#riddle Rosehearts fluff

[cloudcountry]

OH MY GOD. THE MIX UP VALENTINE POST. YOU ATE!!!! could i rq a version with riddle, ace, deuce, octavinelle, and lillia? 🫶🫶

SUMMARY: you get a gift that was meant for the student you like, and the contents spur you to action.

COMMENTS: this is a spin off post of this post!! IM GLAD U LIKED IT ANON i was proud of that one myself ehehe

also the character limit is five so i picked azul from octavinelle

You stare blankly at the box of chocolate in your hands, the gift crammed into your desk haphazardly. At first, you thought it was for you—that’s what anyone would assume, right? Except...the note on top of it is not addressed to you, but rather, the guy you like. It makes you wonder if this is some joke, or if one of his friends wanted you to deliver it for him. You pick at the heart sticker sealing the note shut and peel it open, taking a peak of the contents.

Your eyes wide and your heart lurches in your chest, panic and annoyance roaring like red hot flames as you read what sounds like a genuine confession of love. Someone had their eyes on him? How did you never notice?

Was it weird to get jealous? I mean, he’s not even dating you yet...you don’t even know if he feels the same way. You can’t deny it doesn’t feel good that there’s another student trying to woo him, though. You’ve been so scared up until this point, so nervous about what he might think, but the clock is ticking. You’ve got to tell him before it’s too late.

Riddle sits up even straighter when he sees you approaching him with a heart shaped box and an envelope, his cheeks flushing pink. He clears his throat when you arrive, expression all twisted up as if you’re unhappy about something. Riddle turns to look at you, holding his chin high as he addresses you by name.

“Do you have something to tell me?” he asks, arms crossed over his chest.

“This is a pathetic gift for the Queen of Hearts.” you reply dryly, throwing the gifts on the ground and stomping on them, “Someone thought that would be enough for you, but I won’t stand for it.”

Riddle stares open mouthed at the torn envelope and crushed box of chocolates, but a giant bundle of roses blocks his line of sight.

“This.” you say, a bouquet of roses in one hand and an entire strawberry tart in the other, with the truffles from the box placed in a circle around it in your hands, “Is a far more fitting gift for courting the queen.”

Deuce freezes after he reads the note you gave him with a sour face, cheeks turning pink. He wonders why you look so upset when you just confessed how much you like him—even though the words seem a bit off...

“See, Deuce? I told you you were popular.” you scoff, wrinkling your nose in disgust.

You glare so intensely at the envelope that Deuce feels your anger and jealousy.

“Is this...not from you?” he asks softly, his heart plummeting out of his body. And here he was, getting all delighted and cheesy about it—

“Nah. It’s not.” you say flippantly, “I’m confessing my feelings in a much better way.”

Deuce gasps when you pull out a bouquet of dark blue roses, kneeling at his feet as you take his hand. He swears you see hearts in his eyes as he stares at the flowers and your face, which look up at him with determination he knows all too well.

“Deuce Spade, I want you to be mine.” you declare, and his legs turn to jelly as he babbles out an enthusiastic yes.

“I can’t believe someone who isn't me likes your dumbass.” you smack Ace’s arm as he snickers over the note, an immature gesture if there ever was one.

“Well, if you like this dumbass what does that make you, huh? A stupidass?” he quips, knocking his whole body against you.

You squeal and shove him back, sticking your tongue out at his shocked face as he falls off the bed.

“Really!? This is how you’re confessing your love to me?” Ace huffs, playful as always, “I want a divorce.”

“You idiot, I’m just speaking your language!” you snap back, throwing a pillow at his head, “All you do is tease and yap and jab so I’m giving you a taste of your own medicine!”

“Oh you’re on!” Ace jumps to his feet, pillow in hand.

It’s obvious he likes you back. It always has been. And even if that person hadn’t sent that note, you two still would have known just how much you care for each other, even if it remains (mostly) unsaid.

(You still trampled that note at least ten times during your pillow fight though.)

“Is this some kind of joke?” Azul says blandly, placing the letter down on his desk of his VIP Room, “This obviously isn’t your handwriting, nor is it your style of writing.”

“That’s because it’s not mine.” you say just as blandly, raising an eyebrow as Azul looks over his spectacles at you, “Were you hoping it was?”

“What is the purpose of this visit then? You bring me some random letter with a confession of love...don’t tell me you’re hoping to butter me up.” Azul chuckles, standing up as gracefully as ever, “You should know better than anyone that those tricks do not work on me.”

You stand up as well, arms crossed over your chest as you meet his stare with your own.

“Because, Azul, someone left that note in my desk. It was addressed to you, as you can see, so I bought it for you. What you just read is what encouraged me to take action.” you take a deep breath and summon all of your courage, there truly is no turning back now, “Azul, I am interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you. I can assure you I’ve thought this over many times before coming to you with this proposal. If you’re willing, I would love to sit down and have a talk about the terms and conditions of this deal.”

You hold out your hand for a handshake.

Azul’s mouth forms an o shape, and for a second you’d say he looks shocked, but he composes himself quickly as is all too inclined to place his hand in yours.

“Well, well, well!” he beams, voice light and airy with what you can only assume is joy, “Let’s get negotiations underway, shall we?”

“Aww, you shouldn’t have.” Lilia coos, bringing a hand up to his mouth, “Why do you look so sour, sweets?”

“Because it’s not from me. It was stuffed in my desk and addressed to you.” you wrinkle your nose, the envelope clenched in your fist, “I don’t like the idea of someone confessing to you before I could.”

Lilia giggles, still hiding his mouth behind his hand. You stare blankly at him, tapping your foot so hard your ankle starts to cramp up.

“Oh, no need to look so anxious, dear. I’m sure you’re well aware of where my affections lie, yes?” Lilia approaches you, his fingers intertwining with yours as the envelope flutters to the floor, unnoticed and uncared for.

He doesn’t have much time left. He’s loved and he’s lost, he may as well go for what he wants while it’s still here, in front of him.

“That is such an indirect way of confessing.” you groan, squeezing his hand, “I even got you a whole bag of mystery flavored red lollipops...”

“Gifts are best shared, my dear!” Lilia laughs, pulling you over to his bed, “Now, hurry up! I want to see which flavor I get first!”

[oepionie]

— "INTO THE RABBIT-HOLE" THE CROWNED PRINCESS OF RAMSHACKLE. riddle rosehearts

💭ramshackle princess series masterlist | 💬ao3 link

SYNOPSIS: A dispute with Riddle prompts the prefect to flee into the forest where she falls into a rabbit hole and finds herself in a mad fantastical realm of her imagination. Here, she meets her friends who are acting somewhat strangely… odd. They all treat her as royalty and whisk her away to a castle where her husband, the Red Queen, eagerly awaits her return.

How curious.

⊹ [ cw ] — hurt/comfort, falling from heights, arguments, lashing out, fighting, allusions to executions and stabbing, mentions of a knife, mentions of smoking, mild blood, riddle lashes out on you◞

⊹ [ tags ] — FLUFF, ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP, FEM! READER | deuce punches you, che'nya is a little shit, trey with bunny ears, ace and deuce as the tweedle dumbasses, affectionate riddle, cater as hot knave◞

⊹ [ w.c ] — 9K+

ACT I: BLOOD RED MESS

​"It was just sitting on top of the old boxes in the attic!" You exclaimed, fumbling with the tiara buried deep in your bag. Trey watched as you took it out, holding it up for him to see. It was of a silver color, embezzled and richly decorated with diamonds. The tiara had a fan shaped diadem, nine throngs, and a small blue heart-shaped jewel as its centerpiece. It was an ornament befitting royalty. Not really something you'd find in Ramshackle's run-down attic.

"That does look expensive. What do you plan on doing with it?" Trey asked, pushing his glasses up. Both of you were taking a walk through the grounds of Heartslabyul, basking in the sunshine. "That could sell for quite a lot of money."

"Tempting, but I was planning on giving it to Crowley." You muttered, turning the tiara in your hands and admiring the way it glimmered in the sunlight.

All of a sudden, in the corner of your eye, a small green blur dashed into the rosebushes, scurrying deep into the green brambles. Gasping, you pointed to it. "Oh! Trey, did you see that?"

"See what...?" Trey blinked. You rushed forward, parting the branches and peering through the shrub. A green rabbit in a waistcoat dashed through the bushes, a ticking clock perched onto his hip. "A bunny rabbit!"

"A rabbit-? O-Oi! Prefect?!" Trey ran after you as you rushed through the bushes, intent on chasing the bunny. Branches and rose thorns scratched and tore at your uniform, but you paid no mind to it. The rabbit took a sharp turn right, and you followed in hot pursuit. As you rounded the corner, you crashed into a large stack of paint buckets. The canisters all toppled to the ground, breaking open and tainting the green grass red.

Likewise, you also fell into the red puddle. The paint pooled around you, seeping into your clothes and hair. You groaned, pushing yourself away from the wreckage. "Just my lucky day."

While you were busy glaring down at the offending red pigment bleeding onto your pristine white blouse, Trey had rushed to your side. The third-year seemed to be nervous as he wiped your face down with his sleeve. "Prefect, quick, fix yourself up before—"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Riddle exclaimed, the clattering click of his heels signaling his arrival as he stomped towards you.

Uh oh.

"O-Oh! Riddle, I—" You stammered, scrambling up. "Love, I was just trying to—"

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" Riddle yelled, pulling you away from Trey and seizing your arm—all with a frown etched onto his face. You whimpered at his tight hold, his blunt nails digging deep into your skin. "What were you thinking?! Why were you running through the gardens like some buffoon?!"

"I-I...I was chasing...a rabbit." You peered at him through shaky wet lashes, cheeks burning up in embarrassment. Your sweetheart stared at you in incredulity before a snarky laugh left his lips.

"A rabbit." Riddle seethed, dragging a hand down his face. His pointed glare cut through you as he gestured towards the mess of red. "All that for a rabbit?!"

"I'll have you know that batch of paint is a special import from the Queendom of Roses. We've been waiting for its arrival for months and now you've ruined it with your tomfoolery!" The redhead's chest heaved as he finished his outburst. His skin had turned crimson, and a vein had ticked on his temple. Riddle grabbed a battered bucket beside you, making you avert your gaze towards him.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" He said. Your mouth dropped open, but you found yourself unable to say anything. The longer you kept silent, the more he felt his anger simmer. Riddle's face twisted into a vicious scowl before he threw the bucket full-force at a nearby tree. The resounding bang made you jump, fear gripping your heart.

"I said—" Riddle paused, his tongue screeching to a halt once he saw thick blobs of tears sliding down your face. Silence soon followed. Quickly, his demeanor changed as he finally realized the cruelty and weight of his words.

Muttering obscenities under his breath, Riddle pinched the bridge of his nose. He's done it again, he let his anger get the better of him.

Mistaking his guilt for anger, you cowered before him, watery eyes glued to the ground as you sputtered out sloppy apologies. "I'm s-sorry, Riddle...I'm really sorry."

"No, I—" The redhead let go of your arm, causing you to fall back and crumble to the floor. He scrambled to kneel down beside you, hands hovering over your waist. "Rose, I didn't mean to—"

"I-I have to go." Everyone stared at you with sympathy as you rushed out of the garden, frantically wiping away at the tears on your cheeks. Riddle tried to go after you, but Trey blocked his path. The third-year shook his head, pushing the dormleader back. "Give her some space."

"You can apologize later." Trey sighed. He folded his arms over his chest, looking as if he was about to lecture Riddle. But the look of guilt on his childhood friend's face already told him all he needed to know.

ACT II: JUST LIKE ALICE

Sobs racked through your chest as you rushed through the woods. You didn't know where you were going, you just knew was that you needed to get away. Riddle's words still beat and tore at your poor heart.

So stricken with embarrassment from earlier, you didn't notice an overgrown branch sticking out of the dirt and you tripped, slipping into an agape rabbit hole. You fell through the dirt tunnel; Screaming your lungs out, spinning around wildly in the air, and panicking while tears sprung out of your eyes. Though you soon realized, as minutes passed that you were still falling. The hole seemed to be unending.

"By the great sevens-?!" You soon stopped spinning wildly and instead started floating down. From soaring book shelves, a musty wrinkled bed, a vintage lamp and a broken down piano—The hole around you was filled with all sorts of trinkets and junk.

It took a good 10 minutes before you finally dropped to the ground. Oddly enough, your fall didn't hurt one bit. In fact, it was rather...plush?

Looking down, you found yourself seated on a tremendous pile of pillows. Each pillow was distinct, mainly covered with red and black patchwork—you could only assume it was handmade. There was some sort of symbolism stitched onto it as well, resembling either a heart or playing cards. 

"What in the...Twisted Wonderland?" You gasped, standing up.

Whilst on top of the pillowy mountain, you took the chance to survey the surrounding room. It was a great hallway lined with many doors of all shapes and sizes. The area was fairly big, modeled after Heartslabyul's dorms with its wine-red walls, checkered floors, and peculiar heart-themed architecture.

Was this some sort of secret hideout?

"How curious..." Sliding down the hill of pillows, you decide to survey the hallway. Amongst the doors, you find a small one that's hardly the size of your foot. It was unique from the rest, colored purple and framed by a golden archway instead of the common silver one that others had.

Speculative, you wrapped your fingers around the minuscule handle and turned the door open. You bent down to peek through and catch sight of a beautiful, lush garden. 

A group of flowers danced around in the wind, almost as if they were beckoning you to take a closer look. For some odd reason, it fascinated you. In a trance, you turned back to the room with a new goal in mind. Surely there must be something in here that could take you in?

A banquet table sitting in the far corner caught your eye. It was filled to the brim with fresh pastries and drinks, strange considering no one was here. Though a bit creeped out, you took a gander at the feast lay out before you. Despite the table being so long, there was only one chair present and in front of it was an envelope.

"Curiouser and curiouser." You mutter.

Tearing the top open with your nail, you plucked out the contents of the envelope and caught sight of your name marked in elegant cursive on a lustrous golden card.

"A letter...?" You muttered. What you found was an invitation to a party. "Addressed to me?"

"The Red Queen's Unbirthday party...?" You mumbled, eyes skimming over the text until one line attracted your attention. "—Where His Majesty's Rose shall put on the Nine-Throng Tiara?"

A Tiara? With Nine-Throngs? 

Blinking, you turned back to the stack of pillows. The very tiara you found in your attic was sitting at the top, glimmering under the lights of the hall. Uh...when exactly did that get here?

You squinted your eyes at the line again. "Where she shall put on the Nine-Throng Tiara..."

"Put on the Nine-Throng Tiara?" Pocketing the invitation, you trudged back to the very top of the pillows and took the jewel headdress in your hands. You could only assume that its appearance here right now was the result of magic.

...So it wouldn't be far off to say that it had magical powers, huh? 

Taking a deep breath, you raised it above your head. "Well then, here goes nothing."

After gently setting it atop your head, you soon found a mystical glow engulfing your body. Gasping, you watched as your school uniform shifted and altered into a dress.

The dress was of a sky blue, a long train at its back, pleats along its front; It was decked with lavish lace, delicate embroidery and sewn in with diamonds.

The dress was knee-length and its big bouffant-styled skirt bounced when you walked. For accessories, you had opera-length white gloves and matching white stockings on.

Running your hand up your neck, you noticed how it had a high white lace collar which oddly complimented the black bow tied snug around your waist. The sneakers you had previously worn shifted themselves into dark mary janes, which felt like clouds with every step you took.

"O...kay? A dress-up was not what I was expecting." Sighing, you bunched up the train of your skirt in your hands and rushed back to the banquet table. This time, you took a look at the food and found a champagne bottle labeled "DRINK ME". 

Silently debating if this was a good idea, after a while, you decide to just go for it. Popping the bottle open, you take a quick swig and immediately get hit with a wave of nausea. Gagging, you place the bitter drink down on the table. 

"H-Huh!?" You gasp as the room around you grew bigger and bigger or rather—as you grew smaller and smaller. 

"Oof!" You plopped down onto the floor, the banquet table now towering over you. The drink had managed to shrink you to the right size and it seems that your clothes adjusted accordingly. Clapping your hands, you happily made your way to the golden door and turned the handle. 

Only to find that it was locked.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Furrowing your brows, you continued to furiously fumble with the doorknob. 

"It wasn't locked earlier!" You whined, kicking at the door. Huffing, you turned back once more to the table. A small golden key was seen on top, one that you must have missed earlier. 

Well, it was far too high up for you to reach now that was for sure. While marching up to the key, you spot a cookie marked “EAT ME” hidden behind one of the nearby table legs. 

"Might as well." You shrug, grabbing the cookie. After brushing it off, you move in to take a bite. "This can't possibly get any worst."

"Huh...? W-Woah!" You shriek, looking down at your feet which seemed to be so far off. Just then your head struck against the roof of the hall. "Uff!"

This time, it seems that the cookie caused you to grow to an inordinately large height.

"That hurt..." You grumbled, rubbing the top of your head. At once, you took up the tiny golden key and hurried off to take the champagne bottle, downing the liquid and shrinking back down. With a pep in your step, you rushed towards the door.

"Alright, Wonderland." You pushed the key into the keyhole, turning until you heard a click. 

"What do you have in store for me?"

Stepping into the door, you found yourself in the peculiar garden. 

It was a whimsical wonderland of it's own. The sky was painted in reds and pinks, and the flowers were ones that you've never seen nor heard of before. The only ones familiar to you were the rosebushes which surrounded the area, enclosed around the garden like towering barricades as little butterflies kissed its roses, fluttering about the flora.

"Oi!" Jumping, you whipped your head around to find a familiar pair of ginger and blueberry heads peeking out from a tree. "Who're you?"

Gasping, both of your hands clasped over your mouth. 

"Ace?! Deuce?!" The first-years jumped at your shrill shriek, nervously exchanging glances when their names flew out of your mouth. Both of them stepped away from their hiding spot, cautiously walking towards you. 

"How do y'know my name?" Ace asked. You were about to answer his question, but got distracted once you noticed the ridiculous outfits they were dressed in. Both of them had identical vivid yellow blouses with thick white lapels. Said blouses were paired with high-waisted red slacks and big blue bow-ties.

Snorting, you covered your mouth to conceal your giggles. "W-What's with the goofy fit?" 

"Eh? This is what we wear every day?" Deuce halted, looking down on his outfit. Ace shook his head, slapping his friend by the back of his head. "N-Never-mind that, listen, we have no idea who you are but—"

"Huh...?" You blinked dementedly. "What do you mean you have no idea who I am...? I'm Y/N!"

Both of them stared blankly at each other, then at you. Simultaneously, they bluntly replied. "Who?" 

"Y/N!"

Ace folded his arms across his puffed up chest. "Never heard of 'er."

"Guys, seriously-"

"That dress looks expensive." Deuce noted, "Are you some duchess from out of the kingdom?"

"No! I'm-" You struggled.

"Deuce, I don't know about you...but I think she might be a bit cuckoo in the head." Ace whispered, deliberately backing away from you. "Let's walk away slowly..."

"Alright! Enough with the jokes!" You lashed out. Gathering your skirt in your hands, you frantically rushed towards the two. "Listen to me! I'm-"

"Your majesty!" Popping out of a corner, Trey appeared by your side and scrambled to clumsily curtsy before you. His shoulders trembled with tension as he kept them taut and square. Stupefied, you stumbled back and gawked at him. "Y-Your majesty?"

It was only then did you notice the two fluffy green bunny ears sitting atop his head. He fumbled with an antique pocket watch, taking a quick glance at the clock before hastily stuffing it into his pocket. Trey wore a plaid red petticoat, dark maroon slacks, and a deep lavender bowtie.

"I apologize for these two." He awkwardly chuckled, kicking at the two boys' knees and forcing them into kneeling positions. Nearly toppling over from the force of Trey's kick, both Ace and Deuce hurriedly crouched down before you.

"We apologize, your highness. We didn't realize it was you..." Deuce trailed off, face spiraling into a ghostly pasty white. "Y-You're not going to cut our heads off, are you?"

"Why—in the everlasting fuck—would I do that?!" You swore, scraping your fingers through your hair and tugging at the strands which made your tiara turn askew. "I don't even know what's going on!"

"Neither do I." All of a sudden, a floating grin appeared in the middle of nowhere, manifesting itself out of thin air. Then, a head and body slowly appeared in a cloud of lavender mist. A purple-haired cat-beastman appeared before you, tail swishing around gracefully as he smoked a long hookah.

The cat looked at you for some time in silence, his face obscured by the thick purple mist he was smoking. At last, he took the hookah out of his mouth, and addressed Trey in a languid voice. "My~ You guys are really giving our rose a headache!"

The smoke cleared to reveal a familiar face grinning at you.

"Che'nya?! You're here too?!" You gasped.

"Yes~ Hello, there. Alchemi Alchemivich Pinka at your service," He bows.

"I have to say! It's great to see you here, your highness!" Che'nya chortled, floating up into the air and spinning around playfully. "Your husband turned the entire kingdom upside down looking for you."

Jolting, you pressed your palm flat to your chest in shock. "M-My husband?!"

"Yesss~" Che'nya drawled, floating around without a care in the world. "Your queen has gone mad ever since you've gone, your highness."

"My queen?!" Is your bewildered response.

"Yes, your majesty. Erm...the 'queen' is a he." Trey confirmed. "Queen Rosehearts has been in a state of panic since you've disappeared weeks ago."

Nodding along, Che'nya gestures to the bright red ring on your hand. You gape at the jewel, eyes ripped wide open. Where did that come from? What is with you and random jewelry popping out of nowhere? No, most importantly—you were married to Riddle?!

You tilt your head up, meeting everyone's eyes in a panicked state.

"This is a dream," Slowly backing away, you cradled your head in your hands. The gravity of the situation you were in was finally sinking in.

As you guessed, this was an extremely lucid and well-crafted dream. It had to be a dream. What other reason was there?

Most likely, you were in the forest right now, having fallen unconscious after tripping over that branch. Yes, truly, you must have hit your head somewhere.

In a daze, you gestured to the world around you. "Yes. Yes, this is a dream."

With that logic in mind, you were safely held inside the comforting quarters of your own head. 

"You!" You bellow and point a rigid finger at Deuce. The poor boy tensed up, fear striking him like thunder as you moved towards his incapacitated frame. Grabbing onto the collar of his shirt, you pulled him towards you and spat out an order,

"Punch me." 

Instantaneously, his horror-stricken expression melts into one of confusion. You want him to do what now?

"Erm.." Deuce furrows his brows, closes his eyes and clutches his chin, pondering. 

Surely, it was against the law to punch the Queen's Rose? If Riddle got the slightest whiff of what he's done, he's a dead man. Then again, disobeying direct orders from royalty was also a crime, was it not? 

He was torn.

Deuce sighs, moistening his lips as he meets your frenzied gaze. Ah, well...either way, this was a lose-lose situation for him.

"A-As you wish." Raising his arm, he smashed a rough fist against your cheek. The blow caused your head to violently whip back as you stumbled to the ground. 

Minutes pass and yet, to your chagrin, apart from the growing bruise on your cheek, nothing has changed. You blink incessantly, brows drawn tight together. 

"That's odd. Punching usually does the trick." You murmur, concurrently confused and dizzy. Trey helped you up and considered your condition with reckoning eyes. "Your majesty, have you hit your head somewhere? Or maybe you're sick? You're acting...odd."

"Oh, well—First off, I fell down a rabbit hole. Then there were pillows, tiny doors—and-and other things I can't even make sense of!" You gestured grandly around, acting out the various things you've experienced but Trey doesn't seem to appreciate your ramblings, continuing to stare at you like you were a madman. 

You huff and scoured the vast open gardens as if you could find the culprit who had created this insane world. "This is all so insane, weird, a-and—and mad!”

"Oh, your highness, everyone here is mad. Especially you~!" Che'nya cackled, throwing his head back in amusement. He floated towards you, wrapping his lithe tail around your waist. "Ah, but while I do enjoy the little show you're putting on. We really have to get you back to the castle. Can't really have our kingdom's rose wandering around the forest with memory loss, hm?"

In a snap of his fingers, a map appeared before you.

"This, your highness, is the Red Castle. That's where you reside." Che'nya tapped his fingertip against the very center where an illustration of a castle was shown. It was quite nicely done, nearly to the point of obsessive architectural intricacy.

"Trey, I trust you'll take them there?" Che'nya purrs, head tilting to the side, knuckles pushing up against his cheek.

"Of course. I'll make sure you return home safe, your majesty." Trey responded, one of his bunny ears swiveling. 

Once again, he checked his watch, anxiety gripping him as a trickle of sweat dripped down onto the glass frame. After a while, he pocketed it and reached his hand out to you. "We must leave now. I'm already running late for the unbirthday party. The opening ceremony starts in 3 hours..."

'Curious and curiouser...This is not so bad a dream,' you thought as you intertwined your fingers with his. 'Perhaps I should stay a while.'

ACT III: A WATCHFUL EYE

"Hey! Bunny—We really had to go this way?" Ace groaned, holding onto the train of your skirt as to not sully it on the dirt ground.

"It's the quickest way to the castle. You know we can't waste any more time." Trey pressed, directing your group deeper into the woods. 

"Yeah, yeah! You told me that earlier. I just don't get why I gotta follow? That cat-guy dipped the moment we stepped a foot into this place." Ace pouted, kicking a nearby pebble away.

"Oh, is that so? Well then, feel free to go back." Trey scorned, taking the train of your dress away from Ace's hands and grasping it in his own. "It's not like I'm forcing you to come along. Surely that would make you happier?"

"Fine by me!" The ginger scoffed, crossing his arms and proceeding to go the other way.

Rolling his eyes, Trey pressed a hand by your back and continued guiding you through the forest. Only for you to come to a halt, digging your heels to the ground. "Wait."

"Your majesty?" The bunny noticed how your eyes flickered to Ace's retreating form briefly, concern swimming around your bright orbs. 

"Will he be alright? I'm not so sure he even remembers where we came from..." You sighed. "We can't really leave him behind. Especially in this forest, of all places."

Trey stays silent, a warm smile spreading across his cheeks. Ah, so the tales were true. Tales of the Queen's Rose and their never-ending compassion. Hearsay's of how they pardon offenders sent to the dungeon cells or to the pillory of a guillotine.

"Don't worry, your majesty," Trey chuckled. "He'll be crawling after us in a few minutes."

Shaking your head, you grimaced. "If you say so."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"That damn bunny. Makin' me go into this creepy place." Ace seethed through gritted teeth, stomping back from where he came from. "Like hell I'm wasting my time helping that crazy missy."

As he trudged through the dirt pathway, a branch cracked in the far distance and he froze. Fear gripped him in it's grasp as a cool chill seeped into his bones, creeping all the way up to his spine. 

Ahm...was it just him, or was the sky darker now?

Gulping, Ace's eyes darted around the forest. The wind howled and screeched, the tall decaying branches of rotting trees reached out to him like talons, and the gloomy shadows in the distance morphed into twisted, deformed faces.

Yeah, no. He was out.

"O-Oi! Guys, on second thought, a hike is just what I need!" Ace disputes, struggling for breath as he chased after you. "Guys?!"

As Ace skittered after you, he was completely oblivious to the ominous gaze pinned to his back. 

Obscured behind a cluster of trees, a raven, perched atop a log, looked straight at your group with a lidded stare—unblinking and as still as a statue.

Once you were all out of it's sight, the raven spread it's wings and took off into the sky. It soared through the woodlands, fleetly gliding around the large trees of a forest and wide grassy plains before reaching the Queen's domain.

Grey mist and thin fog cut through the streets of the kingdom while a looming feeling of dread permeated through the air. The past few weeks of searching have not been merciful to the people, it seems. Everyone has felt the full effect of the rose's disappearance.

Once the bird reached the territory of the Red Castle, it swoops and dips down to a balcony. The Knave of Knights stood by his desk in his bedroom, reading over letters and declarations from the Queen. Just a few beheadings to schedule here and there, nothing too difficult.

The loud flap of wings drew his attention away from the desk. A leering smirk stretches across his face as he stands and leisurely strolls over to the bird.

"Birdie~ Back so soon? Have you found them?" He purrs, cocking his head. The leather pads of his glove stroke lightly at the crow's head as it squawks a response. "Hmm~? The queen's favorite trio of lunatics is taking her here?"

Chucking, the Knave clasped his hands around his sallet—lazily pulling his helmet off and allowing his ginger hair to cascade down his shoulders. The iron of his cuirassier plate armor glinted under the glare of the sun, refined and battle-scarred though peculiarly lavishly decorated. It seemed to serve more as a fashion statement than actual protection.

"Well then~ Let's go pay Queen Red a visit, lil' Cay-Cay." Cater muses, scratching the side of his cheek.

"Hopefully that rabbit can handle it. It's going to be MY head on the pillory if she doesn't return home safe."

ACT IV: STRAWBERRY JAM

"SOMEONE HAS TAKEN THREE OF MY TARTS!"

The doors to the throne-room thrash open, smashing hard against the walls. Servants and soldiers alike startled, groveling in fear as they forced their gaze towards the entryway. In all his full glory, the Red Queen appears, adorned in his usual white dress suit. 

His face was tinted in a deep bloody red, pupils dilated into mere pin-pricks, and thin lips stretched out into a snarl. The wisps of his lashes cast a bold shadow across his plump cheekbones, the brush of scarlet eyeshadow above his eyes intensifying his scornful gaze.

Card soldiers frantically scramble to line up by the pathway as Riddle prowls around the room, his signature cape tossed over his left shoulder, dragging along the floor as he went. Snarling, he points his golden scepter to a soldier standing by the end of the line. "Was it you?!"

"N-No my queen..." 

"You?!" Riddle bellows, swiveling his scepter to point to one of your handmaids this time. Whimpering, she shook like a leaf in her shoes, wringing a washcloth tight in her hands. "I-It w-was not me, my queen."

A sudden movement, on the fringes of his peripheral vision, caught his attention. Turning around, his gaze was drawn to a chef standing near the door. The boy appeared to be no more than fifteen years old. Riddle assumed he was a mere apprentice.

The chef popped his fingers in his mouth, seemingly humming at it's taste. How...odd.

Squinting his eyes, Riddle strides towards the apprentice. He approached the boy, pushing him back until his back was flush against the window's tinted glass panes.

"And how about you...?" Riddle seethes, leaning down close to the chef's face. A wobbly grin presents itself on the boy's lips as he stutters out a greeting. 

"Tsk." Tutting, Riddle places his scepter below the apprentice's chin, flicking the boy's gaze up. His crimson eye darts to the side of the chef's lips where a smidge of jam could be faintly seen. 

"Miscreant." Riddle snarls, dragging the boy forward by his apron. Falling forward, the subject scrapes his skin against the floor—a look of horror seeping onto his face as he kneels before his queen. 

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD." Riddle screams, slamming the bottom of his scepter onto the ground which discharged a burst of magic. A collar manifested itself around the chef's neck, so heavy that it weighed his entire upper body down—making him fall.

Panicking, he writhed around on the ground but could not muster enough strength to bring his head up due to the sheer weight of the restraints.

"No! Please!" Indifferent to the pleads of his victim, Riddle scoffs and struts towards his throne, heels noisily clicking against the marble. Moving swiftly, a pair of soldiers grabbed the offender by his arms, dragging him out of the room. As the screaming crook was taken out, the doors shut close with a resounding bang.

"My apologies for the disturbance." Sighing, Riddle reclines against his throne, cape draped across his shoulder and cascading down to his lap. Grumbling, he pushes his hair back—half-lidded gaze piercing through the crowd before him.

"All of you return to your previous duties." He orders. Though hesitant, gradually, the servants resumed to their previous tasks around the castle, toiling silently as to avoid further aggravating the Red Queen. 

Riddle sighs and sinks onto his throne, rubbing at the scorch in his eyes. The warm beaming light of the sun cascaded down his flushed face as he reflected over his previous actions

Was he too harsh with his punishment? After all, you've always resented the way he dealt with delinquents so...intently.

Riddle sighs, tilting his head back. Perhaps he should have—

A frown etched itself deep onto his cheeks. 

No. That chef deserved every bit of punishment sent his way. It was a general and well-known rule in the castle that no one must consume the tarts baked in preparation for an unbirthday party. Only a fool would forget it. 

"It was justified," He huffs. "I am clearly in the right," Riddle consoles himself. 

Behind the draping crimson curtains of the throne room, a tall figure steps out—adorned in a full suit of armor. The Red Queen glances at the stranger, immediately recognizing the tangerine strands peeking out through the openings of his helmet.

"Knave." Riddle murmurs, addressing Cater with a simple glare. Unfazed, Cater bows with a cheery grin before striding over to the queen's side. Plopping himself onto the arm of the chair, Cater leans down to wrap an arm around Riddle. "Hiya~!"

"That was certainly the performance of a lifetime earlier. It was theatre worthy!" The Knave snickers, eyes sweeping across the room, rejoicing at the horrified looks the servants send him. 

'How dare a mere knave like him act so friendly with the red queen?!' He could already hear their hushed whispers. 'Was he mad?'

'Mayhaps.' Cater chuckles, eyes turning dark.

"Anyhow~! Boy, do I have some good news for you." Cater laughs, mood switching over like a light switch. He pulls off his helmet, fanning his face with his hands. "Man, it's so hot in here. Like—Who installed the ventilation?"

Riddle clicks his tongue, pushing the knave away. "I am in no mood for your shenanigans. Come back some other time."

"Ugh, if you say so." Cater sighs, slipping off the throne and turning his back to the queen. "I guess you don't want to hear about how my little pet found your rose. Toodles!"

"What?" Riddle snaps, pulling Cater back by his arm. "Repeat that at once."

Cater smiles. 

He turns to Riddle with a cold dead look in his eyes. "Ara~? Didn't you say you weren't in the mood? Don't worry. I'll come back later. For now, I'll be on my merry way~"

"Do not test me, knave." Riddle seethes, hands coiling tight around his scepter. Cater hummed, waiting a second or so before responding. 

"Little Cay-Cay found her with the bunny and the tweedle duo. They were trekking through the forest." He rasps, toying with the half painted rose brooch on Riddle's suit pocket. "I think that little baker bunny of yours is escorting her here."

"Find them." Riddle growls, baring his teeth. Cater blinked languidly, confusion written all over his features. "Why would I do that? Like I said, they're already bringing her here—"

"I said find them!" The red queen snaps, slamming his fist down onto the arm of his throne. Cater stares at him with a passive expression, unmoving and watching Riddle's every movement carefully.

Well, this certainly ruined his plans. What a travesty.

"As you wish..." He kneels, slipping his helmet back onto his head. "...your majesty." 

ACT V: THE KNAVE

Despite the initial creepiness, it was quite nice to take a walk in the forest. 

Owls hooted and birds chirped in the darkness as golden-orange leaves fluttered in the wind. The soft cool breeze occasionally reached out to caress your cheeks. Nature was at pure harmony with each other here, melting into a single combined melody that provided your group with peaceful ambience.

"The gates are just up ahead. It'll lead us directly to the castle grounds." Trey divulged, tilting his head towards a distant outline of a castle. 

You took a deep breath and took in the crisp woodland air, letting it fill your lungs before exhaling it out. The anticipation of what was to come made your hands clammer as a wave of nervousness washed over you.

"Hi~! Oh, Miss Majesty!" The clippety-clop of hooves made its way towards you. Seated on a gigantic beauty of a black stallion, a rider halted before you. 

"Oh! U-Um..." Gasping, you gathered your skirt and stumbled back. Tilting your head up, you gazed up at the stranger, "Ah...are you some kind of royal guard?"

The mysterious armor-clad rider laughs, shaking his head. "Hmm...close to that! Actually, I'm a knave!" 

"The name is Cater Diamond. At your service." Cater bowed. His horse too mimicked his actions as it bent a knee and curtseyed before you. Giggling, you raised a hand to gently pet at the stallion's mane. It seemed to revel in the gesture as it relaxed and huffed in satisfaction.  

"Ah. Cater, I-I didn't expect to see you here." Trey fiddled with his glasses, a ruminative look on his face. The chef kept himself guarded, stepping a few feet away. Cater side-eyed him, smiling ominously. "Hiyaa~ Trey! Nice to see you and your little tweedle boys."

Deuce and Ace frowned, glaring at the smug aristocrat. Folding his arms over his chest, Trey sighed. "Yeah...nice to see you." 

"Mhm~ Now!" Cater clapped his hands. "While I really do appreciate you bringing our Miss Majesty back to the kingdom...I do believe there's an unbirthday party coming up? Well, it would be best if you commoners—Ah, excuse me—participants went ahead and started preparing."

All three had the same smoldering frown branded onto their faces. They were clearly irked at the not-so-subtle dig Cater sent their way. It’s becoming a bit of a ritual: every time the knave would meet any of them there was always some snarky comment sitting on the tip of his tongue.

"I dunno' if you're blind or anythin', but we're kinda busy." Ace scoffed, tilting his head over to you. "She still has to get into that castle." 

"Ah, about that! Don't worry~ I'll take things over and bring the rose to the castle." Cater grins at you, patting down his horse. "Miss Majesty, wouldn't you prefer riding a great stallion instead of...how horrifying...walking?"

"Oh, I really don't mind walking. I think I'll just—"

"Great!" Before you could finish your sentence, Cater leans down and wraps a firm steady arm around your bottom. You flinch, pushing your hands against his shoulders. "H-Hey!"

"Easy now, Miss Majesty." He hoists you up onto his horse, securely placing you atop the saddle. The train of your dress was now bunched up by your hips as you sat sideways on the stallion. 

"You're so relentless." You huff, smacking Cater's iron clad chest. Only to end up regretting it when your palm started to throb from the impact. Hissing, you drew your hand back.

What a surprise. Who knew hitting someone decked in full armor wasn't a good idea?

“It would be unrefined for me to leave her with someone—someone like you!” Trey bristles, dashing over to pull you off the horse but Cater was quick to shove him away.

“Oh, please, bunny. I insist,” Cater replies firmly. “You're a busy man, Trey. I—of all people—know the importance of keeping a well-ordered schedule and you know fully well how Queen Rosehearts hates being off schedule."

Trey stays silent, keeping his gaze glued to his feet.

Grinning wryly, Cater starts guiding his horse in the direction of the castle. "Well, then~ Toodles! We'll see you three at the party."

With a whip of his reins, both of you were off.

In haste, you turned your head around, bidding adieu to the trio as they waved back.

ACT VI: MAD PARTY

The journey to the castle was fairly long, yet you found yourself enjoying the sights and bustle of the city blurring past you while the people greeted you with robust gaiety and mirth.

When the clouds parted to reveal the sun, you noticed that your eyes stung as you peered up at the strangely pink sky. It wasn't the intense brightness of the sky; rather, it had a shade that brought back memories of late afternoons spent in Heartslabyul, petting pink flamingos while lying on the grass with Riddle's head on your lap.

Following unbirthday celebrations, it was routine for you two to relax while just enjoying each other's company.

Ah, that's right...the unbirthday party. In fact, now that you think about it, there was an unbirthday planned in your "reality" as well. It was the day after today, and the entire dorm was overrun with work.

A painful sting crept up your heart as you remembered the events that transpired earlier. Oh, you must have ruined Riddle's preparations...no wonder he was so livid.

The horse slowed to a stop as you reached the entryway of the castle. It was in essence of a Victorian design. With its mosaic of red cobblestone and brick, it stood there—tall and bold, as though conjured from a child's fairytale.

Cater slipped off his horse and held out a hand for you to take. "Shall we? Ah, but, you do know that your presence is mandatory at an unbirthday party?"

"Yes, I do. We shall." You smile and take his hand as he carries you off the horse, setting you down onto the ground. The knave led you to the back of the castle, where a garden—or, more accurately, a yard—was at.

A big rose-tree at the entryway drew your attention. The roses growing on it were white, but there were two gardeners at it, busily painting them red.

"How curious..." You mutter. "It's just like back in Heartslabyul..."

"Pardon? What was that, your majesty?" Cater questioned, a brow raised. You shook your head, faking a cough. "Ah—Erm—Nevermind that it was just a slip of tongue."

"Oh. Alright..." He regarded you with a skeptical look. "Well then. I'll leave you to it. I have to go fetch Queen Rosehearts."

"Do enjoy the party." With a final bow, Cater strode away, leaving you alone.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The party was bustling and filled with patricians dressed in colorful, silky lavish garbs and glimmering jewels. The majority of the men and women were dressed considerably more extravagantly than you. It was a charming small extravaganza that everyone seemed to enjoy.

They were all huddled around by a grand large banquet table, but you weren't interested in that at all.

Among the guests, you recognized Trey. He appeared to be speaking to a card soldier in a hasty, anxious manner, smiling at everything the soldier said and passing you by unnoticed. The bunny was clearly preoccupied; you decided to leave him be this time.

You turned back to the gardeners painting the rosebushes. What a very curious thing...and you went nearer to watch them.

Just as you came up to them, one of them nearly splashed you with a dash of paint. You pulled your skirt out of the way, narrowly missing a drop of red. "Oh, my!"

"Oi! Look out, Deuce! Don’t go splashing paint over like that!" You peered up at the gardeners, noticing two familiar faces.

Ace and Deuce were engaged in a heated argument, flinging their brushes and buckets around.

“I couldn’t help it! You jogged my elbow!" Deuce snarled, throwing his brush at Ace. Screeching, the ginger dodged it. "Oh yeah! That’s right, Deuce! Always lay the blame on others!”

Deuce flung down his paintbucket, and had just begun to roll his sleeves up "Say that again—” when his eye chanced to fall upon you. As you stood watching them, he checked himself suddenly. Ace looked round also, and both of them quickly bowed low. "Your majesty!"

"You know. You ought to stop fighting if you want to get this done," you mused. "Queen Rosehearts is coming, boys. Make sure to get that done or it's—"

You swiped your finger across your neck, hinting at what was to happen if the two didn't straighten up. "Off with your head."

The tweedle duo visibly tensed up. "Yes, your majesty!" They shouted, rushing back to paint the unblemished white roses. At this moment, Trey, who had been anxiously looking across the garden, called out: “The Queen is here!"

The people gathered by the entryway, and you looked round, eager to see your Queen. Murmurs and whispers spread through the crowd as the procession started.

First came a crowd of card soldiers, decked in military uniforms that were reminiscent of Heartslabyul's dorm uniforms. Then followed the Knave of Hearts, Cater was seated atop his horse, head stuck up high in the air. As he waltzed by, you could hear the murmurs and giggles of young women and men around you. Smiling, you shook your head as he winked at a flustered servantboy. 'What a charmer...'

Last of all, the trumpets blared an ear-piercing blow as the highlight of this grand procession came.

"His Imperial Majesty, His grace, His excellency, His Royal Majesty...The Red Queen, Riddle Rosehearts!"

The people round you bowed down yet you were rather doubtful whether you ought to lie down like them or approach the procession. So you stood still where you were, and waited. When the procession came by you, they all halted.

A moment of pure silence envelops the scene. Everyone in the garden gawked at you, placing you in a spotlight. A bashful smile came upon your face as you tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. "Hi..?"

"Rose." Riddle muttered, shock radiating from his entire being. The scepter he'd been carrying was discarded on the floor carelessly as he surged towards you, dragging you into his arms. Gasping, you eagerly sank into his embrace as the surrounding crowd erupted in cheers. Riddle drew back and pressed his lips heatedly against yours, making you feel faint.

My, the Riddle in this world was certainly much more forward than the one in yours.

"Oh, my dear." Riddle swoons, raising your hands and pressing his lips against your knuckles. "Dearest, I've been worried sick. I thought you'd gone forever."

Heart melting, you whispered, "Well, I'm here now.", and traced the side of his face.

Riddle leaned against your touch; He tucked his arm affectionately into yours and pulled you in to join the procession.

As you soon noticed, you were walking by Trey, who was peeping anxiously at a paper.

"Hello, Trey" You greeted. "—where’s Che'nya?"

“Hush!” He said in a low, hurried tone. He looked anxiously over at Riddle who was preoccupied with adjusting the large bow to your dress. Trey leaned over, putting his mouth close to your ear as he whispered "Che'nya is under sentence of execution."

“What for?” You hushed, eyes wide as a plate. Trey opened his mouth to speak but before he could—you were pulled off into the croquet grounds by Riddle.

"What a lovely day for croquet. Don't you think, rose?" Riddle smiled, pressing his lips against your knuckles once more. He pulled you forward, chest flush against yours as his hands rest against your hips. Stammering, your cheeks burned up at his bold affections. "O-Oh! Yes! Very much! Though I don't know if I have the energy for a game right now."

"Alright then. Feel free to rest a while." Riddle seats you down a round table filled with pastries. Riddle discards his cape, revealing the handsome the 3-piece suit he had underneath.

The queen plucks a rose from a nearby bush and nips away its thorns. He presses a fleeting kiss against your lips whilst threading the rose into your hair. "Stay here, dearest. I'll be back."

ACT VII: OFF WITH HIS HEAD

Well...the croquet game wasn't going so well. The players all played at once without waiting for turns, overeager to get Riddle's attention. They quarreled all the while and ran around scrambling for the hedgehogs and flamingos.

It was complete anarchy.

The very thing Riddle hated.

In a very short time the Queen was in a furious passion, and went shouting “Off with his head!” or “Off with her head!” roughly once every minute. You become overwhelmed in the midst of this mayhem and fled to the safety of the banquet table. There weren't many individuals present. Only a few people lingered and loitered around.

Pouring yourself tea, a hand suddenly wraps around yours as purple mists surrounds you. A second later, a grin appears. "Hello, your majesty."

"Che'nya!" Now fully visible, the cat stops smoking his hookah and blows smoke in your face. "We meet again."

Coughing, you swat the smoke away. "Ufh— Y-Yes! How are you?! I heard you were sentenced to be executed!"

"Oh yes," Che'nya yawned, resting his head atop the banquet table. "I escaped the guards. Queen Rosehearts didn't like it when I took his crown."

"You took his crown?!" You screamed out a little laugh and Che'nya grinned madly. "Yes~ Oh, you should've seen his face when he realized it was missing! It was like a strawberry about to explode! Ah—but you seem quite down. What is the matter?"

“It's the croquette game,” You began, in rather a complaining tone, “Everyone is quarrelling so dreadfully and Riddle's temper has exploded again.”

“Hmmm. Tell me, how do you tolerate the Queen?” said the Cat in a low voice. "Seeing that you're married to him and all, silly girl."

“Well, tolerate is a mean word. He's not all that bad,” You soothed, fiddling with the rose in your hair: "I think you’d take a fancy to him if you could only see just how caring he is."

"People will always look at their lovers with a love-tinted gaze." Che'nya purrs, leaning his head atop yours. "Prime example being you, silly girl~"

"How dare you speak to her that way."

Just then you noticed that Riddle was close behind you, listening. Jolting, you moved away from the cat and accidentally dropped your tea cup. The piece of china clattered to the ground, spilling its contents all over the green grass. Paying no mind to the mess, the queen pulled you towards him, protectively shielding you from the cat.

"I remember you. You're the thief. Tell me, how did you manage to worm your way in here?" Riddle pointedly snaps. "I'll have you know this breaks a rule in the—"

“A cat may look at a king,” interrupts Che'nya, smoking his hookah. "That is the only rule I've bothered to remember and I’ve read that in some rulebook, but I don’t remember which one. There's so many dreadful rules. How do you manage to memorize it all? Ah—apologies—I forget that you have such a big head."

With every passing comment from the cat, Riddle's fury simmered and grew anew. The cat looked up at the royal with a wide grin.

"You are brilliant and astute," he slurred, while Riddle neither acknowledged nor protested the remark. "Yet you are a tyrant and that rose of yours is a willing little sheep."

A deafening silence soon followed. The shock locked Riddle's bones together; a coldness seeping into his bones, making his skin feel akin to ice as his chest filled with hostility and ire. You felt a muscle underneath your throat tighten, but you gave both men a quick nervous smile and nudged Riddle to the side. "O-Oh darling, let's go somewhere else. Maybe you'd like to sit down? I-It's so hot and—"

"Sheep? A sheep you say?" Riddle barks, his hands clenched into fists—trembling at his sides. You wanted to calm him, but did not have the opportunity to do so as his voice cut through the thick tension in the air.

"Why it would be the very height of your arrogance to presume." Riddle seethes, pointing his scepter at the cat. The queen's eyes glowed an immense red, magical energy swirling around him. "As punishment for your crimes...it's off with your head. I'm going to tear your head off with my bare hands if I have to."

"You can try~" Che'nya grinned.

The Cheshire cat lunged towards Riddle, tossing the queen's scepter away. It all moved so quickly that your eye could barely follow the sudden shift of repressed anger to outright violence.

They had gone down to the grass together, knocking the banquet table over, spilling the pastries and tea to the ground. Riddle sagged him by the shoulders, fist smashing against the cat's face. Che'nya's lip had split, and drops of blood fell onto the lawn like the strawberry jam of smashed tarts. 

In the midst of the fight, a glimmering object in Che'nya's hands caught your eye. You saw him grab a stray knife, pastel blue frosting still spread on it, and the sight of it shocked you into action.

"NO!"

ACT VIII: THROUGH THE WINDOW

"NO!" You scream, half of fright and half of anger, and kicked your legs around. Startling yourself awake in a fit, you found yourself lying on top of a clinic bed, limbs soaked in sweat—the smell of alcohol and anti-septics sobering you up. "Wh-What?"

All of a sudden, warm hands cupped your damp cheeks. You met Riddle's worried gaze as he wiped your tears away. The dorm leader slipped into the chair next to your bed, pushing you to lie down. "It's just a nightmare, dearest."

Your gaze flitted around the room, stopping once you saw something shimmering on your bedside table. The tiara was discarded to your side; Its once luminous blue gem was now gone, leaving an empty space in its wake. Looking down, you found yourself in your paint-stained uniform, skin feeling awfully crusty from the dry paint.

'It was just a dream...?' you ponder.

"What's the matter? Please tell me what's wrong." Riddle fussed over your disheveled appearance. Your face perspired with sweat and your hair was a tumble about your shoulders; He combed it with his fingers, careful to not pull at any tangles and knots. "Rose? Dearest? Are you alright?"

No, you wanted to say. It was hard to breathe, and there was a thick, unpleasant feeling weighing down your heart. It made your head spin. Riddle ran a hand up and down your back as you took a deep, shaky breath, trying to reorient yourself. Despite the apprehension in your chest, you gave a single nod to your worried lover. "Yes. I'm just shaken up."

"Love.."

"Everythings fine." You force out. Though, you’re really saying it to yourself. You can't stop the aching in your chest and you surely can't silence the echo of his ruthless words replaying in your mind.

"Oh, dearest." Riddle murmured, his heart breaking.

The redhead slips in bed with you, dragging you in the comfort and safety of his arms. He sighs in relief when you don't push him away, instead scooting over to press against him. The smell of his cologne invades your senses, grounding you as he rests his head against yours. "I am so sorry. I have been too hard on you."

"When Ace found you passed out in the forest, I was beside myself with anguish...." Guilt washed over his face. The dorm leader had no use for pride, not now when you were in this condition. He hopes that his apology, meager though it has been, will be enough.

"Had-Had I known you were sick, I wouldn't have been so—I deeply apologize. I should not have let my anger get the best of me. I was a fool to get so heated over something as simple as spilled paint. I hadn't even checked if you were alright." Riddle mutters.

"I'm sorry too. Though, I'm just glad it's over." You breathed out, resting against his chest. Then you regarded him with a pointed stare. "Humph. You have to make it up to me, though."

"Of course. Thank you, rose." Riddle hesitates for a moment and then, brazenly, leans forward and gives you a quick peck on the lips.

“Oh! How bold~” You tease with a wry grin, giggling madly like a Victorian lady who just held hands with her lover for the very first time. Riddle flushes, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Shaking his head, he composes himself, coughing into the sleeve of his shirt. "Am I not allowed to show you affection?"

"Oh no, I adore it." Chuckling, you reached out your hand, and Riddle eagerly took it. He pressed his lips against your forehead as you stared out the window in front of you.

While the sun sank, the sky was tinged with bleeding reds and violets. You spent the next several minutes wondering whether what you'd just witnessed was truly a 'dream' when you saw a strange appearance in the air. That baffled you at first, but after observing it for a minute or two, you realized it was a sharp toothed-grin.

Sitting on a bough of a tree a few yards off was Che'nya. When he smoked his hookah and blew smoke about himself, a purple magical mist encircled him. The Cheshire cat grinned at you with a split lip before fading away.

How curious.

—TAGLIST:

꒰ ♡🧷: this is a series! to be tagged, comment here. if you want to be tagged for ALL of my works, comment here

@keedas @spadecentral @crypticbibliophile @pastellepastary @cassidycampfire @cocomollo @poisonioushearts @kawaiipotatoghost @ramvuda @sweeneyblue1 @the-lost-anime-dad@kyraxiyn @mayaaaeo  @tbhyknow  @eeveelutiontrainerr  @jelsah27 @as-the-moon-blooms  @bonleyweeb @ch0c0shortiie @unspokenlly

[starswritingdorm]

silver + riddle + reader polyam headcanons?

𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙭 𝙁!𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙭 𝙍𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚

𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙮𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙛𝙬 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙨

A/N: hope you enjoy!!

──────────────.•*:｡✩

It started out as you dating riddle first!!

Riddle was nervous when telling you that he liked you for a while, probably after his you know…overblot

Seeing his letter with a rose taped to your door was a surprise but everything about the confession he did was so heartwarming

He confessed in the garden where the roses were freshly painted red and you can see the hedgehogs run around as well.

Riddle soon said he liked you which you liked him back! Everything was so heartwarming and everything was perfect

Well not everything. Silver heard about this from lilia and didn’t leave his room for awhile

He felt heartbroken knowing he lost his chance with you, but that’s when lilia came in his room and told him about you can love someone even if they are dating someone.

That confused silver more until lilia went to explaining more. Polyamorous relationships, silver didn’t understand what he was trying to hint at until he saw lilia smile. Which it soon clicked.

“Are trying to say..?”

“You love her don’t you? If you talk it out with her and riddle im sure you guys can negotiate, the worst they can say is no”

“You won’t hate me if I end up in a uhm..polyamorous relationship?”

“I wouldn’t have told you it if I would, why would I hate you?”

Lilia had the biggest smile on his face which caused silver to smile softly before getting out of bed to go and talk with you guys

Silver arrived at ramshackle dorm taking a deep breath before walking in. Silver didn’t need to knock since you and silver were so close you gave him a key!!

That’s when he saw the two of you which caused you to smile and talk with him.

Silver was nervous since riddle looked at him with a stern look but didn’t say anything

That’s when silver spilled everything. Which surprised the both of you greatly but after a silence you said you liked him too which surprised him and looked at riddle who just held a soft look

Apparently you said you liked him for awhile to riddle but still liked him as well and when you suggested a poly to him he was skeptical but trusted you enough to do it

Ever since then you’ve been receiving love non stop

With stolen kisses happening

To cuddling each other on riddles big bed

You guys have group dates occasionally but you all prefer or stick with one on one dates

Though when you’re on a date with riddle, silver does magically fall out of the bushes asleep

He just wants you to be safe!!

Riddle may do the same thing but he’ll keep a distance but hold a very in love look when he looks at the two of you

Riddle may or may not gain feelings for silver when he sees the way he treats you and him

But we don’t talk about that since riddle is too nervous about it

But otherwise it’s so soft and heartwarming with you guys, gotta love tooth rotting fluff

[chiliyue-archived]

One more kiss or maybe three

↬sometimes Riddle needs the reminder to rest

Includes; Riddle Rosehearts

GN!Reader

Tags; early bday gift for @cupids-chamber but anyone can read it <3

[Twst M.List] ♡

-

Clack clack clack

The sound of pen meeting paper, you came to learn, was rather obnoxious when listening to the same drone again and again and again. What hour was it now? You'd had lost sense of time as minutes molded into an impeccably long hour.

Your scarlet lover was a busy one, you couldn't hold it against him for the hefty amount of duties he had to perform now and again; however, such responsibilities kept you waiting beyond the hours of twilight just so you can bid a goodnights rest with him by your side.

Riddle Rosehearts would scoff at this behavior, finding it rather unhealthy(while he himself failing to recognize the hypocrisy in his words). His mouth would move in slow drawls, urging you to sleep in his absence and that he mustn't keep you from your subconscious.

" My rose, it is unwise to force yourself awake. Please get some sleep. I will join you soon." The words left him nonchalantly, his eyes stilling on the words dipped within the parchment. He moved his pen to position it upon the page, gliding it with ease whilst his free hand fiddled with spare documents.

Such concerns would fall on deaf ears and a cordial, " It's alright, I can wait," would slip from your lips. And such responses would coax a tingle of guilt to gnaw on Riddle's mind.

He truly felt awful for keeping you awake at late hours for his own needs, but a dormleaders' work is an upmost task. Even at the betrayal of his desires.

Tonight, his workload just happened to more than usual, he wasn't fond of it of it but it couldn't be helped.

However, while also acting upon the role of leadership, he also had to uphold his role - arguably similar in prestige - his academic studies. Normally, the Roseheart boy would plow through his paperwork and coursework with ease albeit with droopy eyes and buckling knees at the end of it - however, for reasons he struggled to fathom, his duties only doubled that week. His mother would certainly be displeased.

You were not blind to the way his shoulders sagged with each document he filed away, his fingers becoming sluggish, and the writing was starting to become ineligible. Nor did you turn a blind eye to small yawns he gave or the way his eyes flickered to the clock - a look of disappointment would flash on his features at just how much time has passed. And how much work was still left. It was evident in his stature, dropping with the weight of gravity.

"Perhaps we should turn in for the night." You mumbled your concerns, vacating the seat and instead coming to lean beside him. From this new angle, you could clearly see the bags in his eyes, taunting him in a display of mockery. The temptation to kiss it away was compelling, and your knuckle went to brush aside his stray strands.

Though your lover was the stubborn one, it didn't surprise you when he replied; " I will finish here soon, but please get some rest yourself."

Despite his laud achievements, even he couldn't suppress the urge to recline against your touch as your fingers ran along his sculp. A hum escaped him the more your nails lightly slaved to rose colored strands. And while he's been privy to such actions many times before, a light pink nonetheless doused his cheeks, deepening the longer your ministrations persisted.

You couldn't help but grin when he placed the mountain pen down, his eyes squeezing shut soon following. In a show of tenderness, a gloved hand reached out for your own.

Muscle memory kicked in, his lips pressing to the flat of your hand like he had done so, so many times at unbirthday parties. It still made his heart quake in a candor he struggled to scribe words upon - but it made his stomach tumble over a stirring of emotions.

He came to associate those emotions with a sense of warmth. It tickled and squeezed his heart far more than anything else did, and the feeling was palpable even long after your touch withdrew. It was embedded in hot streaks, cascading down his spine and coaxing mild shivers in his wistful reminiscent moments. It was unsavory how it would soon fade away, merciless to time - however, he never had to wait too long until he felt your familiar touch once again.

Silver eyes glanced at the ticking clock. It was terribly late indeed.

A sigh of resignation slipped him - and that's how you knew you won. " I suppose I should credit myself some leisure time." His murmur came out more to himself than to you and his head dipped in consideration.

A silence shrouded over the room. Before long, his gaze directed back to you, cheeks stretching to accommodate a gentle smile.

He was still getting used to that - smiling. For something so humane, it felt oddly alienated to him. But he was slowly familiarizing himself with it. He noted how the gesture was always flickered to his lips when he was in your presence. Smiles were associated with joy or some form of saccharine feeling. You had always filled him with vitality, so it only made sense.

He can't clearly recall when he last smiled prior to attending the school. His mind went vacuous whenever he called upon the memory. He does, however, remember having a nose stuck within a book at all times with his mother's voice in the background.

Still, the emotions you stirred meandered in a questioning trail. The abstruse truth was far from his knowledgeable mind, but he wasn't too frightened by that.

His reverie halted as your hands peeled him away from his desk, lightly tugging off the accessories that clung to his person. Afterward, you gave Riddle the time to properly dress into his night clothing.

You were already in bed when you felt the mattress dip in weight. Instinctively, his body arched to meet yours, hands - now freed from its gloves - moving around your waist. His pulse echoed in his ear as your chest pressed against his own, your head finding solace on his shoulder.

The gaze you sent him heated his body far more than the thick blanket did. It was punctuated by the fanning of your breathing - caressing his collarbone at regular intervals. Without realizing it, his hand had gravitated to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers lingered. He didn't want to lose your touch just yet.

" Can I get a goodnight kiss?" He chatised himself with how shy his voice left him; however, it complimented the reddening of his cheeks even in the poorly lit setting.

You laughed softly to yourself, your "of course" barely audible. Leaning up, you pressed your lips to his carefully - he still had the faint sweet taste of jam from earlier. Riddle's hand traveled down to the dip of your back, holding you in place even as you withdrew.

" Another one, please?"

He was terribly pliant to your kisses despite being unable to admit it outloud. Even your touches yielded a similar effect and even more so your words. His penchant to your affection was unmatched, and your love felt like slices of dessert. His stomach grows full yet perpetually more greedy for each taste. And his heart feels even fuller in yearning of you. Just you.

He has heard a saying before that home was where the heart is. When envisioning home, his hometown residence always came to his mind in full clarity. The same place that stripped him of his empathy and tailored him to a life curated not by his own wants but his mother's.

And yet, he was also greeted by your gentleness. Reconstructing his marred understanding of emotions with patience and rewarding him with your love - even when he was greatly so undeserving of it.

As you press pecks along his warming cheeks, Riddle couldn't help but wonder if home was where you were. You had ownership of his heart, that much was certain. And you cradled it gently even when his demons surfaced.

And for a second, he pondered how much of a future he held with you. He questioned how much of his reverie was fatuous thinking as a means of satisfying his heart and how much it would be truly possible. Selfishly, he made a silent plead for it to be latter.

But for now, he centered his foucs back to you. For right now home was with you in this bed - smothering him kisses and leaving him breathless until sleep eventually overtook him.

He hopes to have you in his dreams.

-

A/n; sorry if this is just a bleh of words. I've been writing for the past idk hours. Poorly proofread too

Feedback is appreciated !!

Anyways, happy birthday, love/p. I hope this made you smile:)

[officialdaydreamer00]

[SLAMS DESK]

TALL. READER. JACK HOWL TALL.

TALL READER STRONG READER WE CAN CARRY THEM READER-

ANYONE YOU WANNA WRITE FOR

picking up them boys, you say? say no more

reader is not yuu, gender neutral reader, implied established crush/relationship

!!a like does nothing, reblog things instead!!

he froze when you picked him up the first time.

then came the angry panicked rants, nearly backhanded you with how he was waving his hands at you.

then he just accepted his fate because you kept carrying him to places.

sometimes he feels a bit insecure with your height differences, to which you reassure him you love him regardless.

and now he, quite awkwardly lovingly, calls you his king of hearts.

let's say you and him were on a hiking date. he accidentally tripped over a rock and nearly faceplanted, had it not for you swooping in to save him.

he blinked in surprise seeing how effortlessly you were carrying him in your arms.

you can say he fell for you. quite literally so.

swoons and chuckles every time you pick him up. you will find that he likes being princess carried and will call you his prince (regardless of genders, we don't do that here).

carry him in his mer form and he will melt into your arms.

boy was he flabbergasted.

never has he been carried like this, ever, so please excuse his confused stare.

once the shock left, he only chuckled, face tinted pink. his child of man never fail to surprise him, but this one had his heart going crazy.

this rarely happens, but when it finally does, he feels his heart yearns for you even more.

will call you his most beloved knight every now and then.

taglist🏷️ @azulashengrottospiano @aqua-beam @identity-theft-101 @siren-serenity @dove-da-birb @hisui-dreamer @minimallyminnie @names-are-dumb @moonlit-midnight @ryker-writes @krenenbaker @cookiesandbiscuits @cave-of-jade @xen-blank @cheezy-moon @thehollowwriter @jaylleoo14 @wordycheesecake

[zeraaachan]

the coffee you spilled all over him ft. riddle and leona

ੈ♡˳ . in which you spilled coffee all over him and tasted sweet consequences.

riddle rosehearts.

The coffee you spilled all over him tastes like annoyance and frustration. Oh, he's sure it's all an honest mistake like you claim as you apologize over and over again. But Riddle Rosehearts is also sure that his notes are now honestly destined to the bin. The coffee you spilled all over him wouldn't taste as bitter, if only it didn't also painted his notes with brown and cream.

The coffee you spilled all over him back in your first week of college became savored by his clean and pristine notes. It coated the immaculate letters with the smell of caffeine and drenched the paper in a soggy glory. The coffee you spilled all over him is not as hot as the steam now coming out of the red haired housewarden's ears, who looks as if he's tempted to take your head off. Riddle Rosehearts looked at you for a long moment, insults threatening to come out of his lips as frustration bubbles from within him. But when he saw the panic and regret in your eyes as you fret over his notes and swear to make it up to him, Riddle Rosehearts, the tyrannical housewarden, for once, chose to turn his back before his rage further ruined what was already messed up.

The coffee you spilled all over him two weeks ago can now barely be remembered. He disposed of his notes long ago and acted as if nothing happened. Your apologies are only acknowledged with a nod yet no actual forgiveness was given. Perhaps Riddle cannot forgive you for making a coffee art out of his notes. Or perhaps not.

A small but discreet smile played on his lips as he picked up the clean and new notebook left on his desk, one that is identical to the one that became soaked with coffee. The petite man opened the notebook, going through the letters and notes written that are similar word by word to what he wrote on his notebook except for the messier handwriting. Riddle Rosehearts, can see that his notes are written letter by letter and in a way that seeks to imitate his ruined ones. He can guess that perhaps you picked the notebook he threw to the trash. Maybe you spent the night rewriting his notes seeing how your head is threatening to drop on the desk as you fight off your sleepiness.

The red tyrant closed his new notebook, carefully holding it with one hand, as he make way to the person who looks like they need a kick of caffeine.

A knock on your desk. A stoic but not a harsh look on his face. A subtle, very subtle red on his ears and cheeks if you'll look closely. And a simple offer in exchange to the notes you made up to him. "Do you have time for a cup of coffee?"

leona kingscholar.

The coffee you spilled all over him didn't spill to him at all. Instead, with lithe moves and reflexes as agile as a cat, Leona Kingscholar sidestepped and the coffee destined to embrace his shirt fell to the floor instead. But it didn't stopped some drops to splatter on his black shoes. Perhaps, yes, perhaps, perhaps he should've really caught you instead and prevented you from falling. He could've done that, but he didn't. Leona Kingscholar is the cat to your cat and mouse games. So you shouldn't have been surprised if he asked a month of service in exhange for the shoes you supposedly ruined with a few drops of coffee.

How can anyone refuse the second prince of Sunset Savanna anyway? You tried, but still how can anyone refuse when it wasn't a request but a demand.

Every morning you run to make errands for him, competing with Ruggie to see who is the most battered with exhaustion by the end of the day. Every morning, at the exact time before he wakes up, the lion makes his little mouse fetch a cup of coffee as if a reminder to rub salt on the wound that caused your situation. And every morning you'll present the coffee he requested, one that is coicidentally brewed the way you like it. But every morning Leona Kingscholar will only grin and make you drink the very coffee you sprinted for.

The coffee you spilled all over him is similar to the cup of caffeine you now always have ever since you started being a pair of feet to run for the lazy lion. Morning, run, coffee, no, drink. The repetitive cycle of sprinting like you life depends on it to the nearest coffee shop and coming back panting to give him his drink is already about to come to its end. Two weeks, three weeks, 'til came the last morning of your run. However, as soon as you opened the door to your unit to sprint for the king's coffee once again, you found the lion out of his den and at the front of your door instead.

Leona Kingscholar, the man you served for a month due to drops of coffee sprayed to his shoes, the same cocky man who only watched you with a smirk as you obediently drink the coffee he made you fetch, the lazy lion who listened to you ramble for an entire month, and the same man who is now outside your unit, hands on his pockets, as he leans on the door frame. "Shall we grab some coffee?"

in an owo mode today ✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉‧ ♡*.✧

part 2?

[throughthetwistedmirror]

Truth Telling Tart ~ *Riddle Rosehearts*

Summary: You’re falling behind in class and need some extra help. Of course, you want to ask your crush Riddle for help, but you’re sure he’s just going to laugh at you. A close friend of yours believes it’s time for some intervention...

Pairing: Riddle Rosehearts X G/N!Reader

Genre: Fluffy Drabble

Word Count: 699

Warning: Slight cringe

Masterlist

Taglist: @savanaclaw1996 @goseew

You sighed. “Riddle is so smart.”

Trey glanced over at you, bewildered. “Where did this come from?”

Shrugging, you went back to the tart you were making. “Just an observation, that’s all.”

“Right…”

“Well, he is smart.”

“He is.” Trey furrowed his brows. “This has nothing to do with you failing Professor Trein’s history of magic class, right?”

You glared at him. “I’m not failing his class! I’m just not doing as well as I like.”

“Alright, alright. So are you going to ask him to tutor you?”

Shrugging again, you answered, “I don’t know. I don’t think the cooking club can handle not having their president around.”

He laughed. “Schedule your tutoring sessions around your meetings.”

Playfully hip-checking him as you put your tart ub the oven, you shot back, “Don’t you think I’ve thought of that? Besides, it’s just easier if I tell myself that’s the reason why I haven’t talked to him  instead of facing his crushing rejection.”

“Oh please. He’s not going to reject you. He could never reject you.” Trey shook his head with a knowing smile.

You narrowed your eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ve said too much, But let me give you some advice. When that tart is done, offer it to him and ask him to tutor you. His answer might just surprise you.”

Rolling your eyes, you flicked some flour at him. “Yeah. He’ll apologize and tell me just how busy he is and that he can’t help me.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. You’ll never know if you don’t ask.”

And that’s how you ended up in front of Riddle’s door, a strawberry-kiwi tart in your hand. If Trey hadn’t been so insistent on you giving it to Riddle, you would have left it for Ace and Deuce to enjoy. But there was no turning back now, not if you didn’t want to be relentlessly teased by Trey.

You knocked once and he opened the door. “Oh! Y/n! To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“I made a new tart I thought you’d like.” You showed him.

“Oh, thank you.” He hesitated for a second before asking, “Would you like to come in?”

You were surprised by his sudden hospitality and nodded. He gestured for you to take a seat. He sat  across from you and watched as you cut him a slice of the tart. When you handed it to him, he took a bite.

“My, this is exceptional!” He looked at you with a bright, sincere smile. “I expected nothing less from the ever extraordinary cooking club president! You are truly astonishing!”

An awkward giggle escaped you. “Ah, thanks.”

“You’re so pretty.”

Your jaw dropped. “Pardon?”

He smiled dreamily at you, one hand keeping his chin propped up. “Then again, you’ve always been so pretty. When are you not?”

“Uh, I’m not sure-”

“I’ve always wondered what it would be like if I held your hand.” His eyes seemed to sparkle at the thought. “Can I?”

“Riddle, are you-”

“So it’s working!” Trey’s voice came from Riddle’s doorway. Catching your confused look, he let out a nervous chuckle. “I may or may not have slipped a truth potion in your tart to give to Riddle.”

“TREY!”

“Hey, neither of you were ever going to make a move. Someone had to intervene.” He then added under his breath, “And Cater’s scissors beat paper.”

“You weren’t sure if you should be offended or embarrassed. However your train of thought was interrupted by Riddle twisting a lock of your hair around his finger. Your face practically burst into flames at his seemingly innocent action.

“Wow, Y/n. You have no idea how much I love you.”

“Well, it sounds like you two have a lot to talk about.” Trey winked at you. “I’ll leave you to it.”

You were about to chase after him when you glanced back at Riddle. You could practically see the hearts in his eyes. Perhaps you could give him a five minute head start. He did give you a shot of courage to tell Riddle how you felt about him after all.

[cvlutos]

Unoriginal but a goody; Riddle finding rough drafts of your love letter to him. Or catching you chanting his name while touching yourself and his feelings on someone actually wanting him closer instead of wanting to run away from him.

♡ R.R | LOVE | FLUFF

He could literally turn into a pile of ash.

Face aflame as his hands shakily hold the crumbled papers, his name in ruined ink and your handwriting, you were confessing your love. He feels dizzy and the longer he stared at the multitude of papers, the closer he felt to falling unconscious on your hardwood floors.

It's not like he purposely ment to spy nor invade your privacy, but he needed your opinion on something rather important. But your weren't answering your phone and he isn't the biggest fan of texting important issues so face to face was the best option. Yet it didn't occur to him your wouldn't be home, he merely assumed you were over sleeping, like always.

So he of course let himself inside, which wasn't uncommon, only to tsk at the pile of crumbled papers across your floor from your desk. It was against the Queens rules to have a messy room Tuesday nights, so he decided to help you. Only to find that these papers weren't in fact notes, but letters and curiosity got the better of him.

The door opens with a soft click, and he feels the ends of his hair stand as he spins around clutching the paper behind his back. You stand, head slightly tilted, as he says hello. But his voice cracks at the end and he coughs nervously.

"Good Evening. I was—well. I am here to speak to you. Apologies for simply walking in—but um, I assumed—"

You wave him off with a small, telling him it's alright. Slipping your bag off your shoulders with an exasperated sigh. The House warden visibly relaxes, crumbling the papers behind he back and dropping them to the floor when you weren't looking. He pulls at his collar and clears his throat. "So—How was your day, dear Perfect."

"Long," you laugh and sigh at the same time, plopping down on your plush bed, "but good. How was yours?"

His eyes flicker to the pile as he sits on your bed, back straight and hands in his lap, "uh, productive... Yes... One could say, I learned quite a lot..."

"Like?" You inquire, undoing the buttons of your vest, having slipped off your blazer and tossed to the side, which Riddle would usually scold you for.

"I—That assertiveness is a admirable quality—" There's a certain firmness and you look at him, brows furrowing, yet he seems deep within his thoughts, clenching his together.

"I also learned... I'm not assertive enough...." He looks at you, before his gaze flickers to your lips. As if releasing his actions, he explodes into another fit of red, snapping his head away.

"Riddle?" The call of his name, sends a hot shiver down his spine and he can't help but scrunch his nose. It isn't a bad feeling, but its—

"Riddle." He looks at you, hands nearly shaking as he lunges for yours. Watching your emotions flicker visibly, before resting on confused, yet intrigued. There's no words exchange, none to be spoken as the gap that once seemed so wide, slowly closes.

Eyes slowly closing, hearts slowly syncing, as passion, inexperience, love danced between pressed lips. His lips tremble and his body is stiff, following only instinct to kiss you. Yet his mind wants to retreat, to pull away, yet his hands finds your waist, fingers sinking into covered flesh, a muffled gasp resounding in your throat, burst whatever magical hold you placed over him. He nearly jumps away, his gloves hands slapping over his arms, eyes wide.

You fall into awkward silence.

"So... Um.... Uh.... I forgot what I was suppose to speak to you about....." He struggles to gather his thoughts, mind spinning. His tongue subconsciously running over his lips, he stills a peek at you and you're staring away.

"... At.. at a better time.... I would like—If you would like also—" He can't finish his words as your agree, and he clears his throat, standing up from your bed, and letting out a cough.

"Your room. It's a mess. And quite against the Queen's Rules. So, you should clean it. Yes." He attempts to save face, slowly backing out of your room, dusting off the imaginary dirt, before giving a short nervous bow or sorts and darting out your room. He fingers graze over his lips, a small smile forming.

He'd like to kiss you again.

[ijustsitinacorner]

I’m bored so here’s some Mikaela x Riddle or you can view it as Riddle x Reader

Summary: Just the Reader that posts on magicam like “day in my life” as a NRC student, or just posts on magicam like a creator does on TikTok.

Warnings: Cringy? Ion know Mikaela/Reader is unserious asf at times alright- She’s/they’re just silly

These are her/their words in quotes.

“My boyfriend doesn’t even have magicam, even if he were he’d probably not open that shit and opens it like once every three months or so…”

“No cause I literally created a folder of favorited videos and memes called “will show/send to Riddle eventually” cause I know he’s busy and I can’t keep spamming his phone with my bullshit.”

“Day in Night Raven College as I spot my boyfriend in the distance as he gets a dessert from the dessert aisle as if it were some sort of ritual for him to once a month at 7:15 in the morning be up at the cafeteria which no one is around to spot him getting a dessert…”

“…someone feed this poor boy.”

“Okay so Ace and Deuce just texted me in all caps saying Riddle is about to implode…That’s impossible he only EXplodes.

“Anyway should I be worried?”

“Okay so my boyfriend just told me he’ll have my head if I took more “embarrassing” or “unexpected” photos of him…”

“…Who’s gonna tell him I have a whole private album of photos of him sleeping after during late study dates? He looks adorable when he sleeps I can’t help myself-”

“No no no cause I LITERALLY, have to hide this from Ace. He’s snatched my phone enough times for me to chaise him down and drag him.”

“It’s all fun and games until Riddle finds out I have a 0.5 picture of him…”

“How am I still alive? Damn dude, question myself that everyday.”

Anyway thank you for reading/listening to my yapping.

😸

[cloudcountry]

SUMMARY: A handful of TWST characters that I headcanon have not had their first kiss yet and you kissing them for the first time.

WARNINGS: None!!

COMMENTS: riddle and idia and azul are obvious but i feel like i need to explain jade and floyd. they're clearly emotionally detached from most people and probably scared off anyone that might remotely be interest in (even though if they can be scared off, the twins would probably find them boring anyway) so they haven't kissed anyone yet in my silly little head. thats all!!

i was listening to cherry wine by hozier while writing floyd's part so if its softer than usual that's why OOPS

the asexual in me loves writing about hesitant physical intimacy leave me alone :C

Riddle Rosehearts feels his hands shaking as you stare, eyes so calm and hopeful that makes his heart lurch. He doesn’t know how to give you what you want without curling in on himself and becoming flustered. It’s unbecoming of him to cower like this, but he can’t help it. your hand against his cheek, the other one resting on his shoulder, your faces so close together. He feels like he might die if he doesn’t kiss you, but he doesn’t know how and he doesn’t want to mess this up because he’s supposed to just know.

“You don’t have to know,” you whisper, and you sound so certain that his heart flutters like a caged bird, “Every person is different. Everyone has a different feel to their kiss, and I’m glad I get to help you discover yours.”

He can’t breathe.

“Will you allow me?” you murmur, tilting your head the slightest bit and oh, he knows what's coming and he doesn’t want to stop it.

“Please.” he breathes, slamming his eyes shut, “Kiss me.”

Azul’s shaking hands find their way to your hips as if they were always meant to be there, pressed against your pants and brushing against the hem of your shirt. He sucks in a breath as your arms are draped around his neck, like a blanket of love coating him in warmth. His body does feel impossibly hot, and he wonders for a moment if you truly are magical.

His mouth feels dry so he wets his lips, and when your eyes flicker towards them at the movement he almost dies.

“Azul, it’s okay. We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” you murmur, softly and with so much understanding. It’s frustrating, how Azul wants every part of you and you’re willing to wait for him. You’re too good for him.

“I want to.” he whispers, pleading in a way that only someone as powerful as him can, “I want to kiss you, so please—”

Azul talks too much. You’re painfully aware of this fact and so is he. Maybe that’s why you shut him up and replaced his greedy pleas with the sound of soft kissing, but then again, Azul doesn’t need to know what other reasons you had for kissing him. The only reason he needs is your love.

Jade does not understand why it’s such a shock to you that he has yet to be kissed. You have seen him in his merform, you have fought him in his merform, and yet your brain cannot wrap around the concept that people find him terrifying. Really, you are an amusing one.

“The merpeople my age were scared of me, pearl.” he chuckles politely as you gape at him from across the Mostro Lounge table he seated you at hours before, “I had yet to be in a romantic relationship until you.”

“But you’re so handsome.” you huff, and it looks like you’re pouting, “Your peers have no taste.”

“Ah, or mayhaps your taste is an acquired one, my dear.” he smiles his closed-eyed smile, and revels in the amused snort his response elicits.

“We should kiss then.” you blurt, and Jade’s eyes fly open in surprise. You’re leaning across the table with shimmering eyes and a huge smile like you can’t wait to kiss him.

How peculiar.

“Do you want to be kissed?” he says, feigning surprise.

“By you? More than anything.” you say breathlessly, and Jade finds himself leaning into you to really take your breath away.

Floyd stares intently at your lips, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. He looks like a predator about to pounce on its prey, and despite how cliche that comparison is for someone like him you can’t help but squirm.

“Floyd.” you say softly, and he snaps out of it when he meets your gaze, “What’s wrong?”

“Shrimpy. Wanna try something new.” he leans closer, his shadow falling over you as if to remind you how scary he can really be, “I want to kiss you.”

Oh.

“Well, that’s doable.” you feel your face grow warm at his insistence as your hands find their way to his lapels.

Floyd’s features soften as he leans into you, his bristling energy soothed by your hands on him, pulling him closer to give him what he wants. Your mouths connect and for a moment you find yourself wincing as his teeth bump against yours, but he pulls back just the slightest bit and presses into your mouth with his mouth, and you lean back and back and back until the only support you have is his arm holding you close.

“Love you Shrimpy.” he grins as he stops kissing you, giggling against your lips. His breath is warm and you feel like a sweet ice cream cone in summer with the way you melt against him.

“Again.” you huff quietly, and Floyd is all too happy to oblige.

Idia was not expecting to be thrown into a super hard boss level right off the bat. Seriously, what is this? Why did you always have to play with such gimmick stats that made no sense and never follow any specific trope?! It wasn’t good for his heart!

It wasn’t that he didn’t want you to kiss him, it was just so hard not to think about everything that could go wrong. Like what if he bit you by accident? What if he yawned or sneezed in your mouth? What was the last thing he ate? Where did he put his hands and how is he supposed to move his lips?!

“Idia, it’s okay. We can wait a little while longer. This isn’t something you can rush.” you rub your thumb over his cheek, always so gentle and tender and sweet and everything he never thought he would find.

“No, I want to. I just...don’t look at me like that!” he squeaks, ducking his head in his hoodie as the tips of his hair flare pink and red.

“Sorry!” you turn away and let him breathe, trying so desperately to calm down.

“Just...can it be a quick one?” he asks shyly, tentatively, and he hears you hum in satisfaction because he’s communicating and he knows you like it when he tells you what he wants.

“It can be anything you want.” you answer softly, and Idia slams his eyes shut and leans into you.

How you manage to make such normie things seem so nice is a mystery to him, but he doesn’t think he can ever get enough of your lips gliding across his like they were never meant to do anything but kiss him.

[somekidnamedkai]

Can you do feb. 3rd (shopping for roses) with Riddle rosehearts?

February 3rd - Shopping For Roses

Authors Note: Not my best work, and I apologize, I wasn’t feeling too good when I wrote most of it

Characters: Riddle Rosehearts

Warnings: My everlasting vocabulary of a 15 year old because I’m american and kinda dumb.

GN!reader

“Riddle, you are so difficult,” you muttered to yourself as you walked around the flower shop. Valentine's Day was just around the corner, and you were trying to get your boyfriend a handpicked rose bouquet, well sort of. They were handpicked from a flower shop.

The difficult part was finding flowers that were good enough for Riddle. It’s not that he was picky. I mean, he is, but that’s not the point. Riddle loves anything from you. He’s always loved that you put thought into him and the gifts you give him, even if it’s as simple as making a strawberry tart, with help from the baking master, Trey, of course.

But this wasn’t any normal gift you were giving Riddle. It was for Valentine’s Day. The first Valentine’s day you two were celebrating together, so you wanted it to be extra special.

Which is what brought you here, trying to find the best roses you can for Riddle. You heard from another Heartslabyul student that this place had the best roses in all of Twisted Wonderland, and they were right, which made this all the harder. Trying to pick out the best roses in the store was hard, but you weren’t going to settle for less than the best.

“Prefect, what are you doing?” A voice asked, making you jump in surprise. You turned around to see Trey. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

You shook your head and waved your hand like you were brushing off the apology. “You’re fine. I’m just buying roses for Riddle. I want to get him the best of the best for Valentine's Day,” you explain to Trey as you went back to searching through the sea of flowers, “you know, picking out flowers is hard.” Trey laughed as he walked closer, “here, let me show you,” he told you.

After Trey’s teaching of seeing which flowers were the best to get, you ended up with a pretty large bouquet. You said thanks to the Vice Housewarden and went to pay, which thankfully weren’t too expensive, gotta love Valentine’s sales.

A couple of days passed and it was finally Valentine's Day. You were on your way to surprise Riddle at his dorm with your presents. A little stuffed bear holding a heart, a small box of chocolates, a strawberry tart, and of course, your big bouquet of roses.

Once you got to Heartslabyul you made a beeline to Riddle's room and knocked on it. Your smile was bright and wide as Riddle opened the door. “Who is- oh, Sweet tart,” his tone sounded angry at first but immediately softened when he realized it was you. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said as he opened the door and motioned for you to come in.

You walked in gleefully. With Riddle’s gifts in your hands. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love!” You exclaimed, happily as you handed over Riddle's gifts. The housewarden was taken aback for a second, a blush redder than his hair appearing on his face. He walked over to his bed and put the gifts down to get a better look at everything. “I got you the cute little Valentine’s bear because I thought you would like how cute it was, and then I found some of those chocolates you told me you liked and got a box of them. I also made a Strawberry Tart,” You stopped talking for a second and grabbed the roses and held them out to Riddle, “And I got you the best roses in all of Twisted Wonderland.”

Riddle grabbed the bouquet from your hands, tears threatening to spill, but before you could say anything, Riddle wrapped his arms around you, “Thank you so much, my Sweet tart. I love everything, and I love you,” he told you as he buried his face in your chest, hugging you closely.

You hugged him back tightly and kissed his forehead, “I love you too, Riddle.”

[starswritingdorm]

Hiyaaa 😽 It’s your Beste

Uhh I’m requesting Riddle Rosehearts x chubby gf??

Lmfao I don’t know this character but I like his design so let’s go with it

Riddle x Chubby!Fem!Reader headcanons

A/N: LMAO it’s the thought that counts. Thx babes <3 also this might be short cuz I haven’t done headcanons in forever

─────.•*:｡✩

Riddle adores you, he doesn’t care that you are chubby, as long you aren’t mean to him he doesn’t care

He protects you whenever someone makes fun of your weight or give you a hard time

He wants you to be comfortable with your body! So any discrimination against you or your body will be punished.

Riddle loves to help Trey bake sweets for you to cheer you up. He makes sure to tell Trey your favorite sweet treats and what flavors they are

It gets messy in the kitchen since riddle is also helping but it gets done!

Riddle also may or may not break a rule or two (maybe more if you pay little closer to his actions)

He loves to sleep next to you and hold you, you’re so warm he adores it

Riddle also likes to trace shapes on your stomach

Riddles does anything to protect you. He adores you so much

─────.•*:｡✩

A/N: I need a bf like riddle augh

[lunasmisosoup]

𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖙 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕾𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖙

here's my first work!! i had to do riddle, it wouldn't have felt right otherwise 😖 (he's my fave)

cw: none! very sweet

word count: 750

p.s.: italics are thoughts <3

You knew that Riddle’s first impression of you was… less than ideal, and you wanted to fix that. After thinking about it for a while, you decided to bake him a cake. But which kind? You knew he enjoyed strawberries, yet you weren’t sure if he had ever had a strawberry shortcake. That’s it! The library should still have the recipe book you borrowed for the strawberry tart, and you can use that as backup if you forget a part of your mother’s recipe!

One day, after class had ended, you texted Trey to ask if you could borrow Heartslabyul’s kitchen and ingredients while the dorm members were at their respective clubs. After confirming that it was okay (with the warning that you won’t be trusted in there alone if you burn the place down), you walked quickly to the library and skimmed the shelves for a familiar book. It didn’t take long to find it and confirm it had the right recipe, so you arrived at the dorm less than 30 minutes after class ended. Great, that gives me plenty of time!

You moved around the kitchen like it was a dance you had practiced for years. You moved with such fluidity and precision that time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Multitasking came with such ease— make the frosting while the cake is baking, cut the strawberries and put them in water once the frosting was chilling in the fridge. You only realized how long you were working after you glanced at the clock while cleaning up. Oh, wow, almost an hour and a half already… Clubs are gonna be letting out soon, huh?

As soon as the thought ran through your head, you heard a single pair of footsteps. You looked up, your eyes locking with Riddle’s. “What are you doing here? Clubs don’t let out for another 10 minutes, shouldn’t you be there?” The redhead’s gaze moved up from the cake you were decorating to your face. “Ah, I was let out early due to Housewarden duties. I believe I should be asking you that question. You are aware it’s against the rules to use Heartslabyul’s kitchen without permission, yes?”

You nod. “I’m aware, which is why I made sure to get permission from Trey. You can check my texts if you don’t believe me.” You wiped your hands on the apron you were borrowing, quickly unlocking your phone and showing him your messages. You continued frosting the cake as read, carefully and precisely placing strawberries. The boy hummed in approval as he placed your phone back on the counter. “And what is it that you’re making?”

You take a step back, appraising your work. “A strawberry shortcake. It’s for you, actually. Would you like a piece right now, or do you want to wait? I made sure there are no rules being broken in making this, as well.” His eyes widened slightly. “For me? Why? …Ah, and I would like a piece, please.” You giggled softly, grabbing a knife and cutting the cake, handing him a plate. “The way our last meeting went was… unsatisfactory, to say the least. I wanted to make it up to you and clear any bad air there might’ve been. Oh, please let me know if you like the cake or not, okay? I haven’t made it in a while.”

He smiled softly, gracefully, and took the plate you offered him. “I assure you, there is no dislike towards you, not from me.” Riddle smiled as he took a bite of the cake. “This is delicious! The cake is so soft, and the frosting has a wonderful sweetness!” You blinked slowly at him, almost in a daze. You quickly shook your head, snapping yourself out of your thoughts. “Thank you! I’m glad you like it. Let me know if or when you want me to make it again, okay?” You hear him hum in approval happily as you turn to wash the knife you dirtied. “Are you sure you don’t want a piece? You worked exceptionally hard, and the cake tastes really good.” You smile awkwardly. “Are you sure? I made it for you.” The redhead nods. “Of course. There is no rule that says gifts cannot be shared, after all.” He gently took the knife from your hand, cutting you a perfect slice of cake. You stare for just a second as he hands you a plate, blinking before he notices.

His smile is really pretty…

taglist: @astro-stars

divider credits: (moon: @/strangergraphics), (strawberry: @/dollywons)

[ay-chuu]

Painted Red

Pairing: Riddle Rosehearts x GN!Reader

Note: It's a letter from Riddle, to you 🧡

Dear Prefect, Thief of Hearts

Love is a very unregulated feeling. Love is a feeling that is very difficult to control, even if there are rules. I know this because you taught me.

I remember the stupid question Ace asked you one day when we were walking in the garden. "Why do we paint beautiful white roses in red instead of planting red roses?" Huh. As if he had the right to disobey the Queen of Hearts rules. But at the same time, I remember what makes this moment beautiful... Your perfect answer.

"Perhaps the queen made this rule for her own depiction. Nor do some people look white even though they are white, Ace. Some white people get dirty with bad feelings, get dirty and paint themselves red last of all. But he's always white, actually.

You know, I only thought about you that night. -actually, I always do- maybe I should be mad at you for getting into my head while I was preparing for the chemistry exam... But I can't... My love for you, it turns every red feeling into white, my beautiful rose.

I wish i could say all the beautiful phrases directly when I'm talking to you. But I can't do it because I can't even talk, let alone talk like a writer in front of you.

I am in love with you. I am in love with you and your unregulated, contrary and inherently colorful born self. You're so for away from perfection according to the rules, but that's why you're perfect anyway, my rose.

Will you accept my love, which comes with these red and purple roses?

Will you see and love me, painted in red, with its whiteness?

I don't know the answer to this... But I love you very much, my rose.

With love and respect,

Riddle Rosehearts

A/N: Just a little reminder that in that story white does not mean skin color, but good feelings 🙏🏽

[cloudcountry]

me when i fail the potion on purpose just to spend more time with azul 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 oh no!!! how could this happen!!!!!

Potionology Tutoring

SUMMARY: How would it be if they were assigned by Professor Crewel to help you with your potionology lessons?

CHARACTERS: OB Students (Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil, Vil, Idia & Malleus)

TAGS: Fluf; GN Reader 

WORD COUNT: An average of 300 words per character.

COMMENTS: People seem to like mine Broom Flying Tutoring post, so I decided to do the same with Potions. I hope you enjoy this one as well. ;)

CONTEXT: It is normal and very useful for first year students to be helped by their older peers from the same dorm. Unfortunately you're not that lucky since you're the only student in your dorm.

Professor Crewel can see that you are a hard-working pup, but not having magic also makes you need to work harder than others. So he decided to give you a little treat. He will assign someone to help you. But not one of your troublemaker friends. Someone that could actually help you.

Professor Crewel choose Riddle for two reasons: first because he is one, if not the best student in the class. And second: you told him that Riddle had already offered to help you other times.

As with any other school work, Riddle is a strict tutor. But he's more patience to you than he is to his Heartslabyul students. He understands that not having magic hinders your learning. And the more he sees that you're making an effort, the nicer he'll be with you.

He will warn you before you make a mistake when making a potion. And then he'll tell you to pay more attention.

If you say that potions are like cooking, he will disagree. But if thinking like this helps you in potionology, then he will encourage you to think differently from him on that point.

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he will stand behind you and guide your hand with his. He will start by doing this because he thinks it will help you, and only halfway through the process will he realize what he is doing. he'll try to put it out of his mind so as not to spoil the lesson.

If you fail to make the potion, he will not be irritated, unless it failed due to your inattention. He'll be more disillusioned. But he will tell you that he can continue to tutor you if you want to improve. But he also warns you that the longer it takes for you to get better, the stricter he will be to you.

If you end up making the potion successfully, he will smile proudly at you and congratulate you. He will tell you that it is very rewarding to have a student like you. He is genuinely happy for you. And he'll offer to continue tutoring you, as seeing you succeed made him feel so good.

Professor Crewel choose Leona for two reasons: first because he is one, if not the best student in the class. But second: being good at potions isn't enough to pass his class. So, he's going to force Leona to do this to make up for his absences.

Leona is the best worst teacher ever. He's the best because he's really good at potions, but he's the worst for the way he "tries to teach you". He will constantly remind you that he's only doing it because he has to. But still he will teach you correctly.

He will not warn you before you make a mistake when making a potion. He'll enjoy watching the potion get all over your face. If he is in a good mood he can still say: Are you sure about that, herbivore?

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he’ll stand behind you and guide your hand with his. And he will know perfectly well what he is doing with you. If he feels bold maybe will whisper in his ear. If he has to be there, at least he'll have some fun messing with his herbivore.

If you fail to make the potion, he’ll be annoyed. You're giving him so much work. But if you look also upset with yourself. “*Sigh* Oi, don’t be like that. Nobody learns the first try. And you don't even have magic. We’ll do it like this, I keep teaching you until you achieve the minimum, but I will need to be rewarded.” He smirks.

If you end up making the potion successfully, he'll smile at you and say you were better than he expected from a herbivore. He’ll "thank" you for not giving him to much work.

Professor Crewel didn't choose Azul. He volunteered himself. Crewel didn't bother asking how the hell he knew about that and just accepted it because he was an excellent student and saved him work.

And you knew that wasn't a good sign! You are absolutely sure that he will want something in return! You know him. And you were right. The problem is that, after several failed attempts to convince you that he was doing it out of the kindness of his heart, he ends up saying that he still doesn't know what he wants from you. He was just hoping to make you owe him one.

He will be extremely friendly with you, just as he is with his other "clients". But if you have a crush on each other, you can take advantage of it to tease him. He can be very good with business, but in terms of making someone blush you have the upper hand on him.

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he’ll stand behind you and guide your hand with his. But not without his heart starting to beat slightly faster. Only you to do this to him. But he is confident in his skills and therefore knows that he is showing you his best side.

If you fail to make the potion, he’ll be in an even better mood. Because the more you need him the biggest the favour he can ask of you. Be worried and careful.

If you end up making the potion successfully, he'll congratulate you and say how proud he is of you. What a wonderful student you are. And, of course, if you still need tutoring he'll be more than glad to help you... Now, the subject of payment...

Professor Crewel was thinking of Housewarden. But Asim? Absolutely not! The Vice Housewarden of Scarabia on the other hand was a great candidate. But he had to assure Jamil that he would get someone to look after Kalim in the meantime.

He is indeed an excellent teacher. He is patient, explains things well, gives useful tips, etc. If you notice that he's even enjoying it and you ask about it, he can tell that is for a mix of things. First: you're a good student and much easier and more rewarding to teach than certain someones. Which in turn lets him get some rest and he is extremely grateful to you for that.

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he’ll stand behind you and guide your hand with his. And if we mix him being in a good mood with having a crush on you, he is able to say some sweet things in your ear.

If you fail to make the potion, he will not be mad or annoyed. After all he tutors Kalim a lot of times. And he would choose to help you over him anytime. In fact, come to think of it, if that means he has to be with you more often and get more rest from Kalim, this is the best case scenario for him.

If you end up making the potion successfully, he'll congratulate you and praise you for being such a good student. And thinking of the same reasons as above, he will offer to continue tutoring you whenever you want or need to.

Professor Crewel choose Vil because he is one, if not the best student in the class. After all, to become the Housewarden of Pomefiore a student must be able to make the deadliest poison out of all their peers.

He’s a strict teacher, no surprises there. Actually, he's really similar to Crewel. with you don't know if it's a good or a bad thing. The problem is that in addition to criticizing your technique for making potions, he will also criticize your lab coat and probably other clothing and stuff. But will also give you tips to improve on both.

The fact that he's so good at potions and, worse, knowing it, makes him more cocky than usual.

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he will verbally explain how to do it and you will have to be able to do it yourself. If you pout a little while you're wiggling and he notices, he'll wait until you succeed on your own, and while you're distracted by being proud of yourself, you'll be caught off guard by a kiss on your cheek. “Isn't it better to succeed all by yourself?”

If you fail to make the potion, he’ll be disappointed. He's pretty sure the potion failed because you weren't paying paying close enough attention. That's why Professor Crewel has given you a tutor. But, like him, Vil also sees potential in you, so he offers to continue tutoring you. But you have to pay more attention!

If you end up making the potion successfully, he'll smile and congratulate you. Probably will give you another "well done" kiss on the cheek. And will say if you ever need a tutor again to talk to him. But only after you've tried it yourself and are really struggling.

Professor Crewel choose Idia for two reasons: first because he is one of the best student in the class. And second: he always has problems getting Idia into group work, maybe it could be different with you and he can finally evaluate this parameter of his.

He is very relaxed about potionology itself. This is child's play for him. Which also triggers his cockiness. But unlike with other Housewordens, this doesn't intimidate you. In fact he is more intimidated by you when he sees you mad at him for talking to you like your a loser. “Fine, fine, I'll stop... D-don't look at me like that...”

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he’ll verbally explain how to do it. And if you still can't do it (or pretend you can't to see what he does) he'll be like "Here, I'll show you." and will stand behind you and guide your hand with his. Only to realize what he just did and walk away from you with the tips of his hair pink.

If you fail to make the potion, he will laugh at you and then regret it when he sees your face. “He he he. Sorry, sorry. I don't remember the last time I've teach a noob. It's kinda funny.” you keep glaring at him sullenly. “O-okay, w-what about we keep trying on other day? But you have to convince Grim-shi to let me pet him, and then you can unlock a better Idia-sensei mode.

If you end up making the potion successfully, he'll look glad and relieved. If you ask “You really didn't want to do this, did you?” he'll be like “Meh, it's not so bad. You're not like those annoying extroverts. So, I don't mind be with you.” if you smile at him, pink hair tips “B-but if you ever need to do it again, let me know with like 24 hours notice or something.”

Professor Crewel choose Malleus because he knows how you two get along (everyone at school knows). And it's hard to evaluate him in group projects when almost everyone is intimidated by him. Maybe you can solve this.

He cannot, nor does he try, to hide how happy he is to be working with you. He could teach you well, if he weren't more interested in seeing how you learn and the mistakes you make.

The first time you make a mistake he will scold you in a stern, frightening way. Only to later say I was joking and you have nothing to worry about. “Don't scare me like that, Tsunotarou!” and he will laugh.

If the potion requires you to do something like mix it in a specific way, he'll watch you, amused, until you realize you're doing it incorrectly. And only when you ask him to show you how it's done he’ll stand behind you and guide your hand with his. You can feel that he is careful in holding and guiding your hand. Humans are fragile to him and you are both fragile and dear to him. he must be careful with his strength.

If you fail to make the potion, he’ll seem completely indifferent to it. After all, you were already having difficulties, he didn't think you could overcome them so soon. And he will happily offer to continue tutoring you.

If you end up making the potion successfully, he’ll look shocked at first. You managed to make this potion with just that tutoring time? And without magic? What an amazing human you are! You've never seen anyone look at you with so much pride. Please invite him to join you more often and watch you improve.

[cvlutos]

"NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER DARK"

RIDDLE R. v LEONA K. [GN!READER]

ALICE IN WONDERLAND x RED RIDING HOOD [CROSSOVER]

WARNINGS: DARK CONTENT | YANDERE | VIOLENCE | PREDATOR n’ PREY | HUNTING | BLOOD | SUGGESTIVE | IMPLIED MURDER | PERSECTIVE JUMPS | SPECIES DISCRIMINATION | ETC | BE CAUTIOUS, BELOVED

T.MANOR: TRYING A NEW LAYOUT AND WRITING STYLE. ALSO, THIS IS PRETTY MESSY WRITING SO BE AWARE

| PART TWO |

| FEM!VER | MALE!VER |

EVERY Tuesday, exactly at noon, does the stone clock tower chime. Without delay, you hear the sound of trumpets, the marching of hooves, as the golden gates of the palace open. Wide and big, as the card soldiers, in perfect position, march upon horses of black and white, wearing that of red with swords attached to their hips and spears within their hands. Preparing for the Queen’s weekly hunt. The crowd cheers, waves banners, as they yell sayings of good luck.

The cobblestone path is tight, crowded with people, big and small, infants to the elderly, all in hopes of seeing the benevolent Queen off. Even if this same celebration will happen next week as well. In seeing him in all his grandeur. Something you’d “sadly” miss, with your woven basket tight in hand, warm and heavy from the fresh baked delights, all from the Clover bakery. You shimmy through the tight crowd, moving in the opposite direction and were, quite frankly, in the way, even as you walk along the side house and store walls. You mummer ‘excuse me’ and apologize as you go, giving sheepish grins to those who spared you a glance.

You would rather be at home, yet you promised your mother you would go. You promised to go to the bakery, to buy your grandmother’s favorite treats and sweets and deliver them to her. She lives just outside the town and in the center of the thick woods, just on the other side in a small cottage in the middle of the northern woods. A journey you’ve made countless times, and on less crowded days. Yet today, your mother was extra worried, extra concerned for your grandmother’s well being. Even if you promised, you’d go first thing in the morning tomorrow. Yet she forced you anyway. Well, guilt-tripped you into going.

‘What if she’s already dead? Hm? What would you do then?’

Return home? Tell the authorities? Cry? Yet the look on her face told you she didn’t want any back talk, so you gave in and left.

You forced yourself further down the path, spotting the familiar opening that you’ve always taken. The town you live in is surrounded by a large stone wall. Tall and thick, with only one way out of the village, and one way in. Yet this impenetrable wall has a hole, fairly big, that anyone could fit their largest ox. So you had no trouble merely crawling or walking through. The alley that led to your secret path was uncrowded, as if waiting for you and you alone.

You shimmy forward, pushing past local residents. Some allowed room for you, having noticed you, others merely rolled their eyes. You pop your head past the road barricade, searching the long stone road. The card soldiers were far. Far away to where you could make it without interrupting them, or them even noticing you. You step over the thick string, glancing one more time, before you make haste. Darting onto the clear, wide road. Ignoring shouts and gasps as you make your way to the alley. Stopping to catch your breath, you turn around. Some of the crowd are merely laughing you off, others completely ignoring, some glared at you disappointedly, yet none made a move to call the guards on you. Your eyes scan the road. You hadn’t dropped anything, and if you did, you’re sure no one would even notice.

Slightly proud of yourself, you continue on, moving past the eccentric alley system, moving quickly past houses and shops, jogging towards the large wall.

You’d be fine.

══════ ♡ ══════

“HALT.”

The crowd becomes silent, and everything pauses. A send off has never once stopped. The Red Queen, golden crown glinting in the sun, his hand raised high. His horse stands still, the same confident and demanding energy as his owner, bows his head, as the Queen flows off the saddle. Heels clicking against the stone road. He walks forward, taking exactly five precise steps, before crouching, leather gloved fingers swiping along the stone. How he saw just a small thing, no one will ever know. The squished remains of strawberry cream cheese tart, a small delight. He rubs the cream between his fingers before rising just as quickly, holding out his hand for a napkin. It appears within a second. He turns on his heel, glaring eyes scouring the crowd, before landing on an older man.

“You! Who ran across here!?”

“Uh! I have no clue, your—your majesty.” He gives an embarrassed, clumsy bow, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. “Then you tell me?” The Queen looks at another, a young woman, who automatically stiffens her posture, face paling.

“A-a person! They were young . With—with a wooden basket and red cape.” The crowd nods along eagerly.

“In which direction?”

Multiple hands point towards the alley, all in fear to face the Queen’s wrath. With a single snap, five card soldiers appear by his side. “Search for the one with a red hood. Such disrespect shall not be tolerated.” There’s a chorus of ‘yes! your majesty.’ Yet not a soul moving til the Queen re-asummed his position upon his horse. “We will resume! While in search of this Red Hood!” His voice is thunderous, and as if nothing happened, everything returns to normal.

══════ ♡ ══════

The leaves crunch beneath your feet. As you continue your long trek, the path is winding and bumpy, covered in wild leaves and branches, the cobblestone hidden beneath the foliage. The basket sways within your hand as you walk and wander along the familiar path. The cool breeze flutters your crimson cloak, and you pull the hood to cover your head and protect your ears. Wishing to have worn pants instead of trying to be cute with your red shorts and white knee-length socks.

The Queendom is never cold, unless the Queen desires cold weather.

It always remains at the perfect temperature, always a warm summer breeze and a perfect summer day. And as you venture deeper into the woods and further away from the Queendom, the cobblestone path slowly crumbles and slowly turns to dirt. You stop at the threshold, glancing behind you. Something about today seems different.

You hope it’ll be a good day.

You venture into the woods.

══════ ♡ ══════

“Ruggie. I’m heading out. Ill be back.”

He lets out a low yawn, stretching his muscles as he walked towards the cave entrance, not giving Ruggie, his right hand, a chance to respond, leaving the hyena beastman to do whatever it is he’s doing. He pushes past the thick vines of the cave, leaving the warmth of the cave and giving a shallow nod to a young wolf beastman who currently was guarding the large camp, with the others like him. “Ill be back before dawn.”

“It’s noon? And the Queen and his guard is hunting today. Far from us, but still. Are you sur—” The lazy king gives a short wave, swatting away the beastman’s concerns, stifling another yawn, leisurely wiping tired tears from his eyes, while the wolf opened his mouth to speak.

“Jack!” The duo looks towards the urgent voices. Two young beastmen, a young tiger and an older bear, both you jogged frantically, seemingly having to run across the majority of the temporary camp. They slow to a stop, giving a quick bow to their pride leader before turning to Jack.

“The Queen’s Knights. Theres five of them! Theyre asking for you presence!”

“Of course. I’m on my way. Leona.” Jack turns to their sleepy leader, only to find the place where he stood empty. He’s brows furrow, before quickly giving up and motioning for the two to lead the way.

The Queendom of Roses and the Pride of Kingscholar. While the Queen occupies the Northern woods, the Kingscholar current occupies the East portion. Over months of arguments and fights, the Kingscholar Pride has been slowly forced to the outskirts and south, while the Queendom slowly takes over the North and East.

Jack and the two beastmen run side by side, running towards the end of the camp, coming across the five poised card guards. They all sit on white pristine horses, not moving an ounce as Jack slows and straightens out his white button-up shirt. “Where is Leona Kingscholar? We shall only speak to one of authority.” The voice is muffled by his thick metal helmet, clasping to his reins and swords.

“He’s away. What you need can be spoken back to him.” Jack crosses his arm, keeping a scowl upon his lips as the knight scoffs.

“I shouldn’t expect more from your kind,” Jack clicks his tongue but doesn’t speak, letting the knight continue, “There’s a person in red. They have ruined the Queen’s sendoff and thus must receive punishment. If you find them, you know best to hand them over immediately.”

“I have no such obligations.”

“Right—” You can hear the confidence in his voice, as he shifts the reins, getting ready to move, “It’s only best to consume your meat fresh. I hope you don’t get red fabric between your fangs, wolf.”Jack gives a low growl as the horse becomes spooked, rushing over, earning a yelp from the knight and gasps from the other silent four. They watch the group ride off into the forest, before letting out a huff.

“Jack. What should we do?”

The tiger beastman speaks first, which earns a thoughtful sigh from the wolf beastman. “Nothing. I’m sure Leona will find the person before we do. Continue as you were.” Jack turns on his heels, rolling his shoulders as both boys shout and eager ‘yes’. This camp is only temporary until they reach the eastern mountain’s summit, and beyond that will be the savannas once you cross the mountains. Something Leona has been avoiding for the longest time.

══════ ♡ ══════

The farther you walk, the darker the woods get. Yet the twisting and winding path doesn’t lead you astray, a path in which you’re acquainted with. And as the trees grow closer and the leaves block the sun, it feels colder, as luminescent mushrooms and flowers that grow alongside the path glow in hints of blue and yellows, give you little light, while pollen that glows a soft purple flutters through the air. It’s absolutely enchanting, with towering thick trees and small sections which sunlight peeks through, highlighting the vibrant green plants and bushes. You hum softly, playing different games as you walk, occasionally eating one of your grandmother’s snacks.

“Youre quite far.”

You screech, nearly jumping out of your skin at the new presence of a voice. You look around and see no one. Your heart pounds against your ribcage. After a few moments, you left out a huff, slowly calming yourself.

“Especially during the Tyrant’s Hunt,” There’s a low chuckle that sends shudders down your spine and you look around frantically, “He might very well mistake you for a deer.” A rock zooms past your head, barely missing you and striking the tree behind you. Your body stiffens.

“Can you not speak?” It’s taunting and drawn out and you shiver as if ghost hands caress your body.

“What do you want—?”

“Now that is the question,” the voice lets out a low hum, and you hear the shuffling of plants, “I am quite hungry.”

You get a horrible feeling, and nearly trip, as something, or a someone, bolts through the thicket. A lion beastman. Before you can react, nails digging into your shoulders, and the new weight forces you to fall back, and momentum pushes you and him to roll over yourselves. Until you’re once again on your back, with the air from your lungs. Your eyes fly open, staring into amused deep emerald green eyes. You wince at the feelings of nails digging into your shoulders, close to breaking your skin and making you bleed, but he doesn’t. Only giving you the sensation of nails breaking skin. Your heels dig into the earth as you desperately try to regain your breath.

“Oh… Dont look like that. You act like I’m going to eat you. Well,” His hands move from your shoulders, letting you crawl backwards and away as he rested on the balls of his feet, forearms resting on his thighs as he tilts his head to the side. Eyes trailing you up and down, staring at the expansion of your bare thighs and legs, a low whistle slipping past his lips. “I might. In a more human way.” A shiver rolls down your spine as you use your cape to cover your legs. He visibly looks displeased as he looks at your face.

“Little Red Riding Hood on the run from the Queen.” He hums and you’re eyes widen as you stagger to your feet.

“What? I didn’t do anything?!”

“Doesn’t seem that way,” his tail flicks lazily, his finger drawing in the dirt in clear boredom, “you somehow made the little tyrant mad.” He stands and you step away, he makes no move toward you. Green eyes gazing around the forest before stopping and landing on the path, in the direction in which you came. You follow his gaze and when you look back, the lion beastman is extremely close, his nose brushing against yours. You jump away and he rests a hand on his hips, while the other holds out your forgotten basket.

“I would get going little red. Unless you want to be headless.”

You take your basket and glanced the path, you could hear the pounding of hooves. You grimace before turning around, sharing one more glance at the beastman before darting down the path, back onto the road to grandmother’s house.

══════ ♡ ══════

There’s six. Six horses, five knights, one tyrant.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, kicking up dirt and letting out a yawn, he was pretty hungry. Maybe you’d and your grandmother might make a good snack after he’s done here. He counts the seconds before the Tyrant comes into view, an ever-permanent scowl upon his youthful face. He’s pristine and upon seeing Leona, he ordered his soldiers to stop and with ease slides off his horse and marches 10 steps before glaring at the Lion Beastman.

“Queen’s rules dictate that youre not allowed within the northern forest on Tuesday afternoons. In all honesty, I should send you and your pride further east for such disrespect of the Queens’s rules.” His words are venomous, speaking precisely that has his knights flinching even if the words weren’t for them.

“It’s Tuesday? I had no idea. Oops.” Using his pinky finger, he cleans out his ear with a bored expression, earning a harder glare as the Queen struggles to remain calm.

“No matter. Do what you want. I have more pressing matters.” He holds out his hand, and immediately, a parchment scroll is placed within his hands. The Queendom of Roses has always been the most efficient and quick. Undoing the rolled parchment and holding up the paper, your face was drawn most beautifully, a perfect reflection almost.

“Theyre pretty.” Leona furrows his brows, watching the Tyrant marvel at the photo, his nose scrunches in disgust.

“What are you on, Riddle?” Gasps and quick inhales come from the knights, yet the Queen doesn’t seem to mind, only few can call him by his name.

“If you must know. They disturbed my send off, and I assumed that they were some ruffian. But now, after seeing a drawing of them. They are quite cute and I am in need of a King,” He tilts her head with a gleeful grin, that seemed misplaced and lovesick, “Though I will have to break them in, make them more obedient. But I’m sure it’ll be worth it.”

“You truly are sick.” Riddle face morphs from love-struck to angry, rolling up the parchment delicately, before clearing his throat.

“I suggest you go. Unless—” A arrow shoots past Riddle’s head and grazes the fullness of Leona’s cheek before striking the tree behind him. Green eyes widen a mere fraction, and the tyrant beholds the tiniest smile. The card soldiers werent mere decoration, yet they arent that smart either. One of them must be a skilled huntsman.

“You know what I am capable of. I hate to have to make you my target instead.”

The leader of his pride rolls his shoulders lazily, with his thumb wiping away the blood on his cheek. “Absolutely. Id hate to make you angry. Know if you’ll excuse me, this lion is quite hungry.” And without another word, the lion stalks into the unknown of the woods.

══════ ♡ ══════

The path to grandmother’s house seems a lot longer than it usually does. Usually you’d be at her tiny cottage within an hour or two, yet it feels like days since you entered the woods and encountered the lion beastman. As if the forest was alive, living, breathing. As if the path beneath you were snakes whose bodies twisted and turned, knocking you off your feet.

You land with a hard thud, shaking your head. The forest is darker than before. How long has it been? You know the path and you know it well yet; you search your surroundings lazily, feeling as if you were submerged in thick oil, and the word seemed muffled. You spot vibrant red mushrooms that seemed to inflate before releasing a thick white gas. Hallucinations. They’re carnivorous mushrooms, but they’re never active during the day, nor on the path. They’re new. As if purposely planted, but that’s ridiculous.

And it couldn’t possibly be night.

No.

You struggle to your feet, gripping the basket and meandering.

Walking.

Walking.

Walking.

Walking.

Walking.

Walking.

Walking.

Until a beacon.

Off to the side of the path, nestled in between two large trees, if you walked further down the path you’ll come across the small cottage village, with her golden porch light, was your grandmother’s house. With her stone walls and wooden roof were covered in moss and mushrooms, while her red painted door was visible. You pick up your pace, stumbling occasionally as you reach her rickety wooden porch, a wide grin upon your lips as you knock on the old door.

“Grandma!” You call through the wood, yet no reply. You grab the gold doorknob, turning it and slowly pushing the door inside, letting yourself in.

It’s the same as you remember, with the fireplace on, with fresh logs. There was no collection of dust, and the couch looked recently sat on. Her throw blanket and decor pillows were out of place. You close the door behind you, slipping off your shoes, and placed the basket on the dining room table. While undoing the strings of your cape and calling out to your grandma. You move deeper into her home, before reaching her bedroom. You knock.

“Oh, darling! I’m feeling quite sick, but come in. Come in.” Her voice sounds the same, and your tense shoulders drop, as a smile spreads across your face as you open the door. Only to find her bed empty and made, with the window wide open. You step further into the room, looking around, before you hear a soft click and you spin around, only to find the lion beastman from before. He isn’t looking at you, but instead squeezing a small bird.

“Mimic birds are quite useful. Able to mimic to the voice of anyone and anything once they hear it.” He releases the bird, and it frantically flies out the window. You step back. “You—My grandma!” You suck in a panicked breath and the man only shrugs. Striding his way towards you, his hand moving faster than you could comprehend to grab your face and squeeze your cheeks.

“What do you think--“ His free arm slides around your waist and forces your close, you try to push him away, “I did. Maybe I ate her. Gobbled her up like a big bad wolf,” He faux pouts before clicking his tongue and rolling his eyes in personal annoyance, “Or lion, that fits better doesn’t it.” He shakes your head aggressively, speaking like a mother would to a child when they’re fussy,

“Maybe ill eat you up. Wouldn’t you just like that--“ He lets you break away with a laugh, watching your glare, and he tilts his head and eyes moving out the window.

You can hear horses.

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