Work Text:
Riddle was pacing the cafeteria, sharp eyes scanning the room to make sure no one was causing trouble.
His stomach, on the other hand, had very different priorities.
It was hungry.
Very
hungry.
But the fact was, Riddle couldn’t eat.
He couldn’t even think about food without his mother’s voice clawing its way into his mind.
Too much sugar. Too little protein. Eat too much and you’ll get fat. No one wants a pig for a child.
On and on it went.
But Seven—he was hungry.
Too hungry.
“Hey, Housewarden! Check this out!”
Ace ran up to him, grinning, already shuffling cards between his fingers. Just another trick.
Riddle liked card tricks.
And Ace liked the way Riddle’s doe-like eyes focused on him so intently—so he liked them too.
“Just pick a card!”
“You’ve got two decks here.”
“So what? Just pick one!”
Riddle did. His hand trembled as he reached forward, fingers weak as he pulled a card free.
The Queen of Hearts.
Ironic, he thought.
“Got it…” Ace said. “Now I’ll reveal what card you cho—”
Suddenly—
Riddle couldn’t keep up anymore.
The room tilted, his vision darkened, and the next thing Ace knew, Riddle was on the floor—motionless, pale, laid out like a corpse.
“Riddle—?!”
That was the last thing the boy remembered.
When he woke up, the smell of antiseptic filled his nose.
The nurse’s office.
Ace was sitting beside him.
“Are you alright, Ridd— uh, I mean… Housewarden?”
“Yes,” Riddle said quietly. “I’m feeling quite better…”
Thank you, Ace, he wanted to say.
I love you, he wanted to say.
But he couldn’t.
What would Mother think?
It was better not to say anything.
“I was really worried about you, Housewarden…”
Ace muttered, avoiding his gaze.
“You rarely rest. It’s probably… really hard to live like that.”
But I love you, Housewarden, Ace wanted to say.
Yet he couldn’t.
What would Riddle think?
It was better not to say anything.
“You didn’t have to… worry—”
“Of course I did!” Ace snapped, standing up suddenly. “You collapsed! You don’t eat, you don’t sleep—of course I worry!! Ah…”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“Just… I’ll let you rest, Housewarden.”
And with that, he left.
Riddle was alone again.