Mimicry ★ T.M.R/Reader ★

☾⭒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟑⭒☽

"Fine," you say bluntly.

There's a long pause in the wake of your abrupt reply in which Riddle's eyes flit between yours, before he suddenly shifts slightly on his feet and laces his hands behind his back. "I'd like to apologise," he says with a very convincing downcast frown.

Your eyes narrow before you can stop them, and the way Riddle's expression sharpens tells you that he noticed. "What for?" you ask a little coolly.

"You must have been discharged whilst I was asleep," he says very smoothly. "I should have liked to speak with you last night."

"About what?" you ask sharply.

Thomas nudges you under the table with his foot and you glance at him. He gives you a very pointed look and you realise just how rude you're appearing.

"I was curious if you have any theories as to what might have caused your potion's reaction," Riddle says delicately, his eyes flicking back to you from Thomas.

He's worried I've figured it out. "I do, actually," you say vehemently.

There's a pregnant pause in which your friends' eyes dart between you and Riddle as you stare at each other.

"Well?" Riddle prompts, deathly soft.

"I don't see how that concerns you," you parrot back at him icily.

"You don't?" he replies immediately, his tone just as dangerously soft. "Someone sabotaged your potion and you don't see how that might concern me?"

Surprise makes your hostility falter, baffled at why he would even bring up the possibility if he was planning on getting away with having done exactly that. "You think someone sabotaged me?" you ask slowly, pryingly.

Riddle gives you an extraordinarily flat look of disbelief. "You think you made an oversight that egregious?"

And it clicks. Riddle knows you'd never make such a mistake. He knows you'd be suspicious, and he definitely knows that your suspicion would cumulate on him. He's probably gearing up to pin the whole thing on someone else to divert you. "I dunno, maybe," you shrug, looking back at your breakfast.

"I don't believe that," he says sharply

You, Thomas, and Darcey all simultaneously turn to him, stunned. It's the most aggressive you've ever heard Riddle speak in front of others.

Riddle's jaw visibly tenses like he's realised he's overstepped. "I mean to say," he continues much more evenly, "for someone of your talent, I think it very unlikely that –"

"What do you want me to say, Riddle?" you interrupt monotonously. "So maybe someone sabotaged my potion, I don't see how this is a problem for you since you're the one who's gained the upper hand."

Riddle's eyes flash and he lifts his jaw slightly, like you've insulted him. After a second, he speaks again. "I assume you have a suspect in mind," he breathes.

"I dunno," you shrug again, holding back a glare, "probably some overly-competitive asshole with anger issues who somehow managed to get ahold of some Smoke Serpent Venom."

"Watch it," Darcey mutters under her breath, nudging you, but you don't look away from Riddle's cold expression.

"Well," Riddle says with razor-sharp deliberateness, "It appears that you're quite recovered from the whole ordeal, and I can see that my presence is clearly unwelcome. My apologies for the intrusion." And with that he turns to your friends, gives them a stiff, polite nod, and leaves without another word.