Chapter Text
10 missed calls. Riddle's mom had tried to call him 10 times in the past 10 minutes.
The first missed call happened right after they all had breakfast. Jamil was telling them about the time he almost ate a bug. Despite Jamil's mortified face, the story had them all laughing.
The ringtone was basic. It came with the phone, and Riddle never bothered changing it. He got up to step away, but Malleus asked who was calling.
When Riddle told them it was his mom, Azul wrestled the phone out of his hands and let it ring. As far as they were concerned, Riddle needed as little interaction with his mom as possible. But then she called again, and again, and again.
There was no break between the calls. She hated leaving voicemails.
"What do we do?" Jamil looked at the still-ringing phone. "Riddle, can't you just lie and say you're asleep?"
"That's not how my phone works." Riddle said, still struggling in Malleus's grasp. "It sends her notifications every time I use it. I've already checked my phone twice today. She knows I'm awake."
"Ugh…I can't even begin to think about my parents knowing everything I do on any of my devices." Idia shivered and began searching something up. "We're getting you a new phone."
"Or at least hacking the thing to stop that." Jamil started scrolling through it. "You don't even have any games on here. You don't even have a passcode!"
"It's to ensure I don't hide anything from her!" Riddle vouched for her. It was second nature by now. "Don't you understand you're only making this worse for me?! Let me talk to her!"
"Honestly, I've been sappy for too long." Vil snatched the phone out of Jamil's hand. "Riddle, you don't mind if I talk to your mother, right? I'll be quick."
"No! St—"
Malleus covered Riddle's mouth. "I heard this is called tough love. Just trust in the process."
"All of our love is going to be tough. It's how we are." Vil pressed the accept call button.
"RIDDLE!" Riddle's mom yelled over the phone. "Do not ignore my calls! We have yet to fully discuss your studying transgression last night!"
"I'm sorry, but your son cannot come to the phone at the moment," Vil said politely. "He is currently sleeping. I can pass on a message."
"Do not lie to me, whoever you are! You must be one of those distracting classmates!" She got angrier by the minute. "He has opened his phone twice today!"
"And now he's asleep," Vil spoke slowly to annoy her. "He needs it. He was up studying all night."
"He did not have his books! I don't know how you've convinced him to let you lie, but it will stop this instant! It's horrible students like you that are corrupting my boy!"
"We all searched up some test questions to help him study. It's a marvel what searching things up can do." Vil hoped his sarcasm was subtle enough to drive her crazy. "I only wonder why he couldn't search it up himself."
"…" She went silent for the first time since the call started. She stuttered over the next words. "H-his phone should be used for communication and research sparingly. It is a distraction."
"For him? I don't think I've seen him distracted a day in my life. You must not know your son that well."
"How dare you! How could you say something like that?!" Riddle's mother began to yell again. She sounded exactly like Riddle whenever he got angry. "Let me speak to my son!"
"As I said, he's asleep." Vil kept a level tone. He knew from years of practice that it was the most effective way of pissing someone off. "Phones with no security open easily. How can you know someone else didn't open it? Let's be rational here."
"Psst!" Jamil tapped Vil's shoulder. "Pass me the phone. I have something to say."
"Oh, what was that?" Vil theatrically leaned away from the phone. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I need to pass the phone to somebody else right now." He handed the phone over to Jamil.
"Hello." Jamil put on a fake tired voice. "Is this Mrs. Rosehearts? Sorry, I grabbed Riddle's phone by accident."
"It's…fine." Maybe it was two people sticking up for Riddle, but eventually she started to calm down. "Please inform him that I tried to call him. Is it true you all helped him study?"
"Yes? Why would we lie about that?" Jamil asked innocently. "Your son really is brilliant. I don't see why you're so upset. I think—"
She hung up before he could finish.
"Damn. That's what got her to hang up?" Leona was mildly shocked. "I thought she would have hung up the second Vil started speaking slowly."
"I should have set up bets on it." Azul sighed. "Malleus, you can let go of Riddle now."
"As you wish." Malleus released Riddle, who immediately rushed to get the phone out of Vil's hands.
"Nope." Vil lifted it high over his head. "She hung up herself. Besides, if you call now, she'll know we lied. Think with your big brain."
"You all are so frustrating!" Riddle stomped. This was his one chance to fix what had happened last night. He could have apologized, told her about Jamil helping him study, and…
Would she have believed him? Would that be good enough for her? That would probably make her angrier.
Anything outside his specific studying regime wasn't worth his time in her eyes. He had a strict path on what to learn. Other people's lives didn't matter if his homework didn't tell him they did. Different magics weren't needed unless his class required them.
"How…" Riddle sank to his knees.
He knew the world was more than his books. How could he live in it if he wasn’t even allowed to learn about all of it? How could he move on if he couldn't live it?
"How will I ever truly live on my own?" He felt years of questions hit him at once.
"All we do here is cry. Someone pass me a napkin." Jamil crouched in front of Riddle. "You're way too sensitive. We mess with your mom once, and you end up on the floor."
"Stones and glass houses," Azul said, handing Jamil a napkin. "Need I remind you of your walkout and cuddle pile last night?"
"Need I remind you both that we all ended up in that cuddle pile?" Vil stopped them before they could start.
"Oh, Sevens." Riddle sniffled. "This was not the way to handle my problems! I nearly had a heart attack."
"Surprise, surprise." Leona did jazz hands. "Jamil yelled at you and then helped you later. Vil had to make food because he didn't know how else to apologize. I dragged Idia to talk." He gave a snarky smile. "It's how we do things here."
"I say you accept it as is." Malleus shrugged. "Tough love is needed every once in a while."
"Is it even tough love?" Idia smirked. "Last night was boosted by sadness and good food. You've gotten the most authentic us back, Riddle."
"Congratulations. Don't start crying about it." Jamil flicked Riddle's forehead. "You've got 6 jackasses in your corner."
Riddle giggled at that and wiped his tears. As it stood right now, they were some of his closest connections to the real world.
They showed their care in ways Riddle couldn't fathom yet. He had access to some of the kindest yet rudest people. Just as the world was.
"Well, the same goes to all of you." Riddle looked at them all. "Are you all ready to be cared about?"
They all looked away awkwardly at that. Even Malleus was unsure. It was hard to have the sentiment turned back on them.
Sadly, they all were stubborn as mules and wouldn't be able to give up on one another.