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Ace felt troubled.
Extremely troubled.
And as Deuce was involved, he felt more troubled than usual by his rival.
He sat in class and could feel Yuu watching him even though he was trying desperately to ignore it but that stare was irritating his nerves. He turned to the Ramshackle dorm leader and the annoying little heathen that was forced to accompany them without fail.
"What? You wanna kiss me or something because, no offense, but ew".
Yuu's finger twitched and Ace couldn't help himself from smirking. Pissing off Yuu was always fun and most of the time ever so worth it. The prefect rolled their eyes, "No wonder nobody wants to do that to you, Ace, since you're such a jackass all the time. Anyways, when are you going to tell Deuce you like him?"
"When am I going to tell who that I what now? I'm sorry?"
"Deuce. Tell Deuce you like him".
"I'm sorry?!" Ace repeated.
"It's so obvious! God, you people here are more hopeless beyond just your grades. You two especially".
"I don't like Deuce! Are you actually insane?! I would rather die!"
Yuu shot him a sarcastic smirk, "Feel free to get off my ass and drop dead any time then".
"Now who's being a jackass for no damn reason...," Ace grumbled under his breath, "So, what's so obvious about me liking Deuce then? I feel like following in my brother's stead for awhile and being an entertainer while also being entertained~"
Rolling their eyes again, Yuu started to explain, "Grim and I have been noticing the way you look at him recently".
"Hehehe! Like a lovesick puppy!"
Yuu bonked the little cat-like monster lightly, "Ignore him. I mean that Deuce has been gaining some decent attention lately and you, Mr Trappola, don't look at all happy about it when it catches your own eye".
"That doesn't mean I like that stupid idiot! I could want that attention all for myself for all you know!"
"Except I know that you don't. You might act like the type who would flourish off popularity but yet you avoid it. You just go about your day as it is ad what happens, happens," Yuu shook their head, "So I deduct that you hate Deuce getting that sort of attention - especially for his good looks - because you want it to be only you giving him that and vice versa".
Ace stared blankly, his gaze narrowing fiercely for a moment when Grim started to snigger at him. He wasn't interested in Deuce, especially like that! Great Seven strike him down where he stood if he ever caught feelings for someone by the likes of Deuce fricking Spade. And as if that wasn't bad enough, he could see the way students were already watching said Deuce Spade as he made his way over to their seats, having finished talking to Crewel about his latest homework assignment.
"You're doing it now, Ace~," Yuu started to tease him, "God, you really hate them staring at him, don't you~?"
"Shut your ugly-ass mouth!" Ace hissed as Deuce sat down and looked them over.
"Did you guys talk about me while I was gone?" the blue-haired boy asked.
"Yes".
"No." Shut the hell up, Yuu!
Deuce's gaze flickered between them, "O...kay...? Whatever you guys say".
Ace suddenly heard whispering from a row or so behind him and he felt his fingers itching to grab his magical pen and blast a spell whilst his teeth clenched together. They were talking about Deuce again; how amazing his looks were, how he should be in a dorm like Pomefiore instead of Heartslabyul or their own dorm, how his time doing track had probably really helped with his muscle physique and how his roommates were probably lucky to catch glimpses (and Ace would deny having frightened said roommates minus himself that one look at Deuce's body in the showers would earn them certain death). He wanted to crush something and simply settled for curling his fingers into a fist propping his chin up and deliberately scratching pen across paper more heavily and sharply than usual.
He was not in love with Deuce fricking Spade.
Lunch was worse than ever.
Ace's fingers drummed on the table and he had to stop himself from snapping when Riddle's hand gently laid on his, silently getting him to stop the agitating noise before a collar was slammed onto his neck. His eyes never tore away from where Deuce was ever so obediently collecting both their lunches for them, chewing the inside of his cheek, his foot beginning to tap in place of his silent fingers. Why was he so pissed off about everyone looking at and muttering around him about Deuce? It was Deuce fricking Spade! He wasn't anything special, especially not to Ace!
"Ace," Riddle's warning tone now.
"Sorry," he mumbled a response and stopped tapping his foot but he was itching to grab one of the whispering Deuce admirers and slam their face into their food.
"What's bothering you?" Trey asked him, "You seem really on edge".
Ace ignored the look Yuu gave him from the other end of the table and shook his head.
"Ace-chan doesn't like all the attention Deuce-chan has been getting!" Cater (in)helpfully chipped in and Ace really wished looks could absolutely kill.
"Oh?" Trey looked at him quizzically.
"Deuce has been having his name go around a lot lately," Riddle murmured mostly to himself and Cater nodded enthusiastically.
"Because Deuce-chan is finally being noticed for his stunning good looks! That and he's such a gentle soul, it's not surprising he's having people from all of NRC falling for him!"
Ace growled a little, and the other members seated at the table followed his gaze to where a student from Savanaclaw was approaching the Heartslabyul boy, hands timidly held behind their back as they talked. They were too far to hear what was being said but when the student stepped closer to Deuce, Ace stood up and slammed his hands onto the table before he could stop and think twice. His voice growled louder as he rose it to a yell.
"DEUCE!! GET YOUR STUPID ASS OVER HERE, I'M STARVING, Y'KNOW!!"
Both Deuce and the stranger student glared at him for the interruption (for different reasons, Ace was sure) and he watched as Deuce apologised before making his way over to their table and taking his seat beside Ace, sliding his meal to him.
"Here you are Your Royal Highness, what the hell was that about?" Deuce had raised an eyebrow but Ace simply started to dig into his food to avoid talking back as much as he could. Deuce huffed lightly and started on his own, "You've been acting so weird lately. It's like I'm not allowed to talk to other people without your goddamn permission or something equally insane".
Maybe that should be a new rule for Riddle to make note of, Ace thought, stuffing another spoonful of food into his mouth sourly.
"Are you going to be like this the entire weekend, too?"
"Oh, that's right! Deuce-chan is staying at Ace-chan's this weekend!" Cater should really learn when to shut his mouth. Everybody should if he was being honest.
"Only because I let it slip of his existence and now my mother wants to meet him, Dad and my brother too," Ace sighed between his next mouthful. He saw Riddle trying to catch his eye. I swear to the Great Seven if you of all people dare say anything to me about liking Deuce right now, I won't hesitate to knock you off your pretty little high horse here and now!
Riddle eventually tore his eyes away from Ace (thank the Great Seven) and the table fell into idle chatter thankfully not on the subject of Ace or Deuce. It was easy enough to either tune out or get lost listening into it as Cater led most of the talk.
Ace kept thinking back to the student who had clearly been trying to confess his feelings to Deuce and he had to stop himself growling at the idea. He'd just wanted his food.
He was not in love with Deuce fricking Spade.
Why Ace thought it was a good idea to help Jack and Epel put the brooms away after their flying class, he would never know.
He certainly didn't need them ganging up on him about his non-existent love life too!
"You're much more obvious than you think you are," Jack half-growled, "Deuce managed to get the attention of Malleus Draconia for crying out loud! And yet-"
"That's why Sebek's jealous of Deuce, I get that but also not my problem," Ace snapped half-heartedly, "My problem is that everybody seems to keep badgering me into confessing something to someone that isn't true!"
"Please," Epel rolled his shoulders and Ace bit back a remark about the brooms being as tall as him, "Why else would you get jealous about everyone giving Deuce attention that you don't want for yourself? You can't deny it forever, Ace, but whatever you do please promise me you won't be as bad as Vil and Rook are. As if those two just existing in my life wasn't enough..."
Ace smirked, ignoring Epel's comments about himself, "Just because you want Riddle to notice you like him~"
"I DO NOT, WHAT THE F-?!"
Ace simply cackled in his own amusement while Jack tried to stop Epel from lunging at the Heartslabyul boy.
When his laughter died down, Ace was smacked on the arm by the Pomefiore student and Jack simply shook his head.
"Look, all we're saying is that we know you like Deuce. And we also know that Deuce isn't the smartest guy in the land so there's no wonder he hasn't brought it up around you yet. But that guy won't be kept in the dark forever; the more you avoid your own feelings, the more weird he's going to eventually notice you acting and that won't be a light mess when it all comes crashing down on you".
"Tch," Ace was getting sick of this ridiculous topic, "Deuce wouldn't notice if the hedgehogs started to fly right in front of his eyes. As soon as I get people to stop giving him all this stupid attention then both of us can sit back and relax and let things die down to...some sort of normality".
"If you say so," Epel shrugged.
"Better stop acting like some neo version of a Savanaclaw member then," Jack grinned and Ace wished he was in Savanaclaw for a moment just so he could bite Jack's stupidly wagging tail.
He was going to make it so clear after the weekend where Deuce would meet his family.
He was not in love with Deuce fricking Spade.
The weekend finally came by and Ace wasted no time in shoving Deuce through the mirror portal and jumping in after him early that morning. He didn't need anybody seeing them together and he certainly didn't care if Deuce was prepared for a rude awakening from him or not.
The sooner they got to his house, the better.
"Ace, slow down!" Deuce called to him as Ace grabbed his wrist and pulled him along the quiet streets of his hometown. "It's still so early, what's the rush?!"
Ace sighed heavily as he came to a slow stop and Deuce moved in front of him to look him in the eye, which Ace avoided.
"Seriously, what is with you this week? You've been acting so weird! You've been snapping at people more often for literally nothing, you've stopped people from talking to me or even helping me in favour of yourself doing it, you've been like this feral version of yourself and I don't get it! I really don't! So, tell me what's bothering you".
Ace kept avoiding his eyes and sighed again, "I can't tell you. Just...I don't like all the attention people have been giving you. Surely you've noticed everybody staring at you so much, right?"
Deuce tilted his head, "People have been talking to me more, so what? You want them to be talking to you instead?"
"No!"
"Great, because your attitude lately really wouldn't be helping that," Deuce shook his head and was the one to take Ace's wrist this time, "Come on, let's just go meet your family. I bet they've missed you".
"I hope you're ready to meet my beautiful trickster inspirations~" Ace chuckled at the look of dread on Deuce's face as they walked side by side as they usually would.
They'd been walking for several moments when Ace heard his name being called. He pulled Deuce into a gentle stop and quickly shook his hand from his grip (how'd they gone from wrist-grabbing to hand-holding was beyond either of them). Looking back and hearing running footsteps reach his ears, he saw his two closest friends who hadn't been chosen to attend Night Raven College alongside him; Ante and Trip.
"Didn't expect you to be coming back so soon, Ace!" Trip grinned, hopping from foot to foot just as he always did.
"Yeah, what happened, you get kicked out on your sorry ass?" Ante smirked and Ace stuck his tongue out in response.
"Actually guys, I'm doing pretty stupidly well at such a top-notch school for the rich. Heck, I'm somehow still able to walk around my dormitory despite all the stunts I've pulled".
"That's a fact and a half," Deuce muttered beside him.
"Who's this?" Trip said, noticing Deuce for the first time and in turn, Ante did as well.
There was a flash in Ante's eyes that Ace didn't like the look of as his friends looked Deuce up and down, "Damn, is this your boyfriend, Ace? He's h-"
"He's not my boyfriend!" Ace snapped with a growl edging his voice dangerously, "He's just a friend my family wants to meet so he's staying for the weekend, that's all it is".
Trip and Ante shared a look and Trip shrugged, "Sure thing, whatever you say Ace!"
Ace fought the urge to roll his eyes. He already knew they didn't believe him. He'd prove them wrong though, he knew.
"Come on Deuce, let's get going".
He was not in love with Deuce fricking Spade.
Ace knocked on his front door perhaps a little too harshly, still ruffled from the encounter with his friends, and shot Deuce a look when the other boy put his hand on his shoulder before removing it with a small inward wince that Ace read through his eyes. It wasn't Deuce's fault he was gaining so much attention but there had been something in Trip and Ante's eyes that Ace felt his stomach twist with unease about.
The door soon opened and Ace allowed himself to be pulled into a tight hug from his mother before squirming out of her grip and plastering on the look of innocence he and his brother had mastered so well from their younger years of causing terror and havoc together.
"Ace! It feels like forever since I last saw my sweet little troublemaker! Are you well? Making friends still? Being the good boy I know you can be?"
"Muuum... I'm fine, lay off for two minutes before pounding me with questions. It's only been a few weeks since I last came back, you know".
"I know, I know but what with your brother being an adult and at work all the time and with you being at Night Raven the house has felt unusually quiet and peaceful. Not at all what your father and I are used to," It was then that she noticed Deuce and Ace did not appreciate the way her eyes started to shine with way too much excitement, "You must be the Deuce that our Ace has talked about all this time! It's so good to finally put a face to a name!" She reached out and shook his hand and Ace forced himself not to blush at the cute little smile that spread onto Deuce's face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs Trappola".
"Such manners! Ace, you should really take a page from his book".
"And be a mathematic failure? No thanks, I'll pass".
"Hey!" Deuce nudged him lightly and Ace just found himself grinning mischievously.
Ace's mother shook her head and began to usher them both inside, "Now, now, come out of the cold, you two. Ace, your father and your brother will be home a little later as they went out extra early today. Why don't you make Deuce feel at home and show him your room?"
Ace tensed and groaned in embarrassment, "Muuum I'm not six anymore! I'm sixteen! Yeesh... Come along, Deuce-kun~" Grabbing his hand, Ace quickly dragged Deuce upstairs the second they both had their shoes and jackets off.
Up in his room, which was at least half the mess he'd left it in from his last visit home, Ace flopped onto his bed and watched lazily as Deuce scanned the room with his eyes. Deuce was dumb but he could also be pretty observant when it called for it and Ace wondered what he would think of his home and the town he lived in before they met at Night Raven.
"I expected..."
Ace raised a brow, "You expected...?"
"...Less of a mess".
"Jerk!"
Deuce shrugged, "But then again, your head is a worse mess".
"Double jerk!"
A sweet chuckle left Deuce's throat as he made his way over to take a seat beside Ace, "Your mother's very kind. Just how much have you been talking about me?"
Ace scowled and huffed, "Like I'd ever tell you. I probably mentioned you once or twice and she got this idea that we're best of friends or something. You know how mothers can be".
Deuce's face seemed to fall for a split second as he looked down at Ace with something glittering in his eyes that Ace wish he hadn't seen and never wanted to see again, "But aren't we...? The last friends I had were always rallying me into delinquent troubles... And while you're still like that, you're not as bad as them. You have the streak but you're better than to go as low as they do. That's why I like having you around, Ace, if I'm honest; I feel safe with you".
The Trappola boy blinked and felt his back arching on its own, his lips parted to say something but the words didn't make themselves known. Sitting up and using his hands to support his weight behind him Ace tilted his head and knocked his knee against Deuce's back gently.
"Hey, don't be a sap, this is a house of nothing but fun!"
"Tricks you mean".
"And tricks can be very fun~ Have you learnt absolutely nothing from hanging out with me all this time? Seriously Deuce..."
"Heh, don't worry, I've learnt plenty from your obnoxious behaviour, Ace Trappola," Deuce playfully flicked him on the forehead with an affectionate smile.
They continued to talk for awhile longer until Ace's mother called them both back downstairs in order to greet his father and his infamous older brother.
Ace watched Deuce as he walked behind the other and a tiny smile graced his lips as he remembered that soft look in Deuce's eyes and the smile he'd given him. He quickly shook it off though and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
He was not in love with Deuce fricking Spade.
"You so like him".
"I do not".
"You so definitely like him".
"I so definitely do not!"
Why did his brother have to be like this? Why did anyone have to be like this? Was this a punishment from the Great Seven themselves? He'd rather have detention or some evil, unjust punishment from Riddle.
Ace and his brother (also named Jack, just his luck) sat outside in the backyard talking after the day had been spent with his family fussing over Deuce. He had felt less annoyed by that than he had other students at Night Raven giving his (admittedly) best friend affection and whatnot so he had decided to make the terrible decision in asking Jack what it could be about; surely his own brother - the man who had taught him his tricks of the trade - would help set him straight, right?
Wrong.
So dead wrong.
"Oh sure because it's totally normal to just ward off anyone who dares to try and get close to Deuce when you only like him as a friend, little bro".
"I don't have a crush on him. I can't!"
"Why the hell not?" Jack looked at him like he'd grown two heads, "What, because you had a girlfriend and then went to an all boys college and don't wanna come out looking like a closeted gay cliché? Clichés weren't always clichés, you know. They all started somewhere".
Ace ducked his head and huffed heavily, shoulders slumping. His brother rubbed his back gently and Ace barely heard the door open behind them as his brother whispered in his ear, "Talk to him. You might just surprise yourself".
As Jack left, Deuce took up the space he'd left.
"You alright? You seem off. I mean, I know that at least part of your behaviour and smile is fake," the navy-haired boy sighed softly, "Sorry if me being here is the problem-"
"It's not!" Ace quickly cut him off, straightening his posture in surprise, "That isn't it at all! I'm just... I'm just worrying myself over something that isn't as important as I seem to be making it...," He paused, leaving the conversation open but Deuce didn't bite so Ace took a breath and tried to explain, "Before you got into NRC...did you...ever think about like...loving someone and stuff?"
"No...? I was a delinquent, remember? No girl or guy would want to come close".
Ace perked up a little, "No girl or guy? Am I hearing you right?"
Deuce shrugged like it was nothing, "Why bother excluding people just because of gender?"
"Why, you'd be okay with another guy confessing his loved up feelings for you? You'd go for that?"
"Well, why not? Not to say I'm desperate or anything but I don't really think about it. If I end up with another boy as my partner then so what? Why should that matter to anyone? Why do you ask anyway?"
Ace avoided his eyes as he felt himself start to flush, "I-I guess I'm just trying to figure out if what everyone's been telling me is really the truth or if they just want to embarrass me forever... I know that after I revealed I have an ex-girlfriend that I said I'd always preferred male company b-but surely it can't mean...that, can it...?"
He saw Deuce frown from the corner of his eye and a hand laid on top of his in the space between them. Ace felt his heart stumble over a beat. Deuce always wore his gloves at school and they barely touched but Deuce's skin directly on his own felt soft and warm. He liked it.
"Do you like someone?" Deuce asked and Ace thought he detected something in his undertone.
"I...I don't know. I mean maybe? Everyone says I do... Riddle, Trey, Cater, Jack - both of them - Epel, Yuu and heck even that stupid Grim! They've all said it... I'm just...," he sighed heavily and eyed Deuce warily, "...If I tell you, then promise it doesn't change anything between us?"
Deuce nodded reassuringly and squeezed his hand a little.
Ace took another breath, keeping his gaze on his shoes as he scuffed the toe against the ground, "I-I'm scared - and it's not funny! - but...these feelings don't feel like...normal ones. When I was with Lina - my ex-girlfriend - there was all this stuff I was supposed to feel but I didn't. I just put it down to the fact that I just didn't like her back and brushed it off with the measly breakup, yknow? But in those stupid and irritating movies she always made me watch with her, those characters had the feelings I didn't. The thoughts I should've had and didn't... B-But now I have them? I think? It's so confusing! And nobody's helping me...they're all just like "Oh well that means you're in love with him, Ace!" and I-I don't know how to take that! I don't know how to respond when they say that because it shouldn't be that way! I...I don't know if I'm making sense..."
He paused, letting the silence hang in the air before Deuce squeezed his hand again before moving it to his shoulder and giving that a small squeeze, too. He dared himself to look at his friend and his lips parted, eyes widening slightly when he could easily read nothing but soft reassurance, comfort and Deuce's smile was nothing short of encouraging. He understood!
"I think, now that you've said all that, that that explains your recent behaviour with people. You've been jealous of them talking with me and giving me attention but not for the reason you thought," Deuce had the nerve to give a light chuckle before he dragged Ace into a hug that felt so warm the Trappola boy swore he was on fire, "You dated a girl, found out you didn't feel how you should, and now you've attended an all boys school and have the feelings you should've had back then? Trust me, you're not the only one feeling like a walking cliché".
"Y-You...you said that girls never came near you!"
"That doesn't mean I haven't seen it happen to others. I knew someone in my hometown who broke up with his girl before going to a place with all guys and coming back declaring he had a boyfriend. So trust me, you're not gonna be the only one to come out of it like this. So, who's the guy you like? Although I think I have a pretty good idea".
Ace was blushing and kept himself buried in his friend's arms, slowly coming to return the hug and mumble Deuce's name softly.
He knew Deuce was smiling then. He could hear it in his voice when he spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I just told you why, idiot!"
Deuce's arms tightened around him a little, "I know, I meant aside from that. Like, were you afraid I'd stop being your friend if I found out you had a little crush on me?"
"...I don't know... You could've blabbed to the whole school about it for all I knew. You could've made fun of me up until graduation. The wannabe bad boy turns out to be gay for his rival, ooh~" Ace huffed to himself a little in amusement, beginning to feel a lot better now he was finally coming to terms with things and getting everything off his chest.
"You're half-right," Deuce rested his cheek against his head and Ace's smile increased, "I would happily tell the entire school that Ace Trappola is my boyfriend~"
Ace didn't feel the need to say anything, nothing coming to mind other than how warm and safe he felt. Then it was Deuce's turn to tell the ultimate truth.
"Now that you're feeling better about all this, I guess I can finally tell you that I happen to share your feelings? Heh, you might look like your difficult to love and be around but I've come to learn that it's actually pretty easy. You always give me this energy that I had back as a delinquent but it's more...pure, if you will? Like, you drag me into trouble and get me riled up for a fight but it's in a good way. It means something. I don't have to worry about letting my mother down because what I'm fighting for is a good cause. That's why I've stuck by you since day one".
If he were a sappy softy, Ace would probably be crying right now then. But since he prided himself in being far from it, he simply lifted his head to look Deuce in the eyes.
Those eyes that showed him nothing but love.
"What...do we tell everyone when we go back? D-Do we say we're dating or do we have to kiss in front of people or-or...or..."
"We don't technically have to do anything. We can just be ourselves, as we always have been. But, you're free to kiss me or hold my hand or something in front of people if you want to. But, no more yelling at me across the cafeteria hall just to stop someone talking to me, okay?"
Ace had a burst of laughter bubble from his mouth, his eyes bright and gleaming to match Deuce's own as his arms made their way around his neck instead, "Sure thing! Because...you're mine, got it? And I...I-I...I..."
Deuce shook his head gently, "You don't have to say it if you're not ready to. Take your time, I'll wait for you. This is all pretty new to me as well, remember, so...you're gonna be okay. We'll be okay. Aside from Yuu and Grim, it always has been you and me, hasn't it?"
Ace nodded. He smiled at Deuce, contently wrapped up in the warmth of his smile, his eyes, his arms.
He knew now that what he felt wasn't worth worrying over. Deuce knew how he felt. He knew how he felt, himself. So what if everyone had said had been right? He didn't feel ashamed to be in denial anymore. Not when Deuce was there to keep him from tearing himself apart over everything the past week or so had left him to deal with. If Deuce was with him, the same as he'd always been, then that was all that Ace truly needed.
He bit his lip as another bubble of amusement tickled its way up his throat.
Okay, so maybe he was in love after all.
Totally, completely, stupidly and insanely in love with the one and only Deuce Spade.
His Deuce Spade.