as the world caves in; mattheo riddle

twenty-five

Not Mattheo.

"Draco?" I call out, my voice quiet but steady.

He flinches, his body whipping around to face me. He was startled, I could see it etched onto his tense features. His icy blue eyes met mine, cold and unreadable.

Thats when I saw it.

His sleeve had been tugged upwards slightly, enough for the moonlight to catch the black ink seared onto his pale forearm.

The Dark Mark.

My breath catches in my throat, my chest tightening.

"Oh god," I mutter, my jaw falling open as my hand lifts to cover my mouth. 

His eyes quickly follow my gaze, realizing I saw it. He swiftly pulls his sleeve, yanking the fabric down as if to try and erase what had already been done. 

"It's nothing," Draco says sharply, his tone rough and dismissive. 

I shake my head slowly, swallowing the lump growing in my throat. My eyes glued to his now covered forearm. 

"Don't you dare lie to me," I say, barely more than a whisper, but the words cut through the silence like glass.

I look back up at him, not daring to take a step closer. His jaw tightens, his eyes refusing to look back at mine. 

This can't be happening. 

Draco's shoulders rise and fall with a heavy breath, his entire body tense like a wire stretched too thin. The cold air blows between us, causing goosebumps to grow over my skin, though neither of us flinch. 

"It wasn't supposed to be this way..." he murmurs, so low I barely catch it. 

His voice was frayed, trembling ever so slightly as if he's been carrying this weight alone for far too long. 

"Then why?" I ask, my voice breaking. "Why would you—"

"Because I didn't have a choice!" he snaps, louder than he means to. His voice echoes across the open tower, then dies into the night.

I flinch slightly, though not from fear. From the pain I hear in his voice. 

He runs a hand through his hair, messing up the neatly combed strands. He turns away from me, pacing slightly. 

"You think I wanted this?" he questions, his face twisting with emotion. "You think any of us did?" 

Any of us. 

The words sting in my chest.

There was a loud silence that fell over the room, the tension rising with every passing second. I stood frozen, the cold biting into my skin, but it was nothing compared to the chill settling in my bones.

"Does Pansy know?" I ask after a long moment. 

Draco's shoulders stiffen, his body turning to face me again. 

"No," he says, his voice low. "And you can't tell her." 

My brows knit together, shaking my head slightly as I look up at him. 

"Draco—" I begin. 

"You can't tell her, Amora," Draco interrupts, his tone firm yet with a bitter edge. "She can't know. You have to promise me you'll keep this to yourself." 

I stare at him, my heart pounding in my chest. This is why I hate secrets.

"She deserves to know, Draco," I reply, pausing for a brief moment. "She can help you through all of this! You can't be facing this all alone. And you know I can't keep something like this from her..."

Draco's face hardens, but beneath the surface I see it—fear. Raw, consuming, and so deeply rooted it nearly steals the breath from his lungs.

"That's ironic coming from you, you know," he snarls. He hesitates for a moment before continuing. "How do you think Theo would react if he knew you've been screwing around with the Dark Lord's son?" 

His words hit me like a slap—sharp, sudden, and far too precise.

I freeze, my heart dropping into my stomach. 

"Excuse me?" I manage, my voice low, cold. 

Draco doesn't back down. His eyes flash with something unspoken—hurt, maybe, or anger—or both.

"Don't act so surprised. I'm not blind, Amora. You think I haven't seen you sneaking out late at night to see him? I saw you two at the New Years party." he says.

My breath catches, my heart slamming in my chest.

He takes a step closer, tensions radiating off of him in waves. 

"So don't act all self-righteous about secrets. We're all hiding something," he adds, pausing for a moment as the words sink in. "So don't tell Pansy. And I'll make sure I don't let slip to Theo about your... activities." 

I feel a bitter, cold wave of shock roll over me, my thoughts scattered as I look up at him. His accusation hangs in the air between us, thick and suffocating. 

It stung at first. Though that feeling of hurt quickly shifts to fury, feeling a sensation of anger begin to burn in my chest. 

 "Are you blackmailing me, Malfoy?" I question, my tone sharp as I lower my gaze at him.

 Draco's jaw tightens, his eyes darkening with frustration, but he doesn't back away. The tension in the air is palpable, crackling like electricity. 

 "It's not blackmail," he replies. "You keep my secret, and I'll keep yours. It's as simple as that, Sinclair." 

I let out a scoff, narrowing my eyes as a slow, burning fire rises in my chest. 

"That's basically the textbook definition of blackmail," I reply. "You think threatening me will make this easier for you? That silencing me somehow gives you control?" 

I take a step closer towards him, refusing to let him intimidate me. 

"You're not in control, Draco," I continue. "You're scared. And instead of reaching out for help, you're lashing out and self-destructing every good thing in your life. But you're just too proud to admit it." 

He flinches, barely, but it's there—a crack in the mask. His silence speaks louder than anything he could say.

"I'll keep you're secret," I add, my voice much softer this time. "But not because you threatened me. Because you're my friend and I care about you. Which is the only reason I'm even still standing here." 

Draco's expression falters—just for a second. The cold veneer slips, and beneath it, I see something hollow, something aching. Vulnerability.

He looks away, jaw clenched, lips pressed into a tight line.

"Thank you, Amora," he mutters, his voice barely above a whisper. 

For a moment, we just stand there—two people tangled in secrets, pride, and pain. The kind of silence that feels like it could shatter at any second.

"Don't make me regret it," I say, turning away. 

I walk off without another word, my heart pounding, my hands shaking. I don't know if I did the right thing. I don't even know if I trust him.

But I meant what I said.

Maybe that's all that matters right now. 

———

a/n: heyyyy, long time no see! again, sorry for the late chapters, life has been very busy and hectic. buttttt next week is finals week! which means summer and more free time to write ;)

thank you all for 12k reads! hope you're enjoying!