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Riddle Rosehearts' mind wandered with thoughts, constantly replaying the event of his overblot in his troubled head. The faces of his classmates, the fear on their faces; Ace's words, in particular, haunted his mind. Although everything had ended well, he still felt his cheek burn with the memory of the freshman's punch. His eyes remained swollen from crying, his nose red, and his head ached, even while lying down after receiving care from Trey. His dirty clothes clung to his pale skin.
“It’s almost 6 PM. I need to get up for dinner,” he thought to himself, jumping up and ignoring the throbbing pain in his temples.
He took a longer shower than usual, exceeding the ten minutes allowed by the rules. The red hair running down his face reminded him once again of the punch he had received, now marked by a bruised area. He was startled by knocks on the door — rhythmic knocks similar to those that used to be made on his window when he was a child to get his attention.
“Riddle… Are you okay?” Trey's concerned tone echoed through the housewarden's room. “We need to gather everyone for dinner.”
The vice's concern made Riddle's heart swell with pride for his dedication to the rules. He got out of the shower and quickly got ready, firmly asking Trey to wait for him. He looked at himself in the mirror, gently touching the bruise with his fingertips. He started to put on makeup with the intention of hiding the purple mark, feeling a sad tightness in his chest. He should feel anger – pure hatred – towards Ace for the audacity of touching him in such a low way; however, he only felt sadness, as if he had been betrayed by someone he considered important. He shook off that thought, left the bathroom, and assumed a posture of authority.
He walked to the cafeteria, unconsciously scanning for Ace with his eyes, spotting him smiling, laughing at something he said. Who could imagine? Riddle, worried about that careless, brainless, unbearable…
“Riddle,” Carter's voice beside him pulled him from his thoughts. “What are you looking at? Ace? What kind of expression is that?”
Riddle's face twisted in irritation, scrunching his nose further at the redhead's comment and the laughter that followed. He puffed up his chest, maintaining his pride, and continued eating dinner.
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At 10 PM, his eyes wouldn’t close. He couldn't stop thinking about Ace's tone of voice; deep down, he knew he wanted to be forgiven by him. Against all the voices in his head that said otherwise, he left his dormitory in absolute silence, holding a lit candle and with sweets tucked in the pockets of his pajamas. The Heartslabyul courtyard was empty, illuminated only by the streetlamps. His serene expression turned to confusion upon seeing smoke rising from one of the benches near the rose bushes.
“Ace?” He rolled his eyes upon seeing him there, frowning at the cigarette between the other’s slender fingers.
“Riddle?!” Ace coughed out the smoke, startled, trying to hide the object. “I-I was just…”
“It’s fine.” Riddle said, letting out a long sigh. He was already breaking rules; why couldn’t Ace?
He calmly walked over to the freshman, sitting beside him, extinguishing the candle and pulling the sweets from his pocket. Ace looked at him, practically horrified by the unusual behavior of the housewarden.
"I know, I know. Shocking, isn’t it? A perfect housewarden who always follows the rules, allowing something so explicitly against the regulations as smoking. And even breaking rule 56: no student outside the dormitory after 8:30 PM."
The freshman rolled his eyes, bringing the object back to his mouth. Riddle's curious eyes landed on Ace's lips, watching their movement against the cigarette. The smell was different from others he had encountered: earthy, like a plant. He felt the wind hit the back of his neck, making him shrink into the bench.
“It’s not a cigarette…” Ace murmured, with a slightly irritated expression.
The housewarden watched him, confused. Ace wrapped one arm behind him, resting it on the bench, more relaxed than before. He didn’t understand how Riddle could be so different from one day to the next after the insane overblot that had left him aching all over; he definitely didn’t want to cross his limits again. However, there, vulnerable, with his cheeks flushed from the cold, Riddle’s authority seemed nonexistent. He extended the joint in Riddle's direction.
“Have you gone mad?” Riddle crossed his arms, horrified at the idea of Ace offering him that.
“Oh, come on! Just try it. It might calm your nerves.”
There was that teasing smile that made Riddle's heart race and stumble in his chest. He held the object between his fingers, so hesitant that he almost dropped it. As he inhaled, he coughed hard; his throat burned, and his eyes filled with tears. Ace laughed loudly, taking the object from his hand and patting his back, trying to calm him.
“What is this?! Are you trying to kill me?!” Riddle exclaimed, indignant.
“You messed up too! What did you expect?”
When he calmed down, he became extremely aware of Ace’s hands on him. The touch was strange but not unpleasant; different. His cheeks grew warmer than usual, and his stomach churned. Riddle had never been someone fond of physical contact — he only accepted those from Trey and, perhaps, Chenya. In contrast, Ace constantly touched Deuce, hugged Yuu, and greeted his friends with cheek kisses and long hugs. He had even seen him flirting with another freshman in the library. Still, when he pulled away, he felt an unexpected discomfort.
“I’ll teach you, okay? Inhale once… and then inhale again.”
Riddle obeyed, taking the object again and doing as the redhead instructed. He grimaced at the unpleasant taste but didn’t cough.
“Good. Now exhale… Very well.”
He released the smoke, waving his hand in front of his face to avoid the smell from clinging to his clothes. He looked at Ace with his big eyes, seeing him satisfied with that small act of corruption. A discreet smile escaped his lips, and his stomach churned again with the compliment. Compliments and praise had always been something he yearned from an early age, keeping everything perfectly aligned to earn them. Receiving a compliment for doing something so impure was, at the very least, scandalous.
“This is extremely disgusting. I don’t know why I’d do it on my own…”
“You did it at on your own thought,” Ace retorted.
Riddle rolled his eyes so hard that his head began to ache again, making him furrow his brow in pain. He brought his knees to his chest, hugging himself against the cold. He felt Ace's gaze on him for a few seconds but chose not to provoke him. This was more embarrassing than usual, especially for the housewarden, known as someone who always spoke in public without any shame.
“I didn’t know you were so bruised,” Ace murmured, staring at Riddle's bruised face. “Wow…”
The freshman brushed Riddle's cheek with the tip of his finger, causing him to recoil. He widened his eyes, feeling a slight discomfort from the pain, but soon relaxed his shoulders.
“Well…” Riddle bit his lower lip, apprehensive. “Ace, I know my words don’t compare to what happened, but I genuinely wish for your forgiveness. I was out of line. I apologize once again.”
He murmured, gazing at the freshman's face. His body felt more sensitive, as if he could feel every pore of his skin. His mouth was dry, his eyes heavy; sleep was beginning to win. Ace smiled sideways, diverting his gaze and taking another puff, handing the joint back to the older boy.
“It’s okay. Punching you was gratifying enough,” he laughed.
Riddle rolled his eyes, taking another puff and grimacing at the taste on his tongue. “I saw how much you improved. I think that’s enough.”
“I appreciate your understanding,” he said, returning the object and standing up. “Well, I must go. Come with me. Tomorrow we need to wake up by 7 AM at the latest. The regulations state that sleeping less than seven hours causes distraction in studies.”
“Sure, sure…”
Ace rolled his eyes, extinguished the cigarette, and walked alongside the monitor, hands in his pockets. A comfortable silence stretched through the halls. Riddle could smell the other’s strong perfume, his heavier footsteps; even the tag of his own pajamas bothered him more than usual. Although he felt extremely aware of everything around him, the predominant feeling was confusion: for accepting such a disruptive act as smoking, for accepting the other’s touch, for the anxiety in his stomach, for the smell, for Ace's expressions seen up close, and especially for the unusual desire to want to stare at his lips.
They parted ways at the dormitories, exchanging a brief “goodnight.” Riddle lay down without delay, feeling his dry tongue pass over his own lips. He curled up between the sensation of the cotton sheets, feeling a mix of comfort with confusion and something he couldn’t name. He had the best night’s sleep he’d had in months.
----
The routine quickly returned to normal; weeks passed by in a flash. For Riddle, these weeks were torturous. His angry impulses were usually contained by digging his own nails into his palm, but he could admit he was doing much better than before. The freshmen and older students relaxed near the housewarden, always greeting him with smiles and waves. Despite the joys and small victories, there was a restlessness he couldn’t resolve. His eyes always searched for the funny redhead during his rounds, but instead of talking to him, Riddle avoided him as much as possible. Ace looked for Riddle, but he was always running away to hide, having lost count of how many times he asked Trey to take his place at certain events, especially at the unbirthday parties.
Riddle didn’t know why; he just wanted to avoid Ace as much as possible. His heart raced every time he heard Ace’s friends’ voices in the hallway, always looking around for an exit. The stomach pains were more constant, and his heart raced as if he had run a marathon, while his face turned red. He didn’t know what else he would do without being able to self-regulate; he was the dorm president and one of the most renowned! He couldn’t stay like this. He thought he was facing various health issues, both mental and physical. If he couldn’t face a simple classmate, how would he organize the rest of Heartslabyul?
He was pulled from his thoughts by a sarcastic voice that seemed to come out of nowhere as he walked through the school gardens.
“Oh, redhead... What’s with that face?”
He looked around, seeing no one or even hearing footsteps; he was completely invisible.
“If I didn’t know you…,” the voice continued. “I’d say you’re having trouble with your position. But that’s not the truth, hmm? Is it someone?”
Riddle smiled widely upon seeing the boy’s grin appearing out of thin air. A big, frighteningly large smile plastered on his youthful face, with purple hair appearing alongside the silhouette of his body.
“Chenya... What are you doing here?” His shoulders relaxed; it was good to see a friend by his side.
Chenya placed his feet on the ground, stretching his arm for Riddle to hold his forearm. They began to walk calmly through the gardens.
“Trey told me you were a bit crazy; I came to help you.” The smile never left his face. “Tell me!”
The housewarden bit his lower lip, thinking about how all the weeks had unfolded in the past days. He took a deep breath, venting everything that had happened in the last few weeks. He talked about the stomachaches and the day they met; he recounted everything with regret, as if he were sick with something he couldn’t find in the library's health section, something beyond the biology books. He finished his story and looked at his friend, who burst into loud laughter, stopping in his tracks because he couldn’t contain his giggles. Riddle's cheeks turned as red as his outfit as he furrowed his brows.
“What’s so funny?!” he exclaimed, mixing anger and confusion.
“Oh, Riddle, you really don’t know?!”
The redhead crossed his arms, trying to contain his frustration. He was already used to the other’s teasing but was genuinely desperate.
“A hint: it’s something you see on TV and starts with the letter L!”
“Don’t come at me with your enigmas, cat.” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what disease this is! I’ve searched everywhere!”
“Oh, my Queen of Hearts…” The boy, looking like a cat, circled Riddle, his mischievous tail brushing against his arms. “It’s love!”
The housewarden's mouth dropped open in shock, his eyes wide. He scrunched his nose at the thought, but his heart raced at the idea.
“It’s love, my friend! I suggest you do something about it…” Chenya’s body began to disappear slowly. “Like, a kiss.”
He vanished into thin air, leaving only his smile behind, until that too dissipated. Riddle stood stunned, replaying everything that had been said in his mind. His face burned like fire at the thought of being in love with someone like Ace. The image of him inhaling the weed flashed in his mind; how attractive his lips were, the subtle touch against his back. Everything truly made sense.
---
The day passed quickly after that; he tried to forget these feelings by burying himself in books. When he realized it, he had been there longer than he expected. He looked at his wristwatch and saw it was 9:45 PM. He sighed and rested his head on his arms on the table, closing his eyes.
“Are you going to keep ignoring me?”
Ace’s voice echoed in the empty library, startling Riddle, who jumped from his chair.
“A-Ace! At least say hello.”
Riddle stood up, organizing the books in front of him and avoiding eye contact with the freshman. He murmured things like, “It’s late, I need to go back.” But he was interrupted by Ace placing his palm on his shoulder.
“Look, Riddle, I know I messed up that day, but…”
“It’s okay, Trappola. I accept your apology. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
The housewarden walked toward the exit door, but Ace appeared in front of him, blocking the way.
“Tell me what happened.” He moved closer to the other. “What did I do?”
Riddle lowered his guard, feeling his heart race; his face turned red, and all the feelings he had before came rushing back. He examined the other’s face more closely. He was sweaty, as if he had been running, his face flushed, and his lips parted. Everything the friend had said was true; before, he had doubts about whether he was really in love with the freshman. It seemed so ridiculous to think that he tried to eliminate that option from the list, but now, with Ace in front of him, he felt more cornered than ever by his own feelings.
“Look, Ace, you didn’t do anything; it’s not your fault,” he murmured.
“Aren’t we friends? I thought after that day…” Ace hesitated with his words, giving a self-deprecating laugh. “Well then, housewarden, I get it. We’re not friends; I was an idiot to think we might be. You still hate me since that day…”
He said the last part in a low voice, head down, looking defeated. The younger one turned and opened the library door. At that moment, Riddle needed to think fast. Was he really going to let this pass? Was he really not going to honor the regulation about honesty? His stomach churned with any thought now, which scared him even more.
He grabbed Ace's wrist before he could leave the library, pulling him back inside carefully. He puffed up his chest, standing tall, with his hands in front of his body.
“Well, I was taught that lying is unacceptable, as is omission.”
He looked at him seriously, as if preparing to give a speech.
“Trappola, I’ve come to the conclusion, after arduous studies that have failed, that I have romantic feelings for you. It’s something I can’t control, but I’m working on it.” He looked away. “I’ll do everything to not bother you with silly escapes, as I will control this. I hope I’ve made myself clear!”
Ace’s face was almost unreadable. His mouth was open in shock, his face so flushed that it matched the symbol in his eye, which widened with each of Riddle’s words.
“…Are you serious?”
“I always speak seriously.”
He replied as if it were obvious, clearing his throat once more and adjusting his tie. Ace let out a loud laugh, which made Riddle look at him, shocked. If Ace was mocking the housewarden, he would definitely leave with a collar.
Before he could protest, the freshman moved closer. He felt the Ace's fingers touch his face; the touch was warm. He held his breath, his heart racing. He could hardly believe what was happening when the other’s lips met his; they were softer than he could have imagined. The scent was so strong that he felt like he might faint right there in his arms, especially since he didn’t know if anyone was watching. Startled, Riddle pulled away from the kiss, looking at Ace in surprise.
Ace threatened to pull away, moving his lips to say something, but he was interrupted by Riddle’s lips again. This time, Rosehearts initiated, grabbing the freshman's collar to pull him close, his eyes squeezed shut as if the other would run away. This kiss was longer, pressing their faces together. Ace pulled away slowly, observing the other’s reactions.
“I... I’ve never done anything like this before…”
Trappola laughed, finding the other’s panic over such a simple kiss adorable. This made Riddle roll his eyes, feeling so pathetic that he couldn’t retort. The freshman’s hands moved to his sides, pulling him closer.
“I’ll teach you, then.”
Riddle couldn’t believe what was happening; there were so many feelings for a single day that left him confused and completely overwhelmed with emotions. He felt a shiver run through his body with the touch on his waist, trying to relax and lower his guard near Ace. The delicate hands rested on his shoulders, but soon the younger one redirected him with his hands, making Riddle wrap his fingers around his neck.
The embarrassment was so great that he didn’t think when he felt Ace’s lips on his again, this time slowly. It was a lingering kiss, but soon it turned into something Riddle only saw in movies that his mother forbade him to watch. He opened his mouth without thinking when he felt the other doing the same, another shiver coursing through his body. He followed the steps like an awkward dance; Ace’s tongue was slow and patient as they met, it was almost poetry in the lightness and slowness of their movements. The kiss was sweet and delicate, Ace’s fingers gripping him just enough for the housewarden to feel his sanity slipping away. They pulled away after two long minutes, which Riddle would swear felt like five.
Riddle pulled him close, hiding his face in his neck, as if he wanted to escape the situation. Ace knew he was corrupting the ever-so-proper dorm housewarden, and that was a source of pride for him.
“I like you too, Riddle. We can do this more often…”
Rosehearts nodded against the fabric of the other’s uniform, his face red and embarrassed by it all. He pulled away after a few seconds.
“We need to go…”
Ace rolled his eyes, not caring much about what they should or shouldn’t do. But he promptly obeyed the older boy.
They talked as they walked to the dormitories, their fingers intertwined as they walked. A delicate touch that meant a lot to what they had, their digits getting to know each other in a different way now. As soon as Ace accompanied Riddle to the door of his room, he gave a big smile.
“Well... Goodnight, Ace, thank you for today.” Riddle said shyly, with a small smile on the corner of his lips.
Before he could grab the doorknob, Trappola pulled the other’s arm and stole another kiss. This time, it started as a faster and more desperate kiss for contact. Riddle let it happen, even knowing it was wrong; he let it happen right there in the middle of the hallway. Their tongues intertwined in search of each other, feeling their teeth clashing occasionally due to the lack of practice. When they pulled away, Ace let out a sarcastic chuckle.
“A-Ace! You’re crazy…”
Riddle whispered, looking around worried that other students might see. Ace just walked away quickly, waving to Riddle and shouting, “Goodnight.”
That night, Riddle kept replaying the event in his mind like a movie. The feeling of having done something completely outside of his routine and the rules excited him for a future with Ace, something he should have done long ago.