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Mirror Chamber
Floyd Leech was bored.
Very bored.
The headmage had been speaking for what felt like hours, standing before the ancient mirrors of the chamber and delivering a speech about responsibility, school rules, and the importance of making a good impression.
Floyd had stopped listening somewhere around the third mention of responsibility.
He leaned against Jade's shoulder and looked around instead.
The Mirror Chamber was impressive, at least. Massive stone pillars rose into the darkness overhead, while the enchanted mirrors lining the walls reflected hundreds of students gathered for the entrance ceremony.
Most of them were boring.
Some looked nervous. Others whispered to their friends when they thought nobody was watching. A few already looked as though they wanted to leave.
Jade seemed perfectly content to watch the ceremony.
Azul was making a noticeable effort to look respectable.
Floyd was considering ruining that for him when something else caught his attention.
Red.
A short boy stood among the freshmen, his red hair neatly arranged and his uniform perfectly in place. He was giving the crow his full attention, standing so straight that he looked as though he had been placed there on purpose.
Floyd stared.
The boy seemed to notice. He turned his head and looked directly at him.
Their eyes met.
Floyd grinned.
The boy's expression tightened.
Floyd liked him.
He glanced toward Jade.
"Jade."
"Hm?"
"Who's that?"
Jade followed his gaze.
"The student with the red hair?"
"Mhm."
"I believe he was selected for Heartslabyul."
Floyd kept watching.
"He's cute."
Jade paused.
Azul looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
The boy turned back toward Crowley.
Floyd continued watching him.
Even from across the chamber, he could see every little change in the boy's expression.
His brows drew together whenever something caught his attention, then smoothed out again as he composed himself.
Everything about him was neat and controlled.
Floyd tilted his head.
He wondered how long that would last.
"Hey."
Jade glanced at him.
"What?"
"I'm gonna go talk to him."
"I would advise against—"
Too late.
Floyd had already slipped into the crowd.
He moved easily between the students until he reached the red-haired freshman.
The boy was completely focused on Crowley's speech and didn't notice Floyd’s approach.
Up close, the red hair looked even better.
Bright.
Soft-looking.
Very grab-able.
Floyd reached out.
His fingers caught a handful of red hair.
The boy spun around.
"It's red, but it ain't hot."
"What did you just—"
A burst of fire exploded from his pen.
Floyd's eyes widened.
"Ooh."
The flames hit him before he could move, sending him flying across the chamber.
For several seconds, Floyd saw nothing but fire, smoke, stone, and the rapidly approaching ceiling.
Then—
Crash.
The chamber fell silent.
Smoke drifted upward as Floyd lay flat on his back, soot covering his uniform and the ends of his hair still smoldering.
He blinked.
Then laughed.
Jade's laughter joined him from across the chamber.
"Oh, my."
Azul sounded horrified.
"I have never seen that man before in my life."
Floyd sat up and looked across the room.
Several faculty members were holding the red-haired boy back.
"LET ME GO!"
His face was bright red with anger.
Floyd stared.
There it was again.
That expression.
He wanted to see it again.
The boy was still protesting, clearly convinced that his reaction had been completely justified.
Floyd grinned.
"He's so cute."
Jade laughed harder.
Azul covered his face.
"Please stop saying that."
Floyd ignored him.
He watched the boy argue with the faculty members, then straighten his uniform the moment they let him go.
A few seconds later, he had returned his attention to Crowley as though nothing had happened.
Floyd's grin widened.
That was even better.
He wanted to know what else could make him lose that perfect composure.
What made him laugh.
What made him happy.
What he was like when he wasn't trying so hard to behave.
Floyd couldn't explain why he cared.
He just knew he wanted to find out.
He brushed the soot from his uniform and looked toward Jade.
"What's his name?"
Jade followed his gaze.
"Riddle Rosehearts."
"Riddle."
Floyd repeated the name once.
Then he grinned.
"Goldfishie."
Jade raised an eyebrow.
"Goldfishie?"
"Mhm."
"That is certainly a choice."
Floyd ignored him.
Riddle had already gone back to listening to the headmage, though he occasionally glanced around whenever the students nearby became distracted.
Then he looked over again.
He noticed Floyd.
His expression immediately soured.
Floyd grinned.
Riddle turned away.
Floyd laughed quietly.
He liked this guy.
The headmage continued speaking, but Floyd barely heard a word.
A few minutes ago, he had been bored out of his mind.
Now he couldn't stop watching Goldfishie.
And somehow, Floyd had a feeling this was only the beginning.
The rest of Riddle's first year went about as well as anyone could have expected.
Which was to say, terribly.
At first, Riddle assumed Floyd would eventually get bored and leave him alone.
He was wrong.
Floyd started appearing everywhere.
At breakfast.
Between classes.
Outside the library.
Even near Heartslabyul, despite having no real reason to be there.
"Goldfishie!"
Riddle turned sharply.
"What do you want?!"
Floyd grinned.
"You."
"Go away."
"Nah."
Riddle's eye twitched.
"Then stop following me."
"But you're going this way."
"Because this is where I am going!"
"Mhm."
Riddle glared.
Floyd smiled.
It happened often.
Sometimes Floyd would appear while Riddle was studying and drop into the seat beside him without invitation.
"What are you doing?"
"Studying."
"Looks boring."
"It is not."
Floyd leaned over the book.
"What're you reading?"
"Stop looking at my work."
"Why?"
"Because you're distracting me!"
Floyd laughed.
Riddle slammed his book shut.
"Do you have nothing better to do?"
"Nope."
"You are insufferable."
"Mhm."
"Stop agreeing with me!"
Floyd only laughed harder.
He also developed a habit of stealing Riddle's things.
Pens were the most common victims.
Riddle would place one beside his notebook, look away for a moment, and find it gone.
He would slowly turn around.
Floyd would be standing several steps away, holding the pen above his head.
"Floyd."
"Hi, Goldfishie."
"Give that back."
"Nope."
"Floyd."
"Come get it."
Riddle marched toward him.
Floyd held it just out of reach.
"Give it back!"
"Catch me."
Riddle chased him down the corridor, with Floyd laughing the entire way.
Hair was another problem.
Floyd seemed especially fond of touching it whenever he got the chance.
The first time Riddle caught him doing it, he immediately smacked his hand away.
"Do not touch my hair!"
"But it's soft."
"I don't care!"
Floyd reached for it again.
Riddle caught his wrist.
"I said no!"
Floyd stared at him.
Then grinned.
"You get really cute when you're mad."
Riddle's face flushed.
"I am not cute!"
"You are."
"I am not!"
"You're doing it again."
"Floyd!"
The shout echoed through the corridor.
Floyd laughed.
Riddle released his wrist and straightened his uniform.
"Why do you keep doing this?"
Floyd tilted his head.
"Because you're fun."
"That is not an answer."
"It is for me."
There was apparently no reasoning with him.
And Floyd never seemed bothered when Riddle snapped at him.
If anything, he looked happier.
He noticed every reaction Riddle gave him: the way his voice rose when he was irritated, the way his face turned red when embarrassed, and the rare occasions when a laugh slipped out before he could stop it.
Floyd always seemed particularly pleased when he managed to catch one of those.
Riddle remained just as short-tempered as ever.
He still shouted when Floyd stole his things.
He still pushed Floyd away whenever he got too close.
He still threatened to report him whenever his patience finally ran out.
Floyd simply kept coming back.
By the end of the year, Riddle had become accustomed to it.
If Floyd appeared after class, Riddle barely looked surprised.
If he dropped into the seat beside him, Riddle simply moved his book farther away.
If a familiar voice called "Goldfishie" from somewhere down the hall, Riddle already knew who it was.
He never admitted it, but he had started expecting Floyd to be there.
Floyd, meanwhile, was perfectly content.
Riddle was still fun.
Still unpredictable.
Still capable of surprising him with how quickly he could go from composed to furious.
So Floyd kept showing up.
As far as he was concerned, there was no reason to stop.
NRC Campus
Hallway
—
By the time second year began, Floyd had gotten so used to Riddle being around that he hardly thought about it anymore.
Riddle was simply part of his days.
So when Floyd heard a familiar title from farther down the hallway, he almost ignored it.
"...Heartslabyul's dorm leader."
"Yeah. I heard he overblotted."
Floyd stopped.
The students continued talking.
"He lost control completely."
"I heard the dorm was nearly destroyed."
Floyd turned toward them.
The two students froze when they noticed him approaching.
"What'd you say?"
"N-Nothing."
Floyd's smile disappeared.
"Try again."
One of them swallowed.
"I heard Heartslabyul's dorm leader overblotted."
Floyd stepped closer.
"Goldfishie?"
The student nodded quickly.
"Yeah."
"And what happened?"
"We don't know."
Floyd grabbed him by the collar.
"Then tell me what you do know."
"We weren't there!"
The other student spoke quickly.
"They said he lost control of his magic. That's all!"
Floyd's grip tightened.
"Where is he?"
"The infirmary!"
"How bad?"
The students exchanged a frightened glance.
Floyd's eyes narrowed.
"How bad?"
"I heard he was injured."
Floyd released him.
The student stumbled backward.
Floyd was already gone.
He barely remembered the walk to the infirmary.
His thoughts were moving too quickly, the same questions circling over and over.
Riddle had overblotted.
Riddle had gotten hurt.
That didn't make sense.
Riddle was careful.
He was stubborn, strict, and impossible to ignore, but he always seemed completely in control.
Floyd pushed open the infirmary door.
The nurse looked up.
"Leech?"
Floyd didn't answer.
He was already looking across the room.
Then he saw him.
Riddle sat on one of the beds near the far wall.
Floyd stopped.
Riddle looked terrible.
His usually neat hair was disheveled, loose strands falling across his face.
Bandages covered his arms, with smaller ones along his neck and face, and the clothes he had been given by the infirmary hung loosely from his exhausted frame.
He looked nothing like the Riddle Floyd knew.
There was no sharp glare.
No irritated expression.
No immediate demand for Floyd to stop staring.
He simply sat there, worn out.
Floyd had seen Riddle furious.
He had seen him shout, lecture, threaten, and throw magic at him.
He had never seen him like this.
"Goldfishie..."
Riddle looked up.
His eyes widened.
"Floyd?"
The surprise in his voice made Floyd's chest tighten.
"What are you doing here?"
Floyd stepped closer.
"What happened?"
Riddle looked away.
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."
"That's not nothing."
"I'm fine."
Floyd frowned.
"You look awful."
Riddle's expression tightened.
"It's not as bad as it looks."
"It looks bad."
"I'm alive."
"That's not the point."
Riddle went quiet.
Floyd looked over the bandages again.
He already knew what had happened.
Riddle had overblotted. His magic had gone out of control, and now he was sitting in the infirmary looking like this.
Knowing it and seeing it were two different things.
Floyd's eyes lingered on the bandages around Riddle's arms.
"You really got messed up."
Riddle frowned.
"I've already told you. I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I'm sitting here talking to you, aren't I?"
Floyd didn't answer.
He looked at Riddle's disheveled hair, the bandages, and the exhaustion written across his face.
He'd seen Riddle lose his temper more times than he could count.
He'd never seen him this worn out.
That bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
Floyd moved closer to the bed.
He almost reached for Riddle out of habit.
His hand stopped.
Riddle noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You were going to touch me."
"Yeah."
Floyd looked at the bandage around Riddle's wrist.
"Didn't wanna hurt you."
Riddle stared at him for a moment.
Then looked away.
"You don't need to stay."
"Didn't say I was leaving."
"You have no reason to be here."
Floyd frowned.
"You're here."
Riddle fell silent.
Floyd pulled a chair over and sat beside the bed.
He didn't touch Riddle.
He didn't bother him.
For once, he didn't even feel like teasing him.
He just stayed.
After a while, Riddle glanced toward him.
"You're unusually quiet."
"Dunno."
"That isn't an answer."
Floyd shrugged.
He looked at Riddle again.
"I've never seen you like this."
Riddle frowned.
"Like what?"
Floyd thought for a moment.
"Weak."
Riddle's expression hardened.
"I'm not weak."
"I know."
Floyd leaned back in his chair.
"That's why I don't like seeing you like this."
Riddle didn't answer.
Floyd looked down at the floor.
"You usually yell at me."
Riddle blinked.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Dunno."
Floyd scratched the back of his neck.
"You're supposed to be yelling at me."
Riddle stared at him.
"I'm sitting in an infirmary."
"Yeah."
"And you expect me to yell at you?"
"Mhm."
Riddle sighed. "I'm too tired."
Floyd went quiet.
"Get better soon, Goldfishie."
"I will."
Floyd looked at him for a moment before leaning back in the chair.
He didn't reach for Riddle again.
Floyd stayed in the infirmary until Riddle fell asleep.
He only left when the nurse practically shoved him out.
Instead of returning to Octavinelle, he went looking for Trey.
He found him in Heartslabyul.
Trey looked up when Floyd approached.
"Floyd?"
"Come with me."
Trey blinked. "Where?"
"Somewhere quiet."
That answer did not reassure him, but he followed.
They stopped in an empty corridor. Floyd leaned against the wall, his usual grin absent.
"What happened to Goldfishie?"
Trey sighed.
"You already know. He overblotted."
"I know." Floyd's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Trey was quiet.
"I don't think I should tell you."
"Why?"
"Because it's Riddle's story."
Floyd pushed himself away from the wall.
"He won't tell me."
"Maybe."
Trey folded his arms.
"That doesn't mean I should tell you instead."
Floyd stared at him for a moment before asking,
"What happened at his house?"
Trey's expression shifted.
"So you've figured that out."
Floyd said nothing.
Trey let out a quiet breath.
"Riddle's mother was very strict."
"How strict?"
"Strict enough that Riddle grew up believing mistakes weren't allowed."
Floyd's eyes narrowed.
"Everything had to be done properly. His grades, his behavior, even little things most people wouldn't think twice about."
Trey paused.
"If he slipped up, there were consequences."
Floyd looked away.
The rules. The temper. The way Riddle could barely stand things going wrong.
It suddenly made more sense.
"He was always expected to be perfect," Trey continued.
"And if he wasn't?"
Trey hesitated.
"He'd get punished."
Floyd's fingers curled against his sleeve.
Trey noticed immediately.
"Don't."
Floyd looked at him.
"Don't what?"
"Go after his mother."
A small, innocent smile appeared on Floyd's face.
"I wasn't planning on it."
Trey stared at him.
"You're a terrible liar."
Floyd shrugged.
Trey sighed.
"I'm telling you this because you clearly care about him. But that's all."
"Why?"
"Because the rest is Riddle's to tell."
Floyd frowned.
Trey held his gaze.
"And don't tell him I told you."
"Why?"
"He'd be embarrassed."
Floyd's expression tightened.
"And don't pressure him about it."
"What if he won't talk?"
"Then don't make him."
Floyd clicked his tongue.
"That's annoying."
"I know."
Trey gave him a tired look.
"Riddle gets to decide when he talks about his family. Not me. Not you."
Floyd fell silent.
He wanted to know more. He wanted to know exactly what had happened, but that wasn't something he could take from Riddle.
"...Fine."
Trey relaxed slightly.
"Thank you."
Floyd pushed away from the wall and turned to leave.
"Floyd."
He glanced back.
"Don't do anything stupid."
A grin returned to Floyd's face.
"No promises."
Trey sighed.
He was already regretting this conversation.
Octineville Dorm
Azul’s room
—
Azul was enjoying a rare moment of peace.
His paperwork was organized, his tea was still warm, and Jade was sitting nearby with a book.
Floyd was sprawled across his bed.
Azul stared at him. "Floyd."
"Hm?"
"Get off my bed."
"No."
"Why?"
"It's comfy."
"It's my bed, and room."
"Yep."
"Then get off."
Floyd rolled onto his stomach.
"No."
Azul closed his eyes.
He should have known better than to expect peace with both twins in the same room.
For a while, only the sound of Jade turning pages filled the room.
Then Floyd spoke.
"Hey, Azul."
Azul didn't look up.
"What?"
"If someone wanted to stay here for a while, would Ma let 'em?"
Azul's pen stopped.
Jade lowered his book.
"Someone?" Jade repeated.
"Mhm."
"Who?"
Floyd shrugged.
"Just asking."
Azul slowly looked over.
"Is this about Riddle?"
"Yep."
Of course it was.
Jade's mouth twitched.
"I was wondering when you would bring him up."
Floyd sat up. "So?"
Jade answered first.
"Mother probably wouldn't object."
Floyd's expression brightened.
"Really?"
"Assuming there's a reasonable explanation for why he'd be staying with us."
"Then what's the problem?"
Azul looked at him.
"Riddle."
Floyd's smile disappeared.
"He's the one who has to agree."
Floyd frowned.
"But he'd be safer there."
"Perhaps."
"He could stay in my room."
"No."
"The guest room?"
"That would be more appropriate."
"He could eat with us."
"Obviously."
"I'd make sure nobody bothers him."
Azul raised an eyebrow.
"Floyd, you are the person who bothers him the most."
Floyd paused. "...That's different."
"How?"
"I like bothering him."
Jade quietly turned a page.
Floyd ignored him.
He leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling.
"So Ma would say yes."
"Most likely."
"But Riddle probably won't."
Azul said nothing. His fingers tightened around the blanket.
"He's gonna say no."
"You don't know that."
"I know him."
Floyd's voice had lost its usual playfulness.
"He's gonna say he doesn't need help. Or that he's fine."
Azul sighed.
"Those all sound like things he would say."
Floyd scowled.
"That's annoying."
Jade smiled faintly.
"You've only just discovered that."
Floyd ignored him.
He looked down at the blanket bunched beneath his hand.
"I want him here."
Azul studied him.
"Then you'll have to ask him."
Floyd's eyes narrowed.
"And if he says no?"
"Then you respect his answer."
Floyd's mouth pulled into a displeased frown.
He didn't like that.
Not at all.
But after a moment, he nodded.
"...Fine."
Jade raised an eyebrow.
"That sounded surprisingly reasonable."
"Don't get used to it."