Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“You are horrible,” Ace says, trying to look more menacing than his puny body and silly collar allow, while facing Leona with a much-acquaintance pout. “But I’m gonna forgive you this time. Your fiance is just loving and forgiving like that after all.”

The absolute brat, like all this wasn’t because of his moody tantrums in the first place.

Leona didn’t bother granting that a response, instead, he pulled another grin while raising a brow comically, both questioning and judging Ace’s little antics. “If you think that kind of talk gets you a bed tonight, you’d have better luck turning your little tail back to Heartslabyul.” He stops, and an amused chuckle escapes when Ace starts looking like Leona has just gravely offended him. “Though, I doubt that little tyrant would be willing to host such a difficult brat after he deliberately sneaks out.”

“Oh come on,” Ace pouts, already leaning and latching onto him. “Are you really going to let your new adorable junior sleep out on the streets? What if something happens to me huh?!” 

“Like anyone would wanna touch you,” Leona says. He still hugs the brat, arms circling the smaller body for the millionth time as Ace snuggles right in. It’s much less comforting than the other times they share it, with the quirky collar on the younger’s neck and all, but Leona supposes it does much to soothe the brat out of his little temper. 

Leona wouldn’t admit it, but having Ace all up in his arms again does make that crappy uneasiness in the back of his head goes away. 

The two of them stay quiet for another moment, with Ace latching even tighter the more Leona leans forward, hands meeting each other behind him as Ace struggles to find a spot where the collar doesn’t hurt. 

Maybe Leona should have taken him back at the mine whether or not Ace would be kicking and screaming about it, bother the stupid crow right after dinner with signed papers and doubtful consent about transferring so early into the year then proceed to walk the brat's pouty ass back to the dorm and enjoy a good night rest. The other house wardens finding out Ace's status was simply a matter of sooner or later anyways, Leona had decided, and perhaps it would be better to get the news out to get those jerks on his back for a couple months as they eventually get off Ace's - out of avoidance from getting involved with Leona or simply due to how troublesome it would be was none of his problem. 

(Though, he’ll admit that he wanted Ace to come in sulking and begging for comfort after Riddle eventually ran him down, sevens knows the brat can be adorable when he’s without his snarks and bites, even more when he decides he’s going to demand comfort instead of simply waiting for it.)

“Leona,” Ace whispered sweetly, craning his head upward so Leona could spot the little pout on his lips. “I want a kiss.”

There it is. Adorable.

The lion did as he was prompted, crouching a bit as he drew in the mop of red hair and leaned. Fully capturing the little puff of lips gently before nipping on them with his fangs. Ace makes a sound at that, properly not very satisfied that he was bitten - though Leona thinks he should sooner get used to it after being bitten almost everyday - but stays still anyway. As the flush of cheeks goes unnoticed to either of them when Leona drew back, then, with the firmest hold Ace could muster with the difference in height and stand onto Savanaclaw’s coat as he started tip-tooing up and dragging the prince's collar down. Planting small kisses onto the corner of Leona's mouth as the prince amusingly stops shifting to let him do his share. 

Ace doesn’t have fangs to return the favor of the bites, so he makes up for it with a surplus of tiny pecks here and there. Jumping everywhere on the skin without ever penetrating, it’s amusing - to Leona's at least - to see the brat still struggling with his own little ego about not being able to kiss the way the prince could and tries to get even by annoying Leona with small and featherlight pecks instead. Still, Leona indulges him every time, even if he often fight against the hold on his collar to stand straight and tall again to make Ace's struggle a bit, yet still extends a hand to circle around Ace's back to pull the younger into the room with him as the other pair of claws latch onto the red collar sitting and poking uncomfortably at the two of them for the past minutes. 

Ace stopped his kissing trail at that, as he felt the familiarity of Leona's signature magic surrounding the two of them. “Sevens, you could’ve told me you can break it.” He says accusingly, like it was given that the collar was Leona’s responsibility the moment he knocked on the door. 

“You never asked,” Leona muses, tightening his grip around the metal as he yanks it slightly, making some space between Ace’s neck and the thing before King’s Roar does its work. “As funny as you look in it, Crowley had seen enough of how embarrassing a certain someone from the royal family can be, no?”

In contrast, Leona is sure the loud-mouth crow would thrive to see more, not everyone gets this close to blackmail materials to the royal family of Savana Sunset and has enough egde and position to use that like Crowley does. It only serves to deepened Leona's ire for the man more, especially when the crow had failed to announce him of Ace's departure to the mine with a bunch of herbivores on his tail until the very last minute. (He would've stopped the whole shenanigans before it began, sevens know Crowley is not as big of a fool anyone perceive him to be, expelling a soon-to-be royal from NRC when he could have gotten another hefty share of "support" out of it)

“Wait,” Ace suddenly demands, his left arm untangling from the leather to hold onto Leona’s wrist instead. “We’re not going to Crowley.”

“And why is that?” Leona sneers in response, “Don’t tell me today hasn’t taught you well enough. You of all people can’t ever fit in a place like Heartslabyul.”

It couldn’t be closer to the truth and the two of them know it, between Ace’s tendencies to get creative with the law and deliberate ignorance of the things he considered stupid even when they are deemed of the utmost importance countless time. Heartslabyul had almost landed at the top of Leona’s blacklist when he was preparing for Ace’s enrollment – Pomefiore and Diasomnia took the crown on that, for obvious reason – not to mention just how often the brat forgets that he was no longer in Savana Sunset where most would take his words lying down under the sheer pressure of Leona's strength and status.

Even Ruggie, having seen the sorting ceremony for himself and knowing Ace a bit too well during the few times the brat dropped by unannounced, had even need to stifle a laugh before declaring his confidence over how Riddle would be running out of collars for Ace before the first year even ends. 

Leona had, out of character of him, busied himself for the whole day to rushing through the paperwork's and even went head to submit a form with the crow headmaster before said fucker finally informed him of what Ace had gotten himself into along with a magicless kid, another idiot first-year, and the demon cat that smelled too much like ancient magic for his liking. And as much as Leona had wanted to sand Crowley on the spot for creating such a hassle over one stupid chandelier, the prince had instead rushed himself out of that office and onto the next torturous chore of the day to escort his every so obedient fiancé. 

Listening to them argue amongst each other every step of the way, then proceeded to stand on edge when a ridiculous monster round the corner with a pickaxe had been more troublesome than everything Leona regularly signed himself up for a whole week. And now, the very reason for such problems in the first place is standing in front of him with a frown on his face like Ace was the only one offended by the previous set of events. 

“Duh,” Ace says, a hand already posing at his side. “But I’m not gonna transfer, not right now anyway, it’ll just look like I’m running away.”

It is only at times like this that Leona wanted to curse Ace Trappola and his stupid pride, despite having adored it for so long in their rigged stimulation of a childhood. 

“Shut it,” Leona scoffs instead, “I ain’t got time sitting around babysitting you until you get bored of fighting your own battles like you always do.” Leona stops - stumbles - when he saw the brat's eyes widened, noticing how that had come out a bit harsher than he intended, before letting out another sigh. “I don’t care what the hell you’re holding behind that stupid, stubborn head of yours. Swallow it before this all blows up in your face.”

And, undoubtedly, his. 

“So you’re suggesting I should just avoid him forever?” Ace asks mockingly, eyes squeezing into his trademark look. “Or what's next? Use your name to terrify him into staying away, ditching classes, attending opposite clubs just to not get in his sight? Can’t believe I heard this from you, oh great second prince of the fearless Savana." The brat glared, Leona knows he would never let the anything just slide, already prepping his own snark and bite as he regarded Leona with another ill smirk. "Just where did you hit your head to think that running away from a stupid dorm arrangement after one punishment is acceptable, huh? Do tell me so I can inform Kijaj of the newest method to correct our dear prince of his ways.”

Sevens, they could feel another fight on the way, an uncomfortable, long and torturing one where the two of them descend into complete snark and sarcasms that would no doubt had Leona snaring and the brat screaming at the end of it. Neither of them is going to get anything out of this, not with how ridiculous this topic is, nor will they back down as - whether they want it or not - both their ego and pride would never allow it.

In the end, the amount of time the two of them are going to spend fighting at each other's throats - Leona decided - is definitely not worth skipping out morning practice tomorrow and getting Ruggie nagging in his ears all day after they eventually wakes the entire pack of idiotic Savanaclaw's students up and leave the unofficial vice-housewarden to handle the chaos.

Compromise is not an option, never, not when Leona can see the load of bothersome work from a mile away that is no doubt even more torturous that what he had been forced to deal with in the past days if Ace continues to stay where he’s at, even more when he had been with Ace long enough to know that the brat would stir up a good amount of trouble out of frustration when Riddle eventually wins the war later on. Knowing fully well that both his status and Leona would be getting him out of any serious consequences, and that in itself would mean more troublesome work that Leona had sort out at the end of the day.

He doesn’t have time for that, nor could he begrudgingly make time like he always does, not with the Magical Shift tournament rounding the corner and the contract with Azul underway, especially not when Leona decided to play the game with himself on the board this time around. 

“I don’t have time for this,” Leona sneers, his tone sounding more like a ultimatum rather than a threat. “Either get with the program or get out.”

The brat froze at that, a shocked noise escaping his throat as crimson eyes bore into Leona - bewildered when Ace himself had thought so little before opening that mouth - before he eventually snapped right back, “Fine, have fun in your gloomy stupid room.”

Leona is sure the sheer noise of loud stomping as the brat walked out Savanaclaw had definitely woken up more than just a few idiots in the dorm, but he can't seem to be bothered, not when he knew he would be joining them in rolling and throwing in his sheets out of annoyance soon enough. 

“Fuck.” Leona finally swears, tiredness and irritation seeping out the quieter the footsteps become. 

He still goes to the balcony, either looking over the brat’s angry march to the mirror or getting some fresh air to clear his mind, he's not too sure. But Leona is damn well certain that he had fallen low. Far too low. When he find himself looking after Ace's little march and finding it adorable, despite himself, while debating whether Ruggie can handle a bit more work while he entertain Ace for just a tad longer - the tournament be damned.

Sevens, Ace Trappola is truly the death of him.

“Sooo,” Ace offers as he tries the best puppy eyes he could muster for Yuu and his demon cat. “I’m gonna stay here tonight.”

“No.” Came the immediate response. 

“W-wait what?!” Ace gasped, pure shock and confusion on his face when the other two hadn’t even let him finish. “Come on, look at this stupid collar and shed some compassion for your fellow friend.”

Yuu didn’t respond to that. He sighs instead, finally stepping aside to let Ace into the Ramshackle as the duo leads him into something that resembles the ruins of a living room before settling down on the couch. 

Ace is a bit reluctant to sit on something so old, but he follows anyway. 

“Alright,” Yuu begins, rubbing his eyes as he glances over. “What did you do this time?”

“It’s not gonna be my fault every time, you know.” He lies through his teeth, it earns him a glare. “Alright, maybe I did something.” The glare intensified. “Fine fine, I ate some tart okay?! Jeez.” 

“Tart?” Yuu asks, seemingly a bit satisfied with himself now that Ace outright admitted to the problem. “Heartslabyul have tarts lying around?”

“I don’t know man,” Ace muses, pouting a bit because Yuu had been actively calling him out several times today. “After the whole court shenanigans, I was feeling a bit hungry so I just went looking around the kitchen and there were three whole tarts sitting in the fridge.” He groans a bit, before leaning back into the sofa now that he’s comfortable. “They look kinda good so I just took one slice for myself, low and behold, I didn’t even get to finish before that tyrant came kicking in screaming about rule 80 something and locked my magic away.”

“...” 

Neither of the duo says anything, he supposes their gaze says enough for it. With the raised eyebrows and deadpan eyes staring at him like he was the one at fault for such tyranny. 

“What’s with the look?!” Ace exclaims, “Don’t you feel collaring me for eating a piece of tart is ridiculous?! I’m a mage geez, what am I supposed to do without magic.”

“It does sound insane,” Grim begins, as Yuu sighs again before he looks over pointedly, finishing the thought. “But what if that was someone’s birthday tart, then it would be important, no?”

“Well, when you put it like that…” Ace groans, he had definitely did that once, when he accidentally snuck a bite of Cheka’s favorite tangerine cake a day before the banquet. 

He didn't even liked the taste of tangerines and creams and all that, it was simply out of both boredom and frustration over Kijaj recent restriction over his diet and cherry pie intake due to the need to dress and show at the birthday banquet. Surely, the mistake would lie on Kijaj's for imposing such a ridiculous ban when he knows that Ace would sooner or later wander in the kitchen when he found himself bored and Leona occupied. Yet both Leona and the chefs had been less than happy with him, rushing the work while hiding it from Cheka’s overactive visits while groaning and cursing under their breath.

Falena, on the other hand, had been more than lenient with it - thanks the sevens - but Ace did receive another three-hour lecture before eventually having to apologize to Cheka later on. 

“See, now it kinda makes sense why he reacted like that wouldn’t it?” Yuu muses, “You’re just gonna have to suck it up and apologize later.”

“Sounds like a pain,” He voiced the thought, but Ace supposed this was as good as it gets now, with Leona mad at him and Yuu looking far from willing to help. “Fine, you’re gonna have to come with me tomorrow.”

“I didn’t–” Yuu groans, before he realizes Ace properly not gonna stop bothering him until he agrees and lowers his head back into his hand. “Fine, you better pay me handsomely later on.”

“A deal is a deal,” He chuckles, finally a bit amused with the situation now that the sour mood is somewhat gone. “Oh, where am I gonna sleep though?”

“You were serious about that?” Grim asks, like he couldn’t believe Ace would be willing to spend the rest of the night with them in Ramshackle. Which is fair, but Ace still glare at the tanuki for it.

“Duh, where else am I gonna sleep?” Not with Leona, not tonight certainly, “So just point me to the nearest guest room you have available.”

“You’re sitting on it.” Yuu deadpans, pointing at the old cranky sofa under him. 

“No way?!” He let out another shocked noise, glancing over the sofa like it was the most ridiculous thing he had heard. “You’re kidding me right?”

He didn’t expect much, but certainly not something as little as this, not when Ace had to made do without a bathroom or balcony in Heartslabyul already. 

“We only had time to clean the sofa and our room,” Grim continues, holding his tiny arms together like it’s doing something for his posture. “So you can either start cleaning or just suck it up.”

No way, not with how Leona had spoiled him rotten all year round. 

“Yuu~” He starts, tone melting sweetly. “I’m thin so I don’t take up much spac–”

“Either that or get out.” Yuu responded immediately, not even the slightest flinch in his tone. 

Damn the Sevens, a lot of people had been giving him the ultimatum today. 

“Fine, you stinky.”

Chapter Text

It had been quite a while since Ace last had a dream that didn’t include the Sunset Savana’s beloved sands. 

He spent too little time outside of the region after all, between the prolonged trip to the palace and merely days spent at his own home, Ace Trappola had been more of a foreign face to the Queendom of Roses than he ever would be for the land of the sunset. Perhaps Mom wasn’t exaggerating when she said the bed at home is more his brother’s second one than his own.

Ace partly blames the sophisticated schedule and Kijaj's unneeded obsession with traditions, the stupid duo had been holding Ace hostage with bothersome classes days and nights for the past seven years just so he would be able to fit in their perfect image of a royal figure when the dreaded ceremony finally commerce. “It’s just another two years,” Leona would often groan, head buried between pillows every time he came back kicking and screaming about how ridiculous those lectures were.  “then you can ditch it altogether, I don’t care.”

Ace still complained to him every time another deed was said and done though, it was the only way he was ever gonna get some stress relieved. Leona hadn't welcomed the increased chatter with open arms, between ignoring Ace completely until the younger shook him out of bed to pulling the sheets around them until the prince was comfortable enough to snuggle them both into another nap. 

Often times it would lead to the abandonment of their evening responsibilities — with the exception of dinner, of course, Cheka would never let them — but Ace found himself content enough to ignore it. Even more when Kijaj finally took the hint and cleared all of Ace’s late schedule every time Leona was back. 

And when Leona left for school at the end of each break, Ace may have been spending a bit too much time dreaming of those afternoons rather than reliving it alone — the majority of that peaceful spell lies with Leona after all — while midnight dreams resemble a dusty collection of rare tranquility that always shines with a yellow hue. 

Ace had long since accepted the dreams as another convenience, something to keep him grounded while Leona busy himself with NRC and his dorm, or as another bliss that he would be the only one able to enjoy. 

But, tonight was different. 

Ace had dreamed of something in red and white towering over him from above instead, in its hand a long decree as it screamed and screeched hundreds of words that turned itself into a dreadful collar as it approached him. Ace had run as fast as he could with the monster on his trail, traversing the confusing maze of roses and flamingos before he found light glimmering on one of the turns. 

Ace had dived into there without much consideration, half expecting an exit out of the maze or the image of someone familiar, but only a lone rose tree stood there, its white roses blooming beautifully on every branch with red paints sticking sloppily around the outmost petals.

Ace had been stupid enough to admire the rose, had hesitated and entranced by dead objects that shouldn’t be of the slightest concern. 

So, when the screeching monster round the corner in his trail merely seconds after with a bloody staff, Ace Trappola could but accept the suffocating collar that sounded a heavy ‘clank’ around his neck. 

The monster didn’t stop there, as it reached out a black oozing hand to the lone tree and plucked the white petals from its place. Smearing red paint over them before he hangs them back in line, looking beautifully fake and unnervingly perfect at the same time. 

It was the last thing Ace remembers. 

“My head…” Ace groans tiredly, holding a palm to his left temple as the three of them make their way down the hall of mirrors. “You should really stop waking people up by throwing them off the bed they were lying, coulda give me brain damage.”

Yuu only hums amusingly in return, he looks far more concerned with fixing the bow on Grim’s neck than Ace’s little accident. “You look fine to me, maybe even better than the sour mood that got dropped on my front porch last night.” 

“Shut up,” Ace says instead, he doesn’t need any form of reminder of yesterday’s events. “I’m this close,” He turns to Yuu, holding his fingers together with a tiny gap, “to going to the headmaster for possible damage compensation.”

“Good luck with that, man’s offering me 100 madol a month for both me and the cat.” Yuu chuckles, “Maybe you could do a bit better.”

“...Damn, and I thought I knew some stinky people.”

They’re halfway to the hall of mirrors as Ace swears, turning and navigating corners at the slowest pace ever since not too many students had gathered yet. The ones who were are yawning and daydreaming in sports uniforms and club clothes — Ace assumed it was the mandatory morning practice, ones that Leona had been far too grumpy during — while the two of them were the only ones looking decently dressed in regular uniforms, minus the slightly messy red hair resting on the ugly heart-shaped collar and Grim’s fur sticking out randomly.

Ace blames Yuu for it, why would someone ever be so insane that they feel the need to start their day promptly at 5 a.m. and proceed to drag others into it, he would never understand. His new mate had also been more committed to the “apology” task than Ace himself, with their little spat this morning about how doing the deed early could possibly help as Ace was pulled forcefully out of the couch he desperately tried to sleep on last night, both sore and itching as Yuu force the jacket into his hands. 

Turns out, Savanaclaw or not, he’s not gonna have a nice morning either way. 

“Someone’s looking grumpy,” A voice laughs, a slightly mocking tone underlying it as the trio finally comes into the hall. “Is twin expressions a thing between you two now?”

Ruggie, of course, Savanaclaw and the Spelldrive club would both be holding their practice around now. 

“Not you too.” Ace sighs, “Did I miss the trend where we all start waking up dead-ass early, or are the rest of you going insane?”

Yuu had already withdrawn to the side, holding Grim by his scuff to prevent the half-asleep cat from diving headfirst into one of the mirrors without them, as the two watched Ace and the hyena. It must be awkward, Ace silently thought, walking around a school where you aren’t even the tiniest bit familiar while the only person you know is stuck in another conversation.

Ace will have to introduce him later, he feels guilty enough to do that anyway.

“Some of us have to start the grind ya know,” Ruggie shrugs, though Ace’s paying more attention to the stuff in his hands rather than his words. Different Magical Shift supplies, two packs of cafeteria bread, and a familiar-looking can of black coffee, “Not everyone gets to lie around while their servants run around doing their job.”

“I heard that.” 

The annoyed tone sounded from the Savanaclaw mirror, and Ace couldn’t help but pull his expression into a neutral pout, holding his arms together as they all watched the mirror ripple to reveal Leona in his sports clothes. 

Leona’s hair was already well-groomed into a low ponytail, Ace suspected Ruggie had pressured him to it, but it only did more to make Ace hyper-aware of the mess on his own head. 

“Look who it is,” Ruggie points to him when Leona’s finally done stepping through, another laugh bursting out when the hyena notices how he is standing. “The Sevens just brought you an angry princess.”

“Am not,” he grumbles in return.

Leona didn’t say anything to that, he simply stared. Looking Ace up and down before he let out a familiar sigh, “Why?”

It wasn’t a genuine question, they all knew it, it was more a mocking one that Leona hadn’t bothered to phrase properly, while sounding both resigned and tired with the fact that Ace hadn’t had time to brush his hair decently this morning and didn't have time to experiement that aspect with such a bothersome thing around his neck.

“Shut it,” Ace groans, he’s not exactly satisfied with how he’s looking either, but at least one knows to leave a problem alone when you don’t fucking have time and energy to deal with it. “I’m on my way to the most dreadful thing ever, the least you can do is zip it about my hair.”

“If you think going anywhere looking like that is a good idea, I might as well call Kijaj here.” Leona begins, “Let him look at the grand result of his education, maybe then you would actually succeed in making him cry for once.”

“Or he could also steal another good observation at you while he’s at it,” Ace snaps back, irritation from waking up far too early in the morning laying on thick. “He could really use another day rambling about the status and dignity of a prince, no? Maybe the old man would even consider his due retirement when he’s done with it.”

As concerned as Ruggie and Yuu look with the argument and the attention it’s drawing, the two just let them continue on, preferring to stand silently on the side waiting for Leona to throw another insult back. Ace suspects that they must have decided that the bothersome work would not be worth it that early in the day. Or simply because Leona had looked quite terrifying during it. 

Speaking of, the prince didn’t think that adding anything else was necessary. Instead, Leona chooses to simply adopt an intense glare with a growl finding itself halfway out of his throat, feigning annoyance with silent anger as he directs it to Ace’s way. 

Ace is not a stranger to it, though he had rarely been on the receiving end. The cold anger had mostly appeared on Leona seldomly when some idiot couldn’t shut up about the second prince's status and the matter over Ace’s race. A human fiance would disgrace the kingdom and its tradition, the last idiot had said, and Leona had thrown an impressive roar that shook the entire chamber before eventually massacring the guy with choice words and insults about his own status. 

It had effectively instilled fear in Cheka for once, having seen his uncle truly angered for the first time ever and trembling with the echoes of the roar before another one of Leona’s souvenirs made the little guy all happy and piper again.

Ace Trappola, with as much bravery and stubbornness as the Sunset Savana has praised him for, decides to not face it head-on. Not today, in front of a whole spectacle of wide-awake students and a half-stranger. And certainly not while the subtle growl and tension that Leona so easily gives today is far too concerning and scary to deal with.  

“Fine,” Ace grits out, left hand already reaching to touch the terracotta ends poking out, stranded on the surface of the collar. “I’ll fix it now. Happy?”

It earns him a long sigh, one that Leona drags with a hand on his temple as he slowly releases the frown. Sounding much more resigned and tired than Ace is over his own hairstyle, even though Leona had been perfectly content with him wearing it however he liked before. 

“Listen,” Leona begins, walking over to him as he pulls out the low pony, “You can do whatever you like with it later, but seeking the tyrant for serious matters is different." He stops, steeping into Ace's personal space before glancing threatening at the red collar and continues. "Don’t forget who you’re also representing.” 

He finish finally, definitely implying himself as his gloves hands references Ace up and down, before eventually taking hold of Ace’s left hand and the hair strands altogether. 

“Here,” Leona mutters, opening Ace’s palm a bit forcefully as he drops his own hair tie into it. “Tie it up.”

Ace purses his lips, “Maybe I should just cut it, getting too bothersome anyway.”

“Do whatever you want,” Leona says nonchalantly, patting his head as he finally turns away. “Though, the long hair looks a bit more eye-pleasing than that old spikey situation.”

“Why you–” Ace says, a bit in outrage because how dares he, while the slight embarrassment from the head-pat creeps into his cheeks with dusty pinks shade that are definitely visible to the naked eye. “Leona! You stay right there!!”

Leona didn’t, he instead threw Ace another grin and walked his way back into the Savanaclaw’s mirror, looking far too pleased with himself for gifting Ace such a tiny little thing and a second-hand embrassment.

“Shi-shi-shi,” Ruggie suddenly creeps up beside him, chuckling in that familiar tone of his. “And here I thought Imma have to service two difficult royals early in the morning. Turns out it’s just another one of your lover’s spat instead.”

“Oh come on,” Ace tries, “I was not that bad.” 

“You certainly were,” Ruggie continues, digging back into the load of stuff in his hand for one of the two cafeteria breads just now. “Oh before I forget, your breakfast brioche, taken fresh from the cafeteria this morning.” 

“Cherry jam filling?” Ace asks pointedly.

“Cherry jam filling, made by the chef ghost himself.”

Ace couldn’t help the smile that came onto his face at the mention of it, a custom-requested breakfast that Leona had no doubt made Ruggie run for once more to try and compensate for the accidental spat last night. 

Though Ace would have appreciated a pie a bit more, he supposed he would forgive Leona for snapping this time. 

“I’ll take it then,” Ace muses, “it would just be rude to not after all the trouble you went through.”

“Don’t even start,” Ruggie sighs as he hands it to him while glancing back to the dorm mirror, finally turning on his heels when Ace takes the bread. “Imma heads back to serve boss before he snaps again, ya have fun with whatever ya doing, princess.” 

“Quit it with the cringe nickname while you’re at it,” Ace says with an eye roll, partly waving Ruggie gone as he pokes and picks the two items in his hand. 

Yuu finally approached him when Ruggie’s out of sight, looking a mix between amused and confused. “So... princess? Did I accidentally made friends with a royal, or do you guys just have a weird kink?"

“Zip it,” Ace deadpans, “I’ll explain later.”

That seems to be enough for Yuu, as he points to the mirror splatter with red and white and its large namer banner of Heartslabyul and muses. “Are we going then, princess?”

The little bastard. Ace makes a mental note to complain to Ruggie about this nickname thing later on, can't have it spreads out too much else Leona would be all too happy teasing him bout it later on.

“Let me tie this thing real quick,” Ace responds, pulling the messy strands away from the collar and into a ponytail much alike Leona's own before. 

Also. Idiot Leona, could have said you liked my long hair honestly.

“Let’s go.” He says finally, looking a bit more composed with the high pony getting most of the hair out of his face and neatly tied above, ends only scratching the surface of the collar instead of twisting dramatically.

Ace pretends he didn’t notice the vibrant red color of the hair tie, all too different from Leona’s preferred simple black. 

He had accepted the apology after all. 

Chapter Text

“So, you had a plan.” Deuce sums up, squatting opposite the Ramshackle duo and Ace while they all hide from the rage going on in the halls of Heartslabyul. 

“Oh fuck no,” Ace swears before he could finish, withdrawing even further into the rose bushes when he hears another freshman screams for mercy. “I’m not going out there. He’s going insane!”

Okay, a bit too much of an exaggeration, but Deuce doesn’t blame him. Not when it was just minutes ago that Housewarden Riddle had personally kicked down his door and collared two of his other roommates for not being out of bed. 

Deuce had never been more grateful for his mother’s dedication to having a good morning and his own tendencies to prepare for a little morning warm-up, it saved his ass. 

“Come on,” Yuu groans from his spot, hunched over three tiny bushes while holding Grimm by the scuff of his neck so the cat wouldn’t jump. “We’re here anyway, man up and get it over with.” 

“Are you insane?!” Ace scoffs in return, pointing his index finger rudely in Yuu’s face as he exclaims. “Cause that guy’s looking like he’s mad enough he could burn people alive. I’m not subjecting myself to that, nuh uh.”

“You didn’t look that scared when you were talking about him last night.” Yuu mocks, “How bout you own up to that energy and get going? I don’t have all day.”

Ace cries, “You literally have nothing else to do!” And instantly withdrew the hand that he raised subconsciously when another freshie ran past them crying. Red collar in full glory on his neck. 

This was a terrible idea, Ace silently thinks, a horrifying, mind-numbing, suicidal idea. 

Riddle had been even more furious than he had imagined, properly partly fueled by the report of his little morning spat in the hall of mirror with Leona. Babbling about disrespect or inappropriate interactions between a prince to another. 

It had happened multiple times in the past, same concept, same shits about language and behavior, while they get angry on Leona’s behalf about Ace being not even half of the person they expected him to be. 

Ridiculous motherfuckers. 

“So, uhm…” Deuce begins, glancing nervously between them when neither says a word. “Are we going to see the house warden?”

“I’m not going,” Ace says like it’s final, stealing a glance at the rose bush behind him like he’s afraid a red tyrant’s gonna jump out throwing spells. “You guys do whatever you want.”

“Kinda goes against the point, don’t cha think?” Yuu points out, “You’re the one with the collar. Not us.”

“And you’re not helping!” 

Deuce is, well, stuck in between the two. Partly, he agrees that they should all just get this done with. Get Ace inside and force him to say whatever he needs to so that the Housewarden would somewhat calm down and relieve them of his fury once and for all. 

Another, well, a big another. Can’t help but agree with Ace, especially when he had seen firsthand just how red and angry the house warden can turn over simple matters, lest they all go in and somehow Ace mess up that apology — Like Deuce and Yuu had seen him doing consistently these past two days — and eventually lose his head over it too. 

It’s not like they can hide here forever either, not when classes would start in another half an hour and the house warden might catch them in the act himself. 

That outcome would be even more terrifying than the alternative. 

“Guys,” He tries, hesitating a bit when two pairs of red eyes turn on him. “I don’t think sitting here is a solution either.”

“Exactly,” Yuu backs him up, “If we listen to you, we would all be sitting here until all the Hearts whatever students are gone. Then you would be facing his fury alone.” He stops for a minute, pointing his hand at Ace’s debating face. “Do you want that?!” 

Okay, a bit ruder than Deuce would have done it, but at least Yuu got the point across.

Ace still looks positively offended by the idea, but Deuce thinks the mention of facing House Warden Riddle alone with his wand and signature spell in hand must have sparked some unsavory recollection, judging by the face Ace pulls seconds before they hear him scoff. 

Ace first pulls them a glare, before he deadpans. “Fine, but if he hangs me upside down and starts whooping my ass. I’m dragging you all with me.” 

Yuu only rolls his eyes, Deuce would love to do the same, but he’s a bit more concerned with how they’re gonna make it out after said apology. 

“Come on now, Riddle is not that bad.”

A voice says, directly above Ace from behind the rose fences, and they look above to see Heartslabyul’s vice house warden looking down at them with a neutral smile. 

Oh, fuck. 

“Sorry about earlier,” Trey says apologetically, settling down his own food tray at the end of their table. “I wasn’t really trying to scare you.”

Yeah right, say that before you actually do it. 

Ace sulks anyway, laying flat on the wood table as the two seniors make themselves comfortable around him. Yuu and Deuce had joined the chaos of the cafeteria, running after the cat after it had run headfirst into the crowd at the slightest smell of omelet, as they struggled to get their own portion of lunches from the obscene line. 

Ace can’t share the sentiment, not when he was made to paint roses with bare hands and consequently get kicked out of his own dorm for not having a stupid pie on hand at 7 in the morning. 

“Are you alright?” Cater tries gently when he didn’t respond, “You’re looking rather unenergetic.”

“You would too if you woke up at 5 am and had a shitty day.” Ace groans, head turning sideways to avoid even looking at the junior duo. “Especially when said people are now harassing you.”

“Now, we are not trying to do that,” Trey explains, Ace can’t really see his face but he assumes the junior is fixing his glass awkwardly, judging by the light shuffle of hair. “We’re just checking on our freshmen at lunch.”

Ace only scoffs, “You can do that with goody two shoes in the line over there, he might even appreciate it.”

“Don’t make this difficult now,” Cater says, positive and piper since he’s not the one getting kicked in the ass this morning. “You know it was better us than Riddle-kun to tell you about that apology pie.”

Well, true. Ace shudders to think what it would have been like with that rule-obsessing on the opposite side this morning. Noticeably when Ace had definitely not read or brought the whole rulebook with him like the freshmen are expected to. 

It doesn’t make the whole fiasco any less stupid than it already is, but Ace suppose he can forgive Cater and Trey for it. For now. 

“How do you guys stand his rule-obsession all the time?” He asks instead, heads turning a good 180 before he sends them a glare once again. “Cause he’s going a bit too insane even for a tyrant.”

Ace would know, since he had the unfortunate fate of suffering Kijaj’s unending series of rambling lessons about how Leona’s dedication to developing technologies and monopolizing nature's gifts, if not moderated, could potentially resemble a tyrant in their lands. 

Not that Ace actually agrees, he would rather Leona goes forward with the idea one day and get the whole Savana some proper financial standing, but he listens nonetheless. 

And, like many of the things that go hand in hand with growing up inside the royal palaces, Ace had eventually learned to spot a fair and good ruler through their posture and words. 

Riddle doesn't have much ruler material right now, if at all. 

“Well…” Trey only chuckles awkwardly, with Cater following right after with his own. 

He could see the strain on their faces. One far too familiar for him, the same one the servants in the castle had given Ace countless times when he struggled with their constipated traditions before eventually ditching it all for an afternoon stride outside with Leona. 

They had given up, to make it short and clear, any forgone with any attempt to try to redeem this sorry excuse of a reign. 

It made Ace scoffs. “Oh come on, really? You guys are fine with this?”

“I mean, we hav–”

“That was the best part of lunch!” Some dude screams, drawing the attention of all the students before Ace spots his own set of idiots being held by the neck by the same dude. “You better make it right for me real quick, pal.” 

“Is that?!” Ace exclaims, not his idiots of a group getting into something as stupid as a cafeteria brawl on the first day of school.

“That’s Deucy-chan and the new student right?” Cater asks quietly, glancing nervously at Ace before he turns his attention to the crowd completely.

Ace hadn’t joined the line with them, given how he was still feeling a bit full from the brioche this morning despite the little spat in the rose maze and the subsequent chase for Grimm, completed with the fact that Ace would rather rot hungry before he could ever start struggling in a crowd for some food like a mad man. 

Deuce and Yuu were just the opposite, enthusiastic with the lunches presented by actual ghost chefs while still being affordable enough while the cat himself had been the embodiment of hunger reincarnated. 

Ace thinks Yuu would have to blow his 100 madol allowance on food before it even gets to the half of the month, but he thinks it’s properly best to keep that to himself. 

“I’ll go stop them,” Ace says quickly to the two juniors, already standing up from his seat to reach the idiots as Deuce starts raising a fist.

“Knock it off before I knock some sense into you myself.” Ace hears Leona say, finally stepping into the makeshift circle as he towers over the two Savanaclaw students from behind with Ruggie in tow, holding two food trays in his hands. 

“H-House warden Leona!” The dudes sputter, suddenly all stiff and scared now that a Lion’s in the room. “What are you doing here?!”

“What? You have a problem with me enjoying my lunch break?” Leona narrows his eyes, a growl ready in the back of his throat. “Pulling this kind of fiasco right before the Magif tournament, are you itching for a beating or what?”

“N-No sir!! We’re not looking for any trouble!”

“Then get outta my sight,” Leona says finally, tilting his head sideways as he signals for the door and said idiots follow it out of the cafeteria, hot on their tail. Partly running from all the shame and Leona’s bubbling anger at the same time. 

“And what are you guys looking at?” The house warden says as he sends a glare to the crowd, students alike start scattering back to their own business before the cafeteria becomes unusually quiet and peaceful, almost like waiting for Leona to finish with whatever he’s doing and leave.

They wouldn’t dare talk blatantly while Leona’s standing there, Ace knows these kinds far too well, just like how they would have naturally run their mouths to spin an unbelievable story had the Lion were not present. 

“Um,” Yuu begins, finally breaking from his short trance earlier, his voice ringing out now that the cafeteria is so quiet. “Thank you.”

“Be careful around here, herbivore.” Leona says in return, “Keep walking like that and you will be hunted in less than a day.”

Yuu only nods, with Deuce and Grim right beside him still left awestruck, still staring at Leona’s face before Ruggie’s noticing chuckles break them out of it. 

Ace could understand the sentiment, he himself had all been too entranced with Leona’s beautiful features before the overwhelming aura tipped him off. 

It still left a crush though, a huge, torturing one at that. Sevens damn it. But, at least it got Ace a smug and arrogant fiance. 

“Ace,” Leona calls him before he does, gaze already locking as the prince starts walking towards their table. Ruggie followed closely while smiling brightly with other Savanaclaw students, piping hot food trays in hand. “Sit down already, what are you standing like an idiot for?” Leona says when he finally reaches them, grinning smugly as his posture slouches over Ace, “Or is this a new form of welcome? Kijaj really did teach you well.”

Insufferable too. 

“Yes yes, I’m so honored the prince of Sunset Savana is here to have lunch with little old me,” Ace says sarcastically, holding a finger out to poke at the yellow shirt as they slowly sit down. “What did you get me anyway?” 

“Me? I’m not in the favor of doing things for spoiled brats.” Leona says blatantly, “How bout getting off your ass and start getting your own food?” 

The thought makes Ace laugh, “Please. I could never, besides, wouldn’t it be terribly sad for such an adorable freshman to be squashed between the crowd.” Ace offers, already narrowing one eye as the other pulls themselves into a grinning face, his signature one. “Especially before he ever gets married too.”

“So you decided to be a spoiled, lazy brat instead.” Leona sums up. 

“Exactly, now did you get me some food or not?” 

Leona didn’t answer him, “Ruggie.” The house warden calls instead, signaling for the chuckling hyena to finally set down the two trays before he eventually takes up the final seat on the table. 

“Piping hot lunch right here for ya~” Ruggie says excitedly, “Taken straight from Mostro Longue just minutes ago.”

It was two trays of steak — Leona’s favorite, and a side of creamy pasta — exactly what Ace’s craving, and a pair of delicious-looking pastries to complete the whole set. 

While it was nowhere as extravagant as the food he had back home, Ace supposed this looked far more appetizing than the trays his fellow friends had brought along. 

“Had to ask the Cephalo-punk a favor for these,” Leona deadpans, “With you being difficult and all, I just had to save myself from the headache.”

Aww, did Ace mention how adorable and caring his fiance can be at times. At a few, selected times.

“How thoughtful of you, darling.” Ace smiles, hands already reaching out to the food before Leona can even help himself. “Should I be giving you sweet kisses in return?” 

“Hrrk?!” Cater suddenly chokes, as Ace glances back to see the guy holding his fork halfway to his awaiting mouth while staring at them. 

Well, they were all staring. Both in wide disbelief and nervousness, maybe with Yuu being the only exception cause Ace’s only seeing genuine confusion in his eyes. 

The cafeteria is also still, far too still and quiet for a place Leona had repeatedly described to him as the biggest dog fighting cage in the whole school. Ace notices a few sneaky glances at him, at Leona, then Ruggie — switching back and forth between them all with intense concentration. 

A quick glare from Leona sends them all away before another pointed gaze gets Trey and Cater to turn their heads sideways. 

“Why do they all look like someone died?” Ace asks genuinely, as Ruggie sneaks another shi-shi-shi from his spot on the table.

“You…” Leona only sighs, rolling his eyes a bit before he touches a hand to his temple. “Have you not realized that this is not Sunset Savana yet, you can’t say that shits nonchalantly around here.”

“What? I didn’t say anyth–” 

Oh. 

Oh. 

Oh. 

In Ace’s defense, he had been stressed and tired all day. With Leona’s sudden temper spike last night and the poor sleeping conditions, completed with the fact that he had barely slept a full six hours with how energetic Yuu had been this morning and the uneventful fight in the rose maze, Ace had been far more than exhausted and wary. 

Not to mention with all his magic locked and sealed, how angsty and uncomfortable these past two days had been when you take away the very thing someone grew up so attached to. 

In a moment of happiness, entranced by both Leona’s appearance and his rare show of caring nature, Ace had slipped into the usual, questionable interactional habits they shared. 

“W-Well!!” He tries, “I didn’t mean to do it! The stupid collar and the tyrant’s rules-obsessing dorm had been running me around all day so I jus–”

“My rules-obsessing dorm?” 

Chapter Text

This might actually top Ace’s worst-days-to-remember list. 

Might, because he’s not sure whether dealing with a tiny, rampaging tyrant would be as painful as that one time Leona held him in an iron claw for a good two hours after he had snuck out of the castle for a stupid concert. 

Well, not that Leona being here whilst he’s dealing with said tyrant would make the situation any better. 

“Drop the tone, Boy Wonder.” Leona scoffs, turning his head sideways to look at Riddle in amusement. “Don’t blame a brat for speaking right on the mark now.”

Okay, maybe don’t use that tone with him either— Ace thought silently— Let’s not make things any worse than they already are.

“Housewarden!” Ace calls loudly, cutting in before Riddle manages to retort while pushing lightly on Leona’s shoulder, hoping to the Sevens that he would take it as a sign to shut up. “I didn’t see you there.”

Riddle only stares at him, another moment of silence as he glances at the two juniors choking and coughing on food at the other end before a pointed look addresses Ace and his hand on the Savanaclaw housewarden. 

“Maybe you would have if you paid more attention to where you are,” Riddle says, tone all tight and strict, “It is completely indecent of you to be acting so brass on school grounds, let alone the common cafeteria!” Came the shouts, as Riddle takes in a breath before he asks. “Do you want to disgrace Heartslabyul?”

“N-No! Not at all, sir!!” Ace tries, left hand swinging rapidly in front in an attempt to deny it. “I was just joking with him out of habit!”

“Joking?” Riddle questions quickly, following his pathetic excuse with a sharp frown. “Then you should know better than to joke about such matters, considering you are now a member of both Night Raven College and Heartslabyul!” He stops, throwing another glare at Leona when the lion leans comfortably against the table as they bicker. “Not to mention who you are joking with.”

Ace had heard this before, a million times before to be exact, from either Kijaja or the royal attendants who serve Leona personally. Sometimes even Falena and the nobles would add a thing or two about it — not that Ace ever listened, neither did Leona — about them dropping the horrible sex jokes out of nowhere every time either of them did something nice for once. 

It was a bit too inappropriate, said Kijaj, for a pair of royals who were supposed to be representing both Savana Sunset and the Queendom of Roses. 

Ace can’t find it in himself to give two fucks about it, his identity as a stupid sixteen years old teenager should be prioritized over the sophisticating title that had just dropped randomly from the sky. 

And Leona didn’t mind it, found it hilarious the first time he had done it even, as he eventually entertained Ace’s tendencies with very subtle and somehow loving changes in tone when saying brat or kid. Further enabling Ace’s distasteful jokes even when they were right in front of a stuck-up tutor and a very, very ill Kijaj standing by the sides. 

Though, the prince did warn Ace against doing such things in public at NRC. Holding his cheeks in an iron claw the last time he was back on holiday whilst making him promise to only do it in the comfiness of Leona’s room. 

Ace failed on the first day. 

“I’ll be sure to pay more attention from now on.” Ace forces a grin, holding his head a bit lower with every passing minute that Riddle narrows his gaze and stands in silence. 

Riddle seemed like he wanted to say something more, a lot of things, but Ace could only spot him dashing his gaze back and forth between the two beastmen sitting idly on the sides as they made no move to scoot and mind their own business like the rest of the cafeteria did. Leona even looked partly entertained with the whole charade, catching the corner of Ace’s eye with an amused grin, head resting on the palm of his hands as he enjoys being right. 

Ace is, and will continue to be miserable at this right and obedient dorm. Being poked left and right, night and day by rose bushes that could not stop ruining every single good thing and a standalone, hateful rose in its center that keeps on cutting into Ace’s freedom. 

Ace always hates it when Leona’s right. 

“Riddle,” Trey finally says, joining them when he’s finally done helping Cater with the questionable chocking, “Ace is still new to NRC so some of the habits might be a bit difficult to get rid of, I think we should give him some time.”

“This is unacceptable!” Came the response, “To think he would be joking about such indecent matters.” Riddle suck in a breath, glancing quickly at Leona before turning back to Ace with a deep frown. “With another house warden no less.”

Why does Ace has a feeling this dude had never heard a single joke in his entire life? 

Trey looks visibly tired at that, unconsciously touching his glasses and playing with the plastic frame while looking for words in his head. “Still, I think he hadn’t meant anything bad. Wouldn’t it be fair if we give him a chance to adjust to NRC before we punish him even further?” Trey tries, gesturing to Leona when he finally notices how comfortably the lion is sitting. “After all, Leona-san doesn’t exactly look offended.”

Riddle only huffs at that, still staring down at Ace and the red collar on him with narrowed eyes. The freshman visibly sank under his gaze, the most obedient Leona had ever seen him, saying nothing whilst the hand that had been pushing actively on Leona’s shoulder found itself hiding under the table, latching onto the lion’s other hand like a lifeline. 

Ace is not scared, nuh uh, no way. He’s just looking for reassurance from his biggest backup in case things go south, what if the tyrant just goes berserk out of nowhere and starts attacking him with a flood of collars or something? Leona would be the only defense he got. 

Okay, maybe Ace is projecting his dreams a bit. 

“Well?” Riddle finally asks him, folding his hands together as he looks down at the freshman. “Do you have anything to say before I deliver your verdict?”

Maybe not. 

“I mean I– uhm, you know…” Ace begins, struggling to find the next probable excuse to tell in front of hundreds of other students. “We have known each other for like, a really long time, so I just slipped. Sorry about that, Housewarden.”

He says nervously, fingers gripping and digging into the brown skin underneath until Leona shows a visible frown, properly bothered by the subtle pain even though it’s barely a tickle, as the whole cafeteria stills. Holding their breath and waiting for the eventual judgment. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Leona finally says, letting out a sigh as he breaks from the lax posture to turn around completely. “This one’s with me.”

Riddle stills, gaze sharpening as it faces Leona’s own head-on. “...What are you implying?”

“It means he’s mine , so back off, Red.” Leona sneers, his voice dangerously low as a roar is already waiting at his throat. “Unless you need me to beat it into you.”

“Leona-senpai, I don’t recall giving you any permission over my dorm students.” 

“And why should I ask you to?” Leona asks, smirking smugly as he gestures to the Heartslayul students a table over, “Look at those herbivores shivering. With the way you’re managing them, I wouldn’t be surprised when many more of those red underlings come crawling their way to me for help.”

The statement paints a red mask over Riddle's face, teeth gritting together as the beautiful grey pupils shrink in rage “How dare you–?!”

The air in the cafeteria was more than unnerving, two house wardens at each other throat while their magic lay ready, just waiting for the first signs of tension to spark. 

Students from each of the dorms stand with them, Heartslabyul cowering together in groups as Savanaclaw jumps on their feet waiting to provide aid. 

Ruggie looks especially excited, chuckling by Leona’s side as his eyes shine an olive glow, a magical pen grasped tightly in his hand, far too ready for an uneventful brawl in the middle of the school cafeteria. 

“Woah woah, let’s not do anything rash now.” Cater tries on the side, stepping in between the two house wardens with head-turning left and right just to ensure neither of them would make a move. “I’m sure Ace-chan is just not used to NRC yet and Leona-san is the only one he knows here.” 

He turns to Ace at that, blinking rapidly with a hopeful expression before completely blocking Riddle’s view for the two of them. “Right, Ace-chan?”

Ace catches on immediately, “Yeah!! And I’m like, super nervous since it’s my first day so I just joked with him out of habit.” He exclaims, left hand already pulling on brown hair strands behind Leona’s back in hopes of holding the prince back. “I’ll get rid of it by tomorrow!!”

It didn’t seem to satisfy Riddle, not with the way he tilted his head behind Cater to get a direct look at Ace, startling the pulling hair into a still as he pondered the lame excuse. 

A moment later, Riddle finally unfolds his arms. “What’s your relationship with Leona-senpai?” He questions, still looking a mix between anger and confusion, but much calmer than the red shade that overcame his features just minutes ago. 

“Uhm, so…” Ace drags, struggling with words while glancing at Leona out of the corner of his eyes, waiting for any kind of the right cue to start lying out of his ass again. “We just, like, known each other for a long time. It’s nothing big.” 

“Oh quit dragging your ass already,” Leona suddenly cuts in, frowning at Ace’s hesitation over speaking the status out loud like they hadn’t agreed upon this beforehand. “Or do you want me to tell them?”

“ What?!” Ace scoffs back, “You told me to not tell a soul!”

“I changed my mind.” Leona retorts, looking annoyed at the mention of it all of a sudden. “And before you ask, it was since last night, when some stubborn brat decided he’s gonna bring me trouble under the table and make me pick up after him because he’s too arrogant to do one thing.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to change my mind, you know how terrible shits get whenever someone gets wind of it,” Ace pauses, glancing around at the student's body who’s all too focused on them right now, before swallowing a visible gulp. “ That. Besides, people are gonna be asking and I don’t wanna explain anything about it ever again!”

Leona only rolls his eyes, before he deadpans. “Maybe it would actually be a favor for them when you shut it about that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Leona-san,” Trey interrupts before Leona retorts, looking pointedly at Ace before he switches for a tired smile. “Maybe you could give us a simple summary of it, we won’t be asking for anything too personal.”

Leona throws Trey a glare at that, before he turns back to Ace with a smug face, words already shooting off as the freshman looks all the more startled. 

“He’s my fi–”

“Childhood friends!!!” Ace exclaims loudly, “We’re childhood friends!!!!!!”

It was the best he could come up with. 

All in all, that lunch was actually far more accomplishing than Ace’s had imagined it to be, in terms of uneventful encounters and debates of course. When whatever needs to be done is already done, and what shouldn’t have been done has also been completed, Ace successfully retreated back to a somewhat normal schedule; a failed attempt at getting Riddle to remove the collar, afternoon classes with the rest of the idiots, a promise to a pie-making session with Trey for the apology that was somehow still underway (Yuu looks far too amused at the mention of it), and a bed reserved on Ramshackle’s sofa for the rest of the week. 

Ace really thought his life at NRC would be a bit more eventful, if not far more comfortable than whatever this currently is. 

Riddle had been satisfied enough to step away from them for another stupid rule about some tea, half-believing Ace’s lies about his unconventional relationship with a lion prince before ensuring that both Trey and Cater would be looking over Ace for any future infractions. 

Ace had been less than happy with the arrangements, but he supposed it was better than if the tyrant had decided he was gonna do it himself. 

Had he known freshman a bit better, Riddle would have immediately seen through the little lie.

Ace Trappola would never show or admit his nervousness so openly — not on his life — and neither had he been close enough to the third year to know that Leona would never tolerate such behaviors if the nature of their relationship were anything less than absolutely vital. 

Nonetheless, Ace couldn’t be happier about it. 

Maybe he should have paid more attention to Leona’s annoyed mood when he left the table promptly after Riddle did, leaving Ace calling pointlessly after him and looking exasperatedly when the others questioned it. 

Yet, the freshman carried on with his day without paying it any mind. Leona had always been moody after their bickers, switching between choking him with an iron claw or snuggling tightly for an impromptu nap to make up for it. 

So, as stupid as it sounds now that he actually thinks about it, Ace went on without confronting the prince about his weird annoyance, even while Ruggie had dropped more than one hinted gaze at him in the corridors whenever they met between passing classes.

In the end, after an exhausting day both mentally and physically, leaves Ace with this;

“Childhood friends, huh?” Leona asks, leaning against the wooden door as Ruggie and Ace both look pointedly awkward in front of him. “Now where have I heard that before.”

Ace had found his way into Savanaclaw again that night, saying goodbye to Yuu after they send Deuce back his way into Heartslabyul with the silly belief that his and Leona’s midnight argument is said and done, all resolved and resulted in the special treatment once again. 

Ace couldn’t have been more wrong, especially when Ruggie had led the way hesitantly while asking whether Ace had been sure he wanted to do this tonight. 

Only now that he’s looking at Leona, mad and annoyed with a mask of indifference while guarding the only good bed Ace could ever find at NRC, could Ace finally understand what he means by it.

“I-I mean,” He begins, shuffling a bit on his feet as he looks at Ruggie for help. The hyena wasn’t offering any. “You didn’t exactly give me a choice…”

“Really now?” Leona asks amusedly, “Cause if my memory serves me right, I offered to do it on your behalf– since you’re such a herbivore and all. But someone decided to take it into his own hands instead, no?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Ace responds hesitantly, before another glance at Leona’s unchanging expression figures he should give it up with the half-assed explanations altogether. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry, alright?”

Ace sighs when a pointed glare was thrown his way again, “I just didn’t want them to start talking shit about that thing again, the rumors had been bad enough. I didn’t really mean to deny our relationship or anything.”

“Now now, perhaps admitting to such a thing would be far too much for our good fellow here.” Leona laughs, even though his eyes remain narrowed distastefully. “And I don’t wanna trouble you with any more rumors either, so how bout my good childhood friend finds himself a more suitable accommodation tonight?”

“Oh come on Leona, again?!”

“Again,” Leona says finally, gesturing to Ruggie with a lift of his chin before he turns back into the room. “Ruggie, get him out of my sight.”

“You got it, boss.”

…

Ruggie stands with Ace in front of the room for another minute, in complete silence, looking at the door hopefully like Leona’s gonna change his mind and personally welcome Ace into his den again. 

Leona didn’t. 

“Princess…It’s not gonna work.” Ruggie begins after a good minute of waiting, “Ya made him real mad this time, ya know.”

“I know…”

Back to the vintage sofa, he goes. 

Somehow, Ace found it in himself to hate NRC even more. 

Chapter Text

Kijaj had told him a story about another princess once, right after his first debut at some royal gala that Leona wasn’t able to get out of. 

The princess in question was brought in from another country, from an upbringing very unfamiliar to royal dignities, much like his own. One who had successfully completed her education and became a figure worthy of respect and admiration as she stood by the Savana Sunset’s late king with all the elegance and wisdom one could ever have. 

Much unlike the current Ace and whatever image he’s striving for, of course. 

He thinks Kijaj had meant for the story to be a form of encouragement. One that would have Ace somewhat understand the reason behind having to deal with such tight scheduling and sophisticated judgments from assholes that he barely remembers the face of nor knew anything about. A form of inspiration that would help the dumb teenager he is to fix his horrible language and posture just to smile and walk around on painful shoes while all eyes on the gala examine him top to bottom like some sort of rare creature. 

It had not helped in the slightest. In fact, Ace had told Kijaj to go to hell just seconds after the advisor finished with his little storytelling time, screaming about how dumb this whole thing was while running down the corridor in hopes that none of the assholes would find him later. 

Leona had the same thought when he heard why Ace had been crying his eyes out in the corner even though the said twelve-year-old had been so happy eating all the cakes he could see while dominating the noble kids with dumb arguments that made them run back to their mother crying and screaming. 

Leona had been much more furious about it, in fact, supposedly finally doing his job as the designated babysitter while arguing with Kijaj in a much ruder form of wording than the royal families had ever allowed as Ace snuggled comfortably in his hold.

Ace thinks it was around that time that he finally stopped complaining about being sick of seeing Leona so often. 

Still, Ace remembers the story far more vividly than he would have liked. The princess of old that had been more than flexible with her study, how easily she fitted in the extravagant appearances, and just how beloved she was with the servants and nobles alike. 

All of the things Ace could never seem to get behind, not that he would have wanted to anyway, but maybe life would be a tad bit better if he didn’t have to do with rumors and snide comments like they’re just another undisputable part of life. 

It seemed to work for Leona though, not that Ace ever liked the method, not with how withdrawn and tired the lion always is when surrounded by the castle walls that was supposed to be his home. 

“Deal with it,” Leona had told him once, holding the smaller hand in his own as they reviewed the extensive materials together at midnight. “We don’t get to choose what shitty life we get anyway.”

Ace thinks they should be able to, not that his opinion actually mattered on the grand scale of things, but still. One would think two teenagers deserve better than being shoved around by tutors day and night with bullshit that takes more than 2 hours to completely memorize. 

Sometimes, just sometimes, but maybe more often than he would have liked, Ace found himself dreading the royal life more than anything. 

“You can look a bit more energetic, you know,” Yuu says bitterly, the basket in his left hand barely filled with fresh chestnuts. “This was supposed to be your job.”

“I’m trying.” Ace sighs, “Like really trying. Not my fault your sofa sucks and not suited for people to sleep on.”

Actually, he thinks the fault lies more in the nightmare he had this morning. The very same one about the maze and the red monster, just with Kijaj’s ridiculous tale playing in the background and the lack of Leona’s presence filling the air. 

It’s the worst he had felt in years. 

“Then try harder.” Deuce says pointedly, walking back to them with a chestnut in hand before dropping it in Yuu’s basket. The result of his hard work digging around the trees by the main walkway. “You haven’t gotten a single chestnut so far, you know.”

“That just screams lazy,” Yuu adds, already examining the new addition to his collection of nuts before sparing Ace another glare. 

They had been at it for two hours, shuffling between areas and digging through bushes in hopes that some chestnuts would be lying around randomly for pick and choose. Not that anyone had been diligent about it, with Ace still holding a troublesome collar around his neck that further complicated the process of literally anything while Yuu is far from the best worker around. Deuce was the only one with energy, having well-rested despite the huge collar incident that happened in Heartslabyul’s halls yesterday. 

Being one of the more disciplined individuals, his fellow freshman had successfully survived another day in that sophisticated thing called dorm. 

Not that Ace found himself with any sort of admiration for Deuce due to the fact, the guy could very much be another boring guy who can’t stop shoving rules and all that alike up his ass. 

Ace always hated that kind. 

“Twelve, we got twelve in here now.” He hears Yuu drawls, “It’s gonna take forever to get to three hundred if we keep going like this.”

Ace cranes his neck at the thought, a hand scratching at the red ends lying on the collar as he says mockingly, “And we still have to boil, skin, and whatever shits that come next for it to be halfway ready too.” He stops, then a sigh. “Might as well call it a day and quit while we’re at it.”

“And then what?” Yuu asks, full-on sarcasm blasting in his tone. “You’re gonna mooch off my sofa for the rest of the school year?”

“Oh shut up.” Ace tries, sending Yuu a glare out of the corner of his eye when he catches the guy’s gaze. “I’ll figure something out.”

Which means Leona would figure something out for him, either between switching dorms to changing schools. Not that Ace cares much at this point. 

Though, he doubts the lion beastman would be enthusiastic about it at this point.

“Yuu’s right, you should be going back to Heartslabyul soon.” Deuce says from his right, “Don’t you think you’ve been troubling him enough?”

“I don’t remember asking for you opinion either,” Ace grits out, “Maybe keep it to yourself next time.”

“Or,” Yuu interrupts before Deuce says anything else, “You can keep this stupid chore with you, then me and Deuce can go back to enjoying our life without having to help this ungrateful friend who hadn’t even bothered to thank anyone so far.”

Sevens, they’re gonna be the death of him.

“Fine, fine .” Ace snaps tiredly “Thank you so much for blessing me with your kindhearted souls, now can we please go back?” 

Deuce and Yuu snicker right after he finishes, holding their heads together like best friends as they look at Ace like he has just done something hilarious. Horrible friends. While the tanuki was finally done with running in circles to stand and face him, “Trey said he’s only free today, and I want to eat the tart now!” 

Then go buy one, for fucks sake. 

“Yeah, and I don’t want to drag this misery on any longer than it should.” Yuu finishes the thought, “Let’s go to the greenhouse and see what we can get next, Trey did said that’s the best place to look.”

“And like I said,” Ace intercepts, “Hell. no.”

He’s not gonna step into Leona’s territory right after angering him, no fucking way, he was supposed to make it back alive to witness Cheka realizing that Santa ain’t real next year. Ace’s not gonna ruin it for himself by doing anything stupid again, especially not when the offended could very much hunt him down after school is all said and done for it. 

Deuce only sighs in return. Almost matching Ace with the tired look as the topic was brought on once again, the very same that had Yuu and him screaming at each other before they sail out this whole campaign, one that had took more than half an hour to end when they compromised with him treating the two other freshmen to lunch if they would just drop it. 

That deal is off the table now, for good. 

“What the fuck is up with the greenhouse anyway?” Yuu swears, fumbling the basket in his hand as he raises if for Ace to see. “We’ve been walking around like idiots for two hours. Two. Hours.” He inhales quickly, “and we got twelve pathetic-looking chestnuts for it, why can’t you just suck it up and go already before we all changed our minds and leave you to your doom.”

“It doesn’t matter what,” Ace deadpans in return, “I’m not stepping into the greenhouse today.” 

“Then you can stay here digging alone,” Yuu retorts, throwing the basket in his hands over to Ace as he stomps his way down the main street, Deuce running after him worriedly. “I’m gonna go and actually do something productive or maybe Imma just go to the greenhouse and get myself three hundred chestnuts just to spite your ass.”

“Oh yeah?” Ace cries, almost in outrage now. “You can go fuck yourself over there while you’re at it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” 

It made Yuu stops real quick. 

The guy slowly turns to face him again, confusion showing fully on his face as he stands arm-crossed just a few steps away. “Warn me about what?”

About the furious lion still lying there, what else?

“You remember that beastman guy yesterday?” Ace says instead, “That place is basically his den, and anyone who steps in there recklessly is asking for a beating.” He explains slowly, still not used to having to refer to Leona as something so vague. “Students stay away from that place during break time for a reason you know.”

“You mean your childhood friend?” Yuu asks pointedly, “The one that you accidentally flirted with in front of the entire school?”

“I told you to shut up about that!”

Yuu only shrugs, not even a tiny bit interested in how troubled Ace had been about the incident since yesterday as he muses, “Well, you’re still his childhood friend or whatever. Can’t you just ask him about it?”

I would have asked him to send a bunch of Savanaclaw students to pick chestnuts for me if I could, but you don’t see me doing that now, do you? – Ace thought silently – not after I had fucked our agreement up on the first day and pissed him off about being a wimp.

The thing is, Ace isn’t even sure if that’s what Leona was mad about. Ace being weak to authoritative figures wasn’t something new, it should have been more than familiar to Leona at this point, it was basically how the lion had communicated with Ace whenever they were in another cold war. 

He thinks it has something to do with him denying the status in the first place, but then why would Leona even be mad about something they had agreed on in the first place? 

Real wonders sometimes, this fiance of his. 

“I don’t feel like it,” He says instead, “Can’t we just go grab a drink or whatever? I’m so done with all the labor work.”

“The cat wouldn’t let me have my peace if I don’t feed him some tart today,” Yuu mutters, “You won’t have any either if I have anything to say about it.”

“Then throw him out!”

“You’re more than welcome to do that, though if he came back kicking down statues and burning classes, Imma tells Crowley it was your brilliant idea.”

“Hey!” The cat– Grim, exclaims loudly. “I’m standing right here.”

“Whatever,” Yuu continues, holding his gaze as he finally drops the arm to pick Grim up and stop him from spitting out another round of fire. “Are we going or not? Cause if we have to walk to another place again, I’m out.”

Sevens fucking damn it. 

Normally, Ace would have been more than happy with ordering the patch from some stupid manufacturer out there that would stock hundreds of chestnuts, then just hang back and enjoy as they do their work. But now, now that he had angered Leona twice in the short span of two days – a record, really – Ace’s worried about swiping his own card for literally anything. 

They share an account, after all. 

Not to mention just how unwilling he is to ever come back here to do this again, nuh uh, not with how stupid the four of them have been looking as they dig through the grass like beggars before picking up a piece of dirt and dropping it in disappointment. 

The thought of having to do that alone. Sevens, it’s horrifying. 

And, well, Ace desperately wants his magic back. Immediately if possible.

“Sevens fuck–” Ace swears, “Fine, let’s just get this shit over with.”

If he’s lucky, Leona might not even be there. 

Not that Ace had ever been lucky before. 

“Look who it is,” Leona grits out, tail flicking behind him as a hand scratches tiredly in the messy mop of brown hair. “You know, maybe you’re even braver than I thought you were, Ace.”

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

“Haha, you learn something new every day you know.” Ace laughs awkwardly, backed into the corner with Yuu and Grim hiding behind him even though they were the ones who woke Leona up in the first place. 

How stupid could they be, stepping on the lion’s tail and effectively disturbing him in his nap right after he had warned them against it, is forever lost to Ace.

“Zip it with the excuses, I’m getting tired of it.” Leona sneers, “Now what the fuck possess you to come in here and step on my tail right after I told you to get out of my sight?”

“Well, you know…” Ace tries, wheels spinning in his head for the best shit to spill and get them out of this pinch. 

Honesty wouldn’t do, not with how Leona passionately hates any form of saying sorry, especially to another housewarden. Especially to Riddle. And lying wouldn’t be so successful, not when Leona is the one standing on the opposite side, the beastman had been the one who taught Ace everything about polishing his lies, and certainly not when Ace had been lying through his teeth so often that Leona could spot it a mile away. 

“I swear Ace, if the next thing that comes out of your mouth is another lie. I’m going to seriously beat your ass.”

See what he means. 

“I just wanted to pick some chestnuts, alright?” Ace says, telling half the truth in hopes it would save him somehow. “Then these idiots didn’t see your tail and stepped on it.”

“Chestnuts?” Leona repeats, raised eyebrows in place as he looks down at the three of them. “You? Remind me who wouldn’t even pick up their coat when it fell from the rack.”

“That’s different.” He has the castle's servants for it then, that’s the only good they could do after they had been so active exchanging rumors behind his back. 

“Bullshit, like you would ever willingly do any hard work.”

Also true, but Leona could have found some better wordings for it.

“Well, I wanted some mont blanc tart alright?” Ace says in response, nearly rolling his eyes at the older for this whole interrogation. “Not that you cared.”

Leona only chuckles at him, it wasn’t like his usual mocking one, this one was much darker than that, and he takes small, menacing steps towards them. Brown sandals stepping on the grass between them as the ruffling sounds signal how close they are getting to each other. 

Oh Sevens, good Sevens. Ace’s not making it out of here alive, is he?

“Guys!” He hears Deuce before he sees him, “I found a bunch of chestnuts over here, now we can go back to Trey-senpai!!”

Did Ace also mention how much he hates loud idiots?

“Trey, huh?” Leona mutters, suddenly dead in his tracks as the wheels turn inside his head to figure out the story this time. It barely took a second, Leona is smart after all, far too smart than Ace would have liked, and the younger could only tell when the lion sent him a particularly powerful glare. 

A sign he knows what’s going on, a sign that Ace is definitely fucked. 

“Leona!” Ace tries anyway, “I can explain!!”

Leona didn’t respond, not to him anyway. As he looks behind Ace to regard the green-haired prefect with a meaningful gaze and his chin kicked to the side. A gesture telling his friend to scram, of course, as Ace would be suffering whatever comes next painfully alone. 

Yuu had been far brighter than he had when he stepped on Leona’s tail seconds before, taking the hint even before Ace could send him a pleading glance and already stepping out with Grim in tow. He was running, in fact, with the same speed he had used Ace as a shield seconds before.

Though, Yuu didn’t completely leave just yet. Not before sending Ace a wide-eyed, knowing look and a thumbs up. 

Ace knows what that means. He didn’t like it in the slightest.

“So,” Leona finally began when the unfamiliar face had gone, “Trey. Since when are you so chummy with Heartslabyul peace-keeper?”

“Well you see,” Ace tries, back against the wall as he turns his head in order to avoid facing Leona head-on, “We’re in the same dorm and whatnot, might as well as help each other out.”

“Don’t even try,” Leona laughs, “The last time your classmate tried to be friendly, you told him to go bug me and get beaten on purpose.”

“That was elementary shits,” Ace exclaims in horror, the memory of that one new money kid who tried climbing the ladder still fresh in his mind. Especially when Leona gave the guy a black eye for babbling about how Ace had been playing with the wrong crowd. “This is different!”

“Different because he’s gonna help you back a cake?” Leona asks, “Or because he’s gonna be right behind when you say your pathetic apology to the tyrant?”

Sevens damn it.

“Fine! You got me,” Ace screams, “Your finance is gonna go bake a stupid cake and apologize to some stupid guy just because he oh can’t do anything without you.” He stops for a breath, meeting Leona’s beautiful green orbs with his own glassy crimson. “Happy now?!”

Leona only muses, taking another step towards him as they finally stood face to face. Height difference in full glory as the lion bends slowly to look directly at him.

“Done crying?” He asks, gently, for the first time in the past two days. 

Ace is very much not. 

He cries harder, in fact, just to spite Leona and his stupid temper. Sniffling a bit when a gloved hand brushed against his cheek and swiped some of the tears away, another held onto his own hand, taking it in a firm hold as it squeezed comfortingly. 

They stand together in silence, neither has bothered to say a word. With Leona continuing with whatever form of subtle comfort this was and Ace crying all his frustrations out like a damn brat. The younger was never too verbal with his methods of stress reliving, switching between crying his eyes out silently to kicking and breaking shits as the loud crashing sounds replace all the swearings he wanted to say.

The castle walls don’t allow for such languages, after all. 

Still, he sniffles again, holding onto Leona’s own hand with far more grip this time as the lion squeezes it again. Finally bringing his hand into the mop of red hair as the patting starts slowly. 

“Say sorry,” Ace suddenly says, breaking the silence between them as he pinches the dark skin painfully. “I haven’t had a good night's sleep in two days.”

“You deserved it.” Leone retorts, not at all bothered by the little gesture as he breaks open Ace’s palm and slots his fingers between the younger’s own. “I told you this would happen.”

Ace didn’t say anything to that, only kept his gaze on how small and comfortable his bare hand looked in between Leona’s gloved one. The head patting is nice, the hands holding is nice, and the tears swiping is also nice. 

Being around Leona is nice, he thought– the millionth time since its very first occurrence at the debut gala. Not that Ace minds any reminder of the fact. 

“Still, I want to hear you say it.” He says again, stubbornly. 

Leona only sighs, bringing both their hands up to his face as he plants a little kiss on the bare knuckles. 

“Sorry.” 

It was barely above a whisper, like a little secret just for their ears alone. 

It was the first one he had gotten since this whole stupid crusade started after all. Even though the blame doesn’t really directly lie with Leona, not with the past occurrences so far, the lion indulges him enough to say whatever it is Ace wants, even if it is only for a short while, until Ace’s tears stop falling. 

Ace found himself more than happy with it. 

“Can I take the chestnuts then?” He asks after a while, enjoying the light pecks on his hands before diving into Leona’s embrace. The older more than ready to catch him, surrounding Ace with his strong arms as they stick even closer. “They would properly call some professors in if I don’t hurry.”

“Whatever,” Leona mumbles, looking down at him uninterested. “Just keep them out next time.”

“Roger that.”

“Sooooo,” Ruggie cuts in, finally speaking up from his awkward stand between the trees, “Are you done? Cause Crewel-sensei is looking for ya, Leona-san.”

Ace hadn’t noticed him at all, not with how red instantly found itself on his cheeks when he noticed Ruggie looking at them, hands already retreating from its previous spot as he instinctively yanked himself off Leona. 

Leona only clicks his tongue, sending Ruggie a glare as he speaks. “Put a sock in it, I’m getting tired of yer yapping.”

“Hey, not that I want to be on your case either,” Ruggie defends quickly, “But they would be bothering me if they can’t find ya, and how am I supposed tah do my job like that?”

“Tsk,” Another click, audible this time, as Leona glares a bit more before turning back to him. “Do whatever you like, and don’t keep me waiting.”

Ace only laughs in return, tears finally gone completely as the jump comes back in his steps. A quick hold on the yellow vest, a side glance at Ruggie, and then he plants a quick peck on Leona’s cheeks. Much alike what the lion had done just seconds ago, as he walks the opposite way. 

“It’s a promise!”

Ace says cheerfully.

“Leona-san, you already noticed the princess when he came in didn’t you?” Ruggie snickers, having heard the full story from Leona himself. “Why didn’t you just say something then?”

“Oh zip it.”

Chapter Text

“Please tell me we’re done with these things,” Ace mumbled, finally finished with the last chestnut in the basket while Deuce and Yuu busied themselves getting eggs and whatever. 

Ace is stuck in the kitchen, left spinning awkwardly with the vice-house warden as the traitors take their sweet time walking towards some supreme convenience store on his money, properly also picking up snacks and whatnot on his misery while they’re at it. 

It’s been an hour since he sent them away, a full hour that he got stuck boiling and peeling chestnuts like no tomorrow while they skip out on the actual work to cross the street one step at a time with eggs in their hands. 

Those fuckers are definitely skipping purpose, right after he made a private point with them about leaving him and Trey alone in a room together too. 

Just wait till he catches them.

“That should be it for now,” Trey says, finally looking up from his own station of baking powders and sugar to address Ace. “Why don’t you take a break, they should be back any minute now.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Ace returns, already turning to the empty chairs by the furthest counter for a break before the senior finishes.

Had Kijaj been here, there would already be another lecture on offering your senior a hand or whatever crap about elegance and etiquette that Ace was not following right now. Ace is all the wiser to ignore that, he wasn’t about to make shit more awkward for himself by getting closer on a personal level to someone just yet, not after Leona had forced him into this unneeded reputation a day after he joined this student body; not to mention how said individual is very much under the stupid tyrant’s thumb. 

Ace takes his phone out instead, the newest model in red encased by a funky in white-– Leona’s latest make-up present after he made Ace deal with Cheka and the whole royal duties shit alone last Tamashina Mina— and begins scrolling down his long list of chats and calls, desperately searching for Yuu’s or Deuce’s contact in hopes he can rush the idiots back a bit sooner. 

Though, only now did Ace realize, half hovering Leona’s chatbox which ended with a chain of dumb apology stickers after the cafeteria stunt, that he didn’t exactly trade numbers with them just yet. 

Fantastic, way to go, me. Ace groans silently, you have slept at the guy’s place for two days and still failed to get his account. 

You can’t exactly blame Ace for it, not when he’s used to how this thing usually goes the other way around. People who knew about him and Leona or knew Ace’s certain population in his middle school would be the ones offering first.

Usually, half a dozen people would be shoving their phones up in Ace’s face before he even tried to make up an excuse, while the other half just made do with writing down their own account in papers and notes then proceed to be a nuisance and constantly remind him of adding it. 

Sometimes he would, then woulda suffer later would have to go down the list to delete each and every one of them because those ridiculous, prying texts were getting too bothersome. Some nobles or thriving rich kids to get to stay, some shit about keeping a good relationship with them because you’re a royal, but Ace’s sure as hell not gonna like talking to either of those. 

Not like they would wanna be texting Ace anyway, not when Ace called them a couple of creative names the last time they met at some gala.

Leona and his brother would be the only two people he had ever had consistent conversations with over this app, not that either of them was interesting enough to keep Ace entertained for long. His fiance is far too lazy to type, always opting for direct phone or video calls whenever Ace so much as put a dot in the box, while his brother would just assume that Ace would only seek him out when he just had another lover’s spat with the former— he does, but still— and goes straight to bullying Ace for it. 

Just horrible, these two, especially when they know Ace can’t just go to his middle school friends for just about anything. 

“You can’t expect those brats to know what you’re going through,” Leona told him once, “they’re not the ones who choose to be married into the royal family.”

Just lovely, that fiance of his. 

A: u r horrible

L: ?

A: If that whole cafeteria shit didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be so awkward with the glasses guy rn

A: guy has been staring me up and down for a good fcking minute

L: how’s that my problem? You did it to yourself.

A: nuh uh

L: bout time you start owning up to your shits, I told you this would happen, didn’t I?

A: nuh uh, u didn’t tell me u were gonna blow us in the cafeteria

L: and who was the one who sprouted the stupid shit bout childhood friends and shit?

A: shut

L: thought so

L: wait, how in the sevens are you not done yet? you took off with the stupid chestnuts hours ago.

A: well, ya know…

L: fucking hell

L: *audio call starting*

FUCK.

The special tone he set for Leona started the whole kitchen, the chorus of their favorite song ringing for a good minute before Ace had to mute the whole thing and stuff the phone back into his pocket. 

Trey is already staring, hands dusted with powder and sugar while his head lifted from the batter to look over at Ace, partly surprised by the sudden noise while the other look at Ace with some unreadable feeling. 

Ace hates the look, any look, that people are giving him these days. 

“Imma go catch this real quick,” He says to the senior, pointing to the door and already half standing up. “You’re fine doing this whole thing right?”

Trey only smiles at him, some mixed feelings under the surface that Ace could barely read, and doesn’t want to bother giving all his effort to either. 

“Sure.”

“What took you so long?” Leona asks the minute he catches the second call, annoyed like Ace liked keeping him waiting on purpose. 

“Unlike you, I was actually doing something.” Ace snaps back, “You coulda kept typing ya know, it’s not like it’s anything big.”

“Yeah right, you said that the last 300 times I had to wipe your ass.”

Ace can only sigh, “Oh shut it.”

“So, the hell's taking so long?” Leona begins after a while, “Thought you wanted to be over with it.”

“Didn’t have a choice, the other guy said he's only free after clubs and shits. The two other idiots are taking forever, and I’m only gonna be getting back inside that stupid dorm with a pie.” Ace scoffs at the memory, that whole conversation with Cater had been so ridiculous he couldn’t help but complain every time it resurfaced. “Even Kijaj wasn’t that obnoxious about parties and rules.”

“Wait till you see him at our ceremony,” Leona replies, a bit rushed and muffled as Ace makes out the swooshing sounds in the background. “One minute.”

“...Kay.”

Ace could hear a couple more shuffles, then a too-familiar groan from Ruggie as Leona commands something off the line, just before one final swoosh and the sound of the broom getting dropped on the ground tells Ace exactly what his fiance had been doing on the other line. 

“Are you in practice?” He asks immediately, “Really, Leona? Calling me during practice? What happened to I’m busy training the freshies huh?”

Leona sighs over the phone, properly held hovering in the air with some magic before a quick swooping noise tells him Leona finally picked up the phone in his hand. “Do you ever shut up?” Leona sneers, “The froshes can take care of themselves for five minutes, not an hour.”

Well, true. Not like Ace would admit the last time he did that was because he missed Leona, but still.

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” Ace chuckles a bit, “Do the prince have some words of wisdom for me now?”

“Zip it before I go over there.” Leona says, “In case someone forgot, you promised to be here during practice.”

Ace did remember that one, another one of his quick promises when Leona and he were discussing after-school activities last year, just to soothe the lion out of not choosing Magical Shift in the first place. 

Like Ace would willingly follow through with it, ever.

“Someone was a bit too irritated last time we met, really scared me out of it, ya know.”

Leona sighs in return, “Ain’t that your own fault, running your mouth all the time like that?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Uh-huh, the hell are you doing anyway?”

“Waiting for the two bastards to get back with eggs so I can start baking a damn mont blanc for the tyrant,” Ace swears, the last part going more like a whisper as he steals another glance at the door. “Can you believe the guy had me go pick up every single chestnut in this whole school, made me do all this stupid prep on them, and didn't even remember to buy two cartons of eggs?”

“Get a damn cake from downtown then, ain’t that hard,” Leona says nonchalantly, obviously enjoying how he’s not the one who has to deal with all this shit. “Or tell Kijaj to ship one and get over here already.”

“It ain’t that simple,” Ace tries, just before he noticed how Leona had been mentioning Ace walking his ass over to practice like he couldn’t be any more impatient. “What? Are you missing me already, darling?”

“Thought I was doing you a favor, dragging your ass away from that silly crew and all.” 

“The way I see it, someone is finally owning up to being a jerk these past few days.” Ace laughs lightly, “One can only deal with a gloomy, cold bed for so long.”

Leona only sighs, “Keep telling yourself that.”

Ace couldn’t help the snickering, not when he was sure that was a sign of Leona admitting that he just hit the mark. 

Leona would rather die than ever say as much as that, but they both know just how much of a bitch sleeping alone can be when you’re so used to having a glorified 1:1 teddy bear with you whenever stress hits. It’s cute when he shows signs of it, adorable when he’s forced to admit it, and as much as Leona likes to tell him otherwise, the prince isn’t above being clingy.

Though, as much as he would like to continue teasing Leona about it, the stepping and talking sound that kept getting louder around the corner is bout as good a signal to end the call before it gets more troublesome. 

“I’ll come by again today,” Ace says finally, a little more laughter in his voice. “Do try your best to not be Mr. Angry and kick me out again, maybe then you would even get a quick snuggle in.”

“Whatever, just hurry up with it.” Leona stills for a moment, properly listening to Ace’s light chuckles before he continues. “Ruggie’s gonna be by the Hall of Mirrors before dinner.”

“Aye aye, sir~”

Leona turned out to be lying, as surprised as that was, because Ace had been sitting around on his ass in the Hall of Mirror without any Ruggie in sight. 

For a good fifteen minutes, that is. 

The pie-making session has somehow ended on a good note. Two fresh Mont Blanc with creme and fresh chestnuts topped everything off before Grim basically devoured one of them. Yuu and Deuce did get a few bites in, complimenting Trey with all the words they could find while Ace was rather satisfied after biting into the thing once. 

It was good, sure, but he thinks he had enough of the thing for the rest of the year. 

It had been pretty late by then, almost 5 or 6 into the day and barely before dinner started. Trey had the idea of grabbing some dinner together at the cafeteria while they were at it, which Deuce and Yuu had been more than eager to agree to, Ace though still has a date hanging his ass stranded between shoving students and complaining clusters getting off classes and clubs. 

Some Heartslabyul students did steal a glance at him, some from other dorms too, looking up and down like a guy on his phone is anything significant. 

Ace does make some faces, prob from the whole cafeteria stunt yesterday. But it’s not like Ace’s willing to say anything bout it, them staring holes into his back during breakfast and lunch today had been bad enough. 

It did not make this any more comfortable though, not when a couple more whispers are gonna have Ace pulling out his pen and start throwing spells everywhere. 

Which would no doubt end in an expulsion, then an iron claw from Leona, and a very harsh lecture about controlling yourself from the whole royal house. 

So, Ace made do with dumping his frustration out on the texts instead. 

A: Leona, where the hell is Ruggie-senpai?

A: Leona?

A: Oh come on, u could have at least had your phone on ya.

A: Leonaaaaaaaa

A: I hate you

Another tick down the clock, another minute without any reply even though the first text had been sent almost five minutes ago. 

Not that Ace wanted to be annoying about replying to text and all that, but normally Leona woulda send something back within a minute or two. Either just a dot to let Ace know he’s there, just busy, and let the younger ramble on until he has time to call back. Or they would just go straight to the call instead after two or three texts. 

At this point, it might be best to just get back to his little group and start grabbing some food already. 

…

Or, you know, he could go into Savanaclaw without either Leona or Ruggie just to see what would happen. 

Ace glances at the yellow mirror and the couple of beastmen shoving their way around it, and starts picking up his pace towards it anyway. 

Better than lying around waiting forever.

Savanaclaw, as it turned out, didn’t have much to sightsee. 

The place is basically a barren hill with no oasis in sight, a stadium standing proud on the side for its own series of magical shift practices while the dorm is just a collection of ruins built upon each other with the flag blowing proudly through the wind. 

The whole place is dry, boring, and surprisingly vast. Which suited Leona perfectly, might he adds, no wonder the prince had willingly picked up such a troublesome position managing it. 

This type of wildlife, while having much resemblance to their own Sunset Savana, was ever more free.

Damn, maybe he should have just transferred when Leona told him about it. 

“What are you doing?” Someone calls out to him, voice low and husky with a stiff undertone, sounding even more strained than Leona’s own version whenever he growls.

Ace turns to the voice, half expecting some chad-looking muscle boy that always follows after Leona in his crew, and sees an even taller guy than that. Still with all the muscle, less of the gangster-looking attitude, with two soft-pink ears standing straight on his head. 

Savanaclaw really needs to stop pumping out giants all the time, standing next to this guy is making Ace look like a middle schooler. 

“Hey, man.” He greets the guy anyway, jumping up on his feet as he turns a good 180 from the shade and starts shooting off. “Finally one of ya shows up, thought imma have to sit here all day. Ya know where Leona is?”

The guy looks visibly defensive, hands folded in front of his sports gear as he addresses Ace with a subpar glare. “The Housewarden? Why’s a Heartslabyul student looking for him?” The guy stole another glance at the collar around him, sneering a bit. “Do you even have permission to be here at this time?”

Eh, was there something about needing permission to enter other dorms after school ends?

Not that Ace would ever bother reading it up and actually following it, he’s sure it’s just gonna be another one of those get permission from the housewardens bullshits again. Hell, half the guidebook was under that section.

Ace can’t really complain though, not when he would be benefitting so much from it, getting a nod out of Leona was his specialty after all. 

“He called me here, that counts.” He says to the guy, quickly picking up the coat that he had been sitting on and dusting it lightly as he steps out of the shade. Finally standing face to face with the muscular dude, already blasting another smile on his face. “Though I can’t exactly find him right now, so how bout you take me inside and grab something to drink while I wait for Leona to come back?”

The dude winced once, then twice, every time he said Leona without any suffix following it like most of the students here have felt the need to. Didn’t exactly look too happy about Ace doing much anyway, he could read it on the guy’s face, but still polite enough to not outrightly chase Ace out like the rest of the brainless idiots would be doing. 

How did he not know Leona had someone like this in the dorm? The prince would have been so happy he finally didn’t have to babysit another brain-dead brat, he would told Ace bout it right away. 

The dude still didn’t say anything, not as Ace started examining him from top to bottom, left and right. Didn’t seem like he wanted to say much anyway, opting to stare down at him with makeshift threatening eyes liek it was gonna make Ace back away. 

Too bad, he grew up with Leona. 

“Well, what do ya say?” Ace says, copying Ruggie’s tone to a tee as he addresses the guy with the friendliest smile he can manage with a collar around his neck. 

Ace knows he looks suspicious, he has been sitting around for a good ten minutes on his coat with the ponytail pulled out. Messy hair sticking out the surface of the collar while the red vest inside is half-buttoned with some sugar and powdered smearing around the edges. Not to mention the silly collar around his neck, the one that had been gaining popularity amongst students who were just assumed as troublemakers on campus rather than victims of Heartslabyul’s ridiculous rulebook. 

It’s the only reason why Ace bothered to put up a friendly farce for the guy, just so he wasn’t gonna be kicked out of Savanaclaw before Leona even replied to his messages. 

“You got any way to show that?” The guy says instead, just after letting out a sigh and finally lowering his hands in front. 

“Not like I can show you my text messages,” Ace tries, “Come on man, not like Imma attack you or anything while I’m in there.”

Night Raven Collage doesn’t have that kind of freak, not yet or whatever, pretty much still a safe and outstanding environment, at least so far. 

The dude went silent for a good minute, again, before letting out another sigh and burying his hand in the white mop of hair. Torn between his actual duty to the dorm and helping a fellow man out.

Dude is properly still a freshman, Ace thinks quietly, the other seniors would have just kicked me out and didn’t even bother about it later. 

Good to know Leona finally got someone good under him other than Ruggie though. 

“How bout this?” Ace suggests helpfully, pointing a finger at the dorm behind the guy. “I’ll tell you my name and class, that’s should be safe enough right?”

It sparks an idea in the guy, nodding almost instantly as Ace finishes. 

“I’m Ace Trappola from Heartslabyul, not that you couldn’t tell already.” He laughs a bit, pulling at the stupid collar to show. “Class 1-A.”

The guy seemed satisfied enough with that, finally looking at Ace with some sort of make-believe trust as the guards started dropping one after another. 

“Sounds good,” The dude replies, “I’m J—”

RING RING RING

Just before Savanaclaw’s newest hit song interrupted him mid-way.

“Oh that must be Leona,” Ace says quickly to the guy, already pulling his phone out and zooming in on it. His fiance is on the other side alright. “Speak of the devil. Thanks man, Imma just take this real quick and get out of your way.”

The dude just nods in return, looking partly uncomfortable being interrupted as he glances back to the unfinished tracks, not that Ace was giving him any attention anyway. Swiping right on the call, already prepared to scream at Leona for leaving him for the past twenty-five minutes.

“Where the hell are you?!” Leona beat him to it, “I told you to wait by the Halls of Mirrors didn’t I?”

“Yeah, half and hour ago.” Ace scoffs back, “So you do remember telling me that then, now spare me the reason why no one was there even after I had been stared up and down by three hundred other students huh?”

“Sevens,” Leona mumbles quickly, the Sunset Savana signature swearings under his breath. “Crowley pulled a stupid urgent meeting, and you couldn’t stop spamming my phone so the bastards made me mute it.”

“Still coulda text me something.”

“You try doing that with five other assholes who can’t mind their own business,” Leona growls, almost as ugly as the one he released when he’s really-really mad. “Where the hell are you anyway?”

“In your dorm, I got tired of waiting halfway.” Ace says quickly, “Just get over here already. I’m starving.”

“Gimme five, still have to talk to Cephalo-punk bout the inter-dorm tournament first.” Leona sighs a bit, just before going for a softer tone. “Tell one of the idiots to take you inside already.”

At least someone knows how terrible his dorm is. 

“Tell him yourself.”

Ace says quickly, just before taking the phone out from beside his ear and pointing it at the other guy. “Here, Leona wanna talk to ya.”

The dude looks a bit unnerved by the whole thing, perplexed even, probably from seeing someone talking to his Housewarden in such manners for the first time. But he’s bright enough to catch onto the phone when he’s given, holding it up where the human ear would usually be because beast ears are good enough to pick up things from afar. 

“Housewarden Leona?” the guy says cautiously, ears folding over his head waiting for the other line to continue. 

Ace doesn’t exactly have ears as sharp, so he opts to stay on his feet and start smoothing out the ends of his hair while he waits for the two to finish. Not like there was anything much for the guy to do, Ruggie would no doubt be the one running the food back while Leona gets to drag his ass arguing with the other Housewarden for another. 

All Ace had to do was wait, get himself a nice shower, and lie on the soft bed for some due rest. 

Just on cue, Leona seemed to have finished giving out instructions as the guy nodded along and glanced over at Ace before saying something like giving it back, that’s when he found the phone offered to him again and held it up. 

“Don’t make a mess.”

“Maybe Imma just do it to spite you,” Ace jokes half-heartedly, “Are you still keeping clothes on the floor?”

“Just take a random one from the closet, I’ll be back soon.”

“Kayyy.”

He cuts the phone at that, looking back at the dude staring curiously over him as the wold ears atop his head definitely picked up the whole convo. Ace smiles anyway, before walking towards the dorm with him in tow.

“Thanks a bunch man, can’t do it without ya.”

“...Sure.” 

It was the only thing the guy said for the rest of the trip, escorting Ace up top to the biggest room in the whole dorm even as the other guys sitting around steal obnoxious glances. 

“Well, would you look who it is,” Ace calls annoyingly, just two steps out of the shower with a yellow towel massaging the terracotta ends and one of Leona’s t-shirts thrown over pajamas’ shorts— Leona always kept some of his clothes over, attending or not— finally washed clean of all the dirt, powder, and sugar. 

“Hn,” Leona only mumbles, still focused on the stack of papers in his left hand as the right held up openly, a sign for Ace to snuggle in. 

Ace follows, but not because he missed it or anything, just because he’s worried Leona is looking a bit too lonely at the moment. 

“Done?” The prince finally says when Ace settles in his hold, both knees slouched over Leona’s lap as he leans into his chest. Already giving Ace’s hair a quick ruffle before finally lifting his head from the papers and dunking it in the mop of red. “At least you smelled better now.”

“Oh shut it, the Ramshackle didn’t even have a decent shampoo bottle.” Ace pouts lightly, still massaging the red strands in cotton before Leona’s gloved hand takes over. Gives quick work over the wet hair as he scratches it lightly. “Can’t even imagine how they could survive like that.”

“Not everyone is a spoiled brat like you.”

“Says the one who spoiled me.”

Leona only sighs and doesn’t even try to fight the remark this time. Not when every single person around them had been saying the same thing, even Ruggie— especially Ruggie— had told the two of them just how screwed Leona’s idea of a livable allowance is for a sixteen-year-old.

Not that another part of them also comes from the royal family and Falena, but Ace would like to torture Leona with it for as long as he can. 

They sit like that for another minute, with Leona's hand in his hair and another one shuffling paper. Ace is more than content sitting sideways scrolling mindlessly on his phone, extremely happy that the supposed someone is finally doing all the care job he could to make up for the crappy attitude. 

Leona enjoys it though, not as much as Ace, but he sure is hell-bent on making the red’s, fluffy mop as shiny as he could humanly do without magic. 

Definitely a hair kink. 

“Quit the look before I make you do this shit yourself.” Leona threatens lightly, towel already tossed sideways as he runs another hair down the red mop, enjoying the way it threads the surface of the black glovers and tickles his balm.

“Like I would ever,” Ace replies, already sticking out a bit of tongue as he lifts his head to face Leona. “Get on with it before I go to sleep with them wet.”

Leona only rolls his eyes at it, a gloved hand presented in front of Ace without saying anything before the freshman takes hold of the leather ends and starts pulling the whole thing off. 

It was only towel dry, oil, heat protectant or some jazz, then finally the blow dryer gets to take the stage. And Leona always hates how slimy the gloves would be when he’s gonna be working with something like oil.

“Makes it quick, I’m hungry,” Ace says cheerfully, finally turning to the proper position as he captures the other gloved one and starts working on the thing too. 

“Hn.”

Another good minute, another peaceful period of hair care and phone scrolling, just before Ace remembers something else he was supposed to ask Leona about.

"Leona, where was Ruggie-senpai?"

The prince pauses, it was just a mere second, a light pull on the hair. But enough that Ace glances back at him for it. 

"...He was in the meeting with me, gathering papers and shits for Crowley."

There was a pause, a little forceful towards the end, and a slight turn of head that made sure Ace wasn't meeting his eyes directly. 

Leona's lying to him.

"Man, couldn't he texted me before disappearing with you?"

That was all he said in return. 

"Shut it, and keep still."

Chapter Text

Ace woke to the far too energetic nagging of Ruggie and more than a couple of idiotic yells from hundreds of other beastmen as the whole Savanaclaw stirred alive. 

Well. Technically Leona didn’t, not by the way he pulls on Ace’s middle even tighter in hopes of sneaking the both of them back under the sheets that Ruggie is so desperate to pull off. 

Not that Ace could blame him, even if the hand was getting increasingly painful as the lion started scowling angrily, neither Ace nor Leona preferred getting up dead ass early anyway. Not when it leads to another one of Kijaj’s torturing rambles and a very distasteful meal with the rest of the royal family hot on their latest screwup or a far too energetic Cheka, all too eager to play and hang when the both of them would rather be doing anything else. 

Sevens, that is not including the annoying parade of tutors and nobles that frequent the castle halls who could rarely mind their own business. Far more occupied with peering into every single one of their actions and judging all the same rather than attending to their own precious duties. Walking down the marble halls with documents clutched and criticism ready at the tip tongue. 

How people could ever say that the dawn of the Sunset Savana is just as marvelous as its dust, is forever lost to Ace. 

Still, this wasn’t Sunset Savana. Not with its unexpected lively atmosphere and the presence of one non-over-bearing guardian– not that he knows exactly what to call Ruggie at this point– and certainly without the suffocating set of duties that kept Ace burdened more often than not. 

This was Night Raven College, inside a den that Leona had decently built hanging over the vast sand fields of Savanaclaw and supported by a pack that the prince is more fond of than he would rather admit. 

This, Ace could deal with. 

“I swear to sevens Leona-san,” Ruggie groans from where he’s standing, right hand still pulling at the cotton covers while his left is already full of discarded clothes– their handiwork from last night, no doubt, “If I knew the princess was gonna make you even more lazy, I would have told on the two of ya last night.”

“Ruggie.” Leona scowls lowly at the thought, finally lifting his head from the nest of red hair that he so comfortably made last night despite Ace’s protest, brows narrowed together in both the morning’s rage and annoyance at Ruggie’s remark. He looks mildly terrifying if you don’t take into account the messy bedhead and his much unenthusiastic groan right after, as the lion peers at Ruggie before tightening the hand around Ace’s waist once more. 

Ruggie doesn’t look affected by it though, finally letting go of the blanket as the prince sits up properly and pulls Ace along with him. The hyena already crouching to pick up what looks rather similar to the freshman’s uniform with an additional set of creases. “Finally,” Ruggie says, not even questioning why the Heartslabyul’s coat had gotten to such a state, “Morning practice is gonna start in 5 ya know, and I expect a delicious donut at lunch for all this hard work.”

“Shut up with all the yapping first,” Leona growls, “You’re giving me a headache.”

“You are giving me a headache.” Ace finally groans, already pinching the dark arm around his waist as he finally spins around to face Leona directly. Neck, shoulder, and middle sore and screaming after laying atop something so hard and someone’s arms for far too long, the red hair poking everywhere in a sorry excuse of a bedhead as he snuggles into Leona’s hold, head half-buried in the warm blanket as he strips them off the prince completely to cover himself. “Get up and leave already, both of you. I deserve my beauty sleep.”

“Yeah right,” Leona scoffs quickly, pulling Ace and the bundle of blankets even closer as he lowers his head to lay atop Ace’s own forehead, grip tightening every time the freshman so much as struggle. “Keep dreaming, you’re getting off your ass and following me down there.”

“Leona, it’s barely six in the fucking morning.”

The prince only hums, going along with Ruggie’s chuckle in the background. “Should have thought that through before you crawled into my bed, now get up. It’s not that hard.” Already up on his feet as he reaches for the pair of gloves sitting by the counter, “Let’s get that hair fixed first.”

His fiance is a fucking hypocrite, did Ace ever mention that?

“Maybe Heartslabyul was the right choice after all,” He mumbles quietly, already resigning any attempts at protesting as Leona pulls him off the blanket and straight up. Dangling mid-air as hands find themselves buried in the messy brown hair, a pout showing itself fully while Leona’s grin spreads ever wider. 

With a couple of quick pecks, some more light caressing, and the two of them are already stepping inside the bathroom so Leona could torment him into a set of sports clothes once again. 

Ruggie, ever dutifully picking up the mess in the room before having to step out and pick up all their breakfasts, had been all the wiser to not comment on Leona’s lack of top and the presence of said thing barely above Ace’s knees. 

“Don’t embarrass yourself now Leona!” Ace cheers, munching on the cherry jam bread and sitting comfortably in Heartslabyul’s uniform, collar in full glory as his hair is pulled into a low pony, with a drink cooler right beside his leg, his other hand raises with enthusiastic yells every time the prince blows another Savanaclaw’s kid away. “Show me some proper magic won’t cha.”

Ace had been at it for the past twenty minutes, trying his hardest to annoy Leona and everyone around him on the field with obnoxious cheerings and flashing all the foods and drinks while the whole dorm flew around chasing their own tails. 

It’s petty, but petty revenge is always the best kind anyway, especially when it’s served together with freshly baked bread overstuffed by handmade cherry jam and a cold soda.

Truly, it’s only during these times that Ace realizes just how much that royal title makes up for its stupid, demanding weight, especially when his fiance is all the more diligent to make sure he gets all of this with an extra side of kisses.

Ruggie had been the only one inconvenienced in the process, but Ace supposed the sophomore had been more than satisfied– going into the familiar shi-shi-shi when Ace had asked– with the extra change and the promise of another dozen donuts during lunch.

“Housewarden!” Some kid finally screams after Ace’s latest cheer, “Why is that Heartslabyul brat hanging around?!”

“Because I told him to,” Leona replies, still pinching his nose bridge like he had been doing ever since Ace decided to become a bother. “Now shut up and keep going.”

“But–”

“I said,” Leona growls in response, already sending the whole of them a sharp glare “ Shut.up. ”

The guy promptly shut up, cowering under the lion’s glare while looking a mix between unresigned and unwilling, Ace could spot him glaring with the corner of his eye. Ears still standing furiously atop his head as Ace lets out an amused whistle. 

The lot of them had been rather unsatisfied with his presence. Make sense really, no beastmen would like to have a human brat invading their turf and acting so damn cocky about it, all the more when said brat is hanging back far too comfortably compared to the sweating and panting bunch. Some of them were braver than the other, sneaking glares and narrowing looks at Ace when they thought Leona wasn’t looking, while some of them kept quiet. Must have realized that Ace was the one whom their freshman led straight into Leona’s room last night and wasn’t promptly kicked out when the prince got back. 

Or, that bunch was in the cafeteria the other day and paid direct witness to how the rumors had been circulating around NRC. Not that Ace cares much, his main focus right now was annoying Leona so the lion would let him loose after all.

“Go, go, go.” Ace continues shouting obnoxiously, “Show me what the fearless second prince of Sunset Savana is capable of~”

Leona practically has turned deaf to the cheers, opting to ignore Ace completely to focus on whipping the bunch into proper positions and shapes while he himself is much unbothered by the flashing of snacks, unlike the rest of the fools who decided to skip breakfast in favor of practice. 

How Leona could ever run a whole Magif practice solely on coffee is lost to Ace, but he supposed all the napping later would decently make up for that effort. 

Ruggie, on the other hand, looks rather amused with the cheerings. Flashing a clueless grin every time another kid asks him about Ace while rejoicing in their and Leona’s suffering. All ready and piper to get through the day with the promise of the reward at lunch. 

The freshman, whatever his name was that Ace couldn’t catch in time, looks rather confused rather than irritated. Leading at the top of the running line all bothered and uncomfortable as every pass is greeted by Ace’s friendly wave and wink. 

They weren’t that friendly, not yet anyway, but Ace supposed he owed the guy enough for yesterday to offer him a drink or some if he would have liked. 

“That’s it, get into your position for the practice game.” Leona declares when Ace is halfway into his daydreaming, holding the disk midair to the right as magic gathers in his right hand. “Let’s get this whole thing over with.”

The beastmen stop at the call, gathering into their own little groups as they bend over on their knees to catch their breath. Just before Ruggie goes swooshing past them handing out armbands in two different colors. 

“You know the drills,” Leona says when Ruggie is done handing the stuff out, broom floating ever graciously back to the benches where Ace sits. “Red blue, green purple whatever, sort yourself into teams and start fighting the good fight.” He stops as he finally comes directly opposite Ace, giving the younger a rather unimpressed glare as Ace takes another bite of the sweet little bread. “I’ll be overseeing from here.”

“Yessir!” The crew shouts in unison, already scattering into their own groups as Ruggie takes the disc and flies high above, all too ready to play ref and away from the chaos. 

“You,” Leona calls him, voice low and partly tired as he finally pays Ace some attention, letting out another sigh just as Ace looks up at him all innocently. “Can’t a man ever run a practice in peace?”

“Jokes on you, you’re the one who insisted I came out here,” Ace replies, nonchalantly, as he grabs a cold bottle from the cooler and frosh it over. “And this is what happens when I don’t get my full sleep.”

“You took over my bed since ten last night,” Leona glowers at him, lifting the bottle from Ace’s hand as he finally sits down right beside the freshman. “It’s seven.”

Ace barely looks affected by the call-out, even less so when the person saying is actively pushing the distance between them as he almost leans into the younger. “And I need more. Not like you have any grounds to judge, Ruggie-senpai told me it took you a good sixteen hours to even look energetic during club practices.”

Leona, ever the person he is, doesn’t even look ashamed at the fact. Annoyed– maybe– as he screws the bottle shut and sets it aside by their feet. “Tch. That loud-mouth. Since when are you two so close?”

“We bond over how much of an ass you’re being,” Ace put his tongue out playfully, the low pony bouncing a bit on his shoulder as he looks over. “Depending on the time and day, that’s enough to make anyone besties.”

“Jeez, and they said I have a cute fiance.” Leona sighs, hand already reaching to the back of his neck to dote on the random strands sticking out, “What about that pup though? How did I not know you were this friendly huh?”

Of course, Leona would pay attention to all the waving and winking. Not that Ace expects any less from his own fiance, always so hyperaware and on guard even when he’s stuck with some sort of duty. 

“Guy helped me out last night,” Ace hums, “Might as well return the favor ya know. Wouldn’t want your pack of good guys to be so hard on him.”

Ace could tell from the get-go that guy didn’t fit in much, not Savanaclaw– certainly not Leona’s version of Savanaclaw, at least– just by the way he acted and all the peering gaze last night. Not that the way some tough guys kept running and bumping into him wasn’t as good of an indicator, but Ace supposed he should give his fellow freshman a solid for taking and biting back so well. 

It takes just that kind of guts to shine at Savanaclaw, though it does come with being singled out in the process. 

“What, you wanna give him a new rep?” Leona asks with a brow raised, “The promising freshman who knows the Housewarden’s childhood friend?” The lion chuckles when Ace glares at him a bit at the mention, “Doesn’t sounds all that better than the one he got now.”

“You’re just jealous I was winking.” Ace points out immediately, pulling at Leona’s own ponytail as the brown hair tickles his ungloved hand. “Don’t get too territorial now, I still need to make some friends ya know.”

Leona, as always, not looking even half bothered by the call out or interested in whatever promise Ace is trying to goat him into, only hums. “Hn.” Just before casting the glance down at the underclassmen side on the field and Ruggie flying around overhead. 

Ace knows that look, feigning uninterest and boredom while Leona starts scheming the latest smart play in his head. Properly already debating between making the situation worse or leaving it as is. 

The younger, ever the kind person he is, was quick to slap slightly on his shoulder to snap him out of it. 

“I said, stop. I don’t even know the guy’s name.” 

“Tch, fine.” Leona finally clicks his tongue, assessing Ace with an annoyed gaze once more as he finally scoots away, just before patting Ace’s own hand away from his lap and laying his head comfortably on them. “Just don’t give me any more work.”

“Said the one abandoning his ref duty and choosing to sleep instead.” Ace pouts, poking lightly between Leona’s brow before he smooths out all the furrowing. “Class starts in an hour, ya know.”

“Enough for a nap.” Was Leona’s only reply. 

“Ruggie-senpai…” Jack calls out hesitantly, a hand scratching at the back of his neck as he glances over at Savanaclaw’s Housewarden and the Heartslabyul’s student perched on the audience bench. “Is the house warden not joining us today?”

“Has he ever?” Ruggie only snickers, hopping off his broom to finally join the rest of the team on the ground again. “What? Are you still itching to play against him?”

“I-I mean—” Jack sputters, the lone wolf act slipping a bit when Ruggie continues snickering even while dismissing the other students. “He was really good last time, so I was hoping to get the chance to face him again.”

“Welp, can’t blame a man for admiring. Leona-san is real good with that disk.” Ruggie finally finishes, his usual shi-shi-shi giving way for a shoulder shrug as he follows Jack’s gaze to look at the two comfortable royals sitting on the side. “But it might be better if ya gave up that wish. Our pack leader over there ain’t getting on the field soon, especially not when the princess is still here.”

“Princess?” Jack repeats quietly, looking over at Ruggie with a confused expression before he returns his gaze back to their dorm leader sleeping soundly on his supposed childhood friend’s lap. The action reminded Jack of his siblings, often times when they had run themselves to the ground from playing all day they would have come seeking him for a quick lap nap. 

But that was different– very different– because no matter how much Jack loves his siblings, he sure ain’t gonna be giving them head pats and poking at their faces while they sleep. 

The action much more resembles the many couples back in his hometown, those who can’t even seem to get tired of each other and proceed to be stuck by the hip 24/7. 

Not that Jack would like to apply that logic to Leona, very much not, but the wolf boy is struggling to find another comparison as fitting as that. 

“Curious, ain’t cha?” Ruggie asks, laughing lightly as he snaps Jack out of his own internal monologue, “I don’t wanna be giving you any weird ideas, but watch yourself around the Heartslabyul kid.” The sophomore says, patting his shoulder lightly as he gathers all the equipment on the grounds in his arms and starts walking to the benches. “Wouldn’t wanna be waking up to losing our promising freshman after all.”

“...What?”

Jack could only look after the hyena’s figure confusedly, unable to make out the meaning of the last remark even as Ruggie calls loudly to the house warden and his companion about class starting soon. 

His Housewarden, Leona Kingscholar, got up rather annoyed. Much like every other time he had seen Ruggie wake him, but still stood by patiently for the Heartslabyul kid to finish dusting off his clothes and gather himself. Taking the drinks cooler in his hand the two walk down the benches to meet with Ruggie in the middle.

The kid had also noticed him staring, flashing Jack a smile much like to the one last night as he waved which cue Leona of him. And Jack had only looked away when the lion’s gaze sharpened, not that he missed the light shoulder slap that the other kid gave his senior promptly after. 

Such mystery like these, Jack finally decides, was best not to be pondered on a Thursday.

Chapter Text

The two following days had been, well, interesting in the least. 

Yuu and Deuce had greeted him at the hall of mirrors every day after morning practice, the demon cat hanging tiredly behind them after rushing over half the school just to get there. Grim had been screaming and biting the first few times over why they had to be the ones to come get Ace each morning when he could have done the same at Ramshackle just before Ruggie shut him up quickly with a delicious pastry taken fresh from the cafeteria that morning.

Limited edition, no less.

But still, as Ace would very much like to correct the cat, he can’t just up and go over to their place whenever he wants. Morning practice has very much become one of Ace’s compulsory duties at NRC - even if he’s just annoying Leona and the group under him rather than offering anything helpful - before he knew it.

Leona wouldn’t kill him for missing it, sure, but Ace would rather not have a grumpy fiance at 6 in the morning if he could help it. 

After the whole polite charade of saying hi and whatnot, Ruggie, and Leona would sooner depart for another one of the housewarden duties and leave Ace to go on with his day. 

 Leona never sticks around to greet his group, nuh uh, not when he still views them as a bunch of pushover herbivores who were, quote on quote, not worth his time. (Very rude of him, if Ace were to say.) But he had been tame enough to get the Savanaclaw's bunch off their backs, so Ace supposed that was a sign as good as any that he didn’t have a problem with the whole of them hanging out. 

Well, not till today, that is. 

“Get back here before seven,” Leona says, still buried in the sheets where Ace left him minutes ago, “don’t drag your ass or I'm gonna be crashing that party myself.”

“Like they would ever let you in,” Ace grumbles while crouching over, hands finding themselves in Leona’s messy brown as a small act of comfort, smoothing out the curls and running his hands along Leona’s bare nape. “Stop frowning will ya? My hands are already full with one grumpy tyrant, I can’t pick up another one.”

The thought only makes Leona huff, his head turning up from their shared pillow as he throws Ace a glare. “You wanna save yourself the trouble? The crow’s right down the hallway.”

“Dream on, I ain’t running away from that stuck-up brat.”

“Says you,” Leona replies quickly, already diving back into the soft cotton underneath as he leaves Ace with his bare back. “Just get going, and do come back crying so I can say I told you so later.” 

“Yeah right, that’s totally gonna happen.” Ace retorts sarcastically, “Trey-senpai helped me with it, ya know. That tyrant wouldn’t be able to blame me for the taste even if he wanted to.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”

Ace can only pout, Leona had spent two whole days dismissing the matter in favor of dragging him to Crowley whenever the topic hit. The lion had even dragged Ruggie into it, making the hyena stay past dinner with stacks after stacks of student’s complaints about how ridiculous Riddle could be at a certain time or day. 

And like that wasn’t enough, Leona had been dragging him around Heartslabyul’s corners just to witness the pathetic state of other students like him, pathetically sulking with red collars around their necks. Even setting up those poor guys to get one in public, as Ace had caught him and Ruggie doing once, deliberately handing a Heartslabyul’s first year a set of hamburgers for dinner on Tuesday just so he could get collared by the tiny tyrant for it. 

Ace suspects that was their attempt to scare him off from the stupid dorm entirely. Just pure evil, those two. 

Too bad Ace was a bigger man than that. So he decided Operation Pie was still a go after Leona had spent days talking down on it.

The decision may or may not have been influenced by how terrible the Savanaclaw’s uniform had looked on him, of course not, not when Ace is not at all bitter about being so washed out by the color symbol of the land he’s supposed to be married to. 

“Princess,” Ruggie suddenly calls, popping his head in and scrunching at Leona’s bed rotting form before turning to Ace. “Your group’s here to pick ya up.”

Ace lifts his head at that, finally breaking out of the trance that Leona had somehow pulled him into again to stand and finally get going to get the silly collar off his neck. Leona does grumble into his sheets when Ace’s right-hand leaves his hair, but the first year supposed that’s what his stupid fiance gets when he can’t stop being so annoyed at so early in the morning. 

“I’m off,” He says finally to Leona, putting the gloves back on as he walks to where Ruggie’s waiting by the door.”Don’t get too sulky before I get back now.”

“Just go already.”

“You know, on second thoughts, this is actually more nerve-wracking than I thought,” Ace whispers to the other three, they are all standing by the sides while Riddle examines everything in the Unbirthday party. 

Ace had even hidden behind Cater at the very sight of the tyrant stepping through, the mont blanc in his hands slipping and almost meeting its fate on the ground had it not been for Yuu’s quick reflexes. 

“Just shut up and get on with it already.” The green-haired perfect snaps back at him, the red eyes showing both amusement and annoyance. “We had been planning for this all week, you could have at least man up anytime between then and now.”

“You make this shit sounds easier than it actually is,” Ace complains right back, “You are not the one who actually has to face the guy in front of all these people.”

“Well, I didn’t eat shits that didn’t belong to me, did I?”

“You-” 

“All right, before we begin the croquet tournament, let us make a toast.” Ace was just about to snap back at him when Riddle suddenly declared, the boy was already in his seat with a teacup in hand and looking around at all his students, “Does everyone have their teacup?”

Ace very much did not, and neither were his friends, but Cater was quick enough to poor a couple more and passed it along so they could all cheer in a makeshift way. 

“On this most significantly unauspicious of days, I bid all in attendance…” Riddle continues, “a very merry unbirthday!”

Everyone around them quickly followed suit, raising their teacups just before taking a quick sip and setting it down on the table. They had all then separated into their own groups, some tournament or something that Ace hadn’t been bothered enough to remember the name of, leaving their almighty house warden sitting alone at his table with Trey guarding on the side. 

Then, assuming that this was as good as any chance Ace would have during the party, Trey had blinked at Cater in front of them. Who subsequently blinked right back at Ace’s group before whispering energetically, “This is your chance, Ace-chan.”

Ace inhales a deep breath at the thought just before looking back at Yuu and Deuce who are giving him thumbs up while the cat attempts to run for a pastry on another table. 

Here goes nothing, he guesses. 

“Umm, Housewarden, sir…” Ace says shyly, stepping up to the table in the center with the Mont Blanc in hand. 

Riddle looks up at him, realization settling in a bit later just as he speaks. “Ah, it’s you. The tart-thieving first-year who knows Leona-senpai.”

Okay, rude. But Ace tries anyway, “Yeahhh, about that. I wanted to apologize for eating that tart and all so we made you another one right here.”

Riddle may have been a bit uncomfortable with his attitude, as Ace may or may not have spotted it in his eyes, but the house warden lets it go before allowing him to continue. “I see, and what kind of tart is it?”

“I’m so glad you asked!” Ace says with a bit more energy, his friendliest smile finding its way on his face again. “It’s a Mont Blanc, and I swear we weren’t stingy with the chest–”

“A CHESNUT tart?!” Riddle didn’t let him finish, already screaming at the top of his voice to draw all the student’s attention as he suddenly started reprimanding Ace out of nowhere. “According to rule 562: One must never bring a chestnut tart to an unbirthday tea party.”

He glares at Ace at that, not at all minding the startled look on the first-year’s face as he continues. “This is an utterly flagrant rule violation! Do you understand what you’ve done?! You’ve ruined an otherwise perfect unbirthday!!”

Ace was beyond confused at this point, judging from how Deuce was calling out “Rule 562…?!” behind him as well as Yuu's meaningless gibberish, they must be sharing the same sentiment. 

“Just how many of the rules are there?” Yuu asks loudly.

“There are 810 rules in all, and as housewarden, I can, of course, recite each and every one of them.” Riddle was more than happy to reply, standing from his own seat at the table to face Ace directly just before glaring. 

Ace could hear Cater and Trey mumbling to the left of them, something along the lines of Trey didn’t know there was a rule surrounding the type of tart and Cater was astonished that their own vide-house warden didn’t know beyond the 350 mark for the rule. Just before Riddle points at the Mont Blanc on the table and loudly exclaims, “As Heartslabyul’s housewarden, I cannot ignore this infraction. Destroy the offending tart and throw the rule breakers out of here, immediately!” He commands. 

Now you see, up until this point Ace had been happy to swallow his pride for once and actually make an effort to apologize to the guy. Even if he had first intended to do it just to rub it in Leona’s face or not, Ace had actually put real effort into this whole stupid operation just so he could get the damn collar off his neck and save himself from all the neck pains even though Leona sanding the whole thing was an option. 

But now? Now that all his hard work is suddenly criticized by some dumb rule banning a tart from a fucking weekend party and being pointed and gossiped at by the other guys who can’t seem to mind their own business? That’s where he draws the line. 

“Hold a damn minute! You are making zero sense here?!” He says loudly, almost glaring into the crowd and Riddle.

The cat at the back had been more than happy to support him this time, jumping to right in front of Ace as he stood above the Mont Blanc like he was trying to protect it. “He’s right! Let me eat it if you’re gonna toss it.”

Cater and Trey, being the oh-so-reliable seniors that they are, have also decided to chime in. “Housewarden, allow me to apologize, I was the one who suggested making a chestnut tart.” Says Trey, as Cater continues, “That’s right that’s right. I was a part of it too, we didn’t know there was a rule about the type of tart.”

Riddle was having none of it, “The making of a tart is not the issue,” He says while grinding his teeth, glaring intensely at Ace after the first-year had called the rules dumb in front of him so boldly. “That you had brought it, HERE, TODAY. THAT is the source of the problem!”

“Yeah, no.” Yuu suddenly chimes in, “Sounds to me like living by such dumb rules is the problem instead.”

“Exactly!” Ace continues, for once he was actually happy that Yuu has a sharp tongue on him 24/7. “All you do is cite one stupid rule after another. You sound even more foolish than the five-year-olds studying off a picture book!”

The remark has unnerved Riddle more than just a bit, judging by the way his eyes blow open all the as he looks at the two of them. “Did you just call me foolish?!”

Cater, startled by their sudden change in behavior, screams. “WOAH! Okay, guys, that kind of language is off-limits!!” just before he turns back to their housewarden, all friendly and obeying, “And Riddle-kun, please try to remember that they are all new students who’ve only been here a few days! I’m sure they didn’t mean it!”

“Of course I do!” Ace says before he can finish, “Throwing away a tart that I had worked on just to obey some insane rule is just about as dumb as anything gets. I ain’t doing that, period.” 

Deuce also tries, “I agree with Ace. While I do understand that rules need to be followed this is just getting out of hand!” 

“And besides, it’s not like I’m the only one who has problems with you.” Ace continues, looking back at the crowd standing on the side before pointing directly at the guy that got tricked into eating the Hamburger the other day while picking out many other of Ruggie’s and Leona’s victims. “You, you, and you. Everyone really. I know you’re afraid of getting your magic sealed away but anyone with a brain should know that this is just insane.”

“N-No, w-we just…”

Riddle interrupted before the guy in front could say anything, his gaze sharpened as he turned from the poor guy to Ace once again. “You sure have got a lot of nerves, speaking to me that way. Well? Does anyone share the same sentiment as our freshman here?”

The guy stutters at it, fixing his whole composure just so he can bow his way out of trouble. “Far from it, Housewarden Riddle, sir! Of course we would trust in your judgment!!”

The sight was so pathetic Ace couldn’t help himself, a bunch of spineless cowards standing together, this crowd was. 

Yuu had done the pleasure of voicing it for him, folding his hands in front as he glared through the crowd, complaining sarcastically. “Wow, real guts you have there. This must be the type of honor students the crow told me so much about.” 

Riddle, however, must have taken pride in that, as he goes into another monologue. “Since I became the housewarden in my first year, not a single student from Heartslabyul had drooped out or been held back. We are the only house that can boast such a feat.”

He stops for a second, glaring at Ace before he continues, “Not to mention that I have the best academic standing and the strongest in this dorm, that makes me the one in the right!”

“All you have to do is follow me without questions!”

Deuce had been more than taken aback by it, mumbling something under his breath as he took a step back and away from the exploding housewarden.

“It’s not off with their heads because I want to do that. I do it because rules must never be broken.” Riddle says anyway, his temper scorching all the more out of control as the rest of them stare on. “If you will not obey me, then I will have all of your heads!”

“Okay!” Cater sneaks back with them at some point, whispering under his breath as he tries. “Let’s just all say ‘Yes, Housewarden’ and get it over with.”

Deuce and Yuu had been the first to say no, the former already squeezing his hand into a fist as the latter sent the senior a glare. 

“Not over my dead body.” Ace shouts, “I’m above bowing to self-imposing crazy tyrants!”

“...What, did you just call me?”

Riddle asks them, partly in bewilderment, just as Grim goes on and repeats what he has just said before Yuu can put a hand on his mouth. “He called you a tyrant for wanting to destroy all this good food over a tantrum!”

“Woah, okay, we didn’t need to go that far!” Deuce tries, just before a crazed glare from Riddle quickly shuts him up as the tyrant screams. 

“OFF! WITH! YOUR! HEADS!”

Then, with a sudden click, two other collars had found themselves on Deuce and Grim. One much resembles the one Ace’s own, while Yuu remained somewhat safe and looked around at them, startled. 

“Trey! Cater! I want them thrown off this premise in an instant!”

The tyrant screamed in fury, just as those two followers of his mumbled their favorite line of obeying and started taking hold of their group and pushing them all out the door. 

Cater had even tried to be energetic during it, “Sorry sorry, disobeying orders is a no-no you know.”

“We’ll try to convince Riddle to let you back in after you apologize.” Trey said while looking at Ace, head bowed and all as he pulled the stupid hat down even lower to cover his face. 

Ace didn’t care if it was shame or any kind of shits along the line, this, this was it. Any more humiliation and he might just get Leona to sand this whole dorm altogether. 

In reality, he screams. “I’ll never apologize to that insane bastard! Not over my dead body!!”

Just as the red gates slammed before them. 

Regardless, Ace had been back in Leona’s room that afternoon. With him three fellows, one of which was just as dormless as he is currently, as Ruggie tends to them all while Leona sits on his bed all high and mighty. 

“ I told you so.” The lion says amusingly, bouncing the piece of chess between his fingers as he doesn’t even bother to look up at Ace. “You changed your mind about that trip to Crowley yet?”

Ace couldn’t help the rage that rose inside him at the tone, even if Ruggie was putting another bandage on the cut on his cheek for it, as he quickly retorted. “At this point I want you to sand the bastard. Matter of fact, just sand that whole dorm altogether.”

Leona only chuckles, finally looking up at the group of them, speaking leisurely with his chin in his hand. “And here comes the brat I know. Where have you been all this time?”

Ace knows what he means by that, too well actually, seeing how it wasn’t the first time that Leona had brought up the fact that he had been far too lenient and understanding with this whole charade. 

Had it been half the Ace Trappola that reign terror over the royal halls of Savana Sunset, they would have found Heartslabyul in chaos a day after Ace had gotten the collar. 

“Shut it,” Ace says quickly, “Had it not been for you and whatever reputation I thought you had, do you think I would ever actually go through with something this stupid?!”

Leona only raises an eyebrow at it, “Me? I told you from the start to get into Savanaclaw, don’t blame me when you’re the one who chose to break the plan instead.”

“Well go tell that to the stupid mirror then! Tell it that it’s so dumb it doesn’t even know better than the second prince!”

Leona decided to say nothing at that, he had growled instead, eyes narrowing dangerously as he faced Ace’s glare head-on. 

Ruggie and the rest of them had decided to withdraw to another corner at that, sensing very well that a fight was on the way with how the two of them are snapping back and forth. 

Yuu, being the least wounded out of all of them, had even opened the door and escaped to sevens know where when Ace had first screamed. As Deuce, Grim, and Ruggie now follow suit. 

They stayed like that for a while after everyone left, glaring at each other without saying much like the situation would somehow resolve itself. 

Well, it wouldn’t have, not when Leona finally decided to sigh and let go as he sat up on the bed. Legs extending as his hand gestures to the lion’s now open lap. 

“Come here.” The lion says, gently, as he waves for Ace to come over.

Ace, even though he’s still very much enraged, obeys. 

He crawls his way through all the pillows to get on the bed at that, settling comfortably on Leona’s lap as the lion circles his hands around Ace’s waist and holds onto them while pulling a bit. Finally closing the space Ace may or may not have deliberately left open because he was still sulking from screaming. 

Leona continues to hold him for a bit, sometimes planting light kisses on his ears and foreheads just before Ace dives into his nape and rests his head there. 

He’s somewhat comforted now, so he’ll allow Leona to continue with whatever he’s doing for a bit. 

“Stop sulking, I’ll go talk to that boy-wonder if you want,” Leona says after a while, sounding so serious like he actually means it. 

Ace only shakes his head, digging even deeper into the comfort of the lion’s neck. 

“Shut up and comfort me properly.”

Leona obeys, not before he lets out a long sigh though. 

Chapter Text

“You’re gonna what?!” Deuce screams loudly, he’s standing over the table now, attracting all kinds of wrong attention towards their lunch group like the idiot he is.

Yuu, being the “reasonable” one, was quick to kick him under the table in an attempt to get the dumb guy to quiet down. Which worked horribly by the way, since it made Deuce screams once more in pain just before glaring back at the green-haired dude in disbelief.

Ace didn’t even bother attempting to quiet them, the reaction was kinda along what he expected when he decided to drop the news anyway. 

“I’m transferring dorm dude, ain’t no way Imma stick around so that crazy tyrant can lord over me like that.” He says nonchalantly, fork still digging between the mashed potatoes and the sad pieces of steak on the lunch tray. “Leona’s working on the paper for me.” 

“B-but…” Deuce tries, “What about the incident at the party? Shouldn’t we try to settle that?”

“Which one? The one where he threw a tantrum over the flavor of a pie or the one where he gave us,” Ace points between the red lock on his neck and Deuce’s own. “ these.”

Ace paused half-way, trying his damndest to not stand up and throw a whole fit over this like the child Leona likes to describe him as, just before gritting his teeth to continue. “You can go ahead and try to settle all that if you can. Not so sure how willing that bastard on the other end is but imma wish you all the fucking luck, buddy.”

Deuce and Grim did flinched a bit at his language, maybe even slightly appaled, but Ace can’t be bothered to give two fucks about it now. Not when he had been awake all night tossing and turning in Leona’s bed in frustration. Still damn near appalled that he had been treated in such a way after he made the effort to properly apologize. 

He, Ace Trappola - the most spoiled brat the Sunset Savana had the displeasure of meeting - had been thrown off a lawn with a lock on his neck and woefully dismissed with a “We will try to talk to Riddle later.” from two unbelievably cowardice seniors. 

Sevens fucking forbid, Riddle Roseheart is lucky he didn’t storm right back inside with Leona right after. 

Speaking of, Leona had even left for the window bed in the middle of the night just then. Far too exhausted to even try reasoning with Ace about the much needed peace and quiet at 2 in the damn morning. Didn’t even try to fight the way Ace had now claimed that entire bed as his own in his tantrum and decided that he was just gonna live this out - somehow. Until all that is needed is settled. 

Ace suspects that he would try to get even later, not that he’s scared anyway, he’s too angry for that by now. Especially when he had even deliberately chosen not to show up at morning practice despite Leona’s grumbling twice. 

Well, not that it matters much now.

“Stop fussing already,” Leona groans from beside him, his steak lunch already demolished and thrown to the side as he glances over at the two freshmen. “You’re making yourselves look like crybabies.”

The lion had joined them five minutes into lunch time – which is a rare sight apparently, judging by how the students stare at him and Ruggie advancing with wide eyes – settling himself right beside Ace without even asking before Ruggie made himself a dear and dropped both of the plates on the table before disappearing somewhere with a cafeteria bread stolen from poor little Grim as a payment. 

Real resourceful, that guy, left them a screaming demon cat while he walks away all glorious without needing to pay a dime. 

“And you need to stop being mean to them already,” Ace snaps right back, finally turning to Leona now that Deuce awkwardly took a seat. “It’s not like I made you sit here now, did I?”

“I–you know what,” Leona muttered, half turning around to fix Ace with a scowl before softening quickly enough it melts back into a partly helpless one, like he foresaw just how unreasonable this will become if he even tries. “Just finish whatever you wanna do and meet me in Crowley’s office later.”

“Okay. Now shoo.” Ace continues, left hand already waving like he was chasing another just chasing away a random bother. “Next time don’t sit at my table if you are just gonna be grumpy all the time, it kills my joy.” 

Leona after a long inhale that Ace suspects is him trying to control his temper, finally got up and walked away. He didn’t even try to fight it, just mumbled something along the lines of “brat.” as he followed some of the students out of the cafeteria. 

Not without drama, of course, not when all the tables surrounding theirs that had definitely been eavesdropping all stared at Leona’s retreating figure in disbelief. Ace is sure he heard a guy choked on his own lunch before coughing up a fit as he watch Leona being chased out like he wasn’t the scariest guy around, just before the lots of them turn and stare at Ace - who had been all too happy to go back digging around his mashed potatoes and steak - like watching an abomination that is just waiting to explode on them in various degree of horror. 

“God,” Yuu suddenly started, “Your temper is horrible, you know that?”

“Shut up and eat.”

“Why are we even here?” Grim complains, holding a book about history of the Queendom of Roses between his tiny paws as he sit himself on the table improperly, “Ace decided to transfer dorms right? Why do we even have to wait for the glasses guy anyway?”

“Because Deuce is still a member of Heartslabyul,” Yuu mutters back, reading uninterestedly over a book about the history of magic while he hunched over like keeping the demon cat in check. “And I would rather Ace take out his frustration with the guy now than explode on us later.”

“You mean you just don’t want to deal with me.” 

“Exactly,” The green haired reply nonchalantly, not even flinching when Ace smacked his shoulder lightly. “Have you seen yourself? You’re worse than a gremlin when you’re angry.”

“Sshh,” Deuce made himself known then, dropping the book in hand as he looks over at the door, and sure enough, Trey was walking through the door with a book in hand - the recipe book that he had borrowed to help Ace with the pie making the other day - as the entire group of freshmen immediately jumped on their feet and started walking over menacingly like they hadn’t spend a good three hours sitting slumping over table and messing up library sections with nothing better to do. 

“Hii there, Clover-senpai.” Ace calls out mockingly, already leaning over the door to block it as Yuu conveniently goes right behind while Deuce and Grim jumped right in front of the guy, the four of them blocking all exit like some sort of backdoor delinquent.

Trey took a meaningful look over the four of them, before he sighs - partly helpless, part sounded like he expected this - as he responded “You four, had you really been waiting all day?”

“Why yes,” Ace happily says, “We figured you would need to return that book one way or another. Nothing says bonding better than spending a few hours in the library with your friends anyway, wouldn’t you say?”

“He means we wanted to talk to you, but you took so long to get here and now he’s mad about it.” Yuu helpfully translated, which earned him another glare from Ace. “Though I think it’s best that Deuce is the one to talk with you about it.” 

“Yeah…I think I still have problems with the way Housewarden Riddle is handling things.” Deuce reluctantly began, a hand awkwardly scratching his cheek, “I know that our dorm prides itself on rules and all that. But don’t you think he is…well, a bit too much?”

Ace interrupted, “Try downright insane.” Yuu immediately nudged him in the stomach for it, though the red haired ignored it to ask, “Come clean with us already. What’s your real stance in all of this, and don’t expect me to believe all this bullcrap about trusting in your housewarden’s decision no matter what, that would just mean you are as crazy as he is.” 

Trey, well, he only sighs again. 

“You think so, huh?” He asked tiredly, “Well, it’s not that I can blame you…But those rules are part of who Riddle is, it’s more complicated than me just telling him off.”

“If this leads to another tragic backstory, I’m walking straight out that door–”

It was another tragic backstory, and no, Yuu did not get to leave. 

“So, what you’re telling me is…” Ace tries after a solid 5 minutes holding his own chin in his hand, “It’s essentially your fault that he turned out like that?”

“W-wait, what?!”