Chapter Text
Leona made it quite blatant that his dorm management style leans more towards fuck around and find out rather than the usual hand-held one, much to Vil’s and Riddle’s dismay every time it's his turn to host the brats, but he does quite the wonderful job at keeping them annoyingly entertained and alive so the issues are usually dropped after one or two snark attempts. Much to Leona’s relief.
Not this time though, dear Sevens, certainly not this time around.
“Explain,” He grits out, scanning the froshes gathering around in a circle while Ruggie tends to Ace behind him, spotting the extremely familiar broom he used an hour ago in Magical Shift and starts debating whether he should pick up his staff to hide the evidence so he can stick it on someone else later on or abandon it altogether for Ruggie to figure something out.
Not that he would like to deal with the crimson tyrant himself, very much not, but Leona doesn’t think the hyena would ever make it back alive if he sent him to Heartslabyul with an injured Ace in tow, and Leona would very much like to have that limited-time meat culet sandwich for lunch tomorrow.
“Soooo,” the Prefect starts, volume barely above a whisper, “We were hanging around till Jack was done training, like you said,” A pause there, then a gulp when they realize Leona was scowling, “and Deuce found the broom in the corner looking all lonely.”
“A broom looks lonely?” Leona asks, already tilting his head upwards. He doesn’t even want to look at them when they start telling him what’s gonna come next, partly because he knows what’s gonna come next, unwillingly drilled into him like one of those disgusting maternal instincts with Cheka. Another is just the desperate wish to be anywhere but here, disrupted in his nap and stuck dealing with the frosh’s stupidity rather than the sun-coated field.
Ruggie is already going into his familiar shi-shi-shi behind him, too entertained by their antics to even realize he’s gonna be the one doing the cleanup when Leona is done with whatever this is, and write the detailed report of what had happened because he’s damn sure the crimson tyrant, and Vil, would be demanding it the moment this gets out.
The lizard bastard would too, looking all smug and not at all worried like the rest-- because Sebek is far more loyal to his and the creepy, old bastard little warnings than the rest of the little freaks-- just so he could spite Leona.
“Well, that’s subjective!” the Prefect huffs, like Leona was the one insane for not believing that one unsentimental object - like a broom, his broom - could feel stupid things like loneliness, “I mean, we all agree he would look so much better after a ride,” they wince, “or a couple.”
“All six of you took a ride, with my broom, without asking?”
“Seven,” they correct, “the cat wanted a chance.”
“...And you let him?”
“...” The herbivore went silent, desperately glancing at the other frosh for some backup until follower 2 caved and continues, “Grim behaves a bit better when he doesn’t feel left out, so we thought if he rode with one of us then it would be-”
Leona interrupts him at that, slamming his staff down to the ground with an obnoxious thud that shut Deuce up quickly. He’s far too tired, too agitated, and too annoyed to even bother listening to what came next after their genius decision, not when he saw first hand the horrible disaster it brought as a result.
Ace’s horrible habit of using wind magic far too often had led to one-- if not many --incident that ended with a crimson collar around his head, but color Leona surprise when the herbivore didn’t even think for a second to use it to his advantages when the monster cat-- a far lighter load than the mountain of book Ace tried to take for a spin last week --fell off the broom.
Leona did not have a good time when their unified, piercing scream interrupted his well-deserved nap, did not enjoy watching Follower 1 alongside the resident demon cat nearly crash the ground at break-neck speed, and he definitely did not appreciate having to reach for his staff in half a second to summon a torrent strong enough to break their fall.
Ruggie nearly had a heart attack, supposedly being the one to watch over them while Leona took a break from babysitting duty. Yet still decided to turn his head to watch over the Magif team instead for a quick second --idiot, various past experiences should have taught the hyena better than that, Leona would be sure to revisit this with him later-- and decided that it would be his duty to see how bad the swelling was while Leona attempts to control whatever the situation was this time.
Attempt would be the keyword.
Before the prince even had the chance to address the first issue in their little play date this time, if he even knew which one he hadn’t warned them about at this point, Ruggie had given his shoulder an anxious grab. Gesturing to Ace and his swelling arm on the bench while whispering another problem Leon no doubt has to handle.
“Leona-san, he broke his arm.”
Leona’s breath hitches, gaze switching from the little brat shielding his arm and pretending to be any synonym of fine to his right-hand man, “You sure?”
“I don’t know, 70%?” Ruggie followed his gaze before he shifted his attention back to the group of brats craning their head to listen, shade draining with a mix of horrified and dread on their faces, “It kinda looks like that time one of the kids in my hometown broke his leg real bad.”
Terrific. Leona sighed silently, another great day to care about some freshman randomly dropped on his front door.
“I demand a detailed report about this,” Riddle exclaims, still fidgeting nervously around follower 1 while the school nurse starts with her bandaging. “I expect it no later than 5 pm today, and believe me, I will be bringing this up with the Headmaster and the other housewardens later.”
Yeah, right, whatever, see if Leona gives a fuck about all the bitching to come later.
For all he cares, Leona would be out of here when the nurse is all done and dusted with the little brat. Ruggie can do all the checking-up work later on, maybe get the frosh a sandwich on his money, then Savanaclaw would be all too happy to sit back and enjoy the peace before the next Magif tournament while the rest of the school runs around chasing the kids’ tail.
Riddle huffs, must have seen the bored look on his face coming from a mile away, “I believe a show of interest is due, considering how my dorm member got hurt under your direct care.”
“Look,” Leona sighs, his left hand already reaching to the same spot on the temple he has been squeezing for the past months every time some stupid incident happened, “I did my part, how they think taking the kitty cat on a ride, on my broom, is a good idea is entirely on you.”
“But–”
“Don’t you dare think for a second that I had to be there to stop that too?” He deadpans, annoyance showing itself. “I’m too busy to hold their hands all day like the rest of you jerks.”
The remark made Riddle scoff, anger fuming for yet another outburst, “Busy? You?" He asks mockingly, "They are first-year students, mine and yours, perhaps if you had even the slightest intent to guide them towards the right course of action, this would have never happened at all.”
“Guidance? That’s what you’re calling it?” Leona retorts, eyebrows rising, “Last I checked, that herbivore ran to me and begged to crash because you collared him cause of some dump rules, again. Don’t try to run that shit by me when you barely have any control yourself.”
“Yet Ace had not injured himself even once under my care, should that not give you the best hint you could ask about the errors within your ways?”
“He sure as hell haven’t had any neck problems,” Leona roars this time, almost matching Riddle with his anger, “you gonna cry about that too, or should I get your vice to come to soothe you now? I’m sure he would love to be on tending duty again cause some babies can’t take the fact that the brats are sixteen." The lion says quickly, a mocking chuckle breaking out when he sees the red color painted over Riddle's expression. "Why don’t you go and bitch to Crowley too while you’re at it, I’m sure a babysitter is always available when you’re not.”
The remark made Riddle scream, red shade completely coloring his face while the hands gripped the staff so much there should be blood. “How dare you–”
“Okay!” The frosh cuts in loudly, left hand raising to catch their attention while the other sits in the white bandage and the thick cast, “I’m all good, everything’s done and taken care of, now we all just need a break.” He tries quietly, after a pause “From each other, preferably.”
It shuts Riddle up real quick.
“We will be having this conversation later.” He exclaims, already turning towards the bed again to check on the frosh, fussing uselessly as Ace puts the arm on exhibition. The brat is positively thriving in the attention and care of the two house wardens actively abandoning their duties just to cramp in the infirmary.
It shows in his eyes, little twinkles every time his gaze shifts, as he assured Riddle with a grin plastered ever so slightly even as the cast burdened any natural movements.
“You know,” Ace whined then, a pout already on his face. “This cast is so heavy, I don’t think I can even lift a pen, not to mention homework.”
Riddle froze at that, casting concerned gazes on the brat and the supposed heavy cast on his arm, torn between his official duty as a dorm head and making sure his junior was comfortable.
Leona caught Riddle glaring when he let out a chuckle, they both knew far too well what the brat was demanding at this point, pulling up those glassy eyes and begging tone he reserved especially for when things were going his way.
For once, he might even commend the herbivore for hiking the opportunity train so quickly.
The annoying thing about Ace, no matter how lovable he is in certain times of the day, is his constant crave for affection while knowing full well that the people around him would let some course of actions go if he tried real hard.
Oftentimes Ace’s shallow enough to take advantage of it–begging Trey for additional tarts or bugging Kalim with a couple extra madol here and there– other times the subject wouldn’t give in, so the brat makes do with small favors and attention while he wait for the right time to jump them with something underhanded and consequently gets a part of what he wants before Ace evetually fucks the rest up.
He had used the same tactics on every junior and senior in the vicinity– successfully at that– even on pent-up assholes like Vil or Riddle, even the lizard bastard down the corner on the rare chances the situation got him the leverage.
The herbivore would occasionally ruin it for himself just a moment later, but that’s what makes the tactics so daring in the first place. Since everyone would always think no big deal out of anything the brat does.
Even while they are being taken advantage of.
Ace Trappola may have more than a couple of juniors and seniors occasionally wrapped around his finger.
And, no. Leona is not under the same influence. He just liked to keep the frosh around so Jack would shut up about honor and all that jazz. At least if he tried to start anything, Leona would have one sane brat around to counter it.
“...I’m sure you can try with your left arm,” Riddle finally responds, “if not, surely Deuce would be an excellent friend.”
“But Deuce can’t even finish his own homework!”
“...Fine, but only for this week.”
Riddle finally obliges, giving Follower 1’s head a quick ruffle and deciding to go for the door before Leona could finish another laugh.
Idiots, all of them, to know that they are being played and still allowed for it.
The brat looked on as Riddle exited, only shifting his gaze to Leona when he heard the ruffling tail, all too ready to use his broken arm as a new weapon after experiencing the high ground just minutes before.
“Are you not leaving Leona-senpai?” Ace grins, posing like he’s more clever than he actually is, “If you want to comfort your adorable junior, I think some sandwich would be just the thing.”
“Save it,” Leona says instead, all too familiar with his antics to even bother giving any effort. “bother Ruggie all you want later, I’m just here so Vil and Crowley can zip it.”
“...Geez, and I thought you care.”
“I’m the one paying, now shut up and lie down.”
“Sir, yes sir!” The brat exclaims at that, all too ready to push himself back onto the sheets after he got what he wanted.
Leona made do with the short silence for now, torn between finally following the crimson tyrant out of the sophisticated place and stubbornly holding his gaze on the sight of Ace falling down the broom, screaming at the top of his lungs even after he made it to the ground– still squeezing the cat for life as they both burst into tears when Ruggie snaps them out of it.
Sevens, they are even more trouble than Leona thought they would be.
The nurse slipped out while Ace was busy burying himself into the pillow, taking the dirty bandages and tools with her when all needed is done while complaining under her throat about reckless students. He took it as a cue to slip into the empty beds, properly the best chance he was gonna have to catch up on his nap before anyone started racing in here to witness the latest screwup of the brat.
Leona ignores the strain in his eyes when he closes them, he knows he has been staring for far too long.