Chapter Text
With the wind whipping around him, and the galloping of Vorpal’s hooves across the rough terrain, Riddle used the silence to think back on Ace’s odd behavior earlier. He was sure that it was genuine surprise in the change of his hair’s length that brought that comment and consecutive teasing, but he noticed that the other’s face was slightly redder than usual. He initially chalked it up as him being overwhelmed in collecting their goods with a shorter time constraint, but the very subtle eyes boring through his entire ensemble erased that thought.
For a while now, Riddle would feel a set of familiar eyes following him around the campus, and would feel some comfort in knowing it was the first year who he had familiarized himself with in recent months. Seeing him even today provided some sense of ease in his stressful situation. The darts he had passed over to them let him really think about why he wasn’t offended at the other’s stare, he even felt as if he was flattered when he saw Ace’s cheeks redden with embarrassment when he broke him out of his stupor. Something about seeing Ace flustered always brought him a sense of joy when it was him specifically calling him out, eventually catching on that he was the reason for the other’s sudden loss of voice.
I really don’t mind his affection towards me, he’s incredibly endearing in his own rights.
He recalled the nights where Cater would tease him over the development of their relationship going from a soldier and queen, to one where they felt more like they had treated each other as equals. He had initially denied it, saying that it was more because he wanted to become good friends with him due to his involvement in opening up with Trey and everyone else, but once Cater opened up his camera roll and showed him a picture of the two being surrounded by hedgehogs in the rose garden, he knew that there was no real point in denying the truth he tried to ignore for weeks.
I’m in love with Ace-
No need to think this through, it was better to complete the mission now than worry over future concerns, the time was ticking. With the clock ticking by, he clicked his tongue.
“Alright Vorpal, I just need one more push and we’ll reach the pier!” Riddle steeled his nerves, and felt the muscles of his jaw clench.
—
Releasing the lanterns into the sky felt cathartic to say the least, he felt as if he had let his past concerns over his mother float away. He still felt as if she was right in her method of raising him, how else would he have been able to pull this off if it weren’t for her rigorous involvement in his academics.
“She was basically a monster! No friends! No study breaks?! Not even a slice of cake for all your efforts?! You can’t call that good parenting!” Ace yelled at him in the middle of the rose garden, all scratched up by the tree branches that sliced through his dorm uniform and face. Battered and bloody, he continued to call her wrong and Riddle basically a doll to her whims.
He shook his head at the memory of their fight back then and remembered how long it took him to digest the truth in Ace’s words. He knew that she was manipulative and he was basically her trophy to outsiders in the upper class she would associate herself with. It hurt, it would always leave a scar in his heart knowing how much of his life was controlled by her, but he could finally voice his discontent now outside of his house and with his friends from Heartslabyul. He hadn’t ever expected that shift in dynamics, but in one way, he was once again grateful for his mother in causing his overblot, because if it weren’t for Ace, Deuce, Trey, and Cater fighting him in that unbirthday party, he wouldn’t have been here today surrounded by the lanterns they helped in crafting.
As he stared up into the sky, the soft glow of the lanterns he released reflected in his eyes, he could only think back on Trey admitting how much Ace was concerned over him being trapped in the library. He would read the text as he sailed further into the sea a few minutes ago, and thought that it would be a shame to leave his first year by himself just because he chose not to jump outside the library’s window just because he wouldn’t want to break another arbitrary rule he set up for himself.
A soft laugh escaped his lips as he remembered his worry, “I guess he really is a bad influence on me.” With one more glance at the sky, he lifted up the last lantern and noticed some shoddy drawing on the corner of the frame and laughed with his whole chest as he realized it was supposed to be an ace of hearts. He must have been so worried to finish this on time. WIth renewed vigor, he began his trek to land and returned to Vorpal with a new goal in mind.
“Let’s save my princess from his worries alright?” He pet the horse’s mane and received a whinny in response. Smiling to himself, he climbed back onto his back once again and led the other back through the forest’s shortcut Deuce mentioned, and sped up knowing he would finally have an answer to Ace’s.
—
“Riddle please marry me.” Ace slipped out from between his lips, with shock in his expression, and shaking hands by his sides.
Well, he hadn’t expected this. He might have imagined coming back to meet up with everyone else at the entrance of Night Raven with excitement in their voices, and maybe Ace bringing out another one-liner like usual, but this was new. For some reason he was on the floor on his knees and looking at Riddle reverently as he rode on Vorpal. He felt his face redden rapidly at the pure admiration directed at him from Ace’s red eyes, their twinkling making him feel more seen than usual. He wished there was another way this could have played out, maybe ending back in their dorm and cutting his hair in silence while catching up with Ace, Cater, and Trey with their afternoon tea. He should have known that he should only expect spontaneity from this dorm’s students, so Ace’s comment of course aligned with that.
Trying to recollect himself, Riddle brushed off the leaves he had collected from the forest’s low branches and slowly climbed off of Vorpal to walk in front of Ace. He kneeled on one knee, and placed his hand underneath Ace’s chin and giggled when he saw that those same red eyes he was thinking about earlier widened in surprise as he felt Riddle’s hand tilt the redhead’s line of sight to his. He got to see his lips wobble into an uncertain smile before blurting out his confession to him, and he was internally screaming for how sudden it was, wishing it would have been better to do it behind closed doors and in his dorm room. Once again, this first year continued to keep him on his toes, but he wouldn’t have it any other way at this point.
Any weaker man would have immediately folded under his charms, but I’ll play along for the long haul.
“Well I know we’ve skipped a few steps in this but since we’re still scholars under the guidance of this institution, you’ll have to hold your word for a while longer. Until then, I’ll be glad to be your fiancé and we can talk about this in the future. I’ll be in your care.” He whispered to Ace, eyes softening as he saw the other’s embarrassment slowly morph into wonder as he took his words seriously and offered a genuine answer back. He kissed the back of Ace’s hand and relished the squeak he let out, laughing as he went on to hug him and tightened his hold when he felt the younger shake in his arms.
A camera snap broke the two out of their little world and remembered that they were still in public. A low whistle from the person who took the picture resounded in the silence and then a bubbly voice perked up, “So I take it that all’s well that ends well right?~” Ah right, Ace must have come with the rest of their group to check up on him, so of course Cater would take advantage of that. He had already taken a picture of the reenactment group, but leave it to him to try and take another candid shot of his favorite underclassmen embracing each other.
With his body still towards the ground, he leaned more into Ace’s shoulder and turned to see Cater who had his phone in one hand a peace sign in the other. Well, might as well ask him for an unusual favor.
“Cater… I would usually tell you to respect our privacy, but I think this calls for a more grandiose situation due to it being a… proposal of sorts. You know what to do right?” With another tilt to his head, he directed his head to Cater’s phone and saw the other’s teasing grin slowly widen up and gape like a goldfish.
Leave it to me to call his bluff, but it might just be the thing to break me free from her repressive control. As he thought this, he felt Ace nuzzle into his hair and openly whine over how pretty his housewarden had become today, “ You’re even cooler than usual on your horse, man I wish I could burn that in my brain” He could only laugh at how endearing he was acting as Ace babbled into his shoulder and tremble in excitement.
I’ve still got a long road ahead of me, but I wouldn’t mind it if I was by his side.
—
Hushed whispers around the school’s hallways were the usual at this point. As to be expected with mages from all over the world coming and crossing roads with others who would claim they held much more potential. Now though, were the voices in absolute awe over the recent pictures Cater has posted on Magicam of Kalim, Deuce, Jack, and Riddle in lavish clothes and longer hair, but the buzz was generated from the later pictures of Ace and Riddle holding hands and having matching smiles on their face, as well as the post mentioning their engagement. Their closer circle of friends finally got to let out their grievances over the two and their endless flirting finally paid fruition, while also celebrating their union in the comments section. Students flocked like moths to a flame once Malleus threw his own comment saying how he would love to attend their wedding in the future. All hell broke loose when Riddle, who rarely used his own account, responded and said he would be glad to send him his invitation personally when the time came.
In the school, they somehow became the topic of conversation for weeks, some teasing remarks from his classmates were the usual, but other genuine congratulations slipped through. He had pinched himself the first few times to remember that it wasn’t just a dream then, but as he would walk out of his recent lecture, and see Ace pick himself off the ground and offer his hand to the other, he could only hold it back and squeeze it in response.
Hearing their footsteps walk in sync made him remember that this was the boy who had gone and stole his heart without him realizing it.
“So I heard you were in charge of the hedgehogs today, I hope they weren’t causing you any issues this time around?” Riddle thought aloud, feeling Ace’s swing of his arm slightly stiffen at the sudden conversation. “Hmm, not really? They seemed to really like my company today, but they were begging for their dad today.” Ace said, a hint of playfulness laced in his voice.
“Well they had their mother so I don’t know why they’d need me to supervise you…” Riddle looked off to the side, holding back the laughter in the back of his throat. He heard a sputter from Ace, and had to release his first snort at the younger trying to deny that claim, but could also tell he was smiling while complaining back. His voice felt so clear to his ears, the genuine joy in being able to banter with Riddle about their make believe family somehow was also somehow able to make him hope that they could have more times like this.
“Ace, I love you.” He spoke without hesitation, giving the other a blinding smile and receiving a firm squeeze of his hand.
“Augh you- you can’t just say that to me out of nowhere! Let’s hurry up and go back to the dorm-” He felt his hand begin to be pulled even harder as Ace tried to speedwalk to the mirror room, feeling his heartbeat hammer in his chest. How easy it was to speak your feelings out, seeing your lover respond immediately. These were all firsts for him, but they still made him feel so cherished all the same. He could only keep his pace with Ace because he wouldn’t want to verbally admit how much he’d be looking forward to his “payback”.
Sometimes words aren’t enough to express my gratitude for you, thank you for giving me that first push to discover myself.
Laughter filled the halls as the two eventually ran without a care in the world, the rules can be ignored for now if he was having fun just living in this moment with Ace by his side.