Chapter Text
It wasn't anything grand when it happened. Qifrey had hoped, daydreamed even, that, when he's finally free from the parasite that lived in his body threatening to end his human life everyday, he'll be overtaken by overwhelming joy. He'd expected himself crying out of happiness, jumping in the arms of the man he has loved for over twenty years.
Reality wasn't quite as dramatic as his fantasies were. Dust settled as mundanely as its physics allows it for. Coco was able to revive her mother, Vinanna worked through the chaos of brims, Beldaruit and Lagrah took it upon themselves to manage all the higher up works needed to be done. Qifrey almost turned into a tree infront of his beloved students and the man who had the bad fortune of experiencing the same traumatising incident time after time. Honestly Qifrey isn't sure how they managed to save him, and at this point, he's too afraid to ask. It just, how should he say in more simple terms, happened. There he was fighting Iguin, next he was becoming a tree, and the next thing he knew was lying in a tent Tetia made with her Ins-tent staff.
Sure, he had felt a sense of relief knowing that everything worked as best as it could, without anyone heavily injured or worse dying. No one was getting their memories wiped, no one was facing the wrath of a certain stick in the mud knight moralis, everyone was…. free from their personal shackles.
It was freeing,not grand, just, freeing in the same way when he got to leave the Great hall for good to live in the Atelier of his own. There's no spectacular change in his life, not any Qifrey can mention yet. Life goes on the way life does. He has an Atelier to return to, students to teach, food to cook, tend to a garden, rooms to clean, clothes to wash–
“Master Qifrey,” Tetia tugged on Qifrey's robe as he was mentally listing all the things he needed to do once they reached home, “What do you want to do first thing when you reach home?”
“Bathe obviously,” Agott, said as if it was nothing but a matter of fact.
“Richeh is hungry,” said Richeh.
“She asked Master Qifrey, not you.”
Coco giggled, tried to calm the short haired girl, saving her from gaining premature age lines on her forehead. Her eye bags were getting bigger, almost similar to Olruggio. Qifrey almost felt fond but habitually stopped himself from letting that feeling spread. He quickly turned his head to the person on his far left, Olly. He was quiet the whole journey, head leaning on the frame of the window of their carrier, and judging by how tensed up his shoulders were, it doesn't seem like he's got any energy left to indulge the youngsters excitement.
Qifrey doesn't know how much of a fight Olruggio put up after he lost his human senses. They have barely exchanged words after waking up, almost as if he was mad at Qifrey and waiting for the right time and place to leash out on him.
“Sleep,” Olruggio murmured, his thick voice cutting through the girls chattering.
“Huh?” Everyone turned their head to Olruggio.
The man peeled open one eye and repeated clearly, “Your Master Qifrey should sleep.”
“Thats a good idea.” Coco beamed in her quiet nurturing essence, “Both of you need to rest, Master Qifrey, Master Olruggio.”
Agott seems to agree too. Tetia and Richeh looked like they had their own plans tailoring in their head.
The pegasus carrier was high up the clouds, making the outside world opaque, even so he could tell sunset has hours to come by. Even so, the idea of a restful sleep sounded sweeter than nectar. Isn't that what he always wanted, a sound comfortable sleep, a bonedeep rest where he doesn't have to worry about a seed sprouting from his body.
Qifrey smiled his usual charming smile, “Sounds sweet to me.”
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Tetia welcomed herself home first as she always did, following suite was Coco who caught up on Tetia’s habits. The two boisterous girls request Qifrey that he wait before getting to his room, clearly planning to do something in there. The quieter two escaped to the kitchen without any notice or so. Leaving Qifrey standing in the living area with Olruggio….and brushbuddy. Qifrey waits for his friend to say something, anything regarding when and where they are going to have the talk. Olruggio is usually straightforward when it comes to calling Qifrey out on his self-destructive behaviour. So, Qifrey won't be surprised if his friend bursts into flames for the things he's done over the past years.
Olruggio unclasped Qifrey's robe, taking it off from his shoulders. Qifrey doesn't show any sign of flustration from the years of practice, but he won't say he was not surprised. He keeps his calm, watching his friend carefully fold his robe and throw it to the couch.
“Sit here,” his dear friend gestured to the empty space on the couch, “Wait.”
Saying so, Olruggio made a quick detour from around the doors, returning with a quickwash contraption.
“You'll sleep better with a cleaner body,” Olruggio said as the magic activated and water glided around him, collecting the dirt and mud from his body. “Although, a real bath would have been better.”
Qifrey tries not to winch at the thought of all the work he has to do before taking a real bath, "Thank you for considering this alternative, Olly.”
Olruggio appeared as though he wanted to say something but didn't know how. Qifrey waited for the doomed conversation with an anxious heart.
“Master Qifrey,” Richeh's monotone voice caught them both off guard. She returned from the kitchen with a plate full of desserts, slumping near Qifrey, on his neatly folded robe, offering him a fork like she always does.
“Shouldn't you wait for dinner to have these desserts,” Qifrey's plaint reperminding had no effect on the girl beside him. She enjoyed her sweet dessert, and so did Qifrey.
“Hey, I was making tea for him!” Aggot returned with a cup of fragrant steaming tea in her hand.
“Richeh is faster.”
“Yes, because you didn't make these desserts.”
“Girls,” Olruggio groaned rolling his eyes, his patience thining with exhaustion.
Agott ignored Olruggio, giving Qifrey the cup she was holding. It was herbal tea, the one he always makes when Olruggio or Agott gets too much into their work and becomes too stubborn to take a proper rest. Warmth fills him, and it's barely thanks to the tea he was sipping.
By the time they were done with tea, Coco and Tetia were ready to show what they've been doing in his room.
“It was Tetia’s idea,” said Coco as Qifrey struggles to decide what he should feel and how he should express so that the girls don't feel dejected. A soft cloud covers his entire bed, leaving no space for discomfort.
“I believe you'll have the best sleep you've ever had in your entire life,” exclaimed Tetia.
“Thankyou, you two,” is all Qifrey could say, giving a hat pat to each. He pivots the attention to his apprentices before he gets overwhelmed, “You should rest as well, I'll see you to bed before I do.”
“Ah, actually,” Coco hesitated, “I was going to the medical spire…. to check on mom.”
“Oh,” Qifrey exclaimed calmly. Her mom was revived while Qifrey was unconscious. He doesn't know much other than the fact that she was taken to the great halls for medical attention. “Then we should be on our way now.”
Before Qifrey can turn and retrieve his cap and coat, Olruiggio pushed him backwards, lightly enough to not make him stumble but strong enough to make him stagger backwards. “You rest,” said the man before him, “I can take her.”
“What, Master Olly, you need rest too.” Coco blushed out of frustration, “I am sixteen, I can go there on my own now.”
“Sixteen years too young kid,” Olruiggio groaned, ruffling Coco's head as if that will make her understand she's still a child.
“I'll go too,” Agott appeared wearing a fresh set of outfit, “I need to meet my mom as well.”
“What?” Qifrey exclaimed, a little less calmly than before, “Agott, are you….sure?” Qifrey felt like a fool for asking such a silly question. That's Agott, speaking with such confidence, it's clear she's sure of what she intends to do.
Qifrey shook his head, pushing his glasses further up his nose, he walked past Olruggio to prepare himself for the Great hall, “Rest can wait, I'll come with you.”
Agott held his hand, stopping him on his track, “I have to do this on my own, Master Qifrey.”
“But,”
“This is a decision I made. I have to face her one day or another….. and I believe I'm ready now.”
Qifrey bit his lower lip, a discreet attempt to hide his wobbling lips. His students are all grown up now, Agott is almost as tall as Olruggio, reaching his shoulders. She was so tiny when she first came to the Atelier, so scared and so unsure. Now she's ready to face the one she feared the most. “I can stand outside.... and wait for you.”
“Seriously,” Agott huffed and rolled her eyes, “Don't be such a worrywort,” she eyed Richeh and in a blink crystal ribbons coiled around Qifrey, bounding his limbs.
“Richeh!?”
Tetia dragged him back in his room, throwing him on the cloudy bed like he was not their master but some pillow to play with.
“Tetia, free me!” Qifrey whined as dignifyingly as a man of mid thirties could.
“Tetia said rest, so you better rest!”
“Richeh wants to rest too.”
Olruggio snorted from the ruckus, having fun watching his friend being tackled around by his students. “Do as the girls say,” he mocked as he ushered the girl out of the room.
Qifrey laid their plaint in a cushion of cloud, unsure whether he should be angry or proud of Richeh's magic lasting so long. How can he bring himself to rest when two of his apprentices are going in that damned place without him, how can he rest after everything that happened, and was still happening. Heaven knows what the great halls were doing with this new revolution. He felt useless, weak, and a burden to his beloved people.
The door to his room swung open with Olruggio on sight. He came alone this time, quietly, as though he snuck out of the girls attention. He put a finger on his mouth, asking him to be quiet, it feels childish.
The bed dips where he sits, the man groans, muttering how soft the cushion was and how he might just fall asleep there if stays a minute too long. Ignoring his exhaustion, Olruggio undoes Richeh's magic, allowing Qifrey to move freely. Before Qifrey could, Olruggio pressed on Qifrey's chest, “Stay, don't move.”
“But Olly,”
“Sssshhhh,” the man smiled softly, this is perhaps the first smile he gave to Qifrey after everything. “It's not as serious as you're thinking it is.” He pulled a quilt to Qifrey's chest, tucking him tenderly, “Coco and Agott will be fine. They are your students, smart and strong.” He took Qifrey's glasses and put it aside his head, surprisingly his vision isn't as blurry as it used to be. What was more surprising is that Olruggio was tucking Qifrey's hair behind his ear, bringing the scarred eye to view. He caressed the scar lightly as though a feather and said, “Everything is fine, trust me.”
“Olly I–”
“I should head back before any of them notice I'm with you. I've put Tetia and Richeh to bed, so don't worry about them.” Olruggio leaped to the door. Before leaving, he gave Qifrey another smile, a big radiant smile, saying, “I'll be back soon. Sleep well.”
Qifrey couldn't respond, not when his heart was thundering in his ribcage and the old familiar ache didn't return. It really is gone, huh? The parasite in his body, was gone. If not, Qifrey would have turned into a tree the second Olruggio caressed his face. Everything is fine, is what his dearest friend told him. He said, Trust me, like there's any other man in this vast world Qifrey would trust so easily. Qifrey trusted Olruggio with his life, with his everything. So Qifrey did what he's been doing sincerely since the day he met his friend, trust him.
Qifrey couldn't sleep for the better half of the night. He was drowsy, tired to his core, drifting in and out of his consciousness like the old men of Kalhn. Each time he submerged into deep slumber, vines would crept out from within his body, and he'd wake up in cold sweat gasping with fear, only to realize it was all his imagination.
Qifrey is proud of Tetia’s invention, seriously when is he not? He is grateful to have such caring students but he can't, for his own sanity, sleep on the cloud bed. Comfort was not something he was familiar with, at least, not enough to welcome it. He's been afraid of comfort for so long that now he does not know how to adjust himself to this new perspective of life.
Not having the heart to undo Tetia’s magic, Qifrey decided to sleep on the couch. The night was still young, and everyone in his Atelier, Tetia and Riche, was deeply asleep. Qifrey made it to the couch in the dark with muscle memory alone. As he tried to rest on the couch, he realised, the couch was also covered in Tetia’s magical could, not only that, the whole floor, kitchen chairs, any place Qifrey could consider resting on was in the same condition.
Tetia you really know your master well, don't you?
Qifrey sighed in defeat. Standing helplessly in the middle of the living area, wearing only his body suit eventually reminded him how cold it gets during the spring nights.
Qifrey found the snugstone Olruggio gave him years ago. He couldn't use it all these years, fearing the worst outcome. It was the first time he was using Olruggio’s kind magic, feeling the man's care spread through his cold finger tips. He could imagine Olruggio’s gentle calloused hands warming his pale cold ones.
He missed his friend dearly. Qifrey had a lot to say to him, secrets and reasoning, apologies and gratitude, so much has been unsaid for so long that Qifrey fears he might mess things up again.
Qifrey found himself in Olruggio’s room. The room was what his friend calls an inventor's den. Qifrey liked how Olruggio’s room was full of trinkets, on par with Nolnoa's the starry sword. He doesn't dare touch anything, might he botch up any unfinished work.
Olruggio promised he'd be back soon.
How soon is soon?
Qifrey decides to wait for him, resting his head on the free space of Olruggio’s work desk. He had seen Olruggio work here, crying and whining how much he doesn't want to do that, and he's lost count of how many times he found that man asleep on this desk. It's a fond memory, one that fills him up with content. He's grateful, so damn grateful, to finally be able to reminiscence his good memories without being threatened with pain and agony, without immediately thinking of everything that has hurt him.
Qifrey doesn't remember exactly when he fell asleep. But he was sure he fell asleep on Olruggio’s desk, his senses say otherwise. He could feel a soft pillow beneath his head, cotton sheet beneath his vertically curled body, a thick quilt cocooning him with pleasant warmth. It smelled mellow, citrusish mugwort, musky and a little burnt like amber, and it smelled like his bestfriend. Qifrey coaxed his eyelid open, allowing light through his vision. The scene before him is blurry, blotches of grays in different shades, his eye loves to take its sweet time to adjust to the world. Subconsciously, his hand searched for his glasses, he was sure he fell asleep wearing them. His hand does not find what he was looking for, but does find something much better, Olruiggio's hand. He doesn't need his vision to know that hand belonged to his dearest friend. Qifrey, despite startled, didn't scrambled away. He lay there calmly, carefully taking his hand back. He was sleeping on Olruggio’s bed, or to be more specific, he was shifted to Olruggio’s bed. Olly had carried him there, how come he not noticed the shift at all? Although, Olly has a lot of handy magic to carry around heavy stuff. Qifrey can't even be surprised anymore.
Blinking rapidly, he somewhat regained his vision. And there he was, Olly, sleeping soundly beside him at an arms length, just the way Qifrey preferred it all these years. But that was the past with its own terms and conditions. That distance Qifrey enforced between them wasn't necessary anymore. He wished he could ask Olruiggio to come closer, come closer and hug him like he did on the first day they met.
But Qifrey was a coward.
He couldn't dare assume that Olruiggio would want to hug him after everything he made this man go through.
But oh, how much he yearned for those gentle safe hands.
Laid on his side, Qifrey extended his hand towards Olruiggio's. His anxious finger tips touch Olruiggio's relaxed ones, catalyzing a spark. Qifrey felt bold. He rested his fingers on Olruiggio's palm, imagining they were holding hands.
Warm.
He felt his lips tug upwards on its own.
Olruiggio however, didn't follow through Qifrey's daydreaming montage, or rather, he doesn't like doing things halfhearted, he is heaven's physical manifestation of Go big or go home. Despite being asleep like a baby, he grabbed Qifrey's hand, a hold promising of never letting go, surging a rush of panic through Qifrey's poor, inexperienced heart.
Oh no, Qifrey lamented in his mind, Oh no no no no no, this is bad.
Surely Qifrey was not made for this…. handholding all.
Qifrey jerked his hand away in panic, resulting in to the awakening of Olruggio the exhausted.
“Qifrey,” Olruggio murmured in his thick, coarse, sleepy, morning voice. Oh God help him, he was going to die of heart palpitations at this point. Which would be ironic if he died just the day after he was free from his curse, only because his best friend held his hand and his morning voice was too hot to handle, and all he said was Qifrey's name.
“Ah, Olly, sorry to wake you up, you must be exhausted! I shouldn't take up your bed. Rest well. I'll go prepare breakfast for the girls.”
Qifrey blabbered in one breath, collecting his glasses and running down the stairs like he was caught committing a crime.
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Cooking has always been therapeutic. It helps the mind be calm with a productive distraction. He can pretend being normal, show his love and gratitude through the food he cooks.
He made Tetia and Richeh's favorite for breakfast, keeping a mental note to do the same for Agott and Coco as well. He wants to cook Olruggio’s favorite as well, but he can't fathom watching Olly happy and not do something to him. Previously he had the seed to excuse himself, but now? Now nothing is stopping himself except his stupid anxious heart, his cowardice.
The better half of the morning passes with Tetia’s one sided chatter and Richeh's insightful add ons. He had to lie to her about sleeping well in the cloud bed, he hopes Olruggio plays along with his lie.
The man dawdled in the kitchen, half asleep, half conscious, making it to his designated chair with muscle memory. Tetia doesn't forget to call him out for his lack of proper rest before asking news of Coco and Agott. Qifrey leaned closer as well, curious to know the whereabouts of his precious students.
Olruggio had his head rested on one hand, propped with his elbow. He smiled softly and responded, “They're both so brave, I'm scared of ‘em at this point.”
“As you should be,” Tetia joked, gaining a look from Olruggio.
“Did something bad happen?” Qifrey internally prepares himself to visit the great hall if Olruggio drops even the slightest hint that the Knights still want Coco or Agott was disregarded by her mother.
“Beldaruit made me do some of his paperwork if that's what you're asking.”
Tetia and Richeh laugh at him, Qifrey isn't sure whether he should laugh or be mad.
“Nothing bad happened, relax.” His friend sighed with a smile, “Things are going as smoothly as you can expect from the upper class.”
Which is, not as smoothly as Qifrey would like. Qifrey's nerves won't rest unless he sees his students themselves.
“Qifrey,” Olruggio made direct eye contact with him, he's wide awake and serious, indicating he'll argue if he has to. “Those girls will be very upset if they know you have visited the great hall.”
“He's right, master Qifrey,” the girls agree as well.
Qifrey let out a breathe in defeat. He knows both Coco and Agott will be upset if he goes against their wish. That doesn't mean Qifrey won't worry, it's his second nature now, to worry, to be anxious. He busies himself with washing the dishes.
Olruggio throws Richeh a letter, “From Euini” he said. Richeh catches it with excitement she usually doesn't show. It's obvious there's something other than friendship between those two. It distracts the girls as well, Tetia begging and running after Richeh to know what that boy wrote.
Qifrey is alone with Olruggio again. This time he doesn't even have brushbuddy with him. Qifrey's is suddenly extra self aware of his surroundings. Olruggio could confront him about his curse any moment now, and Stars! Qifrey wasn't ready for that yet.
Olruggio stands near him, silently taking the wet dishes and wiping them dry with a drying cloth. The idle domestic chore would have been dream-like if Qifrey wasn't such a nervous wrack. “I understand why you're worried,” he says, or rather he whispers, like a secret meant only for him to hear, “We are worried too…. about you….. Me, Coco, Agott, Alaira, Euini,Beldaruit.”
“I am–” Qifrey doesn't know what to say, how to say, so exasperated, “Sorry.”
“Don't be,” Olly huffed, “You've been through enough already. So–” he placed his hand on Qifrey's shoulder, heavy with reassurance yet gentle, murmuring smilingly, “Don't beat yourself up, Qifrey. Let me handle the rest of the mess.”
A sense of safety filled his stomach,but his guilt was greater. He can't burden Olruggio more than he already has. He feels angry that Olly was being so kind to him when he has every reason to be mad.
“Why aren't you mad at me?” Qifrey asked, staring at the dishes in the sink water, gripping the stone of the sink, knuckles turning white.
“Huh? Why would I be mad at you?” The man says like he has won the world's most stupidest man award, like he's oblivious to everything.
Qifrey turned his head to the man, softly reperminding, “Olly, I'm being serious.”
“So am I, stupid.” He flicked Qifrey's forehead, like he used to every time Qifrey frowned at him when they were young. It made Qifrey relax his grip, easing his anxious heart in the most peculiar way. “Look, I know as much Coco knows.” Olruggio scratched his neck, he does that when he's uncomfortably talking about something. “Coco told me about your condition, about the seed sprouting when you feel comfortable…..I'm just– I don't have the heart to be mad at you.” He tsked so hard it echoed, “I'm just mad at myself, okay.”
“Oh Olly, please don't be,” Qifrey tugged on the hem of Olruggio’s sleeve.
“I am. I can't help it.” Olruggio gently eased Qifrey's hand off his sleeve, carefully not jerking him away out of frustration. “I understand why you couldn't share your secret to me, sprouting and all, but damn it! How come I never noticed anything?” He ran his hand through his hair, letting out a shaky breath, “I should have. I always keep an eye on you and I– I can't believe I–” He's swallowing down his words, laughing a mocking laughter, “ I feel embarrassed to call myself your best friend.”
“You're wrong, Olly.” Qifrey carefully fixed Olruggio’s tousled hair, “There's so much more you don't know….. And I want to tell you all about it. I have so much I want you to know.”
“Tell me, Qifrey.” Olruggio held both of Qifrey's hands, his deepset navy eyes twinkle with held back tears, like the brooding ocean of the great hall. Qifrey wants to press a kiss on those eyes, apologies for bringing this wonderful man to tears.
He can't though. He's afraid he might cross a line, ruin the friendship he secured for two decades now.
“I…..” He can distantly hear Tetia squeal, “Not, now,” Olruggio groaned in frustration but understood why.
“After dinner,” his friend stated.
“After dinner, outside,” he agreed and added.
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Qifrey found Olruggio in their designated spot outside the atelier. He's many memories regarding this spot, stargazing, dragon passing, and…. wiping his best friend's memory time after time. He's done this so many times now, it almost feels like a practiced chore.
Qifrey started, fiddling with the ribbon of his hat, the ribbon that originally belonged to the person before him. “The seed had always been in me, since the day Beldaruit found me. I was a failed experiment.”
Olruggio– Olly listens to him with deep concentration, an expression Qifrey recognises well. Hurt, devastated, and angry, not at him but the world.
“Coco told you how it works, and how she found out.” Qifrey is now lost as to what to say next. By this point, the branches always made it out of his body, by this time, he'd have wiped Olruggio’s memories.
That is not the case any longer. Branches don't poke out his empty eye socket as he pours his heart out. A phantom ache remains behind his scar, on the back of his shoulder, muscles burn with expected pain. “But Coco does not know what I did to keep my memories and myself alive all this time.”
Olruggio’s expression darkened. Qifrey showed his hat to Olruggio, unclasping the flap on the front, revealing the memory wiping spell.
“This is….. a different memory wiping spell.”
As expected from the star child, he could tell the spell was not the one the Knight moralis used. Qifrey gave him a woeful smile, "You'd know, after all you gave me this spell yourself.”
Olruggio didn't look the least bit surprised, if anything, he looked like he's trying to recall exactly when he did that.
Qifrey helps him remember, though he knows it's useless,“On our third test, after I found out about my curse, and told you about it.”
“The day you exchanged our hat ornaments?”
Qifrey huffed regretfully, “Yes, the day you exchanged our hat ornaments.”
“Wait…..me!?”
“I know you don't remember, you're not supposed to.” Qifrey stares up at the sky filled with a thousand twinkling stars. He inhales and says, “After you saw me become a tree, you were so devastated, Olly. You couldn't accept me becoming a silverwood tree or them wiping my memories again to save me, or me forgetting you, whereas I was ready to accept anything fate threw at me.” He looked back at the most radiant star he knows, “You decided you won't let me or our friendship die. And thus, you went to the tower to find a way to save me from becoming a tree and eventually save our friendship.”
Olruggio winched, “I wiped bits of my own memory to make you suffer?”
A wild and a correct guess.
Qifrey nodded in small, making Olly groan and pull his hair as he cursed under his breath, lying on the ground like it was physically hurting him.
“Don't be mad, now.” Qifrey huffed again, trying to stop Olly from hurting himself.
“Don't be mad!?!” Olruggio exclaimed, sitting straight up,“I mean, why should I not be!? That's such a stupid fucking idea!!! What do you mean the only way I could save you was to make you suffer more!? Who the fuck called my kid self a brilliant prodigy!? I was such a dumb asshole!!!”
“That's not true. You're brilliant, Olly.” Qifrey placed a hand on Olly’s back. It calmed his friend, at least stopped him from squirming. His face was angry red, steaming like a hot spicy dumpling. “Thanks to you, I am still alive.”
The redness of Olruggio’s face faded, his expression sombered. He fixed his gaze on the ground as if searching for a reply in the grass blades. “Still,” he muttered, “I wish things were easier for you.”
Qifrey won't deny that living was hard. Regardless, there's no denying that this man before him made living a thousand times easier. And yet, this kind man wishes that things were easier for him. Olruggio has no idea just how easy he made it for Qifrey.
Hot tears prick Qifrey's eye. He's always been the emotional of the two, always bursting into tears. He's physically incapable of holding back the salt waters that pours down his tear ducts. “Olly, you–” Qifrey says in a shaky breath, “You've been so kind to me, how do I even repay you.”
“Hush, you dimwit!” Olruggio playfully hit his head, then ruffled his hair like Qifrey was twelve years old. “This is what a friend would do for their best friend.” He smiled so brightly that Qifrey could feel his whole world light up, “You're my best friend alright. There's no such thing as debt in friendship.”
Qifrey wiped his tears, sniffing, “I'm still gratefu—” he sneezed, cutting him off mid sentence. It's undeniably chilly outside, he just happened to notice later how his body was beginning to shiver.
“Eh, are you coming down with a cold?” asked Olruggio. He quickly fastened Qifrey's cape around his shoulders. The cape has a warming spell, it should help.
Except, it doesn't.
“A fever?” Olly pressed his palm on Qifrey's forehead, then the back of his hand on Qifrey's neck. There certainly is a huge difference in their body temperature.
Qifrey has never caught any disease in his life, be it common cold or fever or stomach bug or anything, just the usual excruciating pain. Beldaruit used to say he has a strong immune system. Qifrey doubted it was because of the seed inside him. Now that the seed is gone, his immune system must be having a hard time adjusting.
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Olly ushered him inside. Tucking him in bed with layers of blankets. He undid Tetia’s magic, dispersing the clouds like he knew Qifrey couldn't adjust himself in that softness. He returned with a vial of medicine and a cup of honey infused tea to ease his ailment.
Funnily enough, what was new to him was the illness, not the care Olruggio so freely gave without asking. “It's fine, Olly. My fever feels mild. I believe I'll be back to health by morning.”
“Headache?” Olly asked instead.
“Mild throbbing, but it's fin–” he was caught off guard by Olly’s calloused fingers dragging through his scalp.
“Feel any better?” The man asked, like it's the most natural thing to do.
“Mmmm,” Qifrey hummed, he's sure his body heat was no longer because of the fever.
“Good,” Olly laid beside Qifrey, head propped up with an elbow, the other hand carefully massaging Qifrey's head, running through his waves. The soft glow of candles makes him look younger. “Can we still talk? I have so much I wanna know.” he said, voice low and gentle.
“Yeah, I'd love that too.” Qifrey will be mad at himself if he pushed Olly away again.
Olly asked sheepishly, “Say, what did I say when I exchanged our hat ornaments?”
“You wanted me to have a reminder of our promise. For me to never give up on life.”
Olruggio looked disappointed and somewhat relieved. “Hah!” he laughed, blushing red,“Is that all? Man, I was so stupid back then.”
“No, I think it was a wonderful idea.”
Olly shook his head, “You have no idea, do you?I mean, of course you had your own thing going on. But me?I didn't know,” He rubbed his face in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, “All I knew was that you exchanged our ornaments and wouldn't give me a reason. I didn't even care that I didn't remember passing the third test, all I cared was understanding your reason behind the swap. Everyone was teasing me to death, especially that Alaira.”
“Oh I didn't know you had to go through that. I am sorry Olly, I should have made a better excuse.”
“‘Tis alright. Don't be sorry.”
“What were they teasing you about?” Qifrey asked innocently.
Olly scowled, “Don't joke now,” but looking at Qifrey's face he understood Qifrey was not joking. Olly buried his head on the pillow, muffling a groan, “Seriously, you don't give a damn about learning about anything that doesn't interest you.”
“I did.” Qifrey belie Olruggio’s grumble.
“No, you didn't.” Olly rolled his eyes, “Not if it came to social cues of witch culture.”
Qifrey can't contradict. He was criminally uneducated in witch culture when he was young. He learned most of it through Olruggio himself. He still finds himself outcast in a large crowd of witches. Nevertheless, he's learned the witch culture to his very best but never came across anything related to hat ornaments swapping.
“Listen here snow for brains,” Olly pulled Qifrey's ear, forgetting the head message altogether. “When we were young, there was a trend going around,” He blushed but was adamant to teach Qifrey, “Witches used to swap hat ornaments to convey their devotion to each other.”
Oh, a thought ringed in Qifrey's mind.
“Some even went as far as swapping hats, as an…. well… you know, ultimate act of love.”
Oh.
"It stopped after the Wises nosed in, calling it scandalous and all."
Makes sense why Qifrey never learned about it. He avoided any topic of love, bitter with the knowledge that he could not, might never, experience it.
Olly whined with a silly wide smile, “All this time I thought it was yours doing, now it turns out it was me all along. And I don't even remember it!”
“Umm…You can….” Qifrey has grown attached to the ribbon, it feels like a part of him. He doesn't want to give it back to Olly. “I'm sorry the reason behind it was not what you expected.” he said instead.
“Its–” Olruggio clicked his tongue. He pouted and laid more comfortably on the bed, getting in the blanket to cover himself, “Nevermind, That was on me for being so stupid.”
“Don't keep calling yourself stupid,”
“Well, then stop apologising.”
Qifrey pouted, what was he supposed to do if not apologies for the trouble he's caused?
Olly pressed a finger in the middle of his frown, then ruffled his hair again, “I missed this.” he said softly.
“This?” Qifrey asked in confusion.
“Late night sleepovers.” Olly replied, “We used to have a lot before the third test. Sharing a bed and a blanket like this,talking and laughing and bantering over the silliest matter.”
Then suddenly they had to stop. Qifrey in his right mind couldn't drag Olruggio down anymore. Couldn't dare have his comfort, terrified that he might end up breaking their promise. After that things started to go worse before they both could make peace with each other again.
“Say Qifrey,” Olly murmured, his hand a steady weight on Qifrey's head, his smile soft like a morning sun, “Is that why we stopped being like this? Because you were not allowed to be happy?”
Qifrey could only give him a pathetic nod.
“It's not because you hated being close to me right?”
“I loved being with you.” Qifrey swallowed the lump stuck at the back of his throat, “Since the very first day. When you saved me, and wrapped your arms around me….. I felt so safe Olly. But–” his lips wobbled and he couldn't speak anymore.
Olruggio gently wiped the tears that escaped without his notice. He patted lightly on Qifrey's chest, “You're safe now.”
Qifrey couldn't say, Olly has always made him feel safe, from young age, till now. He's always been Qifrey's safe shelter.