Chapter Text
Like always, Olruggio was slumped over his desk, shoulders tight and hands shaking as he tried desperately to think of the right combination of signs paired with the correct sign to make this contraption do what he wants. Yet no matter how many casting seals he tried, non of them worked. He had worked himself silly over the past week and it was starting to drain him emotionally and physically, Olruggio's eyes were sunken in, with dark bags under them that ached his face. His head lolled to sleep as sleep threatened to drag him under, but he was far to stubborn to let that happen before he finished this damn commission! A carful knock woke him from his frustrations, He stood on on shaky legs and make his way towards the door. "the sign on the door is to keep people out-" It was Qifrey, standing before Olruggio with a bowl of stew and a bread bun. "You skipped dinner, 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. You cant keep doing this, you'll make yourself sick, Olly." The nickname flowed on Qifreys tongue so softly it made Olruggio blush "yes, yes. whatever, ill be fine." Yet he still took the food with a grateful smile. Qifrey was always an amazing cook, being able to make complicated recipes with ease, and tonight was no different. The chunks of meat in the stew were perfectly seasoned, and grilled with just the perfect char that gives the stew a perfect smokiness. the bread bun was soft and pillowy and just perfectly sweet, possibly the most delicious meal Qifrey had made in a while.
After the meal, Olruggio sat back at his desk, busying himself with his work again. Sweat dripped down his brow, which he wiped away, thinking not much of it. Until his vision began to swim, thought jumbling into senseless mush. he attempted to stand, miserably failing and leaning heavily on the wall as he attempted to make his way to the door, he needed water, or wine, or sleep he had no idea. his hand gripped the door handle and pushed his door open. He needed to get to the kitchen, get some herbs or medicine, water, Anything! Going down the hall was a haze, not remembering half of it until he was near the couch. He felt his body tilt, until he fell against the sofa with a thud. Coco, who was in the kitchen grabbing the brush buddy (who had snuck into a pot of sugar again) heard the noise and poked her head out the kitchen, upon seeing Olruggio on the couch she ran over. "Master Olruggio? are you alright?" Olruggio barley had the strength to answer, but choked out a half whimper "Not your...master" Coco became alarmed "I'm getting master Qifrey!" Her footsteps ran away, Olruggio wanted to shout at her to stop but she was already gone, Qifrey knowing about this would just make the white haired witch fuss over him more then he already does. Heavy footsteps break against wood, he sounds far away. Olruggio closes his eyes, for what feels like a second, but the next time he opens this hes led against something warm, a soft thump playing right against his ear, over and over again. He looks up, and is met with Qiferys face, concern etched deep in his eyebrows "olly you scared me half to death." Qifrey sighs out, setting Olruggio down onto a bed.
Olruggio looks around the room, this isn't his bedroom, is it? bed is filled with thin, black sheets, yet his own bed/Hammock is filled with blue and orange blankets. "Qifrey..." Olruggio manages to puff out between haggard breaths. Qifrey shushes him and places a cold cloth against his forehead, easing away most of Olruggio's discomfort. "ye don't have to...kick up a fuss over me..." Qifrey clicks his tongue. "That wont do, Olly. i have to take care of you while your running a fever." Fever? Olruggio had no idea he had gotten so sick. Clearly, he had become WAY too enamored in his work, and now he had Qifrey having to take on the burden of taking care of him. He let out a soft sigh, feeling a cold rag drift over his bare arm, wiping away at sweat slick skin. Olruggio peeped an eye open to watch Qifrey clean him slowly, he looked so concentrated, it was almost cute, yet he couldn't help but wonder when his shirt had been discarded. The next few hours were a blur to Olruggio, he vaguely made out Qifreys voice asking for Coco to fetch some medicine, or another pillow from Tetias room, and a soft creature making soft chirps in the crook of his neck, Puff puff gently curled against the curve of Olruggio's neck, making soft, concerned squeaks. A hand brushed through Puff puffs scruffy fur, Olruggio felt the Brush bug nuzzle against his hand before curling down to sleep against him. Olruggio, now somewhat more awake turns to his side where Qifrey once was, yet now he's gone. A strange sense of dread fills Olruggio, where did Qifrey go? is he ok? He bolts upright in bed, the wet towel on his head falls to his lap with a soft plop, his movements startle awake Puff puff who lets out a discontented "pwii!". Olruggios eyes dart around the room franticly. "𝘖𝘭𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘰, calm down." Olruggio turns his head to the foot of the bed, where Qifrey is laid across the blush seat in the corner. Qifrey stands and cups Olruggios face in his hands "Your still quiet warm, ill fetch you some soup, ill ask that you try not to move much" Olruggio grumbles an apology and slumps back into the sheets. The gentle smell of muchrooms and herbs wafts through the open window, is smells 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦, and Olruggio cant help but anticipate the flavour of the soup hitting his tongue. Not long after, soft steps are heard approaching the door "Olruggio" Qifrey calls out, with a cheerful tone of voice. He enters the room with a steaming bowl of Olruggios favorite soup, and sets it on his lap. "If you need help, just ask" Qifrey goes to sit in the plush chair at the foot end of the bed. Olruggioo lifts the spoon with shaky hands, he attempts to feed himself but the soup slipps from his spoon back into the bowl. He lets out a frustrated sigh, whan a cold, soothing hand held his own, Olruggio looked up and met a crystal eye stare back at him. "allow me." Olruggio allowed Qifrey to take the spoon from his hand, and let him feed him spoon fulls of soup. He felt awkward at first, being treated like a bay, but he was to sick to care. Once half the bowl was finished Qifrey set it aside. "Sleep, you need it." Olruggio sighed and closed his eyes, succumbing to as restless sleep. It was so terribly dark, ink pooled at his feet and soaked into his nightgown, staining the pristine white black. "𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵" Qifrey's voice rung in his ears. He turned to where the voice came from, and a Silver-wood tree stood tall, looking beautiful as they were. Yet his heart dropped upon seeing Qifreys face among the tangle of branches, With such a look of hatred that it made Olruggio's skin crawl. "𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶." Qifreys gaze sharpened, the wind blew the hair away from his eye, branches spit from the empty socket, carrying ink and blood that dripped down Qifreys pale skin, Ache filled Olruggios heart and he ran blindly towards his f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶ lover. His screams fell of deaf ears, as Qifrey shut his eye. Olruggios hands cupped his cold cheeks, as blood dripped down onto his fingers, watching branches engulf 𝘏𝘪𝘴 Qifrey. The cursed man was cold and limp in his arms, a corpse. branches tangled in Olruggio's hands, trapping him with the White haired man, for eternity. Olruggio awoke with a sharp gasp, grasping at nothing, his breath was fast, heart hammering against his chest and begging for escape. Tears pooled in the pillow below and soaked his already sweat slick hair. A soft hand held his own "Are you ok?" Olruggio's eyes snapped towards the man sat on the edge of his bed, eye hidden by his hair, face soft with concern, nothing like what Olruggio had just seen. "Qif...rey..." Olruggio croaked out between sobs. Qifrey had never seen the mad this distraught, sure he had seen him cry a little when drunk, but not this bad. Qifrey was startled as Olruggio shot up in bed, and wrapped himself around Qifrey as if he'd disappear, turn to sand in his hands and seep through his fingers. "Don't leave me...please...you cant-i love you" Olruggio choked on his own words, as sobs racked through him. Qifrey wrapped an awkward arm around Olruggio, whatever he had dreamt about must have been truley horrible to have him acting like this, and confessing such private, vunerable thoughts to him. "Shh, its ok..." Qifrey spoke softly into Olruggio's ear, hoping to calm him down. One his sobs died down, Qifrey laid him back down on the bed, smoothing over his nightgown and wiping sweat off his face. Qifrey stood, and made his way to the door. "w..wait...Qifrey" Qifrey stilled, and turned back to Olruggio, whos hand flopped uselessly back onto the bed. "Dont go...please..." his plea was shaky, desperate and vulnerable. Qifrey couldn't leave Olruggio when he was so distressed. He walked back over to the bed and sat down on the edge, and placed a gentle hand on Olruggios head. "I wont, I promise...My love..."