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Riddle cannot sleep. He has been up, tossing and turning in his sheets for hours now and the reason why makes him wish he could curl up and never leave his room, EVER AGAIN.
~•___________________《♡》 ____________________•~
The Unbirthday party was perfect!
The roses were all painted a vibrant red, the table clothes white, and the dormouse had jam on its nose as it slumbered inside the teapot! Riddle was positively beaming with pride at his diligent card soldiers work as he sat in his seat, watching his subjects celebrate the Unbirthday party they worked so hard on and enjoy the treats Trey had baked for the party. He was perfectly content with staying put for now, taking another bite of the tart Trey had carefully placed in front of him before returning to his chat with Cater, That was until his train of thought was rudely disrupted by familiar sounding humming drifting from inside the hedge maze…
“Hm hm hm…~”
Riddle froze mid-bite, glancing towards the hedge maze suspiciously. he was now listening closely to the sounds in the air, his classmates laughter, the dormouse's soft snores, and then that humming again! the humming grew more and more distant while Riddle listened closely. Just as Riddle was about to move on and let it go, knowing most likely, Che'nya just visited to steal some of Trey's baked treats like the cat beastman typically did anytime he visited Heartslabyul unannounced. That was until Riddle noticed the distinct lack of weight on his head, lifting a hand to pat his hair made it clear…
Che'nya had stolen his crown.
Right from his head.
Riddle took a deep breath; it was fine, Riddle would just get up quickly and go get it back from the mischievous beastman currently prancing around the Heartslabyul hedgemaze. Riddle could snatch his crown back, tell Che'nya to politely leave, and return before any of his card soldiers noticed his absence! Surely it couldn't take that long to fing Che'nya, Riddle is one of Che'nya's best friend after all so he knows well enough where the cat Che'nya is likely to hide.
~•___________________ 《◇》 ___________________•~
Riddle wished he knew it would in fact take him FAR longer than he anticipated to find Che’nya before he set off on his journey to get his crown back from Che'nya, he'd have atleast warned Trey or Cater he'd been leaving before hand if he'd had known how long it would take. Riddle was starting to get real angry with this whole cat and mouse him and Che'nya were playing.
Maybe this is a joke Che'nya decided to play on this visit, tricking Riddle into getting lost inside the hedge maze, very amusing.
Just as Riddle was about to turn into another corner inside the maze he heard a noise, humming to be exact, which made Riddle perk up instantly. To the side of the maze was a small opening, revealing an entire small portion of the maze that Riddle had never been in before. That's where Che'nya had been hiding! Riddle was quick to spin around and bolt towards the entrance of that small opening, almost tripping over his heel before catching himself.
Upon making it to the entrance the infuriating cat beastman he'd been looking for, Che'nya, was perched up high in a tree, still humming of course, humming along to the tune in his head and seemingly completely unaware of Riddle's sudden appearance, which in turn only caused Riddle to get more angry. Riddle felt his face starting to redden, attempting to center himself by breathing but by the indents from his heels in the grass it was was obvious how he felt. Riddle breathed again. It was fine, he wasn't here to get mad, he was here to tell Che'nya to give him his cro-
“Well if it isn't my favorite Purr-son, What brings you here Riddle, Nya?~”
“ACK-”
Riddle practically jumped out of his skin, spinning around to face the now grinning Che'nya who had suddenly appeared beside him, without Riddle even noticing. After a quick moment of staring at eachother Riddle cleared his throat, puffed up his chest and gave Che'nya a pointed glare, to which Che'nya responded with a bigger grin at the sight of Riddle all puffed up.
“Che'nya what in Seven are you doing here?” Riddle huffed “Honestly you with that unique magic of yours…” was barely a whisper more so meant for Riddle to hear more than Che'nya but of course, Che'nya heard. A perk of being born with cat ears on your head, you hear a lot.
“Well, you know I could never pass up the chance to enjoy Trey's meow-velous baked goods and besides,” Che'nya paused before leaning forward, getting into Riddle's personal space easily “It's been forever since I last saw you, paw-don me for wanting to visit, Nya!" Che'nya cooed before looking down at Riddle's expression and letting out a loud bout of laughter at the vibrant red flush coming to cover Riddle's face.
Riddle's cheeks puffed and he let out an annoyed groan from the depths of his throat, quickly stepping back to reinstate the distance between the two of them in the hedge maze together. Riddle left like a child again when he first left that window to play with Trey and Che'nya, Che'nya immediately began to latch onto him, teasing him in a way similar to how a cat toyed with a mouse.
“Che'nya…!” Riddle frowned in annoyance at Che'nya's fit of laughter, giving a pointed glare at his friend as he laughed at Riddle's expense. “I came here for a reason, you have something of mine” Riddle huffed as he held out his palm expectantly “Give me my crown back Che'nya, then leave please…”
Riddle felt his foot tap on the ground impatiently
Che'nya took his sweet time replying, ofcourse
“Hm…Crown?” Che'nya hummed thoughtfully, puffing out his bottom lip while resting his chin on his fist as he pretended to think long and hard about Riddle's demand. “Ooooh! Is this the crown you're looking for?” Che'nya grinned as he lifted Riddle's crown from one of many pants pockets, the golden piece of metal shining like a trophy under the sun.
Riddle was quick to reach out for the crown but Che'nya was faster as he pulled the crown back and held it over his head, continuing to grin as he watched Riddle attempt to jump to grab the small crown.
“Now just a meow-ment, Riddle~”
Riddle was lucky he had gotten used to the cat puns Che'nya loved so much by now.
“What.” Riddle hissed from between his teeth, already tired of this whole interaction by now especially when he could be enjoying a strawberry tart instead of this stupid conversation. Riddle silently mourned the tart in question, knowing it was probably thrown out by now.
“Hm…I'll give it to you if,” Che'nya purposely held out the if for a bit too long before finishing his sentence “You do me a favor, Purr-sonally I think that's a fair deal, Nya!” Che'nya ended cheerfully. Riddle stared up at Che'nya, blinking blankly at his offer and attempting to figure out how to find the patience inside himself to not collar Che'nya for wasting his entire evening for this “You'll…give me, MY crown back for a favor…”
“Mhm, purr-fect deal if I say so myself!”
Riddle should expect this from Che'nya, really he should by now, he's known the cat beastman since they were kids and the only change in Che'nya since then has been in appearance and even then that's a stretch at times. Riddle felt his face turning red, his grip on his staff tightened til his knuckles turned white beneath his gloves, and his heels bgan to dig into the grass again.
“ARE YOU POSITIVELY MAD YOU UTTER BUF-”
Before Riddle could even start his lecture to Che'nya about the audacity he had to pull Riddle away from The Unbirthday party, he was quickly interrupted. Che'nya began to lean forward cheekily, using the height he had against Riddle to quickly press his lips into a small kiss onto Riddle's forehead.
“Whu-, Huh- I-I…WHA?!”
Riddle ended up a bright red for a completely different reason now, becoming a stuttering mess while Che'nya just simply stepped back and grinned while Riddle short circuited in front of him, Che'nya could quite literally see the smoke coming out of Riddle's ears as he continued to stutter gibberish endlessly.
“Well…I'd best be off, wouldn't want to be late getting back to the academy, I'm not that purr-suasive, Nyahaha!” Che'nya snickered before placing Riddle's crown on his head, leaving it completely crooked and walking off while humming. Che'nya slowly began to turn invisible from the tips of his toes to the tips of his ears, until Riddle was alone in the hedgemaze looking like a frazzled strawberry.
Riddle was gonna scream, loudly, into his pillow tonight.
•~____________________《♧》____________________~•
Riddle was eventually found by Trey and the first years, Riddle was being led back into the dorm while Trey was asking Riddle more and more questions. “Riddle, I'm just worried, you've never just up and ditched an unbirthday party before!”
After seeing Trey was clearly worried about him did make Riddle feel guilty for making Trey worry, he didn't want Trey to worry, especially over him. Riddle continued to mumble apologies as they all entered the kitchen, Riddle and the first years being sat in front of a table while Trey checked the oven before quickly joining the rest of them.
“No but seriously Riddle, Everyone was panicking like crazy once they realized you had just vanished! It was like watching a bunch of headless chickens!"
Ace added unhelpfully before Yuu elbowed their boyfriend roughly in the side, earning a quiet “Ow!" and snicker from Deuce before Yuu took over the conversation.
“What Ace meant is that, we were all worried for you Riddle, we're all glad you're okay though.”
Riddle felt the shame of making everyone panic and worry of him sinking deep into his bones, he wasn't expecting such a big reaction especially after how he was prior to his... change. After everything he'd done to his card soldiers he half expected them not to care about him at all, yet he was proven wrong constantly as apparently the dorm was freaking out when they noticed him missing from the Unbirthday party, it made him feel both flattered and guilty at the same time
Riddle took a breath and attempted to give everyone in the kitchen a reassuring smile, though by the looks around the room he was barely hitting the mark.
“I promise I was fine, I just wanted to walk through the hedge maze, ended up a bit turned around, and got the slightest bit upset when I realized I was lost.” Riddle murmured softly “Really there was no need for worry…”
The unconvinced looks passed around the kitchen were uncommented on but noted before the first years begin a conversation and moved away from the previous topic to quickly bring the mood back up, leading to Riddle listening to Deuce and Yuu arguing over which season of their favorite show is superior while Ace pitched in whenever he thought necessary, Trey getting up periodically to check around the kitchen.
While everyone else was chattering or busy, Riddle's mind began to wander which was odd enough as is. However it seemed Riddle's mind decided now was the perfect time to analyze him and Che'nya's moment earlier, focusing heavily on Che'nya's small kiss. Riddle made sure to try and will away the heat beneath his cheeks as his mind wandered onward.
Riddle was never great at understanding emotions, another trait her earned from his Mother's upbringing. His Mother as the medical mage she was considered emotions outside of happiness and anger, unnecessary.
He remembers hearing her telling him once,
"Emotions are what cause rash decisions, someones gets too emotional and they get people hurt!"
Riddle took that message to heart for the first few years of his life. His Mother was right before, why wouldn't he listen to her advice?
That was until he met Trey and Che'nya ofcourse, they changed that mentality with how full of different emotions they were. Riddle felt amazed, watching how easily they understood their feelings, so unlike his way of living. Watching them understand so easily almost made Riddle feel stupid at times, how could they understand these feelings that felt so alien to Riddle all these years with such ease...?
It felt like looking at a different reality almost, watching Trey and Chenya so easily express their feelings. Meanwhile Riddle could barely understand any emotions besides Joy, Sadness, and Anger because that's how his mother taught him to feel. However after the tart, Riddle wasn't given even a chance to glimpse at that other reality again, the door shut infront of his face by his Mother's hand.
While Riddle's mind was racing with thoughts and memories he nearly missed when Trey placed a cup of tea in front of him, herbal ofcourse as according to rule #153. "The only tea you may drink in the evenings is herbal tea." Riddle looked back at Trey who gave him a small concerned smile before he went back to the oven and pulled out a sheet pan filled to the brim with treats.
“Alright, is anyone up for some mini-pies?” Trey spun around to show off the treats like treasures for sale to others in the room
“Duh, when am I not!”
“Move it Ace, don't steal them all!!”
“You guys are so dumb….”
Riddle watched as the first years all grabbed a pie, Yuu even grabbing a small one for their cat companion who seemed completely conked out in Yuu's lap. Trey held out the pan towards Riddle who took one, mostly to be polite and placed it beside his tea, taking small nibbles of the pie given to him before slowly standing up from his seat.
“Thank you for the delious sweets Trey, I think I will be heading to bed now, goodnight now everyone.”
Riddle's rather hasty goodnight caused everyone to pause before everyone wishes Riddle a goodnight back, Riddle begins to walk to his room deep within the walls of the Heartslabyul dorm. Riddle could already feel himself slowly slump as he walked, feeling the tension of the day slowly sink out of him as he walked. Riddle walked up topsy turvy stairs and passed through hallways that appeared sideways before he made it to his room at last, sighing.
Riddle had never been more glad housewardens got their own rooms then right now in this moment.
Riddle opened the door, shut it, and then breathed in deeply before walking towards his bed in the back of the room. Today had left Riddle feeling drained, confused, flustered, and it was all Che'nya's fault for starting this whole fiasco by stealing his crown in the first place! If Che'nya had just left Riddle be at the Unbirthday party and not lead him on that chase inside the hedgemaze to begin with, Riddle would go on with his day as normal but instead he was laying in bed like this.
Riddle huffed out a sigh before flopping face first into his bed, reaching out a hand and grabbing a pillow. After a second of resting face first into the pillow Riddle let out a quiet groan, not even having enough energy to scream into his pillow, flipping over again to stare at the top of his bed frame and think over the memories of today once again.
Finally the memory of Che’nya's small kiss made it to Riddle's mind, making him a shade of red as bright as the strawberries inside Trey's tarts, he let out a disgruntled noise from his throat. Che'nya was getting collared the second Riddle sees him next, no hesitation, no time for Che'nya to trick or talk Riddle out of it.
Riddle honestly hated emotions sometimes, he felt like he always had too many that always burst out when he doesn't want them too, he got angry so easily, he cried nonstop once the dam broke, and now…Whatever the seven his complicated feelings he had towards Che'nya was tormenting him now.
It was safe to say Riddle ended up with the least restful sleep he'd ever had, full of dreams of lilac hair and wide, mischievous grins.
~°{THE END}°~