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“About time. Does your clock have butter and sugar gumming up the works?” Riddle chastised, a small pout on his face— the display of displeasure being one you had expected at your rushed arrival to Heartslabyul.
You gave him a sheepish grin, apologizing to your rose-red housewarden. Thanks to a certain duo, you arrived late and you knew how strict Riddle could be about punctuality; especially with his demanding schedule. Still, it wasn’t like you could help it. Ever since you got placed in this new world, like dominoes, events seemed to endlessly fall one after the other.
While you explained how you got mixed up in Deuce and Ace’s shenanigans yet again, Riddle tried his best to feign indifference. A futile effort, as he couldn’t find it in himself to will away the smile that formed on his face as you described your little adventure.
“Well. Now that you’re here, please, have a seat.” Like clockwork, Riddle moved to pull out the chair for you; as he usually would for your scheduled tea times. But before his fingers could even graze the chair, you quickly stopped him; that mischievous glint in your eyes already telling him all that he needed to know.
He looked at you, arms crossed and brows furrowed as if trying to study your expression. “Yes?”
“Are you aware of what is happening today?” You asked, to which Riddle scoffed.
“Hmph. How silly— of course I do. As per tradition, we have already made preparations for the Unbirthday party.” He would usually be patient with questions, but he was quite on guard as he didn’t want to fall prey to one of your schemes. Again. “Unless that is not what you are pertaining towards?”
You shook your head no, that grin of yours not doing him any favors. He sighed before responding. “Go on, then. Enlighten me. Is there a special occasion I haven’t been made aware of? Because I highly doubt it. I take into account every birthday, holiday, and NRC event— even Cater’s blog, of all things.”
You shook your head again. Riddle sighed in defeat. “Then what day is it, exactly?” By the tone of his voice, you could tell he was already losing his patience.
To that, you unceremoniously answered his question. “It’s pocky day!” You revealed, exclaiming with excitement.
“Pocky… day?” Riddle parroted, his peeved expression shifting into curiosity. His head tilts ever so slightly in thought, red strands of hair falling over his face. “And what is this ‘pocky’ you speak of?”
You pull out a box of the familiar snack from your world, presenting it to him like a treasure. In a way, it was. You had found it in the bag you were wearing before you got magically transported here. His eyes widened, his interest surprisingly piqued at such an ordinary thing.
Riddle carefully takes the box from your hands, humming in realization. “How fascinating. We actually have a snack like this as well, though it has a different name.” He mused before placing the box back into your hands. “My Mother never allowed me to eat junk food, but I have seen Che’nya snack on these when we were children.”
You open the box, taking out the packet of pocky and proposing that the two of you play a game.
“A game?” He pondered for a moment before giving you an answer. “Hm. Usually, I refrain from going off-schedule. But seeing as there's some time before the Unbirthday party, I suppose we could. What are the rules for this game?”
“It’s simple. You take the chocolate end and I take the stick end. We both take turns biting, and whoever backs off first loses,” you explained to him.
To say that Riddle was baffled at those rules is an understatement. “And why, pray tell, is there a whole day dedicated to this— you know what, better question. Why would I play such an unruly game?”
You shrugged. “Well… it’s strawberry flavored.”
“You speak as if that reasoning alone would convince me…!”
“You must play the pocky game or else the pocky police will get you!” You replied playfully.
“Oh? And what is this ‘pocky police’ going to do? Lock me up?” He replied, voice laced with smug sarcasm. “I’d like to see them try.”
“I’m only kidding. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to, Riddle.”
“I-I never said that! I still wish to participate, even if it's absurd, because it’s with…!” He quickly defended himself before trailing off. His face was so red it almost matched his hair.
“With…?”
Riddle took a deep breath, regaining his composure. “You do realize that if neither of us back off, that would mean eventual lip contact, correct? Are you suggesting that you accept the possibility that we might accidentally kiss?!”
“I do. I was going to warn you, but since you’re already willing to play with me, I trust you already came to that conclusion?”
“That’s—!” Riddle was speechless, unable to come up with a retort.
After a few moments, he settled for covering up his unintentioned slip up with confidence. “Heh. Very well. We shall play your little game, prefect.”
And so, you fished out a pocky and stuck the stick end into your mouth before leaning in. Riddle hesitantly follows suit, his silver eyes locking with yours. You had to stop yourself from biting down too early from how close he is.
Unexpectedly, Riddle took a small nibble from his end first, signalling the start of the game. You smiled cheekily, taking a large bite to counter; a challenge. After a small pause, Riddle takes an equally large bite.
At this point, there isn’t a lot of pocky left. You bit off just a little bit, waiting to see what Riddle would do next. There's only a tiny space between your lips and his now— even from this close, you could feel the tension and uncertainty in his eyes as he decides what to do. Surely, he’s going to back off now. He isn’t actually going to…
He does.
One small crunch of the pocky stick, and for a fleeting moment, your lips brush together with his. You pull back instantly, your face flushed red.
Riddle also has a faint blush on his cheeks, but it did not stop him from celebrating childishly after the initial shock had worn off; a rare contrast from his usual stern and stoic demeanor. “I did it! I won!!”
Meanwhile, while he was celebrating you were mentally freaking out on the inside. While his reaction to winning is adorable, maybe playing this game with your crush wasn’t such a good idea. Time to go back to Ramshackle dorm and scream into a pillow while Grim side eyes you.
“Prefect?”
Riddle calls out for you, which snaps you out of your racing thoughts.
“Would you like a rematch? I’ll be kind and give you a second chance.”
He wants a rematch?! You looked at him in shock before nodding, your hand shaking a bit as you pulled out another pocky stick and placed it into your mouth.
You watched as Riddle’s gaze momentarily drifted away for a moment in contemplation. You smiled, ready to tease him. But before you could, the pocky is pulled out of your mouth and Riddle moves in, pushing your lips together. Your eyes widened in surprise.
After that chaste moment, Riddle pulls back, his silver eyes gazing into yours once again to check if you’re okay. For once, you’re speechless, only managing to blink dumbfoundedly at him; your face perpetually flushed. After a few moments, all you could muster was a small plea for more.
At your response, he blinked in surprise before letting out an amused chuckle. “My… you really are an eager one, aren’t you?”
You blushed even more. “Says you…”
Riddle laughs fondly, gently cupping your cheek with his hand. “Apologies if I was being difficult earlier. I never could have possibly imagined that you would ever reciprocate my feelings… but now that I know, I couldn’t be happier.” He confessed, voice painfully soft.
You smiled back at him, nuzzling your face against the warmth of his hand. He moved in slow and deliberate this time, achingly sweet as your lips met with the faintest taste of strawberry chocolate still lingering… Maybe you don’t mind that you lost the game after all.