slytherin boys react

tom riddle: realizing they might like you

you find yourself alone with him in the dimly lit corridors, an uneasy tension hanging between you. you are his favorite target for criticism and snide remarks. today, however, something feels different.

"you're always in the way," he mutters under his breath, leaning against the stone wall with arms crossed, trying to maintain his usual facade of indifference.

you glance at him, unfazed by his usual coldness. "funny, because you seem to be following me more often than not."

he scoffs, a faint hint of irritation flickering in his piercing eyes. "don't flatter yourself. i just happen to cross paths with you too often."

you smirk, enjoying the banter despite his cold demeanor. "sure, keep telling yourself that." you say.

he shoots you a glare, but there is something else in his eyes, something that betrays more than just annoyance. his thoughts drift to how he can't stop thinking about you, even though he tries his best to deny it. there is an inexplicable draw, a fascination that he can't shake off.

"i don't know why you're still talking," he retorts, his voice sharper than usual, trying to mask the unease he feels around you.

you tilt your head slightly, studying his expression with mild amusement. "maybe because deep down, you enjoy our little verbal sparring matches?" you say.

he tenses slightly, caught off guard by your astuteness. his mind races, grappling with conflicting emotions he refuses to acknowledge. he is used to pushing people away, but with you, it seems different, complicated.

"don't be ridiculous," he replies curtly, but there is a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

you take a step closer, the air thickening with unspoken tension. "you know, for someone who claims not to care, you sure do have a way of showing it."

his jaw clenches, a rare flicker of vulnerability crossing his features before he masks it with a steely resolve. "you're imagining things." he says.

"am i?" you say, your voice softer now, testing the waters.

he hesitates, his gaze flickering to yours. for a moment, the facade cracks, revealing a glimpse of something deeper beneath his stoic exterior, perhaps a longing, masked by layers of defenses he has built over time.

"you're infuriating," he mutters, more to himself than to you, struggling to maintain his composure.

you smile knowingly, closing the distance between you until there is barely a breath of space separating your gazes. "maybe you just need someone to match your intensity." you say.

his breath catches, his usual retort dying on his lips as he finds himself unable to look away from your eyes. in that fleeting moment, he realizes that maybe, just maybe, there is more to his feelings for you than he has ever been willing to admit.

as you turn to leave, leaving him to wrestle with his newfound realization, he can't help but wonder if, against all odds, there might be something worth exploring beyond the walls he has meticulously built around his heart.