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Riddle never celebrated Christmas in his home. His mother would call the holiday useless, she called all holidays besides mothers day useless. It wasn’t like Riddle cared all that much anymore, it was also common knowledge that Riddle’s childhood wasn’t a good one. He’d have constant reminders ranging from the sight of seeing his overblot in the mirror or Trey’s constant worries. This Christmas wasn’t going to be too different from what he’s used to at home, maybe a few decorations placed by the dorm members but that would be it. His attention got pulled to a rustling outside of his door.
The housewarden’s curiosity was piqued by this. Riddle stood up from his desk where he was planning the next unbirthday and walked over to the door to open it. To his surprise, it wasn’t a freshman causing usual problems but an orange haired junior.
“Cater! What are you doing?” Riddle exclaimed
“Just adding mistletoe! It’s all the rave currently.” He responded back almost as if he'd explained it a million times.
Riddle’s eyes rolled “I do not understand the point. You know it’s forbidden to bring in any foreign visitors let alone girls.”
“Cmonn Riddle! Don’t be a party pooper.!!”
“If your definition of ‘party pooper’ is respecting school rules then so be it.”
Cater sighed, defeated “But it doesn’t even have to be a girl! There must be someone in your iced over heart.”
“Iced over heart?!” Riddle’s face slowly turned red from anger.
“Calm down Riddle, it was just a joke!” Cater giggled and pulled out his phone taking a picture of the mistletoe placed above Riddle’s door “Alright thanksies!” Cater started walking away muttering the hashtags and captions he was going to put on his posts.
“What a nuisance..” Riddle grumbled and sat back at his desk.
‘Someone in his heart’. Those words circled around Riddle’s brain. It wasn’t like he didn’t feel romance, however thinking about it would cause Riddle to feel sick. There would be a fluttering feeling starting from his stomach then making its way to the chest. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant, quite the opposite, but he felt so bad. His mother said that he had to be at least 20 to start dating, once he reached 20 his mother would probably start looking for a fiance to arrange a marriage with for Riddle.
He didn’t even want a wife, he didn’t want a girl at all. When Riddle thought of someone he liked, he’d imagine a soft spoken boy with lavender hair and the brightest blue eyes. Whenever thoughts of him would infest his brain, Riddle always tried distracting himself. In all honesty the redhead was embarrassed. Quite a few guys at Night Raven College had a crush on Epel considering how feminine he looked but that wasn’t what Riddle was fond of. He loved Epel’s passion, how he’d accidently slip up and speak in his hometown dialect when getting excited, in Riddle’s mind Epel was the fairest one of all.
…
The sun was already setting as Riddle was still lost in his head, he was thinking of the possibilities of that one piece of mistletoe. His train of thought was cut off by the sound of a familiar knock. Turned his head then stood up, going to open the door, standing a good distance away from the piece of the wretched mistletoe.
“Trey, perfect timing, I was about send you some documents that need to be sent to Pome-”
Trey cleared his throat, stopping Riddle’s flood of words. “I can’t, I have to go back to the Queendom.”
“WHAT?!” Riddle’s face grew a quick red.
“I’m sorry Riddle, my family’s bakery is getting swamped with customers.”
The redhead sighed, the red from his face going back to his pale peach skin tone.
“I’ll be back before January, I promise.” Trey patted Riddle’s head reassuringly.
“Alright, I would’ve appreciated an advanced notice, however considering how much you’ve done as the vice housewarden of Heartslabyul I will allow it to go with a simple warning.” Riddle focused on breaths that would calm him.
“Thank you Riddle, Happy Christmas.” Trey smiled and walked out. Riddle pursed his lips slightly.
His eyes looked at a special invitation, it wasn’t to an unbirthday or a christmas party but more of a date. The letter envelope has small roses covering that shone gold in a certain lighting, besides that, the envelope was a light pink color with a red wax seal with the Heartslabyul crest stamped into the wax. Riddle picked up the letter and a few documents and started heading his way to Pomefiore, placing the letter in the arm part of his glove.
…
Riddle made his way to Pomefiore, admiring the accents of purple. Pomefiore and Heartslabyul are both honoring Queens, there is a natural kinship between the two dorms. Riddle tried to ignore the stares and whispers of the other Pomefiore student and to just try to find Vil. He mindlessly walked down the hallways of the dorm until he saw a figure that looked blurred purple running past him. Riddle turned around, to his dismay the figure was gone. Riddle decided to check where the figure came from and knocked on the door.
“Hello?” Naturally, it was Vil.
“Vil, just who I was looking for.” Riddle held out a few documents for Vil “Here you go.”
Vil took the documents and skimmed over them and nodded “Thank you.”
Riddle waved, accidentally causing the letter to fall from his glove, his face growing full of an embarrassed flushed “a-apologies..” Riddle mumbled and hastily placed the letter back in his glove.
“Is that for anyone in particular?” Vil smirked deviously, as if he was mocking the message form of a letter.
Riddle huffed “Nothing of your concern.”
All Vil’s response was just a small laugh and a closed door. After Vil’s door shut there was another shortly after. Riddle’s eyes widened as he saw a small glisten of lavender hair. He quickly knocked on the door, waiting for a response that never came. He knocked again, causing the door to creek open.
“Yes?” Epel’s head peeked out of the door, his eyes glistening with a layer of water over them.
“Oh great seven, are you alright?” Riddle extended his arm, quickly getting it swat away.
“Just leave me alone..!” Epel raised his voice, his face having tears running down it.
“I will only after I give you this.” Riddle took out the letter and handed it to Epel. The younger male looked at it curiously then opened it by tearing the envelope apart, which made Riddle chuckle softly.
“A letter..” Epel gazed over it, his face growing red slowly. After reading the letter over, Epel looked up, his face covered in a blush.
“Well.. Do you accept it?” Riddle looked away sheepishly.
Epel looked around in the hallways then pulled Riddle into the room, closing the door.
“I do..I do!” Epel’s face dawned a smiled “I-I was about to invite you to a date as well..” Epel looked down at the ground. Riddle’s eyes wandered around Epel’s room, his eyes gazed up to find a small green plant hanging over them.
“Another mistletoe?” Riddle mumbled under a breath.
“Oh.. that..” Epel looked up at Riddle, the redhead gazing back softly. “We don’t have to follow that tradition, I dunno why Rook placed it.”
Riddle shook his head and held Epel’s chin with his pointer finger and his thumb. Riddle’s thumb grazed over Epel’s lower lip before a small kiss was placed upon them. Epel’s eyes widened then slowly closed. Both the boys' hearts were fluttering out of their chests it seemed. Riddle slowly pulled away, creaking his eyes open slightly then closed them again to place another kiss on Epel’s lips.
Finally, the two both pulled away, looking at each other with love filled eyes. The silence comforted the two. Epel pulled Riddle into a tight hug, his eyes flooding with more tears.
Riddle tilted up Epel’s face and wiped off the tears “Please, don’t cry. The kiss wasn’t so bad was it?” Riddle chuckled softly.
“No, I loved it..it was perfect.” Epel’s eyes stopped the tears gradually, looking back into Riddle’s eyes.
Riddle’s eyebrow raised “Tears of joy..?”
Epel nodded as a response then cupped Riddle’s face. Pulling him back into the kiss.