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- Owl Post.
Several small pink envelopes land on the table in front of Theodore, and, as expected, he already knows their contents. Enzo whistles, smirking good-naturedly. Theo had seen a girl from Ravenclaw approach him that morning, hands trembling as she handed over a neatly cut, delicate pink paper heart.
- Nott, it seems like there are even more confessions this year. - Blaise smirks, gesturing toward the envelopes.
Draco enthusiastically grabs a few letters, tearing them open and skimming their contents. Normally, Theo might have protested, but honestly, he couldn’t care less.
Blaise glances sideways at Draco’s antics and then skeptically looks at Theodore, who merely shrugs as if to say he doesn’t mind.
- I don’t understand what they’re trying to achieve with this. - Mattheo, surprisingly quiet and irritated all morning, rolls his eyes whenever Pansy tugs at his sleeve, displeased that he isn’t engaging in their usual social chatter today.
- What do you mean you don’t understand? You’re completely clueless about romance, Matt… - Pansy shakes her head disapprovingly.
Theo raises an eyebrow questioningly, silently asking what’s wrong, but Mattheo simply ignores him, continuing to chew his fried eggs, leaving Theo without an answer, which makes him frown more than usual.
- Yeah, yeah… romance and all that crap. - Mattheo squints irritably. - He’s got at least fifteen letters on his table, and they seriously think he’ll reciprocate each one?
- That’s the whole point of the holiday. - Pansy sighs incredulously. - You’re so ignorant. As silly as it may seem, it’s not necessarily a love confession. You can just give chocolate to a friend, someone close to you, a lover, anyone. The fact that Nott is popular means he gets a lot of this kind of stuff—maybe he’ll even reciprocate someone’s feelings. - Mattheo frowns. - If you were a little more affable, you might have a couple confessions in front of you too.
Mattheo silently finishes his orange juice and, after a brief farewell, leaves the Great Hall, drawing surprised looks from his friends.
Draco, previously engrossed in reading other people’s letters, now seems excited about the unfolding drama. - What’s gotten into him this morning?
For some inexplicable reason, Lorenzo quickly follows Mattheo, throwing out a brief goodbye.
The others merely shrug, and Theodore finishes his breakfast in silence.
Throughout the day, Mattheo behaves strangely—not that he was ever particularly normal, but today his usual loudness is noticeably toned down.
Theodore tried to catch him in class, trying to find out the reason for such behavior, but the other only sighed irritably and turned away to the window, and Theodore received another reprimand from the teacher and the phrase - Mr. Nott, today you have taken on the role of a troublemaker. Don’t take away Mister Riddle’s job.
He mutters a quiet apology, trying to at least look a little remorseful, while his mind buzzes with restless thoughts. What had he done? More importantly, when had he done it? And why does he have absolutely no idea how he could be involved in whatever had clearly upset Mattheo?
***
Theodore is a complex man, he has a hard time showing emotions that aren't like his usual ones - irritability, disgust, sarcasm, coldness and disinterest, which he really excels at.
Every time he encounters something new, it disrupts his typically emotionless routine.
Mattheo in reality and in some ways the exact opposite of his ordinariness. Theodore gets lost in all these emotions, because Mattheo's sarcasm alone has a huge number of subtypes, but that's not the hard part. It's impossible to read him, Mattheo is so good at hiding his true feelings under a huge facade of other crap he clings to on a daily basis, in an attempt to hide his vulnerable side without letting anyone within a cannon shot of him. And if Theodore is one hell of a complicated man, Mattheo has beaten him to the punch.
***
What do you know about Lorenzo Berkshire?
He's an unqualified good friend... that's what he repeats to himself for a whole hour, sitting on Mattheo's not very comfortable bed. Let's be honest, his bed is exactly the same, but he'd rather be in his own room right now, in his own bed, than listening to his friend's stupid whining. He'd rather leave, but Lorenzo is still a very good friend.
It’s not like he’s eager to be dragged into the romantic mess of his two best friends, who somehow still fail to recognize that they’re even in a mess. But Mattheo seems relentless in his confessions and complaints about this stupid holiday and how Theodore is such a child. The fact that Theodore has nothing to do with this holiday and he's not the only one to receive a paper heart doesn't bother him.
- He’s incredibly annoying.
- Why does this even make you angry?
Raising an eyebrow, Mattheo looks at him incredulously.
- I’m not angry. It’s just stupid. - He casts a glance at Theo’s nightstand, glaring at the love letters resting there. - And whose side are you even on?
- I’m on the side of common sense. Your jealousy and your denial of its obvious existence make you look like Draco when he acts like an arrogant prick… even more than usual.
- Enzo…
- Hey, Enzo.
Lorenzo and Mattheo fall silent, turning toward the door, where Theodore now stands in the doorway. He raises an eyebrow, realizing he’s walked into some heated discussion.
Mattheo frowns and glances at the love letters again, getting up irritably and heading for the exit, shoving Nott with his shoulder. Theodore looks back in surprise as the door slams in his face.
He turns back to Lorenzo, looking bewildered.
- What the hell is his problem?
Lorenzo refrains from answering, sighing heavily as he falls back onto Mattheo’s bed, preparing for another rant—this time from Theodore. He curses the heavens and rolls his eyes. Being a good friend is exhausting.
***
An hour later, Lorenzo looks emotionally drained. He shoots a weary glance at Theodore, who now seems noticeably more relaxed.
- Just, what did I do wrong? Not that I care what his arrogant ass thinks of me… - Lorenzo can’t help but roll his eyes. - But he won’t even say why he’s acting like an offended brat.
Lorenzo rubs his temples, then suddenly jumps up and fixes Theodore with a serious look, making the latter flinch in surprise.
- I am sick of both of you and your endless whining. I’m tired of your pathetic love-lorn drama. - Theodore opens his mouth to protest, but Lorenzo silences him with a raised finger.
- Enough. Don’t tell me I’m wrong. You want to know why he’s mad at you? Because he’s a jealous idiot. Not because you got love letters and he didn’t, but because he can’t send one to you and finally confess his feelings.
- What nonsense, Lorenzo… - Theodore laughs, amused at how red Enzo is from frustration. It’s oddly flattering that he managed to push him to this point. Him and Mattheo… Theodore sighs heavily.
- The top drawer of his desk. Open it.
Theodore silently gets out of bed, the idea that he hasn't fully explored the evil Enzo is a little unsettling, so not wanting to anger him further and not wanting to feel his wrath, he walks over to Mattheo's desk, opening the first drawer, when Lorenzo pushes him aside a little, rummaging through the pile of crumpled papers and things like a crumpled pack of cigarettes, a broken pen, and other trash.... Theodore wrinkles his nose in disgust, then shifts his gaze to the empty trash can next to the desk. Classic Mattheo.
- What are you looking for?
Theodore watches Lorenzo, still trying hard not to drown in the mountain of trash, as the other finally shrieks with joy and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, handing it contentedly to Theo, who gives him a blank stare.
- Thanks for the trash, Enzo.
Lorenzo rolls his eyes, hitting him in the shoulder with his fist.
- First of all, read it. Afterward I expect a thank you, and an 'oh my god, Lorenzo, my dear friend, it's all thanks to you, all next month I'll be doing all your homework for you'."
Smoothing out the crumpled sheet and briefly glancing at the first couple lines, he looks at Lorenzo in surprise.
- Is that...?
- Yeah, that's it. Can I be free now?
Theodore nods, still holding his gaze on the crumpled piece of paper.
- Yes, my house elf, Lorenzo Berkshire, you may be free to go.
Lorenzo ahs insultedly, starting to mutter about ungrateful friends who don't appreciate him at all, heading for the door and leaving the room, slamming the door after him.
Theodore laughs a little, and then, pushing his chair back and taking a seat at Mattheo's desk, focuses all his attention on the contents of the crumpled sheet.
He can hardly make out the first words, having been skillfully crossed out in the most elaborate form, but the fact that it is a letter of confession is clear enough.
Theodore laughs out loud at another unfortunate comparison of his eyes to cigarette smoke, followed by - thin as whomping willow branch and pale as death itself, well, and other compliments in Mattheo's style, from which Theodore almost falls off his chair from laughter. The last sentence makes him tense.
The weight of the realization finally fully floods his heart, it clenches with pleasant yet conflicting feelings as he once again rereads - "I don't know why, but I love you." Oh god...
Theodore frowns, I mean why?
He's not good at romance and love, but Theo can decompose Mattheo point by point that love doesn't need reasons, especially when it comes to loving Theo. Well, to be honest, the reasons here are not really needed, he can decompose Mattheo without that.
Folding the sheet in two, he stuffs it into his school pants pocket, taking what is rightfully his, mapping out a plan of action to take over one impregnable fortress. It's going to be hard, bloody hard. Riddle is stubborn as a donkey, he and Riddle have never been able to compromise, Mattheo never gives in, but something tells Theo that this time, Mattheo won't have a choice.