Chapter Text
“I heard you’re going to the Tower of Tomes.”
Qifrey looked up at him from where he was situated at one of the desks in the library of the Great Hall. He was surrounded by thick volumes piled up high and it took his eye a moment to focus on Olruggio, no doubt having to readjust to looking at something further than an inch outside his line of vision.
“That’s right,” he replied without a hint of emotion. Olruggio was familiar with this side of Qifrey. It was the "I've been reading for five hours and can barely recognize my surroundings" side of his personality.
“So, I won’t see you for a while,” Olruggio continued with a frown as he slouched further into his seat. He wasn’t pouting exactly; he was just stating a fact. A fact that maybe distressed him a little bit, but that was just normal. Who would be glad that their best friend was not only taking the test first, but, if he passed (and Olruggio knew he would pass), would then stay there for some time as he conducted research? No one, that was who.
Qifrey seemed to finally understand what it was they were talking about because he placed a bookmark in the tome he’d been studying so ardently with a soft grin before moving to sit beside him on the long couch. “Will you miss me?” he asked cheerfully.
“Of course I’ll miss you,” Olruggio mumbled. “I’ll only have Master Beldaruit to talk to and he’s always poofing away in a flash of glitter whenever he feels like it.”
“It is a bad habit of his,” Qifrey mused. “But there are the other apprentices.”
Olruggio frowned dourly in response to that. They both knew he’d only had passing luck at befriending his fellow apprentices and it wasn’t for lack of trying. They just weren’t taken with him. He was too talented, too inventive, too grumpy, too something, and the only person who seemed to appreciate it was at his side now.
“Do you think you’ll like it there?” Olruggio asked quietly. Because as much as he was reluctant to be by himself, he knew Qifrey handled isolation even worse.
“I hope so,” Qifrey sighed. “But even if I don’t, there will be answers there, answers I need, Olly. You know that.”
“Yeah.”
He knew it, he just didn’t like it. He couldn’t understand why Qifrey wouldn’t just let the matter of the brimmed caps go. It hadn’t brought him any peace and it hadn’t fixed anything and if the Tower of Tomes failed him as well, what then? Olruggio wasn’t sure if he could help him through that that kind of disappointment. He’d built up his hopes around that blasted tower for years now.
“I’m coming back,” Qifrey laughed, bumping against his shoulder lightly at the prolonged silence. “Don’t look so concerned.”
Olruggio nodded, unsure of how to explain his own fears about the matter to him. Ultimately, voicing his concerns wouldn’t change his mind and he wasn’t allowed to go with him either. If he said anything it would simply douse Qifrey’s good mood for no reason.
With that in mind, he determined that even if he couldn’t prevent what was to come, he could wish him well. He reached up for his own cap and took it off. Qifrey observed his silent gesture in befuddlement, but said nothing as Olruggio struggled with the black ribbon at the tip of the hat until he finally got it undone.
“For you,” he said with a faint blush, shoving it under his nose. “For luck.”
Qifrey reached for it hesitantly with a quiet, “Oh.” He held it like a sacred object, tenderly with awe, before he finally looked back up at Olruggio, beaming.
“With this I’m sure I’ll come back successful.”
Olruggio ignored the lurch of worry in his stomach and gave a firm nod. If this made Qifrey feel better, if it helped his travels even a little, then it was worth it.
“But I can’t leave this unreciprocated,” Qifrey said consideringly before he carefully removed the tassel from his own hat. “It’s not really your style, but…”
“No, it’s perfect,” Olruggio protested as it was pressed into the palm of his hand.
They both attached the tassels to their hats. Qifrey looked immensely pleased as he held it in his hands, wrapping the ribbon about his finger only to let it go. It spiraled out as he did so and that only made the Qifrey's grin grow.
As for Olruggio, he was feeling a bit overwhelmed and trying very hard to keep that to himself.
“Master Beldaruit is going to notice,” Qifrey suddenly said. “He might tease you.”
“That’s fine,” Olruggio sighed, placing the hat back on his head. “Not much different from how our interactions usually go at any rate.”
“A fair point. So, what do you say we look through some of these texts together in the meantime?”
It was a good thing they both loved magic, otherwise studying could have sounded like a very dreary proposal. As it was, Olruggio was all too happy to take a seat at his side as they each worked on their own inventions, water and fire, opposite but complimentary.