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Pen scratching on paper and ink splashing softly whenever the pen needed fuel were the only noises Agott heard as she studied spells before bed once more in an attempt to regain the routine she held onto for so long.
Before she knows it, they’ll be preparing to take on the Tower of Tomes, and despite Agott improving as a person over time—especially during the Silver Eve Festival—her skills as a witch would not yet be seen as worthy enough to the family she’s been forced out of. (Because despite rediscovering the magic she loves to do, her blood family will not love it nearly as much as she does.)
So even though she did not want to become anything like Master Olruggio, she used as much of the silence the night gave as she could to practice.
Even if her head is unable to focus on spells, despite how much Agott just wants to be able to focus.
No, her mind is full of her roommate. Coco, the girl who forgave her when she didn’t at all deserve such kindness, the girl behind her rediscovery and acceptance for the magic she truly enjoys when away from judging eyes, and the girl who unknowingly challenged her views on many topics, leading to the rebirth of a much better version of Agott.
It was frustrating to have her head so full, to say the least, but it was to no fault of the girl in question. All she did was exist, smile, encourage, show determination, even cry and express worry.. goodness, focus, focus, Agott!
Or as Coco might say, Agotta focus!
No, no, no, stop thinking about Coco, now’s the time to study. In fact, Tetia started with the puns after taking inspiration from Richeh, so really, it’s all of the girls who would say that..! Agh, what does it matter when the third exam could be on the schedule any day now?!
With new determination, Agott took a better hold on her pen and dipped it in ink again. She circled the paper a few times in the air like always, feeling the air shift as the movements her wrist make become smoother and more automatic by the circle, then she brought her hand slowly closer to the paper, still keeping her hand active in the air, and she placed it fully on the paper to create a perfect circle.
At least, that’s how it would’ve gone if she wasn’t interrupted by a soft crash upstairs on Coco’s side of the room.
And if it didn’t cause Agott to jump up from the floor in worry, they’d live in a world where it’s opposites day every day. The concern is reasonable, isn’t it? Danger always came to Coco, even if all she was doing was sleeping, Agott had no doubt the brimhats or whoever she made an enemy of would come find her at a time where every atelier resident is asleep.
With palm squire and pen in hand, Agott made her way up the stairs to Coco’s room, her pace quick but light so she wouldn’t be heard. Then a thought entered her mind: what if nothing happened? If Agott was worrying like this for no reason, and Coco was just.. exercizing? Though.. Agott doubted Coco was in her room jumping up and down when she didn’t know if Agott was asleep or not, Coco would be more likely to do that during the day when she was sure nobody would be woken up.
As it turned out, neither reasons ended up being true: Coco was in her room alone, no dangerous person or item, but she wasn’t awake doing jumping jacks. Instead, she lie next to her bed shaking, her blanket half on her bed, half off, and her leg sticking out of it.
Agott now panicked for entirely different reasons. What if Coco hurt herself when she fell out of bed? If that’s even what happened—no, that’s obviously the case. With the amount of shaking, it looks like she’s having a nightmare.
What to do, what to do? Wake her up, Agott. Yes, that could work. Check for injuries after she’s awake and properly conscious.
“Coco.” Agott called, crouching down to Coco’s level. Her palm squire and pen quickly discarded in order to softly shake Coco awake.
The girl squirmed and turned, Agott could only sit on the floor next to her roommate’s side, watching her wriggle herself into the blanket more and more until she shows even a single sign of waking.
“Mmm.. mom….” Coco whimpered, and Agott realized she had slowly begun crying in her despairful slumber. She could feel her heart sink to her stomach as the ever so cheerful girl lied here crying and calling for her mom.
And how terrible it makes Agott feel that she used the very person against her so many times when she didn’t even know what kind of person Coco was. However, Agott knew when it was appropriate to regret, and now was not one of those times. Not when Coco needed help.
“Coco..! Wake up!” She called, once again reaching out to softly shake Coco, before being interrupted by her turning around and facing Agott with an expression so alike to guilt and fear in one.
“A-Agott…” Breathed Coco, who took Agott’s hand and slowly sat up after composing herself, letting the worried girl’s hand go to instead lift her hand to feel her wet cheeks. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry if I woke you up or worried you… I must’ve fallen out of bed.”
Agott frowned. “I was still awake studying, don’t worry about me. Are you okay? Hurt?” She asked, letting the concern speak for her. The Agott of a few months ago really wouldn’t be so worried for Coco, would she? It couldn’t be helped, the same way it couldn’t be helped that Coco had taken over every thought she ever had and will have in the predictable future.
“I’m fine! Just.. um, maybe a little sore..” Coco said while looking around. Agott followed her gaze to see the snugstone Master Olruggio had made for all of them on her bed instead of under it. Was it not warm enough under the bed? Did it help less with constant use? If it was the warmth Coco needed to sleep free from horror, maybe Agott could try adjusting the snugstone’s warmth? Though that’d be difficult to do in an extremely short period of time..
Before Agott could think of bringing the snugstone into conversation, Coco cast her gaze down to the blanket and gripped it, but not hard enough for her knuckles to turn white.
“Master Qifrey put a snow repelling spell on my old home to stave off the new wave of cold air, but..” Coco started, squinting her eyes slightly as she recollected her thoughts. “Will that really help mom stay warm?” Agott looked at the snugstone on Coco’s bed.
Oh, what does Agott even say to that? She doesn’t want to lie to Coco, but she doesn’t want to upset her more either. Agott was far from qualified to comfort people.
“Your soup today was so delicious and warm, it kinda reminded me of the ones mom used to make me.” Coco spoke before Agott had the chance to.
“Coco.. I don’t know what kind of person she was, but I’m.. sure that, even if the spell didn’t work, your mom must be grateful that you tried.” Agott said, attempting to cheer Coco up with words despite them never being her strong suit.
At least Coco smiled at her. She wasn’t sure if it was simply from appreciating the effort or because she genuinely felt calmer. None of that was relevant when Agott still felt defeated by her terrible attempt.
Think, Agott! What else could you use that aren’t words? Think, think..
She looked around in search for the answer before her eyes landed on her palm squire and pen. That’s it! The night she apologized and cheered Coco up during an uninspired time, she and Agott had so much fun together, even Agott felt joy she hadn’t in a while. It truly was Coco’s real specialty, wasn’t it? Not drawing straight lines, but the ease in which her laugh can feel as beautiful magic entering one’s body in a peaceful happiness. One could call Coco’s existence forbidden, for her magic directly affects the body.
“Why don’t you go sit on the bed?” Agott said, slowly standing to help Coco up. She looked at her and nodded, taking her hand and standing (albeit shakily.)
Coco sat in bed, the blanket forgotten on the floor. Agott picked it up along with her discarded components, letting the blanket flow over Coco’s lap and then standing next to her bed unsure.
Would it be strange if she sat next to her? No, as long as she didn’t get under the covers, it should be okay. Okay not only for Coco’s comfort, but for preventing her own heart from beating out of her chest as well.
So, she sat on the edge of Coco’s bed, back turned to the girl, and opened her squire to an empty page at the middle. She heard the rustling of fabric behind her, indicating Coco was likely moving to look over her shoulder curiously.
And indeed, Agott heard Coco’s curious voice ask: “What’re you drawing?”
Agott didn’t answer immediately, drawing the sigils quietly, leaving the circle unclosed.
“Remember this glyph?” She asked once she was done and looked over her shoulder, her face suddenly very close to Coco’s own. Her eyebrows knit together slightly as they do when she’s embarrassed, or blushing in general.
“Oh! That’s the decorative keystone for the owlcat, right?” Coco cheered softly, remembering to keep her voice down at this clockmark, simply pointing at it instead of pairing it with the rise of volume.
Agott closed the circle and the soft light of the owlcat shone on her face. Agott felt her own facial features soften at how ridiculous the creature looked.
“That night.. I didn’t teach you all about the decorative keystones, so why don’t we continue it tonight?” She smiled, turning around not only her head in order to keep a manageable distance between their otherwise nearly touching faces.
“Y-Yeah! Okay! I’d like that. I like learning about the kind of magic you like too, Agott.” Coco said, sitting back down properly to create more space. Agott hoped the light of the owlcat reflected in her favor—meaning that she hopes the slowly deepening red dusting her cheeks will go unnoticed by Coco.
“All right. Okay, yeah. Um.” Agott started, trying to find her words. She cleared her throat, “you said you liked the flower of water spell Master Qifrey drew all the way back when you first came here, right? I’ve found some more flower spells.” Agott flipped past the page with the spell she just drew to a new blank page.
Agott remembered the time when it had been raining for days outside the atelier, causing them to be stuck studying inside instead of their often adventurous outside lessons for far longer than the girls could take. Master Qifrey had introduced Coco to the fancy marktea that day, under the guise of her being a guest due to her unfamiliarity with the concept, and it therefore being logically appropriate to make the tea for her.
That day, Coco said she used to run through fields of one particular flower in her old village. Agott made sure to remember it, her memory was great after all.
Coco watched Agott draw in comfortable silence, and while Agott couldn’t look at her face while she drew, she was sure it was coated in curiosity and the wonder she still had for magic, despite everything that’s happened. Or perhaps it was just Agott’s magic she was so infatuated with now. She did say she likes learning about the kind of magic Agott likes.. no, that’s called wishful thinking. Something Agott shouldn’t do, because the chance of that particular situation being the truth is slim.
The circle closed and the flower of water grew in the air gracefully. Coco only looked in thought for a second before gasping.
“Oh! It’s a woolpuff..!” She beamed, reaching out to touch it but stopping herself midway there, choosing instead to admire it from a small distance.
“If Richeh was here, she could help me make a whole field of them for you. Actually, that might prove to be a bit difficult, even for Richeh.” Agott thought aloud, the spell’s duration ending with the water dissolving into smaller drips of it as if replaced by rain.
When Agott looked up at Coco again, she jumped when the glossy look in Coco’s eyes returned. Agott panicked. What did she say wrong? The purpose of drawing these spells for her was to cheer her up..
“S-Sorry, didn’t mean to bring the mood down again..” Coco apologized, even though she was far from the problem. She gripped her sleeve high to cover her wrist, drying her eyes.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you again.” Agott said, turning her gaze back down to the squire. “I meant to cheer you up with this..” She whispered after, hopefully quiet enough that Coco didn’t hear it. Blush crept onto her cheeks when she heard the girl let out the softest gasp, nearly inaudible, followed by a few giggles.
“I’m crying because I’m happy! I’m grateful that.. you care so much and even bothered to remember the fields in my village—I was under the impression you weren’t my biggest fan back then, heh..” Coco said, bringing her hand to the back of her neck and tilting her head awkwardly like she often does.
Agott would be damned if she couldn’t prove the existence of her great care for the girl now. She more than cares, even, Agott feels she would do anything for Coco’s sake.
Instead of telling her that, though, she simply looked back down with a smile to continue drawing a new spell circle. The scalewolf might be out of question, since it could remind Coco of the second test, and while Agott wasn’t sure of how she felt about the events that occured there even after so much time has passed, she’d rather not risk it. Then.. a winged horse, maybe?
Coco shuffled behind her, but not to watch Agott draw this time. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Coco lower herself slightly. If she had to guess, Coco might’ve been settling down to sleep. It was getting later than even Agott planned to stay up.. but if it’s to cheer Coco up like this, she doesn’t mind half as much.
Faster than the ones she already drew this night, the decorative sigil was done, and Agott tilted her head to face Coco properly, but still keeping her eyes on the paper, before finishing up her third spell circle for the night. One could compare it to a personal magic show.
She opened her mouth to tell Coco she finished another spell before realizing her eyes were already set on Agott with an expression far too fond for Agott’s poor heart. Her face started feeling a tad warmer again. How many times in one night could she possibly blush?
Either way, since Coco’s eyes were fixed on her own, not seeming like she’d change the subject of her gaze unless her attention was forcefully grabbed, Agott brought the spell closer to her face and closed the ring. A winged horse grew to life, starting to move and dance around the limited space it has due to the size of the sigil.
Agott wished to see the fascinated look Coco always had for her magic to never disappear. In fact, she wished for eternally repeated moments where her facial muscles adjust to the excitement she feels inside. Or at the very least, she hoped she would never have to forget it.
“You know, when I first rode in a carriage carried by winged horses, it felt like a dream come true..” Coco quietly murmured, her words already beginning to slur, but not enough to consider her sentences incoherent. “Did you have an experience with magic like that, Agott..?” She asked after the peak of her excitement for Agott’s spell had passed. Her eyes bore right into Agott’s own once more.
Not really, Agott would’ve said if she were asked the question a good few months ago. Her life had always consisted of magic, so it wasn’t abnormal for her to see it on the regular. The only time she could consider her feelings as a dream come true was when she was first introduced to the beauty of decorative magic.
How every animal that ever was could come to life in a single spell amazed her, but she was never able to sit in that wonder for long. Before she knew it, the magic was merely comforting rather than the wonderful mix of peace and fascination.
That being said, now.. “I guess,” Agott started, looking down at the paper, holding her hand with the pen close to her face. “I could say your magic was a dream come true to me. The uniqueness, and the way you cast it while knowing it could fail and still hope to improve if it does truly not end up working. The way you never give up, even in the most dire situations. Such ways of thinking, and the thoughtless use of magic for others instead of yourself, might’ve been distant dreams of mine I didn’t even know I had..” Agott rambled, the thoughts she kept so strictly in her mind spilling out on a night filled with nightmares for the very girl she is verbally admiring. “..That I got to see were possible thanks to you.”
After sitting in a silence far too loud to be comfortable, Agott dared to look up and inspect Coco’s reaction.
Seeing the skin on Coco’s cheek wearing a slightly darker color, just like her own, didn’t help with it.
Quickly, the hand previously covering her mouth to hide in her (embarrassing) moment of honesty moved to the paper, not bothering to draw circles in the air before they land on the paper.
The lack of technique usage, and perhaps the slight shake in her red, lit up hands, caused the circle to come out slightly wobbly.
Her goal wasn’t precision for this spell, at least. Distraction was her aim—if Coco were to say anything about her speech..!
“Agott..”
“Look.” She interrupted quickly, closing her spell circle to show Coco her final spell of the night: lightbuddy. It was really just a very wobbly brushbuddy sigil combined with that of light, though.
Coco blinked three times before smiling regardless of the interruption, kind enough to not subject Agott to any more painful embarrassment tonight.
“You’re lucky brushbuddy is sleeping with Master Olruggio. It wouldn’t be happy to see us with another brushbuddy after we accidentally brought back the prince’s.” She said teasing, but not harshly at all.
“Then you’d best go to sleep before it decides to come sleep here, lest it sees the spell.” Agott said, closing her palm squire and moving to stand up reluctantly from her comfortable spot on Coco’s bed.
She hesitated to leave after turning around for what she assumed to be the last time for tonight and seeing the conflicted look on Coco’s face, but thought to leave her be, afraid she already overstayed her welcome.
Clearly, that was not the case when Coco called out after her. She turned around in question, letting Coco speak.
“Could you actually.. stay here for the night?” Her voice was oh-so soft as she asked. It was so childike, a person almost wouldn’t expect it from such a wise girl whose already carrying such a hefty scar. However, this girl who has gone through more than she should’ve is still as young as Agott is.
And who was Agott to deny her when she asked her to stay so softly?
Her footsteps were featherlight, a vague anxious feeling forming in her stomach. How would she be able to sleep with a mind that’s already started racing so?
Coco lied down before Agott reached the bed, but pulled the covers up when she got next to it. A slight feeling of shame came over Agott then as well, but she pushed it all aside. Coco needed her, so she shan’t feel embarrassed.
And actually.. now that she’s finally climbed under the covers, it was incredibly comfortable sharing a bed with Coco. So warm, it definitely beat the snugstone’s power. A mental apology for the thought went out to Master Olruggio like telepathy.
Coco seemed to share this thought with her when Agott picked up on the slightest mumble of the word warm. Agott also felt warm, but now in a different way than the minutes prior.
Coco closed her eyes first, snuggling just slightly closer to Agott, who looked at her in appreciation for a second too long before finally closing her own eyes and letting sleep take over. She couldn’t help but cuddle closer to a fast asleep Coco, realizing she must’ve been extremely tired, and holding her close enough so that nobody will even think of taking her away.
No magic at all could compare to the comforting warmth Coco radiated, Agott was sure of it.
Master Olruggio’s snugstone could never help her sleep anymore, its use replaced by a far better alternative.