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"Riddle-san, do you have a moment?"
Riddle paused from his packing and looked up. Jade was looking at him expectantly, a hand over his heart like usual.
"Ah, hello Jade," he replied, "I don't have much unfortunately. After I'm finished here, I have some paperwork to deliver to the Headmage before proceeding to my club."
Jade only nodded in response, "I understand. In that case, how about we talk later at the Mostro Lounge once you're done?"
Riddle had to pause and stare at Jade once more. He is now smiling with his teeth showing, a clear sign that something was afoot.
"Jade," Riddle sighed, "I know that look. You know I won't fall into one of your schemes that easily."
Jade's face fell, putting on a sad expression that he knows is part of the act as well.
"You wound me Riddle-san, after everything we have been through this past year," he 'cried', causing Riddle to sigh once again, "I assure you, it is nothing of the malicious sorts. In fact, this is something that concerns Azul as well."
Riddle's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his boyfriend. Something that concerns Azul as well? In that case… wait a second.
He looked up to see Jade's grin has grown bigger. Sevens above, he knew it.
"Stop staring at me like that."
"Oya? I'm not doing anything."
Riddle chose to ignore the other as he continued packing. He could feel Jade staring at his back like a predator, but he chose to ignore that as to not be distracted any further. While he has undoubtedly gotten closer with the mer-trio the past few months, he's still wary of their… shadier practices. And he would rather play it safe than pay the consequences.
Once he was finished, he bid the other a quick goodbye and moved towards the door, when he felt a tall presence behind him.
"Jade, I already gave you an answer, why are you still following me?" Riddle demanded, turning to face the eel-mer.
The other put a hand on his heart. "This is simply an opportunity you can't pass up, Riddle-san. Besides, Azul would be quite upset if you refuse. We don't want to make him sad now, do we?"
Bribery. Using his boyfriend against him. Of course he would…
Riddle took a deep sigh and massaged his temples. "Fine. I accept your invitation," he begrudgingly agreed, "But I swear to the great seven's mercy, if this is a set-up, or that you are lying to me, then it will be off with your head!"
Jade bowed in response. "Thank you Riddle-san. See you later," he said, finally leaving Riddle alone. "Oh, and goodluck with the Headmage."
Riddle sighed for the fourth time that afternoon, preparing himself for the countless things that was awaiting him.
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The sun has already set by the time he arrived at the Lounge. He has considered not showing up, but the consequences of that would be much more terrifying than simply going. Besides, seeing Azul would help ease his nerves.
Speaking of, as soon as he entered Octavinelle's mirror, he was greeted by the sight of his boyfriend sitting by the entrance.
"Riddle, you made it," Azul greeted, wrapping the redhead in a warm hug.
"Hello love," Riddle greeted back, "I'm afraid Jade wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed."
Azul laughed in response as he offered his arm to the other. "Well, that's just how he is. But if it makes you feel better, it's not anything malicious whatsoever."
"Repeating what he said exactly isn't making the situation any better Azul."
The octo-mer just stammered. "W-well… Forget it, let's just go to our table, and we'll explain everything."
Riddle couldn't help but giggle. For all his suave, Azul hides a cute side of him. He finds the octo-mer quite adorable when he does show that side, but that's information he will keep to himself.
Azul guided him to a more private booth, away from other patrons that could be listening in to their conversation. The table was decorated with roses and candles. If he didn't know any better, this almost feels like a date, except they're not alone.
"Goldfishie! You made it!" Floyd cheered, moving to wrap Riddle in a tight hug.
"Hello, Floyd. Please let go now," Riddle choked out. Floyd chuckled in response, but complied afterwards.
Azul glared at the eel-mer as he guided Riddle to a seat, sitting next to him as Floyd sat across them. Moments later, Jade appeared from the kitchen and handed Riddle a strawberry milkshake.
"Um…?"
"It's on the house," Jade quickly answered, "As payment for coming here."
Riddle looked at Azul for clarification, who motioned him to accept it. He shrugged and took a sip, the sweetness of the strawberries calming him down. He's always liked Mostro Lounge food, and if there is one thing they know how to do, it's to make delicious dishes.
"Right," he asked, "You all invited me here to talk. Assuming this isn't a contract of sorts, what is it you want to talk about?"
All three merfolk got serious, which did scare Riddle a little bit.
"Riddle, dear," Azul started, grabbing his hand, "Jade has told me you met their mother during a Forever Float?"
Riddle blinked at the question, but he was at least glad it's not anything bad. "Mrs. Leech? Yes, I have. She's quite lovely. Why?"
It was Jade that replied, "She has invited all four of us out to dinner by the Coral Sea."
"Well, not mom specifically, but our Auntie," Floyd interjected, earning a very confused look from Riddle.
The twins smiled at him, bringing back that uneasy feeling Riddle had earlier. Azul, on the other hand sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Stop scaring him you two. Jade, just give him the invitation…"
Riddle begrudgingly took the invitation and examined it. The invitation itself was a shade of purple, with some red accents. There were gold coral and seashell decorations that border the envelope, with his name written in cursive at the center. The letter inside was made of gold parchment, with the same cursive handwriting present.
He read the letter out loud.
Dearest Riddle,
I know we haven't formally met, but I can't help myself! I am inviting you to a lovely dinner experience at La Grotta this coming weekend! I've been so excited to meet you ever since my baby has told me all about you! I'm honestly quite jealous Georgina got to meet you before I did, but no matter, I hope we can change that.
See you soon my dear. I can't wait to talk with you some more!
Signed,
"MY FUTURE MOTHER-IN-LAW?!"
The twins have fully lost their composure and burst out laughing, collapsing on the floor in tears. Azul, on the other hand, was fully blue, attempting to hide his blush away with his hat.
"My, Aunt Cordelia is as lively as ever," Jade said between laughs, tears streaming down his face.
Riddle sank further in his seat, confusion and embarrassment present in his face, "Who's…?"
He heard Azul clear his throat beside him, "That… would be my mother."
"Your mother? But Floyd said—"
"Oh yeah, our moms are friends so we call her that," Floyd replied from the floor, "She hates being called anything else."
"But…" Riddle is just fully confused right now, "'Mother-in-law'??? Wha—"
"Oh, she was just ecstatic for her 'precious baby to have finally gotten a boyfriend'. Simply too excited at the prospect of attending his own Forever Float in the future," Jade answered, finally regaining his composure back.
"Man, Auntie Cordelia was already booking venues and dressmakers and all sorts of other stuff when she heard about Goldfishie," Floyd added.
"Yes, well, you can keep the details to a minimum, you know," Azul snapped at them, causing the twins to break out in a giggling fit.
Azul then turned to Riddle, "But yes, mama is pretty excited to meet you. She actually wouldn't stop asking me about 'when can she finally meet this Riddle' I keep talking about or 'when can I introduce her to you'."
Something inside Riddle's chest fluttered at the information given to him. Azul has been talking about me to his mother? And she's ecstatic to meet me? The idea of a woman he's never met before in his life being this excited about him made him smile.
"I… would be honored to be able to meet her, love," he said after a while, "Although, I'm quite surprised you talk about me that much."
Azul's face turned a bright blue color, "I-I can't help it okay?! You're just, well, an amazing person, and I thought-"
Riddle playfully rolled his eyes, and kissed him on the cheek, his whole face red. Azul just melted into his seat, both staring at each other's eyes.
"Azul and Goldfishie sitting on a tree~" Floyd sang, bringing back the two's attention to the tweels.
"K-I-S-S-I—"
"FLOYD!"
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Weekend arrived a lot sooner than Riddle anticipated. Admittedly, he was pretty nervous at the idea of meeting Azul's mother, even with all of the reassuring and the information the octo-mer has told him. He still couldn't help overthinking the different scenarios that could happen if he messed up somewhere.
He tried to push all those thoughts away, taking a deep breath as he arrived at the Mirror Chamber, where Azul and the twins were waiting.
"Riddle!" Azul greeted, enveloping the redhead in a hug, "You ready?"
Riddle nodded, "I admit, I am a bit nervous…"
He heard Floyd chuckle behind him, "You don't have anything to be nervous about Goldfishie! Auntie Cordelia is the nicest octo-lady you'll ever meet!"
Azul hugged him tighter, "Just be yourself dear, it'll be fine."
Riddle took a deep breath and leaned into the hug. "Okay… let's go."
All four turned to the Mirror in the center. "Mirror of Darkness! Take us to the coasts of Coral Sea!"
The Mirror hummed, enveloping the group in a bright light. When Riddle opened his eyes, he found himself in a beach.
"Woah…" he breathed out, taking in the view. The sun was just about to set, casting a warm orange glow in the water. "It's beautiful love…"
Azul took his hand. "It really is," he replied, "The restaurant is a few minutes walk from here. We can enjoy the sights while we travel."
Riddle nodded, letting the mer-trio guide him to their destination. His mind couldn't help but drift to their trip in Ultramarine City. He enjoyed the atmosphere a lot, and, save for the few events that he would rather not think about right now, he would say it was the most relaxing place he's ever been to. And now, walking along the coasts of the Coral Sea, he felt the same as he did in Ultramarine City. He felt at peace, despite all of his nervousness earlier.
After a while, they arrived in a small coastal town. Near the docks is a large restaurant with a purple and red motif, with the sign "La Grotta Terra" above it.
"That—" Azul pointed, "—Is mama's restaurant. And our destination."
Riddle squeezed his hand, "I thought her restaurant was under the Coral Sea?"
"It is. The original La Grotta is still situated in the ocean floor. This is a more recent expansion after finding out her delicacies are just as popular to humans as it is to us mer-folk."
Riddle nodded in response, eyeing the establishment from afar. There doesn't seem to be any customers sitting by the tables, though he supposed if this was a private dinner with Azul's mother and Mrs. Leech, it made sense.
As they neared the restaurant, he noticed someone sitting by the bench outside, wearing a lovely teal dress and a black shawl. Although, all four of them perked up when they realized who it was.
"Mom!" "Mother," the twins said at the same time.
Georgina looked up and smiled. "Jade! Floyd! Oh my dears, hello." She wrapped the both of them in a hug.
Azul and Riddle slowed to a stop behind them, letting them finish their reunions first.
"It is so nice to be able to see you both again," Georgina said, caressing both of their cheeks, "You missed quite a lot from the Forever Float, Floyd," she added when she looked at Floyd.
"Yeah, well, it is what it is," Floyd replied.
Georgina retaliated by pinching his cheek, before turning to the other two. "Azul, dear, I haven't seen you in a long time as well," she wrapped Azul in a hug as well, "Have you been eating well at school, my dear? Your mother wouldn't stop asking me about you."
"I have, yes," Azul said, breaking the hug.
"He's doing his best," Jade smiled, earning a glare from the octo-mer.
Georgina pinched his cheek as well, "As long as you are taking care of yourself just fine," she then turned to Riddle, "Riddle dear, hello again."
Riddle bowed in greeting. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Leech."
Georgina laughed in response, "Polite as ever. No wonder Cordelia took a liking to you."
She turned back to Azul, "Your mother is waiting for you inside Azul. She hasn't been able to sit still the entire day waiting for you four to arrive."
The group nodded, and followed Georgina inside. Riddle couldn't help but look around in awe at the interior. The restaurant is filled with white marble tables and purple seating, lined with gold drapery. Large windows remained open, letting the sea breeze enter the building. Lights that resemble pearls hang from the ceiling, with a mellow jazz music playing in the background.
While he was right in his guess that the restaurant was empty for tonight, he could see chefs running around the kitchen. By the counter, talking to one of the servers was a short, plump woman, wearing an elegant black dress, and a pearl necklace.
"Cordelia, dear, the guests have arrived," Georgina announced. Riddle felt his nerves flare up again at the mention of her name.
Cordelia turned around and gasped, "Oh my seas! You've arrived!"
She ran fast, crossing the distance between them within a few steps, and tackled the Leeches in a hug. "Georgina! Your sons have grown so much! Oh my Triton, I've missed seeing their adorable little faces!"
She let them go and hugged Azul. "My baby! I've missed you so much!" She peppered his face with kisses, squishing his cheeks as she did so.
"M-mama! Not in front of people!" Azul protested, unable to get away from her grip.
"Oh baby, it's not like we're friends around here! I just missed my little baby so much, your mama is just being a little excited!"
Azul continued protesting, while the Leeches smiled at the scene in front of them.
Riddle watched from the side, feeling something pang in his chest, but he was sure it wasn't nervousness at all. There was something else, he just couldn't figure out what it was.
He was broken out of his thoughts when Cordelia looked at him. She gasped as they made eye contact. "Is this the Riddle I kept hearing so much about?"
Riddle took a deep breath before responding, "Yes, Mrs. Ashengrotto, that would be me. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Cordelia walked towards him slowly, eyes staring with curiousity. It took all of Riddle to not take a step back, but he was still worried about her.
"Oh my seven seas, he's adorable!" Cordelia exclaimed, before wrapping Riddle in a tight hug.
Riddle found himself frozen at the sudden action, the smell of sea salt invading his nostrils. But he doesn't hate it. In fact, it felt nice. To be held in such a manner by a person he's just met, to be shown this much affection by his boyfriend's mother, he was overwhelmed to say the least. And yet… he made no effort to resist. It was warm. Comforting. Loving. And he wanted to stay in that embrace forever.
He felt a slight twinge of sadness when Cordelia pulled away, but he didn't dare voice it out loud as she caressed his cheek.
"Azul! I'm so upset you didn't introduce me sooner! He's so cute!"
Riddle couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her remarks. Maybe he didn't have anything to worry about after all.
Cordelia kept on examining him, taking in his features in stride. "You weren't kidding about his hair. Fiery and red like a fire coral, but it's a kind of red I have never seen before," she remarked, turning his head slightly, "And his eyes, oh they're beautiful! Just like sun rays being reflected off the surface of the water, even Triton himself would be jealous of such beauty. No wonder my baby fell in love with you~"
"Mama, please…" Azul complained, his face looking a lot bluer than earlier.
"Oh dear, don't be so embarrassed." She then dragged Riddle to the table, "Come, my dears! Sit! Sit!"
Riddle found himself sitting beside Azul and Cordelia, plates of food being served in front of them.
"Eat as much as you want dear. If you want anything else, please let me know and I'll have our chefs make it for you."
Riddle smiled at the offer. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Ashengrotto."
Cordelia let out a dramatic gasp, "Mrs? Oh no, no, no dear, absolutely not," she ranted, taking his hands in hers, forcing Riddle to look at her. "Call me Cordelia. Or Auntie Cordelia just like the twins does…"
She then winked at him, "Or you know, Mom also works. I am your future mother-in-law~"
Azul choked from behind him, "Mama..!"
"I'm joking!" She laughed, "But in all seriousness, please, you don't need to be so formal with me, it makes me feel old…"
Riddle nodded in response, "If you insist Mrs… Aunt Cordelia…" he corrected himself.
Cordelia clapped, and turned to Georgina, "Oh, I love him Georgina!"
The group fell into lively conversation. Riddle talked about all sorts of things—himself, his school life, about him and Azul, even joke conversations about their future wedding. The warmth he felt when Cordelia hugged him returned, though much stronger than earlier. It was still as overwhelming as the first time, but he enjoyed every minute of it. To be surrounded with this much love, he wouldn't trade this feeling for anything.
They remained in that table until it was time to go to sleep. Georgina made sure to reserve their accomodations for the night, and Cordelia was walking him and Azul back to their rooms.
"It's been a really fun day. I've never felt this elated in a while."
Cordelia turned to Azul and gave him a tender kiss in the forehead, "Goodnight, my dear. I hope you dream wonderfully tonight."
Azul cherished her touch, "Goodnight Mama, thanks for today."
"Of course baby," she then turned to Riddle and cupped his cheek, "And goodnight to you too, Riddle dear. I'm so happy I finally get to meet you in person."
Riddle returned her smile, "The same goes to you M… Aunt Cordelia. Thank you for the invitation."
"It's a pleasure," she kissed him in the forehead as well, "Well, I'm afraid I have to go. Take care dears!" Cordelia kissed Azul one last time before retreating back to her room.
The two fell into comfortable silence, Riddle slipping his hand into Azul's as they made their way back to their rooms.
"She's really lovely," he said, drawing circles around the other's hand.
"She is," Azul sighed, "I'm glad she didn't scare you too much."
Riddle chuckled in response, "Well, I was at first, but after the first impressions, not anymore."
It was better than he thought. He can confidently say it was one of the best nights of his life, and now thinking about it deeply, he's not opposed to the idea of… well… staying with Azul forever.
"Riddle?" he heard Azul call out. He didn't realize he's been quiet for a long time. "Is everything alright dear?"
"I've… just been thinking…" he started, "The idea of calling her my mother-in-law doesn't seem so bad after all…"
Azul's face turned a bright blue color. "Sevens no… She's affecting you…"
Riddle laughed, kissing Azul in the cheek. "I mean it love."
The octo-mer just turned away in embarrassment, "That's not— nevermind, let's just go to bed…"
Riddle laughed once more, Azul joining in a little bit later.