Chapter Text
Change
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The night of silver eve changed something within Agott. Actually, ever since Coco joined the atelier, Agott felt herself become softer and softer.
Being the smart witch she was, it was only a matter of time and growth for her to suspect her feelings meant more than just affection. Before the silver eve procession, she tried to push them down but, after everything that happened, she couldn't deny herself anymore.
She fell in love and it scared her. Even though Coco forgave her from how cruel she behaved when they first met, Agott felt that it would be delusional for her to expect her roommate to reciprocate her feelings. What am I thinking? She would question herself at her desk.
To complicate things even further, ever since they returned from the Great Hall, she was distracted. Every time Agott would talk to Coco, she would fluster. Words would get stuck in her mouth. It started to affect even her studies.
She was supposed to be practicing right now, as a matter of fact, but her mind kept returning to the thought of Coco. How beautiful she was. How altruistic….
And whenever she saw Coco taking care of the scar on her cheek. How… reckless!
It's good to see you’re okay! Agott kept replaying memories of the silver eve and the leech accident. Their hugs. The procession. Just the memories alone made her heart race a little.
She didn’t say anything about the wound on Coco's cheek, then. And Coco herself would not speak about it. Full of worry, Agott considered the fact that her friend was probably hurt, not only physically, but emotionally. She just wanted to see her smile. Coco did smile at times but there was clearly a shift.
Speaking of Coco, the girl was on her own desk, stressing over her spell practice and trying to better her circles.
Even the little noises she would make now and then, grew on Agot. Previously, she found them annoying. Now, she would smile at herself on her desk upon hearing it. She couldn't help but find it cute.
I’m so done for! Agott pressed her forehead on the table, taking in a deep breath. I need to focus! At least finishing one more circle.
Closing the spell circle before her, she raised her head watching a small beacon of light emerge from the paper to the ceiling. It turned into a small serpent like dragon. It flew above the room, circling it three times in the air, before dissolving and vanishing.
Agott smiled at herself. She took a lot of time practicing on the details of the glyph. The circle was perfect this time. Still got it!
“Woaahh! That was amazing” Coco said. Her voice suddenly too close.
She jumped in place, startled upon seeing Coco sitting next to her. She is spending too much time with master Quifrey. She compared, observing the similar sneaking behaviour on her friend.
Coco’s eyes scanned the spell on the paper. She beamed with sparkling eyes, making Agott’s heart flutter. That was it! The smile she adored so much.
“How long have you been drawing this? It’s so detailed!” Coco asked.
Agott flustered. Her ears were a little red at the tips as she scratched the back of her head. “Ohh… I began this one a few hours ago. But it’s just another flashy light spell, so I did it between studies… They help practicing closing the circles without being boring.
“Like those you showed me before the procession, right?” Coco nodded. “If it were not for you and your flashy spells, we would not be able to reverse the leech. So…” she fidgeted. “Guess we shouldn’t assume they are… pur-poseless?” She stuttered trying to find the right word.
“Anyway, you never know when we are going to need those! And.. I love seeing them!” Coco bashfully returned the drawing to the table.
Love? She loves seeing my spells… Oh, forget impressing the Arklaums. Forget Adina and the tower of tomes. Agott’s brain short circuited. What was being acknowledged by her family, or the king and the Great Hall in comparison with the joy Coco’s reactions brought to her? Suddenly everything else did not seem to matter at all.
“Well… I’m glad someone else enjoy those too!” Agott raised a hand to her own cheek trying to cool off the blush creeping up her face to compose herself. “You seemed a little restless back there and I just finished practicing. Do you need help with anything?” She offered.
Coco nodded and raised from her place giving a gentle pull on Agott sleeve, signalling her to follow. They sat on the other’s desk where Coco showed a glyph with a wind sigil in it. Agott observed some other papers scattered on the table with incomplete circles, fire, earth and wind sigils.
“Your circles got better!” She observed holding one of the drawings.
“Thank you! I’m trying but they still turn wobbly if I’m stressed or in a hurry!” Coco signed.
“That’s… normal.” Agott reassured her.
“I’m repeating them and getting better but.. maybe if you saw this spell, I can rest easy knowing it’s good?” She handed another piece of paper to Agott with a wind spell in it with a circle unfinished. Perfect straight lines next to little wobbly curves of the wind sigil."
“I think it’s great,” Agott spoke. And she wasn't lying. Even if the curves were a little wobbly, that perfect straight line would stabilize everything depending on the intent. “You want to make a huge blast of wind? For what purpose?” She raised an eyebrow in question.
After nervously fidgeting some more with her hands, Coco gave a tired breath and explained. “I jumped in front of a spell directed at master Qifrey… That night…” Coco looked at Agott as she pointed to her scared cheek. Agott shivered at the thought of something worse than a scar happening. Reckless indeed.
“I wasn’t trying to get hit, of course! But Master Qifrey made me promise to not do something like that again. And, as a solution, he told me to practice a spell to move him out of the way instead of just… jumping in front of danger” Coco chuckled looking down. Feeling Agott’s hands on hers, she looked back up to her friend in shock.
“Please…” Agott asked softly. “Promise me too? To be careful and not jump like that in front of danger again.”
At that Coco smiled and just reassured her, rubbing her palm with a thumb. “I promise! I will practice this spell to avoid it, ok? Don’t worry.
Agott let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. “Okay!”
“Do you really think this is good? A really… really strong blast of wind is the one solution that comes to me now.” Coco brought Agott’s attention once again to the spell.
“Yes I do! The curves are surely better and even if they come a little wobbly, those straight lines for the direction of the blast, will balance everything. You don’t need to worry!” Agott reassured her.
Holding the paper in thought for a moment, Agott analysed the perfect lines once more before gathering her courage to add. “It never ceases to amaze how you mastered perfect lines like those in such a short amount of time.” She picked up Coco’s pen with curiosity at the shape. “Also, I know Tartar made this pen for you and the shape got me curious. But everyone is different I guess. What I’m trying to say is… I just think it’s impressive!”
Coco smiled again, her face turned into a crimson shade. “When I helped my mom with seamstress work, I would use a pigment stone on the fabrics…” She noticed Agott's head tilt in a curious and confused expression that Coco couldn’t help but find cute. A chuckle escaped her lips. “Just stay where you are… I’ll show you!”
Agott watched her friend get a piece of fabric from her room and reach for a cabinet back on the desk to retrieve a small stone wrapped in cloth. Coco stretched the fabric over the table after clearing the papers scattered around and poured some ink on the tip of the stone.
“This…” Coco spoke as she handed the item to Agott. “It's a pigment stone!” She adjusted herself kneeling behind Agott, who stiffened at the contact. Coco rested one hand on her shoulder as her other took the hand holding the pigment stone.
“We would use that to mark fabrics. For the designs or just for cutting in general.” She guided Agott’s hand, tracing a perfect line across. “I showed it to Master Quifrey the first time we met. Tailors use it all the time!”
Coco looked at the work with longing as they moved before feeling their cheeks brush against each other. Only then she seemed to register their closeness. Both hands stopped at the edge of the fabric and Coco lost her trail of thought as she took in Agott’s purple widened eyes fixed on her.
The hold of Coco’s hand on Agott’s was strong and determined. It felt surprisingly comforting being guided to make that perfect line. When Coco would be in deep focus, Agott felt chills down her spine every time. But that was brief because, when Coco turned her head, Agott panicked realising she had been staring too much.
“And… well…” Coco nervously leaned back, letting go of the other’s hand and getting some distance as she resumed explaining. “That’s how I achieved those sigils.” She flustered, looking anywhere but her friend.
Despite her embarrassment, Agott missed the contact immediately. She held the stone in her hand deep in thought for a while, a little ashamed of herself. Once again she understood how distorted was the image she had of unknowings…? Other people, in general.
The term ‘unknowing’ didn’t even sound proper anymore, just like the term ‘outsider’. Those words she would previously use to define Coco and people unrelated to magic felt so rooted in prejudices and misconceptions now. How could witches deem someone like Coco, or her mother, ‘unknowings’ when they carried so much knowledge?
She placed the stone on the desk. “I feel like I need to apologize again…” Agott noticed Coco’s stare back at her again before continuing. “I know we already discussed how I acted in your first weeks here. I just… Like now, for example. I assumed you were just a natural when, actually, you have been practicing making those lines for years. I can’t help but feel like I’m an idiot." She admitted.
“It’s fine, Agott! really. I know you don’t mean any harm.” Coco tried to deflect.
“Except, it’s not fine!” Agott countered. “I’m kind of repulsed by how I behaved and how witches in general act. Like they know everything! What I mean is just that I’m getting better at this… And I really am so…” Coco placed a finger on her lips, stopping her words.
“Stop apologising!” Coco spoke. Her tone was soft but powerful. “I accept your apologies, but I don’t want you beating yourself up over this. I learn a lot from you, so it’s okay if you learn something back from me, right? Then stop apologising!” She commanded.
She commanded! And Agott just sat there starstruck deciding which side of Coco she preferred more: The outgoing one, beacon of light smiling Coco, who made her heart flutter or the bold and bossy one, who just left her with no words? Agott could not decide. Am I enjoying this?
One thing is for certain. The bossy side of Coco sent chills down Agott's spine, the good kind. She stared at the focused sure expression on her roommate’s face and the finger still on her lips, keeping her mouth shut. Right! I definitely enjoy this! She thought amused.
The contrast in this new behaviour intrigued her. Agott decided to counter back. If Coco could be bold or bossy, would it hurt her to be a little more soft or funny? Looking back at Coco she nodded, raising her arms in surrender. Tetia and Riche can never know this or I’m toasted.
Meanwhile Coco seemed to finally regain consciousness again of her actions. Her courage left her body since Agott was the demanding one, usually and not the other way around.
“I’m sorry! I-Idon’t know what came over me” Coco murmured as she clenched the hem of her dress.
“Look who is apologising now?” Agott snorted. “It’s ok! You were actually right.. I’ll stop with the endless apologising…” She softly spoke then narrowed her eyes. “Master Quifrey junior!” She teased.
“Me?? Nooo…. we are not alike at all?” Coco brushed off with a nudge at Agott’s shoulder.
“I wouldn't be so sure about that. You are both too sneaky and unpredictable for your own good." Agott nudged back. She took Coco’s pen and tested briefly on the paper, tracing a circle. “So the pen is shaped like this because it’s similar to that stone… pigment stone.” She concluded.
“Yes! That was Tartar’s idea” Coco nodded.
Agott placed the pen down and tried to brushed off the creeping jealousy at the mention of the boy’s name. It’s her friend after all. “That's… very clever!” She admitted.
“Yeah… it is!” Coco's smile faltered at the mention of Tartar. The boy left with that brimmed cap. Shaking her head, Coco tried to avoid the subject letting out a breath. “Thank you for reassuring me! Since this wind spell will work, now I can test it outside tomorrow and avoid things like this in the future.” She pointed to her scar as she chuckled.
“Oh! That reminds me!” She raised a hand to her forehead and picked a flask on the corner of her desk. “I was supposed to continue spreading this medicinal oil on it. I thought I could stop since it looks better? But Master Quifrey told me to keep using it for a few weeks.” Coco rolled her eyes as she stood up to look for a mirror around the table and cabinets but with no success.
“What are you looking for?” Agott grinned.
Coco signed. “The mirror I use for this…. I must have left it in my room.” She began turning around to leave but Agott stopped her holding her hand.
“I’ll help you!” Agott offered. “You just.. spread the oil on it right?”
Coco sat back next to her and stammered “R-right” giving the flask to Agott.
Agott inspected the scar. The skin was a little thin there. Opening the flask and pouring its content on her fingers, she hesitated before applying on Coco’s cheek. Her friend flinched for a second before leaning back to the touch closing her eyes. Agott's fingers delicately began to spread the oil.
“T-Thanks” Coco stammered.
“Does it still hurt?” Agott asked.
“Not anymore. In the first days, it was itchy.” Coco answered.
“I see…”
Coco relaxed with a breath. “This… is actually very soothing. It helped a lot in the beginning. I felt like it burned a little.” She smiled as the oil gave a pleasing cold sensation.
Agott could not stop her ministrations. She observed Coco’s relaxed expression in awe. The girl looked so beautifully relaxed by it. Her eyes closed and that smile that hypnotised her.
“Is it too bad?” Coco opened her eyes.
“Not at al!” Agott held a breath as she stopped, feeling trapped under her green golden gaze. “To me it looks completely healed!” She managed to speak.
“I mean…” Coco hesitated looking at the floor. But Agott managed to continue. “Don't worry about it… it suits you. I think it shows just how brave you are. It's cool actually.”
Agott heard that cute laugh again sending a familiar tingling sensation through her body. “Cool…? brave…? I guess if you think that, I'm okay with it.” Coco remarked. “I was just a little worried, I guess… of the scar being unattractive and all that…” She nervously spoke. “It’s really dumb!”
Agott was shocked at the absurd statement. “Unattractive? That’s nonsense! You're gorgeous!”
“...”
Coco stared back at her dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Agott felt like burying her face under her pillows after the words left her mouth.
“You… think I'm gorgeous?” Coco smiled.
Agott's face had a full blush now. “I… Yes!!” She stuttered, looking at the floor before looking back up to Coco again. The girl beamed with a slight flush on her face, reaching her hand to take one of Agott’s curls away from her eyes. The green haired hesitated for a second. “I think…you…” She began speaking before they heard a knock at the door.
“Coco… Agott! Dinner is ready!” Qifrey spoke from the other side.
Both girls separated themselves instantly, awkwardly recovering from embarrassment in silence.
“Is everything alright?” Qifrey spoke as he decided to open the door.
“We…. we are fine!” Coco spoke. Agott remained quiet at her side looking at the spells on the table.
“Sorry girls! You didn’t answer, so I thought something happened.” He clasped his hands with a fond smile. “I’m glad you girls are getting along to even study together in your spare time, though.”
“Yeah… Coco was telling me about a wind spell you two discussed” Agott tried to change the topic.
“Marvelous!” Qifrey nodded. “Tetia and Riche are already at the table. You'll do well to rest a little and join us! It’s no good to study on an empty stomach” He turned around and closed the door behind him as he left.
After he left, Agott was the first to break the silence. Clearing her throat, she stood up offering her hand to help Coco stand.
“We should go… If you need help with those spells again, you can talk to me. I hate to admit but Master Quifrey is right… I’m starving!” Agott smiled awkwardly.
“R-Right” Coco answered.
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They ate their dinner quietly, making small talk with the others before returning to their bedrooms. Before sleep, Agott clutched her owlcat plush tightly on her chest as she looked at the ceiling. Coco tried to draw a little more on her notebook as she lay on her bed. Only to realise she kept drawing hearts between her spells.
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