#ler! reader

Finals approaching, everyone was all stressed– even Octavinelle was overwhelmed with all of the people that had signed up for their ‘study services’ on some of the upcoming tests… None of them mattered to me, though. There was only one person I was thinking about right now– someone who definitely had the tendency to push himself just a little too hard, to go that extra mile even after his legs had long given out…

Riddle Rosehearts, the Housewarden of the Heartslabyul dorm– the dorm I was lucky enough to call mine. With strict rules and downright authority, Riddle led with the authority of the Queen of Hearts herself.

Everyone tended to avoid him– especially the underclassmen of his own dorm. And I couldn’t necessarily blame them– he certainly had the tendency to be a little harsh. But wasn’t that the main reason for being put into Heartslabyul? After all, everyone who was put here was either someone who would abide by all of the rules, or ones who needed to be taught to abide by them a little better. However, while everyone else avoided him, I couldn’t help but feel myself being pulled closer to him. Something about the way everyone else treated him, the way everyone feared him as if he was some sort of tyrant, or dictator…

He didn’t deserve it.

Now, where could he possibly–

The library… Surely he had to be there… I hadn’t seen him all day, and while we didn’t have classes today, I was still a bit nervous about how he was holding up with his studies… So, I begin to make my way to the library, squeezing and sliding past the students and staff in crowded halls… Not running, as that would be against the rules… but pretty damn close to it.

Upon finally entering the library, I began to look through the towers of shelves, trying to see if I could find him… but to no avail. I couldn’t help letting out a groan, stepping back to turn around only to faceplant head first right into someone else… I stumble back a bit, before clearing my throat and readjusting my uniform to straighten it out a bit, looking to who I had bumped into. None other than Trey Clover–!

“Ah– I apologize, Mr–” Our eyes meet for just a moment, and I gasp. “Oh, Vice Housewarden…! Actually, maybe you can help me… Have you seen our housewarden anywhere..? With finals and everything around the corner, I wanted to know how he was doing… I’m sure you know better than most that he has the tendency to push himself just a little bit too hard…”

Trey chuckled as he adjusted his glasses with a nod. “I sure do… And, actually, he seems to have shut himself up in the dorm again. He won’t even let me in to check on him, he just tells me he’s “doing fine,” and that he’s “a little under the weather.” I was looking to maybe find someone willing to check on him… It seems we ran into each other at the perfect time.”

After a brief chat, and him filling me in on Riddle’s situation, I made my way back to the dorm– of course, he had been in the one place I didn’t expect to check. I had figured the dorm would be too obvious… but it seems I must have been wrong. I get up to the Housewarden’s dorm, knocking softly at the door.

“Trey, I told you, I’m fine, I’m just a little si–”

“It’s me–” I spoke softly to the door, to which I was greeted with silence, before the lock slowly clicked, and the door softly swung open.

“C– Come on in…” He murmured softly, and I could practically hear the burnout in his voice. He was exhausted…. And even upon stepping into his room, it wasn’t right.

The bed wasn’t made, there were papers strewn across his desk, books stacked in uneven patterns… I sigh and softly hug him, having to lean down slightly to match the height of the shorter redhead. “Listen, listen…” I murmur softly, my hand gently holding the back of his neck to let him rest into my shoulder. He seemed absolutely exhausted, and burnt out… Hell, I’d even be concerned of him overblotting if he weren’t so tired.

“I’m here… And I’m not letting you flip a single page in one of those textbooks until you agree to come out with me and get some fresh air. And some food… and water.” He looked at me with a look of betrayal, and he seemed like he was about to protest, but I quickly shushed him. “Bup bup! No if, ands, or buts. Come on.”

Riddle gave a rather unamused look, before walking back over to his desk and flipping through some of the books he had. “Not happening. The final is in three days… I must get back to studying.” It seemed even with how close we are, I couldn’t twist his arm on this one… Unless…

Upon him sitting down at the desk again, I softly approach behind, gently placing my hands on his shoulders, gently and softly kneading at the muscle– tense, likely from trying to keep such perfect posture 24/7. I knew his living situation, I knew how strict his mom was… which was why I wanted to help him relax. After all, he needed to learn to take care of himself… There are more important things than studying all of the damn time.

As soon as Riddle seemed to relax a bit, I took the opportunity to gently slide my hands down his back, before quickly pressing my fingertips into his sides. The action clearly caught him off guard, because he quickly let out what almost sounded like a yelp, as he jolted upright, his fingers wrapping around my wrists.

“D– Dohohon’t do thahat..!” He huffed, as I let out a soft laugh, my hands still digging playfully into his sides, now moving up and down a little bit as I did so. “I’ll stop… as soon as you agree to get some proper rest, and some fresh air.” I smirked, speaking low next to his ear just to give that little extra tingly sensation one would get when someone's breath ran down another's neck.

Riddle squealed and laughed harder as my hands began pinching at his ribs, squirming as he desperately writhed in his desk chair. He tried pulling my hands away, but he didn’t exactly seem to have the strength to do so in his current state. “Pl– Plehehehease..! I– I just need to finish one mohohore– A-AHAHHAA..!”

When he tried making excuses, “one more page,” or “one more chapter,” or “just a little more,” I knew he wasn’t going to give up easily. So, I grin and begin rapidly spidering my hands around his sides and even slinking around to his stomach, which really just made him burst out laughing more. His face was red– almost as red as the painted roses of Wonderland. “Pl– PLEHEHEASE..! O– OKAHAHAY OKAY, I’LL REST…!”

My hands came to a slow stop, now instead gently rubbing up and down his sides to help him relax a bit from the touch. “You promise…?” I ask, needing the confirmation, to make sure he was actually going to sleep. He replied with a simple nod, before gently moving his hands from my wrists to my own hands, intertwining our fingers together as he sheepishly brought me closer, leaning himself back against me.

“I promise… But only if you stay the night here.”

I was a little taken aback by this, and although I was caught off guard, I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t speak a word, instead just gently guiding him over to his bed– which was way bigger than someone of his petit frame would have needed…

I lay him down there, before crawling in next to him as well, softly smiling as I reach over to turn off the lamp. And, as soon as the lights turned off, I felt two arms wrap around me, and a soft breath against my neck. I crane my head to the side to look at Riddle, who was now fast asleep, holding onto me like I had just saved his life…