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Riddle? Did you drink your water yet?
The feeling of Ace’s sparks on his skin stung slightly, yet Riddle couldn’t help but smile as he summoned his pen to his hand. I did, Ace. Thank you :)
It doesn’t feel like you did >:( Drink again!
Riddle rolled his eyes with a smile, and even though it felt like moving solid lead, he eventually got his arm out from under the blankets and reached for the glass of water his mother had left him. He slowly pushed himself up, using his magic to draw the blankets tighter around his shaking shoulders, and carefully sipped from the cup before sending it back to its place with a flick of his wrist. As he settled back down under the covers, happy to just be warm again, a sudden thought flashed through his fever-addled mind, and he picked the pen up again.
Can you really tell if I drank or not?
Uh, of course?? We’re soulmates, Riddle, don’t be silly :D
Did I actually drink water earlier, then, or did I just tell you I did?
Nothing came for a while, and Riddle felt his eyes fluttering shut. The moment the sparks came, however, he forced his eyes back open.
Rest was important, of course, but so was Ace, and if being a little tired and achy meant having his soulmate with him, then it was a trade-off he’d gladly make.
You wouldn’t lie to me, so I think you really did!
His face felt warmer than usual; maybe he’d ask his mother about that just in case. So you don’t actually know?
I do! Trust me!
Then below it, in smaller, shakier handwriting: Does that mean you didn’t drink any water :(
Riddle sighed fondly, ignoring the way it rasped and rattled in his chest. No, I did. Just to be sure.
Hah, see! Told you! You feel better now, right? Because I sure do!
The water helped, yes. Though I really need to sleep soon… I'm tired.
Hey, me too! We should nap together!
A quick glance at the clock told him Ace was still in school. It's against the rules to fall asleep in class.
Wait, how did you know I was in class?!
We're soulmates, Ace. Don't be silly :)
Fiiiiine. Sleep well, though, okay? And I hope you—
“Riddle? Why aren't you asleep yet?”
The redhead's eyes went wide, shoving the pen under his pillow as he buried his arm in the blankets and turned to face his mother. “I, um… can't, mama.”
She hummed absent-mindedly as she approached his bedside, stopping a few feet away and peering down at him with crossed arms. “Strange. The medicine should've started working by now.”
He didn't have the guts to tell her it already had. “It's too hot,” he said instead.
“I know, but if you don't rest, you’ll fall behind on your studies, Riddle. We wouldn't want that, now would we?” Riddle weakly shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut when the room swirled around him. “Good. Now close your eyes and at least try to sleep.”
“Okay, I'll try.” She nodded, turning away without so much as a goodbye, but when she reached the door, Riddle couldn't stop himself from reaching out to her (with his unmarked arm, of course) and saying one more thing. “I love you, mama. Can I… get a hug, please?”
She glanced at his outstretched hand; her response was immediate. “Just go to sleep, Riddle.” The door clicked shut behind her, and he could already feel hot tears burning at the corners of his eyes as he drew it back.
Why had he thought that would work? He was nothing but a disappointment like this. Everything hurt. He wanted his mother. He wanted Ace. He didn't actually know what he wanted, as long as it wasn't this and it wasn't being alone.
Sparks flew down his forearm, and he scrambled to check. Ace had written something earlier, hadn't he?
I hope you feel better soon! Then, right next to it: Math is bad, but not “makes me want to cry” bad. Are you okay :(
Riddle sniffled, scrubbing the tears away so they wouldn't drip onto Ace's words. Sorry. Mother came in. I have to sleep now.
Oh, okay. You didn't answer my question really, but it's fine! You should sleep so you can feel better! Talk to you later then?
Yes. That's all he had planned on writing, but the newfound hole in his heart pushed him to write one more thing. Will… you still be here when I wake up?
What are you saying??? Of course!
Riddle's heart soared; what had he done to deserve a soulmate like Ace? The pen tip rested against his too-warm skin, ready to say his thoughts, but he stopped as he felt Ace writing again.
And I can doodle a bunch of stuff so you can wake up to something nice! So go to bed, okay? I'll always be here!
That's sweet of you, Ace. Thank you, truly.
You're welcome :D Goodnight, Riddle! I love you <3
That was all he wanted to hear. Riddle smiled, the ball of thorns in his chest dissolving, and while he'd wanted to say something back, the medicine and the pleasant feeling he'd gotten from reading Ace's message meant he couldn't keep his eyes open long enough.
He put the pen aside. He could always tell Ace he loved him back another time, after all.
When Ace awoke in the middle of the night with a sore throat, his first thought was to sneak down to the Heartslabyul kitchens for water. When that did absolutely nothing, he tried a cough drop, and when that same feeling remained, Ace realized he wasn't the problem.
So here he was, trying not to wake anyone as he bumbled around at 2 in the morning, making a care package for his dorm head. The Ace from his childhood would've been delighted to take care of Riddle. The Ace of a few weeks ago, on the other hand, probably would've scoffed and gone back to bed.
Thankfully, the first-year thought to himself, he was no longer the latter. Something in him had protested the mere thought of sleeping while Riddle was suffering in his room all alone, and they were on good enough terms now that Ace didn't mind listening.
He carefully poured the tea into a thermos, stacking it onto the tray and levitating the whole thing with a spell, then crept down the winding hallways until he reached the door to Riddle's room.
“Dorm head,” he called softly, pressing his ear to the door, “you okay in there?” No response came. Ace turned the doorknob, and to his surprise, the door clicked open, spilling soft light across the floor. The first-year slipped in, setting the tray down on Riddle's desk and pulling a chair up to his bedside.
Riddle, though asleep, didn't look much at peace. A faint sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and his eyes were squeezed shut as he tossed and turned. Even from where he sat, Ace could feel heat thrumming uncomfortably in the air, and he sighed quietly as he took the cool, damp cloth from the tray.
The first-year carefully swept Riddle's bangs aside and laid the cloth down, but as soon as it had touched, the room spiked with magic. Ace blinked, staring at the magic pen held to his throat, and he slowly raised his hands in surrender.
It took a few seconds for Riddle to realize exactly who was in front of him. “Ace..?”
He flashed a grin and waved, even though he had no idea if Riddle could actually see it. “Morning, dorm head.”
The redhead sighed, falling back onto his pillows, and his magic pen clattered to the floor. “I hope you know you’re breaking curfew. What are you doing here?”
“Don’t be like that. You know damn well why I’m here.”
Riddle went silent as he thought, and his eyes went wide when he realized. “I… didn’t know the bond was capable of passing that on too.” He shifted onto his side and gazed up at him. “I apologize if it— if I woke you.”
“We’re soulmates, aren’t we? Don’t be stupid.” Riddle huffed out a quiet laugh, and the first-year grinned at the familiar words too. “And no, you didn’t wake me, I got up myself. I mean, I survived you overblotting, so it's not that bad, but if you think I’m going back to bed when I know you’re like this, you got another thing coming. So shut up and let me help.”
The redhead went silent as Ace draped the cloth across his forehead, and when he spoke again, his voice was a quiet murmur. “You don’t have to do this, Ace.”
Ace paused and raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want me to?”
“No, I— I do. It’s just… I was under the impression you wouldn’t want to, given what happened between us. And I know we’ve started fixing all that but still…” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I’d already made peace with being alone. The last thing I wanted was to bother you.”
“And I keep telling you, you’re doing fine. Actually, I’m a little hurt you think so low of me.” The redhead’s shoulders slumped as he looked away in guilt, and Ace sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that. Like I said, we’re bonded no matter what, so of course I’d want to take care of you. Now sit up, I made you tea.”
Riddle glanced between the thermos in Ace’s hands and Ace himself with wide eyes. “…You really mean that?”
“Yes, I do. Now you want the tea or not?” Ace shook it in his direction with a knowing look. “It’s got lots of honey. And it's one of your fancy herbal blends too.”
After a few moments, Riddle hesitantly opened it and took a sip. “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this,” he sighed, cupping the thermos with both hands, “and I don’t know how I’m going to repay you.”
“Who said you gotta repay me? Just think of it like that one time when we were nine, and I got in trouble for doodling stuff on my arm for you because I wanted to help you feel better.” Ace shrugged and leaned back in his seat. “Except now, I’m actually here and can do way more than just drawing you hearts and pictures of hedgehogs.”
Riddle smiled amusedly, taking another long sip and then tilting his head. “Did you really get in trouble for that?”
The first-year rolled his eyes with a grin. “You’re focusing on that instead of the fact that I’m here and I made you tea?” He sighed and waved his hand around, ignoring how his ears suddenly burned with the memory. “But yeah, I got into trouble for not paying attention. It was worth it, though, so I’d do it again.”
“I’m glad.” Ace glanced at him in shock, and Riddle continued quietly as he set the thermos aside. “It helped me feel less… alone. You always did. I’d never had anyone there for me the way you were.”
“You’re welcome. And I always will be.” He pulled his chair closer to the bed until they were practically touching. “What brought this on all of a sudden anyway?”
“I suppose it’s just a little strange having someone around again. I’d forgotten what it was like to be cared for.” Riddle leaned his head against Ace’s arm, and the first-year hugged him close almost on instinct. “Could you… say it again? What you told me that day?”
It had been years since he’d last said them, and Riddle hadn’t given him any hints, yet Ace still knew those three little words like it was yesterday. “I love you.”
The room went silent, and Ace had nearly prepared to leave when something wet fell onto his hand. “It doesn’t feel the same,” Riddle whispered, tears falling onto the blankets. “Why? Why… don’t they sound the same anymore? What’s wrong with me?”
Ace’s chest felt hollow, with none of the warmth that he’d imagined would come with telling your soulmate you loved them, and he knew instantly that these weren’t his own feelings. He used to wonder why Riddle would never say the words back. Now, however, the first-year realized that it wasn’t because he didn’t want to; maybe it was because he couldn’t get himself to believe it in the first place.
A soulmate who didn’t think they could love and be loved in return. Ace would’ve thought it absurd if Riddle wasn’t his, but he could work with this. That’s what he was for, after all.
“Nothing’s wrong with you, dorm head. You’re just learning how to be human again.” He took Riddle’s still-too-hot hand in his and rubbed his thumb along the back of it. “But even if there was, I’d still mean it from the bottom of my heart.”
“Ace, I tried to kill you. That’s— a perfect soulmate wouldn’t do that, so how…”
“I don’t want a perfect soulmate, I have you.” The first-year paused, thought for a second, then continued. “I love you, and I don’t think I know how to stop.”
Riddle’s fingers twitched, almost like he wanted to take his hand back. “…but you’re not scared of me.”
“Dorm head, please. I was never scared of you. Actually, I don’t think I could be scared of you even if I tried.” Ace shifted in his seat, lacing their fingers together and laying his head on top of the other’s. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. You’re stuck with me forever, remember? So there’s no getting rid of me now.”
"I… see.” He went quiet, and when Riddle spoke again, his voice was nothing more than a mumble. “I don’t think I deserve you, Ace.”
“Sure you do. But what you deserve more than ever right now is some good sleep.” The first-year yawned and stretched his neck, gently nudging Riddle off his arm. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how late it was.”
The redhead huffed out a quiet laugh. “You’re awake too, are you not? That’s quite hypocritical of you.”
“Yeah, except you’re sick in bed, and I’m not. C’mon, bed time for you.” Ace gathered everything back onto the tray, picking the now-dry cloth off Riddle’s forehead, but as soon as he stood, a hand grabbed his wrist.
“Ace, will you…” Riddle opened his mouth as if to say something, tightening his grip on the first-year's sleeve, but eventually he drew his hand back and turned away. “N-never mind. I don't know what I was—”
Ace already knew what Riddle wanted, and he already knew what to do. “Of course I'm not leaving you. I just gotta put all this away, and then I’ll come straight back.” He floated the tray up with a wind spell and kneeled, wrapping his arms around Riddle’s shoulders in a crushing hug. “Just go to bed for now, okay? It’s still early, and Seven knows my soulmate needs his beauty sleep.”
“O-oh…” The redhead relaxed in his hold, and before long, Ace felt arms wrapping around his waist. “Okay. Good night, Ace.” The first-year smiled, slipped out, and turned to the door as the blankets rustled; right as his hand reached for the knob, he heard a quiet exhale as a sense of calm washed through him.
Well. He hadn’t expected Riddle to fall asleep so quickly, but at least one of them was going to rest well that night.
The first thing Riddle noticed upon waking was that the chair beside him was empty. He ignored how it broke his heart a bit; of course Ace hadn’t stayed (who would, after all) but at the very least, he hadn’t been hallucinating his first-year last night. He carefully sat up, wincing as he stretched out his sore muscles, then paused when he saw the sight in front of him.
Ace had slumped over the foot of his bed, a pen in his hand and the sleeves of his hoodie pushed back as far as they could go. So he really had stayed. Ace had never been one to break promises, after all, and faced with that simple fact, Riddle couldn’t help but feel a bit silly that he ever thought Ace would leave him.
His first-year snored softly, hair sticking out every which way, and the redhead leaned closer with a smile, ruffling it until it didn’t look quite so messy. It was then that he noticed the dark splotches scattered across the first-year’s arms, and he pushed his own sleeves back with wide eyes.
Drawings of every shape and size decorated his arms from elbow to wrist; a group of hedgehogs had made their home in the middle, right beside a few hearts and a slice of cake. Stars littered his palms and the backs of his hands, and a few gentle swirls looped around each of his fingers. Riddle stared at them all in wonder, tracing a few lines with his nail, before a few words near his upper arm caught his attention.
I love you, Riddle <3
His heart skipped a beat. Then a pleasant warmth unfurled in his chest, and the grin on his face grew as he read those four words over and over again.
It felt the same. It finally, finally felt the same. That feeling, that warmth… all of it was because of Ace, and something in his heart surged as he picked his abandoned magic pen up from the floor and finally wrote the words he'd been keeping in him for nearly ten years.
I love you too, Ace <3