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[chopoffyourhead]

"You've reached Riddle Rosehearts. Please state your message, and I will return it as soon as I can."

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[deerme]

[ A roll of his head as he hums. ]

Dangerous in the sense that bayous tend to usually be, one could get stuck and drown in the mud. It lacks some of the other dangers, such as alligators and human pollution. The demon magic it takes to create it? Definitely so.

[ Alastor sits down in his chair and crosses his legs at the knee, pouring himself a cup of coffee. His gaze is locked on Riddle over the rim of his cup when he lifts it to drink.

While the assortment is wide, but the quantity isn't unmanageable. ]

Lesson two: eat as much as you like. I, of course, suggest brushing your teeth thoroughly and perhaps taking up some form of exercise if you wish to keep your health.

Unlike our fallen angel, you are still very much a mortal human and can get cavities or diabetes from ingesting too many sweets.

[chopoffyourhead]

Hm... My magestone comes with offensive abilities, but that didn't get taken away. The ones that are offensive are just sealed or disabled somehow.

[There's a blink at the words that follow, and a small smile comes to his face - sad and wistful.]

Heh... Trey would never let me or anyone forget about proper dental hygiene.

[His gaze dims as he falls quiet for a few moments, then slowly raises his gaze back up.]

... I wanted to know why you made that decision to "adopt" me, as you both said.

And what it means to you.

[deerme]

Oh, I've plenty of other abilities still at my disposal, but I suppose creating an entire biome in my room was just too much for the Admiral to allow. Why, the bayou is larger than my room.

[ And it's not as if his room is small. It usually even has a bathroom attached. ]

Trey?

[ A hum over the question being asked and his fingers tap on his mug. ]

Having children of my own was never going to be in the cards for me. I'm certain I'll make a horrible parent, unlike my own mother who was quite wonderful to me. Truthfully, I could count on a single hand the people that I have truly cared for in my life as emotions such as affection don't come easily to me.

[ Just part of who he is. ]

I won't claim to be a good soul, my dear. Or that all of my intentions are good. When I first came upon you and Lucifer, I saw a young man in need of guidance and a devil in need of someone to care about. He wasn't wrong when he said that catching my attention is a dangerous thing, as I find people amusing in unique ways.

So at first, it was entertainment. Riling up our dear devil while ensuring he had a reason to actually try to leave this place eventually. You were an interesting young man that I thought would fit well in our little dynamic. [ Alastor is often honestly brutal. ]

Then I had the pleasure of meeting your life giver and I take offense at individuals who claim to be parents but abuse that. [ For reasons he won't say. Also the way he says "pleasure" means anything but that. ] I suppose you could say that gave me a fondness for you.

[chopoffyourhead]

I'd like to see it, one day.

[Whether that's on the Barge, or perhaps in Alastor's home world... or some other avenue entirely.

He smiles a little tightly.]

One of my second-in-commands, back at home. We've known each other since we were little.

[He listens, tentatively taking one of the cookies to nibble at it. Honestly, nothing Alastor says comes as a surprise, necessarily. It just seems very... him.

Then, he balks at the words that follow.]

But he has his daughter.

[Surely that was enough reason alone to want to get off the Barge?

The words that follow have a shamed flush coming to Riddle's face, and he looks away as his gaze darkens.]

... but that wasn't her. Just an illusion.

[Another desperate attempt from Riddle to protect her, or rather, protect her image.]

She wasn't always like that. And... really, it's my own fault I ended up here, as an inmate...

[deerme]

Perhaps you will. If I ever manage it, I'll invite you around again.

[ The Enclosure is likely to not happen - not for a very long time. He has no idea when or if he'll be able to show Riddle the real thing. ]

Second-in-commands?

[ Time to learn about Riddle's world.

A soft sigh as he sets down his cup and closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again. ]

One he loves very much and would do anything for, but they were quite estranged. From what I gathered, both of them seem to think the other need an invitation to see each other or a very good reason. Guilt, awkwardness, unfamiliarity - I'm certain there's a list of feelings tied up in their relationship. So long as she's safe, I believe that Lucifer would have remained here without motivation.

[ Especially knowing what he knows about certain things back home now.

He points at Riddle. ]

Wrong. She was the "mother" you saw her as. Same as Lucifer wanted to see Charlie as his little girl and needed a nudge to view as the young woman she has become.

[ Alastor threads his fingers together as he looks at Riddle head on. ]

She wasn't always like that or you simply were too young to realize it? You feared her, fear disappointing her, so you duck your head and allow her to yell at you. To make you feel small in her presence. Even when she's not here, you're defending her and suffer from panic attacks when you're weak points are poked at.

That is the behavior of a victim of abuse. Perhaps not physical but the verbal kind.

[chopoffyourhead]

Okay.

[He sounds even a tiny bit excited at the prospect.

As for the second-in-commands...]

At Night Raven College, I am—... was the Housewarden of the Heartslabyul house. Trey and Cater were my Vice Housewardens. It was our duty to ensure the students did and got everything they needed to in order to succeed.

[A soft frown follows. His gaze slowly falls.]

"Safe" doesn't mean "happy".

[Something of which he's painfully aware.

And then there's a blink as he's pointed at, gaze coming back up to meet with the radio demon's.

All those things are true but... victim of abuse? Surely, his situation wasn't that severe.]

I...

[He fumbles for words for a moment, opening his mouth and closing it again a couple times.

Finally, he looks to the side.]

I just thought that's what a good son would do.

[Battered in spirit though he is, it's obvious he loves her deep down - that some part of him wished to see her silver lining, wished to see the justice and fairness in her methods.]

[deerme]

[ He takes a sip of his coffee while Riddle explains about his school, and the concept isn't exactly an unfamiliar one. ]

I see. You use the past tense when you speak of your life, as if you don't intend to return when you graduate this place.

[ There was even the correction from present tense to past right in front of his eyes. It has Alastor gently poking at it and the reason behind the choice.

While Riddle takes in what he said, Alastor remains silent as feelings and words struggle to form fully. ]

It's what she taught you to do through what was likely harsh punishments. She took advantage of your love for her to manipulate you the way she wanted.

[ He won't deny Riddle's feelings for the woman, but as someone who is an expert at manipulating, he knows one when he sees one. ]

[chopoffyourhead]

[He shakes his head.]

I do need to complete my studies, and take responsibility for what I did... but, I doubt I'd be allowed to keep my position as Housewarden after what happened.

[By all means, the dorm had every right to snub him as leader.

Slowly, he looks back to Alastor. His brow furrows hard at the words.

Finally, a sigh escapes as he deflates.]

Perhaps you're right.

[It felt so wrong, so traitorous to agree, but what else could he do? He'd so long carried the burden himself that there was something wrong with him, and that's what led to his misery.

And yet, here, even though realizing had been more painful than he could have anticipated, with Alastor and Lucifer... for the first time, he felt... okay, being him.]

[deerme]

[ His head tilts to the side. ]

Do you believe you are no longer fit for the role? Is there someone more qualified to be Housewarden than someone who has not gone through what you have?

[ Experience can be very useful when dealing with other students. He doesn't know what all happened for Riddle to end up here, but this would give him insight into something that might help him recognize the same signs in others.

Alastor waits and looks back while Riddle decides how to take his words.

Then reaches across the table to push the plate of cookies closer to the boy. More a comfort than a reward for accepting this horrible truth. ]

It will take time to fully accept this and find out who Riddle is without his birth mother whispering in his ear, but if you stick with us, I assure you, you'll get it sooner rather than later.

[ Alastor and Lucifer might be the type to say that the show must go on or one is never fully dressed without a smile, but they can both be unapologetically themselves at the same time. ]

[chopoffyourhead]

After forcing everyone to fight for their lives?

[His brow tenses as he looks off to the side. Clearly, his death and how it came about has really marked him.]

... find out who Riddle is...

[He sounds so uncertain. Even hesitantly recognizing the impact of his upbringing, he can't shake the feeling of being defective.

After a quiet frown for a bit, he finally looks up at Alastor.]

How do you do it, Alastor? You seem so... unforgivingly comfortable with yourself.

[deerme]

Are your relationships with them so weak that you believe they'd turn their back on you over one little fight to the death? Or do they care for you enough that they'd be willing to risk their own lives to save you? Do they know you would have done the same if the roles were reversed?

[ He isn't expecting an answer now, but it's to open Riddle up to new ways of thinking and looking at the situation. To get outside of the box of "failure" that his mother has instilled upon him for what happened - regardless of whether that Belief of her was the first time they were 'face-to-face' since his death.

Alastor watches Riddle closely, while seeming to not look at all. It's done out of the corner of his eye as he takes a drink while the boy thinks over what he said.

At the question he laughs. ]

An excessive dose of pride and a smile, my dear boy. A smile is a valuable tool.