Chapter Text
Riddle was wet. And cold. But mostly wet.
The thought about his ruined uniform flushed at the back of his mind but quickly got overshadowed by more pressing matters. And the matters were pressing a little more literally than he would like.
"Floyd, let me go."
"Hm... Don't wanna."
"Floyd, I swear to— Kh!"
For a second Riddle was sure he heard his bones crack under the weight of the merman. He was supposed to spend his free time studying, managing his troublesome students and honing his magical and practical skills, not wrestling with his unruly lover in one of the Octavinelle bathtubs.
"Goldfishie, stay still, it's kinda uncomfortable feelin' you squirmin' all the time."
"Well I didn't have to do it if you'd let me go!"
This exchange was repeated at least ten times and they were going in circles. Damn this man. With every minute Floyd's tail kept curling around Riddle even tighter, loosening slightly only after his pained shriek.
"Do you really not have anything else to do?"
"More than annoying my goldfish? Never. Besides, you wanted to see me like this yourself."
It was true and Riddle really, really regretted it. There wasn't a special reason, he merely was curious about his lover. With how freely Floyd moved in his human body it's easy to forget that his true form was a merman but Riddle found himself thinking about it more everyday since they started dating. After all, weren't lovers supposed to be the closest to each other?
Riddle mentioned his idea just once, in a thrown away question he didn't expect to get an answer for, moreover the positive one.
"Aye, I can do it." Floyd said while stretching his long limbs in the library chair.
"You can?" Riddle's fingers stopped at flipping the book's page, his eyes owlishly blinking at the other boy. He... didn't consider it would be that easy.
"Yeah, it's been a looong time since I stretched my tail anyway, might as well show you if you want. Though the potion tastes— bleh" Floyd's face wrinkled at the memory.
"Ah. Yes, then, if you will." Riddle returned to his reading.
And now here he was, just a day later. Snuggled in his boyfriend's slimy tail. It was almost unfair how big Floyd in his merman form was, how was he even bigger than his human form? Maybe he could spare some centimetres for Riddle. Not like it was possible of course, but...
"Goldfishie, whatcha thinking about?" Floyd's sharp claws suddenly pulled on Riddle's cheeks, careful not to scratch him. "I might get jealous, y'know?"
"Don't say nonsense." Riddle quickly shook off the merman's hands, his mind lazily registering how much sharper his nails are now. "Besides..."
Riddle felt his face turning red not because of anger for the first time in the last hours.
"... you are the only one for me." He pressed against the chest behind him, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Ew, Housewarden, it's so cheesy!!" he could almost hear Ace's cries in his thoughts. Yes, it might be cheesy but it was true. Riddle would never approach his tasks half-heartedly, even if it was something as unsure as love.
For a few seconds the noises behind him stopped and before Riddle could start to worry maybe he crossed some line he felt two hands embracing him and something landing at the top of his head.
"Goldfish, sometimes you are so..." Floyd slowly burrowed his face into Riddle's hair.
"I am so?" Riddle's question sounded almost teasingly. Maybe his lover's mannerisms were slowly rubbing on him.
Suddenly he felt his cheek burn, Floyd's pouting face way closer than it was before. It took him a few moments to understand what happend. Did... did he just got bitten?
"You are so unfair! You say thing like this and yet I'd to jump through the hoops to snatch a moment with you!" Floyd's tip of the tail erratically beat on the bathtub edges.
Riddle's mind drifted between amazement and anger, settling somewhere in between.
"You!.. You could have asked me out!"
"I did! You never listen! 'Oh no I have to stroke a hedgehog, I have to tutor my students, I can't go out on Tuesday 6 pm according to the rule 629-'"
"I do not talk like that—"
"You do!"
Now, Riddle could confess he'd been finding less time to spent with Floyd but it was only natural, he was a housewarden and it came with its own set of responsibilities he certainly couldn't ignore because of his personal reasons. But Floyd should had known it, they talked it over, and why was he making excuses, he was the one who got bitten!
"I thought we are past that stage, Floyd. I said I won't slack off my duties and you accepted it. I expect better from you." He had to be firm now, as much as he cherished Floyd some things were non negotiable and he had to set it straight immediately.
"I know, I know." Floyd defeatedly hid his head in the crook of Riddle's neck, his tail squeezing tighter with every word. "But did you know mermaids die when they are lonely..."
This made Riddle freeze. He was pretty sure Floyd was lying, he didn't read about it in any book about mermaid biology but he did remember there was a famous tale about a mermaid princess who died because of a broken heart. Even as a joke, thinking about Floyd dying made Riddle feel dizzy.
"You should had told me you were lonely." Riddle said quietly, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'd make a time for you. You know I would."
He felt Floyd's head nuzzling into his neck in a silent apology.
"I know."
Riddle closed his eyes.
I guess we can stay like this just a little more.