RISE OF THE FALL | R.B.

BONUS CHAPTER VI

a/n another one :) this one was requested by  @_Feartheuwu_ <3 thank you so much for reading + requesting! this was definitely one of my favourite bonus chapters to write and i forgot just how much i love writing atlas and theo and the slytherins ahahaha anyways enjoy :)

*

Theodore thought he was about to pass out as he aggressively rummaged through his entire trunk looking for something formal.

Asking Ariel out had been a piece of cake—at least, he'd deleted enough of the stress in his memory that all that was left was the good bits (he was sure that his friends would say otherwise—he was sure he'd rambled to them enough for the next three years). Regardless, he hadn't been able to sleep for the past week because of all the excitement, and Ariel—who had practically pulled out identical flowers and chocolates just as he asked her last week—had been oddly quiet.

It really didn't help his nerves for her to be dodging him in the hallways. Atlas, as usual, was of no help.

Not that I'd tell him who I was taking to the ball—he literally never contributes anything useful anyway, Theo grumbled sourly as he held up a white button up and examined it with scrutiny. How was he supposed to plan his clothes when Ariel refused to say a word about the colour of her dress? (Or suit—he didn't judge. He just wanted to know...)

He wondered briefly if a grey shirt would be better—but then reminded himself that Atlas was wearing grey and god forbid he looked like that little—

"Theodore!" A sing-song voice rang through the dorm as the bathroom door unlocked and a thick waft of steam crowded the dorm.

Theo coughed and tried to wave the steam out of his face but it was too late—the dorm was already a good five degrees hotter by the time he was able to cough out, "Merlin, Atlas, are you boiling yourself in there?"

"It's good for the skin, Theo," Atlas remarked as he dried his hair carelessly with a towel, tossing it onto the nearest bed once he deemed it dry enough, "What are you up to?"

"Spring cleaning," Theodore said dryly, glancing over all the clothes sprawled out over his usually perfectly-made bed.

"It's literally winter, Theodore."

Theo didn't respond; instead, he started to throw all the clothes he knew he didn't like back into his trunk, leaving only the things he was considering out.

"Oooooooh," Atlas said as he noticed the pattern amongst the clothes Theo was leaving unpacked, "Is this for the ball?"

"Yeah," Theo sighed, "I don't know what to do."

"Who did you even ask?"

"You want to know?"

Atlas raised his brows, "Is it really that big of a deal?"

"Depends."

"Okay, then I want to know."

"Your sister."

Atlas was silent for a moment, and Theo was sure he was dead but then Atlas said, "Which one?"

Theo shot him a strange look, "Don't you only have one?"

"Ohhh, right," Atlas said, unable to help the grin that crept onto his face, "I get mixed up sometimes, with all the kids in the house."

It was Theo's turn to raise his brows, "Alright, then."

Neither boy said anything as Atlas watched Theo sort through the various button-ups and robes that he'd picked out, until Theo finally couldn't bear it anymore, "Do you, by any chance, know the colour of your sister's dress?"

"Which one?"

Theo groaned, "Atlas—,"

"I'm only joking," Atlas grabbed Theodore by his shoulders and lightly shook him, "Loosen up, I'm not going to—like—eat you or something for asking my sister out." He considered for a moment, then added a little tentatively, "Besides, she's older than me, anyway. I'm way too scared of her."

"I'm older than you? How come I don't get that respect," Theo complained, shaking Atlas' hands off, "Why aren't you scared of me?"

"Because," Atlas said, sitting down comfortably on Theo's bed with a huff, "You're Theodore and she's Ariel."

"Fine," Theodore said, rolling his eyes, "It's fine. I like her more than me, too."

Atlas scrunched up his nose, "That's cringey. Don't say stuff like that in front of me."

Theo grumbled, "Just tell me the colour of your sister's dress."

Atlas snorted, making himself comfortable in Theo's sheets and crumpling them in the process, "You think she'd tell me? Why can't you just ask your parents to send you every colour tie in the world?"

Theo tried not to wince at the way that Atlas was only a few inches away from putting his feet right on the pillow—because of course he was lying on the bed the wrong way.

"You think they'd send me clothes to match with Ariel Black's dress? I'm not even telling them I'm going to the ball, Atlas."

Atlas was silent for a long moment, and then he said, "I s'pose that makes sense."

Theo was about to reply but then the other boy added absently, "You must like her a lot."

"Why are you even in my dorm?" Theo groaned, running a frustrated hand through his hair in an attempt to hide the flush creeping up his neck and dusting his cheeks.

"Because you let me take a shower here," Atlas said with a satisfied smile, "And because I love you, Theo!"

"Well I wish you'd help me...I'm kind of struggling here!"

***

Theo made his choice after Atlas was gone. He was torn between silver or a pale gold for his tie. He decided, considering the fact that he wore silver every day, he'd wear gold—just for one night.

Besides, he wanted to do something nice for her—he supposed it'd be a bit inconsiderate to show up in one of his own house colours.

So, he set the pale gold tie on his nightstand.

***

Theodore was genuinely ready to pass out.

He hadn't expected this. Well, he had—to an extent, but nothing in the world could have prepared him for how beautiful Ariel looked when he finally found her in the crowd.

Her dark hair was twisted into a complicated updo that Theo definitely couldn't comprehend but appreciated nonetheless, and her dress was knee-length—nothing too fancy, but it was the most gorgeous shade of silver, with a sweetheart neckline—which Ariel had adorned with a little gold necklace.

She hadn't seen him yet, and when she finally turned around after the third time Theo called her name over the sound of the music and the crowd, her smile had him weak in the knees and blushing the deepest shade of rose.

"Theo!" She exclaimed excitedly, throwing her arms over his shoulders, "Finally found you."

"I could say the same," He said with a laugh tinting his tone as he pulled her close, "I could've sworn you were hiding from me."

"Nice tie," She said as they pulled away from each other, her smile making her eyes sparkle, "We're—,"

"You look beautiful," Theo cut in before she could say anything else, "I like your hair. And your necklace. And your dress. And—,"

"What can I say?" Ariel responded with a giggle, "You're beautiful—I'm beautiful, we're beautiful together—,"

"Shut up," Theo laughed.

Perhaps he should have worn silver to match with her that night.

But for some reason, that night, Theo felt like gold and silver made the perfect match, for him.

He couldn't have wished for anything more.