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Twilight bathed the Heartslabyul Dormitory’s rose garden in a golden glow. Long shadows stretched over the lawn, and the cool evening breeze gently caressed the flowers that Riddle Rosehearts had so carefully tended. The dormitory’s prefect, as always, watched over every corner, ensuring that everything was in its place.
It was his moment of calm, or so he thought.
A soft yet deep laugh, like an echo from the ocean's depths, broke the silence. Riddle tensed, instantly recognising the sound. Floyd Leech.
“What are you doing here, Floyd?” Riddle asked, turning on his heels, trying to sound stern. However, the unease he always felt in Floyd’s presence throbbed in his chest. The more unpredictable of the Leech twins had a unique talent for unsettling his usual composure.
Floyd, with his characteristic lazy grin, leaned nonchalantly against a tree. His tall, lean figure contrasted with the garden’s neat and symmetrical surroundings. He observed Riddle like a shark waiting for the right moment to attack.
“Eh, nothing special, Goldfishie. Just looking for my fishie that keeps slipping away,” Floyd replied, using the nickname as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Don’t call me that,” Riddle snapped, his cheeks tinted in red. He refocused on the roses, attempting to ignore the presence that unnerved him.
However, Floyd didn’t move. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the visible irritation forming on Riddle’s face.
“You know, Goldfishie,” Floyd began, stepping closer with slow but decided steps, “I’ve been following you for quite some time. Did you notice?”
Riddle paused, blinking in confusion as a shiver ran down his spine. He continued arrange a rose, but his attention was completely captured by Floyd’s words.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he replied without looking at him. “I’m not interested in your... games.”
Floyd’s grin widened. His heterochromatic eyes shone with a blend of amusement and something else... something Riddle couldn’t quite understand.
“It’s not a game,” Floyd whispered as he moved closer, enough that the distance between them vanished entirely. His voice was soft, but with an underlying intensity that made Riddle look up.
“What are you...?” Riddle trailed off as he realised just how close Floyd was, only inches from his face.
The prefect felt his heart begin to race, but not in the way it usually did when he lost his temper. This was different. Something about Floyd’s carefree yet relentless presence threw him completely off balance.
“I’ve been watching you, Goldfishie. I like how you turn all red when you’re angry,” Floyd said, leaning slowly towards Riddle. “It’s amusing... but also cute.”
Riddle’s eyes widened, surprised. The air between them seemed to thicken, laden with something he couldn’t define. He tried to step back, but Floyd stopped him, placing a hand on his wrist—not tightly, but firmly enough to keep him from moving.
“Floyd, I...” he attempted to protest, but the words caught in his throat as Floyd leaned in even closer, until he could feel his breath.
“Shhh,” Floyd murmured before Riddle could react.
And then, suddenly, he felt it: the soft yet determined brush of Floyd’s lips on his own. The contact was brief, but intense enough to leave Riddle thoroughly bewildered. He didn’t know how to respond. His mind was a whirlwind of scattered thoughts as the warmth in his face grew.
Floyd pulled back just a few centimetres, still wearing that playful smile, but his eyes now gleamed with a most serious intensity.
“See? I’ve been chasing you all this time, my fishie... and I finally caught you.”
Riddle stood still, trying to process what had just happened. His usually organised and logical mind couldn’t find the right words to respond. Had Floyd been... after him all this time? How had he not noticed?
“You...” Riddle began to say, but Floyd was already stepping back, stretching his arms lazily as if nothing had happened.
“Well, I’m off. See you later, Goldfishie.”
And with that, Floyd walked away with the casualness that only he could manage, leaving Riddle standing in the garden, his lips still tingling and his heart pounding in a way he had never experienced before.
Riddle raised a hand to his lips, still in shock. Perhaps Floyd Leech wasn’t just chaos in his life, but something more. Something he himself couldn't quite place.