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When Olruggio finally awakes, it's already morning.
He blinks his eyes open, albeit only slightly, adjusting to the light a little more as the world comes into view. He is only vaguely aware of what time it could possibly be, his head still slightly heavy and fuzzy from a round of drinking the night before, and he's content to stay where he is for as long as possible this morning.
He closes his eyes again, allowing himself a moment of peace and quiet as the day rolls in. Soon, he'll have to get up. There's breakfast to make and lessons to plan. He has a laundry list of chores around the atelier that require his attention. There's lessons this afternoon with the girls, and he has to make a stop in Kalhn before the evening. He's sure the girls will want to tag along, so he'll feign annoyance as they follow him through the windowway, but he won't say no when they ask him to buy dinner. He doesn't think he knows how to say no to them anymore– not that he would, anyway.
He'll try to convince Qifrey to come with them. Two adults are better than one in this situation, after all. Qifrey will scold the girls for spending Olruggio's money, but will request new ingredients to use for tomorrow's lunch. And of course Olruggio is going to say yes because it's Qifrey asking. Qifrey, who is still learning how to ask for things he wants, and he knows he'll never say no to him, too.
Qifrey, who is currently using Olruggio's left arm as a pillow, blissfully unaware that the limb had probably lost feeling hours before.
There had been a lot of adjustment for everybody when Qifrey had returned to their atelier. It had taken a few months after he had woken up for him to regain the strength he needed to even be able to walk out of the Medical Spire on his own, let alone resume his daily activities as a teacher. Even upon his return, it had taken almost a full year before he had felt comfortable enough to take on any responsibility over his apprentices’ lessons.
The six of them figured everything out, slowly but surely. A year and a half after Qifrey had stepped foot back into their lives, Olruggio could say with complete honesty that he couldn't be happier. Everything had slotted itself back into place perfectly.
He tilts his head to the left, his eyes landing on a mop of soft, white hair. The corners of his lips lift up without a second thought, and he brings his right hand over to brush it off of Qifrey's forehead, gently so as to not wake him.
Olruggio isn't sure he's ever going to get used to waking up like this. It still feels so surreal that he needs to convince himself that he's not dreaming—that this isn't some alcohol induced image made from his deepest desires.
But it's real, and they're both here in Qifrey's bed, curled up together after a night of drinking by the fireplace. Yesterday had been a busy and tiring day, but every day is one they finally get to tackle together. There's no threat looming over them anymore, and there's no longer any secrets between them. Olruggio thinks he can take on the most difficult of days if he always gets to do it by Qifrey's side.
He carefully turns over to face Qifrey, allowing his eyes to roam over his face. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps now, a pleasant dream coming into fruition as his body recognizes that it's finally its own—a body and mind free of the curse that had plagued it for so long.
It has only been within the last few months that Qifrey has finally been able to settle into sleep like this; Olruggio is always hesitant to wake him because of it. He'd rather allow his arm to go numb, for his stomach to grumble, or for his bladder to simply wait if it meant Qifrey could continue to sleep through until the morning without an issue.
His eyes trace down the slope of Qifrey's nose, landing on his slightly parted lips from which he can feel the puffs of breath on his arm. Ever since their first kiss in the Medical Spire all those months ago, Olruggio doesn't think there's a single part of Qifrey that he hasn't perfectly mapped out. He knows every mole and scar, and every dip and curve of the other man's body. His hands and lips have traced every line of him, leaving every inch of skin untouched and unmarked in their wake.
Being able to have this after spending all of these years wanting– Olruggio is pretty certain his life couldn't get any better than it is now.
“Are you finished staring at me yet?”
Olruggio huffs out a laugh at Qifrey's tired voice, slurred by sleep and remnants of a night of drinking. “How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough,” Qifrey says, scooting his body closer to Olruggio's warmth. “Good morning, by the way.”
“Good mornin’, Qifrey.” Olruggio leans down to meet him halfway for a kiss, helping to guide his face up with a gentle touch of his fingertips under his chin. Qifrey sighs into it, and Olruggio loves the way the other man practically melts into his touch.
“Ah, we should probably get up soon,” Qifrey mentions when he pulls back, ever the epitome of responsibility.
Olruggio groans in response. “We've got time.”
“Time for what, exactly?” Qifrey teases, rolling to face away from him and beginning to sit up. While the sight of Qifrey's naked back does wonders for him, Olruggio is almost certain he has ever moved faster in his life than when he reaches out and wraps his arms around Qifrey's middle, forcing him back down into bed.
“Too early,” Olruggio tells him and closes his eyes as to feign sleep once again, “give me ten minutes.”
“Five minutes.”
“Nine and a half minutes.”
“Five minutes.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” Olruggio relents, releasing his grip on Qifrey so they can both get more comfortable. Qifrey tucks his head under Olruggio's chin and throws his arm over his waist, all while tangling their legs together under the sheets. It seems as though Qifrey never truly intended on getting up, which Olruggio is more than thankful for.
They're quiet for a few minutes, just basking in each other's presence. Olruggio listens to Qifrey's breathing below him, letting it lull him back into a peaceful sleep. The world is quickly beginning to fade around him when he feels Qifrey start to squirm in his arms.
“It has been five minutes, Olly.”
“I never agreed to get up.” Olruggio just holds him tighter in favor of moving. “And it definitely hasn't been five minutes. You're just makin’ that up.”
Qifrey lets out a laugh, and Olruggio smiles in victory. It's one of the best sounds he has ever heard.
“We have to make breakfast,” Qifrey says dutifully, “and I promised the girls we'd review some of their history lessons later today. Didn't you say you had to be in Kalhn this evening? They're going to want to tag along.”
Olruggio doesn't grace him with an answer, instead flipping himself over the top of Qifrey so he's looming over him, his knees planted into the bed on either side of his hips. He knows Qifrey can't see him, but the way he looks up at him makes Olruggio feel as if he's seeing right through him anyway. A shiver runs down his spine at the thought.
“Are you really in such a rush to get up?” Olruggio asks him, leaning in close to drop a kiss onto his forehead. He tilts his head just slightly to whisper into his ear, “Really? What's out there that's so much better than stayin’ in bed?”
He leaves a kiss on Qifrey's cheek. Then his nose. Then the opposite cheek. He ignores the other's groans in protest as he kisses the scar left in the place of his right eye and moves to do the same to the left.
“Olruggio—” Qifrey begins once again, but stops short as Olruggio kisses his chin and continues down the side of his neck.
“Hmm?” Olruggio stops his movements, sparing a glance up at Qifrey's flushed face. “Yes Qifrey? You were sayin’ somethin’?”
When Qifrey doesn't answer, he sits back on his heels and brings a hand up to his lover's cheek. The other man leans into the touch despite his initial complaints, so Olruggio leans down and kisses him, overjoyed when he feels Qifrey's arms wrap around his neck and kisses him back.
They kiss languidly, the exhaustion from the night before still settled deep in their bones. Despite this, Olruggio loves mornings like these—the ones where it's just him and Qifrey, left alone by the rest of the world. It's almost as if they're in their own little bubble with no responsibilities and nowhere to be. At this moment, he doesn't ever want to leave the confines of Qifrey's bedroom.
Olruggio pulls back, admiring the blush spread across Qifrey's face. He can't help it when he presses one last kiss to his cheek.
“Thought you wanted to get up?” Olruggio teases. “Was I wrong?”
“How in heaven's name am I supposed to get up when this oaf is sitting on top of me?” Qifrey questions, and Olruggio, of course, has no choice but to kiss the smirk off of his face.
“That oaf sittin’ on top of you is offended. He’s quite the handsome oaf, y'know? You could stand to be a little nicer to him.”
Qifrey laughs, carefully moving his hand to locate Olruggio's face. He flattens his palm against it once he finds it and pushes him back a bit as he speaks, “I wouldn't know—I can't see him.”
Olruggio licks his hand in protest, and Qifrey pulls it back with a squeak.
“You're a fiend!” Qifrey exclaims, wiping his hand on the bed. “Disgusting! Get off of me you dog!”
“I'm a lot of different creatures this mornin’, huh?” Olruggio chuckles, swinging himself off of Qifrey and back onto his side of the bed. He stretches, groaning as his joints pop, and finally gets up in search of his own shirt that had been carelessly thrown aside the night prior.
“Olly,” Qifrey whines from his place on the bed, “please be a dear and grab my shirt too.”
“As you wish, your highness,” Olruggio says dramatically, not even flinching when a pillow is thrown his way. “Oh wow, you missed by a few meters there, Qifrey.”
He pulls his own shirt on with only a slight degree of difficulty, ignoring the weak and half-hearted complaints coming from Qifrey behind him. He finds Qifrey's shirt and robe neatly folded on his desk and, although slightly confused as to when Qifrey had time to do that last night, returns to his side and begins to help him put them on.
“I can do it myself,” Qifrey tells him, voice slightly muffled by the shirt over his head, but Olruggio doesn't let up.
“Maybe I just like helpin’ you,” Olruggio replies, fingers making quick work of the belts around his neck. He has never understood why Qifrey insists on wearing such a difficult shirt to navigate. He hasn't even gotten to the belts around his thighs yet.
“I think you just like having your hands on me, am I correct?”
“It's definitely a plus.” Olruggio steps back to admire his handiwork when he's done. He hums thoughtfully, snapping his fingers as he speaks, “Oh! I forgot somethin'!”
He once again steps into Qifrey's space, smiling at the confused expression on the other man's face. He gently tilts Qifrey's chin up and leans in to kiss him once more.
This kiss is quick, but Olruggio tries his hardest to make sure it expresses everything he's feeling in that moment. He loves this man more than anything else in this world.
“What was that for?” Qifrey questions.
“I love you.” Olruggio doesn't think his explanation needs anything other than that. It's worth it when Qifrey smiles brightly, his face flushed with embarrassment.
“I love you too, you sap.” Qifrey pushes himself off of the bed, fumbling for Olruggio's arm and wrapping his own around it. He brings Olruggio's hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss onto his knuckles. “Let's go make breakfast, shall we? We have a lot to get done today.”
If they don't make it downstairs for another thirty minutes, well, Olruggio certainly isn't going to complain.