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zayray030 · 1 month ago

Text

call for help

Summary: Ace can be mean and have a cruel streak, however, when he starts acting out more than ever on the day of the Tournament there's clearly more than what meets the eye. Will Ace's friends be able to figure it out, or will old monsters haunt him again.

Notes: This was day 3 of Ace's birthday bash lmao. TW as will be in the tags, this gets heavy during the end so caution is advised. Also, I have not received Ace' card even after 53 pulls and jeopardizing the possibility of getting Playful Land Ace so I might write a fic where Ace gets bullied with hurt no comfort lmao.

TW: Attempted SA and mentioned past SA

Ace let out a melancholy sigh as he stared at the date on his calendar. They day everyone had been awaiting but the one that he had been dreading more than anything else. He turned away from his calendar, making a grab for his phone, and blinking the soreness away from his eyes as the screen illuminated his face. 4:50, his screen said. The lockscreen of he and his brother stared back at him, his brothers’ eyes pitiful as they stared back at him, unblinking,

Well, at least he had a few more hours to find ways to get out of the Schools sports tournament with the other Arcane institutions.

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“What in the name of the seven were you thinking!?” screamed Riddle, arms waving in clear anger and distress, staring at the red head in front of him with frustration and disappointment. “Swinging the chandelier? That could have harmed someone!”

“Oh, come off it House warden Riddle, it isn’t that big of a deal!” Ace tried to reason, pulling off the careless act quite well if he would say so. “You’re making a big deal out nothing!” he argued, trying to feign as much carelessness as possible.

“Not a big deal!?!?!?” Screeched Riddle, as he glared at the first year, who was simply fiddling with his collar, unrepentant. “Not only do you not value basic safety laws and concerns, it is also against Rule 568 that-“

“Oh for fucks sake!” groaned Ace loudly, interrupting Riddle, and flopping back on the coach. “Again with the rules from that damn book! Do you have no new material or what! Live an actual life!” snapped Ace, folding his arms and glaring at Riddle.

“Why you-“ Riddle was practically snarling at him until Trey finally decided to intervene.

“Okay, Riddle, let’s breathe and calm down.” He placed his hands on Riddle’s shoulders and rubbed them soothingly. “What Ace did was reckless, yes, however yelling won’t change or fix anything.” He tried placating the younger and it was visibly working as Riddle had gone back to his normal skin colour and no longer a ripe tomato.

“Once again, didn’t do anything bad.” Ace argued, looking delighted at the way that Riddle flared up again and the disappointment in Trey’s eyes.

“Ace.” Trey spoke, saying Ace’s name with nothing but disappointed. “This was reckless and dumb, even by your standards.” and okay, yeah that hurt but Ace would rather take the meaningless scolding than having to go near them.

“ Whatever.” Ace huffed, crossing his arms and giving the two childhood friends the stink eye. “How would it be my fault if everyone here is too dumb to avoid the chandelier. And why am I getting told off for this anyways? Shouldn’t Housewarden Riddle be focused on some poor idiot who accidentally added grounded sugar to his lemonade instead of a sugar cube.” and instantly he knew he had hammered the nail in the coffin.

“You are banned from going on the sports tournament!” screamed Riddle, staff pointing at a still collared Ace who looked distraught. His eyebrows were furrowed in rage and his cheeks were splotchy as well as he began arguing against his housewarden. However, there was a certain look in his eyes. A small, small glimmer of...relief?

What authority di you have to confine me to my room? You aren’t couch Vargas!” argued Ace, putting up a convincing act. “That isn’t fai-”

“Ace.” cut in a new voice, and the trio turned around to see an uncharacteristically serious looking Cater. He wasn’t even using his normal nickname for Ace. “I think you should listen to Riddle and actually think about what you did.”

Ace stared at Cater for a moment before harumphing and turning on his heal. “Fuck you all.” he yelled as he stormed back into his dorm room.

“What is with that boy?!” raged Riddle as the other members of the dorm began to disperse after seeing Ace get yelled at.

“Don’t worry Riddley!” Cater went back to his normal jokey self-however the dorm head and vice duo could still see the hard-set in his mouth at seeing Ace pull something so reckless and then not even show form of guilt for it. “All Ace needs is a couple of days alone to reflect and I'm sure he’ll come back to you with a full apology.” Cater reassured the two and that managed to calm Riddle down, by the way his face went back to his normal colour instead of the beat red it was earlier.

However, from behind a closed door, lingered another first year who had a spade on his eye and had dark hair. Deuce listened as his upperclassmen discussed Ace’s punishment and the appropriate protocol on what to do with Ace almost breaking the chandelier from swinging off it.

Normally, Deuce would be with his upperclassmen, calling out Ace for his brash behaviour and trying his hardest to be the perfect future honours student, However, this time he knew something was different. That something was wrong.

He’d noticed it for the whole week actually, leading up to the sports tournament. At first, he had waved off the sluggishness, the ‘laziness’, Ace’s mood swings as Ace just being himself. However, walking in on his rival crying silently had made him revaluate things.

Even now, with Ace pulling that stunt. He had done it by himself and had been so careless and dumb that it was unbelievable. For starters, he would have dragged Deuce with him and forced him into helping him commit whatever mischievous prank he was planning on pulling. However, this time round he hadn’t done that.

Ace would have also not put himself in any direct danger as well, especially after Ace’s last malfunction with a chandelier, the one in which Deuce sent him flying straight into it and then forced him, and Grim into finding a magic stone which were rare in the caves.

And even when Ace had seemed disappointed and enraged by the fact that he couldn’t go to the tournament, there had been a look of relief in his eyes. Behind the rage, behind the betrayal, behind what Ace had wanted them to see at the surface, there had been a glimmer of relief at not having to go to the tournament.

“Hey, Deucey!” called out Cater, waving a hand in front of the silent first year. Deuce jumped a little and greeted back the upperclassmen.

“Diamond-senpai! Housewarden Riddle and Clover-senpai!” he bowed his head respectfully resulting in a pleased smile from Riddle.

“Well, at least one of my first years are behaving today.” Riddle praised, patting him on the arm.

Normally when Riddle would praise him, he would get excited and happy. But for some reason...this praise made him feel wrong. Like he didn’t deserve it.

“Of course, housewarden.” he nodded his head, fake smile on his face, “I need to head out now. promised the rest that I would meet up with them.” thank the Sevens for Sebek’s rigid planning and orders.

“Make sure you have everything, Deuce.” Trey reminded Deuce, proud smile on his face. “And have fun. And win back at least one trophy.” he added, smile turning into a teasing smirk.

Deuce managed to let out a forced little laugh before turning around and making it outside of the dorm. For some reason, he knew, in his gut, that the praise and the nice words weren't right. And that something really bad was going to happen.

“Do you think he’s okay?” asked Cater as they watched Deuce walk away. “He seemed down in the slump.”

“Maybe it's because of Ace.” Trey sighed out, finally showing how stressed about the whole situation he was.

“Well, I can no longer dwell on this situation. I do have a tournament to win.”

“Go Riddle!” cheered Cater and Trey. It was a nice moment, a way for them to destress after what just happened with Ace. However, all three just had this feeling that things we’re just going to get today.

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“HE DID WHAT?!” yelled Sebek as Deuce gave them the run down on why Ace wasn’t with him. Jack and Epel shushed him as people were turning around to give their groups dirty looks. Meanwhile Deuce nodded to Sebek, question.

“Yeah, and now he can’t go to the Tournament anymore and I'm pretty sure he’s going to be in isolation for a couple of weeks until he apologises.”

“Yeah, he’s going to be in isolation for a really long time.” huffed jack, shaking his head at his friends dumbassery. Like, seriously?! Swinging from a chandelier? A chandelier that also has no proper support in a dorm that looks like a labyrinth? Just dumb decisions all around, really.

“Are you sure he wasn’ possessed?” asked Epel, speaking just the tiniest bit informal in front of his friends as there was no Vil or Rook who could snitch. “I thought Ace hated chandeliers.”

“He does! And he hated getting yelled at even more so I don’t know what made him think it was a good idea to do what he just said” agreed Deuce, looking confused and sad, sort of like a lost dog.

“Humans don’t have much thinking capacity sure,” started Sebek, immune to the poison in Epel and Deuce’s gaze, “However, I expected this human to exercise just a bit more caution than the rest of you. How o earth is he meant to explain this to his club later on?”

“Explain what to who’s group?” asked a new voice. They turned around to see some of their upperclassmen standing behind them looking confused. Or bored in Leona’s case.

“Um, what?” they tried to go for the dumb route but none of the second or third years were buying that crap.

“Actually, where's Ace?” noticed Jamil, looking around for the first year but being unable to find him.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen crabby yet, and i told him where he was supposed to meet us.” Floyd giggled sinisterly. “Guess I’m going to have to squeeze him.

“About that...” Deuce explained to their upperclassmen the stunt that Ace had pulled and the consequences that had then ben provided to him for breaking the rules in such a matter.

“When I see Crabby again, I’m going to squeeze him so hard he’ll drop then and there.” threatened Floyd, his usual glare on his face as he squeezed his own shoulder.

“That...” Jamil wanted to curse so bad, however he knew there was one upside for this. “How are we supposed to play now? We’re short players after they all got sick.”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.” Leona yawned, looking incredibly done with this situation.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because he, Rosehearts and Vargas are arguing right now.” he pointed towards the centre of the clearing and true to his words there was Ace, Riddle and the couch all arguing.

“This is going to end horribly.”

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“What do you mean he’s still going?” raged Riddle, looking frazzled and furious at the thought of one of his orders not being followed through.

“Yeah, why am I being shown such ‘kind mercy’” agreed Ace, putting on his best fake smile as a way to hide the throbbing vein on his forehead and the terror that was clawing inside of him.

“Under normal circumstances you would be in detention for a month straight for pulling such a stunt.” Vargas scolded him sternly, giving him a firm look. “However, due to the stomach bug that’s been plaguing the basketball club, we have no choice but to allow you to play.” At the incredulous looks from both Heartslabyul students, Vargas amended his statement. “Of course, he would simply be playing or subbing in, and for the rest of the tournament he will be beside me, reflecting on what he did.”

Ace held back in his scoff of disbelief as Riddle started to calm down at the prospect of Ace actually learning his lesson on what he did. Meanwhile Ace was planning internally. NO, no, no! This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen! He was...he was supposed to avoid them!

“Trappola!” called out Vargas, annoyed with how the first year was ignoring him.

“Ace jumped at the loud voice and looked up to see couch Vargas looking both confused and annoyed. “Go sit over there so I can keep my eye on you! No stupidity and no talking to other people.” he pointed towards a corner where there sat a chair.

Ace gave his fakest smile, a brief finger wave towards Riddle so he could piss him off, and then moved to the corner, ignoring the eyes from the other clubs, his own club and his group of friends.

There truly was no way he was goinbg to get out of this. His magic pen had been confiscated and he wasn’t dumb enough to try and fuck with something in NRC without having his magic pen. He...he truly was going to meet them again After all this avoiding them and wishing he was away from them. After managing his night terrors and speaking with his family about what happened and getting the *help* it was all going to be for nought.

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“He doesn’t look too pleased about having to attend the Tournament.” Commented Silver, for once awake and aware. “You would think he would still have a bit more pep to his step.

“Ace doesn’t look being addressed in public. Anytime couch Vargas scolds him in basketball he gets really pouty and upset.” informed Jamil, staring at the redhead who was in the corner in disbelief.

“Or when another fish tries telling him what to do when he’s in the proper groove of things. He gets really annoyed, but weirdly compliant.” Agreed Floyd, a serious look in his eyes.

“Well, we can’t mill around here. We need to get into our clubs.” Epel reminded them.

The group said their farewells and joined their actual sports club, all feeling like something terrible was going to go down. It was tight knot in their stomach that made them feel as if something wasn't right. With Ace, the situation or anything really. It confused them and made them worry about what could happen and how bad the consequences we’re going to end up being when all this blows up in their faces.

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When everyone stepped out of the mirror from their school into their own designated portal room within the Tournament, they all couldn't help but be impressed at how wide it was.

“Perks of being one of the oldest schools.” puffed up Vargas, smug about their reactions. “Now, I don’t want to bore everyone else with too much information. For right now, go and mingle with the other schools for a couple of hours and then we can meet and I'll be discussing strategy.

“Yes sir!” they all called out as they filed outside of the room, excited to explore or shit talk the other teams.

Meanwhile Ace was confined to sticking to his club.

“This is so that you don’t go running around and causing more trouble. Your club upperclassmen will understand how serious of a deal this is and make sure that you don’t land yourself in trouble.” explained Vargas to him, almost showing him kindness at not keeping him chained up next to him. “Take this as a sign of good faith. I’m sure this morning was just an accident from being too excited about the tournament! Rosehearts told me how devastated you were that you couldn’t come, so take this chance to show us that you can be better!”

It was so supportive. It was so kind. It was so vomit inducing that Ace couldn't keep his disbelieving laugh in.

“Man, you are so thick. Have you ever considered that’s why people don’t stick around to hear you say 2 words?” that was mean. That was horrid. That was hopefully his last chance to get kicked out so he wouldn’t have two see those two.

To his credit, Vargas didn’t even flinch, his eyes softening, and oh god was that pity?! “Look, Ace, try as hard as you want, no one here is going to let you go any time soon.”

‘Oh, you have no idea.’

“Well, off you go! I need to go meet up with all the other couches and facilities in the Tournament!” He then gave Ace an encouraging pat on the back, which felt more like he was getting slapped by a very angry bear, and ambled off to find the rest of the coaches.

Ace should have stayed inside the room. Maybe that way he could avoid everything that was happening. Maybe that way he could avoid having to come face to face with his weakest moments in life. However, he knew that if he had stayed alone, he would have spiralled into despair. And honestly, sometimes he thinks he would prefer that.

Either way, he straightened up and made his way out of the mirror room that the NRC sports clubs had spawned into and made his way to find the rest of his club. Maybe those two didn’t come today and it had all been a threat said to him to try and get under his skin. To overpower him. To make him feel weak again. Yeah, that’s it! Maybe this won’t suck after all.

(However, with his luck, we all know that they would be here with him.)

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“There’s the troublemaker of the hour.” called out Jamil as he watched Ace drag his feet as he made his way over to the club. “And here I thought you were going to be with Couch Vargas all day.” he asked, ruffling the redhead's hair when he got closer much to the youngers annoyance.

“He decided that since I was so ‘excited’ to come here I should enjoy myself.” the way those words left the younger boy you would think he was getting tortured.

“Well, I hope you take this as an opportunity to reflect and show your appreciation to couch Vargas, later.” said Riddle, still looking cross with Ace, however no longer with the blinding fury that he had within him earlier.

“You’ve had several months to reflect on you being a psychopathic rule-following freak, and I have yet to see any improvements.” shot back Ace.

“Yikes, crabby” winced Floys as he watched Riddle flare up again.

“Ace!” the first years reprimanded, confused as to why Ace ws being so rude.

“Apologise!” ordered Jamil, looking highly disappointed and confused by the way that Ace was acting; He was never this mean, or cross with anyone, so what the hell was going on?

“Funny coming from-” before Ace could finish that sentence, a loud, horrifying (at least to Ace) voice called out his name.

“ACE!” The voice called out, faux excitement and happiness in his voice. Maybe the happiness wasn’t fake and he was in fact happy to see Ace. Happy to ruin him again. Happy to make him feel as miserable as he did all those years ago. To ruin him for others and make him suffer.

The voice belonged to one Warul John. He was tall and big. With none of it being muscle. He toured over most if not everyone present and had the ugliest smile ever It showed off his jagged, decaying teeth His nose was large, almost as large as a walrus’s and he had extremely thin, dark purple hair on his head, swept to the side. He was revolting. Many within NRC seemed to agree as well, what with the way they all covered their mouths and pointed and spoke behind their hands, giving the larger a dirty look.

That thing had put Ace through horrors that still make him want to curl up and die every time he thinks about them. Taking advantage of Ace when he had been impressionable and young, when he had been ‘ripe for the picking’ as he had said before whenever he would lay Ace down and hurt him. He hated him and the other one so much.

“However, you’ve gained some weight! You eating too much?” he had the nerve to joke; he had the nerve to insult. Oh, if Ace was going down, he’d make the bastard pay.

“Last you saw me I was 12.” Ace could see the sick desire unfolding in the elder's eye. Ahhh, time to squash that ego and will to live. “After all, last you saw me, you were what, 16? How many years do you need to be held back, dumbass. And if anything, it looks like you haven’t changed. Which makes sense, your worthless fat ass clearly can’t lose the weight, and if you gained too much more, you’ll end up exploding!” Ace giggled meanly, looking at the taller was if he was first, he found at the bottom of his shoe.

He could feel several surprised gasps, whether it was by what he said or the fact that he was insulting someone who was trying to be nice to him, he didn’t care. It was time to double down.

“Ace-that’s-that’s so mean!” Warul had the nerve to gasp out, his eyes watering, ready to pitch a fit because his toy wasn’t acting like he wanted him to.

“Yes, Ace let-” someone tried to intervene. Maybe it was Riddle. Maybe it had been Jamil. Or maybe one of the first years? Either way, Ace had no interest in letting the lowlife get away without heavily damaging his self-esteem.

“Do us all a favour and kill yourself you good for nothing freak.” everyone froze as Ace’s words washed over them, taken aback by how cold he sounded. How unlike himself he was being. “I mean, you leave the house looking like that, and you’re surprised that people want you to off yourself?” Ace laughed. It wasn’t nice. “Please, don’t fucking kid yourself. End your life, worthless.”

Warul ran away at those final words, sobbing at Ace’s cruel words. It was silent before Ace felt a hand grab his shoulder and all he felt was a pain as a fist connected with his nose.

“What the fuck, Juice.” he snapped, holding his bruised nose, as he glared at the other first year. “What is your problem!?”

“No what’s your problem!” Deuce screamed back, getting up in Ace’s face, eyes blazing. “That was horrible off you! Where do you get off, huh? Bullying others for no reason except for your entertainment.”

Around them, Ace could see out of the corner of his eyes Riddle being calmed down by an angry looking Silver, Floyd being held back by Leona and Jack, and everyone else looking disgusted with him. Well, fuck them, what do they know?

“Pfft.” Ace snickered, raising an eyebrow at Deuce “You’re one to talk about bullying others. Remind me again, what you were like prior to coming at NRC.” hurt flashed in Deuce’s eyes. “That’s what i thought. Go fuck yourself.” he flipped them all the bird as he walked down the corridor, at the opposite direction of where they were going,

“Ace Trappola get back here!” called out Riddle, however he was still getting restrained by a reluctant Silver.

“Let him go.” ordered Leona, already feeling a migraine coming on. “You can yell at him later, right now the little brat is just going to dig deep.”

Riddle huffed at being told what to do by Leona but agreed He then turned to his other first year and began fussing over him.

No one noticed the stench of evil surrounding them left by Warul.

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Ace stormed away, pissed at everyone. He stopped his angry pacing and took a deep breathe before thinking for a moment. He realised he couldn't really blame anyone for getting upset with him He had been reckless, mean and spiteful today, hell all week. Their reaction was normal and he would have to find a way to make it up to them later.

Just as he was thinking about ways to make it up to them, even contemplating telling them what happened, he felt someone slam him into the wall and cover his mouth so that he couldn’t make a noise.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Ace chan.” the slimy voice sent shivers down his spine and made him struggle against the grip he was in, even if fear was trying to take over. “Come on, you’ve never managed to escape us before, so what makes you think you can now.” Salen Nots slammed him into the wall again and laughed at Ace’s pained sound. “Oh baby! It’s been a while since I've heard those noise! You’re going to sing for us like that again soon! Real sun!” he humped Ace’s ass, causing Ace to become paralyzed form pure fear overtaking him.

“Yeah, he will.” Warul’s voice joined and those two shared an evil laugh as Ace began to cry.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, no, no, no, no

“C’mon, there’s a supply closet down there!” Warul pointed and Salen grinned as he dragged a now thrashing Ace into the supply closet. “Don’t try and fight it baby. We’ll fuck you, take a couple of photos as keep sakes and make sure that we’re always together.” the threat made Ace cry harder, and those two took delight in it, even if they couldn’t hear him properly due to the hand muffling his voice.

No, no, no, not again, not again, not again

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“What is his problem?” demanded Sebek, glaring in the direction of where Ace went. “To insult someone who was so excited to see him-”

“In Ace’s defence if some grown man came up to me and said that i ate too much i wouldn’t be nice either.” defended Ruggie, looking entirely to put out by the situation.

“Especially a grown man that looked like that.” everyone turned to look at Epel who his hands up defensively. “Spend a day with Vil and i bet you won’t come out all sunshine and rainbows with kindness sprinkled on top.”

“The point is, he went too far.” Jack redirected the conversation back to Ace, tail wagging anxiously. “Ace is never that...mean. Especially to one of us.” he pointed to a distraught Deuce who was still being comforted by Riddle.

“I’m just hoping that no faculty heard that. It would mean that we would get kicked out.” everyone turned to look at Jamil incredulously who just shrugged. “I’ve been training for ages; I'm not having that jeopardised by a first year.”

“I’m going to squeeze Crabby next time I see him.” Floyd cut in, looking murderous, which only made sense to those who had been around during the reveal of chubby child Azul. “Gonna squeeze him good.” Floyd repeated darkly which caused more than a few people to edge away from him.

“Everyone!” called out a loud voice and when they turned around, there was couch Vargas waving his hand, looking pleased. Shoot. They all looked around to see who would have to break the news that Ace had been rude? “Where’s Ace?” asked Vargas approaching them, looking around confused for the first year who he had instructed to stay close to his club.

Everyone teamed up and looked at the basketball club so they can explain where Ace was. Jamil sighed when he noticed Floyd also staring at him. “Ace got into a little...spat with someone else.” Jamil hesitated before continuing. “He then stormed off in that direction, so we don’t really know where he is.”

Vargas crossed his arms and stared at them in disappointment. “I thought i was very clear that he was meant to stay with the basketball club.” he sounded legitimately hurt and frustrated that Ace hadn’t listened to him.

“Well, it’s a good thing Ortho exits.” Epel attempted to brighten things up.

“What do you mean?” asked Leona, staring at the first year from his club.

“Ortho can hack our phones, no matter the distance. All it takes is one little hack and we’ll know where Ace is!”

“Or, crazy thought.” Ruggie began, looking extremely weirded out. “We call him.”

“And you think the human will pick up?”

“...fair.”

“Ortho!” Epel had already called the android. “I need you to hack Ace’s phone for me.” There was a pause as Epel listened to Ortho. “Hmmm, I guess give us the map and open up his device so we can listen in on what’s happening.” Another pause as Epel smiled brightly. “Thank you, Ortho! We’ll get you the heads of the teams we beat!”

...the others hoped that that was a joke. It was a joke, right?

“Give it a moment, the sound takes a couple of seconds.” and true to his words a sound came through. However not the sound they were expecting, instead it was a blood curdling scream, coming from...Ace?”

“Ace?!” Riddle jumped, hands going to his magic pen in worry.

“Get off me, Get off me, stop!” phone Ace continued begging, screaming and sounding like he was also crying.

“Stop, moving around you little brat.” hissed an unfamiliar voice.

“Yeah, you’re going to ruin the shot.” their blood ran cold at that voice, that was the same man who had come up to Ace and Ace had insulted him.

“Map. Now” demanded Floyd, eyes glaring with the promise of a thousand deaths.

Epel quickly pulled up the map and shared it across the group. Immediately the fast runners in the group and the strongest took off to the location.

“I-is that why he didn’t want to go?” came Riddle’s quiet voice. Vargas simply squeezed the boys' shoulders before making his way to grab some of the tournament hosts. It was time for him to do his job! Properly!

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Floyd kicked the door of the supply room and there they found a sight that they would won’t be able to remove from their head for years, if not for the rest of their There was Ace, bloodied and curised, lying on the ground, seemingly dead to the world. Above him stood the man from earlier, adn a new man. This man was boney and thin, bald all over and what looked to be a sailor’s uniform. They were laughing over Ace’s partially naked body and were taking clear, delighted, sick pleasure in his pain.

Floyd and Jamil saw red as they ran at the two assaulters with a speed that can only be compared to a bat out of hell.

“What the-” the fat man shouted as he got fummeled by the blue haired basketball club member whilst Jamil kicked the other one down. The rest of the group that had joined them quickly ran as well, to hold down the monsters, some even getting a couple of kicks in, before Floyd and Jamil turned their attention back to Ace.

They could see his chest faintly rising and small tears dripping down his face. They couldn’t allow the guilt inside them to fester as of right now. Currently they had a bruised and injured first year to get to safety.

“Stay here, beat them up a few but keep them alive. Take Ace’s phone.” Jamil ordered, not even having to use his unique magic to make the others comply.

Floyd quickly gathered Ace into his arms and took off running, grateful that whilst he been waiting for his crabby, he had been bored enough to look at the maps plastered on the wall and for his photographic memory.

On the way as they ran, they could hear Ace.

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“AND THIS BEHABUOUR IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!” Screamed one of the head directors of the tournament as he glared down at th two beaten up men, whilst the smug NRC students stood behind the faculty, all glaring at the bloodied men who hurt Ace.

“But they-” Warul tried to defend himself.

“Don’t even pin it on those heroes!” snapped another director. “We have video footage of you dragging young Trappola into that supply closet and the further footage from when you had defiled him.” that last word was like poison in his throat.

“But he deserves!” Argued the thinner one whilst his accomplice nodded in agreement. “That little bitch left us without our permission! After everything we’ve ever done for him!” the truth spell that they had placed on those two must be going overdrive.

“Yeah! Agreed Warul, trying to give them a pitiful look but all it did was make him that more disgusting to look at. “He used to love it whenever we dis this with him!” he added, as if trying to justify what he did. “And we were even kind enough to take pity on him when he disobeyed-!” whatever else he wanted to say was cut off by when Deuce and Riddle had charged to the front and had planted their solid right hooks into the men's faces, making them sprawled out on to the floor, unconscious.

Everyone stared in silent as the two took a deep, calming breathe and turned back to their audience.

“If you could now excuse sus, we have a dormmate that needs our assistance.” Riddle said, surprisingly cheerful however they could still see the murderous glint in his eyes.

“We have a friend to go and check up on!” Epel added as he and the rest of the third years followed suit.

“And I'm not sticking around whatever the fuck those things are.” Said Leona as and Ruggie also joined group back to NRC.

Vargas watched after them, proud of his students and the way they stand up for each other. He then turned back to the Tournament hosts and a cold glint came into his eyes. Now, back to the problem at hand.

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When Ace woke up, he felt comfortable and at ease. This caused him to immediately open his eyes because he thought he was dead.

It was worse.

When he opened his eyes, it was to him being surrounded by some of the first years crying, the second and third years looking pissed, and the teachers all arguining with themselves.

He tried to close his quickly so he wouldn’t have to deal with this nonsense but unfortunately, luck in never on his side.

“Ace!” called out Jamil relieved. “He’s awake!” he alerted everyone, missing Ace's quiet curse as everyone crowded him even tighter.

“ACE!” they all yelled relieved but looked taken aback when he winced and just covered his ears.

“Ace, we’re so sor-”

“All apologies can be made after I have processed what just happened, I see my family and i get a gift for having to deal with everything.” the last part was probably pushing it, but fuck everyone, he was the one in the hospital bed, not them. Surprisingly enough, everyone agreed. Whether thatb was through the emotional guilt along or due to the fact that they just loved Ace, who had a clue.

“Of course. Whatever it requires.” and then Riddle did something that surprised everybody. And i mean, everybody, he placed a kiss on Ace’s cheek. “Have a good rest.” and he didn't even have the decency to be embarrassed by it!

The others, noticing what he was doing, quickly followed suit, all leaving small pecks on Ace’s cheek, some with their cheeks flushed, and others brazingly smirking. Now all that was left were the two other basketball members.

“W-what!” Ace cursed himself for the stutter and for blushing this hard, but who could blame him! It was a very emotional few hours.

Jamil and Floyd just smirked as they looked at each other and then back at Ace. They seemed to be silently communicating before coming to an agreement that caused their smirks to widen. They looked back at Ace and approached him, causing Ace to panic which increased even more when those two joined him on his bed and cuddled into him, both grabbing a hand.

“Well, it’s time to look after out cute little underclassmen, right, Floyd?” asked Jamil, smugly taking delight in Ace’s blushing stuttering.

“That’s right, sea snake! Don’t worry Crabby, we're going to make sure that nothing gets to you. In the meantime, do tell me what you mean when you said bring a gift.”

Ace gulped as the hands around him tightened and even though he hated himself for it, he couldn’t help but like the attention the two were sprinkling on him.

And the rest of the afternoon remained like that, Jamil and Floyd teasing Ace whilst Ace whined and pouted, but snuggling deeper into their embrace.

#twisted wonderland #ace trappola #deuce spade #riddle rosehearts #trey clover #cater diamond #jack howl #leona kingscholar #ruggie bucchi #floyd leech #jamil viper #epel felmier #ortho shroud #silver #sebek zigvolt #the walrus and sailor dudes from alice in wonderland

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