The 1st years on a weekly basis
Riddle was observant. It was a fact known by the entire school.
But he did not need said observation skills to see Ace attempting to enter the Ramshackle dorms holding a casserole.
One leg was inside the window, the other was out.
The two stared at each other in awkward silence.
"......This isn't what it looks like," Ace stammered. Riddle simply looked at the casserole.
"..Then what is it?" he asked, crossing his arms accusingly, and watching Ace run ideas in his head to think of a convincing lie.
"..A burglary?" was his answer, as apparently Ace would rather be caught stealing from the local broke prefect than admit that he was trying to sneak in food to their dorm.
"Need I remind you that you are clearly, and currently, bringing food INSIDE the building?" Riddle pointed out, exasperated.
"...A REVERSE.. burglary?" Ace suggested with an awkward smile, attempting to be charming while slowly exiting the window.
"I can explain," Ace mentioned, while Riddle stared in obvious disappointment.
"In my defense, we are unable to tell Yuu," was his first explanation. When Riddle stared at him with even more confusion and disappointment, Ace clarified, "They always say no when we try to bring them food.. so.."
"..So you resorted to breaking into their dorm?" Riddle asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Ace stared back before mumbling that he wasn't "exactly" breaking into their dorm since the prefect "said he was always welcome."
"Besides, I can't use the door because Grim will hear the door creak." Ace added, confusing Riddle for a split moment.
"And why can't Grim know?" Riddle asked, while Ace had to explain either Grim will scream about food the moment he sees it, or tell on them to the prefect.
"And then?" Riddle prompted Ace to continue.
"Then Yuu finds out, and THEN they refuse help because they 'feel bad' and then they go starving because they HAVE to feed Grim more than they need to SURVIVE, and now.."
"We are forced into crime." Ace explained.
Riddle had never in his life, heard such a touching, yet horrible logic.
"And.. who else is involved?"
Ace seemed to be offended by his question, before answering, "Everyone."
"Everyone?" Riddle repeated, and Ace answered, "Yeah, all the first years."
"Including Jack?" Riddle asked, incredulous.
"Especially Jack."
"Why..?"
"He can carry more," Ace answered as if that was obvious.
And as if on cue, the bushes rustled, only to reveal Deuce emerge while carrying three separate grocery bags.
"..."
"..."
"..DUDE I TOLD YOU NOT TO BRING SO MUCH AT ONCE- YUU WILL FIND OUT-"
"HOUSEWARD- SHUT UP ACE! They seemed hungry!"
Riddle dragged out the remaining patience that he had left in himself to ask what Deuce was holding, only to hear, "....Soup."
Riddle stared at the three enormous bags, and asked.. "Only soup?"
"..I mean.. there's vegetables.. and eggs.. and some instant ramen.."
"I see.." Riddle responded, trying to process this information.
Another bush moved, only to reveal Epel crawling out of it like a military soldier.
Holding a loaf of bread. With his mouth.
"..Did we get spotted?' Epel asked, getting up and trying to dust himself off, staring at Ace as if he was the bane of his existence.
Ace dramatically pointed at Riddle and stared at Epel in shock, asking, "YOU THINK?????" "OK DAMN, I WAS JUST ASKING!"
No one moved, and no one made a sound.
And then Jack appeared.
He wasn't even in a bush. He'd clearly decided he was too big to hide in a bush either way. He walked over while holding a bag of groceries, which were all clearly full of protein.
"You too, Jack?"
"What the-" Jack looked at Riddle, as if shocked he was even there.
"..So we're caught.." Jack muttered, glaring at Ace, saying, "I told you we should have taken turns."
"WELL EXCUSE ME-"
"You're excused."
"YOU BITC-" Ace attempted to say, only stopping when he saw Riddle glare at him.
Riddle ignored Ace's comment, feeling like he was in a whole new dimension.
And then Sebek shouted somewhere behind a tree.
"I OBJECT TO THIS ENTIRE OPERATION!!!!!" His voice boomed across the place enough to make a few leaves fall onto the ground.
Ace shouted back.
"YOU'RE THE LOOKOUT."
"I DID NOT AGREE TO THIS POSITION."
"WELL BOOHOO-"
Ortho floated down from the roof, clearly the other lookout, as he quickly said:
"THE PREFECT IS ON THEIR WAY!"
The entire operation exploded, with Epel yelling something along the lines of, "SCATTER".
Ace dove behind a potted plant nearby.
The plant was approximately two feet tall at best. And Ace, was not. Deuce yelled at him for being stupid and bickered with him while finding his own spot to hide in.
Deuce hid behind a tree, flattening himself the best he could.
Jack stood perfectly still despite being in the middle of the yard.
"DUDE, SERIOUSLY? AT LEAST TRY-" was what Epel said. Riddle had turned around to see where he was.
Epel somehow had managed to squeeze behind the mailbox.
Sebek hid behind a dusty broom.
Ortho simply flied as high up as he could. His method was clearly the most effective one.
"...." Everyone collectively held their breath.
"Could have sworn I heard something.." Yuu mumbled, before rubbing their eyes from exhaustion and heading back into their dorm.
The second the door closed, everyone exhaled loudly from relief.
Riddle stared, shocked. "..How?"
Ace spouted some explanation about how all of them were geniuses at hiding, and Riddle had immediately lost his will to argue right then and there.
"They absolutely saw us," Sebek whispered while Jack nodded in agreement.
"No," Ace whispered back with far too much confidence compared to his hiding skills.
"They looked right at you."
"They looked through me."
"Surprisingly Ace Trappola is correct, the prefect has failed to notice any of us!" Ortho added, flying back down.
"Yeah, and.. what do you mean by surprisingly?!"
"Teehee!"
Riddle sighed, not sure if he found this endearing, or concerning as to how much effort they put in.
Oh well, it was.. touching, he supposed. It was the thought that counted, right?
God, they were so stupid though.
Night Raven College, we'd rather be accused as a thief than admit we care about our friends.
