back to his hotel, getting very curious to know who was the Alhaitham guy he kept complaining about the more he drank, but whose name he whined softly when placed on his bed. ‘A lover, perhaps? Or a crush? Maybe tomorrow I'll ask him about it.’
He would have, but the next day he was so packed, filing reports and orders for food, furniture and whatsoever, plus the transfer from a few new prisoners, which didn't leave him enough time to invite the architect for dinner again. He did notice the blonde blushing lightly when he waved at him passing by, which made him aware that Kaveh remembered the previous night well enough. That would surely save up time.
To his surprise though, the blonde knocked in his office late afternoon, carrying a tray with some snacks and a tea kettle. The Duke raised his eyebrows as he pointed to the small center desk, noticing a few papers with the meal.
“Sorry to interrupt your work, Your Grace, but I wanted to ask about some changes in the ship decoration and I ran into Miss Sigewinne who made me bring you food too.” Kaveh smiled, serving tea for both of them.
“We already talked about the no titles thing, Kaveh.” Wriothesley sighed, having to go drink the tea to not waste it. “Sige really should stop meddling, not like skipping a meal would kill me anyways.”
“As if you wouldn’t have skipped dinner too.” The blonde chuckled even more when noticed the Duke’s raised eyebrows. “Oh please, we workaholics are all the same. Next you will be skipping sleep like me, and in a few days your friends will make you lay down and rest by force.”
“Wonder if I can consider you my friend already.” He joked, sipping the tea after placing a couple sugar cubes. “Hm, tea from Sumeru. Pretty rare to find it here. I suppose you brought some leaves with you?”
Kaveh couldn’t help but blush, wondering if the other really just flirted with him openly or not. “I did, though I much prefer coffee.”
“Makes sense, if you dislike sleeping.” Wriothesley grinned, reaching for one of the sandwiches. “From what I heard you did not stop working today either, so go ahead and grab a bite.”
“I’m good, no need to worry about me.” The blonde smiled, grabbing the papers he brought with him. “So, I thought about it, and the lights I had asked for will end up not being enough since the ring is way too dark…” He pointed at his new drawing, showing the new places where he wanted to add lamps. “I think that like this everyone will be able to see the groom and bride much better, even from a distance.”
The Duke rubbed his tired eyes, making an effort to focus on where the architect was pointing at. “Hell, I’m getting old. Come here, I can’t see it from this far.” He petted the seat next to him, giving more room to the other man.
“Oh please, you can’t be old with that physique.” Kaveh chuckled, moving to the other couch without lifting his eyes from the drawing. “Here, see? I added the new pieces in red so it will be easier to differentiate, and you can add them to your order easier.”
Wriothesley could feel his ears burn with the compliment, glad that the blonde did not look his way to notice it. From closer, he was able to see everything the architect pointed at, making a few suggestions himself to cut costs but easily arriving at an agreement. As Kaveh sat straight, satisfied with his work well done, his stomach growled loudly. The Duke tried not to, but ended up bursting out laughing, especially when the blonde got red as a tomato and playfully punched him right into his chest, shaking his hand in pain.
“Stop it, you are killing me with embarrassment already!” Kaveh huffed, crossing his arms and looking away from the other.
“It is quite amusing that you get embarrassed of being hungry, but not of groping my chest, huh? First last night, and now again.” Wriothesley teased mercilessly, wondering if the blond remembered how he groped him while he was carried, giggling merrily. Cute, in the Duke’s opinion, but still quite more embarrassing.
“Oh my god, tell me I…” Kaveh was cut out by a sandwich being shoved into his mouth, leaving him only the choice of glaring at the other.
“I will tell you next time we go have dinner.” The Duke winked, petting Kaveh’s head before getting up. “Now finish up those sandwiches and go have some rest. I still have some work to finish.”
Kaveh could not help but blush even more, his heart racing at the soft touch on his hair. ‘I wish Alhaitham was this nice with me more often… Then I’m sure I wouldn’t be having these ridiculous thoughts.’
The next day, Wriothesley decided to bring some requests personally to Neuvillette in his office, as usual. It was an excuse to see the man, as he could just have mailed an informative letter for him. He could not help wanting to see his lover soon though, especially with the weird thoughts he was having around the cute blonde architect.
As usual, the Iudex let him in without any protest, finishing writing on a paper before lifting his head to salute him properly.
“Wriothesley, I didn't think we had an appointment today.” He said softly, a hint of a smile on his eyes though his expression changed nothing, as usual.
“Well, you know me, I didn't want to get the messenger even more work with the wedding preparations going around full force.” He chuckled, handing Neuvillete his weekly report. “Also there's no way to make a busy day better than seeing you.”
The Iudex took the paper from the Duke, caressing his hand softly in the process. “I can't deny that. It is always pleasant having you here with me.” He looked into Wriothesley's eyes, full attention on him. “Too bad I don't have enough time today to offer you tea. Plenty of it for a kiss though.”
Smirking, Wriothesley leaned over Neuvillete’s desk to indulge him, kissing him sweetly. “You are definitely getting better at flirting, you know.”
“I do have an excellent teacher.” Neuvillette smiled slightly, peeking at the report his lover handed him. “I see the Traveler is bringing some outsider friends to help. You really are going all out for this wedding.”
“It's the first time we are having something happy down there instead of more drama. It's only natural to help make it memorable, so the others can get lighter spirits too.” Wriothesley said dismissively, leaning sideways against the Iudex’s desk. “Also, this is the first time I actually want to attend a party.”
“You did mention that before. Since you don't have to pretend to be noble and feign patience with the old geezers, as you always point out.” The Iudex nodded in understanding.
“Exactly. And since it's just prisoners and Navia, Clorinde, you and the Traveler, I'm sure you could rethink that thing about not going as my date, right? It would never leave Meropide anyway, and I'd definitely enjoy having a dance with you.” He smiled at the other expectantly.
Neuvillette sighed, his eyes going down. “Wriothesley, we talked about this. You know I can not. People knowing I'm in a relationship would be improper and they'd doubt my impartiality.”
“Up here, yeah, but down in Meropide it doesn't matter at all. Not like many people will return to their life up here anyway.” The Duke insisted.
“It still is a no. I'm sure you can dance with anyone that you feel like, I have told you that previously. You are free to find someone who can provide you with the normalcy of a relationship that I can not.” He turned the report to read its back, unsure why he was repeating himself again.
Wriothesley could feel the blood going to his head as anger boiled inside him. He took a moment to recompose, giving a step away from the table with his back turned to the Iudex. “You really are saying that you wouldn't mind at all if I just happened to find myself a nice date and had a good time with them? Even if you were present?”
“Yes, precisely. I am aware you will want things I can't give you, so it is the least that I can do.” Neuvillette lifted his head, feeling the change in his lover's tone. Was that anger? Or was he somehow sad? Humans enjoyed their freedom, so the dragon was very confused about it.
“I hope you don't end up regretting that later, Monsieur. I would definitely dislike seeing you waltzing around with someone who wasn't me. But I guess I'm only human.” The Duke stepped away at a quick pace, heading towards the door without giving time for Neuvillette to reply nor looking back at his confused expression.
Wriothesley finally had the time to invite Kaveh for a following dinner in the next evening. He barely slept though, his mind reminding him of Neuvillette’s cold words over and over again. He was definitely dying for some drinks, so he couldn't help but tease Kaveh, who was visibly trying to drink less, to keep up with him.
“Not drinking to avoid being carried again, or to avoid talking about what you should not, Kaveh?” He teased, taking a whisky shot.
“N-nonsense! I can keep my liquor just fine!” Kaveh huffed, turning his glass fully. “Although… how much did I tell you?”
“Hmmm not that much. Just complaints about your roommate at first. Then, you wondered if he was able to eat without you, how much of a mess would the house be when you got back…” He grinned mischievously. “Then you could not walk and I had to piggyback you to your hotel. Which you had an amazing time, by the way, considering how much you giggled and groped me all the way. Until you whined about missing said roommate when you laid down, of course.”
Kaveh groaned, filling his glass and drinking it in one gulp to hide his embarrassment. “You know, it's all his fault to begin with. If he wasn't so resistant to actually dating, he would have accompanied me here. And I wouldn't be here, getting drunk with someone with even bigger pecs than he has.”
The Duke blinked slowly at that, giving him a flirty grin. “Is that so? I’m now curious to know if I could take him in a fight in the ring.” He filled his own glass once more. “Perhaps we have more in common than I thought, actually. I also have a partner who's not willing to acknowledge us.” He lowered his voice, making sure nobody would hear.
“Of course you do have a partner. But who in their right mind would leave you open like this?” Kaveh bit his lower lip, his eyes lowering to Wriothesley's slightly exposed chest briefly.
The Duke chuckled at that, reaching out to place Kaveh’s hair behind his ear. “You tell me. That Alhaitham guy is out of his mind to not follow his blonde beauty this far away… maybe I won't let you go back to teach him a lesson.”
The blonde blushed deeply from that, leaning against Wriothesley's touch. “Yeah, maybe you should. We should totally just mess around to teach them both a lesson.”
“Mess around, hm?” The warden finished his glass, determined. “I agree. My partner said so himself that he wouldn't mind if I just found someone else anyway. Let's show that if they don't want us all to themselves, they'll have to accept sharing.”
“Hell yeah! If they are fine with it, then may they taste it!” Kaveh filled their glasses with the rest of the bottle, clinking them in cheers. “My place or yours?”
“Mine is kind of a downer. We'd better use your hotel room.” Wriothesley said after taking his whole glass at once, feeling completely lightheaded. Good. This was probably the only way he wouldn't be thinking of Neuvillette.
Kaveh mirrored his companion, decided, asking for another bottle to take away. After the Duke paid, the blonde offered him a hand as they got up. Wriothesley took it, caressing him absent mindedly as they walked across town hand in hand, ignoring any looks given their way. The warden was sure one Melusine glared at him, but he did not mind - he even hoped she'd tell Neuvillette all about it. An even better lesson for him.
Their mouths were joined as soon as the door was closed, Wriothesley pinning Kaveh against it. Their tongues tasted each other hungrily as their bodies pressed together. The Duke slid his hand on the blonde's open back while the other felt his biceps moaning softly. They moved together taking their shirts off, hands touching abs and arms, both even squeezing each other's buttocks with a groan. They flopped sideways in the bed, opening each other’s pants and pushing them aside to rub their hard ons against each other. Wriothesley had no idea if Kaveh topped or bottomed, and since he didn’t mind it either way, he just let the other do as he pleased, laying on his back as the blonde climbed on top of him, pulling back from their kisses to slide his hand down the Duke’s chest and abs. They stared at each other, heat in their eyes…
And they sighed heavily, speaking at the same time.
“I can't do it…”
They stared at each other for a few seconds before starting to laugh, both relieved and amused at the same time.
“Come down here, you can still feel these pecs you enjoy so much.” Wriothesley grinned, pulling Kaveh down to lay on his chest.
“Shut up, I don't enjoy them that much.” Kaveh huffed, but his hand still flattens on top of the other's chest, caressing it softly. “This sucks. You are such a good kisser, I bet you'd be even better in bed… but it's no use, I keep thinking of Alhaitham.” He sighed, dejected.
“Tell me about it. I was looking forward to seeing those pretty red eyes of yours filled with tears from being filled up with me…” Wriothesley caressed Kaveh’s hair lightly, his mind clearly elsewhere. “But in my mind, I only see the lilac irises I love so much…”
“We are complete failures, Wrio. How can we be so in love and have to hide it? It's so not fair.” The blonde punched the other’s chest, annoyed as usual.
The Duke didn't respond for a while, completely lost in his thoughts. Differently from Kaveh, he just wished the Iudex would eat his words, or that he’d only accepted joining the wedding as his company. He wondered what could bring Neuvillette to regret his choice, since the man was so determined in everything he did, judging things his own way. Then, an idea bloomed in his mind.
“What if I say there's another very fun way of messing with our lovers? Maybe we can even get what we want from them.” Wriothesley grinned, his eyes taking a mischievous glint.
“Oh?” Kaveh raised his eyebrows, aware that fooling Alhaitham was a quite difficult task to accomplish. “And what exactly do we need for this plan of yours?”
“One camera, your hotel room’s small kitchen. The Traveler. And you being my company in the wedding, since neither of us is going with whom we'd like.” He enumerated each thing with his fingers, eyes not leaving the blonde’s.
“I think I get it. But detail it to me in the morning. Don't even think about leaving, your chest is even more comfortable than Alhaitham’s” Kaveh mumbled, snuggling closer to the warden with his eyes closed to leave him no choice.
Wriothesley just chuckled, staying a long time awake while managing his plan in his head.