Chapter Text
The rose garden of Heartslabyul was quiet in the careful, deliberate way that only places maintained under strict rules could be. Every rose bush had been trimmed to the correct height, every pathway swept until the pale gravel looked almost decorative rather than practical. The afternoon sun filtered through the climbing arches of red roses, casting soft shadows across the marble benches and the small iron table where Riddle Rosehearts sat reviewing the day’s paperwork.
It was peaceful here. Predictable. Orderly.
Which was exactly why Riddle chose the garden whenever he needed to focus.
Several neatly stacked pages rested in front of him, each one marked with careful notes in red ink. Being dorm leader meant more than enforcing rules and organizing tea parties; it meant maintaining records, reviewing reports, and ensuring the dorm’s standards remained as high as they were expected to be. It was tedious work, but necessary work, and Riddle approached it with the same precision he applied to everything else.
A faint crunch of gravel interrupted the quiet.
Riddle did not immediately look up.
Most students knew better than to disturb him while he was working. If someone had entered the garden, they were most likely passing through on their way elsewhere.
The footsteps did not continue past him.
They stopped.
Riddle sighed softly and set his pen down before lifting his gaze.
"Floyd." he said flatly, before the figure had even stepped fully around the rose arch. "If you have come here merely to waste my time, I suggest you reconsider."
A familiar laugh drifted across the garden.
"Heh~ You always know it's me goldfishie!"
Floyd Leech stepped into view with the loose, unbothered posture of someone who had never once worried about rules in his life. His tall frame cast a long shadow across the gravel path as he wandered closer, hands tucked casually behind his head like he had absolutely nowhere else to be.
Riddle frowned.
"What are you doing here?" Riddle asked.
" 'm Bored. Ran from azul trying to put me to work.."
"...That is not a valid reason to enter Heartslabyul territory."
Floyd leaned forward slightly, peering at the stack of papers on the table.
"Whatcha doing goldfishie?"
"Work."
Floyd squinted at the page as if the concept itself was suspicious.
"You do that a lot."
"Yes. That is what responsibilities require."
"Sounds lame."
Riddle inhaled slowly through his nose. "If you have nothing productive to contribute to this conversation, you may leave."
Floyd tilted his head, studying him with an amused expression. "You’re grumpy today."
"I am always grumpy when you appear without warning."
"Heh."
Floyd leaned over the table slightly, resting his elbows against the edge while continuing to peer down at the documents.
"So many papers. What happens if you just… don't do them?"
"They accumulate."
"And?"
"And then they must still be completed."
Floyd hummed thoughtfully, like he was seriously considering that information. Then he straightened.
Riddle returned to his paperwork, assuming that would be the end of it.
Well, it was not. In one sudden motion, Floyd reached down and grabbed him.
Riddle barely had time to register what was happening before the world shifted violently upward.
"FLOYD LEECH! WHAT IN THE SEVEN ARE YOU DOING!!?!"
Floyd had lifted him straight off the chair.
Not slowly. Not carefully. Just scooped him up like he weighed absolutely nothing.
The papers slid off the table as Riddle was abruptly hoisted into the air, his shoes leaving the ground while he struggled against Floyd’s grip.
"Floyd! Put me down immediately!"
Floyd ignored him.
Instead, he casually sat down in Riddle’s chair.
Then, with the same effortless motion, he placed Riddle directly onto his lap.
Riddle froze for exactly one second.
Then his face exploded into furious red.
"FLOYD!"
Floyd leaned back comfortably in the chair, long legs stretching out under the table while his arms rested loosely around Riddle’s waist to keep him from escaping.
"Heh. There we go now goldfishie.."
Riddle shoved at his shoulders.
"What in the name of the Queen do you think you are doing?!"
"You looked uncomfortable."
"I was sitting in my own chair!"
"Yeah but now you're sitting on me."
"THAT IS WORSE!"
Riddle attempted to stand.
Floyd simply tightened his hold slightly, preventing him from getting up without any visible effort.
Riddle stared at him in disbelief.
"Release me immediately."
"Nope."
"I am not joking, Leech."
Oh now into honorifics.
"Neither am I."
"You cannot simply pick people up and relocate them like furniture!"
"Sure I can."
Riddle’s eye twitched violently.
"You are violating at least seven dorm regulations at this very moment."
Floyd leaned his head slightly to the side, clearly uninterested.
"You make a lot of rules."
"Because rules maintain order!"
"Order's boring."
"Order is necessary!"
Riddle tried once more to push himself off Floyd’s lap.
Floyd responded by shifting slightly in the chair and wrapping one arm more securely around Riddle’s waist.
The movement pulled him closer.
Much closer.
Riddle went rigid.
"You are entirely too comfortable with this situation."
"Mmm."
Floyd rested his chin against Riddle’s shoulder.
"smells like roses."
"That is because we are in a rose garden!"
"Still nice."
Riddle’s brain briefly considered spontaneous combustion.
"You will release me at once."
"Don't feel like it."
"This is unacceptable behavior."
"You're warm."
"I AM NOT A HEATING DEVICE!"
Floyd laughed softly, the sound rumbling against Riddle’s back.
For a moment the garden fell quiet again, the breeze stirring the rose vines overhead while the sunlight filtered down across the table.
Riddle sat stiffly in Floyd’s lap, face still burning with outrage while Floyd seemed perfectly content to remain exactly where he was.
Then Floyd shifted slightly behind him.
His voice came out quieter now, less teasing.
"Hey, Goldfish."
Riddle stiffened.
"What."
Floyd rested his head lazily against the back of Riddle’s shoulder.
"You always working like this?"
Riddle hesitated.
"...Yes."
Floyd hummed.
Then, after a small pause, he spoke again.
"If you didn't have all this stuff to do..."
His voice softened slightly, the words slower now.
"...would you hang out with me?"
Riddle blinked.
For a brief moment, he almost forgot to be angry.
The question had come out strangely quiet compared to Floyd’s usual teasing tone, the words half-muted by the way he had rested his head against Riddle’s shoulder. It sounded less like a joke and more like idle curiosity, as if Floyd had simply asked the first thing that crossed his mind before deciding whether he cared about the answer.
Riddle remained stiff in his grasp.
"I already spend an excessive amount of time dealing with you," he replied sharply. "Why would I voluntarily increase that amount?"
Floyd gave a soft laugh behind him.
"That's not what I asked."
Riddle frowned.
"You appear uninvited, disrupt my work, and physically restrain me without permission. I would hardly describe our interactions as hanging out.'"
"Mmm." Floyd did not sound particularly offended.
"If you weren't busy though."
Riddle opened his mouth to respond, then hesitated.
It was an absurd question. Completely unnecessary. Floyd clearly had nothing better to do than ask pointless things simply to watch him react. And yet…
Riddle shifted slightly in Floyd’s lap, trying once again to free himself.
The attempt failed immediately.
Floyd barely moved. His arm around Riddle’s waist simply tightened enough to keep him from escaping, the hold loose but firm in the infuriatingly effortless way that came with Floyd’s height and strength.
"Floyd." Riddle said, clearly irritated again, "you cannot expect me to answer hypothetical questions while you are actively preventing me from leaving."
Floyd hummed softly.
"So that's a maybe?"
"It is not a maybe."
"But you didn't say no."
Riddle felt his face heating again.
"I did not say yes either."
"Goldfishie's thinking about it." Floyd mumbled, his face burid in Riddle's neck
"I am not!"
Floyd chuckled quietly, the sound low and pleased like he had already decided that counted as a victory.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The breeze shifted through the garden again, carrying the scent of roses across the small clearing. Somewhere further down the path, a bird fluttered briefly between the trellises before disappearing into the trees beyond the garden wall.
Floyd shifted slightly in the chair. The movement was slow this time, less playful than before. Instead of leaning forward or adjusting his hold, he slouched further back against the chair, stretching his long legs out under the table as if he had finally decided to settle there for a while.
Riddle felt the change in posture immediately.
"Floyd" he said suspiciously. "what are you doing now?"
"Mmm?"
"You are moving again."
"Getting comfy."
"You are already far too comfortable."
Floyd did not respond right away.
Instead, he relaxed his chin briefly against Riddle’s shoulder again before letting his head tilt sideways slightly, the side of his face brushing lightly against Riddle’s hair.
Riddle stiffened.
"You will refrain from further-"
Floyd yawned.
A long, unrestrained yawn that cut directly across Riddle’s sentence.
Riddle blinked.
"...did you just yawn?"
"Mmm."
"You cannot possibly intend to sleep here."
Floyd's arms shifted slightly around him, not tightening exactly, but settling into a position that was far more relaxed than before.
"Why not?"
"Because you are sitting in the middle of the Heartslabyul rose garden!"
"Good place for a nap."
"It is not a place for napping!"
Riddle tried again to stand.
Floyd barely reacted.
His arm moved just enough to keep Riddle from leaving, the motion lazy but effective. The dorm leader found himself settling back against him before he had even fully realized he had failed again.
Riddle stared forward at the empty table where his paperwork had once been neatly stacked.
Several of the pages now rested scattered across the stone surface.
This was entirely unacceptable.
Floyd shifted again behind him.
This time, instead of resting against Riddle’s shoulder, he let his head fall forward slightly until it settled against the side of Riddle’s neck.
Riddle’s entire body locked.
"You are absolutely not sleeping on me."
"Mmm."
"Leech."
"Mmm?"
"Leech!"
Floyd made a small, tired sound that might have been a laugh.
"You're loud."
"I am loud because you are ignoring me!"
"Goldfishie's warm."
Riddle closed his eyes briefly, attempting to summon what remained of his patience. Also trying not to scream he's not a heater again..
"This is highly inappropriate behavior."
No response.
Riddle waited.
Still nothing.
He turned his head slightly, glancing back just enough to see Floyd’s face.
His eyes were closed. Completely closed.
His breathing had slowed into an even rhythm, shoulders rising and falling gently behind Riddle’s back.
The idiot had actually fallen asleep.
Just like that.
In the middle of the garden.
With Riddle still trapped on his lap.
Riddle stared at him in disbelief.
"You cannot simply fall asleep during an argument."
Floyd did not react.
Riddle huffed quietly.
"Floyd. Wake up."
Nothing.
He shifted slightly again, attempting to free himself more carefully this time. If Floyd was asleep, perhaps he could slip away without-
Floyd's arm tightened instinctively.
Not aggressively.
Just enough that Riddle stopped moving.
"...unbelievable."
Riddle sat there in silence for several moments, clearly contemplating his options.
He could attempt to force himself free.
But that would likely wake Floyd, which meant another round of pointless conversation.
Alternatively, he could wait until Floyd woke up naturally.
Which would take… how long, exactly?
Riddle looked down at the scattered paperwork on the table.
Then he sighed.
"...this is the most ridiculous situation I have encountered all week."
The garden remained quiet.
The warmth behind him was strangely steady, Floyd’s presence heavy but oddly relaxed now that he had completely stopped moving.
Riddle shifted slightly, adjusting his position just enough that his back rested more comfortably against Floyd’s chest.
It was not intentional. Merely practical.
He would remain here only long enough to ensure Floyd woke up. Then he would immediately return to his work.
That was all.
A few minutes passed.
The warm afternoon sunlight continued to spill through the roses overhead, the breeze rustled softly through the leaves. And Floyd Leech slept peacefully in the chair, entirely unconcerned with the dorm leader trapped on his lap.
Riddle attempted to review the documents scattered on the table.
He picked one up. Read half a sentence. Put it down again.
The warmth behind him was distracting.
Floyd’s slow breathing was oddly steady against his back.
Riddle shifted again.
Then stilled.
His eyelids felt heavier than they had a few minutes ago.
He blamed the sunlight.
Or the quiet.
Or the general exhaustion that came with dealing with people like Ace, Deuce, and Floyd on a daily basis.
It had nothing to do with the fact that Floyd’s arm was still loosely resting around his waist.
Absolutely nothing.
Riddle’s head tipped forward slightly.
Just for a moment. He would simply close his eyes briefly. Only briefly.
The garden was quiet.
The roses swayed gently in the breeze.
And after a few minutes of stubborn resistance, Riddle fell asleep as well.
A few moments later, footsteps sounded quietly along the gravel path leading into the rose garden.
Cater Diamond had not come looking for anything in particular. He had simply been passing through on his way back toward the dorm, idly scrolling through Magicam while debating whether he had time to grab a snack before the next class. The garden was usually peaceful around this time of day, and it made for a decent shortcut if he didn’t feel like walking the longer path around the courtyard.
He barely looked up at first.
Then he did a double take.
Cater stopped walking.
"...no way."
A few meters ahead, beneath the rose arch near one of the small tables, sat a very unusual sight.
Floyd Leech was sprawled comfortably in one of the chairs, head tilted slightly to the side, very clearly asleep.
That alone would have been odd enough.
But what really made Cater’s brain short-circuit was the person currently sitting in Floyd’s lap.
Riddle.
Also asleep.
Cater slowly lowered his phone from his face and stared.
Riddle leaned back against Floyd’s chest, completely unaware of his situation. A few strands of red hair had fallen slightly out of place, brushing against his forehead as he slept. One hand still held a sheet of paper from the stack that had been scattered across the table earlier, the page drooping loosely between his fingers.
Floyd’s arm rested around Riddle’s waist like it belonged there.
Both of them were breathing slowly, completely relaxed.
Cater blinked.
Then blinked again.
"...oh my Seven."
The silence of the garden somehow made the situation even more ridiculous.
Cater slowly raised his phone.
There were moments in life when a person had a moral decision to make.
This was not one of those moments.
"Oh this is going on Magicam+."
He tapped the camera open.
Carefully, quietly, Cater stepped a little closer. The gravel barely crunched beneath his shoes as he adjusted his angle, squinting slightly at the screen.
"Okay wait, lighting is actually amazing right now."
Click.
The first photo captured the entire scene perfectly. Floyd lounging in the chair, Riddle fast asleep against him, roses framing the background like some bizarre romantic painting.
Cater stared at the picture.
Then he grinned.
"No one is going to believe this."
Click.
Another photo.
This one closer.
Riddle’s head tilted slightly toward Floyd, Floyd’s arm clearly visible around his waist.
Cater slapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.
Click.
"Oh this is so bad."
Click.
"This is SO bad."
Click.
By the time he finished, Cater had taken at least a dozen pictures from different angles. Some wide shots, some close-ups, one from the side that made it look suspiciously like Floyd had pulled Riddle closer in his sleep.
Cater stepped back again, rapidly flipping through the photos.
"They look like they're literally cuddling."
His grin widened.
"Oh the dorm chat is going to explode."
Without wasting another second, he opened Magicam and selected the best photo - the first one, where both of them looked completely peaceful and absolutely guilty.
He tapped upload.
Caption box.
Cater’s fingers flew across the screen.
SPOTTED IN THE HEARTSLABYUL GARDEN???
[Photo]
Dorm Leader Riddle + Floyd Leech???
WHAT IS HAPPENING???
Then came the hashtags.
So many hashtags.
#HeartslabyulDrama #OctavinelleTea #CaughtIn4K #DormLeaderScandal #RoseGardenRomance #MagicamExclusive #FloydLeech #RiddleRosehearts #AreTheyDating #SomeoneExplain #ThisIsNotADrill #NRCGossip
Cater stared proudly at the post.
"...perfect."
He then posted it.