The house was quiet… almost too quiet for Navia's liking. She had known that her partners would be gone more often now that Operation: Doctor was now underway. It was time to start dismantling the Doctor's evil web one spider at a time.
Wriothesley and Clorinde were on their first undercover mission as part of the special ops unit of Fontaine. She was proud of her partners, really she was, but she felt lonely laying in bed all by herself. She huffed… she wasn't going to let her partner's success put her in a bad mood! But the bed was cold…
Navia picked up her favorite plushie and marched down the hall. She took a deep breath before softly knocking on Neuvillette's door. She peaked her head in when she heard him hum a response.
"Navi? What's wrong?" Neuvillette asked gently. He placed a bookmark in the book he was reading to give his full attention to her.
"Nothing is wrong per say…" She bit her lip. "Just… the bed is cold…"
"You miss Rinde don't you?" Neuvillette gave a small smile. "I miss Wriothesley too. It's far too quiet in the house without them."
"Can I…" She looked down shyly. "Can I sleep in here with you?"
"Of course you can." he laughed softly. "Sweetheart, come lay down. I know I am not the same as Clorinde but at least we have each other tonight."
Navia happily closed the door and crawled into Wriothesley's side of the bed. She placed her plushie in her arms and snuggled in. The sheets smelled faintly of her other partner, like tea leaves and fruit. Neuvillette turned off the lamp and curled up beside her, pulling her close and brushing her hair back comfortingly.
"I feel selfish for saying this…" Navia murmured. "But I miss them being home…"
"It's not selfish." Neuvillette reassured. "I miss them too. But we need to remember this is what they were meant to do. They trained for years to be where they are. They are the elite soldiers of Fontaine. We need to be strong for our partners."
"You're right." She laughed softly. "And they won't be on undercover operations forever. Just until Rina is home."
"Yes, they will work hard to bring her home to us. We will do our best to work our professions and support any way we can." Neuvillette kissed the top of her head. "Good night Navia."
She hummed, happy to be in his warmth. Over the past year, the two couples opened their relationships to each other. The four of them together just fit so right, like puzzle pieces. It made them all feel safer and happier. They loved each other with all their hearts.
Meanwhile on the other side of town, in the heart of the red light district, Wriothesley stood behind a bar shaking a mixed drink. Their undercover mission was inside a very popular strip club. Their targets seemed to frequent the place at least five nights a week. It was a routine schedule, leading Wriothesley to believe this was a meet up point or a drop location. Either way, he had enough probable cause to arrest all three men in the group they were hunting.
"Targets entered the club." Chevreuse's voice came through the practically invisible communication piece in his ear. Wriothesley set his eyes on a group of three men, dressed in fine attire for the strip club. They went quickly towards the stage as the DJ made the announcement of a new dancer coming on stage.
"Please welcome to the stage our newest dancer, Rapperia!" The DJ announced with enthusiasm. From behind the curtain came Clorinde, dressed scantily in a dark purple lingerie set. Her face was dusted light pink. She approached the pole on the main stage as the music started and began to dance.
She had taken two months worth of pole dancing classes for this undercover operation. Out of the two of them, Clorinde was more equipped to handle this undercover mission as the bait than Chevreuse. They each had their role to play within the mission.
Wriothesley thought back fondly to the academy as he made another drink. He was called into the general's office. He was so nervous at first, unsure of what he may or may not have done wrong. Come to find out, he was summoned because the general noticed his determination. The fire in his eye. His will and his drive to fight. He offered a position among the special operations force within the Fontaine police. Wriothesley was shocked when he was offered this position. He was even more shocked when he was told he would be the captain of his team and he got to pick his team members. Without hesitation, he chose Clorinde and Chevreuse as his team mates.
He was snapped back to reality when claps emerged from the crowd, the targets cheering on Clorinde and practically drooling over her. She disappeared backstage shortly after letting the men shove mora down her bra and panties.
"Honestly Dualist, you make one hell of a stripper. Does your wife know?" Wriothesley said quietly into his hidden mic.
"So much for not liking women, Duke." Clorinde said back.
"What? I'm not attracted to most women, you know you and your wife are different." Wriothesley chuckled.
"Can you two keep it in your pants for a few more hours please?" Chevreuse sighed. "You two don't even sleep together goddamn."
"Sorry Deadshot." Wriothesley gave a thumbs up under the bar. She could see it from the camera, being in the monitoring room of the club.
"Dualist, head to the club floor. They just asked the DJ if you did private dances. Pull them to the last room in the back and we can make the arrest there without frightening anyone off." Chevreuse explained.
"On it." Clorinde replied. She quickly went out to the club floor and grabbed a small tray of drinks Wriothesley had prepared for her to take to her 'clients'. He gave her a wink, trying to tell her he had her back. She walked towards the group of men who were sitting at a small table.
"I heard you boys were looking for me?" She said sultry. Clorinde bent at the waist, setting drinks on the table in front of each man and giving them a full view down her bra.
"Well hello." One of the men whistled.
"You're simply gorgeous." One practically purred.
"How much for a private room with you?" The final man asked, the head honcho of the trio.
"Do you think you can afford me, handsome?" Clorinde asked with a charming laugh.
"Oh honey I can give you the world." The man pulled a thick stack of mora from his coat. "Do you think this is enough to afford you? ALL of you?" he winked at her.
"Follow me big boys." Clorinde stood up, leaving the tray she was carrying with another dancer passing by. She beckoned them to follow her down the dark hallway to the private rooms. She turned around at the end of the hall and pointed into the last room. The men filed into the private area as Clorinde undid her bra. She let it drop before the group's gaze and followed them inside.
"Oh wow!" One of them gasped, staring at her well endowed chest.
"They're even better than I imagined." The head honcho murmured.
"I'm all yours tonight boys." She purred, tying her hair into a high ponytail. "Who wants to dig in first?"
"Oh boss, you definitely should." One of the men said, the other nodding in agreement. Clorinde took the opportunity to push the boss onto the couch there and straddled his lap.
"So tell me, lover boy…" She smiled, tilting his chin up with a finger. "How did you get such a fat stack of mora for me tonight? Are you a doctor? A lawyer? A businessman?" Clorinde pressed her chest to his face.
"Oh nothing like that doll." His face was turning pink from her grinding. "We know a lot of people high up in the underworld."
"Underworld you say?" She gasped.
"Oh yeah. You probably know our boss, he comes in here whenever he's home from Sumeru." The man pressed his face into Clorinde's cleavage. He grabbed a handful of her ass as he did.
"Who's your boss man?" She whispered in his ear.
"Mmm… the Doctor…" The man mumbled, hand going down to unzip his pants.
"Thank god you finally confessed." Clorinde sighed. She quickly had a hold of his hand and had him pinned to the couch in seconds. She used her weight in lieu of handcuffs.
"What the hell?!" The man yelled. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Taking you boys into custody of course." Chevreuse said from the doorway of the private room. "I'd settle down. She packs a mean punch."
The man pinned by Clorinde tried to break free from her grasp to no avail. The other two quickly ran out of the room past Chevreuse. She laughed a bit at their feeble attempt to escape. As they passed a private room, Wriothesley clotheslined both men to the ground, quickly cuffing them and hauling them back to the private room so the other club goers couldn't see what was happening.
Chevreuse came in and cuffed the man Clorinde had pinned. She began reading them their rights as Wriothesley tossed the other two men on the couch beside their boss. Clorinde quickly put on the long shirt she had stashed in the corner of the private room before the mission had started.
"That was a lot of acting." Clorinde sighed. "I'm so glad I am married to a woman. Men can be such pigs…"
"I'm hurt Dualist." Wriothesley laughed. "Guess me and my husband are chopped liver now?"
"Oh you know what I meant." She rolled her eyes.
"This is entrapment!" The boss man growled. "I was set up."
"No, we've been watching you for a few months now." Chevreuse said. "I have warrants for your arrests, no worries there."
"All we needed was that confession of your boss." Clorinde said. "Which I have now and it will be used as evidence against you. But maybe…" She leaned down to the boss's ear. "If you cooperate and be a good boy we can cut a deal."
"Duke." Chevreuse called once the other officers began filing in from the back door. "I noticed in the surveillance room there was a room with a loop camera. It's really hard to notice but I was in there long enough to notice a random box reappear after it was moved an hour prior."
"Lead the way Deadshot." He nodded. "That's probably where they're hiding the goods."
Chevreuse led him back into the club's office to look at a map. They went through the bar space into the kitchen, getting yelled at by some of the staff. Wriothesley quickly held up his special forces badge to silence the protests. At the back of the kitchen was a walk-in freezer and a storage closet. Wriothesley entered the freezer and noticed an odd stack of boxes in the corner. They simply don't belong there.
He opened the top box to see old…paperwork? That didn't sit right with him. He instructed Chevreuse to request a crime scene detective to take it with them in case anything could be used in court. He quickly pushed the large stack of boxes aside and found a very well hidden door. There was no handle or anything, barely seams in the freezer wall.
He stepped back and quickly kicked the door in, his brute strength being an advantage in situations like this one. The door swung inwards and he stepped inside, hand hovering over his service pistol. They truly had no idea what they would find in there. These guys were part of the network but seemed to low down the totem pole for anything too dangerous.
But oh how Wriothesley was wrong. He froze after entering the space. He put a hand out to block Chevreuse's path. "Deadshot call for medevac now and all backup units now."
"What?" She raised a brow. "These guys were just petty drug dealers."
"Well unless the drugs are 10 young women then no, they are not petty drug dealers." Wriothesley said. Chevreuse quickly got on the mic channel and called for backup and help. She got to work kicking the kitchen staff out and clearing the way.
Wriothesley got to work moving the boxes clear and propping the door open. He approached the first girl he noticed was awake, seeming in a state of panic.
"Hey hey hey it's alright… I'm with the police." He hushed calmly. He took the gag from her mouth as gently as he could. "Are you hurt?"
"Drug…ed…" The girl panted. "Can't… m…mo…move…"
"Shit alright, stay calm." Wriothesley whispered softly. "We have medical professionals coming. They will help you… I'm going to check on the others around really quickly. I am not going anywhere okay? You're not alone anymore, we have you, you're safe."
The girl tried to nod but tears just fell instead. Wriothesley squeezed her hand softly before checking on the other girls. They were all still breathing, but completely passed out. He wasn't sure what they were drugged with… all his intel said these guys were drug peddlers, not human traffickers.
Chevreuse worked quickly to clear out the establishment, forcing workers to funnel into the backstage to be questioned and patrons to leave immediately. Ambulances arrived shortly after, following the line of tape Chevreuse made to guide them to the victims. Wriothesley kept his promise, staying with the girls until they were all loaded into the ambulances. Once the area was cleared, he sent a female detective to join them at the hospital. They most likely didn't want a man to be the thing they saw when they woke up… Wriothesley could only imagine the things they have been through already.
This new development made Wriothesley's blood boil. The case was so much larger than they originally anticipated. As a victim himself, he knew the pain those poor girls would live with for the rest of their lives. He instructed Chevreuse to download all camera footage the club had from the past 6 months before heading back to the private room.
Clorinde was still there, keeping the villains on the couch in check as the officers began their arresting paperwork. Oh that main man… their boss… the leader of the trio. He looked smug as shit when Wriothesley arrived back into the room. He knew exactly what he found.
Wriothesley wasted no time and reefed the man up by his shirt collar. He was dangling above the ground, being a hulking man compared to the pathetic peon that he was holding. He narrowed his eyes and practically growled.
"Duke what are you-" Clorinde was cut off quickly by her team captain.
"They're not drug pushers. They Are human traffickers." Wriothesley seethed. "All deals are off the table. No more on site interrogation. You boys are going to the deepest pits of the Fortress and I will personally be the ones throwing the keys into the ocean."
He threw the man back on the couch and looked at the officers. The man landed with a thud and a groan. "Take them to the station and throw them into OUR interrogation room. The special forces division will be taking full responsibility over their arrests, interrogations, deals and final charges."
The officers quickly did as they were told, hauling each criminal out to their squad cars and driving off. Wriothesley disappeared out the back door and returned shortly after with a small bag. He handed it to Clorinde.
"Come on… We have to go interview the staff here. I packed you extra clothes." Wriothesley gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "You did really well tonight Rin…"
"Thanks." She smiled softly. "You did incredible… it's hard to believe this is your first operation as a captain. You owned this place."
"Had to keep everyone safe." He shrugged. He stepped out of the room, protecting it as his partner changed into suitable clothes. Clorinde stepped out a few minutes later, now dressed in a low cut white blouse and high waisted black pants. Wriothesley forgot shoes however, leaving her stuck in the stripper platform heels.
They made quick work interviewing the staff. Most weren't involved until the kitchen's head chef. He was the one getting money slipped under the table to let the network trade women from the hidden back room. Wriothesley quickly arrested him on the confession. The chef's financials will be all the evidence they need if what he was saying was actually true.
The team took their time collecting the evidence for their case. The club was locked down tight as they worked. By morning, the official crime scene investigation division for the special forces had arrived, taking over so they could return to base. It was time for them to take a short break before returning to the office to interrogate the criminals. Afterall, they had been on shift for officially 12 hours at that point and there wasn't a end in sight.
Neuvillette sat down in his office chair with a sigh. He slept better than he originally anticipated thanks to the warmth and comfort of Navia. He hadn't heard much from his husband that day, only that he was returning to the office shortly. He took a sip of his morning coffee, Navia insisting on stopping at a coffee haus on the way to work to surprise their partners. Wriothesley's coffee sat on his work desk, waiting to be claimed by the most likely exhausted man.
Neuvillette didn't have to wait long to hear the signs of his husband approaching his office. He could hear those heavy armored boots from a mile away. Next came the clanking of his cuffs and badges hitting along his back and belt. Sure enough, the office door opened to a very tired Wriothesley.
He had on his everyday uniform now, specialized to him. His long black and red coat draped along his back like a cape, the fur around the collar adding to his canine appearing bed head. His dark gray vest contrasted against the black button up shirt rolled at the sleeves, his tattoos peeking out from under the shirt. He pulled his tie a little looser, getting stuffy from a long shift. He took a seat at the desk across from his partner, crossing his legs. The thud of his heavy boot tapping against the desk on accident made Neuvillette jump a bit. He was lost in thought, dreaming about his incredibly attractive husband.
"Morning Neuvi." He grinned. "How was your night?"
"It was fine… Navia ended up getting rather lonely so she slept in our bed. I hope that's alright." Neuvillette blushed slightly. "We stopped this morning and picked up coffee. Here, this one's for you." He slid the large cup closer to him.
"Ah, thank you sweetness." Wriothesley smiled and took a sip. He keened happily when he realized his partner had gotten him his favorite. "This was a pick me up I needed today."
"Long shift huh?" Neuvillette took Wriothesley's free hand that was on the desk. "When will you be home today?"
"I'm sending the girls home as soon as we are done interrogating the criminals we captured. I need to stay a little later to finish up some documents. Don't worry I'll come say goodbye before I leave. I need to give you the paperwork anyways to get their trial going." Wriothesley chuckled. He squeezed his partner's hand slightly. He made sure his hand was on bottom, pressed against the desk. He didn't want to accidentally hurt Neuvillette with his weighted gloves.
"Yes… I already have the paperwork started. Are you planning on sticking to just drug charges?" Neuvillette asked.
"No…" Wriothesley sighed. "You'll see everything in the report of course but we found 10 young females that were drugged and bound… ready to be sold off into human trafficking or go to the Doctor to be experimented on."
"Wh…what…" Neuvillette's eyebrows knotted in thought. "I don't understand how the case developed that fast."
"No idea… honestly if it wasn't for Chevreuse's keen eye while watching the cameras we would have never found them. They are at the hospital now with a detective. I'll update you as soon as I know about their conditions." Wriothesley reported.
Neuvillette noticed someone peeking into his office window. Working at the district attorney's office and being the specific prosecutor for the special forces meant officers were often peeking into his office. Some were curious, some were upset about his presence, and others just wanted to see if Wriothesley was in his office. His husband did have a bad habit of visiting him whenever he had a free moment.
It seemed this officer was here for the latter. He knocked before entering quickly. Wriothesley leaned his head back in the chair, looking at the rookie cop from upside down. Why did this officer look pissed?
"Captain Wriothesley!" He huffed. "Are you really here harassing Monsieur Neuvillette again?! I have half the mind to file harassment with the Chief!"
"Officer it isn't-" Neuvillette raised a hand, signaling his partner to stand down.
"Nah Neuvillette… let the rookie dig his grave, it'll be funny." Wriothesley chuckled.
"I have been looking for you for the past 10 minutes and of course this is where you are. I'm sure a lot of people would like to spend time with Monsieur Neuvillette but we have pressing things to work on. I'm not doing your reports later because you were busy flirting!" The officer crossed his arms in disdain.
"Alright…" Wriothesley stood up and approached the rookie. He was already a huge man, bulky and standing 6'4 and had on platform boots. The officer was a solid foot below him. "Do you really not know who I am? Or are you trying to get a rise out of me after I've worked a 14 hour long undercover operation? Or are you pissed that I came into a captain's position directly out of the academy?"
"You can't intimate me like that." The officer said, trying to stand strong.
"If you really must know, I am currently on break. This is also my husband's office." Wriothesley gestured to his partner sitting behind his desk. He gave a small wave with his left hand, his wedding band glinting slightly. "So mind your goddamn business why I'm in his office. I don't need your permission, rookie. And if you have that big an issue with me, take it up with the chief. Now, I need to go interrogate some bad guys and let my team go home and rest. Go answer some phones or something you desk jock."
The officer slumped down at the new information. He mumbled yes sir under his breath and left the office. Wriothesley crossed his arms as the officer looked back through the window, mumbling under his breath. Chevreuse came around the corner at that.
"Jeez, did you break the new kid already?" She asked.
"No he had the balls to come tell me to leave Neuvillette's office or he'd report me for harassing him." Wriothesley laughed.
"He didn't go overboard, did he Neuvillette?" Chevreuse asked.
"No, he showed self control." Neuvillette chuckled. "Did Navia find you and bring you your coffee?"
"Yes she did thank you so much for thinking of me too." She smiled.
"Of course… you're part of our family too, you know." Neuvillette said.
"Yeah I know… it just feels a little weird since you all are dating now. I'm the fifth wheel." Chevreuse laughed.
Chevreuse ran a gloved hand down her short red dress, straightening a wrinkle. The dress had small gold accents across it and black side panels. They matched her headphones that were still playing soft music around her neck. Her long purple hair was pulled back into a long ponytail. It would often get in her way if she left it loose while she was investigating. She closed her dark purple eyes in thought.
"As much as I don't want our break to end, we really need to go start this interrogation. I left Clorinde in there to butter them up before you entered. Don't worry she's being spotted by another detective." Chevreuse said.
"I'll bring you reports as soon as I have them done." Wriothesley stepped around Neuvillette's desk and gave him a gentle kiss. "I love you."
"Love you too darling." Neuvillette smiled. "See you soon Chev."
Wriothesley grabbed his coffee and left the office, the small girl following behind as she waved to the attorney. Neuvillette adjusted his collar to his white button up blouse. Seeing Wriothesley in his full uniform always made him hot under the collar. He looked so dashing… so strong and powerful. But he couldn't think about that right now, he had paperwork to prepare.
Wriothesley entered the observation area of the interrogation room. He was handed a report by the detective monitoring Clorinde as they took their leave. Wriothesley read it over briefly before watching Clorinde in the interrogation room. They had put all three of them in there, sitting across the table from a very annoyed Clorinde. She was hitting a wall with them hard.
"Do you think it's a good idea to set up a sting?" Chevreuse asked. "I'm not sure if I can trust what they are laying out for us."
"I don't think we have much of a choice. This case went from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds. We all knew this was going to be dangerous the moment we signed up for this job." Wriothesley sighed. "I'm going to head in and send her in here."
Chevreuse nodded as she went back to running finances on the chef from the club. Wriothesley grabbed a small evidence bag before entering the interrogation room. He told Clorinde to go take a break in a very gentle tone, knowing his partner was beyond exhausted. She obliged, taking her leave to the monitoring room. Wriothesley took a seat at the table, dropping into the chair with a deep sigh.
"Alright boys this is how this is gonna go." He cracked his neck. "We already got you dead to rights. In the eyes of the law, you may as well no longer exist. Now, with that being said, I'm willing to scratch your back if you scratch mine…"
"What do you have in mind?" The leader, Deakin, raised a brow.
"I lessen your charges enough for you all to be sent to the non-violent offenders block of the prison. As someone who lived in the murder's block of the prison for 7 years, trust me when I say this… you will not survive more than 24 hours." Wriothesley explained.
Deakin seemed taken aback by Wriothesley's statement. "Never expected the police force to hire a fucking murder."
"Takes a criminal to know one." Wriothesley laughed. "In exchange for the lesser charge, you need to call your contact and arrange a meeting for next week. Tell him I'm a buyer and want to pick out my goods. Is that understood?"
"That's really all you want?" Deakin raised a brow. "And you lessen all three of us?"
"I'm a fair man…" Wriothesley nodded. "You're still going to be in jail for the rest of your lives but at least this way you wont die in a horrific way. Probably."
"Do you even know what you're getting yourself into?" One of the other men said. "The Doctor is too much to take on, why are you even bothering?"
"If you'd really like to know, I'm more interested in the Queen." Wriothesley stared down the henchmen. "Do you have information you'd like to share about her?"
"She hasn't been spotted in nearly a year." Deakin said. "The Doctor rarely lets her out of Sumeru. Says it's too dangerous right now and he needs to keep her safe."
"Why is it too dangerous?" Wriothesley raised a brow.
"Don't know… we are just entrusted with kidnapping girls no one will miss." Deakin shrugged. "You got my phone?"
Wriothesley slid the phone in the evidence bag across the table. The man quickly took it out and scrolled through his contacts. Once he found the appropriate one, he dialed the number and put it on speaker phone. Shortly, a gruff voice answered.
"What?" The voice said.
"Vacher!" Deakin chuckled. "Boy do I have good news for you!"
"Spit it out, I'm busy." Vacher grumbled.
"At the club last night I bonded with a new friend." Deakin threw a wink across the table at Wriothesley who rolled his eyes. "They are highly interested in buying some of the… goods…"
"Have they been vetted?"
"Oh yes! He's filled with GUSTO! Ready to make the purchase."
"Hm…" There was a pause on the other line, Vacher seeming to be thinking about something. "I'll meet them. Old warehouse. Come alone and bring cash. Week from today at sunset. Think you can manage to pass along the information correctly?"
"Consider it done boss!"
Vacher hung up shortly after. Deakin slid his phone across the table back to Wriothesley as well. The hair on the back of his neck was standing. Wriothesley knew he was about to be set up. That conversation felt wrong. That shit eating grin on the man's face across from him certainly didn't help.
As they agreed, Wriothesley wrote up the charges as something that would land them in the non-violent offender block. The three prisoners were escorted to their holding cell by other officers.
Wriothesley met Clorinde and Chevreuse back in their main office. He sighed heavily as he sat in his chair at his desk. He told the girls to go home for the day… they had done enough. Wriothesley looked at the clock on his computer… 11am… they had been working a 16 hour long operation and everyone was tired.
Clorinde fussed about leaving Wriothesley to finish the reports but he waved it off. Reluctantly, she headed out of the office, heading down the hallway towards her wife's office in the main police station to tell about her departure. Wriothesley stayed another three hours to write the final arrest report to hand over to the Chief and Neuvillette.
Neuvillette looked up from his report when he heard his husband's voice down the hall. He set his pen down and patiently waited for the man. Wriothesley opened the office door as he was finishing up a phone call.
"That's great Isabelle. I'm happy to hear that. Do you think they would be alright with my presence tomorrow for questioning or should I leave it to the others?" Wriothesley paused for a moment. "Perfect… morning would be preferable wouldn't it?" Another pause. "Great I will contact the research institution and move my teams appointment to later in the day… this is much more important. Thank you, keep me updated on any changes. Im on 24/7 call right now." He quickly hung up the phone and sighed.
"Everything alright?" Neuvillette raised a brow.
"Yeah all is good." Wriothesley gave an exhausted smile. He gently sat a small stack of papers on his partner's desk. "Here is my final arrest report."
"I'll make sure it's filed today with the courts." Neuvillette got out of his chair and met his husband near the entrance of his office. "Are you going to be alright driving home?"
"Oh yeah of course I am." Wriothesley laughed. "Just a little sleep deprivation."
"Please nap when you get home. No going to the gym or anything of the sorts." Neuvillette huffed.
"Anything for you." Wriothesley kissed him softly. "Wake me when you get home alright?"
"Yes of course. I love you." Neuvillette practically whispered.
"Love you too." Wriothesley gently kissed his forehead before heading home. He was tired and his bed was calling for him.
Later that evening, Neuvillette returned home with Navia. Clorinde was sitting at the kitchen island groggily. She waved at the pair.
"Morning…" She yawned. "Wrio's still asleep… didn't even hear him come in but I checked on him."
Neuvillette smiled softly at her before heading upstairs to see his partner. He entered the bedroom quietly, allowing his partner to remain in dreamland a little while longer. The light haired man got undressed from his proper work clothes and dressed down into a simple t-shirt and pajama bottoms. He sat on the edge of the bed, Wriothesley practically starfishing across their king size bed.
The blanket laid low on his back, only really covering his lower half. He was passed out on his stomach. It was the soundest he had slept in a few weeks… Neuvillette felt guilty for waking him. But dinner would be arriving soon, Navia ordering take out to be delivered before they left the office. His partner needed to eat… god knows the last time he had.
Neuvillette ran a gentle hand down the sleeping man's shirtless back. He traced the cerberus tattoo that took up a majority of the space. A soft hum escaped his lips as he tried his best to arouse the other from sleep. It took a few minutes but Wriothesley started to stir from his sleep.
"Hey baby…" He grinned sleepily as he realized his partner was stroking his back. "What time is it?"
"Just after 7pm… Navia and I just arrived back home. I wanted to wake you gently… dinner will be arriving shortly." Neuvillette leaned down and kissed the top of the other's head.
It was then that Wriothesley's stomach growled slightly. He had definitely forgotten to eat… wanting to get his work done so he could go home and sleep. Neuvillette laughed softly. The other man huffed and sat up in bed, leaning against his partner a bit.
"So how did the mission go?" Neuvillette asked.
"Everything went without a hitch… my team is the best in Fontaine after all." Wriothesley smiled proudly. "However none of us could have imagined it was human trafficking instead of drug trafficking. Also based on the interrogation today, I have a feeling I'm being set up."
"You're the next one undercover huh?" Neuvillette pursed his lips, worried for his husband.
"Yeah… I'm definitely not sending in Clorinde or Chevreuse to a set up. I'm the hand to hand combat member of the team. I can take whatever they wanna throw at me." Wriothesley shrugged. "Don't worry that pretty little head of yours too much. I promise I will be fine."
"I know you're more than capable. I'm also more than allowed to worry about my husband who puts himself in danger often." Neuvillette said.
"Tomorrow I am going to work on a plan on how to keep me and everyone on the mission as safe as possible. In the morning we need to go to the hospital to check on the victims. Then we need to go to the research institute for our final fittings of our trial weapons." Wriothesley explained.
"Trial weapons?" Neuvillette raised a brow.
"The institute has been working on weapons using elemental strength and technology. My team is the first one to use their tools… being the only ones currently within the special forces to be able to withstand the physical tolls they will cost us. We each have our own specialty ones… Chevreuse is getting a sniper rifle, Clorinde a pistol and well…" Wriothesley rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Mine are boxing gloves…"
"That's really suitable for you." Neuvillette smiled.
"Can I… talk to you about something embarrassing?" Wriothesley looked down, scratching the back of his hand.
"Sweetheart you can tell me literally anything." Neuvillette adjusted himself so he was sitting in front of Wriothesley. He took his hands gently into his, trying to keep Wriothesley from doing his anxious tick.
"Well you know…" Wriothesley's face heated up. "I've… never really been attracted to females… even after opening up our relationship with Navia and Clorinde I still figured I'd stay mostly platonic. Only really exchanging small things like kisses and hugs…"
Neuvillette nodded, squeezing his partner's hand.
"Well lately… I've been dealing with some confusing feelings in that aspect…" He bit his lip anxiously. "It started out as tingly feelings when I saw you kiss one of the girls… then contemplating watching you be intimate with them… but last night…"
"What about last night?" Neuvillette asked softly.
"Clorinde dancing on that stripper pole in basically nothing was…" He took a deep breath. "Holy shit she looked delectable. I was glad I was behind the bar for it otherwise someone would have definitely noticed how… hard… I was."
"Do you think you want to try being intimate with one or both of the girls?" Neuvillette asked softly.
"I have no idea." Wriothesley sighed. "I've always felt I was a gay man… I had literally zero interest in women up until recently. I've only ever slept with a woman once and it was me being assaulted when I was a child. The feelings are really conflicting."
"Maybe it's because you trust them fully, like you do me." Neuvillette kissed his partner softly. "Thank you for sharing this with me darling. When you're ready, maybe we should have a discussion with the girls and see how they feel on the matter. Maybe they have some ideas we don't."
"Yeah, maybe I'll talk to them soon… just not tonight. I'm so tired I'm not sure I could get it up if I wanted to." Wriothesley laughed.
"I'm not sure if this information would help or hinder your feelings but I'd like to share it with you." Neuvillette smiled. Wriothesley tilted his head to the side in curiosity. "When I am intimate with both Navia and Clorinde… I am often still the bottom…"
"Wait really? I thought you fucked them." Wriothesley asked.
"I do occasionally, mostly with just Navia. But when its all three of us… usually Clorinde fucks me…" Neuvillette explained. "They're more than willing to be intimate any way YOU feel comfortable with. And I will be there as well if you'd like me to be."
"Did you just suggest a foursome between us all?" Wriothesley blinked.
"Well yes… it's been brought up several times before." Neuvillette chuckled. "It doesn't need to happen soon, or ever if you do not wish it to."
"BOYS DINNERS HERE!" Navia yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
Neuvillette helped Wriothesley out of bed. He pressed one more kiss to his lips before heading downstairs. The girls had the kitchen all set up for dinner. Neuvillette and Navia talked about their day, their partners more than happy to listen. Both detectives felt exhausted from their mission and long work day and unfortunately, tomorrow was going to be another long one.
The pairs went to bed shortly after dinner. Clorinde fell asleep shortly after laying her head on the pillow. Navia was just happy to have her wife back in bed with her. Wriothesley laid down shortly after they returned upstairs. He closed his eyes until he felt the weight of his partner sitting on his side of the bed. With the knowledge his husband was beside him (probably reading his novel) he could sleep peacefully.
Wriothesley woke up in the early morning with a groan. The sun had barely begun to rise but he needed to be up and getting ready for work. Thankfully his day off was tomorrow and he could spend the day sleeping and relaxing. Maybe doing some errands or working out.
He quickly showered and got ready in the bathroom for his work day while his partner slept. He ran a hand over his face. Wriothesley had to stop shaving for now… it would help with his undercover. He looked like a totally different person with facial hair after all. Hopefully none of his partners minded the change for a few days.
Neuvillette woke up when he felt Wriothesley sit on the edge of the bed. He heard the sound of him tying his boots and strapping the armor into place. He wasn't sure why his partner insisted on such impractical footwear… it was truly beyond him.
Neuvillette reached out and ran a soft hand down his husband's back. The other peaked over his shoulder and quietly apologized for waking him up. After all, Neuvillette didn't work for another two hours.
"You look divine in your work attire…" Neuvillette murmured softly. "You emit the powerful presence and grace of Fontaines finest, truly my love."
"You flatterer." Wriothesley turned around and kissed his husband softly. "I'm not in the office today so I will see you when you come home later. Maybe we can go on a date or something if you're up for it."
"I'd love to… I will try not to work too late then." Neuvillette smiled sleepily. "I love you Wriothesley."
"I love you more, Neuvillette." Wriothesley pressed another kiss to the sleepy man's lips before heading out of the room, throwing his jacket over his shoulder as he did.
Clorinde was downstairs already, making coffee for the both of them. She had on her full uniform today, a short black skirt with nylon tights underneath. Her white button up blouse was encased by a black vest with gold buttons. Like Wriothesley, she had a jacket hanging from her shoulders mirroring a cape. Her hair was always pulled back into a low ponytail for work.
She pressed the travel cup of coffee into his hands and quickly stole a kiss, the man blinking in surprise. They talked for a few moments before heading to the car, going straight to the office to trade their personal car for the undercover vehicle they used. Chevreuse was already waiting by their undercover squad car when they arrived.
Their first stop was the general hospital. They wanted to check on how the victims were doing and see if anyone remembered anything. Wriothesley started talking with the doctor and detective that stayed overnight with the girls. Chevreuse and Clorinde began to interview the victims one at a time. With it being early still, some were still fast asleep. They had no interest in interrupting their sleep and healing process. They would get answers eventually anyway.
Once Wriothesley had confirmed with the doctor in charge of their care that all would be fine in due time physically, he felt relief wash over him. The doctor had no idea what the drug was… it didn't show up on any tox-screen or blood work. Likely something the doctor concocted himself.
They all had lacerations on their wrists and ankles from being bound. They were dehydrated and malnourished, likely being in that room for a few days. They would definitely have some mental trauma to work through but everything else would heal well over time.
Wriothesley entered one of the victims rooms with a soft knock. She was sitting up in her bed, watching the new morning sun that had just risen. When she turned to the doorway, she gave a small smile, recognizing the man in the entryway.
"Good morning." Wriothesley said softly. "I'm captain Wriothesley… I'm a part of the special forces in the Fontaine police. May I come in?"
"Yes of course… You were the one that found us right?" The young girl asked.
"I am. How are you feeling?" Wriothesley asked as he took a seat by her bedside.
"Better now that I can move again. The doctor said I should be able to go home this afternoon." She smiled softly.
"That's wonderful news." Wriothesley smiled back at her. "Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions? Anything you don't know the answer to or do not feel comfortable answering is perfectly fine. You're safe here."
"Ask away. I will do my best to answer."
"Do you remember how you got there?" He asked.
"No… I was walking home from my job. I work at a cafe late at night… when I was walking home I felt uneasy. Close to my condo I heard footsteps rushing up behind me then my world went black. I woke up some time later and couldn't move at all." She sighed.
"Did anyone come in and check on you while you were hidden in that room? Did you hear them say anything?"
"A man would come in and inject us with something. I'm assuming it was what knocked me out or paralyzed me. I didn't hear anything… If I'm honest I barely registered with you talking to me when you found us. Words sounded… blurry… I know that doesn't make sense at all but that's the only way I can describe it."
"I totally understand." Wriothesley pulled out four photos from a folder in his lap. One of each man they arrested and one of the chef. "Were any of these men the one who came in and injected you?"
"This one." The girl pointed to the head honcho, Deakin.
"Yeah that checks out." Wriothesley mumbled under his breath. "Don't worry… these men are behind bars now and cannot hurt you. One of my detectives is going to be escorting you home when the doctor gives you clearance. I'd like you to take this as well." He handed him a card with his, Clorinde, and Chevreuse's direct work cell phone numbers. "If you have anything you remember, need help or just need to talk please reach out to us. It doesn't matter if it pertains to this case or another. We are here to help."
"Thank you officer." The girl smiled fondly. "I honestly never thought the police force was this kind."
"I will be honest with you. I've been where you are before." Wriothesley smiled weakly. "My team is here to help anyway we can. I really hope you heal soon and if you need resources for help, don't hesitate to reach out as well."
Wriothesley said his farewells and met his team at the nurses station. The girls had already finished the interviews with the awake victims. A new detective arrived to relieve the night watchman. They would finish the remaining interviews. For now, the special forces team had to move out to the research institution.
After a long drive into the mountains, they arrived at a huge warehouse-like building. They parked and entered the lobby area to check in. Of course, the researcher in charge of their weapons was already waiting to take them back. The researcher made sure all weapons fit their holder appropriately and showed them how they functioned. From that day on, they would have access to them.
These weapons came at a high price. They were truly for emergencies only, a last resort. Only Wriothesley could lift their restriction in combat. They had trained since the academy in a special program to use these tools. They had to pass physical and mental exams to earn this privilege. As of right now, they were the test dummy soldiers for Fontaine. It was fine with all three of them… they wanted to use the opportunity to do good in the world.
For Chevreuse, she had a specialty sniper rifle. After all, she was the best sniper in the entire country. Her new rifle was able to use fire rounds, able to create bursting rounds as well. But with that, her price was often getting burns and overheating. It was stressful for her nervous system.
For Clorinde, she had a specialty pistol. Her role on the team was a dualist, able to take accurate and quick shots up close. Her weapon shot electro bullets that could stun or be fatal. She was also able to move much faster with restrictions off, a special pair of boots to be thanked for that. However, her price was increased heart rate to the point of exhaustion and potentially a heart attack. It could easily cause muscle spasms and pain as well.
For Wriothesley, he had a specialty pair of boxing gloves. They were large and bulky, weighing almost 50 pounds a piece. It was nothing to him however. They also had the power of cryo, able to freeze large areas at a time. The cost however was high. They were like a second skin on his arms. The gears inside could become hot or the cryo chamber may become too cold, causing either burns or frostbite. They were practically indestructible but the impact would still hurt and injure him as well.
This is why they were the only team who had these tools of justice. They were the only ones who could physically handle it. No one else had passed the institution's tests until then. They wore it as a badge of honor, however, Wriothesley knew he could only revoke their restrictions in battle in emergencies only. Until then, they had their blades and guns to help them carry out the justice they needed.
Neuvillette returned from work early that evening, humming happily as he returned home. He didn't see any of his partners when he entered the house, which was odd. He entered the study, assuming that's where his partner was doing paperwork. He had assumed correctly.
Wriothesley was fast asleep at his desk, drooling slightly on the dark wood. Neuvillette held back a laugh when he saw his husband. Poor man was exhausted enough to sleep slumped over a hard desk. He left the man to sleep for a few more minutes.
He went up to their bedroom, changing out of his stuffy work clothes into someone more comfortable. He passed Clorinde when he came out of the bedroom. He asked if they had been home long. She confirmed they arrived home in the early afternoon. Wriothesley had worked hard that day, likely why he passed out.
"Wriothesley…" Neuvillette whispered in his partner's ear, trying to rouse him out of sleep slowly. The other man curled tighter into himself instead of waking up. Neuvillette chuckled softly before kissing his partner's cheek softly. "Come on darling… let's get you to bed. You've worked hard for the past two days."
Wriothesley grumbled as he woke up but got up from his desk. The light haired man escorted him upstairs to their bedroom. The dark haired man quickly stripped out of his work outfit and settled into bed with only his boxers on. Wriothesley quickly passed out for the evening again.
He woke up the next morning groggily. Did he really have to leave dream land? Oh nevermind, his partner next to him was much better than dreamland. Neuvillette was still fast asleep, unaware of his partner's movement. He looked so innocent when he was asleep, so pure. How did such an angelic man end up with an ex-convict like Wriothesley?
Wriothesley leaned down and kissed the sleeping man. He would do just about anything for him. He couldn't believe this was his husband. He knew teenage Wriothesley would be proud that he snagged such a prize of a man.
"I love you so much." Wriothesley whispered as he curled up into the side of his sleeping partner. "You are truly the best thing to ever happen to me."
"Love you more…" Neuvillette mumbled softly.