Work Text:
“Riiiiiidddlllleeeeeee.”
Cater barged into the Housewarden’s room without knocking, about to fling his school blazer onto the bed before thinking better of it and hanging it on the hook by the door.
Riddle was sitting at his desk surrounded by stacks of books all nearly ordered with color coded sticky tabs, currently writing in a large notebook full of pages and pages of notes. He tilted his head a bit when Cater came in, but didn’t turn around, likely because he expected the other to just flop on the bed and start talking about something.
“How is my adorable, hardworking, amazing, handsome boyfriend today?” The now-senior draped himself over Riddle’s shoulders, and the other’s pen paused in its journey across the page.
Riddle sighed and closed his notebook.
“Alright out with it. What do you want?” It wasn’t a tone of annoyance, more resignation.
“Hey!! Do I need a reason to compliment you?!” Cater feigned indignation and rested his chin on top of Riddle’s head.
“No, but you have quite a specific pattern of compliments when you are looking to get something from me; or anyone for that matter. Out with it.”
“Fine fine.” Cater relented and stepped back with raised hands. “Ya got me. I need your help with a thing.”
Riddle turned in his chair to face him and rested his chin in his hand, leaning his elbow on the arm rest and giving the other a questioning stare.
Cater slipped off his shoes and hopped up onto the bed, sitting cross-legged.
“Ok so it’s my practical magic final.”
“Oh?”
Perfect. Practical magic was Riddle’s best subject, despite the fact that Cater failed to see how he could even have a best subject if he got perfect scores in everything equally.
“We gotta demonstrate our skills by turning in something that was constructed entirely using magic, and preferably including fine detail work.”
“Absoloutely including fine detail work!” Riddle cut in, sitting up now, “detail work is where practical magic ought to excel! Tasks like sewing, dusting, hand-washing dishes, and painting can all be accomplished through precise application and well executed technique.”
“Ok, honey.” Cater smiled and shook his head, at Riddle’s classic long winded explanation, “For the final I wanted to make an outfit entirely from scratch. So using magic to cut the cloth and sew the product.”
“Well I see my lengthy instructions over the past year have certainly not been lost on you. I think that is an excellent idea!” Riddle clapped his hands together, looking pleased.
Cater couldn’t help but feel proud of himself. Despite being his boyfriend, Riddle’s praise was still rare and hard to come by, so hearing him actually comment on Cater’s idea gave him a massive ego boost.
“Wheeew that means a lot coming from mister practical magic prodigy himself. Anyway I wanna make the outfit for you.”
“H-huh?”
“Yeah! I want you to be my model! And you can’t back out now because I already told Vil we were coming over at 3.”
“WHAT???”
“Yep yep! So come on!” Cater grinned, pulling Riddle up by his hands, and twirling him around before leading him out of his room.
“Cater! I have work to do! How many times must I tell you to please schedule these things!”
“Pleeeeease Riddle honeeyyyyy! I promise you’ll look so handsome and and! You just have to sit there! I’ll do all the work! You’ll be super impressed with my mad skills!”
“Ugh. Very well.”
Riddle gave up and let Cater lead him out of Heartslabyul and towards the College.
“Vil we’re here! I brought him!” Cater joyfully burst through the door with Riddle in tow.
Vil turned around from where he was focused on the person in front of him. Jack had his ears back against his head in defeat, arms out, standing still and letting Vil drape him in reds and browns.
“I see you have been ensnared as well.” Riddle gave Jack a pitying look.
“Oh. Hello Cater, Riddle. So good of you to help out your boyfriend.”
“Admittedly, I was also intrigued by the notion of seeing Cater use his practical magic skills. I can only hope my hard work won’t go to waste.” Riddle nodded to Vil as Cater let him over to the small platform next to Jack.
“Stand right here. Let me get your measurements.”
He went to pick up the measuring tape but Riddle clicked his tongue.
“Shouldn’t you be able to take them with magic? Levitation is an extremely basic spell.”
“Ahahaha….rightt….” Cater gave a nervous laugh before casting a slightly nervous glance at Vil, who just rolled his eyes.
“Hmm. Shakey, but passable.” Riddle nodded as Cater closed one eye and held his pen up to try and get the most accurate placement.
“Ugh! Honey I’m tryna concentrate here, let’s hold back on the criticism for rn, kay?” the senior gave an exasperated sigh.
Vil made a small noise of amusement and Cater wanted to smack him.
“Is using my signature spell cheating?” he asked, looking towards Riddle again after noting the measurements in his phone.
“Is your signature spell practical magic?”
“….i guess not. Kk let’s move on to fabric! I picked out a few some cmere and take a look! They got Prof. Crewel’s stamp of approval too!”
He beckoned the other over and opened a box full of neatly folded bolts of cloth. There were shimmering reds, sparkling blacks, whites and a beautiful gold brocade.
“Um.” Riddle shifted on his feet. “I—“
“Not sure?” Cater put his hands on the shorter’s shoulders and leaned in. “I think you’d look good in blue.”
“It’s your final. Choose what you’d like.”
“But I want you to like it too! Here.” he held up one in each hand, “Do you like the shimmery blue or the sparkly one?”
“Shimmer.”
“Ok and black or light blue?”
“….light blue”
“Amazing! See that wasn’t so hard! Now, have a seat, I have a look all picked out!”
“Cater! Input. Jack. Thoughts? Critiques?” Vil snapped his fingers suddenly.
Poor Jack looked out of place surrounded by pins and fabric but the outfit he was wearing did match him well. It was browns and deep reds, complimenting his skin tone, the suit a very streamlined cut with thick, bold patterns as the accents.
“Oh! LOVE it, but I’m not really feelin the ruffles on the front…maybe the sleeves but idk. Jack’s super beefy and the ruffles look weird to me.”
Vil placed a finger on the side of his cheek and tilted his head for a moment and then nodded.
“Very well, I agree with your critique.”
Cater turned back to show Riddle the sketch he’d produced.
“Oh? I was not aware you were such a skilled artist, Cater!”
“Uhhh yeah dude! Who do you think designed alllll of Heartslabyul’s uniforms?” Cater winked, “you’re so lucky, cutie, you came at a great time! The uniforms were sooo lame before. Ol cay-cay made us the most stylish dorm in the school!”
“Well. It seems you are just full of surprises.” Riddle smiled up at him
“Eugh.” Jack made a noise, “aren’t you two embarrassed to be doing all that in public?”
“And just what do you mean by ‘all that’?” Riddle glared over the sketchbook Cater had handed him.
Vil stepped on Jack’s foot.
“Uh sorry Riddle sir!”
“Hmph.”
Cater just giggled and watched Riddle carefully examine every aspect of the sketch he’d shown him. Finally, he looked up.
“This is suitable.”
“Perfect!” Cater gave him a kiss on the top of his head and patted his shoulder. “Now sit back and let me work my magic!”
“Cater…please remember to take plenty of breaks. Prolonged use of practical magic does come with its own risks.”
“Awww is my cute Housewarden worried about little old me? Don’t worry honey, I'm pretty resilient!“
With that, Cater pulled out his pen and began to lay out the fabric, and the pattern on top of it, cutting and pinning and stitching.
“Here! Try this sleeve on really quick!”
Riddle started from where he’d been nodding off in the chair.
“Yes!!” Cater fist pumped the air, “right on the first try!!”
Soon the shirt was done, and so were the shorts. Cater was currently fitting the vest and adding the ruffles on the cuffs of the sleeves.
“OMS U look HANDSOMEEEE!” Look at you! Here here!” The orange haired senior marched Riddle over to the full length mirror and proudly twirled him around.
“I must admit, you have done quite an excellent job. The stitching is even, and very well executed! For example, look at the work here that makes these darts on the fitted part here.” Riddle pointed to the fitted part of his vest.
“WOWEEE! Praise from Riddle Rosehearts! Lucky lucky me!” Cater hugged the smaller from behind and rested his chin on his shoulder, waving his pen to adjust the hem on Riddle’s shorts.
“I gotta get a few snaps for my portfolio! Don’t worry, I’ve been documenting my progress. Crewel gave us reeeeeally detailed instructions. This is my mockup and I’m gonna present it to him, and then make the real thing. That’s gonna take a LOT longer tho hehe.”
“This…this is the mockup?” Riddle’s eyes went wide. “Most impressive work! Considering you have done all this in just a few hours.”
“Im sure you could do it in even less time.”
“Well.” Riddle cleared his throat behind his hand, “Yes but…I have more practice than you.”
“Awe. You’re far too modest. You’re one of the most talented mages out there! I’m so lucky you’re my boyfriend!” Cater lifted him up and spun him around.
“Ahem! Please unhand me! We are in public!”
“Hehehe! Nope! And we’re not in public!”
“The ‘public’ is giving us odd looks as we speak.”
Cater glanced over to see Jack looking very uncomfortable and Vil shaking his head.
“Fine fine.”
He put Riddle down gently and ruffled his hair before fixing the two perfect strands back into the shape of a heart.
“Can I go back to working now, or do you need me for more antics?”
“Oop! I’m all good here! Thanks! And don’t worry, I won’t let u down, I’ll make sure my final grade is one to make Heartslabyul proud!”
“I expect nothing less.”