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Riddle had always valued order. He liked things tidy, predictable, and properly done. Which was why having Ruggie Bucchi in his dorm common room, sitting cross-legged on his perfectly arranged couch, should have been enough to make him twitch.
And yet… Riddle found himself smiling.
“Y’know, I think this tea’s growing on me,” Ruggie said, tail swishing lazily behind him. He held the cup with both hands, blowing at the steam. “Kinda fancy for my taste, but not bad.”
Riddle looked up from his book, amused. “That’s Earl Grey. It’s quite common.”
Ruggie smirked. “Common for you rich dorm heads, maybe. Back in Sunset Savanna, we just had water with a squeeze of lemon—if we were lucky.”
Riddle’s lips parted slightly. “Oh… I see.” His tone softened, something warm slipping past the usual formal edge. “You deserve a little luxury then. You work hard, Ruggie.”
The hyena blinked, surprised. “Heh, didn’t think I’d hear that from you, Rosehearts.”
Riddle huffed faintly but didn’t deny it. “Well, it’s true.”
Silence settled for a moment, the kind that felt easy instead of awkward. Riddle turned a page in his book, but his gaze drifted again—this time to the way Ruggie’s ears flicked every now and then, the way his laughter made the room feel a bit brighter.
Ruggie suddenly yawned and stretched, leaning back until his head rested against Riddle’s shoulder. “M’just resting my eyes for a sec, don’t get mad,” he murmured.
Riddle froze. Then—slowly, carefully—he let out a quiet sigh and set his book aside. “I’m not mad.”
“Good…” came the sleepy reply.
Within minutes, Ruggie was softly snoring, warmth radiating against Riddle’s side. The dorm leader’s cheeks turned pink, but he didn’t move. Instead, he gently adjusted the blanket draped across the couch and let his hand rest—just for a second—against Ruggie’s hair.
“Honestly,” Riddle whispered, smiling faintly. “You’re impossible.”
But he didn’t sound upset at all.