Chapter Text
Ace was, to say the least, a bit put off by the whole “birthday boy” get-up he was made to change into. (Thank the seven his seniors had gotten Crowley to not make him wear this from the morning… Apparently they “didn’t want to spoil the surprise”...)
“Uh, Ace-kun… The headma-” “HENCH-HUMAN #3! Are you actually supposed to give gifts to people on their birthdays?” …What the actual… “Yeah..?” Grim made a tsch-sound at that. “Grim. Everyone you’ve asked — which includes everyone in this room — has already told you the same answer to that question.” “...Fine… We got this for you.” The feline beast said, handing Ace a gift basket. (Playing cards… Candy… Tuna. A liquid eyeliner that looked like it came straight from the chemists…)
“Thanks!” He accepted the basket with a cocky grin, smug about the fact that Grim got scolded by Yuu. “Um… Anyways, the headmaster told me to interview you a bit? Just a few questions I guess?” That sounded so stupid but he had heard of that before. (From his brother but that was beside the point.)
“1. How does it feel…”
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Hanging upside down from a tree while wearing a collar by Riddle wasn’t exactly the best way to spend his evening today… But it was passable~ Especially since he got to see his friends’ surprised faces as they found out he was the one who took that pie~ …Plus he was pretty sure at least Trey was going to come help him down before midnight… Right?… He at least hoped…?
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“Oh, has the child of man finished interviewing you?” Malleus only slightly (near imperceptibly) jolted as Trappola suddenly came up from behind him. “Yeah, they just had a few questions… Though I’m not sure why the headmaster always puts them up to stuff…” Malleus nodded at that… (Had… Had there been a reason..? His mind was drawing a blank for some reason… Probably not then?)
“Ah! Draconia-senpai! How are you doing?” Oh, even Spade had come up to him? (Malleus was elated. He would likely — not at least in less than a hundred years — not get used to people approaching him so freely and fearlessly…) “Well, what about you Spade?” The other seemed to stammer for a few seconds before responding with a clear, “Well as well!” before realizing that that sounded a bit odd to say… “...Oh wow… Lil’Juice isn’t even asking the ‘Birthday boy’ how he’s doing and instead jumps straight to ask his..” Spade covered Trappola’s mouth with his hands while sporting a furious blush before the other could finish his sentence.
“Well fine! How are you doing, the oh so great and glorious Mr. ‘Birthday boy’? Do your feet need rubbing and back massaging?” “Oh, I’m doi—” “Oh no! How impudent of me! How could I ever ever ever neglect to ask if the moisture level of the air is too low for you? oh, it must be! I can ever so clearly see the skin on your face cracking all the while we talk! Allow me to water you then!”
“Dude! If you dare bring any water near my face I’m throwing a bucket of water on you as retaliation!” ..How amusing! Perhaps it was a bit weird of Malleus, but he truly enjoyed seeing their… friendly? little spat. (It wasn’t often people let their guard down so much near him…)
“And what are my two favorite froshies doing now?” Diamond made the two jolt as he suddenly put his hands on their shoulders. “Wait! Let me snap a piccy!” His fellow junior said as he “snapped a piccy” of the two frozen in their fight. “#FIGHT! #LMAO #InFrontOfRoyalty #MoreLikelyThankYouThink ! And save…” The other spoke out loud as both Spade and Trappola slowly turned their heads to face Malleus. “...shit…”
“Oh, don’t mind me.” Malleus tried to reassure. “It’s quite enjoyable to see you two be such great friends.” He said with a smile. The two freshmen then looked at eachother, seemingly contemplating something before just accepting whatever it was.
It was truly enjoyable…
……….
“...Should we get him down from there now?” Riddle asked him, seeming a bit calmed down. “I think he could do with getting to think about his own actions for a bit longer.” Trey just responded, simply smiling. (Even if he hadn’t shown it as much earlier, he didn’t really appreciate Chenya’s little ‘jest’ — as he’d tried to reason while getting tied onto the tree — either. He wasn't exactly the happiest camper at the thought of his hard work making that pie vanishing.)
“...I suppose so.”
“You know you can go talk to Malleus as well if you’d like? I won’t hold it against you.” He then said. His dorm members weren’t exactly the most subtle about their feelings.. (If Cater hadn’t straight up gushed to him about Malleus, he’d be the top runner on hiding their affections for the dorm leader… But, alas.)
“It wouldn’t be fair to leave you here to bake alone…” Riddle tried arguing, though it was clear he wanted to take the offer. “Don’t worry, I’ll get these done soon, and then I’ll come join the rest of you all. I only need to mix this well enough, pour it into the molds and pop those into the oven.” “..Bu—” “Just go.” Riddle blinked at that but finally relented and left to go to hopefully actually talk to Malleus.
…(Somehow… Trey felt… something foreign enter his chest as he watched Riddle leave. It kind of felt like that time Chenya had won a free ice cream coupon, or the time in middle school when his friend had scored 10 points higher than him on a test… But this couldn’t be jealousy, what did he even have to be jealous of Riddle for? …Yet somehow deep down Trey knew.)
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…Okay, it was starting to get a bit dark now. It was nearly seven if Chenya was guessing right. He’d been hanging on this tree for a bit longer than he thought he would, but he’d probably be let down soon, right?
……….
“Hello, Malleus-senpai. I trust that those two haven’t been fighting too much now, have they?” The main in question just shook his head. “Too much? Not in my opinion at least. It is quite amusing to watch them interact with each other in such a manner.”
“...I suppose so. But it is my duty as housewarden to maintain my dorm’s reputation.” Malleus-senpai nodded at that. “Indeed. Even with how amusing it is to sometimes watch Silver and Sebek banter, I do have to chastise them…” Silver Riddle knew… On second thought, Riddle also knew Sebek. (It was hard to forget such a… Loud, personality…)
“It’s a balance of both, you agree right?” Riddle nodded. “Indeed. I suppose it is…” He and Malleus-senpai then continued to look as Grim joined the two in their spat…
(Rules really weren’t the end all and be all, huh? If this kind of happiness could be felt only without abiding by them so strictly… Perhaps Riddle could see the appeal.)
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“...Trey? It’s like midnight already? …Anyone? Can someone just help me get down now?”