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The rain hammered against the Pegasus carriage, but to your relief, Qifrey’s Atelier was not much further. Your business in that faraway city had commenced not too soon ago, and you decided you would much rather disappear to his quiet Atelier for a while before returning to the bustling streets of Kahln or any other place of responsibility. After all, your leave on that quest was meant to extend for a few weeks more, so it was only natural that you use that extra time to relax instead of throwing yourself headfirst into more work.
Besides; you missed the girls, and had heard Qifrey had recently got himself into a spot of controversy taking in his newest apprentice. If Qifrey thought her worthy of his tutelage, you were excited to meet her.
Tonight, however, it was much more important to you that you checked on their mentor first. Qifrey and you went back—from exchanged glances when you were young witches, to the white-haired boy becoming completely enamored by you. Everything you did seemed to be a point of beauty for him, and he often commented on your effortless elegance. He was much the same—always the object of your curiosity. Qifrey was bold, bright, brimming with enthusiasm. He was never one to shy away from arguing with higher-ups, and always one to show off with a flashy new spell. That, or he always found ways to impress you where he could. When you got older, fleeting glances turned to secret moments turned to not enough time to spend together. Professional obligation often interfered with romantic trysts, and thus, each of you craved each other fiercely when things finally aligned to see each other. And even still, none of you would ever consider taking a different partner, because a world without each other was simply bland.
“Ah, Miss. Thought you weren’t returning for a few weeks.” The voice of the Atelier’s Watchful Eye, gruff but always welcoming, greeted you before you even got to the door. You looked up from where you were shielding your eyes from the rain under your hands, meeting his tired eyes. “Qifrey’ll be glad that you’re here.”
“Yeah,” you smile softly. “Things got wrapped up quicker than expected. Figured I would stop by while I have the chance. I just hope he’s not too busy?”
“Doubt it. Check his room, he’ll be in there. Probably pouring over some new spell, but I think he’ll make room for you. And keep it down, yeah? Four kids in here.” Olruggio winked and let you in, closing the door behind you.
“Mind drying me off?” You crossed your arms at his teasing, though the warning wasn’t exactly unwarranted. It had been more than a few months. To say you wanted Qifrey, in any way you could have him, was an understatement.
Olruggio put his hands together and dried you off using his Link Rings. The warmth enveloped your body as the comfortable feeling of magic and home washed over you.
“He’ll be happy to see you,” Olruggio murmured after a moment in a softer tone. “Probably good for him, too. Get his nose out of parchment for a while.”
You softened, even more so as your clothes dried further. “Thanks, Olruggio,” then, unable to help yourself, “you know you’re welcome to join at any time.”
That coaxed a deep laugh from Olruggio’s throat. He stepped back when you were adequately dry. He gave you a simple nod before stepping back and turning to head back to his room. “I’ll think about it. See you in the morning, sweetheart,” he called over his shoulder, and soon, you were heading down the hall to Qifrey’s room.
At the wooden barrier, you knocked, finding it already ajar. You slowly creaked it open to see his tufty hair messy as an agitated hand raked through it, his body slumped over a book that he was reading under lamplight.
“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” He spoke in a soft, chiding tone. He hadn’t turned around—clearly he was expecting that you were one of his apprentices. “It’s quite late.”
“Late?” You murmured softly, closing the door behind you. His head snapped up at the sound of your voice. “I’d say it’s a bit early for sleep, isn’t it?”
Qifrey turned, his wide blue eyes fixing on yours. He stood up, walking over to you. “Oh, oh, it’s you. Hello.”
You met him halfway, reaching out for his extended hands and grasping them. His were warm, slightly calloused and dry from his pouring over his work for who knows how long. You rub his knuckles, smiling up at his handsome face.
“Hello,” you say softly, pulling him closer and planting a gentle kiss on his jaw because you couldn’t help yourself.
“I thought… you’re here awfully early,” he murmured, smoothing a lock of hair out of your eyes. “I would have made proper accommodations had I known you’d be arriving so soon.”
You leaned into his touch, letting the gentle tone of his voice swim over you. This was who he was—always so gentle. Qifrey never raised his voice, never threatened you. You were as precious to him as he was to you.
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” you say, sliding your hand into his and bringing his knuckles to your lips. “You are much cuter like this.”
“What?” A smile quirked his lips. “Caught up in my studies?”
You giggled. “I suppose. Not too busy, are you? Do you have time for me tonight?”
Strong arms slid under your thighs without him breaking eye contact, and soon, you were being hoisted off to the other end of the room.
“Always, darling.”
Your back was lowered onto plush sheets as wandering hands already crept under your robes. Qifrey couldn’t resist the urge to tickle you—you were already under him, so pliant, so perfect—which made you wiggle and squeak.
“Qifrey!” You hissed, batting at him lightly.
“Only teasing,” he smiled, bringing his lips to your neck in apology. It hardly makes up for it, but by the way his hands began to deftly undo the intricate buttonwork on your robes, you couldn’t find it in you to complain; instead, you let out a soft sigh, inviting a smile across your features.
“Always were impatient.”
“I was the most patient out of us,” he argued, slipping fabric up and off you.
“Perhaps for everything else.” Your hands wander to his garments, which he gladly gives up under little prompting. “Not for this.”
“Mm. You always come to me after much too long. You can’t claim it’s my fault.”
Your rebuttal was silenced with the ghost of his lips across his, arguments giving way to parted lips seeking his taste. You lean up with frustration when he refuses to close the distance himself, fighting the urge to roll your eyes when you feel the smirk carved across his face as you prove his point about impatience.
His hands wander your body, caressing every curve, memorizing your shape once again after weeks of drought from you. His lips never leave your body for more than a second, travelling from your lips to your neck and lower, kissing every bit of muscle as his mouth familiarizes itself with your shape. The warmth of your bodies tangled together in his plush sheets.
Qifrey, the object of your affections, was now only clad in those soft, loose pants. He slid up on the bed, bringing your head to the pillows where he laid beside you and just looked at you with soft eyes. You weren’t innocent of wandering looks, either—he was so beautiful stripped down to just flesh. The way the light bent across each plane of his torso, caressing his warm skin and illuminating every part of him that you loved. Rain continued to patter outside, filling the room with gentle ambience under the soft lamplight.
“Come here,” he murmured gently, raising an arm to tuck you into the curve of his body. He guided you into a spooning position, his broad body enveloping yours as his fingers tangled with yours and his nose pressed into your hair. You felt his lips gently press against your head.
Wordlessly, you guide your intertwined hands up enough to return a kiss to his fingers. Behind you, you can tell Qifrey was exhausted, relaxing even more so now that he was curled around the softness of your form.
It wasn’t very long until his body went lax, his breathing evening out into something even softer. His arm slung loosely over your waist, his hand never letting go of yours, even in sleep.
You shifted slightly to settle in better, letting yourself become lost in his warmth.
Work could wait. These soft moments, just you and the boy who had held your heart the moment he found it, were the sweetest respite in such a busy life.
You found yourself drifting off sooner than intended, and unable to fight the tiredness weighing on your eyes, you allowed sleep to take you to where Qifrey rested beside you, hoping your dreams would be filled with him to not waste a precious second away from him in the realm of sleep.