Once again, Cater is surprised he's still alive. He expects the phantom to absolutely crush him, and then expects Riddle to slice his throat right open. But neither thing happens, and his heart feels like it could explode inside of his chest when Riddle takes his chin in his hand. Those eyes...wow.
"I'd never do anything to mock you," he promises, unable to look away. Locked in that intense stare as if he could dig into it and pull Riddle back out. "I can see you so much more clearly, now. You're stunning--in every sense of the word, and I know you well enough to know that your strength doesn't just lie in your capabilities but in your character. You're gracious and forgiving. When your soldiers, your subjects, have needed educating you've always been willing to teach them. Your soldiers misjudged you...and I'm not blameless in that, either. I should have defended you and stood by your side, but I was weak and fell in line with everyone else when you were the one who needed me. I let you down. Now, if you'll have me, I'm prepared to pay any price you'd ask to make up for it."
Silence falls again after Cater's speech. One could hear a pin drop. No student dare speak lest they break the spell Riddle seems to have found himself under with his right hand.
He searches Cater's gaze desperately, trying to find any kind of deceit.
Something... seems to give way. The hold on Cater's chin is no longer bruisingly rough. The hand squeezing him relaxes a bit. There's a crack in Riddle's enraged expression, revealing a deep anguish as little tears of blot start to form.
"...Cater..." comes Riddle's trembling voice. "Help me."
Riddle chokes as a metal cane collides with the back of his neck, and instantly, he falls forward into Cater as the Phantom disappears, sending them both hurtling to the ground...
And caught by a grinning eel.
"Oya, oya. I do hope we weren't interrupting anything."
It worked? It worked! It actually, miraculously fucking worked! Not that Cater is celebrating, exactly, so much as he's just relieved. Riddle's in there, really in there, hearing him, and he's going to be okay. They're all going to be okay. Just a little bit more. His heart breaks to see that crack in the anger. The powerlessness, the fear...
And then it all comes crashing down, literally. Instinctively, Cater reaches out and pulls Riddle close as they fall, knowing he doesn't have his pen and can't break their fall--and caught by Jade Leech of all people! Great Seven. Of all the rescuers, why Octavinelle?!
"You were, actually! I totally had that covered," Cater protests. "Augh, whatever. Put me down, would ya?"
Trey, looking exhausted as he is, appears to take Riddle from where he's squished in Cater's arms in Jade's arms, and once that transfer is complete the ginger is free (after a bit more teasing) to be set back on his own two feet. He takes a breath.
"That was waaaay too close," he says. And then the adrenaline crash hits so cataclysmically fast that without warning the color drains from his face and everything goes dark.
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no subject
"I'd never do anything to mock you," he promises, unable to look away. Locked in that intense stare as if he could dig into it and pull Riddle back out. "I can see you so much more clearly, now. You're stunning--in every sense of the word, and I know you well enough to know that your strength doesn't just lie in your capabilities but in your character. You're gracious and forgiving. When your soldiers, your subjects, have needed educating you've always been willing to teach them. Your soldiers misjudged you...and I'm not blameless in that, either. I should have defended you and stood by your side, but I was weak and fell in line with everyone else when you were the one who needed me. I let you down. Now, if you'll have me, I'm prepared to pay any price you'd ask to make up for it."
1/2
He searches Cater's gaze desperately, trying to find any kind of deceit.
Something... seems to give way. The hold on Cater's chin is no longer bruisingly rough. The hand squeezing him relaxes a bit. There's a crack in Riddle's enraged expression, revealing a deep anguish as little tears of blot start to form.
"...Cater..." comes Riddle's trembling voice. "Help me."
2/2
Riddle chokes as a metal cane collides with the back of his neck, and instantly, he falls forward into Cater as the Phantom disappears, sending them both hurtling to the ground...
And caught by a grinning eel.
"Oya, oya. I do hope we weren't interrupting anything."
no subject
And then it all comes crashing down, literally. Instinctively, Cater reaches out and pulls Riddle close as they fall, knowing he doesn't have his pen and can't break their fall--and caught by Jade Leech of all people! Great Seven. Of all the rescuers, why Octavinelle?!
"You were, actually! I totally had that covered," Cater protests. "Augh, whatever. Put me down, would ya?"
Trey, looking exhausted as he is, appears to take Riddle from where he's squished in Cater's arms in Jade's arms, and once that transfer is complete the ginger is free (after a bit more teasing) to be set back on his own two feet. He takes a breath.
"That was waaaay too close," he says. And then the adrenaline crash hits so cataclysmically fast that without warning the color drains from his face and everything goes dark.