Beauty & The Beasts (Twisted Wonderland x Reader)

Past Pain -28-

You were inches from falling flat on your face, palms planted on whatever floor the inky cocoon seemed to offer. Quickly standing up, you brushed your hands over your black skirt. Whatever this place was seemed to be bigger on the inside, black ink creating a room that trapped you in, yet it wasn't exactly small. A figure stood silently a few paces away, back facing you.

Riddle.

Not overblot, just Riddle.

"Riddle!" You called out before running over to him. He glanced over his shoulder, slight surprise littering his face. "Y/N?" He questioned. Eventually you reached his side, his face now focused on what was ahead, mouth slightly agape.

Slowly, you looked over, expecting to see an inky, black wall. Instead the ink formed into a scene. A lavish dining room was now in front of you. Two figures were in the picture. One was a woman, standing tall and hovering over a chair while holding a small, pathetic cake balanced on a white, porcelain plate. In the chair was a small child, sitting in perfect posture and with a fork and knife in each hand. A small frown plastered on his face. The two were obviously related. Red hair, pale skin, steel eyes.

Your eyes widened as you glanced over at the boy next to you. "Riddle... is that you?" You asked quietly. The male frowned and didn't say anything, but it was confirmation enough.

The woman then smiled, but it wasn't the warm type a mother should give her child. It was more... firm really. "Happy eighth birthday, Riddle." She said while placing the cake in front of little Riddle. "This year's birthday cake is a low-sugar recipe made with nuts and lecithin-rich soy flour to improve your cerebral function." Gross.

The child gulped. "Thank you. But, Mom... Just once, I'd like to try one of those tarts covered with bright-red strawberries..." He mumbled nervously, twiddling with the utensils in his hands.

You stood silently next to current Riddle who was stiff and blank faced, watching the scene in front of you play out.

The mother gave her son a bewildered look. A hand to her heart, she looked firmly at her son. "Absolutely not! Those tarts are monstrously unhealthy. I might as well feed you poison! Even just a single slice would exceed your recommended daily intake of sugar." She chided. "Now, dinner tonight will be a tuna sauté rich in DHA and omega-3 fatty acids. Now that you're eight, your caloric intake should be 600 kilocalories per meal, so don't eat more than 100 grams of it. Understood?"

Little Riddle nodded. "Yes, mom."

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, a small frown making it's way to your face. He was eight. He shouldn't be worried about calorie intake or fatty acids. He should be eating candy and planning with friends in the mud.

Riddle took a small breath in, without turning to you, he said, "I'd always wanted to try one of those tarts with the bright-red strawberries. The local cake shop had them in the window. They shined at me like forbidden jewels." He shut his eyes solemnly.

The scene faded before turning into what seemed to be another period of time. Now in different seats of the shiny dining room, young Riddle and his mother sat silently. Eventually his mother raised. "That's enough classical magic study for today. Your homework is to read the first fifty pages of the philosophy of language book referenced in today's magical philosophy texts. You may now have one hour of independent study before your potionology lesson." She said calmly.

The young boy looked down sadly. "Thank you, Mother." He said so softly that you could barely hear. His mother spoke again. "I need some time to prepare the lesson materials. I will see you in one hour, okay?" The boy nodded in response as she walked off.

"I was studying every possible subject, scheduled down to the minute." Riddle explained. "When I didn't understand something, the lesson was extended until I did. That was my "normal."