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It's a pretty well known fact, that Riddle has been trying to be kinder since his overblot.
He doesn’t immediately beheads people for breaking the rules, he allows himself to have fun sometimes and he even made some friends!
Riddle would say that he's doing pretty well. But sometimes there are things happening that make him question if he's doing the right thing.
Don't get him wrong! He's glad that his pears feel more comfortable with him and that they showed him the errors in his old ways. But sometimes, people come up to him and make him question if maybe he's doing something wrong.
Riddle shakes his head and tries to forget about the occurrences that have been happening way to often for his liking.
While attempting to put his magic-pen back into his pocket, Riddles fingertips brush against the trinkets that have been appearing on his desk lately. Ignoring the spark of happiness he feels at that, the redhead quickly puts his pen back.
Right now all that should be relevant, is to hurry to the hedgehogs in order to feed them.
He picks up his pace and heads towards the chamber of mirrors, when he hears someone calling out to him from behind. Startled, Riddle turns around.
For a quick second he considers ignoring whoever is trying to talk to him in order to reach his precious hedgehogs and avoid what could be another of those conversations.
Then he remembers that he's the housewarden of Heartslabyul and whoever wants to talk to him might need to discuss something important with him.
So he turns around and realises that the student who called out to him was a first-year whom he tutored yesterday.
Riddle lets out a sigh of relief. Surely he only wants to ask for another tutoring session or maybe even thank Riddle.
His hopeful illusions get shattered when the student opens his mouth.
“Housewarden! I- I just wanted to tell you about my feelings for you! When you helped me yesterday, I just knew I had to do this. You know, at first I thought you were a bit of a prick and really couldn’t stand you. I thought you were too strict and uptight. But now, now you've changed! You're nice and you help students like me even though you don’t need to! Housewarden, I really, really love you!” the student says, his cheeks a bright red and panting slightly.
“I'm flattered but I don't feel the same,” Riddle replies numbly, as he did the numerous times before, when people would come up to him just confess their feelings for him.
“Tsk, I knew you were still a jerk!” the student says and runs away.
Riddle sighs and continues to go visit his beloved hedgehogs.
He wishes he was joking when he said that when talking to people, especially ones he doesn’t interact with often, them confessing their undying love for him is a common outcome. Far too often recently, a conversation like this one took place happened.
At first, he blushed furiously and stammered an answer. He'd felt flattered that others thought so highly of him that they fell in love.
But now, he's just tired of this and wants this to end. Clearly he can't be doing the whole “being nicer thing” as right as everyone says he is. Cater or Trey are clearly well-liked and not even they received as many love confessions as he does. Riddle didn’t even know that many students on NRC liked boys!
Having finally arrived at the hedgehogs, Riddle sits down and gently feeds them, while quietly ranting about his situation.
He's in the middle of telling them about the latest confession he received, when Lilia appears behind him.
Startled, he turns around: “Vanrouge-senpai! What brings you here?”
“Oh, I was just visiting Cater to ask him about some pop-music club stuff, when I noticed you in here. You appear to have some problems? I thought I might be able to at least provide some advise,” Lilia answered.
Riddle explains his situation.
“Well, while I can't say that I've ever heard of a situation like this before, I still have some ideas.”
“Really?” Riddle asks hopefully.
“Yes, my dear. Have you ever tried pretending that you're already dating? Or at least start a rumour like that? I believe that this should keep at least some of them away and they wont be as angry when you reject them,” Lilia advises gently.
“I can't say I have tried something like that... But I'd be lying if I pretended to be dating when I'm not and that would be against the rules at times. I can't do that!” the housewarden realises.
“Well, you could ask someone to help you in this,” suggests Lilia
“But who?”
“Look into your heart. I'm sure that deep down, you know the answer.”
“Vanrouge-senpai, what does that even mean?”
“And on that note, I think I just saw Cater. I wish you luck with your endeavour. Have a good day!” Lilia says and disappears into thin air
Riddle looks to the spot, where the fae had been standing, in confusion.
“What could Lilia possibly mean with that?” he asks himself and picks up a pink hedgehog.
Who could he possibly ask to pretend to date him? It should be someone he can stand and who won't fall in love with him. Who could meet that criteria? Riddle decides that he can't ask that of a first-year or another housewarden. That would be embarrassing!
In the end, the only person, who comes to his mind is Floyd.
Riddle quickly smacks himself and apologises to a surprised hedgehog.
Surely there are better people to ask for this than the merman, who constantly teases him and is part of Azuls shady dealings. What would stop him from just telling Azul?
But the more he thinks about it, the more of an ideal candidate Floyd becomes. He constantly annoys the redhead, which means that he won't be in love with Riddle. He is the least shady one of Azuls troupe and even if he told Azul, Riddle doubts that this situation could get much worse.
Worst-case scenario: Azul scams a bunch of admirers. Which isn't ideal and someone should really make a rule preventing Azul from attempting to swindle everything that breathes, but Riddle can't be concerned with that in the prospect of finally being able to breathe and maybe even take out the timeslot he has planned into his daily schedule that’s just for students confessing to him.
He could be studying or even doing fun things during that time. Like solving crosswords!
Having made up his mind, Riddle decides to visit Octavinelle.
Or at least that’s what he planned on doing when halfway there, he hears a familiar voice shouting “Goldfishy!!!” and sees a certain mer running up to him with a wide smile.
He braces himself for impact not a second to late as Floyd throws himself at Riddle and almost makes both of them fall to the ground.
“Floyd-” Riddle starts loudly when he realises that he properly shouldn't shout at him when the he's just seconds away of asking the other for a favour. Floyd, who seems to be taking this as a sign to continue, starts to spin Riddle around. The redhead tries to ignore how his feet aren't even close to touching the ground. “I want to ask you something. You see, I've been having a bit of an issue lately.”
Floyd finally puts him back to the ground “Oh, something even Goldfish has problems with? It has to be something really hard then! Or maybe it's just a high shelf Goldfishy can't reach?”
“Why would you-” Riddle cuts himself off. Anything but collaring the boy he's going to ask for a favour. He takes a few deep breathes and explains his situation as calmly as he can manage.
Floyd, who is actually listening patiently only interrupts him halfway through. “Are you actually asking me out like this? Damn, Goldfishy is always so surprising and fun!”
Blushing a bright red, Riddle replies, “Of course I'm not asking you out like this! Who do you think I am?! We haven't even courted yet! And if I would ask you out, I'd do it much better. Do you know how many bad love confessions I had to endure already? Way too many people didn't even use my name!”
Floyd only cackles at this.
In the distance, Riddle sees Azul and Jade hurrying towards the two of them.
“Oh my~,” Azul tried to catch his breath and therefore didn't sound nearly as sly as he probably wanted to. “What could you be possibly be talking about that has Floyd so calm? If you have any issues, don't you worry! I'm sure that we could help you”
“Oh, don't worry, all of my issues are taken care of already”.
“Yeah! Goldfishy just asked me to go to dates with him!”
If his own reaction had been any different, Riddle would have said that the faces of Azul and Jade were priceless.
He desperately holds back the urge to collar Floyd. “Fake-dating! FAKE! As in we don't actually
date! Just pretending, so I can stop being confessed to!” he splutters with cheeks red enough to rival his hair.
Azul, who knows an opportunity when he sees one, quickly regains his composure. “Well, I'm sure that I'd be able to help with that! I'm fairly confident that I'd be able to make the confessions stop and all you need to do is pay a small price. So small in fact, that it's hardly relevant right now!”
Riddle crosses his arms, “I've got this handled and I'm fairly confident in my own judgement, thank you very much. I asked Floyd after all.”
Jade places his hand on his chest and puts on a very fake sad voice. “You aren't asking my poor brother to just to take this huge burden upon himself and not get anything in return, are you?”
Azul wipes a non-existent tear, “How cruel of you, Riddle. I did not expect my fellow housewarden to be this selfish” .
“I can introduce Floyd to the hedgehogs we have at Heartslabyul!” Oh Sevens! Is this really the best Riddle can come up with? Surely something like this won't convince Floyd!
Like shark smelling blood, Azul comes closer. “Surely the housewarden of Heartslabyul can offer something more? How about-” “It's fine, 'zul, that sounds fun!” Floyd smirks, all teeth.
They look at each other and Riddle is pretty sure, that they are having a conversation somehow.
It ends with Azul and Jade leaving a tad unsatisfied. Probably because they didn't manage to secure benefits from Riddles misery.
He stops dwelling on this when Floyd turns to him and asks him what dating on land usually entrails.
Unfortunately, is this the exact moment Riddle realises that he knows little to nothing about that as well. The only things he knows are the basics his mother told him when he was younger, like how she and his father ended up married. When he thinks about it, there isn't much more she taught him in that regard.
Then he remembers how his father refused to see the both of them and asks himself if her advise would be useful to him. Thinking about it, Riddle isn't even sure how Ace and Deuce got together. Surely they must have courted somehow! But what does that even entail?
Of course Riddle knows that you're supposed to give each others flowers or romantic gifts. But what even classifies as romantic besides red roses and heart-shaped chocolate?
Riddle doesn't know if he let his confusion show, but Floyd takes this moment to start talking about courting and dating customs in the coral sea. About how they gift trinkets or impressive prey to their beloved ones. About his parents and how they got together.
This reminds Riddle of the trinkets that would appear everyday without fail. Is a merman trying to court him? It wouldn't be too surprising, but for a split second, his mind wanders to the person standing in front of him.
Why was Riddle thinking of Floyd in that way? The situation has to be taking more of a toll on him than he anticipated!
“So what do we actually do to help you with yer problem?” the mer brings him back to reality.
“I'd assume that being seen together on a few 'dates' should be enough. Then the students would gossip and hopefully stop confessing to me.”
“Oh! Azul mentioned a school festival that's coming up soon! Can we go there? Can we?” Floyd exclaims excitedly and Riddle can't help but agree.
Usually, he isn't one for festivals. They produce a lot of work that the headmage happily makes the housewardens do, even though that’s his job and they require Riddle to “let loose”. On top of that, many students use them as excuses to break the rules, which usually ends up to be more stressful than anything to for him.
But with Floyd looking this excited and doing him such a huge favour, who is he to say no?
When planning this scheme, Riddle expected the most difficult part of it to be getting Floyd to agree to help him. Or maybe even to keep him interested or to make it believable.
What he did not expect nor plan was having a meltdown over what to wear for his first date.
His dorm uniform would be to formal, Riddle knows that much. Should he just wear his school uniform then? He knows that some students do that. He also knows that there are many that wear different clothing for occasions like these, especially for dates so that rules his school uniform out as well.
Riddle opens his closet and comes to face with the reality about the clothes he owns. Most of them were brought and chosen by mother and he does not feel comfortable wearing them. But then again, she did tell him that that doesn't matter. Maybe he's just being too sensitive.
Throwing that train of thought aside, he looks at the other clothes he owns. Most of them were given to him by Cater and less by Vil. Besides those, he has the princess getup he used to escape the library and a few accessories given to him by those, who confessed to him afterwards. The only reason he still has the latter, is because he felt like it would be rude to decline them and felt awkward throwing them out later.
Just as he starts contemplating on give up on this and just wear his school uniform, he hears a suspicious voice calling from the seven know where. “Goldfishy!!!”
Of course it's Floyd.
Riddle panics and throws together some clothes that look acceptable and comfortable. He fixes his hair in window and quickly walks towards Floyd, not trusting the other to not cause a mess or at least threaten a few students.
Walking through the halls, he wonders why Floyd puts up with all of this. It can't be as fun as he claims it to be! The mer even makes the effort to hang around Riddle more often, which is really effective in keeping suitors away. Even the trinkets have stopped appearing, which he would be a bit sad about, if Floyd hadn't be giving him trinkets instead.
They were the dumbest things, really. Sometimes they would be rocks (They're shiny, Goldfishy! They reminded me of your crown!) or little flowers (They're red, like Goldfishs hair!) or candy (They're sweet, just like Goldfish... s tarts!). One time Floyd even gave him a red rose!
Riddle has no clue where Floyd keeps finding these trinkets. He mentioned it to Azul once and he offered to show him for free while being way too happy about it. That would be to good to be true, so the redhead declined and just gave up on finding out afterwards.
Riddle is overjoyed that Floyd has such fun in this play pretend. It has to be pretty exciting for the eel, why else would he be this interested?
When Riddle reaches the mer, he seems to be threatening some poor first-years.
The redhead walks up to him.“Don't bully my card soldiers, Floyd!”
“I wasn't bullying them!” he pouts. “We were just having some fun, right?” he definitely threatens the first-years.
“Stop that. I thought we wanted to go somewhere,” Riddle says and starts to drag the other towards the festival.
The festival is spend going from booth to booth and profiting from couple bonuses. It's spend with Floyd buying whatever he feels like and sharing it with Riddle.
Thanks to him, Riddle ends up trying out a lot of new types of food. He did not know that cotton candy was this delicious!
They also play lots of games with the highlight being a game of bean bag toss where Riddle won Floyd an eel plush (he has no clue how he managed to achieve such a feat) and a game of throwing cans, where Floyd won him a goldfish plush. When they got back to Riddles dorm, the eel put one of Riddles spare crowns on it “because it looks like Goldfishy now”. Thanks to these, they now have matching plushes!
One time, Riddle left to grab a drink only to find his partner hissing at some people, who confessed to him in the past. When he asked the other, he only replied that he was doing it “for funsies”.
He can't say he minds walking around with Floyd like this. Even though he occasionally has to remind the mer that manners exist, it's worth it. It's been a long while since Riddle has had this much fun.
Once they are done with the festival, he even gathers all of his courage and asks Floyd on a second 'date'. Riddle can feel his cheeks burning a bright shade of red and hears the scandalised gasps of students that heard what’s going on, but none of this matters when Floyd happily accepts.
After that, they go on many dates and every time, Riddle enjoys himself immensely.
Sometimes, it's just Riddle watching Floyd as he plays basketball and absolutely obliterates the RSA students he plays against. Sometimes, it's just them caring for Heartslabyuls hedgehogs.
They even visited an aquarium once, where Riddle brought the other a little keychain. Obviously just to make up for the trinkets the mer always gives him and not because he finds the way Floyd’s face lights up adorable.
These days, Riddle doesn't receive quiet as many confessions as before. Who is he kidding, it's not even close. He was even able to plan out the timeslot for confessions!
Does that mean that he can stop the thing he has going on with Floyd?
When thinking about that, he can't help but feel uneasy. The past month with Floyd has been so enjoyable. Riddle doesn't want to end it. He knows that they probably will be closer than before the whole thing, so why is it so hard for him to end this?
When did he become this selfish?
Because that has to be what’s happening. It's just him enjoying himself to much and being unable to stop being a burden for Floyd. It has to be him being too selfish to set Floyd free of this arrangement.
When did he become like this?
“You selfish brat! Can't you see that I'm just doing what’s best for you?!”
His mothers voice echos in his head. Just how often did he hear those words from his mothers mouth? He lost count...
He had been quiet selfish his whole life, hadn't he?
But if he has always been this selfish then surely one more day with Floyd can't hurt. Just one more. Receiving trinkets from Floyd just once more, tending the Hedgehogs with Floyd just once more, having Floyd attend an Unbirthday-party just once more, he tells himself.
The whole next day is as perfect as the ones before with just a bit of melancholia added to it.
Floyd greets him smiling and gifts him a few stones (They have the same colour as Goldfishies eyes!). They go through their respective lessons and when Riddle goes on his way to meet up with him, Jade tells him that “Floyd has been very happy recently, which just has to mean that even Floyd is done with their act and is glad that there is no reason for it anymore.
When they both finally make it to Heartslabyul, they pet the hedgehogs and feed the flamingos together, before attending the Unbirthday-party as King and Queen of Heartslabyul.
Afterwards, Floyd invites him to eat dinner at Octavinelle and Riddle immediately agrees.
“Like one last date” Riddle traitorous mind supplies and he holds the mers hand tighter.
The meal is delicious but Riddle can't help but keep pushing the food on his plate around. He knows that it's rude and he can almost hear his mothers words
“How ungrateful! All of this effort I put into this meal and for what? For you to have the audacity to complain? If you can act like that, then you seem to be doing fine without dinner today!” (I wasn't complaining, mother! Please, I'm begging you! Mother, I'm hungry!)
Riddle shakes his head. He is supposed to be doing better now. He can't keep bothering Floyd with all of his issues.
“Floyd” his tongue feels heavy and his mouth dry. “I... I think we can stop pretending now. Thank you for playing along. I don't require your assistance anymore, therefore I shall stop bothering you”
A fork falls down and clanks.
Shocked, Riddle looks up to see Floyd looking back at him, with an expression that almost mirrors his.
“Ah...” Riddle can see how the others seems disappointed? Sad? Before smiling (sadly?) “Glad that Goldfishy isn't being bothered by these Guppies anymore”
“Yeah... I assume that I should go now, right?” Riddle stands up awkwardly. He can't seem to stop fidgeting. Mother would be very disappointed.
“Stop that! I raised you better than this!”
She did. So why does he keep doing things like this lately?
He walks out only to stop to turn around “Thank you for the gifts and everything. I... I enjoyed all of this”
“Goldfish?! Are you alright? You're acting weird and your skin is way paler than usually.”
Riddle needs to leave before he does something he shouldn't like telling the mer that the last month must have been the best time of his life and how no, he does not want this to stop, but he just can't trap a free spirit like Floyd just because it makes him happy. Before he does something stupid like revealing that whenever he's around, Riddle feels all fuzzy and happy and that while Floyd steals his books when he tries to study in the library, he also gives him trinkets that make him more happy than anything else. He can't just tell Floyd that while he calls him short and never addresses him with his name, the mer still manages to lift his spirits when he's down.
If he just keeps all of this to himself, surely they can be friends. Though the thought of being 'just friends' makes his chest squeeze tight somehow.
The realisation that he is in love with Floyd, with Floyd Leech out of all people, hits him like a bus.
Is this why he is so selfish and can't seem to let him go? Why can't he bring himself to just walk away? To just leave and deal with all of these emotions later?
Riddle thinks about all of the unwanted confessions he received. He won't do this to Floyd. That would make the mer as miserable as he was and him just like those other students. What would mother do? Surely she'd be disappointed for being in such a situation in the first place, surly she-
“Goldfish? Goldfishy?! Riddle!”
Riddle blinks a few times. Since when has Floyd been standing in front of him? And did he just call him by his actual name?
“Are you alright? We don't need to stop what we're doing if you don't want to,” It was rare to see the other so serious.
“Surely I'm not that exciting to be around. Seriously you don't need to trouble yourself like that just because I'm having minor issues again.”
“Goldfish is plenty of fun to be around! He could never get boring! Goldfishy is always such a hard worker and gives his all! It's alright for Goldfishy to ask for help once in a while.” Floyd exclaims, eyes shining and moves closer.
“Thats-! You're being surprisingly honest right now, how rare of you. But Floyd, I know that you're smart, so you can surely fathom why I'm acting like this. I really don't wanna burden you with me feeling like... this,” Riddle pulls a bit away, “Please, I know that you know what I mean so don't make me say it out loud”.
Floyd tilts his head “What do you- OH!” Unable to meet his eyes, Riddle turns away from Floyd “Goldfishy really likes to make his own life difficult!” the mer exclaims with what sounds like a laugh.
“I love Goldfishy too, you know,” he says and Riddle has never turned his head faster. “WHAT?!” only to be meet with a found smile.
“I mean, I love you too!” he finally meets Floyds gaze.
When he finally feels Floyd call him by his actual name again and shortly after his lips on his own, it's like thousand fireworks. It's the best thing ever and suddenly, Riddle is very glad that he went through everything.
The overblood that showed him the errors of his ways? Worth it
Him desperately trying to be kinder and not repeat the mistakes of his past? Worth it
The whole mess that him trying to be nicer resulted in? Worth it
Because when he pulls away to catch his breath, he gets a glimpse of his now lover, with cheeks a bright red and just can't himself when he leans in again. Seeing the mer panting is definitely worth the lack of air in his own lungs.
And when a familiar voice comes back to haunt him so vividly that she might as well be there,
“What a disgrace you are! Your behaviour makes me question if you really are a Rosehearts! Just what have you been thinking?! It's like you're trying to disappoint me!”
he can finally ignore it and, at least for now, pretend it doesn't exist.
And to prove it, he lunges forward and claims Floyds lips with his own once more.