Chapter Text
Two years later
“ Wriothesley, what did you do to my siblings ?”
Wriothesley had to hold back a soft laugh when he heard that familiar voice. He put down the report he was reading and got up from his desk, lazily strolling over to the staircase and a few steps down until he spotted the young magician.
Ah, déjà-vu.
Lyney stood there, hands braced on his hips, looking like he was stuck somewhere between frowning and pouting. He didn’t seem actually angry, though, but it was never a good sign if he used his full name over the affectionate mon cher or chéri he’d grown so used to.
“Whatever do you mean, love?”, he asked easily. Lyney huffed and finally walked over to the staircase, slowly making his way up to him. “They’re acting so weird! And I know for a fact it’s related to you.” “Really now, and whatever did I do to make them act weird , as you say?”
Lyney puffed up his cheeks angrily at his relaxed posture, the easy reply that just bordered on being teasing with the way he’d delivered it. He reached the step below him, then stepped further up, past him, until he ended up on the step just above, putting him almost on his eye level. “I don’t know. But I caught them whispering and I heard them say your name and when I walked into the room they just kept talking about… something random about the Fortress. I don’t know, it was weird.”
Wriothesley wrapped his arms around Lyney’s waist and pulled him close against him. He was still smiling easily at his boyfriend, the slight pout on his lips too cute to hold it back. “Sounds like a perfectly normal topic to me, you know?”, he said softly before pressing a tender kiss to his lips. “I’m glad it got you to come down again though. I missed you.”
“I’ve visited you three times this week, chéri.”
“So?”
“Wrio, it’s only Thursday. And you came up on the only day I wasn't here.”
Wriothesley had to chuckle and promptly kissed Lyney again. Truth was, he’d never get enough of this. He’d never get tired of his presence, and he’d always miss him whenever he wasn’t around. Being together for over two years already hadn’t changed that.
Lyney kissed him back, his arms lazily wrapping around his neck in turn. He gently nipped his lower lip, making Wriothesley's heart skip a beat, and then pulled away. “So there’s nothing going on? Nothing I need to know?”
Wriothesley shook his head and then pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “Nothing I can think of, no. Maybe they did really just talk randomly about me. I wrote Lynette a letter the other day and sent her some more of the tea samples she liked so much the last time. Maybe it was about that?”
His boyfriend sighed and then nodded. “Perhaps, yes. I swear they were acting weird though, I think they’re keeping a secret from me.” Wriothesley hummed thoughtfully and tilted his head. “Who knows, maybe Freminet finally got a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. Who could tell with him really?”
Lyney gasped, eyes going big, and stared up at him. “ No way. I… Maybe you’re right. Archons.” Wriothesley had to laugh at his astonished face. “Ask him about it when you get back home. But let’s go out for now. Sigewinne told me she was very hurt that you haven’t visited her yet this week.”
Lyney’s face lit up at the thought of seeing the little Melusine and nodded. It still filled his chest with happiness to see them get along so well these days. “Sure. But I will tell her that it’s your fault that I never managed to leave your rooms to see her.” Wriothesley snorted and rolled his eyes. He put his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders and started heading down the stairs with him again. “You’re so cruel to me. You know she’ll scold me for it.” “It’s your own fault, chéri~”
Wriothesley huffed fondly once, that continuous smile still tugging up his lips. Archons, he loved Lyney so much.
With his boyfriend distracted from his little secret once again, they headed out of his office and into the Fortress.
~~~
Lyney had the distinct feeling that it would be a little embarrassing to run late to his own show.
It was admittedly hard, though. Simply leaving the Court was no easy feat when every single person he ran past seemed to recognise him and wanted to talk to him, if only for a few seconds. He supposed that’s what happened when you became the face representing an entire organization, the one that helped lead rescue and rebuilding efforts. The one that continued to cheer everyone up when he wasn't busy with his other work or meetings and who made people feel hopeful again. Supposedly Lyney was also the more charming one compared to Arlecchino, at least that’s what people had told him once she’d left for Snezhnaya again.
It didn't help that he ran into so many friends too, all of them on the way to the Aquabus heading for Marcotte Station. He should feel flattered honestly by how packed the bus was, by how there were three little ships heading for the Opera Epiclese instead of the usual singular one just because of how many people were attending the show.
Mostly he felt relieved, though, considering that all the revenue of this show would once again go to the various charities that had sprung up in the past two years in the city. The Court was different after the Great Flood. How couldn't it be? While most of the aristocrats were still bastards, some of them had bettered themselves. And with their help and the combined effort of all others, Fontainians had made it their mission to make every part of the region habitable again, not just the city aboveground. Perhaps the Court would never be a fair or perfect place, but it was so much better now than it had been in his childhood.
Once he reached the Station, Lyney ended up on the same bus as Furina and Neuvillette, and he gladly sat down with them. It’s been a little while since he’d last seen the two of them and they spent the ride catching each other up on their lives. Furina might not be back to her old self, but she was so happy these days, so enthusiastic about the little things in life she got to enjoy now. It made him happy to see it. She still drew looks as Fontaine’s old archon, but she didn’t seem to cower under them any longer.
He said his goodbyes once the bus reached the station and ran off for the Opera. He ran past dozens of people, more of his friends among them - he was ecstatic to see that even Aether and Paimon seemed to be back from Natlan for a while - and hurried into the Opera house. He jogged all the way back to the changing rooms and he was out of breath and sweating slightly by the time he finally reached them.
“Archons, I thought you’d let them start without you”, Clorinde said in obvious amusement when he burst into the changing room. Clorinde and Navia sat on the couch with his sister, Freminet perching on the small armchair beside them, already in his stage costume. But Lyney's eyes went to Wriothesley, who stood by the window and turned to look at him with so much love in his eyes that it still took his breath away two years later.
“I’m sorry, I got badly held up”, Lyney pressed out and ran towards the corner of the room and behind the folding screen there to get changed. “Just admit it, you’re nervous. It’s the anniversary of when the Court was declared habitable again. This is a big thing, people are eager to celebrate”, Navia said, as always walking that thin line of teasing him and reassuring him in one go. Lyney would never get used to it.
“Okay, okay, you’re right”, he huffed as he took his clothes off and quiet chuckles could be heard from the other side. He rolled his eyes, but before he could say something, Wriothesley slid behind the folding screen with him. “Let me help you”, he said quietly, but there still was some amusement dancing in his eyes.
Lyney pouted and instead of agreeing, he stood on his toes and pressed a kiss to Wriothesley’s lips. “Alright, now you can help me”, he said once he pulled back. He smiled when his boyfriend helped him into his tight stage costume, infinitely familiar with it after a year of pulling it off of him ever so often.
While they were doing that, he bothered his siblings as he always did before a show: did they check the props, was everything in order, were their animal assistants fine. They answered every question dutifully, knowing his need for perfection, but it was Clorinde in the end that told him to “ shut it and loosen his corset .”
Lyney sniffed but then stepped forward again when he was done dressing. He couldn't help it, being nervous. He always was a tiny bit nervous before every performance, and this one especially. It would be special.
He barely finished putting on his makeup and making sure his hair was fine when one of his assistants knocked at the door and told them the show would start in five minutes. He replied calmly, but his heart jumped in his chest.
“Alright, the three of us will head out. I still have to find Sigewinne again, I think she wanted to go look for Neuvillette”, Wriothesley said behind him. He put his hand on his shoulders and squeezed gently, and Lyney smiled at his image in the mirror. He got up a moment later and pulled him down by the neck to press a tender kiss to his lips. “You keep your eyes on me, okay?”, he whispered, and then added in a louder voice. “Because these two will be watching one of my assistants the whole time.”
Wriothesley chuckled softly and nodded amidst Clorinde’s and Navia’s quiet laughter. When Lyney looked over to her, Lynette’s face was coloured a rosy pink, but she ignored him in favor of kissing her girlfriends goodbye.
The three of them got going a moment later and then it was just him and his darling siblings. They slowly started heading backstage, their arms wrapped around each others’ shoulders and waists as they walked.
“Are you sure you’re fine?”, Freminet asked softly, ever his introspective and observant little brother. “You do seem a little more nervous than usual.”
“If it’s about the last trick, we can still exchange it for the other one we practiced”, Lynette said calmly, pragmatic as always. “No, I’m quite alright. I think I’m… anxious, but in a good way? Because of how many people have come.” Indeed, the Opera house had sold standing room tickets in the upper level because of how quickly the regular tickets had sold out. There even had been talk of moving the show outdoors because of it.
His siblings hummed, throwing each other looks behind his back, but that was quite alright. It wasn't the full truth after all, and they were bound to pick up on a small part of it.
The next half an hour passed as quickly as it usually did on show days.
They got ready on stage. The show started, his heart racing in his chest from excitement at every reaction he drew from the audience. Lyney had given his all for this show, had let Freminet talk him into performing a version of two of his biggest tricks in addition to all the new ones he’d brought to stage. Lyney had last performed one of those tricks way, way over two years ago.
The lead up to it was as exciting as it had been then - being tied up first with rope, then with chains. No challenge big enough, fighting his way out every time.
“Ah, my dear siblings. You know what we need to do. This is too easy, we have to up the stakes!”, Lyney said to the eager agreement of the audience. With one wave upwards, the water tank that they hadn't used in quite some time started to descend. “The last time I performed this trick I had been submerged in water, wrapped in one continuous chain. As I kept practicing, we added one chain after another to see how long it would take me, with the result that I accidentally broke the glass container once because of how heavy I got with them.”
Laughter sounded as he sheepishly rubbed over the back of his neck. Lynette and Freminet showed up next to him again with the ten chains they were carrying. Lynette dryly said, “Please tell them about the part where you also broke your leg after that stunt.”
There was some gasps, but slowly more laughs started to sound when Lyney gave his twin an incredulous look. “Really now, do you have to tell them that?”, he nearly whined. “Well, in any case, I’m sure you all remember the darling head nurse from our time in the Fortress? She did a great job of patching me up again. Actually, she’s in the audience today, so we’ll know I’m in her capable hands should something happen!
Enough chit-chat, though. You all know this is the part where I verify that these chains are the real deal. Any volunteers from the audience?”
“Well, I could do it~”
Ah, déjà-vu.
Lyney couldn't help the grin that spread over his lips - a real one - when he heard Wriothesley's voice. There was some excited murmuring, people immediately recognizing him now after so many here had seen him regularly for months on end.
“Oh, how could I ever say no to you, mon chéri? Come on up”, Lyney said indulgently. “I think there’s no introductions needed this time around, but please give Duke Wriothesley a warm welcome either way!”
What followed was what could only be described as roaring applause. Wriothesley had become quite the popular and beloved man, much to his detriment. And people recognized him easily on the streets now, which only made it worse. He’d complained to Lyney about it on numerous occasions, but there was no undoing his hero status after the Prophecy had come true and after everything he’d done for the Court back then.
He seemed to take it in stride, though, with how casually he made his way on stage. Wriothesley was smiling at him the whole way and it easily sent his heart aflutter. Once his boyfriend reached him, he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. Lyney blushed at the public gesture, however sweet. He couldn't believe that he’d never grown used to it in all the time that had passed now since they’d made their relationship public.
“It’s been a while since you joined me on stage”, Lyney said conversationally. “About two years and six months?”
“It’s actually two years, five months, and 30 days, so the anniversary is tomorrow.”
There was a moment of silence from Lyney, from Wriothesley, the audience - before there were some giggles and hushed whispers. He couldn't help but huff and push his hands against his hips, though it was clear he was at least a little flustered. “You kept count ?” “Oh, come on. Don't act like you mind. And it's only fitting I join you on stage again for this, don't you think?”, Wriothesley teased.
He could hear a very distinct voice from the audience say “ Archons, they’re so cute together ” and once again had to huff. Forget performing magic, apparently the audience was thriving off of this interaction alone.
Lynette sighed behind him. “Don't encourage them. They can keep going for hours”, she said mildly, and Freminet nodded along without missing a beat. Lyney looked back at her incredulously, but it only drew a laugh out of the Duke.
“Hey Lyney, before you go on”, Wriothesley said a moment later. “I actually prepared a trick of my own for you, and the audience I suppose.” Lyney raised his brows at him and grinned. “Really now? Consider me intrigued, your grace! You certainly have a lot of eyes on you for your debut”, he said indulgently. “Alright, guys. You want to see what he has to show us as well?” He laughed at the resounding whoops and cheers and then nodded towards his boyfriend. “Alright, chéri, go on.”
“You know, it’s a really simple one, I don't want to disappoint your expectations”, Wriothesley said with a bit of an airy sigh - almost as dramatic as Lyney could get. It was too funny. “But why don't you look into your pocket for me, Lyney?”
Lyney raised his brows and tilted his head. What? He only had the one pocket, hidden within the seams at his right hip. He reached inside and his fingers brushed against something slightly cool, something metallic and round. His heart stopped.
Lyney pulled forth a ring.
There were some sounds of confusion, since the people in their seats couldn't well see what was going on. But then Wriothesley reached out with a smile, gently took the ring from his hand and went on his knee.
The silence from the great room was deafening. Lyney couldn't focus on it, not with how the blood was rushing in his ears, not with how he started feeling slightly lightheaded, a wave of emotions bubbling up inside of him as he kept staring down at his boyfriend and that ring in his hands.
“Lyney Snezhevich”, Wriothesley said into the silence of the room, loud and clear. Still smiling, looking up at him with so much love in his eyes. “Will you marry me?”
Suddenly he couldn't see him, had to blink and wipe away tears when a small, choked sound tore out of him. Faintly, in the back of his mind, he could hear applause and whoops and people stomping in excitement, at least until he managed to find his voice again and spoke up.
“Oh, fuck you, Wriothesley”, Lyney pressed out.
But his dumb, stupid, utterly perfect boyfriend didn't get to worry or fear, or even had enough time for his eyes to widen before he already stepped up close to him. Reached behind his ear and pulled forth another ring.
Lyney let out a choked laugh at the face Wriothesley made when he also went onto his knee. Somewhere behind him Lynette gasped and Freminet frantically asked her “ did you know about this ?”, he knew that their friends were in the audience, laughing and crying as well as they watched on, the audience was in near hysterics. He didn't even notice. Lyney only had eyes for the man in front of him.
“Wriothesley. My love”, Lyney said gently, smiling, not caring that tears streamed down his face, or when his boyfriend started tearing up as well. “Do you want to marry me?”
Wriothesley nodded, just once at first, but then the tears overflowed for him too and he nodded frantically, before wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. Lyney held him tightly, and they were both laughing, and his chest felt like bursting from those feelings of relief and utter happiness. The last time he’d felt like this was two years ago, when he and Wriothesley had found each other again after the Prophecy had come true, after being unsure whether the other had survived.
“Yes. Yes, a thousand times yes”, Wriothesley said close to him, his voice so unusually choked. Lyney didn't feel any better off. He pulled back slightly, only a fraction, enough to kiss his boyfriend– No, his fiancé. He smiled into the kiss and reached up with one hand to cup Wriothesley's cheek.
He didn't care that half of the court watched on as they tried and failed to calm down. Once they managed to pull apart enough to actually put their rings onto each other's fingers, they just started to cry and laugh again.
“You’re so stupid ”, Lyney complained and sniffed when he pulled himself out of Wriothesley's arms after several minutes. “I can't believe you planned the same thing as me. And you two were in on it too!! You planned this together”, he complained and pointed an accusing finger back at his siblings. “That’s why you’ve been acting so weirdly the past weeks.”
They looked excited - Freminet more so than Lynette - and finally took the chance to walk over and wrap them both into a big hug.
Somehow what had been meant as an anniversary show descended into this after that - his family holding them close, their friends coming up on stage and congratulating them. There was Furina who came running and wrapped him up in a big hug, all excited. Neuvillette who smiled so openly at Wriothesley when he gave him his well wishes, Sigewinne who jumped excitedly up into Wriothesley's arms and demanded he show her his ring because she’d already helped pick out the one for Lyney.
There were Navia and Clorinde, all smiles and warm hugs and playful teasing from Clorinde that she hadn't thought it possible Wriothesley would ever manage to settle down just a few years ago. There was Charlotte, stuck somewhere between incredulous and happy for them, demanding to know as she hugged them both why they had ever bothered resisting all her interview attempts when they went ahead with a public proposal like this. Aether and Paimon came up as well, holding Lyney tight. To think that Lyney had once had a small crush on Aether, years ago, and now he was getting married to the love of his life? He was getting married. He was getting married.
Lyney might have started crying again throughout all of this. He was a bit of an emotional wreck, but luckily Wriothesley wasn't faring much better either.
A small hush fell around them after several long minutes and Lyney turned around to see what had caused it. His eyes nearly fell out when he watched Arlecchino walk onto the stage.
“Father!”, he pressed out, his chest suddenly feeling tight. Wriothesley was at his side a moment later, one arm wrapped around him as he watched her stroll closer. She looked at them both for a long moment when she stopped in front of them, and then her features softened a fraction and he could relax. “I think congratulations are in order”, she said simply. Lyney stiffened when she reached out and wrapped her arms around him in a loose hug.
“You know her Majesty will find out about this sooner rather than later”, she whispered into his ear. “Guard those that are close to your heart well, Lyney.” It could have come off as a threat, hadn't there been a hint of a smile on her lips when she pulled back and looked down at him. A warning then, a well-meaning one. Lyney nodded and smiled at her in turn.
Arlecchino stepped back then and looked at Wriothesley. They watched each other wearily, as they always would probably. Father had tested his limits too often during the past years, even from afar, for them to have a good relationship. She started to grin a moment later, and it was both beautiful and terrifying. “Hurt him and you will regret it, Duke”, she said simply. Wriothesley huffed a laugh. “Fair enough. But I could say the same to you, Knave.”
Ah. This was as amicable as it could ever get between them. Lyney wouldn't ask for more.
He’d never needed to cut a show short before, but he had to today. He was too distracted, too emotional the longer he spent with family and friends around, showing off his ring, hearing from them how long they’d already been waiting for his and Wriothesley's engagement. Nobody seemed to be complaining about the shortened show, most people came up to them as well when Lyney and Wriothesley started making their way out of the Opera, giving them their best wishes and congratulating them, letting them know how happy they were for them and that they deserved all this happiness after the past years.
Lyney wasn't sure how much time had passed when the two of them finally ended up sitting at the beach, watching out over the waves. Half an hour? An hour? Time had blurred in front of his eyes with all the excitement and happiness coursing through him.
They heavily leaned against each other, side by side, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Lyney rested his head on Wriothesley's shoulder and Wriothesley had been leaning against his own in turn.
“I love you so much”, Wriothesley said, at last breaking the silence between them. “I didn't think you’d… do this. I was certain of your love and that you’d maybe also want to marry me and settle down, but I didn't think you’d propose. Not like this.”
Lyney had to chuckle softly and shook his head slightly. “I could say the same about you . A public proposal? Really? When you always complain about how much you hate being in the public eye?”
“I do. But I also just want the whole world to know how much I love you. I wanted to declare to the world that you are mine, and you will be mine, forever.”
A lump formed in his throat and he had to blink back fresh tears. Lyney pulled back from his comfortable spot and instead moved into Wriothesley's lap, straddling him, arms wrapped around his neck.
“I love you, Wriothesley”, he whispered. “Finding you made… everything worth it.”
Tears gathered at Wriothesley’s eyes and he leaned in to gently kiss him. “I feel the same way. I’ve always felt the same way about you for the past years.”
A smile spread on Lyney’s cheeks and he promptly kissed Wriothesley again. And again. And again.
Once upon a time, it felt like ages ago now, nightmares had been a normal part of life for Lyney, and maybe life itself had been an endless bad dream. Not any longer. Not after he’d found Wriothesley and had let him close. Not after he’d found out what love, true love could be like. He knew that Wriothesley felt similarly. Knew they’d always been two sides of the same coin.
Lyney hadn't thought it possible to get a happy ending back then. And here he was. Kissing his fiancé, knowing he was loved and cherished, knowing he’d found his soulmate at last.
And wasn't that the happiest of endings life could offer?