Chapter Text
SOLEIL’S MEHENDI WAS FADING.
On her hands, there used to be intricate designs of flowers and geometric patterns. Of leaves that crept up her fingers and of lines of circles that looked like beads spread across her hands and crosses and dots filling in empty squares. She was the only person from Earth on Twisted Wonderland and she didn’t have much of her home. Her glasses. The clothes she wore on her first day here. And her mehendi.
And the mehendi – the markings that smelled of henna when she put her face in her hands – was fading away.
There was already so little of Earth. There was already so little of her.
And it was leaving.
…
A few days after the unbirthday party, Riddle appeared in front of Soleil’s door and she could still taste the oyster sauce from his tart. Sweet and sour, the umami flavour resisted any removal. Her voice still cracked with every alternate syllable she used to welcome Riddle inside Ramshackle and she almost shook when using the kettle she had requested from Crowley to pour some tea in a cup and offered it to Riddle.
Riddle with his cherry hair and pale face, his frame looking smaller when he said down on the couch, almost as if he was trying to close in on himself.
Riddle, who said, “I came here for closure.”
Ah. Closure.
In all fairness, Soleil wanted it too. She knew she and Riddle were on better terms, especially after the hospital visit when Riddle apologized and the unbirthday party when he made sure Soleil didn’t talk too much. That didn’t mean she didn’t remember the way his collar closed in on her throat and that didn’t mean she didn’t sometimes think about how afraid she was that she’d die.
So, really, they both needed this.
“I’m sorry.” Riddle said, for what seemed to be the millionth time.
And for what seemed to be the millionth time, Soleil said, “I know.”
“How is your – ah – ” Riddle pointed at his throat.
“The headmage is making this… improv vaccine of sorts.” Soleil said, clearing her throat, “Exposing me to dead pieces of magic so I’d get accustomed to it. It’d take some months for it to fully be in effect for me though.”
“I see.” Riddle said carefully.
Soleil sighed, “Riddle, if it wasn’t you, it would have been someone else anyway.”
He blinked.
“If you hadn’t been the one to hurt me with magic, someone else would have.” She explained, “I’m the magicless student in school. There are tons of students here just itching to hurt me. It’s a good thing that at least now we know my weakness to magic before someone else hurt me, probably with a much more dangerous spell than a collar.”
Riddle paled, “I – I suppose you’re right but… but still!” He looked away, “I ignored you when you said something was wrong and I continued to believe that you were merely exaggerating your predicament when multiple other people said that you were in pain. If – If I had listened – ”
“Riddle.” Soleil said calmly, “Relax. You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known.” She scoffed, “If anything, I should have known.”
“Huh?” His voice wobbled.
“You didn’t know that I was from another world and so you had no idea that my body would react to the collar the way it did.” Soleil continued, “But you know who did know? Me. I knew. The headmage knew. Ace, Deuce and Grim knew. We all knew that I was from another world but none of us took into account what that would exactly mean and whether there’d be differences in how my body would react to the environment.” She sighed, “Because, well… there was so much going on. I had to get accustomed to a foreign world with little to no notice, the headmage has his own responsibilities regarding the school and Ace, Deuce, and Grim don’t really… ask questions about my world. I think it’s because they’re afraid that I’ll get emotional if I talk about my home.” She said hesitantly. She conveniently leaves the words but I wish they would on her tongue, unheard and unsaid.
Riddle sat there quietly, “You are… you are right about that.” He admitted, “But speaking about your world and how they don’t question you about that, I, uh…” He hesitated, “If it’s alright with you, I’d… I’d like to ask some, if that’s okay?”
Soleil blinked dumbly. No one ever… asked her questions like that.
“Yeah.” A smile graced her lips, “Yeah, I’d really like that.”
Riddle smiled back.
…
“Your world has…” He gaped, “… a lot of countries. How many did you say again?”
“Around one hundred and ninety five.”
“Sevens,” Riddle whispered, “Those are so many…”
“Right?” Soleil giggled, “I don’t even know all of them myself! So many of these countries are smaller than the states of my own country!”
“Your own country?” Riddle tilted his head, “And which country is that?”
“India.” She said, “Seventh largest country and the most populous one.”
“Goodness.” His eyes widened.
Soleil chuckled, “It makes standing out really hard, you know? There are so many competitive exams we’d have to take to get into colleges and only the top students get to be in the really prestigious ones.”
“And?” Riddle pressed, “Did you?”
Soleil nodded eagerly, “I did actually! I forgot my rank but I did get into my dream college! I was actually on my way to starting my second year there before…” She gestured everywhere, “… you know.”
The light in Riddle’s eyes dimmed, “That must – that must have been devastating.” Riddle murmured, “To have put in so much effort into something and to win only for it to not matter in the end.”
“Yeah, I,” her voice cracked again, “It does.” And added to that, Soleil had to keep her very identity a secret from the others. Nobody in this world knew her nationality, save for some people, her gender.
Nobody in this world knew her name.
Soleil never knew how painful it must be to bury all the basic parts of yourself that made someone them before she felt her entire self collapse and instead be known as the “magicless janitor turned student”. Before, she was… she was somebody. A topper. A writer. An aerospace engineering student and a future space scientist.
And now?
It was all gone.
Soleil looked down at her hands, at the fading brown designs so carefully painted on her palms and the back of her hands. Even this was leaving her.
Riddle was about to say something more but then the door opened.
“Yo, Soleil!” Ace cheerily entered the dorm, though she couldn't help but notice the cast still around his legs he was still limping a little bit, yelling out and Deuce popped in from beside him, holding him up sighing, “Ace, don’t be so loud.”
“Since you insisted on studying so much,” Ace ignored Deuce, “we figured we’d study with ya, how does that – Housewarden?” Ace froze and Deuce almost fell on his back.
“Myah…” Grim sleepily went down the stairs, yawning but then his eyes widened when seeing Riddle, “R – Riddle?!”
“Ace,” Riddle chided, “Don’t walk into someone’s room with such brashness. And do not refer to the prefect as Yo Soleil.” He twisted his face and Soleil almost laughed, “You do not own the place. Get out and – " Riddle hesitated, his eyes trailing to Ace's bandages, "Nevermind. Just don't do it again."
Ace was about to say something but instead, he sighed, “Yes, housewarden.”
“Um, housewarden…” Deuce turned to Riddle as Soleil looked away, rapidly blinking to prevent any tears from escaping her eyes, “… we came here to study with Soleil because he said he’d help us with it. Did we come at a bad time?”
“No, not at all. I was not aware you had prior engagements,” Riddle nodded at Soleil, “I’m sorry. If you’d like I can continue my questions until later.”
“Questions?” Ace gazed at Riddle, then Soleil and then Riddle once more, “What questions?”
“It really isn’t your business but…” Riddle looked at Soleil, as if to ask her if it was okay for him to elaborate. Soleil nodded and Riddle continued, “… I was asking him questions of his world.”
“Questions of his world…?” Deuce repeated it, his eyes widening with more light in them as he turned to Soleil, “Could – Could I…?”
“I thought we came here to study.” Ace said with a wry grin, but Soleil couldn’t help but notice how even he seemed to bounce his leg repeatedly out of excitement.
“We – we did but…” Deuce looked at Soleil again and Soleil had never felt so happy in her life.
“Yes.” She said, with all too much happiness, “Yes, I’d love to answer questions about my world.”
Soleil didn’t even properly see Grim, Ace and Deuce sit down on the couch so fast yet there they were like eager puppies and before she knew it, she answered everything.
“We could make this a weekly thing if you’d like. If we’re all free, that is.” Riddle suggested, “I could – I could bring Trey and Cater along and we could make this a whole thing.”
Soleil grinned, “I’d love that.”
And now, Soleil wasn’t the only one who had pieces of Earth with her. Now, she had given them to her friends.
Maybe all of her home wasn’t entirely gone.