Archive of Our Own

Summary:

"Are you sure about this?"

Qifrey, sitting on his heels to inspect the soil, looked up and blinked. "Did you have a better location in mind? You should’ve said so earlier."

"That wasn’t what I meant and you know it. Are you sure about leaving the Great Hall?"

Qifrey got up, cleaning his hands on a cloth as he went. He looked ethereal in the morning sun, his white hair glowing in the soft light and an expression on his face as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. "Of course I am. My master was stifling enough and you know what I think of witch society as a whole."

Olruggio had to fight the urge to kiss his lying mouth.

It was a smart thing to say. It invited people to cut him off, to stop him from saying things they didn’t want to hear. Shut that blasphemous trap of his, Olruggio had heard more than one master say through the years. But Olruggio has been with Qifrey for too long, and was too close to him, for it to work in truth. 

He just watched his friend until Qifrey averted his eyes and went back to inspecting the soil.

Neither of them said anything.

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Qifrey and Olruggio build a home. The atelier, and they, have a long way to go.