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Ace Trappola was not a quiet person. Everything he did seemed to make more noise than it should. His voice was loud, and he was usually quite talkative. Which is why the silence was more disturbing than usual.
Deuce couldn’t seem to find him. Usually he was in the lounge, doing card tricks or in the kitchen, talking to Trey. Wherever he was, he made his presence known. Not in a cocky way, though; more of a “it’s hard to miss him” way. It was more endearing than anything, Deuce thought to himself, wandering through the gardens. Which was why it was so weird for no one to know where he was. Even Riddle looked a little concerned when Deuce asked if he’d seen Ace. But no one seemed to know where he was, so Deuce was determined to search until he showed up. He’d asked Cater to text him if he showed up at the dorm. And so here he was, standing in front of the rose maze. /I’ve checked nearly everywhere else, he thought. It’s worth a shot./
He was lost.
He was so, so lost.
He had no idea how long he’d been in the maze— fifteen minutes at least. There was no sign of Ace anywhere. Deuce wracked his brain to try and remember where he’d come from, but couldn’t figure it out. Letting out a sigh, he slumped down on the ground. /Cater hasn’t text me that they’ve found Ace…….I really, really hope he’s okay./
And amidst the silence, he could swear he heard something.
Breathing.
Carefully, he made his way over to the sound. Peeking from around the corner, he looked to see what it was.
“…Ace?”
His head shot up. Deuce let out a cry of relief, practically tackling him in a hug.
“Oh thank Seven, we were SO worried about you. Have you been here this whole time? Why haven’t you answered your phone? Are you okay?” He rattled off happily. Ace held up a hand, turning his head away from him.
“…stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Stop acting like that. I know you all were glad it was quieter.”
“What are you talking about? We were all worried; look—“ He raised his phone up to show his most recent texts with Cater, all asking if he’d found Ace and that everyone was really getting worried. Deuce could swear there was a hint of a smile on Ace’s face.
“Hah. You shouldn’t- you shouldn’t be worrying about me. I-I shouldn’t even be here to begin with. I shouldn’t be at this school.” He rubbed his eyes, which, at closer inspection, were red rimmed and a little bloodshot. Deuce shook his head.
“I don’t get it. You were invited here. You came. What makes you think you shouldn’t be here?” he asked.
“Because maybe I’ve been wrong!! Maybe I’m not a boy! Just a disillusioned girl at this stupid school.”
“What?”
“‘Cause if I like boys, then that makes me just like a girl, right? Was I wrong about everything?” It seemed more like he was talking to himself more than Deuce, who was barely understanding a thing Ace was saying. /Liking boys? How does that make someone a girl? I like boys and I’m not a girl./
/Ohhh./
Deuce rubbed his chin, settling himself next to Ace, a little closer than before. “I mean, I don’t think you’re a girl,” he remarked. “Did you like being a girl?”
“No. Not even a little bit. It was like- like my body wasn’t even mine. It still isn’t, but it’s bearable.” He buried his head in his knees, shaking slightly.
“Well, then, if you didn’t like it, I don’t think you are one. It doesn’t really matter who you like, either. I mean, I like boys. That doesn’t make me a girl, does it?” He offered a smile.
“Well no, but it’s different. You were born a boy. I wasn’t.”
“Maybe we’re more alike than you think.”
“Not really.” His voice was muffled from his legs.
“I mean, you were born a boy, too. Just a little bit mixed up.” Deuce leaned back against the bushes, looking up at the sky. Ace tilted his head up at the other in surprise.
“Besides it doesn’t matter too much what you were born with. It matters what you want. What makes you happy in the moment.” He looked back down at Ace. “So if it makes you feel better, why change it? I think you’re right in whatever you feel.” He smiled. Ace’s eyes welled up as he practically threw himself at Deuce, clutching him as tears dampened his shirt.
“Th-thank you. You’re the best person a guy could ever ask for.” Deuce laughed softly, holding Ace close to him.
“Of course. I could barely stand seeing you like that.” He rubbed a tear away from the redheads face, leaving a slight smudge of makeup where it trailed.
“Come on, let’s go back. I’m the others will be glad I found you.” Deuce got to his feet, holding a hand out to Ace. He helped him up, and neither let go of the others hand even after they were out of the garden.
“Hey! Hunting season! There you two are!” Cater sprinted over to the two, ruffling Ace’s hair. “Ugh, we were all SO worried! We thought you guys like, fell into a pit or something.”
“Nope, just in the maze. And I told you to stop calling us that stupid couples nickname!” Ace pointed a finger at Cater, who raised an eyebrow, glancing from their intertwined hands back up to their faces.
“You sure? Looks like it’s appropriate,” they remarked with a sly smile. The two turned bright red, instantly letting go.
“No idea what you’re talking about,” Ace replied, turning his head away from the other two.
“Uh-huuuuh, sure. Anyways, come on. Riddle will be a lot less worried now that you two are back.” Cater walked off towards the dorm as the other two glanced at each other, still a little flustered.
“Don’t— don’t tell anyone what was up, okay? Just say I got lost,” Ace asked, almost ashamed. Deuce couldn’t help but smile.
“Ohhhh, I’m gonna blackmail you on this~ seriously, did you think I’d tell them?” He shook his head. “Never. I wouldn’t betray you like that. I care about you too much.” Ace turned away at that, feeling his face heat up.
“Whatever, Loosey-Deucey.”
“Oh, look who’s using couple’s names now!”
“It is NOT a couple’s nickname!!” Ace shoved him playfully. “A couple’s nickname isn’t something mean like that, anyways.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’d NEVER call my boyfriend something like that. If I had one.” He shook his head and sighed, but he was still smiling.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be ‘if’?”
“Did you say something?”
“Nope.” Ace was nearly as red as the smudged suit on his face. “Didn’t say a thing.”
Deuce shrugged. “Oh well. Would’ve been interested in what it was.”
“Didn’t Cater say to hurry up back to the dorm? If we don’t get there right now, I bet Riddle’s gonna have our head for being gone for so long,” Ace said, abruptly changing the topic.
“Ah, right! I almost forgot!” Deuce grabbed Ace’s hand, rushing to the dorm.
“WOAH, hey, what’s the big idea?!” Ace yelled, trying to keep up.
“We gotta hurry if we wanna keep our heads!! C’mon!!”
Laughing, they ran together as fast as they could.
Turns out Riddle was a lot more worried than he cared to admit. And as Deuce watched Ace get lectured for going missing without notifying anyone, he smiled.
He heard what Ace said perfectly well. About a boyfriend not being an “if”. He couldn’t stop thinking about it the rest of the night, wishing with everything in him he had the courage to reciprocate his feelings out loud.
Not yet.
But he knew what he felt. And he knew what Ace felt, too.
All he wanted was an opportunity to feel it together.
It hadn’t quite come yet. But, Deuce thought, smiling to himself as he laid down in bed, it will.
It will.