antebellum [t. riddle]

xxxiv.

22 december 1944
warning: sexual content

she was in the bathroom redressing after her shower when a knock came at the door.

of fucking course, they wouldn't give her the rest of the night alone. in fact, she was slightly surprised when they hadn't tried to force her to stay outside and talk, but she shouldn't have been so lucky to think that she'd gotten completely off the hook. she only wondered which one of them it was, coming to bother her.

just be quiet, and whichever one it is will go away.

"edwards." riddle's voice called through the door. "i know you aren't asleep."

oh great.

"it's two in the morning, riddle. go to bed." she yelled back from the bathroom. she didn't want to speak to him right now.

"open the door, edwards." his voice was steady but impatient. "don't be a child."

"go to bed, riddle."

"open the door, or i'll open it myself."

"don't you dare!" she said, scrambling for an excuse. "i'm indecent." she wasn't, really. she slipped into a dark blue nightgown that was the same as her black one, they just happened to be different colors.

he didn't respond, and there were no other sounds and she sighed. he could talk to her in the morning if he needed to so badly.

she dried her hair and waved her hand to put out the candles, but when she stepped out of the bathroom and back into the suite, he was sitting on the edge of her bed, facing the opposite wall.

"do you have any boundaries?" she said, summoning the book (her previously transfigured file) that was lying open on the end table near her bed.

he chuckled slightly and she watched his shoulders shake as she stared at the back of his head. she assumed he had taken a shower as well, seeing as his hair was wet, but it did nothing to dispel the aura of dark magic that still lingered over him. "i'm looking away, aren't i?"

"leave." she stared at the back of him, looking at his body in an outfit more casual than she'd ever seen him. in fact, she couldn't remember a time where she'd seen even his tie out of place. sicaria wasn't one to get flustered over attractive men, but merlin riddle was something out of a painting.

"i wish to speak to you."

"and it can't wait until the sun rises?"

he ignored her feeble protestations. "are you decent?"

she grumbled a reluctant affirmation and he turned around, eyes trailing over her in a way that made her almost self conscious, though she'd never show it. his eyes lingered on the hem of the nightgown, which was around mid thigh length.

this isn't what you came here for, he thought to himself as he reluctantly pulled his eyes back up to hers. he recognized the look in her eyes, but fought the urge to tell her that she had nothing to be embarrassed about. the time to compliment her would come later.

"i must ask that you'll not speak of this to anyone," he said slowly. he stood from the bed so that he could turn his whole body toward her. it was a different demand of her silence than the first one; it was only a few days ago that he'd threatened to kill her.

she outright laughed as she banished her blood stained clothes that she'd dumped unceremoniously on the ground earlier. "who would i tell? who would even believe me if i told them that perfect, head boy riddle and his friends were evil rituals that damn near killed them?"