Tom Riddle One Shots

Only One Tent (Part 2)

I sit on the ground as he sets up the tent, his sleeves rolled up his forearms as he adjusts it to his liking. It's not very much hard work, the tent set itself up mostly. Unfortunately, it's a simple tent, one room and no furniture. It's painfully normal. Couldn't Dippet have given us any other tent? One with two rooms at least? I scoff out loud and Tom turns to me, his eyes snakelike. 

"What?" he hisses.

"Nothing," I mumble and turn my body away, aware of the wet dirt scraping against my light colored pants. This is the worst.

He's silent again as he sets up the tent. The sky is pitch black and I shiver, my hands running up and down my arms to get rid of my goosebumps. My lips chatter together and I try to bite my lip to stop it but it's no use. I don't think I'll be able to last the night.

Tom stops setting the tent up and sighs. I can't tell why as I'm facing away from him and have no intention of finding out why, no matter how curious I am. I sigh too, pulling up my knees and resting my chin on them. I squint my eyes in darkness, trying to make out anything. I fail and close my eyes, trying to get some sleep if I can't do anything else. This position is so damn uncomfortable.

Seconds later, I feel a light tap on my shoulder. Startled, I lift my head up, turning to the side. Tom towers over me, his features invisible in the darkness. He looks terrifying. I freeze, scooting away slightly as squats down. I can finally make out a smirk on his face.

"At least you didn't try to hit me this time," he jokes, his eyes glimmering as the moon finally decides to show itself. He looks... a little less terrifying now. That's all I'm gonna say.

"No need to rub it in," I snap, "I'm sleeping outside I get it."

He pulls out a blanket from behind his back and tosses it to me(without eye contact first which is annoying but I don't say anything). He stands up, his smile gone now. He murmurs a goodnight before going into the tent. 

I stare at the blanket, swallowing the butterflies I just got. I know Tom just was being a decent person but he usually isn't so this... this means a lot to me. I quickly cover myself with the blanket, a little less cold than I was before. 

I hold my breath as I lay my head down on the dirt, fully prepared to take an insanely long shower the next morning. When my head hits the ground, it takes a few moments for me to relax. The forest sounds and seemingly alive dirt keep my adrenaline pumping until no longer capable and I pass out.

--

Featherlight, small footsteps walk across my hair, making small clicking noises. I scrunch my nose, the dream feeling strangely realistic. I shiver as a gust of wind passes before another clicking noise joins the first, than a third, fourth...

I sit up with a gasp, running my hands through my hair and shaking my head until I'm dizzy. My heart pumps with rejuvenated adrenaline as my eyes attempt to adjust to the darkness. I sit, blanket now covering only my legs and my breath fast and shaky. I see a bug that was formerly in my hair, crawling through the dirt and making the hideous clicking noise. It finally digs a hole and gets lost under the soil. I must be over their home or something.

I stand up, my tolerance for sleeping on the soil gone, no matter how gracious Tom was for letting me take the blanket. I quietly stumble towards the tent, getting more hesitant as I get closer. 

It's a tattered dark green cloth but looks big enough where we could both fit in there. I clench my jaw to keep myself less shaky, clutching the blanket tightly in my left hand. I use my free hand to pull open the entrance and it's extremely simple, looking nearly identical to the outside accept with fabric instead of dirt and less cold. Tom lays on his side, facing away from me.