Just A Riddle

Part 18

3rd Person POV

A stare down between the two Riddles. One determined to  love and the other determined to feel loved, although he didn't know that this is what his soul so desperately craves. 

Neither knew what they could do to make the other understand just what was happening. Aries wanted the man to know that he didn't need to search for companionship. Tom wanted the boy to know that he needed just a little more. 

Internally, Tom cringed. How could he put that gently? Oh hey Aries, I adopted you and stuff but now I kinda want more love, and not in the way you can provide. No! That can't happen. 

Before either can say anything, Aries fled. He just left the room and in all his dramatics, he ran right into the professor responsible for his problems. Snape. 

He didn't even wait for the dour man to respond, Aries just kept going. Why can't he ever just be happy? 

Meanwhile, Snape walked to where Tom was walking towards him. When Snape relayed the events that occurred just moments ago, Tom just shook his head disappointedly. 

He said "I'm afraid I told him of my intentions and he didn't take it rather well" 

Confused, Snape asked him to elaborate. And when Tom told him exactly what happened.....

Snape said "What?! You told him you want love in your life too?!"

The emotionless man was aghast at this and that alone really told Tom he messed up, but he didn't know how. 

Tom was cautious when he asked "What did I do wrong?"

Snape laughed a humorless laugh and said "Tom, you essentially told your son that you don't love him." 

Now it was Tom's turn to be confused "I didn't say that!"

Snape said "You told him you need love in your life too which implied that you don't have any love in your life although he is part of your family and is of your blood" 

Sighing, Tom said "I meant romantically"

Snape tried not to swoon. Instead he bottled up those feelings in order to help the man fix his fractured relationship with his son. The one relationship that keeps running into problems. 

Running 

Running 

Running 

He didn't know where to go, but he knew he had to keep running. He had to escape the mountain of heartache and dilemmas that continued to overshadow his existence. Dramatic, right? 

Wrong. This is exactly what he wanted to avoid. Gaining a family that will never truly make him happy. Just when he thought he might have a somewhat decent relationship with the man. 

Aries ended up at the Great Lake when he sat on a log and just stared into the water. No more running to his friends. He had to fix this on his own. Work though it. 

He honestly didn't know why he was letting this get to him so much. So what the man he just agreed to call "father" doesn't love him? 

And then Aries just gave in. He gave into his feelings and wept. He wept for his mom, he wept for his dad, for his friends, for his former life and for the man that holds his guardianship papers. 

Breathing deeply, Aries felt better. He needed that. But what he doesn't need is to let this get to him. A few more years and he just can be on his own. Yes he has a father now and father has a boyfriend. 

Ok. Great. Let it be. 

Aries knew he needed to stop this. Just stop now because his daddy issues are starting to show. The love and affection he so desperately craved was once again at arms length. But then he had to go and ruin it but acting out and behaving badly. 

It all made sense to him suddenly. This is why Tom doesn't love him. Tom doesn't want a son who disappears on him or a son that busts at the seams with attitude. 

No. What he wants is an heir. A proper heir. That IS what he said in the beginning, right? 

Well a proper heir is what he will get. He will follow the rules and make sure his father is proud of him. 

Who knew Aries Thomas Marvolo Riddle was so damaged? 

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Tom found Aries by the Great Lake and as if the boy sensed him, he turned around and greeted his father with mirth. 

He could keep his eyebrow from quirking when he said "Aries, you're in a better mood"

And when Tom says he was shocked by the response, he was indeed shocked. "Father! I'm so sorry about my outburst! It was wrong of me to disrespect you like that. You know what you want and I am not supposed to question it. I will accept whatever punishment you decide on" 

Tom quickly changed from shock to approval. Aries was finally accepting the fact that he was in the wrong. 

He tried to explain to Aries what he meant to say, but the boy didn't appear to even be listening. Instead he was just nodding his head. However, Tom, without his parenting skills, didn't realize Aries was just nodding for the sake of it. 

Tom thought he accepted the explanation and they were both on the same page. With that, his demeanor changed to that of a stern father and he said "Aries do you understand that what you did was both wrong and disrespectful? If you are feeling bad, come talk to be, don't run."

Again, Aries was nodding and saying "Yes father" The poor boy was desperate for the love he thought he would get. 

Based off of Aries' previous declaration of accepting punishment, Tom easily bent him over and delivered smack after smack after smack. 

"You must not run away from your problems, Aries. Come talk to me when you feel anything negative. We will never build a relationship if you don't trust me enough." Tom lectured while spanking the boy thoroughly. 

When it was finally over, Tom enveloped Aries in a tight hug and he said "Aries, I have enough love for multiple people. You must understand that love is infinite and I have enough to go around"

Aries heard the words, yet he still failed to understand, while there is plenty of love, why it all can't go to him. Why does someone else deserve it?

Why does he deserve it? Does he deserve it? 

Of course he doesn't. Father just smacked him over being disrespectful. And Aries also realized that he is simply damaged goods. Damaged to the point where redemption isn't possible. 

But he was just punished. So....

Maybe now father will love him. 

A/N: Hello everyone! I'm sorry I'm such a bad author where I barely update, but I'm in my last year of college so things are every busy! Right now I'm on spring break so I'll try to update again!

In other news, if any of you ever feel the way Aries does in the story, please just reach out to someone, even me, because no one deserves to feel this way. 

Everyone stay safe! xoxo

- Jen2042