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Riddle cannot, absolutely for the life of him, understand why his two freshmen aren't together yet. Their affection for each other is carefully disguised under harsh remarks and playful punches. But when no one's around, or at least they think no one's around, there's a handful of times where there's gentleness in the way they treat each other.
Currently, he's looking out one of the dorm windows directly above where the hedgehogs were kept. Ace and Deuce were the ones in charge with taking care of them for the day and honestly, they're doing an amazing job.
But with those two together, things weren't always bound to go smoothly. Somehow, Ace accidentally trips over Deuce who was hunched over one of the escaping hedgehogs.
"Shit!" Ace shouts before falling face flat on the ground. He can hear the rustling of grass beside him and he turns his head to the noise. Once he opens his eyes, he comes face-to-face with one of Heartslabyul's resident troublemaking hedgehogs. "It's you again, huh?"
"Are you okay?!" Deuce's panicked voice came from above them. His hands came into Ace's view, gingerly picking up the now wiggling hedgehog. "There was an awful sound when you fell. "
When Ace looked up to Deuce, he sucked in a breath at how angelic the late afternoon sun made him. The way his gaze turned soft with concern towards him was like a punch to Ace's gut.
He didn't even realize he was staring until Deuce clears his throat, still holding onto the now laughing hedgehog. He didn't even know how hedgehogs could laugh, maybe he's messed up after that fall. "Do I need to take you to the infirmary?"
"No! I'm totally fine!" Ace exclaims loudly before standing up immediately. A bad move on his part because now the garden is spinning and he can't control where he's going. He didn't know what happened next but he knew about the warmth that settled around him.
"Ace!" Deuce tries to steady himself, keeping an arm around Ace while still holding onto the hedgehog. "You're an idiot."
"Who are you calling an idiot?" Ace was fuming at both Deuce and his throbbing head but then he felt tiny feet walk onto his head. "Whoa, wait! Why'd you put the hedgehog on my head?!"
"I didn't! It just walked onto your head!" Deuce tries to take the hedgehog away with one hand but it doesn't want to leave Ace, hissing at Deuce's hand. "Well, I guess it's sleeping with you tonight."
"Do you want me to get beheaded!? Honestly, my head's still hurting and now I have to be mindful of the hedgehog on my head." Ace sighs before realizing the position they were in. He immediately pushes Deuce away while still being careful of the hedgehog. "Uh, thanks for catching me, I guess."
Deuce nods, clasping both of his hands together behind his back before looking away. His red ears were already a dead giveaway on what he's feeling.
Silence enveloped the both of them for a while before it was broken by a thunk sound from the window. They both looked up to see a pissed off Riddle, his forehead pressed up on the glass, before looking at each other.
"What did we do?!" Ace hissed at Deuce, nudging him discreetly with an arm, before trying to smile at Riddle.
"I don't know! We haven't broken any rules as far as I know!" Deuce whispers back, waving a hand at their frowning housewarden.
"Let's go back to tending to the hedgehogs before he decides to collar us for breathing wrongly." Ace immediately goes inside the shed where all the hedgehogs were kept.
Deuce follows him with his eyes before waving again at Riddle. He puts a thumbs up to ask if he's okay but he's only met with a glare that sends shivers down his spine. He takes it as a sign to also leave.
"These two are so insufferable," Riddle mutters as he looks back again where the other two were standing. He sighs before walking to his room.
-----
The preparations for the unbirthday party are already going well. Aside from the fact that there are still missing ingredients to finish baking all the tarts. Nothing a little store shopping can fix.
"Riddle asked you two to get these from the store." Trey's voice was the last thing Ace wanted to hear, especially if it came bearing orders from their beloved housewarden.
"Really? We just got back! You literally saw us walk through the front door a few minutes ago!" Ace groaned as he let his bag drop from his shoulder to the floor.
Deuce patted Ace's back, just so he knows that he's sympathizing with him. "We have no choice either way. It's the housewarden's orders."
Trey smiled - before handing them a ridiculously long list of ingredients. Ace mutters something under his breath while Deuce takes the list with wide eyes.
"Trey-senpai, how exactly are we supposed to haul these back to the dorm?" Deuce tries to ask nicely while still reading the list.
"This is a job for more than two people honestly!"
"Can't really spare any more hands," Trey started before gesturing to the noisy kitchen and the window overlooking the garden where several students are rushing to paint the roses red. "Everyone's got their hands full and Riddle's a little off the mood since last week."
"Yep, I'm not doing things that will piss off housewarden Riddle." Ace grabs Deuce's arm before dragging him out the door again. "We'll be back in an hour or so!"
"Wait- I can walk by myself you know?!"
Although the doors were already closed, some Heartslabyul members can still hear their bickering outside. They shrugged and went back to their assigned work.
Riddle peeks out from the kitchen, startling Trey who was making his way back. "What are you doing?"
"Are they gone already?" Riddle asks, eyes scanning around the lounge. His lips curve into a small smile when he sees only the leftover things the two freshmen left behind. They deserve a beheading because they left it lying around as a hazard but that will come later.
"Yeah, even bickered on the way out as usual." Trey shakes his head before dragging Riddle by his collar. "You, help me in the kitchen instead of making trouble for our freshmen."
"In my defense, it's not trouble if I'm helping them!" Riddle grumbles, a small pout forming on his lips. "They need a little push, that's all."
Well, one push was really all it took for everything to fall into place, er, fall out of place in this matter.
Everything was going so well, Ace and Deuce already accomplished the list of ingredients needed. Turns out it wasn't really a huge task for them since they were dragging it on a small cart. But the way they stacked everything was dangerous.
"Hey guys we're back-!"
"HOT COMING!" One of the Heartslabyul students shouted, startling Ace into stepping backwards.
Unfortunately, Deuce was close behind his heels with the cart of ingredients in tow. "Wait Ace-!"
Everyone almost dropped what they were doing to save the ingredients they acquired. It's a good thing that Riddle has fast reflexes, it's just that he had different priorities.
All the ingredients were safe because Riddle managed to cast magic, thankfully he always had his magic pen on him wherever he went.
But poor Deuce had to cushion Ace's fall. His arms instinctively went around him, especially to protect his head from hitting the kitchen's tiled floor.
The noisy and busy kitchen was reduced to gentle whispers and curious glances. Riddle had to stop himself from smiling because his dormmates falling into a near accident is nothing to laugh about. Yet the way they were both turning red right at this moment will make him burst out in laughter.
Ace immediately stood up before brushing himself off. "Thanks."
The shell-shocked Deuce was still laying down on the floor before he stood up staggering. "Yeah, you're welcome."
After a few seconds of awkward silence, the kitchen came to life again with Trey's clapping. "Alright, everyone continue on with the preparations!"
Cater entered the kitchen a little after the incident so he had to deal with two blushing freshmen, a frustrated junior, and a disappointed housewarden. He blinks at the state of his friends. "Oh Sevens..."
Riddle frowned slightly at the distance between Ace and Deuce but he still continued transporting some of the ingredients to their designated stations with magic. He kept muttering under his breath that only Trey could understand.
Cater kept gesturing to Riddle and the freshmen with an 'Off With Your Head' sign to Trey but he was only met with a shrug.
Ace and Deuce, sensing the intense stare of their housewarden, suddenly scattered to different parts of the kitchen to help with the preparations despite prior complaints about the upcoming unbirthday party.
At this point, Trey doesn't know whether to laugh at this situation or ask Cater for help. After sorting through the pros and cons, he decided on the latter.
"Cater, can you come here for a second?" He asks while gesturing to him.
His eyes widened at Trey's call and attempted to ignore him by squeezing himself between the other Heartslabyul students to look busy. The other students look at him warily before turning back to their respective jobs.
Cater kept his head down for a few moments, looking up to see no Trey in sight. His shoulders slump forward, sighing in relief but it was short-lived. He felt a strong hand grip his shoulder before he slowly looked behind him to see a smiling Trey.
"Cater Diamond."
He couldn't ignore him at this point. "Yes?"
"Could you come with me for a second?" Trey asked, this time with a tight-lipped smile.
"Of course!" Cater takes Trey's hand and tries to pull him to a more private corner that the busy kitchen could offer. "Uh, we're going to talk about what exactly?"
"That."
Cater follows Trey's outstretched hand, his eyes falling on an intense Riddle rolling a piece of dough. "All I can see is a passionate housewarden."
"Well, I guess. But he's trying to play cupid with our troublemaker duo and one way or another he's going to scare them both with how intense he is," Trey mumbles before carefully eyeing Riddle who is somehow mishandling a rolling pin.
"I mean, you want me to be the one to tell him that?" Cater asks quietly. "You do realize that it's not really something I should be saying out loud."
Trey opened his mouth to answer but it was caught off by a flash of movement.
As brief as it was, they missed what happened in a blink of an eye. They couldn't do anything about it, all they could hear was a loud 'thwack!' Then the kitchen was momentarily covered in flour.
Coughs and sneezes could be heard across the kitchen before the dust settled on the floor. Everyone in the kitchen stared at the lone figure that is coated from head-to-toe in white flour.
"Riddle...?"
The figure only answered with a sneeze, revealing a small part of his now red face. Everyone almost scatters to immediately clean the kitchen before Riddle blows a fuse.
Trey only sighs before getting a clean towel. "Yep, that is Riddle."
"Poor thing, I guess I'll try to check up on him from time to time." Cater resigns to his fate to help Riddle chill out when it comes to that specific pair of freshmen.
But in a quiet corner of the Heartslabyul kitchen, when everyone was so fixated on their Queen's mishap, there were two figures dusting off flour from each other with hushed whispers and smiles on their faces.
----
Ace and Deuce were trying to train for Coach Vargas' flight exam. Thankfully they were granted permission to use the field they use for his class.
"I don't think that's how Coach Vargas explained that one," Deuce said while looking up at Ace who was already flying.
Ace snickers before circling around Deuce. "C'mon, as long as we're bringing results he won't care. There's 20 of us in class and I doubt he'll be able to keep an eye on everyone."
He ignores Ace's statement before recalling Vargas' instruction, slowly levitating to Ace's level. "Well, that's how you do things but I'd rather follow instructions."
"Boo," Ace floated beside him with a teasing grin and a thumbs down. "I think Housewarden Riddle's lecture is rubbing too much on you."
"Housewarden Rosehearts is someone admirable." Deuce shrugs before immediately zooming off, leaving Ace startled behind him. "Let's see what's better, the right way or your way!"
Ace scoffs before chasing after him. "Bring it on! I can't wait for you to eat your own words on examination day!"
From below, people can only see a blur of colors flying past each other, accompanied by shouting and laughter. To others, it's just a friendly match between friends but to them it's a sign of affection and their commitment to growing with each other albeit through unorthodox ways.
When they've finally had their fill of practice, they slowly floated down until their feet touched the grassy field.
Deuce was already clutching his chest while breathing heavily, flying really takes a huge toll on their body. Ace on the other hand is using his broom as support.
Despite both being in a sports club, they really outdid themselves this time. Their overcompetitive nature causes both of them to overcompensate physically most of the time.
"I'm never doing that again," Deuce breathes out before he starts walking around to even out his breathing.
"HA! I'm better than you!" Ace wheezes before his legs finally give out below him. He groans at the impact before glaring at a laughing Deuce. "Shut it."
He looks away laughing before extending a hand towards Ace. "Sure, whatever you say."
Ace grins before taking Deuce's hand, pulling him towards the ground. But he softens his fall with his other arm before laughing at Deuce's expression. "You should've seen your face!"
Really, Ace should've known better than to mess with his boyfriend. He was caught off-guard with the way Deuce grabbed his face and effectively shut him up with a kiss.
Maybe it was all a part of Ace's plan with the way he wraps his arm around Deuce's neck to pull him closer. He really knows how to push his buttons and does so whenever the situation presents itself.
In that empty field, all they need to think about is how to make this moment last longer.
Good things come to an end, unfortunately, and they have duties to fulfill as Heartslabyul students. In the midst of their walk, they started jabbing each other with both of their broomsticks.
"Admit it! I won fair and square during the final lap!" Ace argued as he playfully pushed Deuce with his shoulder.
"You didn't!" Deuce fought back before poking him with the broomstick.
Somehow the topic of who was the best came up and all they can blame about the lack of audience to officiate their win is themselves.
"It's because your eyes were closed!" Ace groans before pointing an accusatory finger at Deuce.
"You must've been imagining things by the final lap." Deuce shrugs as he pushes the door open to the lounge. "I think you just need to do better next time."
"HA?! You'll eat dust by next week when we get the official records for our flight exams!"
Their squabbling was interrupted by someone clearing their throat from the staircase. They both turned slowly to their housewarden clad in his dorm uniform.
"Hey, housewarden, nice weather right?" Ace asks nervously, clutching his broom close to him.
Riddle doesn't answer immediately, scrunching his nose at their attire littered with grass blades. "I suppose it is. Basing on your current attire you had fun, yes?"
Deuce immediately nods, posture straight with his broom and arms beside him. "Yes, housewarden!"
Ace stifles his laughter before immediately straightening up under Riddle's angry gaze. He can feel shivers up his spine as Riddle's heels hit every step on his way down.
His eyes were scrutinizing their every move before he finally hums and nods in acceptance. "Aside from the grass from the field, nothing seems out of place. Go along now, dinner is in an hour."
Riddle's heels were clacking on the floor as he made his way to the kitchen to ensure the preparations were going smoothly. The first year duo let out the breath they didn't know they were holding.
"Scary," Ace whispers before rubbing his arm with his free hand. "I think I got goosebumps just from his eyes."
Deuce nods in agreement, once again extending a hand towards him. "Race you to our room?"
"You bet!" Ace grins before taking his hand and pulling him towards their shared room. Their laughter could be heard along the hallways and everyone just rolled their eyes affectionately at the duo’s well-known shenanigans.
Riddle couldn't believe his eyes, he even dropped his staff in shock. He turns to Trey and Cater before looking back at the staircase where Ace and Deuce were once standing. "What the fuck."
"Oh well, better late than never right?" Cater shrugs before picking up Riddle's staff. "Now let's go and continue with the kitchen preparations."
"Did you see that, Trey?" Riddle asks, his voice growing higher with each syllable. He didn't know whether to be angry that he was the ONLY one who didn't know or be happy that they have been together all this time. Actually he actually feels kind of stupid for not seeing the obvious signs between the two of them.
"I have glasses. I saw them clearly," Trey answers before pushing Riddle back to the kitchen. Thankfully, Riddle didn't put up too much of a fight.
"Were any of you going to tell me about this?"
Trey and Cater look at each other before shrugging at Riddle. "We'd probably let you figure it out by yourself."
At that, Riddle just lets his head fall on the nearest counter with a loud 'bang!' Oh well, all's well that ends well, at the low cost of Riddle's now growing red forehead and sanity.