Archive of Our Own

i.

“Richeh?”

Olruggio looks up from his own plate at Qifrey's voice. It wasn't usual that he got to have breakfast with everyone else, usually too tired to get up from bed in the mornings. But Coco had woken up earlier than usual and started breakfast for all of them, and it felt deeply rude to deny her gift. 

They were all seated at the small table in the kitchen. Well, not everyone. 

Richeh's spot was vacant. And the food on her plate seemed almost untouched. He saw a few pokes and tiny bites, but other than that, it didn't seem like the teenager had eaten it.

She was standing a few feet away, clearly intent on leaving the room. Sky blue eyes looked back at her teacher, her usual vacant stare feeling a bit off, but Olruggio couldn't really put a finger on what exactly it was.

“Are you not going to eat?” Qifrey asked, eye darting and looking between both the plate and the girl.

“No. I'm not hungry. I'll go study, if that's alright.” 

Now that was weird. Olruggio had known the girl since she was barely eleven. Through the last years, he could count on his hands the times Richeh had refused food. It usually involved something emotional, but right now it looked different. The girl didn’t seem upset about anything in particular.

“Sorry for that, Coco.” Qifrey says when Richeh is gone upstairs, putting on a comforting smile as he looks to the green-haired apprentice, who seems to be deep in thought, “Your breakfast is lovely, I’m sure it isn’t something personal.”

“Oh. I’m not worried about that!” She sets her fork down, “If Richeh didn’t want to eat something I made, she’d just say it. I’m wondering why she isn’t hungry in the first place…”

Olruggio leaned on his palm, deep in thought, as the three girls around them shared their opinions on the matter. He should keep an eye on Richeh. Just in case something happens.

That something happens to come just a few hours later.

He had missed lunch, much to the apprentices' and Qifrey’s chagrin. As usual, his friend left a portion of it by his door with a soft knock and told him through the door he would be out with Agott and Coco for foraging. Olruggio had taken his time to enjoy the hearty meal. Grilled meat, rice, and salted bread. 

In the back of his mind, he recognized what Qifrey was doing by making this specific lunch. It had Richeh’s favorite things to eat, and he was trying to encourage the girl to try to eat after she had skipped breakfast that morning.

He hoped Richeh had eaten it, they couldn’t have one of the apprentices creating a bad habit of skipping meals.

He laid down his pen on his desk, eyeing the dirty plate on his side, and sighed. He should at least do his due diligence and wash it. He couldn’t have them piling up in his bedroom. 

So he made his way down the catwalk to the kitchen, with link rings in his pocket so he could dry them after it was done.

He was halfway through the work when he heard a loud gasp coming from upstairs, along with the sound of hurried steps and slam of doors. It almost made him drop the plate when he heard Tetia’s hurried voice, loud and clear, calling for Richeh.

Dropping his washing duty, he hurried the steps upstairs, calling for Tetia’s name. He found her in front of the bathroom that was commonly used by the apprentices.

“Tetia, what’s wrong?!” He asked, his heart feeling like it was going to burst out of his chest.

“It’s Richeh– She was lying down after lunch while I studied, when suddenly she got up, her face was so pale– She ran out straight into the bathroom, and she won’t answer me!”

Olruggio tried to quiet his nerves, trying to think clearly not only to calm Tetia but so he could aid Richeh. He took a deep breath before putting a hand on the handle of the door, not yet turning.

“Richeh?” Silence, “Richeh, if you don’t answer me, I’m coming in. Are you okay?!”

He heard shuffling inside before what sounded like retching and a loud gasp, along with coughing that made both him and Tetia freeze. He didn’t waste any time, pushing the door open, desperate to aid the girl.

Olruggio gasped at seeing Richeh sitting on the floor of the bathroom, holding the bucket they usually used to shower in her lap. There was a clear smell of vomit in the air.

“What–” The short girl tried to say, but the retching returned, and the Watchful eye saw the girl throw up into the container.

“Richeh…” He said softly as she lifted her head, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. Her bangs that were in desperate need of a cut were glued to her forehead with sweat, and her shoulders were trembling just slightly.

“‘m fine.” She mumbles, “Just needed to let it out of my system.” 

“What–” Olruggio dropped to his knees, now at her height, his voice getting firmer, “No, Richeh. I’m taking you to the doctor.” 

He saw her face pale again as she whipped her head in denial, “No doctors. No, Richeh isn’t seeing anyone.”

“I know you don’t like going to the hospital, but this– We can’t handle it by ourselves. I need to prioritize your health, kiddo.”

She bit her lower lip hard, eyebrows together. “I–” Her hands clung tighter to the bucket as she looked away, a flush appearing on her face. Her eyes then travelled from the floor of the bathroom to Olruggio’s face and finally to Tetia, who was right behind him, one hand on the door frame and a sickly worried expression.

“‘Tia…” She whispered, and Tetia sprang into action, kneeling on the floor near Richeh and taking her hand in hers.

“What is it, Rih?” The girl’s thumbs made soothing circles on the back of her best friend’s hand. Richeh’s blue eyes moved from her face, and she looked at him with an apprehensive expression. He physically gulped.

Richeh made a come closer motion with her hand, and Tetia lent her ear to the girl, who whispered something that Olruggio couldn’t quite catch. But he saw Tetia’s expression change from apprehension to realization on the whim.

“Ohh.” She mumbled, and Richeh nodded. The taller apprentice turned to the man beside her, now with a calm expression, “Master Olly, there’s no need to take Richeh to the hospital.”

“Tetia, you know I can’t–” She raised her hand.

“Please, believe me. Tetia would be the first one sending Richeh there, but now I know something, and I can assure you Richeh will be fine.”

He raised an eyebrow, “And what is that something?”

Both girls exchanged looks, “I– I can’t say.”

“You do know how much more suspicious that just makes it sound, right?” He could feel a headache coming.

“I-I know. But please, just trust me. Trust us.” She got up, bringing Richeh up from the stone floor as the girl set the bucket down, “Let’s get you some water, Rih.”

As he saw Richeh nod her head, Olruggio couldn’t help but be even more worried. What in the stars could Richeh have told Tetia that made the girl change her tone so quickly?

He sighed as he turned, brushing a hand through his hair, mumbling a few curses. He looked around and realized he could at least do some cleaning. Maybe later they would be more willing to talk.

He poured the contents of the bucket down the void toilet before putting it under the sink to remove the last bits that got stuck. He could see on the vomit parts of the bread and the meat they had had for lunch. That meant that Richeh ate it, but what could have triggered the nausea and the vomit, he pondered. He felt fine, and apparently, so did Tetia, who had the same food. So the answer wasn’t expired ingredients. Qifrey would never let that happen anyway.

So maybe a stomach bug? Could be, since she didn’t want breakfast, so maybe it really was that, but why did she not want Olruggio to know? Was it truly her distaste for hospitals? Or maybe–

Olruggio’s eyes zeroed on a big, fresh dark stain right where Richeh had been sitting of what looked like–

His heart dropped to his feet as he let the bucket fall to the ground, not caring about the water spilled as he rushed downstairs.

Richeh and Tetia were sitting at the table, the vapor bubble in front of them as Richeh took a big gulp of water from the cup in her hands.

“Richeh!” His scream made the girl choke on the liquid, Tetia rushing to her side and patting her back.

“Stars, Master Olly! What is it?” Tetia chastised him, a pout on her lips.

“Richeh, did you get hurt?!” The girl, still a bit breathless, shook her head in denial, “Then– Why is there a big bloodstain on the bathroom floor?!”

Both girls looked at him before exchanging looks. He could see Richeh’s embarrassed flush was back as she bit her lip again.

“I–” 

She looked at Tetia, who smiled reassuringly, “You can tell him, Rih. He's a grown man, he can handle it.”

Now he was even more worried. He watched as Richeh took a big gulp of water for confidence before blurting out, “I'm on my period.”

Olruggio could only stare at the girl for a few seconds, the cogs inside his head turning with the new information. Finally, he dropped his hand and let out a quiet, “Oh.”

Things were starting to make more sense.

“I– I get a bit nauseous and bloated during it. I usually try to skip salty and fatty food, so I don't make it worse. But I didn't realize it until after lunch.” She admitted.

“And– You thought I couldn't handle it because I'm a man?” He asked, and he felt a bit hurt. He had no experience with it, but he at least thought he was trustworthy enough for his apprentices to come to him for help.

At his words, Richeh pouted, “You'd tell Richeh not to eat the food Richeh likes because it makes her sick. But if I don't have my comfort food…” 

Ah. That made sense.

Richeh had always been a picky eater, she latches onto specific foods and tastes for weeks, maybe even months, because she likes predictability. She likes knowing what her food will taste like instead of being surprised. He and Qifrey never outright forced her to eat what she doesn't want. They had, however, accidentally done it once during her first weeks in the atelier, and she refused to speak with them for days because she felt like they were taking away her safety and her routine. 

“I see.” He approached her, putting a hesitant hand on her shoulder, “Thank you for trusting me, Richeh. I want you to know me, or Qifrey, would never make you give up your comfort, alright?”

The girl gripped the glass in her hands a bit tighter, “I feel like there’s a but incoming.”

He chuckled, “But, how about we slowly try to open up your options when you’re feeling like this?”

She looks at him, an eyebrow raised, “But I don’t want to stop eating them.”

“You’re not going to stop. In all fairness, you don’t have to open your appetite for anything if you’re not comfortable. But maybe we can find a happy medium. Maybe foods that you like that don’t make the symptoms worse?”

She bit her lip, “Like what?”

He thought for a second, resting his hand on his chin, deep in thought, before Tetia spoke up, “When I feel sick like you do, Richeh, smaller portions help! Or even food with softer textures and a bit of a milder flavor.”

Olruggio smiled, “That’s a perfect place to start. Maybe we can adapt what you already like into those categories and see what works best. And when you’re on your period again, we’ll just repeat so you don’t have to feel sick or even skip any meals.”

Tetia hummed in approval, “Master Olly is right, Richeh!”

The girl took another sip of water before setting the cup down and looking at the man, “If I don’t like these changes, can I go back to the usual?”

He sighed and smiled, “Of course. But you promise me and Tetia that you’ll try, alright? In turn, we promise to build these changes around what makes you feel safest.”

Finally, a small smile broke through her pained facade, blue eyes lighting up, “Alright. I– I’ll try.”

Tetia cheered, enveloping Richeh in a tight side hug, and Olruggio smiled.

The front door of the atelier opens, all three looking at it as Qifrey, Coco, and Agott walk inside, a few herbs and vegetables in their baskets.

“Oh, hello!” Qifrey smiles as he walks towards the kitchen, setting his basket on the counter, “I hope we didn’t make you three too bored without us.”

Olruggio sighs and rolls his eyes, “Nah, all good.”

“Master!” Tetia lets go of the grip she had on Richeh and runs towards her teacher, grabbing his sleeve, “Can Richeh, Master Olly, and I be in charge of dinner tonight?”

Olruggio’s eyes widen as Qifrey chuckles, “Really? Is our Watchful Eye feeling generous today?” 

“I–” He looked at both Richeh and Tetia, the latter who looked with big and hopeful eyes, and he sighed, “Uh. Maybe. Just– We had a few ideas.”

“That’s great to hear, Olly.” Qifrey smiled at him, and Olruggio felt embarrassment flush his face. “In that case, you two are relieved of your homework for tonight.” He looked at both girls, who smiled widely at their master.

“Aw!” Coco sighed loudly and defeated, making her presence known as she leaned against the half wall that divided the kitchen and the living room, a few daisies braided into her ever-growing hair. Agott was standing right behind her with a single matching flower tucked behind her ear, “But Master Qifrey! We just spent the afternoon outside… Can’t we have a break too?”

“Nonsense! I want you to practice those wind seals, Coco. They’re improving, but there’s a lot of work to be done. Agott, will you please help her?”

The curly-haired witch nodded politely, taking the basket off Coco's hand and putting it alongside hers, “Let's go, Coco.”

The girl groaned but followed her roommate diligently back to their bedroom nonetheless.

“Well, since they'll be busy as well,” Qifrey leaned away from the counter, “I guess I'll do some cleaning upstairs.”

Olruggio watched as his friend’s figure faded up the stairs and turned to the two girls by his side, “Well, what do you want to eat tonight, Richeh? You can choose.”

The girl immediately lit up, getting up from the chair and skipping towards the baskets that had been brought from outside. Olly took a deep breath, mentally giving himself a pat on the back for avoiding a distressing situation–

The sound of hurried steps down the stairs made him sag as he turned, facing now a distressed Qifrey who was almost shaking, his face paler than usual.

“Why is there blood in the bathroom?! Who got hurt?!” 

He and the girls shared a look before a collective groan was released. Here we go again.

ii.

With four teenage apprentices around, the atelier was rarely quiet in the mornings. Not truly quiet, at least.

Qifrey had embraced the predictable chaos as the years of his tutelage passed. He had grown used to Agott's muttering about unfinished assignments, Coco's sleepy voice greeting everyone, Richeh's frightening precision as she loudly turned pages of books. And over all of it, usually, Tetia.

Tetia humming while she watered the windowsill flowers and herbs, her bubbly laughter travelling through the corridors, her travelling between rooms bringing her warmth and love like the first rays of sunshine after a rainstorm.

Qifrey had grown used to measuring the mood of the mornings at his home by the sound of her voice.

Which was why the silence felt wrong immediately, feeling it even before he entered the kitchen. 

No humming, no bright greeting, just the soft scrape of a spoon against wood.

Tetia sat hunched over her breakfast, stirring the porridge Qifrey had made the night before, which seemed to have long since gone cold. Her hair wasn't in her usual twin tails like every morning, pink curls falling wildly around her face as she stared at her bowl with unspoken concentration.

His other students greeted him as usual when he made his presence known, but Tetia kept her gaze locked on her bowl, like she wasn’t in the same place as everyone else. Qifrey paused.

“...Tetia?”

She startled hard enough that she nearly dropped the spoon in her hands.

“Oh. Morning, Master Qifrey.”

It was polite, with a smile even. But Qifrey could tell if felt almost forced.

By his side, he looked at Olruggio, who had a cup of steaming dark liquid in his hands. He glanced briefly over the rim of his cup to the oldest apprentice with a raised eyebrow before meeting Qifrey's eye. He had noticed it too, of course he had.

Before either could ask, Tetia pushed her bowl away before getting up with a burst of energy that felt rehearsed. She walked towards one of the kitchen cabinets, that smile still on her lips.

“I was thinking maybe we could organize the herbs today!” She said quickly, “We got a few while travelling and haven’t had time to put them in their place. The drying bundles need to get labeled better, Coco keeps getting Zestgrass and Mint mixed up–” 

“I did that one time.” Coco protested from her place on the table, hands reaching for something she had apparently dropped.

Tetia sighed. It wasn’t loud or dramatic, but it had a sharpness to it that made the entire room go still.

“Well, sorry for remembering it, Coco.”

Coco exclaimed in a bit of pain as she reflexively tried bringing her hand up to her face, but it hit the underside of the table. The silence that followed Tetia’s words made the room so tense that Qifrey felt he could’ve cut it with a knife. 

Richeh stopped her munching midway, Agott slowly looked up from her teacup, eyebrows shot high, Coco could only blink.

And Tetia herself seemed to realize what she had said only after the words had already left her mouth, her shoulders tightening immediately.

“I– I didn’t mean–” She hesitated, looking back at Coco with a regretful expression.

“It’s fine,” Coco said quickly, though her voice was quieter and smaller around its edges.

Tetia tore her gaze away and clenched her fists on her dress. Qifrey opened his mouth to speak, hopefully smooth things over, but Tetia turned on her heel quickly, “I-I should go finish hanging the laundry.” 

“You hate hanging laundry,” Agott said flatly, eyes narrowed. Tetia froze at her words.

For a heartbeat, something strange crossed her face. Something akin to irritation first, hot and immediate, followed almost instantly by embarrassment. 

“Well, maybe I’m trying to be helpful today.”

“You’re always helpful, Tetia,” Coco said quietly. That only seemed to make things worse. Tetia pressed her lips together so tightly the corners trembled. Qifrey approached her gently, like she was a scared brushbuddy kit.

“Tetia,” he spoke softly, “did you sleep poorly?”

“No.” 

“Are you feeling ill?”

“No.”

The second answer came sharper than the first. Then, again realizing the sharpness of her words after it was too late, Tetia squeezed her eyes shut.

“Sorry,” she muttered. “I just–”

The spoon she had abandoned on the table clattered loudly and suddenly when it fell to the floor, a consequence of Coco accidentally tilting the table when her hand emerged from under it, one of her now signature hair ribbons in her hands. The sound cracked through the room like a snapped tree branch. 

“Got it!” She said with a smile, looking proud. But Tetia jerked violently beside Qifrey.

“Oh, for– could everyone stop making so much noise?” The words burst out of her before anyone could react.

Coco recoiled immediately, hands curling around the retrieved item. Olruggio lowered his cup against the counter with a soft clink.

Agott, in turn, only watched, something else brewing in her gaze.

Tetia stared at all of them in horror, the anger drained out of her face so quickly it almost looked painful, leaving behind pure panic instead. She covered her mouth, hands shaking.

“I-I didn’t mean that,” she said from behind them. “I know you weren’t– I just–” Her voice wavered, and to Qifrey’s growing alarm, her eyes had become glassy.

Tetia turned on her heel before anyone could answer her, running out of the room in a blur of pink curls. Qifrey swears he saw one of her sleeves drag hastily across her face as her steps faded upstairs.

Silence flooded the room after it.

Coco lowered her ribbon to her lap, fingers tracing the edges nervously, “Did… Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Qifrey said immediately, but even as he answered, uncertainty curled uncomfortably in his chest. 

Because he had never seen Tetia like this before.

Not exactly like this.

It was true that Tetia was emotionally more sensitive than other kids, he knew that from the first day he took her in. She cried easily, but usually over beautiful things, sad stories, injured animals, and heartfelt gifts. Her emotions usually moved freely through her, bright and warm. This was different, it was as if every single one of her thoughts had grown thorns and sharp edges.

At the table, Agott lowered her cup, took the ribbon from Coco’s hand, and started weaving it into the girl’s usual tiny side braid she wore these days. She didn’t stop doing it as she spoke next.

“I see…” She murmured to herself, and Qifrey turned to her.

“You know what is happening, Agott?” Olruggio asked before he could.

She didn’t stray her eyes from her work, her features holding what looked like a deeply unimpressed expression at the fact that neither of the adults had figured out the answer.

“I think,” she said carefully, “Tetia’s probably on her period.” 

The silence after her words lasted exactly three seconds. Then Qifrey broke it, with complete sincerity in his voice. “Oh.”

“Ah.” Coco said in turn, nodding her head with understanding, “Yeah, makes sense.” Agreeing with them, Richeh nodded her head silently. Agott finished the braid with a small bow and turned her violet gaze towards him, staring at him flatly.

Qifrey cleared his throat, “I-I was under the impression she was upset.”

“She is upset,” Agott replied, “That’s part of it, Master.”

Qifrey frowned faintly, tapping the counter with his index finger anxiously. He hates not understanding things concerning his apprentices, especially changes significant enough to make one of them flee the room on the verge of tears.

“But– Why would that make her so distressed?” He asked, almost rhetorically, while Agott just gave him a look that spoke thousands of words, a look he often saw in Olruggio’s face when he had to deal with hopeless clients.

“Because she’s most likely in pain. And uncomfortable and probably exhausted.” She counted the three words on her fingers one at a time, “Witches might not be able to learn a lot about the human body, but I think we know about hormones, and they make your emotions strange sometimes, especially when you’re a teenage girl.”

He could recall the few science classes on the human body that he had when he was a teenager, talking about those. Beldaruit also gave him a talk that Qifrey had mostly suppressed after over fifteen years, but he remembers that he mentioned those.

Somewhere upstairs, a door shut loudly, and Qifrey could picture Tetia hiding behind it, mortified by her own emotions that came from a body that betrayed her. He fidgeted with his fingers as a small ache settled in his gut.

“I wonder how long she has been feeling like this…” 

“Maybe yesterday?” Richeh spoke up, shrugging her shoulders, “She snapped at me during chores, too.”

“And… You didn’t tell me?” 

She looked back at her plate, “You looked busy.”

Qifrey opened his mouth to retort, but he stopped, because Richeh was not wrong. He had noticed Tetia a little bit quieter yesterday, smiling a bit less. And yet, he dismissed his observations, thinking them as nothing more than maybe a bad day. But now he felt with an uncomfortable clarity the limits of his own understanding.

His students were changing in a way neither he nor Olruggio had personally experienced. That realization felt far more daunting than any magical lesson he had attempted to teach.

Agott stood up from the her chair “Going to run some tea for Tetia.”

“Get the one that isn’t bitter.” Richeh mumbles, returning her meal, “The smell will make it worse.”

“I know.” 

Qifrey bit the inside of his cheek. He hates feeling useless, but he especially hates feeling useless when it comes to helping his students.

As the water brewed on the stove, Qifrey leaned away from the counter, turning on his heel. He exchanged a look with Olruggio, who just nodded affirmatively. That was all he needed before he exited the kitchen, headed upstairs.

Qifrey found Tetia in the first place he looked, inside her bedroom. It wasn’t exactly a good hiding place, but Qifrey guessed this wasn’t on the girl’s priority list. She needed somewhere safe.

He heard a small gasp as the door of the room creaked open, and he gazed upon a bundle of blankets in the bed that was vaguely the size of a tall teenage girl, with a few pink curls sticking out where the fabric didn’t cover. Morning sun filtered through the pink sheer curtains, pooling softly against blankets, fiction books, and pillows. Qifrey smiled sadly at the sight, closing the door when he stepped in and sat at the far end of the bed.

He stayed silent for a few moments, letting his presence set in before finally looking at the girl, finding warm yet teary brown eyes looking at him expectantly. As soon as their gazes locked, Tetia scrubbed her face.

“I’m fine.” She said, all too quickly. Qifrey pretended he couldn’t hear the tremble in her tone.

“Mm, then I assume you won’t object to company.” 

“I–” She paused, gaze looking in any direction other than her teacher’s.

Both witches looked at the door as it softly creaked open once again, Agott standing at the door and pushing it open with her elbow and hips since both of her hands were occupied holding two steaming tea cups.

Tetia blinked up at her in confusion, “You too?”

“You looked as if you were going to die of embarrassment downstairs,” she said, “Someone had to make sure Master Qifrey didn’t make it worse.”

Qifrey smiled softly at her, not having the gall to fight the allegations after the lesson from clock marks earlier. He heard Tetia cough out a startled noise that almost sounded like a laugh.

Agott quietly crossed the room and held out one of the cups to the older girl. She accepted it automatically before pausing to sniff cautiously at the steam.

“...It’s sweet.”

“You hate bitter tea when you’re on your period, so I avoided tranquileaf,” Agott replied, taking a sip of her own cup calmly.

Qifrey watched as Tetia’s face shifted from curiosity to surprise and finally relief.

“Oh.” A simple sound that sounded gentle and vulnerable, like she had been waiting for someone to understand her without having to explain it herself. She took a long sip before bringing it down, staring down into the cup, her face reflected on the surface of the liquid, “I didn’t mean to yell at Coco.” She mumbled after a long silence, “Or anyone.”

“We know,” Qifrey reassured her.

“I– I hate when I get like this.” Her calloused fingers tightened against the ceramic, swallowing hard, “I try to suppress it usually, but today it just– Crept upon me! Everything was so loud, I feel like I’m gonna throw up, and when people ask if I’m okay, I feel like I want to cry for no reason–”

“That’s normal.” Agott interrupted, and Tetia looked up at her.

“It is?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t act like this.” She tilted her head, and Agott snorted softly.

“I absolutely do.” 

Tetia stared at her skeptically, “You’re always grumpy, though.”

“Exactly.” Agott quirked her hip to one side and smiled at Tetia with a roll of her eyes. And for the first time since morning, Tetia laughed properly, holding tightly to the cup so it wouldn’t spill. It was small and watery compared to her usual demeanor, but it made Qifrey feel the tension in the room loosen.

Agott set her cup down on the girl’s bedside table and sat in between the other apprentice and her master, bringing a knee up to her chest and laying her chin on it nonchalantly, “When my periods are bad,” she admitted reluctantly, “sometimes I get angry before I even know why.” She frowned at the floorboards, “And afterwards I feel stupid about it.”

Tetia’s expression softened with sympathy, “You’re not stupid.”

Agott looked at her and gave her a small smile, “Neither are you, then.”

The words landed softly on the girl hidden by blankets, eyes lowering again at her hands, “I just…” She hesitated for a moment, “It feels awful. Like all my feelings are… too big all of a sudden.”

Qifrey leaned backwards to get a better look at the girl, a knee now on top of the sheets, “Does it frighten you?”

Qifrey saw a few tears form at the corner of her eyes, “Yeah…” She whispered. “When I get angry, it feels real, but then it doesn’t anymore.”

Agott nodded, “Well, it is real. You aren't faking your anger, you're just more prone to it than usual.” That answer made Tetia look at her, blinking in surprise, “And usually being angry doesn’t mean you’re wrong. It just means you’re angry.”

“Sometimes.” Tetia corrected.

“Most of the time.” Agott joked, and a smile tugged at the edges of Tetia’s lips, “The problem is that when you’re already tired and hurting, it’s harder to figure out what deserves that anger and what doesn’t.”

Tetia considered that quietly, the tension in her shoulders loosening little by little during the conversation.

“I still shouldn’t have yelled at Coco.”

“No.” Agott agreed, and Tetia looked up in surprise.

“No?”

“No, you shouldn’t have.” Qifrey watched the hurt return to the other girl’s face before Agott continued, “But that doesn’t make you a bad person.”

Brown eyes widened slightly, a soft ‘oh’ escaping her lips.

“You’re allowed to have bad days, everybody does.”

“Even you?”

Agott looked deeply offended for a moment before a smile crept up her features, “Especially me.”

That earned a loud laughter from the girl, blanket fully slipping down from her head, skin creasing around the edges of her eyes, and her signature twin dimples appearing. Agott and Qifrey visibly relaxed at the same time.

Qifrey reached his hand towards his student, brushing a long curl from her face, and smiled, “There’s our Tetia.”

At that, she closed her mouth and hid her face behind the cup, but Qifrey could see a flush creeping up her cheeks in embarrassment. “Stop that.”

“I’ll try.” He replied, a small laugh escaping his lips.

“You won’t, Master Qifrey.” 

“You are correct.” 

For the first time all day, Tetia’s groan sounded entirely normal.

They stayed in the room, Qifrey watching as the two girls drank their tea and talked about things of no particular importance, not even seeming to still remember his presence from how ingrained they were in it.

When both cups are set down and empty, he gets up from his spot, taking both in his hands, “I will take these downstairs.”

Agott gets up as well, “And– I need to get my materials ready for morning lessons.” She looks at Tetia, “You coming?”

Tetia considered the question for a moment, “I will, I still need to apologize to Coco after all, but I think… I still need some time alone.”

“That’s alright.” Qifrey reassured her, “Come downstairs whenever you’re ready.”

That earned him a soft smile.

Agott opened the door for him, and both witches were halfway out before Tetia looked up in their direction, “Wait!” They looked at her, “Thank you.”

Qifrey nodded his head while Agott shot her a smile before replying, “Thank you for your thanks.” 

The girl was still smiling as the door closed behind them.

iii.

“Master Olly?”

Olruggio looks up from the letter he was penning to one of his clients at Coco’s worried voice, meeting her gaze at his door. 

It’s still fairly early, he usually wasn’t up at this time because of his hectic schedule, but with Qifrey gone to the Great Hall for a few days, he made an effort to try to be awake at the times the girls were up in case they needed anything. Seems he was right.

“What is it, Coco?”

“It– It’s Agott.” The girl looks down at her feet, and Olruggio’s eyes widen, “I haven’t seen her all morning, not even at breakfast. And she isn’t answering to me knocking on her door. I– I’m worried something happened to her, she also didn’t look good last night. I was wondering if you could…”

Setting his pen aside, he quickly gets up and walks towards the girl, “I’ll go check on her, Coco. Thank you for telling me.”

The girl nods, her smile shaky as she keeps fidgeting with the ends of her apprentice dress.

He didn’t know what to expect. Maybe Agott was mad at Coco for something the other girl didn’t know? He remembers becoming very much used to sudden cold shoulders from Qifrey when they were their age.

He makes a quick walk towards their bedroom, opening the door delicately, “Agott?” 

Silence. He looked over to the girl’s desk. It didn’t look like it had been touched since last night. Agott wasn’t one to just miss lessons, even if she sometimes preferred to do them on her own.

He made a quick way down towards the stairs, facing the girl’s bedroom door. He tapped loudly on the wood with his fist, “Agott? Are you okay?”

He heard some rustling inside before a loud, pained grunt was made. Olruggio felt his blood run cold. Like clockwork, he quickly opened the door, thanking the stars she hadn’t locked it, or else he would need to go back to his workshop to find something to break it open.

“Agott!” He looked around. The curtains that covered the bedroom windows were pulled closer, and seals that blocked all light had been drawn, plunging the room into complete darkness. The only light was now coming from the door, which had been thrown open.

“Ow!” The girl’s voice was hoarse and painful, and Olruggio made a quick walk towards her bed, kneeling at her height.

“Agott! Are you okay?” 

The girl was pulling the covers up to her face, so he couldn’t assess if she physically looked ill or something similar.

“I will be. Just close the door, please–” 

A bit lost, he did what she asked, and the action made him notice that the same light-blocking seals had been put on the door, as the room became completely dark again. He heard her let out a relieved sigh.

“Thank you.” She said weakly as Olly approached the bed again. He couldn’t see her now, but he did his best to return to his position near the bed.

“Kiddo, are you feeling okay?” He did his best to find and put the back of his hand to her forehead. It didn’t feel warmer, so she probably didn’t have a fever. “When did you have time to set all these seals up?”

“Just–” She sighed, a bit pained, “My head is killing me. I started feeling it last night before bed, and I knew it was coming. So I put them up so it wouldn’t worsen by the light in the morning.”

“What are you feeling?”

“Just– The side of my head feels like it's being crushed by a rock every few seconds. If I start thinking too much, it gets worse. If someone speaks too loudly, it gets worse. If I’m not in the dark, it gets worse.”

Olruggio made a pained expression at her words, running his fingers delicately through her hair. The symptoms she described reminded him of what Sinocia called migraines. He had gotten them rarely, especially after he went through hard periods of not taking care of himself. He felt bad that Agott was going through that so young.

 “It’s good you were prepared.”

“Well, it’s not like it’s the first time.” She admits, and he stills.

“You’ve had those before?” 

“Uh, yes. Every month, basically. But it’s never been this bad before. I’ll usually just try to ignore them while I study, it’s normal.” 

Olruggio felt like he was just hit upside his head. How could he just not have seen it? It’s his job as a Watchful Eye to look after the apprentices’ health, and here is Agott, saying she has had migraines every month and he had no idea–

“I’m taking you to Kahln.” He says it, trying to calm his voice.

“What?!”

“Normal?” He replied, bewildered, “This isn’t normal, Agott. What do you mean you go through this every month? I’m getting a doctor to check on you.” He was pulling the covers off her, desperate to get her out of bed and through the windowway as quickly as he could–

She gripped his wrist hard, “Master Olruggio, just stop and listen to me!” 

He does, his vision by now has more or less adapted to the darkness, being able to make out the silhouette of the girl in front of him. He swears he can see an annoyed expression on her face.

“I have them every month because of my period, Master.” She explains, and Olruggio halts once again.

“Oh.”

“‘Oh.’” She mockingly mimics him, making her voice sound deeper on purpose, “Honestly, I am fine. It will be gone by the afternoon. I just need rest.” 

Olruggio stared at her for a bit of time before regaining his composure, “A-Alright. Do you want anything? Water? Tea?”

The girl stayed silent for a few moments before answering him in a quiet voice, “Water works. I should try to keep hydrated.”

He nods, gets up from his knees, and reaches for the door. He sees her cover her face with the blanket in preparation for the harsh light before he finally does, breaking the seal and letting the sun in. 

Despite his efforts to make it painless, he still heard a groan from under the covers as he closed the door and made his way out of the bedroom.

Olruggio walks into the kitchen with hurried steps, looking frantically for the vapor bubble, not in its usual place by the window.

A couple of steps from behind make him look in their direction, finding Coco at the entrance of the kitchen.

“Master Olly! Is Agott okay?” 

He smiles at her, trying to reassure her, “Yes, kiddo. She’s fine, just having a migraine. She asked me to bring her some water. Do you happen to know where the vapor bubble is?”

The girl nodded, walking into the kitchen and immediately pulling a drawer open and taking the pair of golden trays into her hands, “Here!”

“Ah, thank you.” Coco nods, grabbing a cup from the nearby sink and offering it to him as well, “You’re too kind, Coco.”

“No worries! Do you think Agott would mind if I brewed some marktea for her? She usually drinks erbe tea when she has those in her period.” Coco scrunches her eyebrows in thought, a pout on her lips.

Olly looked at the girl, a bit surprised, and as usual, he found himself shocked at how sharp and intelligent Coco was. Not a word about Agott menstruating, but somehow, she had guessed by a pattern that Olruggio didn’t know it existed until just a clockmark earlier. 

He chuckled proudly down at her.

“I think she’d be delighted.” He ruffles the top of her hair, earning a soft laugh from the teen, “I’ll tell her you’ll bring her some, alright?”

“Alright!” She nods, already heading towards where they keep their tea slips. He can’t help but smile while walking back to the sick teenager’s room.

He gives the door a light knock before slowly opening it, finding the girl back under the covers, holding one of her plushies close to her chest, face shoved into it.

“Hey… Got your water.” He says as quietly as he can, closing the door behind him with his foot and walking towards the bedside table.

He sets the glass of water down and unlocks the contraption, allowing the moisture to gather in it and slowly tipping it to fill the glass, thankful for the faint blue glow the seal was emitting, so he wouldn’t just spill it everywhere in the dark.

“Thank you, Master Olruggio,” Agott says, sitting up and taking the cup into her hands, drinking it slowly.

“I’ll leave the vapor bubble here. Make sure to keep drinking until you feel better, alright?” He says, and Agott nods, still with the glass in her hands.

He stares at her for a bit, the guilt that tells him he should be able to do more to make the pain the girl feels go away still creeping up at the corner of his mind. Finally, she looks at him, confused, with facial features lit by the weak spell light. 

She tilts her head at him, “Is there anything more you need, Master?”

Embarrassed by his awkwardness and inability to help her more efficiently, he stammers something, looking around, and before he can think twice, he kisses her forehead.

Agott lets out a surprised sound, face red, and Olly feels like he’s looking into a mirror of a younger self who was confused by any sort of surprised affection from his Great Hall master.

“Uhm– Sleep well!” He says awkwardly, heading for the door and pulling it open the least he can. He looks back at the girl, whose face is a little less red as she pours herself more water, and he remembers, “Oh, almost forgot.”

“What is it?” She refuses to make eye contact with him, downing a bit more water.

“You like erbe tea for your migraines, right?” 

“Yes… Who told you that?” An eyebrow shoots up in curiosity.

“Oh, Coco did. She was the one who told me to come see you. She was really worried because you weren’t answering her and you didn't come for breakfast.”

Olruggio watches as Agott’s eyes widen and color blooms into her face harder than before, “S-She was?”

He nods, “She’s making you some marktea and she’s gonna bring it. Don’t forget to thank her, too.”

Still refusing to look in his direction, she nods frantically, murmuring something akin to a ‘sure, whatever, she can do what she wants’ under her breath. Olruggio lets out a silent laugh at her reaction, a feeling of deja vu of his younger days washing over his mind. 

“Take care, kiddo,” He says, closing the door and locking the light outside. 

He lets out a big sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He and Qifrey really need to start learning some stuff about what those girls need.

iv.

They are at the Great Hall visiting Beldaruit for a few days when it happens.

Qifrey's former Master had given them rooms in his private side of the hall. None of the girls had any complaints, especially not Richeh, who was absolutely ecstatic about spending time with her brother.

For Qifrey, it felt weird coming back to this tower after so long apart. It felt weird not sleeping in the room that used to be his, now used by Riliphin, of course.

But the girls seemed to enjoy the slight luxuries the tower of the wise of teachings had to offer, so he didn't want to ruin their fun.

Qifrey is watching from the sidelines with Olruggio as the girls watch closely. Beldaruit performs one of his many impressive and flashy spells in the Argentgard. He had, every day they've been on this trip, personally come out of his room to see them, his smoke sculptures only being seen when their atelier’s company was disturbed by a third party. 

Riliphin occasionally interrupts, advising the girls as they try to dissect the spell being shown to them. Qifrey could recognize the hidden power he held, a boy almost done with his witch training, although a bit older than most people would think when it comes to an almost graduated witch. Qifrey guessed his years under his former master and his attachment to the Wise had held back other than his peers.

Regardless, Qifrey could see a fine teacher brewing inside the boy, which made sense considering his current master.

Which was why he was surprised when he noticed Coco’s mind starting to drift off during the lesson. It wasn't as obvious at first, but as Coco's face became a bit more pained and she had missed her name being called more than a few times, Qifrey got a queasy feeling in his stomach.

He whispered to Olruggio about it, who replied that he had noticed too, alongside Coco's gripping of her stomach, something Qifrey himself hadn't noticed. His friend was truly observant when it came to their girls.

Quietly, Qifrey fidgeted with his hands, trying to remember if they had anything different for breakfast or lunch at the hall, maybe something that could've upset Coco’s health. But nothing of note came to mind.

His worries subsided a few clock marks later, when Color returned to Coco's face along with her usual glimmer when it came to magic. He sighed in relief, glad that whatever had been bothering the young teenager, it seemed to disappear.

The rest of the afternoon seemed to go by normally, the girls being dismissed by Beldaruit with a smile and congratulations. They had almost all settled in for the night when a small knock on the two-bed bedroom he and Olruggio had been sharing echoed inside. Qifrey looked up from the book he was reading in bed and walked towards it.

He opened and was greeted by Richeh, an unlikely nervousness clear on her face.

“Richeh?” He greets her, “Do you need help with anything?”

She shakes her head quickly, “Not me. It's Coco!”

Qifrey's blood turns ice cold.

He follows Richeh to the bedroom down the hall, opening the door harshly and scanning the room for his apprentice. It's hard not to notice, not with Agott and Tetia also standing near her, Tetia's eyes filled with tears while Agott rubs comforting circles into Coco's back with one hand and runs her fingers through green strands in a calming motion with the other.

Coco is curled in bed, knees drawn to her chest tightly, her expression is one of pure pain, her bottom lip so red from biting it it's almost bleeding. 

“Coco!” He approaches the bed. Now standing closer, he can see the sweat on her forehead and how pale she looks, “What is going on?”

“We– We don't know!” Tetia said, gripping tightly to her sleepwear.

“We were getting ready for bed, and before we knew it, Coco was curled like this in her bed.” Agott's voice sounds mostly firm, but Qifrey notices her shoulders shaking along with her grip on Coco's hand, “She won't answer us either. I think the pain is just too much.” 

Qifrey looked a bit lost for a moment before determination settled in his veins, grabbing Coco's trembling form into his arms, the sense of deja Vu from years ago making his head hurt.

“I'll take her to the medical spire, they'll be able to help her there.” He says, “One of you girls, go ahead and tell Olly to go there in about an hour. The other two, please come with me!”

Richeh took the mantle of the former request, the sleepiness washed away from her body as she dashed outside the room and into the hallway.

“Everything will be okay.” He whispers to the girl in his arms, who seems to be barely conscious through the pain.

He and his apprentices walk in the opposite direction that Richeh went to, knowing the windowway with a direct connection to the spire was just a couple of stairs away. The connection was handy since Beldaruit could need emergency care due to his disability and age, and as a kid, it helped Qifrey more than once get to his usual health appointments.

He thanked the stars for it because he wasn't sure how much longer he could carry her. He used to carry his apprentices on his arms a lot, but as they grew older, he knew it was getting impossible, and it would also most likely embarrass them. He sure remembered being embarrassed when Beldaruit asked for Qifrey to come with him in his seal chair as he reached his teen years.

Agott and Tetia quickly made work, activating the window to open into the spire, the circle revealing the entrance hall of the spire, deserted. He looked at both of them with a tired smile, “Thank you, girls.” He had one leg on the other side when he felt Agott climb it, and he turned to her, “Please, stay here.”

“What?! Why?! Coco needs us!” She says, through gritted teeth, and Tetia nods in agreement, determination on her face.

“She needs medical attention. I promise to go fetch you three as soon as the medics say she's all good.”

Agott pouts but retreats her leg back, gripping the ends of her sleep shirt, “Please, be okay, Coco.” She whispers while Tetia rubs her shoulders calmly.

Qifrey gives them what he hopes is a reassuring smile before turning himself fully in, the windowway closing behind him when no one else steps through further.

It didn't take more than a few seconds for the contraption’s sound to draw the attention of someone working.

“Is that Sir Beldaruit–” He heard a sweet voice come around the corner and gasp as she saw the view. He recognized the doctor almost immediately.

Sinocia ran towards him, her long braids trailing behind her, “Mister Qifrey! What happened?”

“I– I don't know! My apprentices say she suddenly collapsed in pain. She seems to be barely conscious.” 

“Oh my stars– Ermile!” She called, and the tall woman ran around the corner, eyes widening as she took the situation in before nodding at her coworker and approaching Qifrey.

Coco seemed to weigh almost nothing in her arms, turning on her heel and facing the other doctor, “I'll put her in a room, you go get the medical supplies.”

Sinocia nodded, determination in her eyes, turning to Qifrey, “Please, follow Ermile to the room Coco will be staying.”

He nodded, trailing behind the blonde woman up the stairs and into the area of the rooms, stopping at one that didn't have any sign hanging on the door handle. 

Ermile lay Coco in the bed, a focused look on her face as she put two fingers on the side of Coco's neck. Qifrey averted his eyes after it, following the Pact Orders. 

Sinocia eventually comes in, her arms full of medical supplies and ready to work.

“She doesn't seem to be in immediate danger.” The blonde says after long minutes of silent work in between them.

Qifrey is bewildered at that, “What? But she– I've never seen anything like this, not even when she collapsed from exhaustion years ago.”

Sinocia and Ermile shared a look but decided to focus on the girl in the bed.

“We will administer medication to subdue the pain. Once Coco is the least bit conscious and strong enough to respond, we'll be able to assess if our suspicions are correct.” Sinocia explained, taking gloves and a syringe from the supplies.

Qifrey averted his eyes again, only looking back in their direction when he heard the sound of supplies being discarded.

He approached the bed, pushing sweat-coated green bangs off her forehead.

Ermile and Sinocia stood by the bed a bit. “We'll be taking care of other patients, but when Coco wakes up or if she somehow seems to worsen,” the shorter doctor pointed to the bell hanging by the bedpost right next to him, “Ring the bell, and we'll come as soon as we can.”

“Thank you, Ms. Sinocia and Ms. Ermile.” They only nodded before stepping away from the room, closing the door with a soft click, heels fading into the hallway soon after.

Qifrey breathed out a big sigh, sitting in bed beside his student’s trembling form, hand stroking Coco's back gently. He whispered soft words such as ‘you’re okay’ and ‘you’ll feel a lot better soon’. Coco most likely couldn't hear him or understand his words, but it selfishly made the anxiety in his stomach subside.

A few minutes later, he noticed that her shoulders had stopped shaking, her breathing seemed to come in much calmer pants, and color slowly came back to her face.

“Coco?” He whispered gently, “Coco, can you hear me?”

The girl stirred at the voices for the first time since he found her curled up, turning her head in his direction, one eye opening slowly as the other was smushed against the pillow.

“Master…?” She said after a few confused blinks, golden eyes lacking their shine.

“Oh, thank goodness.” He cradled her hand gently in both of his, “I was deathly worried about you.”

“Are we… at the medical spire?”

“Yes, dear. What do you remember?”

“I remember– getting into bed, thinking about the spells Sir Beldaruit showed us and suddenly feeling lightheaded, a pressure in my lower stomach growing fast–” she rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand, “I remember hearing words, but they're all muffled and messy… I think I remember someone touching my hair? And then getting picked up?”

“The hair was probably Agott. She was trying to calm you when I came to.” 

Coco scrunched her brows together for a moment, like she was slowly putting the pieces together, before they shot up, and Qifrey saw a bit of a blush fade into her cheeks, coloring her sickly features.

“Oh.” 

“And the lifting was most likely me carrying from the bedroom to the spire.”

“Ah, thank you, Master.” 

Qifrey smiled at her despite the back pain he was starting to feel from carrying her. Maybe he should invest some time in getting a bit stronger in case this happens again.

“It's nothing, Coco, I couldn't just let you stay like that.” He hates thinking of how her face looked back then, “Now, I think Ms. Sinocia is going to ask you a few questions about how you're feeling. Are you up to that?”

Coco bites her lip, silent for a while before nodding. Qifrey let one of his hands go, and he reached for the bell, ringing it not too urgently, in case they think Coco’s situation has gone worse.

True to her words, Sinocia steps through the door a few minutes later, a small wooden bowl in her hands, a rag hanging on her shoulder, and a bright smile on her face. Qifrey gets up from the bed to give Coco space, sitting on the armchair by it, his eye not leaving Coco.

“Coco, glad to hear you're feeling better.”

Coco returns the expression as best as she can, turning in bed to sit up, but Sinocia raises her hand.

“No need for that, just stay as comfortable as you can.” 

She set the bowl on the bedside table, and Qifrey noticed it was filled with water, light steam coming from it. Sinocia put the rag that was on her shoulder on the water before stringing out to the excess and turning to Coco. She pulled the covers off Coco's body and looked at her, “I'm gonna put a warm cloth on your abdomen, okay? It's gonna help you feel better in case the pain decides to return.”

Coco nods and raises her sleep shirt just high enough, and Sinocia covers it entirely. Her expression jerks a little in apprehension at the heated item, but relaxes almost immediately as the cloth is laid on it. Sinocia smiles at the positive reaction and pulls off the covers a bit more, her eyes looking for something. Qifrey, eyes still trained on his apprentice, doesn't notice anything, but apparently the doctor does, bringing the covers up with a satisfied smile.

“Coco, when did you last have your period?” 

The question takes Qifrey off guard, fingers accidentally gripping the cloth under them before he lets go.

“Uh… About four weeks ago.” Coco answers before realization dawns on her face, “I get it.”

“You're a smart girl, Coco!” The doctor compliments her, and Qifrey feels extremely lost.

“Sorry– What is happening?” 

Both of them look at him, the brown-haired woman speaking first, “Coco is most likely having period cramps. They're not supposed to be this debilitating, but the way she was clutching her lower abdomen when Ermile and I examined her made us think so. And then I saw a blood stain on the bed sheets just now.”

Coco gasps, her face getting red, “I'm so so sorry!” She apologizes, covering her face in shame.

“It's alright, Coco, this is a hospital after all. Blood seeps through these sheets just as much as we have patients.”

Qifrey stood almost still. He had dealt with his students having cramps before, but they'd never needed medical attention. It made him feel scared for his student's health.

“You said… they're not supposed to be this debilitating, correct?” He fidgets with his fingers, and Sinocia nods, “But is it a common thing?” 

“It depends. It can be a one-time only thing, but if these pains continue at this level, it should be investigated by a doctor, since it can be symptoms of something wrong with the body.” She turns to the bedside table, organizing the supplies from earlier as she continues.

“There is a condition that makes cramps unbearable, even outside the part of the cycle that they're supposed to be most common, but it is usually observed in older menstruating people, not someone in the early years like Coco…” Sinocia stops her rambling and looks at them, “Ah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be worrying you two. If Coco isn't feeling anything out of the ordinary, please do not fret about it!”

“Coco?” Qifrey encourages her, his voice small.

“I… I haven't felt pain like this before, no. Yeah, cramps are a bit common, especially right before my period starts, but usually I can do most of my tasks.”

“Then I don’t believe you have anything to worry about. Now…” She gathers the supplies into her arms, “I’m going to ask you to stay overnight at the spire, just in case we need to administer pain killers again. The one we gave you should last for about four hours, hopefully by that you’re feeling better.” She heads for the door, still talking as she gains distance from both witches, “I’m gonna get some clean sheets, a change of clothes, and reusable pads for you, alright?”

Coco turned to her with a smile, “Thank you, Doctor Sinocia. You– You are really helpful!”

She giggled, “I guess I am! Must be hard for you girls to have only two adult men in your home.” She jokes, and Qifrey hides his face behind his hand in embarrassment. Having a professional point out his lack of knowledge made him want to melt into the crevices of the chair he was sitting on.

He was still recovering from it when the door opened, Ermile’s gruff voice traveling inside, followed by a way more familiar voice that made him perk up.

“Coco!” Olruggio sprinted towards the bed, and Qifrey saw his friend’s hands tremble, “Are you okay? When Richeh told me about it, I was so worried–”

“I’m okay now, Master Olly. Sinocia and Ermile helped me.” 

Qifrey saw his friend release a deep breath, “Oh, thank the stars.” 

“Are you sure you’re not the one who needs a doctor, Master?” Coco says with a teasing smile, “You’re really pale.”

“Why– Of course I am! When Richeh told me he,” Olly pointed an accusatory finger at Qifrey, “said I should only come in a whole hour, I think I saw black for a moment–”

“That’s not good, Mr. Olruggio!”

Sinocia’s voice made all of them jump, her face scrunched in an almost angry expression as she walked forward with heavy steps, a bundle of clean sheets in her arms. Qifrey saw his friend sweat.

“H-Hello Ms. Si–”

“Are you following the recommendations I gave you?” Apparently, Olruggio’s refusal to meet her eyes was enough, and she sighed, almost shoving her index finger in his face, ”Frankly, I don’t have the slightest idea of how you’re still standing. We’ve been doing this for over ten years now, sir.”

Qifrey smiles behind his hand, remembering the times when Sinocia was an apprentice of healing practices in the spire, when the three of them were teenagers, and how most of the time, it was her master who took care of Olruggio’s burns from his spells. Safe to say that when they retired from the medical field, Sinocia had learned a lot about treating burned skin.

“Is he at least eating better, Mr. Qifrey?”

“Uhm…” He met Olly’s gaze, who silently pleaded to him, “Sure? I mean–”

“For goodness’ sake…” She shook her head, “Never mind that, we will discuss that at a later time.” She turned to Coco, her serious doctor expression softening at the sight of the girl, taking a small bundle of cloth from the pile and giving Coco, “Go change, the bathroom is just two doors to the left.”

Coco nodded, throwing the covers and the wet rag from earlier off her body and going outside as Sinocia swiftly pulled the covers off, the magic embedded in their wooden frame making it easily snap off.

“Thankfully, it didn’t seep into the mattress,” she muttered under her breath, throwing the discarded sheets into the ground and throwing clean ones into the mattress, their ends snapping cleanly into shape, thanks again to the seal. Qifrey had always had curiosity about what those spells looked like.

Coco returned a few minutes later, her usual sleepwear folded in her arms, as she wore one that almost matched the dresses Sinocia and Ermile wore, but much more loose and comfortable. Sinocia had already left, giving Orluggio a stern look that made the man cower.

“There you are, Coco. You should try to get some sleep.” Qifrey said, patting the clean bed. Coco nodded, sitting on the covers, her face deep in thought.

“So, what was Coco’s problem?” Olruggio asks, “It sounded really bad by what the girls said, but she seems to be fine now.”

“Ermile and Sinocia administered painkillers to her. Sinocia believes it was period cramps.” Qifrey explained.

“That extreme?! Even the other girls were worried!” 

“Yes, she said that although cramps that severe can occur, it isn’t a cause for concern if they don’t become something regular.”

“Ms. Ermile actually found me outside, she said she can tell me some ways to deal with cramps in case I or the others need.”

Qifrey almost lets out a sigh of relief at it, “That’s very nice of her. If she does, remember to thank her.”

Coco nods, lips still pressed into a thin line and brows drawn together, “Is something wrong, Coco?” If the painkiller is already losing effect–

“No! Well– Not physically at least. Just… Thinking.” 

“And what are you thinking so hard about?” Olly asked, making Coco sigh as she fidgeted with the sleeves of the dress.

“Master Qifrey, Master Olly…” Coco said, her voice small like she’s scared someone other than the two men will hear it, “Is– Is it not forbidden for Witches to learn any medical knowledge? Should– Should I really accept it?”

Qifrey and Olruggio exchanged looks, and he knew that his friend was as uncertain as he was in that moment and about the same thing.

“I…–” Qifrey started but paused, measuring his words carefully. He didn’t want Coco to dabble in forbidden parts of the pact, but he didn’t want her to not know how to make her and the other girls feel better, especially since he and Olruggio had no experience on the subject.

He tried to carefully measure the weight of the two decisions, but deep down, he knew his choice was clear and obvious: He would always choose his apprentice’s comfort and health over any stupid pact from centuries ago. Olruggio seemed to reach the same conclusion, for he doesn’t stop Qifrey’s next words.

“I’m not going to stop you from accepting it, Coco. It feels wholly unfair that the four of you suffer because Olruggio and I do not know how to help you.”

“I–” She bit her lip, eyes darting away to her hands, still messing with the cotton fabric.

“As Qifrey said, it’s your call to accept it or not.” Olruggio starts, “But if you want to talk to other girls in the morning, so you make a decision, that’s also fine.”

“Y-Yeah. I– I think I’ll do that.” Her hands stop their movements, raising her head to give them a soft smile, “Thank you.” 

Qifrey pushes long strands of her hair off her face to behind her ear, “It’s no issue, Coco. We’ll bring the girls to you first thing in the morning.” 

“They’re very worried about you. It would be good for them to see you well rested.” Olly added, the subtle advice hitting Coco, who nodded rapidly as she lay down, bringing the covers to her chest.

“Now…” Qifrey stands up, smoothing his skirt with his hands, “Do you want one of us to stay?”

“No need. I’m fine.” She pulls the covers up, “You two are just a windowway away, it’s alright. Plus, I trust Sinocia and Ermile to take care of me while you two rest.”

Qifrey felt a painful pang in his chest, a mix of pride at seeing Coco growing up and apprehension at how fast his time with their apprentices was going by. Regardless, he conjured a smile.

“Ring the bell if you need anything from them, alright?” Coco nodded, and Qifrey motioned with his head at Olruggio, who tilted his head faintly towards the door of the room. They waved her goodnight before closing the door behind them.

And like a switch was flipped, both groaned in unison, bodies sagging as the taut strings' tension had been holding over them snapped clean.

“I need a drink.” Olruggio says, rubbing his face in exasperation, “This trip was supposed to be a chance for both of us to step back a bit and let Beldaruit teach them. How are we still stressed?”

Qifrey lightly laughed, eye closing, “Having students is truly a box of surprises.”

“They’re your students, why am I getting wrapped up in this?” Olly said, but the smile on his face betrayed his words, telling Qifrey there was nothing but humor in them. 

“Please, Olly, it’s been years since you’ve stopped correcting them when they call you Master. And you’ve called yourself it more times than I can count.”

The man beside him smiled up at him, eyes darting to the sides, “I guess…” He shoved one of his hands in his skirt pockets, the other characteristically rubbing at the back of his neck. He stayed in silence for a bit before his dark blue gaze met Qifrey’s icy blue, “Hey, do you want–”

“If you two don’t have any more business, I need to ask you to leave so you don’t disturb other patients.”

Both men jumped at the sudden voice, turning behind and finding Sinocia staring at them with a polite smile, and Ermile with her arms crossed, standing behind her with a strict face. 

For Qifrey, they were both scary in their own ways, Ermile being the tallest and possibly physically strongest person Qifrey has known in his life, and Sinocia’s way of leading a room into obeying her orders with just a polite request and a smile that made you fear the consequences of challenging her.

Qifrey gulped, turning to Olruggio, almost grabbing at his cloak and pulling him, “Let’s– Let’s go, Olly.”

“Yeah. Yeah, yeah.” He nodded frantically. They sprinted towards the staircase, not daring to look back.

They stayed in silence as they arranged the combination in the portal back to Beldaruit’s tower, the windowway opening to the dark room and closing behind them. Both men turned to each other, with tired smiles, Qifrey about to ask what Olly was about to say before they were interrupted–

It was only when he heard the loud steps of three pairs of steps coming towards them, loud talking amidst them, that Qifrey realized they hadn’t asked the spire staff if they could bring three very worried teenagers the next morning.

v.

The Atelier’s living room had been lost, there was no other word for it. 

Qifrey stared with a smile from the doorway of the staircase into what used to be the perfectly common space and was now just a mess of blankets, pillows from four individual bedrooms, plushies, and the quilts that were kept in the storage for winter.

In the middle of it all, the creators of said comfortable and warm pile. Richeh was lying down on the couch, a heavy blanket on top of her chest and legs, absentmindedly scratching the Brushbuddy curled in her lap, a small bowl of fruit sliced in various fun shapes lay by a stool near her. Agott had her back against the couch itself, reading a book in silence, one of her many plushies snuggled at her side. Coco had her head resting in Agott’s splayed legs, both girls sharing a single blanket somehow. Tetia was stomach down close to Coco, holding her favorite and personal blanket close, curls loose from her typical pigtails, as both girls chatted about something Qifrey couldn’t make it from so far.

Despite all their very different positions, they all had another thing in common. Qifrey could see peeking from under the blankets they shared the contraption he and Olruggio had spent days creating months ago: a heating water bag. It was simple, a mix of their specialities that made moving water inside a pack that stayed consistently and perfectly warm. 

It reminded Qifrey of Coco’s invention from years ago, from when he was admitted into the Great Hall spire, the ever-flowing icepack. It felt fitting that after so long, he had returned the favor in a more lasting way.

When Coco told him that warm water could help with cramps by relaxing the muscles, he and Olruggio had spent days alongside the girls to find the perfect mix of the gentle move of water and warmth for them. It turned out that all four preferred different combinations of movement and temperature, so they ended up with four small ones, each with their names and colors, so they wouldn’t get mixed when they weren’t needed.

Today was an unusual day for sure, all four of them seldom had their periods at the same time, but it did happen once in a while, and a few years ago, he would’ve feared and worried four times as much. Now, however, he knew enough to worry appropriately rather than catastrophically.

It was remarkable how much one could learn after being thoroughly educated by four determined girls. 

Rain tapped on the windows of their home, sliding against the roof as the final rays of sunlight, hidden behind the clouds, set on the horizon, bathing the place in a warm yet low glow.

He watched as Coco turned to Agott, asking something to the younger witch. They argued back and forth for a bit before Agott sighed and apparently started reading the novel she had in her hands out loud for the other three girls. 

He could guess by the occasional interruption or adjusting of their positions that the pain or discomfort they felt wasn’t fully gone. Qifrey had come to accept that. But they shared it with each other under mumbles and whispers, just like they shared their meals, worries, and victories, because some things became easier when somebody else understood, even if they were all figuring it out together.

Qifrey lingered in the doorway long enough for a familiar voice to speak from behind him.

"You know staring at people is impolite, right?”

He looked behind at his old friend coming up the staircase from the windowway room, cloak and hat on, back from his talk with his newest client. Qifrey smiled at him.

"I wasn't staring." He argued, no bite, his voice low so as not to invade the universe created by the girls who were just a few steps away.

"You absolutely were." Olruggio considerate as always, kept the same volume.

"I was observing, they’re my students.”

“Ah, yes. Observing and staring are two entirely different things.” He rolled his eyes and stopped by the doorway by his side, now also watching the girls alongside his best friend. Qifrey observed the handsome smile creeping up in his features as silence settled in between both men.

“Look who’s talking now.” Qifrey teased, and Olruggio jerked away, like he himself hadn’t noticed he had started doing the same thing Qifrey was. He sputtered a few sounds that Qifrey guessed were supposed to be words, but eventually relented, walking into the kitchen.

“Just– Help me get dinner to them.” He said, a flush on his cheeks as he pulled his cloak and hat off, which made Qifrey hide his smile behind his hand as he stepped into the room as well.

They worked in silence, putting the separate light meals and teas into their respective bowls and cups before bringing them to the girls, who stopped their chat to greet their teachers with warm smiles.

Qifrey approached Tetia with her favorite calming yet sweet tea in hand, while Olruggio offered Richeh the only bowl with different food from the others, replacing the now almost empty fruit plate on her side.

Richeh accepted it into her hands with a reverence that made it look like she was receiving a diplomatic gift.

“Thank you.” She whispered, and Olruggio smiled in acknowledgement.

Tetia accepted the cup from her master, sitting up to drink it, leaning back against the sofa, soft curls bouncing and brushing against Richeh's side, who pushed them away a bit.

He turned to Agott, who closed her novel and accepted the other cup Qifrey held, this one smelling a bit more bitter and in a more green tone.

“Thank you, Master.” 

Qifrey nodded, stepping back as he set down a bowl of the girls’ favorite honey biscuits just outside the pile. He watched as Olly ruffled Coco's hair, who laughed as she accepted the warm light sandwiches from him and the juice. She wasn't much of a tea person when on her period, much like Richeh.

Qifrey found himself truly smiling at the scene in front of him. He had always wondered when their Atelier had become not just a school of magic, but a home full of life and warmth. He had tried to pinpoint the exact moment, but it felt pointless, like it was not just one thing, but several things that happened over time and that had led to this.

Each of the girls had arrived one by one, carrying their own fears, their own loneliness, and their own uncertainties. Now they sprawled across the same blankets, stole each other's food, argued about teenage girl things, and supported one another through problems none of them had been prepared for, puberty being one of the many.

He had seen tears that appeared without warning, pain hidden behind forced smiles, the embarrassment, the frustration, and the fear. All of the scary uncertainty of growing up, of things he could never fully understand from personal experience.

Yet somehow, those thoughts that once made him scared of not being enough for his apprentices felt so much more distant than they ever had. 

Because he knew now, after years, that he and Olruggio didn't need to understand every feeling or emotion. What their apprentices needed was somewhere to feel safe, to let themselves feel frightened, angry, or overwhelmed, and still know they would be loved afterwards.

A sudden yawn interrupted his thoughts, Tetia creating a chain reaction between the four girls. The sight of four yawns made Qifrey smile behind his hand.

Slowly but surely, he and Olruggio retreated to the kitchen, preparing their own dinner that was much more different than the one the girls had shared.

Even though they were far enough away that the girls wouldn't be able to hear them if they spoke lowly, they didn't say much, something about being scared of breaking the sacred silence that came at the end of a long day. Qifrey asked him about his client meeting, Olruggio complaining about them in return as they shared a meal, but nothing much more substantial was said.

Qifrey kept his watch on the girls as he and Olly finished getting breakfast pre-made for the morning to come.

Richeh was the first to lose the battle to sleep, her hands that had been scratching the brushbuddy on her lap slowly stopping, along with her eyelids dropping, short blue strands splayed against the pillow, and Brushbuddy following her into dreamland almost immediately.

Coco was the second, settling against Agott’s side and using the shorter girl as a prop-up pillow, as she explained something to both the other girls who were still awake in a low but tired voice. Agott pulled the blanket they were sharing earlier around them, not taking her eyes off the book she had stopped reading out loud at some point. Eventually, Coco seemed to become way too comfortable at her best friend’s side, falling completely asleep with her head against her shoulder, turned and tucked into Agott’s neck, and holding onto her arm. Qifrey could almost make out a red flush from Agott’s neck to the tip of her ears in the warm light cast by the hearth.

Tetia lasted about five minutes more, Coco’s sleep ending the conversation the two were having and making the girl relax in the silence. When Qifrey looked at her again, she was clutching her blanket close to her chest, head resting on the top of the couch, right next to Richeh and Brushbuddy, the three of them somehow syncing up their breathing.

Qifrey could see the remaining witch fighting sleep, trying hard to keep reading her novel, but he could see how her eyes lingered on the pages longer and longer, how she eventually turned to the previous one, maybe looking for a detail her brain hadn’t absorbed in her tired state. A few minutes later, she was asleep as well, book still open in her lap and her head against Coco’s.

Qifrey and his best friend carefully approached them then, silently as they could to not disturb their impromptu sleepover. Agott stirred in her sleep, book slipping down her hands.

Olruggio caught it before it could thump loudly against the floor.

“Impressive.” Qifrey whispered, watching his friend carefully bookmark the page the girl had stopped and put it to the side.

“I’ve had practice.” Olruggio teased, and deep down, Qifrey knew he wasn’t just speaking about the quick catch.

The taller witch crouched beside Coco and Agott, adjusting the blanket around them. The green-haired witch stirred for a moment, and he watched as she unconsciously sought Agott’s hand beside her, finding her wrist before letting out a relaxed sigh into her friend’s embrace. 

The way Coco reached for the safety of her best friend made something stir within Qifrey.

Beside him, Olruggio killed the fire of the hearth, briefly setting the place in darkness except for the faint blue and gold shining from the heat packs the girls still held close. Quickly and under the cover of shadows, a light seal lamp was lit by his friend, replacing the orange glow from the fire with something much softer. Qifrey watched the lights dance in his friend’s face as he put it next to the girls so they wouldn’t wake up in complete darkness.

"Still feel like you're failing at this?" The fire witch asked quietly.

Qifrey tilted his head, "At what?"

Olruggio gestured vaguely toward the sleeping pile. "All of it."

It took a moment for Qifrey to remember what his friend was referencing. A night years ago, when Qifrey and Olly shared their fears of not being enough, not just at teaching. ‘I fear I’m bad at it. All of it’, he had answered his friend when the wine made his walls drop just enough for a shred of vulnerability.

All of it.

Teaching, parenting, growing up. The hundreds of challenges neither of them expected nor anticipated when four adorable, amazing, and remarkable girls entered their lives.

Qifrey looked back at the girls, at the blankets, at the half-finished cups of tea and juice, at the heating pads that had taken far too many attempts to perfect just for their girls, at the home they had built together without realizing when it had happened.

He smiled, small but one that didn’t come from his oh so many lies or deceits, one reserved for times like these.

“No.” He said with confidence.

Qifrey was sure there would be many more difficult days, more tears, more confusion, and more changes he and Olruggio wouldn’t be able to explain.

Puberty would pass eventually, and other challenges would come to take its place. That was just part of growing up, he had learned that personally. But the girls would not face those things alone, not while they had each other, not while they had a place to come home to. 

He looked at Olruggio, hands fidgeting as his friend observed the pile of apprentices with nothing but warmth, love, and care for them. As if the sky’s kindest and most radiant star could ever look different when exposing how brilliant it shone.

Qifrey looked away, taking a step back, the sudden sound in the quiet living room made Olly look at him with those same emotions. The rain outside kept hitting the windows and sliding against the roofing.

“We should let them sleep,” Qifrey whispered, and his friend nodded, getting up and walking towards him with a face Qifrey recognized.

“Do you want to share a bottle in my room?” 

Qifrey whispered a yes, smiling at him, letting his body indulge in it.

Quietly as they could, they walked towards the catwalk, giving the girls one last look just in case something had changed. It hadn’t, they kept their peace, their sleep, and their soft breathing. It was enough for the two men, who closed a door behind them, ready to end a long but successful day with each other’s company.

And wrapped in warmth, friendships old and new, and the quiet certainty of being cared for, their home settled peacefully into the night.