riddle/cater shenanigans

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specifically (eyes emoji) that little psl about them staying at NRC during break hehe

Comments

overworked rosehearts

[crimsontyrant]

Staying back during break, the only two left in the Heartslabyul Dorm... were Riddle Rosehearts and Cater Diamond. Unfortunately for Cater, this meant that all of Riddle's attention was on him, scrutinizing his every movement, dragging Cater into studying or practicing with him at any given moment. Yes, they were meant to rest, but what did rest really mean when it came to Riddle? He practically didn't know the meaning of that.

At least, that's how their first day on break. The same as any other, really, with a lack of classes to attend.

The next morning, Cater wouldn't be woken up. If he chose to sleep in, he was allowed. If he didn't, that was also allowed -- Riddle didn't bother getting Cater when he'd gotten up for the day. Instead, his routine began, culminating in him sitting down in the common area of the Dorm, books piled high around him. Sheets of paper were strewn across the table. The homework they were assigned for break, as well as some extra work that Riddle had given himself, atop the work he'd assigned his Dorm members.

Riddle doesn't lift his head when he hears footsteps, the tell-tale sound of the only other person around waking up for the day. Riddle seems to have gotten dressed in most of his standard school uniform, aside from his jacket, which was nowhere to be found. His pen is in hand, eyes focused down on the paper.

"It's late to just now be waking up." He calls out towards Cater. It wasn't as if he was attempting to be harsh. That's just how Riddle's voice was!

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It was a surprise not to be woken up at the crack of dawn--Cater didn't set an alarm on his phone due to the holiday, but he was still expecting Riddle to bang on the door to get him out of bed. Blearily, he reaches for his phone and checks the time, groaning. For all intents and purposes, 8:00AM was beyond sleeping in for Heartslabyul, even on a weekend, but it was still earlier than he wishes he was awake. It must be how used he is to waking up early that jumpstarted his internal clock.

He takes his time getting up, though, scrolling through his phone for about twenty minutes before shuffling out of his room, still in his pajamas with his hair strewn messily around his face. Hearing Riddle's voice, he meanders in that direction, yawning.

"You're joking," he says, knowing that Riddle was far from being a kidder. "This is mega early for vacation hours--and are you really studying already? Did you even eat breakfast?"

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What Cater believed was 'early' and what Riddle believed were 'late' were too close to the same thing, causing an overlap in their opinions. It's difficult for Riddle to not make a face at the idea that he, of all people, would be joking in any sense of the word. Maybe the narrowed eye stare would be enough, and he wouldn't need to remind Cater of the proper rising hour. Cater's a smart boy - surely he'll get it.

Still, those questions did not suggest any hope for him. Riddle huffs out a sigh, finally lifting his eyes to look at Cater. Oh. He hadn't even gotten dressed for the day. Annoyance seeps into every fiber of Riddle's face.

The first clue that something is wrong would be the answer to those questions. "I am. You should be too, you know." Riddle's pen is pointed towards Cater, before his expression softens. He could never truly get that angry with Cater, especially not when most students were taking a break right now. Even he knew that. "... I did not. I woke up with less of an appetite today and decided it was best to have tea and get to work if I was going to waste time debating on whether or not to eat at all."

Riddle, who never skips a meal. Riddle, who forces himself to stay on a strict diet, even with all the sweets he consumes. Riddle, who was left with a plethora of sweets made by Trey for their break. Riddle had skipped breakfast, because of a lack of appetite. Motioning lightly at the table, he raises a brow slightly at Cater. "Are you going to join me? We can resume where we left off yesterday."

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Cater seems completely unfazed by Riddle's derision--he's used to it by now. Despite his sleepiness, that familiar cheeky grin settles across his face. Ugh, studying. Riddle was going to make him study every single day of this break, and he's starting to wonder if he wouldn't have been better off dealing with his sisters.

Well, Riddle was cuter to look at, so he had that going for him.

"If you aren't eating, something's gotta be eating you." He hums, wondering if it was because Trey wasn't there--the guy did have a habit of feeding most of the dorm, after all, even if he didn't necessarily want to. "I'm going to make us both breakfast. Pancakes sound good? We still have that strawberry syrup you like left in the fridge."

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Resting one elbow on the table, pressing his chin against his hand to hold his head up there, he stares over at Cater, his index finger resting lightly over his mouth in thought. He didn't expect Cater to study every single day with him. That would be absurd, even he knew that much. Riddle could only expect that from himself, if anyone. At the very least...

He'd have company while he studied. It was awfully quiet in the dorm with everyone gone, he was finding. Since when did he like all that racket?

"I said I don't have much of an appetite, Cater. You don't have to make something for the both of us--!" The initial snap comes, an imminent lecture, before he takes in a sharp breath, forcing himself to calm down. It was too early to be getting worked up, especially over something so trivial, even if the very thought of food was enough to make his stomach churn.

"... Fine, yes. That will do."

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Cater's expression brightens as he rouses further from his sleep. "Everyone has the stomach for pancakes! If I'm making some for myself, I might as well make enough for the both of us."

Besides, if Riddle really wasn't hungry, they could just put them in the fridge and reheat them later. No big deal.

"What are you studying right now, anyway?" Asking this, he pulls his wand out of one of his pajama pockets and summons a split card, that he quickly directs toward the kitchen. With it saluting and scampering off, Cater casually grabs the chair across from Riddle and pulls it over so he can sit backwards in it beside the younger teen.

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How frustrating. Riddle supposes Cater is right, in some ways. He did need to at least make the attempt to eat. Especially with how the tea that was sat in front of him on the table had already gotten cold. He'd even ignored that, when usually he'd have drank the tea up all while it's still hot.

Shifting ever so slightly in his chair, Riddle leans back to motion with his magical pen towards the paper in front of him.

"Magic History. There were a few dates that I was mixing up, so I've decided to go through all of the lessons of this last section that my class has been focused on, regarding the different ways that our current forms of Elemental Magic have developed over time." Riddle explains, turning to face Cater. "I'm creating a study guide starting from the very beginning, with all of the dates as well as the details for each time period. This way, when I am inevitably explaining this to some of the other students, I will have something to reference."

As usual... an insanely large task, put onto his shoulders, by him alone.

THE QUEEN'S REST

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It's a bit of a journey, but Cater gets them from the park all the way back to the Heartslabyul dormitory. He carries Riddle on his back to the bus stop, and once they're seated he takes off his jacket to pull it around Riddle--even with his newer, warm clothes, Cater didn't feel like it was enough. He wanted to make sure that Riddle was as warm as possible to save off that fever.

From there, he carries Riddle the rest of the way, insisting that his housewarden stay off his feet as much as possible. It's helpful that there's no one around who can stop and gawk, not that anyone would really dare to get on Riddle's bad side.

He's pretty tired by the time he gets Riddle into his private dorm room, flushed face himself as he carefully deposits Riddle onto the bed.

"Alright," he breathes, "let's get you out of those shoes, first, so you can get comfortable."

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Throughout the journey, Riddle finds it difficult to complain about their situation as he's carried on the taller boy's back, his arms lightly resting over his shoulders and his face pressing against one of his own arms. That's how they'd both know it was serious: Riddle couldn't bring himself to complain, no matter what Cater did.

Even when the jacket was pulled around him, even when Cater insisted on carrying him all the way back to their dorm building, there wasn't much Riddle could do in protest.

Set down onto the bed, Riddle nods weakly at Cater, feeling more and more ready to fall asleep then and there. His hands clutch at the jacket around him, pulling it tighter around himself.

"... I'll get... them off all the way in a second. You don't have to do everything." Riddle murmurs, pressing the toe of one of his heels against the back of the other, as if he could use the leverage to start shoving them off without much care. It... really wouldn't work, but at least he was trying?

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"It's alright. I can do this much more," Cater assures, reaching down to undo those heels and pull them off. Really, it was much better than Riddle getting himself even more exhausted trying to struggle his way through it. Putting those down at the foot of the bed, he considers the sick, tired housewarden as he tries to figure out just what to do, next.

"How about you take a nap, and once you're awake I'll have a full itinerary ready for the rest of the day?"

It would give Riddle some time to recover and himself some time to unpack everything that happened along with coming up with an actual gameplan to keep in line with his promise.

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This was embarrassing. Every aspect of it. Riddle wanted nothing more than to crawl in a hole and never come out again. It felt like he'd ruined their day by not being more open about how he was doing, how he was feeling. Any self deprecating thoughts he had weren't forming all the way, anyways.

A soft nod - a hesitant hand, reaching out, before pulling back, grasping onto the fabric instead again.

"When you finish it... come join me...?" Riddle asks, as he shifts and moves to lay down, clearly not planning on removing any of the layers he had on, aside from the scarf and gloves, which he practically drops off the side of the bed as he squirms to lie down.

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It's such a simple and sweet request that Cater can't help but chuckle. He's seen Riddle at some of his most vulnerable moments, both good and bad, but this...it was somehow so different. There's a sweetness to the way that Riddle's acting, in a helpless, too disoriented to move kind of way. Cater would suggest he get into pajamas, but...it'll be fine. He's in bed, that was good enough for now. If he was still out cold like this, later, Cater would at least make sure he got properly tucked in.

Cater stands, nodding. "Alright. I'll come back in a little while."

He didn't really think that Riddle would be wanting him to stay, once he actually got a bit more clear-headed, but checking in on him was the least that Cater could do. For now, he leaves the room, closing the door behind him so he can figure out his next move. They probably had everything they needed for a basic soup...Cater would get to work on that, pull up a recipe online so he could come back with a piping hot bowl and some tea.

As he's heading to the kitchen, Cater reaches up to run a hand through his hair, pausing as he feels the camilla there that he'd already forgotten about. Huh...he'd need to find a safe place for it.

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With the request agreed to, Riddle was able to drift off easily. Truthfully, he wasn't going to remember the request he made, having been so ready to fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The events of the day play in his mind as he lulls off to sleep, comforted by the familiar feeling of his bed, the familiar smell of his own room mixed with the light smell of Cater, coming from the jacket he held so close to himself.

He's not sure how long he's out for. Really, when he wakes up, Riddle barely even remembers the trip from the bus to the dorm building. He must've been really out of it--
Waking up, he's alone in his room, his face still burning so intensely. Squirming, he sits up to the best of his ability, breathing out a shaky sigh.

Carefully, he begins the process of getting some of the layers off. First, the jacket is rest beside him on the bed. Then, the cardigan is shed, followed by the sweater vest. His tie was also tugged away easily, the clothes all ending up in a pile on the ground. His uniform pants follow, leaving him in only his underwear and that button up shirt. It'd have to do for now. He's too exhausted to actually get up and go through the motions of changing.

Settling back down, he slowly pulls Cater's jacket to his chest, bunching it up to use as a sort of plushy.

What was today?

Cater treated him so kindly. The dumb comment he'd made in the beginning. The way he bought him clothes, hot cocoa-- sat with him in quiet there in the park. The looks they shared, the closeness, their hands clasped together. What kind of feeling... was this?

Oh, Seven, how he wished he didn't start to feel hot and bothered over something as simple as a day out. Maybe it was the jacket pressed so close to his chest, the warmth he already felt? Or, it was something else, creeping in to his feverish mind, forcing him to confront feelings he didn't realize were lurking under the surface?

Whatever it was, Riddle had completely forgotten about asking Cater to come join him.

Slowly, he unbuttons several of his shirt's buttons, leaving it open to help him cool down. Then, his underwear are shoved down and kicked off. It wasn't like Cater wouldn't knock first, if he did come to check on him. A careful hand comes up to his mouth. Panting softly, Riddle slips two of his fingers into his mouth. His other hand wanders down, palming at his arousal desperately. It doesn't take more than a moment before he finishes soaking his fingers as much as he's going to get them in his saliva, slipping them down between his legs. His other hand carefully presses the jacket against his lips (sorry, Cater, he'll wash it before giving it back), as his finger slowly pushed inside of himself.

A small needy whine escapes the small Housewarden as he shifts his finger inside of himself, not hesitating as he adds a second one.

"C-- Cater--"
Fuck, he needed to be quiet, didn't he? Thankfully that jacket was muffling a lot of it....

sick day

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Waking up the next day was...
Well, not really a shock that he was a mess, curled up clinging to Cater, but Seven did he wish they had thought about cleaning themselves up some before going to sleep. Riddle makes a face as he feels the sticky half dried mess left behind between his legs and all over his abdomen, the sweat that clung to him from the fever that hadn't broke--

He feels disgusting.

Not to mention embarrassed for what had happened the day before.

Shifting, Riddle grimaces as he feels his head ache with every movement. Dehydrated.... they probably shouldn't have done that.

Slowly, he shifts back close to Cater, bringing his face all too close. His hand comes up, poking his cheek.

"Cater."
"Cater..."
"Wake up."

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"Mmm..."

Cater's a pretty heavy sleeper, conditioned mostly to wake up from the sound of his phone. So, splattered and sticky as they are, he only murmurs when Riddle rises, winding his body around the too-warm boy like he's a pillow to hug and squeeze.

"Comfy...ten more minutes."

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Riddle's face heats up, a small pout coming to his face as Cater winds around him, holding him in a grip that was all too tight to squirm out of right now, with how weak he was.

This does not stop Riddle from grabbing one of his pillows and bonking Cater lightly.

"Cater, we're sticky and gross. Get up." Another bonk.... relentless.

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"Waahhhh, so mean...!"

But Cater stretches out like a cat, finally unwinding himself from around Riddle. He sprawls, still not making much of a move to get up but at least freeing the other boy from his hold.

"Are we gonna shower together?"

Because he's down, but he wonders how Riddle feels about it. Cater peeks one eye open, wanting to see if the question gets a cute reaction.

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The bonking ends as Cater unwinds himself, but the pillow is still poised, ready to attack at any moment, if the cat-like boy acted a fool.

And, there it was.
A statement that causes Riddle to gasp and smack him with the pillow again, his whole face flushing further.

"What kind of question-?!" He exclaims.

That is, until he thinks about it a little longer.
"..."
"We might have to."

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Cater can't help it--he bursts into giggles as the pillow smacks him again, feigning injury as he whines between laughter. "What, don't want me worshiping your body with a scrubby? Not part of my duties as your soldier?"

He's just an innocent little guy, look at him! Despite his goofy, somewhat sleepy expression, Cater reaches up to brush some of Riddle's disheveled hair out of his face.

"Really, I can wait if you'd rather have some time to yourself. I'll strip the bed while you shower."

to research how to make food for someone u totally don't have a crush on while you should be resting

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Spending the day resting was not Riddle's ideal, but he'd managed to slip into it once Cater was with him. Something about the older teen made it easy to let go of some of his worries, some of the instinctive guilt surrounding the very idea of rest. He might toss and turn, might shift and squirm, might bury his face against Cater and complain about some of his symptoms, sure, but overall the day was comfortable, restful.

Watching something silly together at one point helped lull him back to sleep when it got particularly bad. Riddle followed Cater's lead, to rest and let his body actually heal for once, instead of pushing himself that far.

His fever managed to break during the night, his sleep becoming far easier against Cater once it did. He'd kept the other up, he knew he had, working Cater completely through and through asking for things all day the previous day, no matter how much he wished he could do some of it for himself, to act as if he was perfectly fine. When morning finally came, it was late morning, already around an hour before noon. Cater was still out--

Shifting, Riddle presses a small kiss to his forehead, before slipping out of bed. Silently, he gets himself dressed in something more proper for the day, yawning softly against his hand. There were dishes to take down, from snacks they'd had during the day... clothes he should probably put into the wash... At least this time he doesn't slip on his uniform, instead opting to wear something more casual, something with a bit more coziness to it. He absolutely stole one of Cater's sweaters. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

After taking down the dishes, Riddle slips out of the dorm building with his bag in hand. The library calls, for such a necessary task: meal planning. Hopefully, even if he takes a few hours there, Cater would sleep in further, and... and then he wouldn't even know Riddle had stepped out.

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Cater barely stirs when Riddle wakes, murmuring as those soft lips are pressed into his skin but otherwise sleeping soundly. He's still curled up underneath the covers when Riddle leaves, and sleeps in for some time after--eventually, of course, he'd have to wake. He reaches instinctively for where the younger teen had been, blinking confusedly upon finding the space empty.

Still in his pajamas, he wanders the dorm, looking for Riddle and finding him missing. He does notice that chores have been done, and frowns. He must've been feeling better...but it was still too soon for him to exert himself too hard. He'd just end up getting sick all over again. Cater sighs, feeling a fog of tiredness still hanging over him as he dressed himself. There were a few places he could check, but knowing Riddle, Cater had a suspicion where he'd find him.

Riddle's maybe been gone for an hour or two when Cater makes his way into the library, bundled up and still feeling too warm from the biting cold that had been nipping at his skin during the walk over. It's a big room, but it doesn't take too long for Cater to spot his housewarden.

"There you are," he murmurs. "Caught you red handed."

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Riddle's own walk over to the library was enough for him to take some time to think to himself, about what the past few days had been like, with Cater. It was strange, wasn't it? The way the two of them were hanging around each other-- no, no. They were just friends, alone for the holidays aside from each other. It was only natural they'd spend time together, right? To keep one another company, when they'd refused to go home to their families.

His mind was still struggling to keep up, to pick it apart as he might be able to do if he were fully okay. It didn't matter in the end, however, as long as the two of them managed to have a calm time, worthy of being called a 'break'.

After arriving in the library himself, he'd found a table to set up at, dropping his bag down and wandering towards a specific section. Several books are collected, all of the same variety. Recipe books. Before he knows it, the table has a good small pile of them for him to go through, to pick out dishes that would both be simple enough to prepare and wouldn't require him to get too many strange ingredients.

When Cater catches him, Riddle's halfway through skimming one book, his notebook out beside him. There were several bookmarks placed within another of the books, as well as the beginning of that having been done to the very one he was looking through now.

Lifting his head at the voice, Riddle blinks. "Caught me?" ... Right. He was supposed to be resting. "I'm not doing anything I shouldn't be." He huffs out, digging his own grave further.

"... I'm not studying if that's what you're concerned about." It certainly LOOKED like he was studying.

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"You've got your nose buried in a book and you're telling me you're not studying?"

Cater clicks his tongue but sighs, pulling out the chair next to Riddle to plop beside him. Scolding aside, he needed a second to recharge. Man, that walk really winded him.

"Recipe books?" He picks up one that Riddle isn't currently browsing, looking it over. "Right...cause you said you'd be in charge of dinner."

Oh, boy. Riddle didn't actually have any real experience cooking, did he? Cater can't help letting out a soft chuckle. It was so like Riddle to do things this way instead of admitting that he might need some help.

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It did look like he was studying. Riddle's about to comment when Cater moves to sit down next to him, looking at the books that Riddle'd picked out.

Scribbling something down in his notebook, shifting his gaze back down to the paper he was currently writing on.

Once he finished jotting that down, he lifts his head again to glance to Cater, "Yes -- I decided to plan out our dinners for the next week and a half. This way, I can take into account what I might need to get for them, as well as plan out my preparation time and make sure we're both getting enough nutrients."

Cooking was something he really had no clue on. Not that he was going to ask Cater to help, when he'd taken up that meal as his to take care of!!

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"Soooo much work..."

Cater flops halfway onto the table, looking at Riddle from over his arms. Yeah, that all sounded like Riddle's style all right. And here Cater was just going to come up with different breakfasts based on what they already had in the kitchen. If Riddle showed him up that much, he'd have to really start putting more effort into it.

He's just about to whine about this realization when he notices something else. Distracted, he asks:

"Hey, isn't that one of my sweaters?"