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English
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Part 2 of The Dragon and the Wolf
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Published:
2023-08-24
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1,006
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1/1
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As promised, a visit

Summary:

Neuvillette did say he'd pay a visit to the Fortress of Meropide, after all.
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Just a wholesome little follow up to Law and order, like rain and sunshine.

Work Text:

Wriothesley sighed as he stared at his desk. A stack of paperwork stared back at him, quietly demanding to know why the pile had only grown bigger and not any smaller in the past few days. It seemed to the Duke that every time he returned to the quiet office that he made his sanctuary in, the stack towered even higher than before. No amount of hours burned away behind that desk seemed to be able to defeat the monster that made up the more mind-numbing parts of his duties.

As his eyes drifted to the couch off to the side of his desk, a little seed of rebellion sparked in him. The couch was rarely used - often by Sigewinne when she decided to keep him company, but right now it was more tempting than ever to just climb onto it and lie down for a few moments before he got back to tackling the paper behemoth on his desk.

The logical side of him argued that he should sit back down at his desk and just try to get his work over and done with as quick as possible, for the pile wouldn't get any smaller if he shirked it. The couch however, seemed to lure him in as though it was enchanted. The plush red fabric couldn't have seemed more inviting in that moment, whispering that it wouldn't hurt if he lay down for just five minutes.

These two sides of him fought for a moment while his eyes remained locked on the couch, though each step he took towards it made it quite clear which side was winning. Once he shrugged off his coat and draped it over the couch, the temptation had fully won him over.

Wriothesley flopped over onto the couch, letting out a dramatic sigh as every muscle in his body released the tension it held. In that moment, the couch couldn't have been more comfortable even if it was barely long enough to fit his tall frame properly. That didn't matter, he was perfectly content either way. Perhaps far too content, for his eyelids fluttered shut before he even realised he was getting too sleepy for his own good. But a five minute nap wouldn't hurt, right?

---

When Wriothesley woke again, it was because he sensed a presence in his office. A man of his caliber always carried a keen instinct that told him when something was different or unusual, and such a skill had served him well in his line of work. The warden propped himself up on his elbows with a start, looking up and around the room with bleary eyes.

"Ah, good. I was just wondering if I should come back another time," A smooth, mellow voice greeted. Seated at Wriothesley's desk was the Chief Justice himself, who seemed to have made himself very comfortable in the Duke's chair. Neuvillette had taken off his cloak and draped it across the back of the chair, and Wriothesley noted that he was drinking out of a mug that certainly did not come from Palais Mermonia. The iudex cast a glance his way, his eyes shimmering in the dim light as he observed the Duke with an unmistakable teasing fondness.

Grumbling, the warden sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "Unbelievable," he muttered to himself, "just how long have you been here? How did you even get in?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Neuvillette's lips, quickly hidden as he took another sip from the mug. "An hour, at least. And it wasn't too hard to just walk in. After all, your subordinates wouldn't question my visit and you were so deeply asleep that you didn't even hear me talking to Sigewinne when I arrived. I thought I'd make good on that promise to come visit you, but I was hoping you'd have been awake to receive me." He set down the mug and pushed it towards Wriothesley, gesturing to it for him to have a drink. "And I brought you tea."

The Duke huffed, though it was with no hostility. After all, he did thoroughly enjoy Neuvillette's presence. If anything, he was more annoyed that his five-minute nap turned out to be far longer than that, and that Neuvillette had caught him sleeping on the job. He approached the desk and accepted the mug, peering into it to observe the tea within. "Tea that you're drinking out of my mug, no less. Where is this from anyway? Smells nice." As he lifted the cup to his mouth, the delicate, light aroma reached him. It didn't smell like any tea he kept in his office, and assumed it was something exceptionally fancy if Neuvillette had brought him some. Upon taking a sip, the warmth immediately spread within his chest, comforting and smooth. The tea was floral and by no means bitter even if it lacked sugar, which Wriothesley approved of.

"It was a gift from Liyue," Neuvillette explained, "but I was sent far too much and I know you enjoy tea as well, so I thought I'd gift you some of it. Do you like it?"

Wriothesley nodded as he went back in for another sip. Then another, and another. Before he knew it, the mug was empty. Neuvillette smiled with approval, delighted that the warden enjoyed it so much. He quietly made a mental note to source other teas when he got a chance to visit Liyue personally, or at least send someone there on his behalf. "Good," The Chief Justice hummed, "were you planning to return to work? I can excuse myself if you're busy." As he made to stand up and collect his things, he found Wriothesley's hand around his wrist, silently urging him not to be so hasty in leaving. He chuckled, and sat back down in the Duke's chair. "I suppose not."

"You just got here, no need to be so quick to leave. The people at Palais Mermonia can handle things without you for awhile." After all, what was five more minutes?

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