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Riddle would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous as he stood behind the Heartslabyul housewarden at orientation. Not that he showed it outwardly, of course, it was imperative that he not make a bad impression during this orientation. It was best to appear calm and collected when approaching a new situation.
He kept his expression schooled as he observed his new dormmates throughout the ceremony. He could immediately tell that some of them would be troublemakers, rule breakers. They talked far louder than was appropriate for such a momentous occasion, not the mention the very obvious sounds of horseplaying going on.
Riddle glanced to the Housewarden, expecting him to step in and remind them of their place. The housewarden seemed to catch on and glanced at the guilty party, but to Riddle's utter shock, he did nothing more than roll his eyes before turning back to the ongoing ceremony.
Riddle's eye twitched at the blatant disregard for etiquette. If it had been up to him, he would have had their heads the moment they stepped out of line. But of course, it wasn't up to him, he was just another first-year waiting for the ceremony to end. But all of that would change soon enough.
Before long, the ceremony came to a close, and they were all dismissed to their respective dorms. Riddle followed dutifully behind the housewarden, keeping an ear on the surrounding students in case anyone decided to act out. But thankfully they all decided to behave this time around, at least until they reached the dorms.
As they walked into the mirror portal they got their first look at their new dorm. Heart-shaped rose bushes lined the walkway with a fountain sitting at the end. The main attraction, of course, was the red and white castle with a heart-shaped main door, and diamond-shaped windows. It was better than anything Riddle had ever dreamed of, and he was left in awe.
They walked towards the castle, and Riddle was excited to see what the inside was like. But to his surprise, instead of going through the heart-shaped main door, the house warden led them around the castle, and down yet another pathway. This path led them to a red gate and tall green fences that closed off a small area.
The housewarden paused at the gate entrance, waiting to make sure everyone was still with the group. Once it seemed that everyone was present, he cleared his throat.
"Now I know you've all had a long day and probably want to see your rooms for the first time, But here at Heartslabyul we do our best to honor the traditions and rules set by the Queen of Hearts herself. Rule 5 states that all newcomers to the kingdom be welcomed with a party, and with that, I invite you all to join me at our Welcome Party."
With that, he opened the gates, and they were greeted by a brightly decorated tea garden. Riddle could hear the muttering, the oohs and ahhs of his fellow dormmates as they made their way into the garden.
Tables with white clothes were scattered around the garden, with more than enough seats for everyone. Each table was piled high with various desserts and an accompanying teapot. Red roses were not only contained to the bushes lining the garden but were also used plentifully in the decorum, which Riddle found very appropriate given the Queen's penchant for the flower.
When Riddle saw that there was no designated seating he picked the closest empty chair to him. This set him between one student with a red heart on his cheek and another with a spade almost on his nose. Riddle paid them little mind as he poured himself a cup of tea, not even sparing a glance at the desserts on the table. Just a slice of the cake was enough to fill his caloric intake for the day, and he would rather not waste it all at once.
Once he was settled he turned his attention to the housewarden. The older boy was sitting in a large red chair that reminded Riddle very much of a throne, he supposed it would make sense if it were the housewarden's chair. Their word was law around here, after all, the chair should fit their position.
The housewarden had said something not even a few minutes ago that Riddle found himself returning to. In Heartslabyul they were to follow the rules and traditions set about by the Queen. In all of his years of studying he had never come across the Queen of Heart's rules, but ignorance was no excuse for breaking the rules. He would have to ask for a list of all of the rules so that he could familiarize himself with them as soon as possible.
Riddle was pulled out of his musings by the sound of a spoon hitting the side of a glass. The housewarden had stood up and was tapping his glass as a way to draw everyone's attention to him.
"I hope you all are enjoying the festivities that our dorm has to offer, but before you get settled there is one thing that I wanted to bring to your attention. Now as some of you may have noticed, a marking has appeared on your faces, one that was certainly not present before." He stated, pausing as mutterings broke out across the area.
Students went back and forth with each other, some of them even pulling out their phones to check that what he said was true. Before the mutterings could get any louder he continued.
"I can assure you that it is nothing to worry about, in fact, it is a gift from the Queen of Hearts herself. You see the suit on your face is the mark of your soul, in a location mirrored only by your soulmate. I would encourage you to talk amongst yourselves, to find your other half. But do not be discouraged if you do not find your match, it's possible it is an older student or one who has yet to enroll. Now let's get on with the party."
That was all the encouragement the other students needed to start mingling with each other again. Riddle on the other hand couldn’t bring himself to care. Growing up he’d always felt that he was different from the other kids, and not just cause of the isolation his mother enforced. Even here at a school full of other magical students, he stood apart from the others, the crown on his back was proof enough.
He didn't have long to linger on that, as the gates opened once again and more students started to pile in. None of them had been present at the orientation, but they all had suits on their face like everyone else. If Riddle had to guess, these were the upperclassmen and they were here to mingle with the freshmen.
Riddle wanted to ignore them at first, he doubted they had anything of interest to offer him. But clearly, the universe had other plans, as a slightly familiar voice rang out. "Hey, is that you Riddle?"
Riddle found himself curious about who could be calling to him. There wasn't anyone here who would know him, he hadn't exactly had a lot of friends growing up. There were two exceptions of course, and they would be right around the age to attend Night Raven College. He turned towards the voice expectantly, and his heart leaped at the sight.
Standing there, in what Riddle assumed was the dorm uniform, was his old friend Trey Clover. His short green hair and amber eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses were just like Riddle remembered it. But it was easy to see that he'd grown over the years, he was almost a whole foot taller than Riddle, and Riddle wasn't too sure how to feel about that.
But the thing that stood out most to Riddle was the small black clover under his left eye. His soulmark. It was identical to the one on Riddle's back, and it filled him with hope.
Riddle moved without thinking, nearly knocking his seat over as he sprung up and rushed to Trey. He clearly caught the older boy off guard as he let out an 'oof' as Riddle tackled him in a hug.
"It's good to see you too Riddle." Trey chuckled as he patted Riddle's back, but quickly cut off when he noticed Riddle was clutching onto his jacket as if his life depended on it.
"I didn't know if I'd ever see you again." Riddle muttered into Trey's chest. He knew he probably looked ridiculous, it was hardly appropriate behavior for someone of his standing. But at the moment, he couldn't bring himself to care.
"Well, we're here now, and I don't know about you, but I don't have any plans on dropping out any time soon." Trey hummed, trying to lighten the mood just a little, and it clearly worked as Riddle pulled back with a small snort.
"If you think that I would be kind to slack on my studies, let alone drop out, then we truly have been apart for far too long." Riddle pouted, before turning to look out over the garden for a familiar set of purple ears, but not too disappointed when he didn't see them. The cat beastman always had a knack for staying out of his eyesight till the last minute. "Am I correct in assuming Che'nya is out causing mischief somewhere?"
Trey hesitated, and Riddle's mind instantly jumped to the worst scenarios. Had something happened to his only other friend over the past years? Would Riddle never get to see him again?
"Che'nya doesn't go here, he got accepted into Royal Sword Academy." Trey finally answered.
Oh, was that all? That wasn't nearly as bad as some of the scenarios he'd been able to come up with in a matter of seconds.
"But he does like to sneak on campus for a visit every once in a while, so you'll probably see him eventually. And I have his Magicam number if you ever want to send him a message."
Before either of them had a chance to say anything else another voice drew their attention.
"Treeeeey, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" A teen split away from the group of upperclassmen and made his way toward them. He was just a couple of inches shorter than Trey and had bright orange hair that was pulled back into a short ponytail. He paused when he noticed Riddle, but only for a moment before coming to stand next to Trey and playfully jabbing him in the side with an elbow. "Aww, are you making friends with a freshie? Look at you being a good upperclassman."
Trey didn't let the teasing get to him though as he smoothly moved into an introduction. "Riddle this is Cater, we're in the same year together. Cater, this is Riddle, the childhood friend I told you about."
"A pleasure." Riddle hummed, trying to get a feel for the other boy's behavior. Surely if he was friends with Trey he couldn't be too bad, right?
"Oh you mean the one whose mom was a total buzzkill and wouldn't let him have any fun?"
Or maybe not.
"Cater!" Trey hissed out, clearly angry at what the other boy said.
"What?" The other boy gave Trey a pout.
It was only when Cater turned to look at Trey that Riddle saw it. Cater had a diamond mark right under his right eye, a perfect mirror to Trey's club mark. What the housewarden had said about suits rang through Riddle's head, * mirrored marks meant soulmates* . His thoughts were confirmed as the housewarden swooped in, throwing an arm around Trey and Cater's shoulders.
"See freshies, this is what I was talking about. Clover and Diamond here are the best examples we have of soulmates, they're the perfect match, you just can't have one without the other." The housewarden called out, drawing everyone's attention to them.
Trey had the decency to look embarrassed as he was put on blast. He let out a nervous chuckle as he shrugged the housewarden's arm off his shoulder. "Oh come on Quinn, it's not that big of a deal, I'm sure they can figure it out on their own."
Cater on the other hand didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated by all of the attention. If anything it seemed to spur him on as he pulled out of the housewarden's hold, only to grab Trey in a hug of his own. "Aww Trey-Trey, no reason to be nervous in front of all the freshies."
And then, right there in front of everyone, Cater pulled him in for a kiss.
Riddle couldn't bring himself to hang around where he wasn't wanted. While the pair were distracted with each other, Riddle moved away from the lights and energy of the party to the back corner of the garden. There his only company was the rose bushes, and he found that more comforting than people, at least the bushes wouldn't leave him with such turmoil.
He carefully stroked the petals of a red rose as he tried to come to terms with what happened. When he had seen Trey's clover mark, the same one as the one on his back, it had given him hope. Hope that for once his mother had been wrong and he'd found his special other. But Trey already had a soulmate, and he couldn't be Riddle's soulmate if he already had one. So where did that leave him?
Maybe his mother had been right the entire time. Maybe this whole soulmate idea had been absolutely ridiculous, and he shouldn't have bothered with it in the first place. If he knew what was good for him he would push it to the back of his mind and never think about it again.
But how did he stop his heart from aching so much?
"Hmm mm mmm, what's a little red doing out here all on its own?" A voice hummed in Riddle's ear, and though he would never admit it later, it was enough to make Riddle let out a loud yelp and he jumped nearly a foot in the air.
He whirled on the voice with a scowl, hand inching towards his magic pen. Where there had once been empty space, there was now a very familiar floating head with purple hair, cat ears, and a grin like the cat that ate the canary.
"Che'nya! What in the Seven's name are you doing here?" Riddle hissed out, not in the mood for any of the cat's shenanigans. "Trey told me you're in Royal Sword Academy."
"Here, there, do any of us truly belong anywhere?" Che'nya's hummed as his tail swayed like a pendulum, cryptic as always.
"You're trespassing." Riddle responded, giving him a deadpan look.
"Ahh, just as serious as ever little red. But worry not, I have a sort of understanding with the headmage."
"And by that, I'm guessing you mean he has no idea you're sneaking on campus and thus can't keep you out?" Riddle crossed his arms, already far too familiar with Che'nya and his tactics.
"Ah, but that's not what's important here, what are you doing here all on your own little red? And not with your other dormmates enjoying the festivities?"
"Don't ignore my question!" Riddle pouted, but clearly, it was far too late. Once Che'nya had moved past a topic there was no going back with him, Riddle would have better luck questioning the rose bushes. "But if you must know, I've come out here to collect myself and gather my thoughts. I'm not used to attending festivities of such grand variety."
"Mmm, with time you'll become used to them, these parties happen fairly often around here you know," Che'nya hummed, "But if I were to guess, that's not what has you lost in the roses is it? Mayhaps it's due to a reunion with our dear bespectacled friend."
Riddle stared at the other in surprise. How did he know?
Riddle didn't immediately respond, not trusting himself to not have a burst of emotion at the heartbreak. He took a few deep breaths to try and compose himself before realizing that another possibility was staring him right in the face. Trey and Che'nya were the only children he had interacted with before his soulmark revealed itself. If Trey wasn't his soulmate, then maybe-
"Hey Che'nya, you wouldn't happen to have a soulmark would you? A little black clover maybe?" Riddle asked, making the other blink in surprise at the question before he broke out into a big smile.
"Nah, no soulmarks for me yet, maybe I'll find someone later down the line. But you know who does have a black clover~"
"Yes, I noticed," Riddle hissed, irritation leaking into his voice as his emotions started to boil over again. "But he's already found his soulmate, the housewarden said so himself."
"Sounds like you've met Cater then."
"Yes, and if what the housewarden said was any indication they seem very happy together. So I *can't* be Trey's soulmate." Riddle's voice shook as he fought back unshed tears. "Maybe Mother was right, I should forget this soulmate nonsense and just focus on my studies."
"Ahh, but there's one important thing you're missing little red." Che'nya cut him off before he could get any further with that thought.
"Is that so? Then please, educate me." Riddle crossed his arms as he looked at the other, daring him to make light of the situation.
"Some people have enough room in their hearts for more than just one person." Che'nya hummed, "Or should I say, soul."
That made Riddle blink in surprise, trying to put together what the other meant. Desperate for clarification but not wanting to get his hopes up for nothing, Riddle hesitantly asked, "You mean, people can have more than one soulmate?"
"Now you're getting it!" The catboy praised, making Riddle's face heat up at the praise, "Sometimes our souls are tied to more than one person, and all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride."
"B-but all the stories I've read have only had two people being soulmates." Riddle tried to explain, surely there must be some kind of mistake.
"And I'm sure you've had a lot of access to information about soulmates, haven't you." Che'nya tilted his head as he fixed him with a look that said he already knew the answer but wanted to hear it for himself.
"W-well no, Mother didn't keep any books with information about soulmates lying around. She found the whole idea of them ridiculous." Riddle did his best to explain, "The only things I know about soulmates came from children's fairy tales, and as you could probably guess I didn't have a lot of access to those."
"Ahh yes, the fairy tales from when we were kids, always made soulmates seem so romantic, the special someone that was perfect for us. But even you must know that the things told in fairy tales aren't always true to life."
Riddle had to fight the urge to roll his eyes at that. Of course he knew that fairy tales often exaggerated the truth, or were often made up for the amusement of children. It was why his mother had cut him off from them once he was old enough to read the more advanced books. Ones that would actually be useful to him in life.
"I suppose you're right." Riddle muttered half-heartedly.
"Some people only have one soulmate, others can have as many as three or four. I heard there's someone in the Briar Valley with over 50 soulmates," Che'nya chuckled as though he didn't quite believe it himself. "So you see little red, not all hope is lost. Mayhaps all that's needed is a little push~"
"But what if me getting in the middle of it just messes everything up?" Riddle's self-doubt made his voice drop down to a whisper. "They already seem so happy together, I don't want to mess that up for them. Maybe it's better if I just stay out of it."
Che’nya was silent at that, and for a moment Riddle thought he was in the right. He really should have known better when it came to the cat beastman.
"You know, my grandpa always told me that the worst time to make a decision is when you're feeling all emotional." Che'nya chimed in, catching Riddle by surprise yet again. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that. "And clearly today has left you feeling very emotional. So what do you say we call it a day, and after you get some rest, you can think more about it in the morning."
"I...suppose that makes sense." Riddle admitted, at this point, he was starting to feel both physically and mentally drained. Maybe Che'nya was right and some sleep would do him some good. "Ah, but I couldn't even if I wanted. I haven't received my room assignment yet and besides, I don't know my way around the dorm yet. I very well can't go stumbling around blindly searching for my room."
"Oh, that's easy to deal with. Go ask Quinn for your room, and I'll take you there. I know this dorm like the back of my paw." Che'nya purred.
"Do I even want to know why?" Riddle sighed in exasperation, before accepting it was probably best he didn't know. "Alright, I'll be right back, don't go anywhere."
Riddle skirted around the edge of the party, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to himself, especially from Cater or Trey. It took him a bit longer but he was eventually able to reach the housewarden where he was sitting in his throne-like chair. He was talking to two students on either side of him, but it didn't seem to be about anything important, so Riddle didn't feel bad about interrupting them.
"Excuse me housewarden." Riddle spoke up once he was close enough, getting the housewarden's attention.
"Oh hey freshie, what's up?" The housewarden asked, cutting off his conversation.
"I was told that I should come to you for my room assignment. It is getting quite late and I would like to turn in for the night." Riddle stated matter of factly. He saw no reason to bring up Che'nya in this.
"Aww come on freshie, it's the welcome party and your first night here. Just sit back and enjoy the party, get to know the rest of your dormmates." The older student spread his arms wide as if gesturing to everything around them.
Riddle had to fight down the urge to scoff at the older student. Clearly, he didn't understand the importance of getting a good night's sleep, especially when they would have their very first classes the next day. The last thing he wanted was to sleep in or attend classes while he was still half asleep. He would just have to be a bit more insistent with the older student.
"Please housewarden, I really would like to turn in for the night. With everything that's happened today, I'm feeling especially drained, and I would like to be well-rested for tomorrow."
"Well, if you insist." The older boy muttered, not looking completely convinced but finally accepting Riddle's explanation. He pulled out a small notebook and started to flip through it. "What was your name again freshie?"
"Rosehearts sir...Riddle Rosehearts."
"Rosehearts, Rosehearts." The housewarden hummed as he flipped through a couple of pages before settling on one. "Ah, here you are, your room is the White Rabbit. The dorm can be pretty confusing for a newbie though, I can have one of the sophomores show you the way so you don't get lost."
"No thank you, sir, I'm sure I can figure it out on my own." Riddle politely bowed his head before making his way back to where he left Che'nya.
He hadn't even made it back before a voice sounded right beside his ear. "You know what's the funniest thing? That's the same room that Cater and Trey had last year."
It took every ounce of Riddle's self-control to not jump and swear at the other. This was the second time today Che'nya had managed to catch him off guard and he didn't appreciate it.
"I thought I told you to stay." Riddle hissed out, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to himself.
"You did, but where's the fun in that?"
Riddle could hear the smile in the other's voice. Knowing that Che’nya was laughing at his expense, Riddle could feel his face grow hot and red with anger. But before Riddle could blow his top and start yelling at the other an invisible hand grabbed his arm and started to steer him towards the back of the garden.
"Now come on, I know a shortcut."
Che'nya led him to a small hole in the garden that was just the right size for them to squeeze through. Che'nya released his hold on Riddle's arm and the bush rustled a bit before going still. Riddle could only assume that meant Che'nya had made it through to the other side and was now waiting for him.
Riddle hesitated for a moment, unsure if he really wanted to go through the bush. He was worried that the branches would snag on his ceremonial robes and rip them, or perhaps leave grass stains on him that he would have to scrub out later. But he supposed it was a better option than leaving through the main exit, there he ran the risk of seeing Cater and Trey again, and that was the last thing he needed at the moment.
Seeing no other option, Riddle took a deep breath before pushing his way through. It was far easier to get through the branches than he expected, none of them even touched him; it was like someone had pushed them out of the way to make a small path. What he hadn't expected was for there to be a sudden decline in the path, and when his foot failed to come down on hard ground it threw off his balance and sent his world spinning as he tumbled down the last foot or two of the path.
Riddle was relieved when he was back on the flat ground, and he took a couple of seconds to reorient himself. Once he caught his breath he pushed himself to his feet, grimacing at the smears of brown and green he saw on his robes. He was definitely going to have to give him them a deep clean later.
It was only once he was upright that Riddle realized that Che'nya was standing close by and was watching him with a smile of amusement. Riddle scowled at the other as he brushed off some leaves that he'd caught on his way down.
"A warning would have been nice." He pouted.
"Ahh, but where's the fun in that little red?" Che'nya hummed, his tail swishing back and forth in amusement. "Now come on."
As Riddle followed after Che'nya he expected the cat beastman to take him through the front entrance. But to his surprise, they instead skirted around the outside of the dorm. They passed by several windows but Che'nya never looked at any of them a single time, Riddle would get a glance on the inside from time to time, but it seemed like they were just passing by dorm rooms. He had no idea what the other was looking for but his patience was wearing thin.
Riddle's curiosity eventually got the better of him and he spoke up. "Is there a reason we're lurking around like common criminals and didn't go through the main entrance?"
"Oh but of course!" Che'nya exclaimed, and Riddle put his hands on his hips as he glared at the other, urging him to explain himself. "You see, I don't know how to get to the room."
"What?! But you said-!"
"Ah ah ah, I don't know how to get to the room from the inside ." He placed heavy emphasis on the word. "In case you forgot little red, I'm not a student here. I can't just go waltzing around in the dorm and risk anyone recognizing I don't go here."
"But then how-"
"Oh, it's quite easy of course. Trey had to show me which room was him at first, but after that, I would just come right up to his window~"
Here Che'nya walked up to a window that didn't look any different from any of the others around it.
"I would pull out my magestone, and use it to unlock the window~"
Che'nya pulled a brooch out of his pocket with a purple magestone set in the center of it. He waved it over the frame of the window and with a soft click it swung open.
"Then I swing myself up and over the windowsill into the room~"
Che'nya grabbed the windowsill and effortlessly pulled himself onto it. He perched on the edge and offered his hand to Riddle, and when Riddle took it he pulled Riddle up with him.
"And voila! We're here!"
Riddle fought down the urge to once again accuse the other of breaking and entering. There were more important things to worry about right now, like getting a look at where he'd be spending the next school year. Riddle pushed himself off of the windowsill and landed at the side of a neatly made bed.
The room seemed the be divided evenly into quarters. Wardrobes were pressed into each corner of the room, with a neatly made bed beside it. On the other side of the beds, two desks and two chairs were situated side by side, effectively marking the boundary for each student. The window that he and Che'nya had just come through was the only window in the entire room.
Each bed had a box set on it, that Riddle safely assumed contained each student’s personal items they'd packed for themselves. He recognized the box on the bed closest to him as his own. It seemed he was the lucky one that got the window bed, but knowing how easily Che'nya could sneak in, maybe it wasn't such a good thing after all. Perhaps he could make some kind of fortification charm that would keep the cat out.
"Well? What do you think?" Che'nya's voice snapped Riddle out of his thoughts, reminding him that he wasn't alone.
"It's adequate I suppose." Riddle answered
In truth he found the room to be far too cramped for his liking. Having to share this space with three other roommates would only serve to hinder his academic career. Though in the long run, he supposed it didn't mean much. After all, he didn't plan on staying here for very long.
Che'nya looked like he was about to say something, but before he got the chance, a buzzing came from his pocket. He pulled out his phone and looked at it for a couple of seconds before looking back at Riddle.
"It's Trey, wondering why I haven't popped in for a visit~" Che'nya let out a small chuckle at the irony. "If you want me to stay I can tell him something came up or~"
"No no, it's okay Che'nya. You can go ahead and join them." Riddle shooed the other out the window, though Che'nya's expression showed he was still slightly concerned about Riddle. So Riddle did his best to reassure the other. "I'll be fine on my own, I promise. I just have a lot to think about."
"Well if you say so little red," Che'nya hummed, clearly not completely convinced, but he must have decided to not press the matter. "But if you ever need anyone, just give a hoot or a holler. You never know who might be lurking around."
Riddle watched as Che'nya made his way back to the rose garden, growing more and more transparent with each step until he was completely gone from Riddle's sight. Satisfied that the other was truly gone, Riddle stepped back from the window and closed it with a sigh. He turned back to the bed and rummaged through the box to grab what he needed to get ready for the night.
Tonight had been a roller coaster of emotions, and he was more than ready to call it a night. He hoped that the next day would be better, though he knew it likely wouldn't be, especially since he'd have to see Trey and Cater again. But at least he would get to attend his first day of magic school and find out what curriculum he could expect to study.
He pulled his ceremonial robe over his head, taking extra care to lay it out over a chair. It both served as a way to remind him to take it to get cleaned in the morning and to prevent it from getting further damaged or wrinkled. It was far too luxurious a piece to just crumple up and throw into a hamper.
He was just turning back to his bed when his reflection in the mirror caught his eye. Or more specifically, the reflection of his soulmark. Part of Riddle told him to ignore it, the last time he had looked at it, it caused him nothing but pain and suffering for weeks. But another part of him couldn't help but be curious. He hadn't seen it in 8 years, maybe it had changed since then.
Curiosity won out in the end, and with a wave of his pen, Riddle conjured up a full-body mirror. He took a deep breath before turning in such a way that he would be able to get a better look at the mark. He fought back a grimace at the burn scar that covered a good part of his shoulder, doing his best to focus solely on his soulmark.
It was just as he remembered it, a five-point crown about the size of his palm. It was black in color with a soft golden sheen that flitted across with every breath. Above the middle point rested a dark red rose, that he had no doubt symbolized himself, and on both sides were the four card suits: the club, the spade, the diamond, and the heart.
No....no he was wrong. There was something different about it this time.
The last time he saw it, the club had been the only suit filled with color, with the heart, spade, and diamond being nothing more than outlines. The spade and the heart had remained unchanged, but the diamond had been filled in with a deep red color.
He had met another one of his soulmates.
Maybe Che'nya was right, maybe Cater wasn't just Trey's soulmate, but his too. But what did that mean for their relationship? What if they were happy with just the two of them and didn't want Riddle to come between them? That was always a strong possibility, and Riddle didn't know if he could handle the rejection.
A more hopeful part of him whispered, or maybe they'd welcome him with open arms, and he could feel like he belonged. He could feel like someone actually cared about him and what he wanted. Not what he could do for them.
Riddle moved his box of personal items to the floor so he could lie down on his bed. A lot had happened today and he had a lot of new things to consider, but it was too much for his tired mind to handle in the moment. Once he was well rested then he could take a proper look at his situation and weigh out the pros and cons. But for now, he needed sleep.
As he drifted off to sleep, he could only hope that Trey and Cater would at least hear him out.
That's all he wanted.
"Alright, something's been bothering you all night, want to tell me what it is?" Cater asked as they finally walked into their room.
Like all of the other students in Heartslabyul, Trey and Cater shared a room. But unlike most others who had to split it between four people, Trey and Cater were lucky to have it all to themselves. One of their roommates had transferred to Pomefiore during their freshman year, and the other had flunked out. So instead of sticking them with two new roommates, Quinn let them keep the room to themselves.
Trey shrugged off his dorm jacket before dropping onto his bed with a sigh. He took his glasses off with one hand and used the other to rub his face, ignoring how he was likely smearing his makeup. He would have to wipe it off in a minute anyways.
"I'm just worried about Riddle. He seemed fine, and even kind of happy to see me before Quinn interrupted us, then I couldn't find him anywhere afterward. I checked the whole garden. I just hope that all of this wasn't too much for him, especially after everything he's had to go through growing up."
"I'm sure he's fine Trey. You said so yourself that he came from a pretty sheltered home life. He probably just got overwhelmed by the party and had to take a break." Cater shrugged, not wanting his soulmate to be so stressed out. "If anything he probably had another upperclassman show him to his room."
"I guess. It's just, I wanted to talk to him about our soulmark." Trey sighed dejectedly as his hand came up to touch said mark.
"And you'll probably get your chance in the morning. In case you forgot, we share a dorm and we've got the whole school year ahead of us. You're bound to cross paths a whole bunch of times. Hell, if you want I can talk to Quinn and have him put you and Riddle on flamingo duty together, that way you'll have to talk."
"No no no, that won't be necessary, but thank you for the offer." Trey chuckled at his soulmate's suggestion. "You're right, I shouldn't be stressing about it. We'll see him tomorrow."
"See? Cay-Cay knows what he's talking about." Cater gave Trey a cheeky wink as he shrugged his jacket off and pulled his undershirt over his head, ready to settle in for the night.
Trey eyed the other's topless form, never one to pass up the chance to watch his soulmate undress. His usual viewing pleasure was interrupted by a new mark on the other's skin, one he was sure hadn't been there the last time they'd seen each other.
"Cater wait!" Trey stopped Cater as he reached out for his sleep shirt.
"What? Like what you see?" Cater wiggled his eyebrow suggestively.
"Well yeah, but that's not what I meant." Trey quickly corrected the other, not wanting this to devolve before he could explain. "There's something on your chest, I think it's a new soulmark."
"What?!" Cater squawked as he rushed over to a mirror to get a better look at what Trey was talking about.
Sure enough, on the left side of his chest, just over his heart, was a new mark. Where his skin had once been blank there was now a black rose with a light pink sheen to it and a stem that went down a good two or so inches. But where there might have been leaves on the stem there were instead three card suits: club, heart, and spade. The heart and the spade were just the outlines of the shape, but the club was filled in with black.
Trey had a nearly identical soulmark in the same place, Cater had seen it more times than he could count. The only difference was where Cater's mark had a black club, Trey's had a red diamond.
"Holy shit, you were right. We share a soulmate." Cater muttered in amazement as he traced over the mark with a finger.
"Three of them from the looks of it." Trey corrected him, trying to wrap his head around the situation.
When he had met Cater last year and they'd turned out to be soulmates he had a feeling something like this would happen. He'd never entertained the idea for long though, just because he had soul ties with others didn't mean Cater would as well. It was just as likely that Cater would end up having platonic soulties with them instead.
But now, looking at Cater's soulmark, that was clearly not the case. Well, the other two were still up in the air, it was difficult to tell if they were romantic or platonic marks just from the outline alone, but they would learn with time he supposed. But there was no mistaking the color of the rose, he and Cater shared a romantic soultie with Riddle.
"Shit, now we definitely have to talk to Riddle in the morning."