Mattheo Riddle - Imagines/OneShot

It Exists

Word Count: 598

Song Inspo: In My Dreams - Ruth B. 

The tavern was dimly lit, with shadows flickering across old, wooden walls as the fire crackled. It was just an ordinary night, or so I thought. I'd come for a drink, maybe to unwind from the chaos of spells and studies, to feel a bit human again. But the moment he walked in, the air shifted. I didn't know his name, didn't know a thing about him, and yet something inside me sparked to life, like magic I'd never cast before.

He caught my gaze, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a chill up my spine. His name was Mattheo Riddle, a name I'd only heard whispered in rumors. People said he was trouble, that he wore his arrogance like armor, but in that moment, I saw none of it. Instead, he looked curious, as if he was seeing me just as clearly as I was seeing him.

I should've looked away, should've shrugged off the sudden rush in my veins. But I didn't. I couldn't. His gaze held me captive, and for one foolish second, it felt as though he was meant to be in my life. Like all those fairy tales I'd read as a child—this one moment, in the dimness of the tavern, could change everything.

Then, as if pulled by a force beyond his control, he walked over to me, his voice was low, smooth, wrapping around me like a spell. "I've never seen you here before," he said, his lips curving into a soft smile.

"Maybe you weren't looking hard enough," I replied, surprised by my own boldness. My heart was racing, but I kept my expression steady. I don't want him to see how he was already unraveling me.

We talked for hours that night, about everything and nothing. Magic, dreams, things that mattered and things that didn't. And I could feel myself slipping, deeper into whatever enchantment he was casting on me. But as much as I wanted to believe this connection, this spark, was real, a small, sharp fear tightened in my chest.

Love at first sight—wasn't that a myth? Just a trick that left you vulnerable? I'd seen what it did to people: love made them weak, made them reckless. My past was already filled with too much loss, too much pain, to allow anyone that close. Yet, the way Mattheo looked at me made me feel like I'd known him for a lifetime. His touch, light as it was, felt like a promise of something bigger, something real.

But I couldn't let myself fall. Not this quickly. Not when I'd barely caught my breath.

After that night, I tried to avoid him, tried to push away the feelings I had so quickly tangled themselves around my heart. I saw him in the corridors, felt his gaze linger as I passed by, but I kept my distance. Every time our eyes met, I'd feel that same thrill, that same spark, but it was followed by fear. Trusting him, trusting myself—it seemed impossible.

Some nights, I'd close my eyes and see his face, feel his warmth beside me. And in my dreams, he was there, steady and safe. But in the cold light of morning, I reminded myself of what love could do. How it could leave you shattered, and I wasn't ready to risk that. Not for a feeling as fleeting as a first glance, even if it felt like magic.

But somehow, in the quiet of my heart, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, I was pushing away something real.

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