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Throughout Riddle’s first two years at Night Raven College, he’d rarely spent much time in any of Heartslabyul’s outdoor seating areas aside from the tea party venue. Many students spoke quite fondly of the two gazebos on the dorm’s grounds, saying it was the perfect place to study on a sunny day.
The only thing Floyd seemed interested in studying as he sat on the wooden bench that ran around the perimeter of the gazebo was Riddle.
“C’mon, Goldfishie, tell me what you picked.”
“Absolutely not.” Riddle crossed his arms. “If I tell you my internship preferences, you’ll select them for yourself in an attempt to be with me.”
Spring of his third year. Even though he had one more year to technically be a student, Riddle could hardly believe his time at Night Raven was coming to an end. He’d dreamed of attending classes at the prestigious academy all his life, and now he had. In three short years, he’d learned so much. Of course, he’d had plenty of lessons about magic and its history, but he’d also learned quite a bit about the world around him. For instance, he’d learned that not everyone followed a rigid set of rules, and that… wasn’t wrong. Thanks to Trey and his incredible baking, Riddle had also learned that sweets wouldn’t cause his brain to instantly deteriorate.
Most recently, he’d come to realize that relationships didn’t have to be a cold, clinical pairing of two people attempting to create an optimal life. Partnerships built on admiration and fondness like the Queen of Hearts had with her king could and did exist.
Unfortunately, his king had come in the form of an eel who liked to press his buttons.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Floyd pouted. “Don’t you want me around?”
“You know that wasn’t what I meant. Of course I’m going to miss you during our internships, but you have to choose something that will benefit you.”
In an instant, Floyd shifted so that he was lying on the bench with his head in Riddle’s lap looking up at him. “Bein’ with you benefits me.”
Cute, Riddle thought. Despite the way his boyfriend’s words and affection made his stomach flutter, he kept a stern expression. “Benefits your future career,” he corrected.
Floyd let out a long, dramatic sigh. “There’re too many choices. How am I s’posed to know what I’m gonna wanna do a year from now?”
Riddle had no intention of budging on the matter, but he did empathize with Floyd’s predicament. Asking someone who liked to try everything to choose just three internship programs from such an extensive list was almost like asking Riddle to choose only three types of desserts to enjoy for a year.
He softly petted Floyd's head, running his fingers through his hair. “What are your career plans?”
Floyd closed his eyes and grinned, clearly enjoying the attention. “Don’t have any.”
Unfortunately for Floyd, that response brought Riddle's gentle hand to a halt. “You mean you have absolutely zero ambitions?”
“I don’t wanna do the same thing every single day. Sounds like torture.”
Riddle frowned. Choosing was really only half of the challenge for Floyd. After he picked his three internships, he had to stick with them. Part of why Floyd liked experiencing so many things was because he grew tired of things so easily.
That also summed up one of Riddle’s biggest fears rather well. He never would have thought being in a relationship with Floyd Leech of all people would bring him any kind of satisfaction. As time went on, though, Riddle realized that he liked dating Floyd. In fact, Floyd made him... happy. Not the kind of happiness Riddle experienced whenever he impressed his peers with his superlative magical abilities or even the kind of happiness he felt whenever one of the Heartslabyul hedgehogs did something endearing. The happiness he felt with Floyd was more complete. Floyd cared for him unconditionally, which was both unusual and wonderful.
But Riddle knew that could all change if Floyd ever decided he was bored.
Almost as if he’d heard Riddle’s thoughts, Floyd opened one eye to stare directly in his eyes. “Hangin’ out with you doesn’t count. I could do that every day.”
Riddle released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and started combing through Floyd’s hair with his fingers again. “Then we simply have to figure out a career that gives you that same feeling.”
Floyd snickered—a mirthful hiss through his teeth. “You always think you’ve got all the answers.” He shrugged. “Long as Azul will keep me on his payroll, I’m set.”
“That doesn’t help you with your internships.” Really, Riddle didn’t think such a prospect helped Floyd much with his future in general considering the disreputable nature of Azul’s business dealings, but that could be addressed some other time. “Wasn't there anything on the list the headmage provided that stood out? Something that seemed like it could be interesting no matter your mood?”
“Too many of ‘em!” Floyd playfully whined. “Can’t I just like... do a different one every day?”
Riddle shook his head, almost pityingly. Floyd just sighed.
They both sat quietly, which always felt unusual anytime Floyd was around. Although not seated in direct sunlight, Riddle’s body felt relaxed by the gentle warmth of spring. In the distance, he could hear the flamingos happily honking in their pens as they received their afternoon meals, and the scent of the rose maze softly carried on the breeze. Add in Floyd nearly asleep with his head on Riddle’s lap like an overgrown cat, and Riddle almost felt like he’d been transported to the times of the Queen of Hearts.
And yet, even such a peaceful atmosphere couldn’t completely put his mind at ease.
“Floyd?” Riddle whispered.
“Hmm?”
“What do you plan to do after we graduate?” Riddle felt a little silly for asking such a thing. Floyd barely knew what he wanted to do on any given day when he woke up, let alone what he might want to do months from now. “You say you’ll keep working for Azul. I’ll almost certainly enroll at a university. What then?”
Thankfully, it seemed that Floyd had heard his boyfriend’s unspoken question. “I’ll come see ya as much as I can.” He winked up at him. “Or maybe I’ll just move in with ya. Who knows?”
So, as far as Floyd could tell, he still wanted to be with Riddle after graduation. Riddle never would have predicted that Floyd would suggest moving in, though.
Suddenly, Floyd’s phone started to ring. He dug around in his pocket for it before holding it in front of his face. “Ah, Jade's callin’.”
He sat up and swung his feet off of the bench so he could stand before answering. As Floyd paced around, Riddle couldn't even pay attention to his boyfriend's conversation. He was still too fixated on what he’d said before. The notoriously mercurial Floyd Leech had told him twice with utmost sincerity that he knew he wouldn’t tire of Riddle—that spending time with him every day ‘didn’t count’ as something he’d find boring, and that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of moving in together in the not too distant future.
It was one thing to meet up every day and even occasionally go on dates, but Floyd’s sentiments had an underlying air of commitment. He wanted Riddle now, and he wanted Riddle for the foreseeable future.
A loud huff shook Riddle from his thoughts “Weirdo,” Floyd grumbled. “He said one of his plants died, and he wanted to know if I had somethin’ to do with it. Like I give a flyin’ fish about his dumb hobbies.”
With a grunt, he plopped back down by Riddle’s side. Before Floyd could hit the lock button on his phone, Riddle saw a flash of a familiar shade of red on the screen.
Floyd looked up and tilted his head. “You okay, Goldfishie?”
Riddle hadn't meant to make any sort of face that would clue Floyd in on his thoughts. “What... was that picture on your phone?”
“Oh this one?” He clicked his phone back on and held it up for Riddle to see. There on the screen, Riddle saw himself, a bright smile spread across his face in his Halloween costume from this school year. That by itself wasn't so strange. Many people had photos of their partners on their phones.
The part Riddle hadn’t expected was the tall, lanky figure by his side. He had almost forgotten about that moment, but seeing the photo brought it all back in an instant. Floyd had accompanied him to the dessert table at the Halloween festival after party, and he’d commented on how he hadn’t had to drag Riddle over like the previous year. Riddle remembered laughing, and not just because he was having fun that night. Floyd had been trying to bring out the best version of him all along, and Riddle was finally learning to embrace that part of himself.
“Jade took it,” Floyd explained. “He wouldn’t send it to me ‘til I did him some obnoxious favor.”
A year ago, Riddle had dreamed of a life where he was accepted unconditionally—a home filled with photos of smiling faces sharing life's simple moments together. He was no stranger to appearing in photos. Cater had taken plenty of him during their shared time on campus. But this one had a special warmth to it. Not posed or perfect for Magicam. Just the two of them happily existing together.
“Will you... send it to me as well?”
At first, Riddle didn't think Floyd had heard his whispered question, but then he started to grin. “Hmm, I didn't get it cheap. You’re gonna have to do somethin’ for me first.”
Riddle quietly chuckled to himself. Maybe he was starting to get a handle on this dating thing after all.
He gently wrapped his fingers around Floyd’s chin and pulled him down for a kiss. Floyd’s lips curled even more upon contact, surprisingly soft against Riddle’s.
When they separated, Riddle sucked in a quick breath and locked eyes with his boyfriend. “Will that suffice?”
“That was pretty good,” Floyd said with a cute tilt of the head. “But I was thinkin’ more like you tellin’ me where you’re goin’ for your internships.”