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Ridoc
Gods I love being a third year. I can get up to all levels of mischief and the less experienced riders can do jack shit about it.
I chuckle under my breath as I remember the look on that first year's face at dinner, when every drink he brought back to the table froze the second he brought it to his lips.
Pranks were good before I had a signet, even lesser magic improved the level of my torment. But with a signet there's so much more mischief I can get up to.
I love it!
Aotrom laughs in my head. "Try it on Fierge's rider. I dare you."
"Oh no," I reply as I ascend the last few steps before the gate that will open onto the third year floor of the dorms. Another perk - less rooms on the floor means bigger rooms. "Rhi would kill me. She's scary when she's angry you know?"
"Are you really my rider if you're scared to pull a prank, Mischievous One?" Aotrom asks as I push open the gate.
I don't reply though, as my attention is averted elsewhere. Ahead of me in the hallway is an armoire.
What. The. Fuck?
Is someone else trying to infringe on my territory? Is this some strange prank that I haven't thought of? If I walk around to the other side of it will someone jump out of the doors?
I slowly let the gate close, keeping my hand on it so it doesn't bang as it slots back into place and I watch.
I watch as Liam Mairi and Bodhi Durran manoeuvre the giant piece of furniture down the hallway, faces red with effort and sweat beading on their brows.
How the fuck did they get that thing up the stairs?!
Leaning back against the gate I cross my arms over my chest and watch, completely invested now, as a third figure appears from behind the armoire.
Xaden Riorson.
And the plot thickens!
What are the three of them doing?
I could offer to help, that would be the reasonable human thing to do, and Liam is my friend, my squadmate. But instinct tells me I'll gain more from this if I watch silently, when they don't know I'm watching.
"It would be funny if they dropped it on their feet." Aotrom's voice as usual is laced with humour.
"Wouldn't it just?!" I agree, watching as Riorson does little to help other than direct the other guys.
They edge closer and closer to the end of the corridor, where there's a corner that could be fun to watch them manoeuvre around.
They put the armoire down, and angle it, tilting. But then the doors open and jam Liam between them and the corner. "Woah! Watch it!"
Riorson laughs.
What. The. Fuck?!
"Riorson doesn't laugh." I tell Aotrom, my shock apparent as the sound echoes down the hallway.
Come to think of it, every time I've seen him today he's had a ridiculous goofy, grin on his face. That's odd too. The months that the first year has been here, he's looked nothing other than sullen, angry, or just damn right intimidating.
"Maybe this is a prank?" Aotrom suggests.
"It better not be." I pull the pranks around here. Though on second thought, if this starts off a prank war I'm all for it!
Still I observe, and when they finally round the corner, I sneak on silent feet until my head pokes around to watch where they go and what they do.
They've impressively picked up speed, and are approaching the end of the hallway when my face peeks around the wall.
There's only two rooms past the point they're at. Rhi's and Vi's.
Now whilst I do think it would be hilarious if they were pulling a prank on Rhi, I would be pissed they were encroaching on my turf. Rhi is mine to torment, though I guess I'd think the same about Vi too. It would be funny though, if they positioned it outside of Rhi's room so that she opened her door and was met with. . . another door!
But honestly, I kinda hope they're going to Vi's room. She doesn't laugh enough, even if the joke is on her.
Because it has to be a joke, right? I have no idea why she would need an armoire navigated down the hallways to her room, but I've definitely noticed the tension brewing between her and Riorson. Maybe he thinks to gift her a new armoire to win her affections?
Montserrat was when my intrigue was truly activated. The way they sat side by side sharing subtle little looks whilst Mira tried her damndest not to even glance their way. And Aetos and Riorson standing off! Whew!
That - was fucking epic.
"As was what the lieutenant said,"Aotrom is completely on my wavelength and I'm so pleased I got him as my dragon and not one of the miserable ones with no sense of humour. "About measuring dicks."
"Very true!" And I wouldn't have been opposed to witnessing that either. I may not particularly like either man, but they definitely are fun to look at.
My eyes zone back in on Riorson where he knocks on Vi's door and then leans against the doorframe so casually I'd think it was his second home.
I've been watching their interactions since Montserrat, and there's definitely something brewing between them. A sexual tension building stronger and stronger and gods do they need to just fuck already!
The door opens and I'm just lucky that I'm in a position where I can see both of them relatively clearly.
Riorson beams. Like ho-ly shit, who even knew that was possible? And Violet's face lights up when she sees him, completely oblivious to the ginormous piece of furniture stood outside of her door.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I ask Aotrom.
"Oh, something has definitely happened between them." Aotrom's voice is brimming with humour.
Violet's eyes eventually notice the armoire and Liam and Bodhi poke their heads around the side of the furniture to say hi.
They wrestle it through her door, whilst Vi stands to the side and way too close to Riorson for it to be innocent.
There's some colourful language as the guys struggle to navigate the armoire through the door but I'm not watching them now. I'm watching Vi, and the hand resting gently on her hip. She's toe to toe with Riorson, head tipped back whilst he dips his and neither pair of eyes look away even for a moment. Not even when there's a bang and a rather loud call of "fuck!"
They don't talk, just stare at each in a weirdly unnerving way, as though talking with their eyes alone.
Oh that's more than just attraction. There's feelings there. And I'd bet my left bollock that they've finally fucked, especially with how comfortable they both look with his hand on her hip.
"Hey!" Liam scalds. "None of that in front of us."
Bodhi laughs, and both of them step out of Violet's room. Liam has what looks like a broken armoire door casually slung under his arm and Bodhi carries a pile of broken wood.
"We'll get rid of this mess," Bodhi's voice has a laugh hidden just underneath the surface. "And bring the rest up. We'll get rid of some more of the damage after."
Shit!
They're heading this way.
I pull myself back around the corner before either turn fully to look. Thank fuck, or Liam at the least would have seen me with that signet of his, and I'm not ready to call this a day yet.
I need to know what else they're getting, and what they're getting rid of.
I give it ten seconds, then round the corner as if I'd not been hidden there this whole time being nosy, and nearly run face first into Bodhi.
"Woah!" I hold my hands out. "Sorry man, didn't see you coming."
"That's okay." Bodhi brushes me off. "Hey Ridoc?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you get the gate for me?" He nods down to his full arms and I glance too, before turning on my heel.
"No problem, man." Oh I am good at acting cool and collected. Ha! Cool. Ice. Oh yeah! I'm funny.
As Bodhi and Liam walk through the gate I keep it held open for them.
"This from your whittling?" I smirk as I ask Liam.
He huffs out a laugh. "Something like that."
When they're gone I rush back to the corner, and when I round it Vi's door is closed, her and Riorson on the other side.
Alone.
Behind wards that block out all sound.
Interesting.
I stroke my chin with two fingers and my thumb, plotting.
"I think we both know what's going on with that pair." Aotrom is confident to say.
"Absolutely." I agree. "But I'm going to get all of the ammo I can tonight, and then mess with Vi tomorrow."
There's laughter in my head, and only some of it is mine as I open my door and step inside.
I've been stood with my ear pressed up against my door for half an hour, and Liam and Bodhi still haven't returned.
What the fuck man?!
I was under the impression that they were coming straight back, and now I have a crick in my neck.
I'm just looking out for my friend. Or that's what I tell myself anyway, it's what I'll tell anyone who confronts me about this. In reality, though I do care for Vi and would do anything for her, I'm nosy as fuck. And I need something to tease her with.
Still, I'm so close to giving up on this whole thing when I hear voices in the hallway.
Finally!
It's just low mumbling, half way down the hallway and muffled through the wood of my door, though I've left it open a crack so Liam won't hear it opening when they pass. But as they get closer I can make out what they're saying.
"I know right?" That's Bodhi. "How the hell do you break an armoire?" Break an armoire? Is that why it's being replaced? If so I too want to know - how the hell do you break an armoire?
Liam's laugh is loud and boisterous, even through the wood of my door. I can almost see the wide toothy grin and the dimple creasing his cheek as I listen to the sound.
I wait until I've seen their shadows pass by the crack in my door, highlighted by the blue mage lights in the hallway, and then open my door enough to peek my head out.
Bodhi is carrying a wooden desk chair, and Liam holds a throwing target with a pair of curtains flung over the top.
Why the hell are they redecorating Violet's room? What is this, the marked ones furniture delivery service?
"I have asked Cuir and Deigh and the only response I've received is manic laughter." Aotrom sounds almost offended, which I'd thought was damn near impossible. "I can't help but to think that the joke is on us."
I watch as the guys move down the hallway and wonder if this is just some elaborate wind up meant to catch my attention and confuse the living shit out of me. If they've orchestrated this entire thing to prank me.
"And let's not forget the chair." Bodhi laughs, holding the chair higher as though to present it.
"Or the throwing target." Liam laughs back. "Not to mention the curtains!"
"Must have been some kinky fucking sex, man." Bodhi is grinning from ear to ear.
No. Fucking. Way!
Miss Violet (I don't need to celebrate like all of the rest of you) Sorrengail, not only fucked a first year, one in her direct chain of command at that.
But they destroyed half of her room in the process.
What kind of kinky shit are they into?!
"This is fucking beautiful!" The grin that adorns my face splits it it's so wide.
"Oh, you are going to have lots of fun with this, Mischievous One."
It's a few days later, before I finally manage to get Liam and Bodhi alone.
"They're fucking, right?" Liam's eyebrows reach his hairline as I ask.
"What?" He stammers. "Who?"
"Vi and Riorson." I respond as though they should absolutely know who I'm talking about without me having to confirm.
"How do you know?" Bodhi asks, eyes darting between me and Liam.
"Saw you delivering all of that new furniture." I'm smug, but I don't care. "And I may have noticed a certain . . . tension between them that seems to have . . . shall we say . . . shifted."
"No one is meant to know yet, man." Liam warns me. "So keep it to yourself. None of your jokes, Ridoc. I mean it."
"On my honour." I promise then I laugh, and nudge Liam. "Come on then, spill. How the fuck did they break an armoire?"
"I know right!?" Bodhi's eyes go wide, his shoulders raising.
We all laugh, and I just know this is going to be fucking epic!
Violet
Sneaking Xaden out of my room is not always the easiest task. It depends how early we're both awake mostly, as if he's up quick enough he'll hurry back to his room before anyone else wakes for the day.
This way the hallway is still deadly silent, not a soul about.
However on a morning like this one, where we both sleep in later, only the second time this has happened, things get a little more interesting. It's been about a week since we officially became an item, since we finally gave in to the desires that have been begging for attention for months now.
Liam and Bodhi both know. It was kind of necessary that they found out, considering how much of my room needed replaced and the fact that I needed a new armoire - something Xaden and me would never have been able to manoeuvre up the stairs and into my room.
But no one else has discovered our new relationship yet, and I intend to keep it that way.
I won't have Xaden targeted because of me.
However, I've not missed the narrowed eyes or the raised brow or just genuine suspicion rolling off Ridoc.
He hasn't said anything, but I know it's only going to be a matter of time.
I shut my door quietly behind me, Xaden a few paces ahead of me. We just need to get him down two flights of stairs and then we know we've gotten away with sleeping in.
Of course Zihnal isn't with us today, and perhaps that's because Ridoc very much appears to be his favourite.
His door opens, just as Xaden is walking past it. Ridoc wastes no time stepping out into Xaden's path (either brave or stupid, I haven't quite decided yet) grinning from ear to ear like all of his birthdays have come at once.
Fucking fantastic.
"Good morning, cadet Riorson." Ridoc's voice is way too happy for this time in the morning. "Bit early to be knocking on other cadets doors, isn't it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Xaden shoots Ridoc a look that promises for a world of pain. I would not want to be him right now. "What little game your playing," Shadows pool around Ridoc's feet, and he at least has the good graces to look down apprehensively. "But I'd be sure to be careful if I were you."
Ridoc's eyes flash to me, then back to Xaden, and I know he knows. Honestly, I've suspected all week. But there's no getting out of this now, and out of all of my friends who could have figured this out - Ridoc is by far the worst!
"I've been meaning to ask you something actually, Vi." Ridoc steps away from the shadows, a wise move, and instead comes a little closer to me. That however, may not have been the most sensible thing he's ever done, if the look in Xaden's eyes is anything to go by. He's nothing if not protective of me. "I don't know if it's a scribe thing, or. . . I guess it could be a Sorrengail thing-"
"What, Ridoc?"
"How the hell do you destroy an armoire during sex?!" There's a grin splitting his face and his eyes twinkle.
I wish I'd never asked. And quite frankly I'm going to kill Liam. Or Bodhi. Or perhaps both for good measure!
I scoff as I barge past Ridoc, knocking him with my shoulder on the way past. He only laughs in response, and I can feel the heat on my cheeks as a blush rises up my neck and colours my cheeks.
"Or a throwing target?" His voice follows me. "Or the curtains, Vi? Really?! The curtains? What did you use them for, bondage?"
"I can kill him?" Xaden offers from where we're now side by side, his voice gruff.
"Oh, don't worry about that." I assure him, blatantly ignoring Ridoc's teasing. "I know how to hit him where it hurts."
But right now as we round the corner, Ridoc stays behind us laughing his ass off. I think I hate him a little, this man I'd mistakenly called my friend.
"They destroyed the curtains!" He's talking to himself, or perhaps his dragon. It doesn't make it any less mortifying though.
Ridoc's laugh follows us all of the way down the corridor. And then all of the way down the stairwell. And for the rest of the day, every time I see him he laughs, with the odd mutter of "curtains" and it makes me silently seethe. I'm pretty sure Rhi thinks he's lost his mind, and I'm more than happy to agree with that sentiment.
He's just jealous he's not having mind blowing, furniture destroying sex.
But I most certainly am.