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Qifrey didn’t know where Olruggio learned to be so difficult.
“I told you we didn’t have to go searching tonight…your light presentation is tomorrow…”
Qifrey’s boots pounded a tad too hard against the upward slope of the hillside. They had ventured this way a few nights ago when he suggested they push their Brimhat investigations further north. But this time the path seemed much more… damp than before. The boys feet popped in and out of the mud with each step, but still Olruggio trudged ahead.
“…I know you have leftover work to finish… I saw your notes!” The last portion left Qifrey’s mouth more like a shout as he struggled to keep up and the distance between the two boys increased up the hill.
Olruggio paused in place. His head turned slightly back and Qifrey could trace the smirk illuminated against his profile.
“You miss the hall that much, Qifrey?” Qifrey swore he heard the faintest snicker. His face soured slightly.
“That’s not what I meant y-”
“Please,” Olruggio graciously slid down and extended his hand back to Qifrey, “there’s something I’d really like you to see.”
Heat rose to Qifrey’s face. His features slightly uncrumpled despite his best ability to keep them locked.
Olruggio impossibly smiled back. He knew Qifrey’s face well enough by moonlight to notice when it softened. When its rage and frustration had all but flooded away, leaving only a tired young boy behind in its wake.
“I promise I’ll finish my sigils tomorrow during lunch; the presentation isn’t til dusk anyways.”
Olruggio always kept his promises. How difficult. Qifrey sighed and grasped his friend’s hand softly; welcoming the help more than he let on.
“Sure… fine… but only if you promise not to skip lunch as well.”
Olruggio shared a laugh, this time one that was joyous and tender. Qifrey clung to it up the hill as the witch hauled him through the mud once more. Their hands finally parted. Qifrey thought, even if Olruggio broke his word, he wouldn’t mind…
Nothing between them was ever conditional.
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The night grew colder and lulled Qifrey’s senses to only the blur of the marshes and the sharpness of the air.
“This is it,” announced Olruggio. He scanned their surroundings. They stood upon the height of a valley wall, overlooking the smooth curvature of the earth below. High enough that the sea of the Great Hall dimpled the horizon but low enough for two boys to scale.
“Another… hill…?”
“.. Well yes.. but give it a minute and pull up your hood too,” Olruggio raised a relaxed hand to feel the air. “ I think it’ll start soon.”
Now Qifrey was curious. “So we are waiting o-“
Something cold pressed against Qifrey’s cheek. Rain? His face tilted up to inspect the sky. Instead of rain, white droplets glittered down from the clouds. Each one taking it’s time to slowly dance down to the earth before fizzling out of sight.
“I-is this your magic?” asked Qifrey, his voice on the edges of astonishment. He never told Qifrey about any side projects of his as of late. So what was…? Qifrey’s attention flicked back to Olruggio. He noted how Olruggio’s eyes had been delicately on him rather than whatever it was falling from the sky.
Olruggio blinked hard, “oh… OH.. hah.. no, it’s just the atmosphere combining moisture and the temperature to freeze-“
“So it’s water?!” Qifrey gasped.
Olruggio’s mouth quirked slightly at the edges, “Yea, yea it’s called snow.”
“But it’s so gentle…”
“I wasn’t sure if you had seen it before, the Great Hall is so close to the sea level that snow almost never makes it to the ground,” Olruggio took a step closer towards his friend. His eyes finally strayed from Qifrey to the ground, where ‘snow’ began to collect in delicate piles against the grass. “I always liked seeing it fall in Ghodrey.. it.. it reminds me of you sometimes.”
Me? From this distance Qifrey could see the snow drops gather in Olruggio’s eyelashes. Was this how Olruggio saw him? Something gentle enough to allow to kiss the creases of your eyes despite its cold? Something so precious you would abandon your studies to behold it for a moment?
Qifrey only knew water to be smothering. A force to give life and take it away just as easy. It wouldn’t think twice about consuming someone whole, unable to control who it hurt. But something about the sight of Olruggio paused between the slow decent of each snowflake made his chest tight. Could water be so bad if a boy like Olruggio loved it? Was it love that made the flakes linger on Olruggio’s warm skin? Caught between outstretched finger tips before giving in and melting at his affection. Qifrey’s head felt fuzzy.
“Do you like it?” Olruggio broke the silence. His breath crystalized in short pants.
“….It’s not bad,” Qifrey allowed a smile to slip his lips, “It’s less unrelenting than rain and… and…”.
“Prettier?” suggested Olruggio. He made a startled noise and Qifrey observed a blush creep to his ears.
Qifrey couldn’t help but laugh, “that too”. He watched Olruggio’s awareness wander back to the sky, his eyes were soft and Qifrey thought perhaps it was just the pull of fatigue. Together they remained pinned in enchantment on the snow. Just a few more minutes, thought Qifrey.
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“Olly.. Olly… I’m cold,” Qifrey tugged at Olruggio’s cloak.
“Oh, we should be getting back now should we?” Olruggio dusted the snow off his garments; his cloak didn’t have a water-proof seal like Qifrey’s. He peered at the other boy, readying himself from the corner of his vision.
Olruggio turned to face Qifrey fully, “Here, give me your hand again.” Qifrey’s brows knit together.
“Becoming a habit of yours now is it?” Qifrey mumbled.
“Hey- I’m trying to help!” Olruggio’s voice cracked upon the last syllable. But Qifrey could tell he was more flustered than actually upset. It wasn’t in his nature to get truly mad.
“Sorry, sorry,” Qifrey extended a shivering hand to his friend once more. Olruggio gently cupped it with his own and guided them both into his cloak pocket. A mild heat enveloped their palms but Olruggio didn’t let go.
“It’s warm!” Qifrey leaned closer to Olruggio’s side to inspect.
“I have small heat drawings lining each pocket, you said you were cold so I thought th-“
“Olly…” Qifrey’s eyes came back to Olruggio’s, “.. thank you, really.” He squeezed Olruggio’s small hand in gratitude and perhaps something more.
Olruggio’s face opened into an expression Qifrey wasn’t familiar with; tender and tired like he was looking at the snow again, but with something else just for Qifrey mixed in. Qifrey accepted it unconditionally.
“Yea… yea, let’s go home, Qifrey.”
Was it always this difficult with him? Maybe difficult wasn’t the word for it…
Olruggio squeezed his hand back and Qifrey tried not to melt.