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Riddle wasn’t someone who really thought about romance.
At all.
That’s why he found this game he had fallen into with Cater trying to ‘guess his crush’ was absolutely ridiculous.
Really, it was.
“There’s nobody to guess, Cater!”
Cater hummed placatingly, “Alright!”
Riddle glared, “You don’t believe me. Why is it so hard to believe I have no current interest in romance?”
Cater smiled, “Because when I asked you turned red and dodged the question, Riri!“
“Because it’s an inappropriate thing to ask your housewarden!” Riddle huffed.
“Oh come on, Riddle! I know there’s someone!”
There wasn’t.
Riddle decided to try and ignore Cater, looking at his book and trying to read it.
“Who is it? Trey? Ace?” Riddle snapped his head up, appalled at the mere suggestion.
“Geez! That’s a reaction!”
“What are we discussing? I heard my name.” Trey walked into the lounge with a tray of tea.
Cater grinned looking up at Trey, “Hey, Trey-Trey! I’m just trying to guess Riddle’s crush.” He winked and Riddle glared harder.
“And you guessed me?” Trey made a strange face at that (If Riddle had been interested in Trey [to clarify he definitely was not, Trey was a dear friend but not anyone he’d be romantically interested in], he might’ve lost all hope in such a pursuit at that expression right there- then again, The same would probably be the case vise verse for the face Riddle had made at the suggestion). He then turned to Riddle and spoke again, “I hadn’t even realized you liked someone.”
Riddle made a loud put out noise, “I don’t, he’s just harassing me over it!”
Cater laughed and Trey smiled a bit and shook his head, “Cater don’t rile him up.”
Cater waved his hand dismissively, “It’s just a bit of fun, ooh! What about Silver! You’re in a club with him and he’s totes cute!”
Riddle raised an eyebrow, “I have no romantic interest in Silver, but I’ll let him know you find him ‘totes cute’, Cater.”
“Hmmm, I don’t think it’s Sebek, he’s too loud of a person for you… Kalim?”
Riddle rolled his eyes, “Kalim is a perfectly nice person but I don’t plan to pursue him any time soon. Besides, if I remember correctly, Kalim actually does have an interest in Silver.”
“Wait really? Aw, they’d def be on top of the relationshipgoals hashtag if they got together!” Cater could imagine it now.
Trey cut in, “What about Epel? He seems your type.”
Riddle raised an eyebrow, “How exactly is Epel my type?”
“Determined, passionate, decent grades, respectful, good with animals-“ Trey started listing.
“He’s also pretty cute and soft- don’t tell him I said that- and while you may try to deny it, we’ve both seen the amount of pillows on your bed Riddle, we know you like soft things.” Cater cut in.
“That too- plus he’s been hanging around you a bit more recently hasn’t he?” Trey finished.
Riddle rolled his eyes, “He stays around me because he wants to hide from Vil and thinks that I will be able to keep Vil off his back if he sticks around me- also just because I like soft things doesn’t mean that translates into my romantic interests, I could like muscles and rough people for all you know.”
Cater and Trey made eye contact before looking back at him, “Is it Jack?”
“It is not Jack! I gave a random description! I’m not interested in anyone!” Riddle huffed as he shut his book.
“Woah! Why’s Riddle ‘bouta chip his teacup?” Ace spoke as he and Deuce walked into the room.
“Cater’s trying to guess who Riddle has a crush on.”
“Trey’s helping too!”
“It’s nobody! I don’t have one!!”
Ace grinned and sat down, Deuce watching from his position standing, “I’m down with this, Y’all guess Azul yet?”
Riddle’s eyes widened, “And why would I like Azul?!”
“Sometimes you’re guys’ bickering starts sounding homoerotic, I won’t lie to ya’ housewarden.” Trey started choking on his tea at Ace’s words.
Riddle’s eye twitched, “I will collar you.”
Cater laughed and Deuce snickered.
“Oh! While we’re talking about Octavinelle, What about Floyd or Jade?” Cater looked at Riddle expectantly.
Riddle shivered, “The thought of them fills me with dread.”
The others laughed a bit more.
Deuce seemed to be thinking hard while Cater and Ace continued their barrage:
“Idia?”
“90% of our conversation has been him inadvertently insulting me in the process of insulting himself. Hard pass.”
“Maybe Vil? He helped you a lot while you were just starting as a housewarden, no?”
“No, I’ll have to say no on that, and even if I did like Vil, the concept of having to deal with Rook daily definitely would not encourage those feelings.”
“Oh! What about Yuu?”
“Hasn’t Yuu been trying to ask out Sebek for the past week?” Cater asked.
“That’s what they’re doing?!” Ace turned to Cater.
“I thought they were!”
Riddle sighed, “Regardless, no I don’t have a romantic interest in Yuu.”
“Jamil?”
“Definitely not.” Riddle answered quickly, not that he didn’t like Jamil but the boy was far too pessimistic and focused on consequences and status for Riddle.
“What about Ruggie?” Deuce asked suddenly and Riddle froze along with the rest of the boys in the room.
“Ruggie? Really Deuce?” Ace asked.
“What?! He’s nice enough! Plus he’s reliable and he likes Animals like Riddle does!” Deuce defended.
Ruggie was always very gentle with animals, and he usually was kind to his underclassmen- even when they tended to cause trouble for him (Riddle had needed up hearing about the mandrake incident with Ace). He had good grades and was athletic but not especially muscly.
He also had a very attractive smile, if Riddle was honest.
And Riddle supposed he was attractive in an objective way.
Not that he would be interested in him though.
“No offense Deucey, but you’re pretty dense if you think Riddle would be interested in Ruggie.” Cater laughed little.
“Honestly, Ruggie ain’t up his alley at all.” Ace shook his head at him.
“But he’s pretty nice to Riddle, ain't he? Like didn’t he help out when the hedgehogs got loose last week and one got lost in the dorm? He calmed Riddle down and everything before finding him for us!”
He had done that, Riddle remembered how worried he had been for Piccolo (affectionately named by a since graduated student), and Ruggie had sat him down on the couch and gave him tea before finding the little hedgehog only ten minutes later and bringing it to Riddle.
Riddle vaguely remembered the way a few students had made nervous comments about how Riddle was turning red again and how he was gonna get angry again as Ruggie had approached him with the little pink hedgehog curled up against his chest. He remembered the way his chest had twisted in what he thought was relief at the time.
“Sure but he didn’t do that for Riddle! He did that because we promised to pay for his next meal!” Ace argued.
It’s not like Riddle had been expecting him to do it with no compensation, he wasn’t part of Riddle’s dorm after all. He was willing to pay for a simple meal for help- in fact he had been expecting a larger compensation in all honesty, since in those panicked moments Riddle would’ve been willing to pay for much more than a single meal.
But he looked Riddle in the eyes and saw his anxiety and agreed to help with the single condition that Riddle pay for a meal.
Then there was that time in first year that Ruggie had helped him with one of the gym exercises even though he wouldn’t have gotten anything from doing that.
And earlier in the year when he woke up at Scarabia at what was meant to be a study session with Ruggie, Silver, and Kalim with Ruggie’s arm thrown over Riddle’s waist from moving around in their sleep.
But those situations hadn’t meant anything.
Had they?
It’s not like Riddle thinks about Ruggie a lot- even though the boy's laugh got stuck in his head, and Riddle had caught himself wondering how long it would take to count all the freckles on the others face a few times…
By the Queen…
Riddle… he liked… he-
“Yeah but still! It’s not like idia was a better guess!” Deuce glared.
Riddle looked at the four and noticed how Cater had been staring at him while Trey tried to calm down the other two.
‘You-‘ Cater mouthed at Riddle with wide eyes.
Riddle’s face exploded into red.
“Enough on this! All of your guesses are ridiculous as I’m not interested in anyone! If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll study elsewhere.” Riddle collected his other books and tucked them under his arms as he rushed out of the lounge to head to his room.
~~
“Sooo… Ruggie, Huh?”
Riddle’s face went scarlet as he looked up at Carter who stood in the doorways
“If you’re going to talk about it, get in here and close the door! I don’t want people hearing you!” Riddle hissed at him and Cater complied, walking over to Riddle’s bed where he was sitting.
“Seriously though, didn't expect it to be Ruggie.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Cater raised his hands in surrender, “Woah! Didn’t mean that in a bad way, calm down, Riddle!”
Riddle sighed and tried to relax, looking back at Cater, “So what if I like Ruggie? I don’t even see how this was any of your business in the first place.”
Cater laughed a little guiltily, “Yeah? Sorry. If I had known you actually were interested in someone I wouldn’t have teased that far.”
Riddle huffed, “Yeah, I didn’t really know either…”
“Really? You mean Deuce’s comment is what made you realize?” Cater tilted his head, “Ace is gonna be #salty about that.”
Riddle shot him a look, “You better not tell them about this.”
Cater shook his head, “Of course not, those two aren’t the best secret keepers yk?”
Riddle nodded, “Right…”
“So what’s the plan?” Cater leaned close to him.
“What plan?” Riddle raised an eyebrow.
“The plan to ask him out, ofc!”
Riddle snorted softly, as if, “There isn’t one.”
Riddle looked back down at the book in his lap and Cater made a horrified sound, “Riddle! You have to ask him out!”
Riddle rolled his eyes, “Why would I have to ask him out? You and Ace started laughing at the possibility of us in a relationship, do you honestly think asking him out could end in anything but rejection?”
Cater frowned, “Sure it can.”
Riddle scoffed and turned a page in his book.
“C’mon, it wasn’t like we thought Ruggie couldn’t like you, Riddle, it’s just that you’re kinda prim and proper in comparison to a known rule breaker like Ruggie.” Riddle twisted his face a bit as he tried to ignore Cater.
“Riddle, we’re in highschool, everyone here has had a crush on someone that they think it never would work with, but that doesn’t mean those relationships don’t work- c’mon b.” Cater moved to sit next to Riddle on the bed.
Riddle shook his head, “We’re in highschool, 95% of relationships don’t work out.”
Cater pouted, “Are you really not gonna try? Cause not trying has an 100% chance of not working out.”
Riddle gave him a look, “Why are you pushing on this?”
Cater laughed a little, “Cuz I wish for your happiness, housewarden, obvi.”
Riddle closed his book and set it to the side, “Fine, explain why it’s a good idea to ask Ruggie out, Cater, since you’re so determined to insert your opinions into my love life.”
Cater smiled, “First off, hashtag power couple, second, you’re not gonna get anywhere if you sit around and don’t ask, third, Riri dating is a part of life, and you know avoiding any concept of that will only make it harder later on in life.”
“You want me to ask out Ruggie for life experience?”
“No! Def do not do it for that!” Cater shook his head and waved his hands in front of his face, “I mean… You’re seventeen, Riri, and you have a crush on an objectively good guy - def not my type but whatevs, not my place to judge - and you’re saying that on the chance that he would say no, you don’t want to make any attempt to enter a relationship with him. That’s not a good mindset to have, Riddle- like, if you don’t do this then what’s to say about any other people you might be interested in? Will you also let them go by without trying? I’m not saying use him as life experience like never do that to a person, only enter a relationship if you like the person, but… if you never try with anyone how are you supposed to end up with anyone?”
Riddle was quiet for a few moments, “There were definitely points you could’ve worded that better.”
“Yeah, I know.” Cater laughed awkwardly, “But you know what I mean right?”
“I’ll… think about it.”
Cater grinned, “Let me know if you choose to go for it, Kay? I want all the deets when it happens.”
“Yeah, I’ll keep you updated…”
~~
“Pst, Riddle.”
Riddle looked at Ruggie who interrupted his focus, his face went a little red looking at the other.
“Talking is prohibited during class, Ruggie.” Riddle scolded, hoping his redness would be brushed off as anger.
Ruggie grinned, “Yeah, sorry; Just need a pencil, mine’s outta led, ya mind?”
Riddle pursed his lips and reached into his bag, finding a small container of mechanical pencil led, “What size led does your pencil use.”
“Uh.. 0.5?”
Riddle nodded, he had the same size, he pulled out a piece of led and handed it to him, “There, so you don’t have to worry about returning anything.”
Ruggie smiled, “Thanks, knew I could count on ya.”
Riddle turned red again and turned away from the hyena, focusing on the lecture and praying for his ears to stop burning.
His heartbeat was a bit faster than usual, had such a simple interaction really caused such a reaction?
‘knew I could count on ya.’
Oh great, Riddle really was undeniably crushing on Ruggie.
And of all ways he figured it out because of Deuce.