Chapter Text
Riddle is sitting in his dorms common room, trying desperately to tune out Caters voice and study when it happens. He can feel the annoyance bubble long before the door swings open wildly, letting a loud presence makes himself known. His bright teal hair makes him stand out immediately in the red-toned room.
"Goldfishie~"
Riddle sighs, dropping his pencil and leaning back into the sofa in annoyance. The lanky intruder, Floyd as Riddle has come to know, saunters over, dropping his body limply over the back of the couch. His face is a little too close for Riddle's comfort.
"Floyd, this is not your dorm." He scolds, eye twitching ever so slightly as the man laughs in his face.
"I know~ It's yours, that's why I'm here!"
On his other side, Cater snickers, looking entirely too smug. Riddle has half the mind to grab the spiky orange pony tail on the back of his head and rip it off. He could already tell this was going to be a huge distraction from his studies, and he certainly didn't need any more of those.
"I'm busy, I don't have time for your nonsense." Riddle said bitterly. It was the same excuse he used the last two times, but it was the honest truth, and when he was lucky Floyd actually listened.
"Aw, don't be mean. Goldfishies aren't supposed to be salty." He grinned, leaning forwards even further and dangling a brown paper bag above Riddles head. "I just came to give you this. I got bored and made too many snacks, so I'm dumping my trash onto you!" The bag dropped weightily onto Riddles lap, and he felt his face growing hot with annoyance.
"Floyd, I am NOT your waste bin!" Riddle sneered as the boy rose from the couch, skipping cheerfully to the door he had so rudely entered from.
"'Course you ain't! Bye bye Goldfishie! Don't study too hard~"
A beat passed after the door slammed shut, silence enveloping the once unbearably chatty room. Riddles hands twitch over the brown bag, curiosity gnawing at him until Trey speaks up from where he sat silently across the table.
"Was that the new guy from Octavinelle?" He asked, pushing up his glasses with a frown.
Cater sparks to life, pulling out his phone and scrolling through it like his life depends on it. Knowing how that boy was, it probably did.
"Yes! The transfers! They're in your year, right Rids? The twins?"
Trey's eyes widen. "There's two of them? That explains why he was acting like we had never met the other day.."
Riddle scoffs. He cannot fathom mistaking the two. The twins had only been at Night Raven College for around a month, and they had already made quite the statement. Riddle shared a lecture with the far more polite twin, Jade, and immediately he came to the conclusion they were as different as night and day. Jade was diligent, hair smoothed, papers organized. Riddle liked Jade, he was like a quiet lake. An adept partner in class, who offered valuable insight, and an admirable work ethic, but was keen to sit back and observe.
Floyd on the other hand, was like a hurricane. He was loud, lazy, and far too familiar. Riddle was lucky enough not to share a class with him, but he visited his brother far too often for Riddle to be truly free.
And now, he thought bitterly, He's coming to my dorm.
"What kind of snacks did he bring you anyways?" Cater grinned, snapping Riddle out of his head. He blinked down at the paper bag, and moving to gingerly unfold it.
"Knowing him, probably whatever left over ingredients should've went in the trash." But as the bag unfurled, a delicious aroma began to fill the room. Light, and sweet. Brows furrowing in confusion, Riddle cautiously pulled out a tin of Strawberry tarts. Trey leaned froward, curiosity shimmering on his face. Cater put a hand to his mouth.
"Oh em gee. These aren't store bought right? I didn't know he could bake!"
"They're probably poisoned." Riddle said blankly, staring at the tarts like they would spring to life and give him answers. Trey reached across, grabbing a tart and lifting it to his mouth. Riddle silently hoped that the baker would find a fault in Floyd's treats so that Riddle would have an excuse to dumb them all in the trash. Instead, his eyes crinkled with a gentle smile.
"They're really good, Riddle. You should try some, it's your favorite, right?"
That's the problem. Riddle scorned. How in the hell does he know my favorite food? Was it really just coincidence?
Riddle pushed the remaining container of tarts onto the table, standing up and collecting his things. No, he still refused to indulge the mannerless boy, the tarts could be eaten by his friends instead. Then there would be no waste, and Riddle could move on guilt free.
"Foolish. You two enjoy the rest, I'm heading back to my room now. It's clear there won't be any more studying here."
Cater frowned, bringing his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, I guess I can share some with the adorbs first years, but why don't you want any? He totes made them for you."
"No, he's up to something. He wont leave me alone." Riddle scowled. "avoiding him isn't even working anymore, because clearly he thinks he has the right to intrude in here as well!" Riddle should have known it was bad news getting involved with Floyd Leech from the day they met. Azul said he had some people to introduce him to, he should of known that anything that scammer had to offer could never be good.
Suddenly, Caters eyes gleamed with mischief. Seeming to sense danger, Trey's face dropped. "Cater-"
"Rids, I got just the thing for ya!" Cater beamed. Riddle paused, tucking his bag into his side.
"What do you mean?"
"Cay Cay's expert guide to pushing someone away! It's tried and true! You wanna see for yourself?" Riddle felt unease pool in his gut. Trusting Cater with something like this wasn't by any means a good idea. Riddle and Cater were as different as two people could be, and more often than not, his advice was difficult for Riddle to apply. But then.. what did he have to lose? The Leech twin had been terrorizing him incessantly despite his best efforts. Maybe what he needed was a new perspective.
"Fine."
Cater gave him a quick shoulder pat, grinning wickedly as he scrolled through his phone. "Perf, I'll send it to you later tonight. I'll have everything worked out for you in no time babes!"
Riddle left the common room feeling no lighter, with an inexplicable amount of dread boring at the back of his mind. Trey gave Cater a knowing look, small smirk toying at his lips.
"What's this about 'Cay Cay's' expert guide'?"
"I've got it all under control. He'll be thanking me eventually."
That night, just as Riddle slid into bed, His phone buzzed with a notification from the eccentric third year.
'give these a shot, one for each day ;)' the message read, and attached was a shoddily bedazzled list. Riddle snorted. It seemed rather stupid, but as he read the first point, a satisfied smile began to work its way onto his face. He could do this, he might even have Floyd turn tail and running by the second day.
With a quick 'Thank you' to Cater, Riddle put his phone on his nightstand, eager for the next morning.
1. Be Clingy
Anyone would get annoyed by constant texts, right?
At first, Riddle debates if he really can do this. Being clingy isn't in his nature, but he realizes this might be the perfect opportunity when he hears Jade off handedly mention Floyd's 'tantrum' early that morning. Floyd's mood can turn on a dime. Usually, when he gets sour, Riddle relishes in the peace and quiet it brings, but now he sees what he's been missing out on. If he can annoy Floyd during one of his moods, he might get so pissed he never talks to Riddle again.
Smiling to himself during a break in lectures, Riddle pulls out his phone and pulls up Floyd's contact. It's full of ignored messages, and Riddle feels a little bit of guilt before flushing it down.
'Where are you?' He pressed send before he could chicken out, biting the inside of his cheek as he watched three dots appear. The response was almost instant.
'Hah? Goldfishie is texting me?" Riddle felt a little defensive, somehow.
'Is that so weird?' He groaned before continuing, making his way past his peers into the library. If he didn't go all out, it would be an absolute failure.
'You haven't come to see me today.'
Floyd's answer was a little slower this time, like he was trying to figure out what to say. Riddle waited a little impatiently, idly moving to sit in an empty seat behind a couple shelves.
'Sorry Goldfishie. Not feelin it today. I'll see you tomorrow.'
Riddle let out a small noise of surprise, quickly glancing around the library to make sure no one heard. Sorry? Since when had Floyd ever said sorry? Riddle wasn't even sure it was in the boys vocabulary.
Belatedly, Riddle recalled the only other time he had interacted with Floyd during one of his moods, something he must have totally wiped from his memory. He looked miserable, eyes narrow and dark, glaring at anyone who tried to approach him. Riddle had run into him and mistook his presence for being another unwelcome visit, scolding him. Floyd tensed and relaxed his jaw, like it was taking every ounce of restraint he had to be polite, respectful.
"Sorry Goldfishie, I'm not in the mood to play today." He said coolly, dipping his head and rushing off before Riddle could get another word in. Riddles hands hesitated over his keyboard. Perhaps the filter-less boy did care about what he said after all.
Shaking his head like it would get rid of the thoughts, Riddle put his focus back on their conversation. He had a mission, scare Floyd away. Or, annoy him away. Either worked.
'That's selfish, don't you think? I don't get to see you just because you're not in the mood?'
The reply was instant, and Riddle felt mean.
'what'
He was starting to think he should just drop this all together when the next text came.
'You want to see me?'
'I can't do that right now Goldfishie'
Riddle wasn't sure why his heart was beating so fast. Was this giving him some sick sort of exhilaration? Was he more cruel a person than he thought, to enjoy doing this? The thought gave him a pang of guilt, but he was in too deep to by now to stop and say, 'Oh, sorry, I was being a dick to you so I'd never have to see you again, but now I've grown a conscience'.
Instead, feeling thoroughly evil, he typed;
'Such a bother. I miss you, and all you're focussed on is your bad mood?'
'Unbelievable.'
The last reply from Floyd was a flat, 'Okay.', and then he was static. Riddle sent a few more messages after that, but he was starting to feel a bit too much like a clingy ex and stopped, turning off his phone and staring up at the ceiling lights and wondering what he life could have possibly come to.
All things considered, that seemed to go.. really well. Riddle could practically picture the barely restrained anger on the taller mans face, and he imagined if they had that conversation in person, Floyd would not have been able to hold back so easily. By all means, Floyd seemed thoroughly annoyed. So then why did Riddle feel so awful? He was the one who wanted Floyd out of his life, and he seemed to accomplish just that.
Perhaps a little sentimentally, he thought back to the first time he had met Floyd. The head of Octavinelle dorm, Azul, had sent Riddle a message, stating simply that a few old friends had transferred into their prestigious University, and he thought it adequate for Riddle to be introduced, considering from that point on one of them would be acting as Azul's Vice. Riddle had felt a little taken aback. Appointing a brand new student as his vice, and just.. disregarding the previous. When Riddle asked what qualifications this childhood friend had, Azul had simply responded with a snarky, 'Call it nepotism, then. It's not so different than you appointing Trey, now is it?'
So, Riddle may have already been in a bad mood on his way over. What right did Azul have to judge Riddles leadership decisions? Heartslabyul had become a respectable dorm under his guidance. Smoke practically coming out of his ears, Riddle rounded the corner of the grey-toned dorm and slamming rather ungracefully into someone in an unbuttoned shirt and loose tie. Riddle fell to the floor with an undignified yelp. The man in front of him stayed unmoving, and Riddle scorned that he was the only one to embarrass himself. When he looked up, the sight of who could possibly be that careless wasn't entirely surprising. A man in a crumpled uniform with messy teal hair and droopy eyes. He didn't look like the pinnacle of grace, if his lax posture was anything to go by. The man glanced down at Riddle with a look of indifference, like the situation wasn't even worth his time. Riddle grit his teeth, pushing to his feet and brushing the dust from his pants in one swift motion. He craned his head up to meet the mans eyes, hoping that his height didn't make him seem so vulnerable.
"How entirely rude. It is your responsibility to watch where you are going in the hallways, and yet you don't even have the manners to check if I'm alright. Your House Warden really ought to teach you some respect." He frowned, arms tight over his chest. The teal haired man's eyes seemed to glint with something then. Interest. He tilted his head.
"Hah? And why should I respect you?"
"Excuse me?" Riddle scoffed, temper rising. "Even if I weren't the House Warden of Heartslabyul, your attitude is entirely uncalled for! Honestly, who do you think you are?"
He was smiling now, playful like a child. "Your face is gettin' so red it matches your hair. You look like a little goldfishie~"
The conversation only escalated from there, and Riddle could only be thankful that there weren't many students around to witness his yelling match with a way too composed Floyd. Luckily, Azul had found them bickering in the hall before too long, accompanied by a man who looked awfully similar to the one Riddle had been talking to. Azul had half-heartedly apologized for the Floyd's behaviour while Jade politely took his hand, introducing himself as Octavinelles new Vice Warden and Floyd's twin brother. Riddle tried not to be embarrassed by his current presentation.
It was from that moment on that Riddle elected that he could tolerate getting along with Jade, but that he would avoid his reckless and impudent brother at all costs.
It proved quite futile, as somehow Floyd always seemed to show up absolutely everywhere Riddle went. He wished he had any clue why Floyd had such an unrelenting interest in ticking him off.
He sat there in uncomfortable contemplation for who knows how long, watching the clock tic by until his next lecture when heavy footsteps echoed down the library halls. Riddle instantly felt a shift, and his head snapped up, alert. rounding a corner, head hung ever so slightly, was the very man Riddle had thought to have successfully shooed away moments earlier. His outfit was even more crumpled than usual, as if he had haphazardly thrown it on, and his eyes were tight and sharp as he dragged his feet towards Riddle. Riddle pressed his palms into the seats cushions, on edge. Why was here here? He couldn't possibly be that mad could he? Riddle cautiously rose, hoping to ease the situation.
"Um-"
Before he could get a word out, Floyd hunched over, letting his head fall into Riddles shoulder as he arms snaked around his body. Riddle froze, mouth going dry.
"M'sorry Goldfishie. This is all I can manage today. Didn't mean t'upset you." Floyd mumbled, burrowing his head further into Riddles neck. The sincerity in his voice caught Riddle completely off guard. Was this.. because Riddle said he missed him? Did Floyd seriously come all this way, shoving down his bad mood just for him? Riddle suddenly felt an immense wave of shame, and his hands nervously came up to pat awkwardly at Floyd's back. He wasn't sure he was being very reassuring at all.
"No, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have pushed yourself if you weren't feeling good." Riddle whispered, as if it would change anything about how real the moment felt. Floyd only held him tighter, like he was something sacred.
"S'okay. Think you know best anyways. M'feeling better already." His small smile pressed into Riddles skin, and it burned. "Goldfishie's so nice to me."
His words hit Riddle like a punch to the gut.
"That is the most pathetic fucking thing I've ever heard." The orange haired freshman said plainly, arms crossed over his chest. Riddle frowned, looking to Cater entirely displeased.
"What are these two even doing here? This is a private matter."
"I just want to see if I can get any more free food out of this. Those tarts were fire."
"Ace! Have some respect." The blue haired one scowled, and Riddle could already feel what little remained of his sanity begin to drain. Cater always did have the infuriating ability to befriend the most troublesome people.
"So, what's the problem? You realized you hate being mean to people? Riddle, I hate to break it to you honey, but being mean is the only way you stand a chance at pushing that guy away." Cater supplied, though the knowing smirk on his face told Riddle he was also finding this just as amusing as Ace.
"He just looked so.. I don't even know. I thought I had pushed him away, but when I realized I had just bullied him into listening me.. I don't want to do that."
Trey put a comforting hand on Riddles shoulder. His eyes were kind, but stern. Riddle could almost hear his voice, saying the same words he has had to incessantly repeat to him in the past. 'You aren't her. You are not your mother.'
Cater sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, how about this then? Just, leave him alone when he's already feeling down. I know you don't want to be mean, but truthfully? I can't see a world in which you genuinely hurt Floyd Leech by being mean to him, not if he's his usual chipper self. I actually think he likes it."
Riddle frowned. "What's the point then? I'm supposed to be getting rid of him."
"Hey, I said I can't see him getting upset, but I can totes see him getting bored."
Ace nods thoughtfully besides Cater. "True. Floyd hates being told what to do. I'm on the basket-ball team with him, and it's a pain. Gets bored and walks out just like that."
Riddle considers this. Bossy, bossy Riddle could do. It was second nature to him, dealing with slackers like Cater all the time.
With a small, satisfied smile, Riddle checked his schedule.
Tomorrow, he would scare Floyd off for good.