Lover Behavior (Floyd Leech/Yuu)

21 ~ Guilt

⚠️ HEAVY DEPICTIONS OF SELF-HARM IN THIS CHAPTER ⚠️ READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION ⚠️

"So, what you're meaning to say is that you think Floyd Leech is the cause of all of the recent student disappearances?"

Deuce nodded, clenching the fabric of his pants in his fists. He couldn't stand seeing his friends being eaten away at anymore and with what little knowledge he had of what was going on, he had to do something to help.

So he'd gone to Riddle and Trey. He was much too scared to go directly to the Headmage, and he couldn't think of anyone better to tell.

"But... what's the basis for your accusation?" Trey asked, adjusting his fedora. He and Riddle both exchanged a look; sure, Floyd was rather eccentric, but Deuce wouldn't make such an accusation without reason.

So Deuce told them everything that had happened: Floyd choking him, his and Yuu's relationship, how Ace disappeared and how he didn't believe he actually went to meet a girl, the way Yuu had started withdrawing from them, how weird the two of them had started acting, and the truth about Grin. He didn't omit even the most minuscule detail.

"Deuce," Riddle spoke, breaking the silence that had settled when Deuce finished talking. His voice was terse, as though he could barely keep his anger under control. "You knew all this, and you didn't think to bring it up sooner!?"

Riddle raised his hand in preparation to execute his signature spell, but Trey stopped him. "Riddle, calm down! He's telling us now, isn't he?"

"Students were murdered! It doesn't matter to them that he's telling us now!"

"I know, but there's nothing we can do about that now! Do you want to make good use of what we know now, or lash out at Deuce?"

Riddle took a few deep breaths, trying his best to calm himself. "Alright, Deuce, go get Ace. Please bring Yuu over here as well."

"Yes, Housewarden Rosehearts," he said meekly before running up to his room, sending Yuu a text before opening the door, stopping dead in his tracks.

His eyes locked with Ace's, who stared back at him dully as he tightly gripped a kitchen knife drenched in red. His forearm was slashed up repeatedly, deeply coated in crimson blood that matched the knife.

Deuce lunged at Ace to grab the knife, and Ace didn't fight back. "Ace, what the-I-I... Healing potion! Do you have one!?"

"You're not supposed to be back yet," was all Ace said, not meeting his eyes nor protesting as Deuce grabbed his shoulder and dragged him to the bathroom, trying his best to clean up Ace's arm.

"Ace, why..?"

Deuce clumsily wrapped up his arm and applied pressure, trying to remember what he was supposed to do with these kinds of injuries. "I don't-I don't understand, why would you..? Good thing I got back when I did..."

"Is it really?"

"Huh?"

Ace started talking again, but the door opened to reveal Trey and Riddle. "You were gone for a while so we decided to come look for you. What happened?"

Deuce stepped to the side slightly to reveal Ace's arm, the blood soaking through the bandages. Ace shut his eyes and turned his head to the side, trying to tune out the sharp gasps and fussing from the upperclassmen.

"Are we done yet?"

They all stared at Ace incredulously. "Stop making such a big deal out of it. I probably would've chickened out again before I did anything drastic, anyway."

"What do you mean, again?" Riddle asked sharply, though his voice was laced with worry. "Ace, you haven't been yourself lately. Is this..?"

Ace slowly turned back to face the three of them, trying to push away the guilt that was bubbling up as he saw their upset expressions.

'I don't deserve your concern. You wouldn't be looking at me like this if you knew what was really going on.'

"Did you need me for something? I mean, you guys were looking for Deuce, and Deuce came to get me, so I'm assuming so?"

"Yes, but that can wait," Riddle said, his expression wavering as he glanced at Ace's roughly bandaged arm. "This is more important."

Trey put a hand to the back of his neck. "The other issue's also a matter of life and death... Of course, Ace, we're worried about you, but I feel like we just need a little more help with what we were discussing, and you're one of the only people who can give that to us."

"What's the other thing?" He suspected the worst-what else would Trey, of all people, find more pressing than one of his dormmates on the brink of ending it all?

"We shouldn't discuss this here," Riddle interjected. "Let's go back to the room we were in before."