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School had closed up for the day, and the weekend was finally here. Gus was excited for the weekend ahead! Working on the ruined graveyard had become a weekly thing, and he enjoyed working with Mattholomule very much. Usually he'd see him on the way home, but a short wait told him maybe he'd left earlier and not waited around… That was fine. Maybe he was busy.
He sighed as he walked alongside his friends; Luz and Amity were in their own conversation, talking about some human cartoon called 'aneemay'. Willow was quiet, but as she noticed Gus looking at her she smiled at him.
"Hey, you doing okay Gus?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was just excited to see him, I guess. He's never hung out with all of us before! It… Would've been nice." Willow frowned at him and rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We could all meet up at the weekend or something, if we're all free! Or, there's always next week."
"I know, Willow… I'm just worried. What if he thinks he's not good enough and he ran home before he could see us?!"
"I don't know about that, but maybe you should go see him if you're worried."
Gus nodded slowly, frowning.
That's when Luz stepped into the conversation, looking over Willow's shoulder at him.
"What's up, Gus? You're worried about Mattholomule?"
"Well… Yeah. Maybe I should pay him a visit after all?"
"I'd say go ahead! No harm in visiting your crush-"
"My what?!" Gus stared at her, eyes wide and face scarlet. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
Willow sighed.
"Gus, last time we saw you two talk, you couldn't stop blushing. Oh, and you were staring at him in the cafeteria today, grinning like a lovesick puppy."
"Oh, come on!" He facepalmed and groaned. "Maybe I do like him a little, but there's no way he'd like me back!"
Luz snorted.
"Around you, he acts like Amity did around me."
"Luz…!!" The witch beside her, who'd been mostly just observing until this point, went as red as a tomato in seconds and stared, embarrassed.
"It's true though!" Luz teased, giggling.
Willow rolled her eyes as the couple went back to flirting, Gus chuckling at the gesture.
"So like, I might have a chance?"
"Yeah, Gus. For certain!"
Gus smiled and nodded. "Alright. I'm gonna go see him right now! Bye guys!"
They all said their goodbyes, and the witch ran off to find Mattholomule's house.
=
As Gus approached the Book Nook, he grinned a little. He was excited to see Mattholomule again, while equally nervous about it. He wasn't sure if he could tell him about his feelings today… For now, he wanted to see if he was doing okay.
He turned the corner to the small cottage attached to the store, avoiding a certain man-eating plant that didn't seem to like Mattholomule (he didn't wanna take his chances with it either), and knocking at the door. After a few moments, nothing. He knocked harder, and still no answer. He frowned and let out a sigh. Where could he have gone?
He turned to leave, instead going into the Book Nook. Mattholomule worked here Monday evenings, not Friday, but it was worth a try.
As he entered the bookstore, he looked around to find it nearly empty today. There were however a few customers talking to Mattholomule's mothers, one holding a coffee in one hand and a book in the other. Since they seemed occupied, he went to look around the store himself. On the main floor, he found nothing but customers and a teenage girl that he'd seen around Hexside sometimes who also seemed to work here. Going up to the second floor, he found absolutely nothing.
He leaned back on a bookshelf, exhaling softly and muttering to himself, "Oh, Matty, where are you…"
As if answering his question, the book behind his head fell back as he leaned a little too much on it; it made a clicking sound, and the bookshelf started to turn, putting him into a completely different room.
He stared ahead in shock, suddenly being face-to-face with Mattholomule.
"Oh! Wow, um, hey! Where are we?"
"Secret passage." He sighed and turned away. "I knew you'd show up eventually, twerp." The witch walked down the passage, the small light spell he had casted slowly fading and leaving Gus in the dark. Not wanting to be left behind, he quickly followed after him, almost tripping a few times.
"Matty, wait up!"
"Ugh, I'm not gonna leave you, don't worry."
"Why are you in some secret tunnel, anyway?"
"It connects everything in this place." He threw his light spell down a passageway, the light separating to perch on empty candlesticks and illuminating the tunnel; there were stairs here. Mattholomule started to climb them as Gus stared in wonder; these tunnels were so expertly made to travel around the whole store?
Gus slowly followed after the fellow witchling, questions burning his mind.
"Why does a bookstore need all these secret tunnels?"
"Oh, I don't know. Aesthetic? Maybe this wasn't always a bookstore, I don't know." He got to a landing and a small wooden door, which he opened and stepped into.
"This is why I was in there, Augustus."
Gus stepped out into the room and stared in wonder. It was an attic; somewhat small, but warm-feeling and well-lit by candles and light spells.
"Woah… This is really cool, Matt!" He turned to him with a grin, then frowned as he noticed a detail he hadn't in the dark passages. "Wait, your face…" The boy had a black eye and scratches on his cheek, as well as a dried-up nosebleed. Mattholomule shrugged as if it didn't matter to him and walked away to sit on a pile of cushions, picking up a book that had already been open.
"Hey, wait! Tell me what happened!"
"Why does it matter to you?" The witch raised an eyebrow. Gus came over to sit beside him, worry etched on his face.
"Because I care about you, maybe? Did you get in a fight again?"
Mattholomule grumbled, a small blush on his face. "Yeah, I did. But I'm fine."
"You don't look fine at all…" He looked down at the book Mattholomule was holding. "Healing spells for a sore head? Matt!"
"Ughh, it hurts a lot, okay? I just don't want you worrying about it. I'm sick of you worrying about me, it's weird."
"It… It is?"
"Nobody's ever worried about me like you do, so, yeah, squirt. I-It's weird." A blush grew on his face and he pulled his cowl hood over his face a little more, muttering something under his breath.
Gus raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. Mattholomule was silent.
"Come on, what did you just say?"
Mattholomule turned and glared at him, hands still holding his hood tight.
"I said I like it!" He spat the words and turned away again, hiding his face. Gus smiled a little. So Matt did like the fact Gus cared about him after all!
"Aw, Matty…"
"Don't call me that…!" He hugged his knees and groaned, sounding almost more like a whine.
Gus patted his back, getting a little closer to him.
"Hey, I think I have something that might cheer you up a little."
"And what's that?"
"This." Gus pulled the witch into a hug, which he thought he'd struggle away from; instead, he went still and stared up at Gus with a confused expression.
Gus smiled at him, which to his surprise, earned him a smile back.
"Um… Thanks, Augustus. I think I kinda needed that."
"I have something else for you!" Gus drew a spell circle, and three tiny clones of himself appeared nearby. They all floated onto Mattholomule's face and said comforting words and compliments all at once, causing his face to redden.
"What is this?? Take them back!" He shook his head, which didn't at all dissolve the spell. Gus snorted at the boy as he frantically tried to remove the small illusions, his blush growing more and more as they told him affectionate and caring words.
"AUGUSTUS! TAKE THEM BACK!"
He finally gave in and the illusion spell fizzled away, leaving just a red-faced Matt and a laughing Gus.
"Your face!! You're so-"
"Shut up-!!"
Gus burst out laughing, giggling at the sour expression on Matt's face. He was soon to calm down when the scowl turned into a face that looked much more upset.
"Wait, hey, are you alright?"
"Mmm. No, I'm not. I'm not cut out for anything today." He curled up in the cushions, laying on his side.
Gus did the same on his own pile, mirroring Mattholomule and looking into his eyes. Gus picked up on another new thing; it looked like he'd been crying at some point earlier, and his eyes were slightly… Pale? Had he been in the detention pit again?
"Do you wanna tell me what happened today? I promise I won't tease you, or annoy you with illusions."
"Those weren't as annoying as I made them out to be. They sorta helped. They're just maybe a little much… I'd rather have one Gus to talk to."
The boy smiled at the usage of the nickname, something Mattholomule noticed, a blush promptly hitting his cheeks.
Matt frowned. "Hmm, I'm sorry. I've been acting so blunt and weird today. It's just that, the fight… I don't feel good at all. It was Boscha-"
"Again?!"
"I know, I know. She said stuff that got to me, and… I started it this time. I wasn't in the mood for her calling me names today, and I snapped at her."
"I'm so sorry…"
"Hey, it's okay, don't apologise. I got into detention after that, so… I've had a headache and felt really dazed since. I've been here instead of my study room to get some privacy, because…" He sunk into the pillows and sighed. "There's a spyglass up here. I kinda wanted to… To see if you were on your way…" He covered his face with a groan. "I thought if anyone was gonna help me feel better just by being here, it'd be you. And I was right. Because here you are, and every time you smile I feel a little better about things." He looked up at Gus to find him staring back, a grin plastered on his face.
"Matt… That's so sweet! I really make you feel better?"
"Yes, Gus. Now stop staring at me like that, you idiot." A grin slowly spread on his own face, a giggle escaping his lips.
"Like what?" Gus blushed a little. "What do you mean?"
"You look so… Sweet. Like you really um… Care… About me?"
"Well, I do!"
Mattholomule's turn to blush.
"...Could I get another hug, please, Gus…?"
"Aww, Matty…" He shuffled closer and held the witchling, rubbing his back. "Oh, Titan, sorry, forgot not to call you-"
"Oh, it's fine. I like it coming from you, actually." He sighed and got comfortable against the illusionist, a yawn escaping him. "Jeez, I'm so tired-"
"Then have a nap!"
"But I… I kinda don't want you to leave yet-"
"I'll stay." Gus pulled away to look Matt in the eyes. "I don't mind sticking around while you get some rest. I bet there's some cool books about illusion magic up here!"
"Oh, there's plenty actually. Go ahead." The witchling got comfortable again, leaving Gus to do his own thing.
Gus promptly got to grabbing a few books of interest from the shelves, then sitting close to Mattholomule to read them and practice some things. At some point, Mattholomule had gotten closer to him; his head was leaning on the boy's leg as he was fast asleep. Something about it warmed Gus' heart. The whole evening in the attic had been pretty nice, all things considered, and the now silent room was comfortable to be in; he was happy. He felt more confident, now, that maybe Mattholomule did feel something towards him; and soon, Gus could maybe ask that all-important question.
For now, he decided to drop his book and lay beside Mattholomule, letting the comfortable silence lull him to sleep.