Even a few days away from home can get you antsy, yet it’s not such a worry if they’re close by.
WC: 1k
A/N: it’s been awhile hahaha, still not sure if i’ll return to updating weekly but here’s something to munch on for now
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You toss and turn in the confines of your bed. The plush of the pillow does nothing to help lull yourself to sleep; the gruff material of the sheets prickle at your legs.
You’ve been making rounds at villages south of the atelier: restoring seals, delivering a couple of Olly’s commissions that he had no time to give himself, and noting down the other complaints that were outside of your expertise — most of which you thought were virtually impossible but you weren’t going to tell them that. Yes you can help purify their water; no you cannot make the forest less ominous. Seriously, did they think you could do everything? Whatever the case, the Knights of Moralis can handle that.
Currently, the village you’re staying at was the last one on your list. Unfortunately, by the time you finished everyone’s requests, it had become sundown. You had half the mind to head straight home anyways; however, the villagers had other ideas, insisting you stay the night at their inn. As much as you profusely refused, not wanting to take up more of their time, they kept on encouraging it, saying it was free of charge and such. Honestly, you didn’t have the energy to deny them any longer. Which is how you ended up staring at the ceiling not being able to get a wink of sleep.
Homesickness has been eating at your brain these past few days. You’d originally intended to only stay out for two days, yet four have passed by now — so much for wanting to be productive. Besides, the food and the company hardly compare to the ones at the atelier. You wonder what the kids have been doing, what they’re eating. Some fresh bread sounds really good right about now.
There’s been a nagging feeling circulating in your mind regarding the Brimmed Caps as well. Ever since the incident at Kalhn, you’ve been worried about everyone. Nothing about their actions scream anything good is coming, especially since they’re targeting Coco. And there’s Qifrey. He seems tenser than usual. You’re not sure how worried you should be.
Shaking away all the thoughts, you sigh out a breath, and push yourself up with a hand. You hunch over your legs before slipping out of the sheets, rubbing at your eyes. The cold air sends a jolt into your system and you scurry over to your bag to throw on your socks and cloak. As you rub your hands over your arms, you scan the room for any stray belongings. When you find nothing out of place, you loosely pick up your bag and slip on your shoes.
The hallway lights are dim when you peek out, the door closing behind you with a creak. Your steps are quiet as you make your way to the lobby. To your delight, the reception desk is empty — off elsewhere you suppose. Glad no one’s here to pester you back to your room.
As you make your way home, there’s a light breeze caressing your face. The moon provides enough light to illuminate the trees below you. You can’t wait to plant face down onto your bed.
By the time you return to the atelier, your shoulders ache from the weight on your back and you almost stumble over from the rough landing. Using all of your remaining energy, you tug open the door to a faint whiff of an aroma of some sort. At this point, you’re not sure if you’re just imagining it from your exhaustion. Deciding to investigate, you round the corner into the kitchen, eyes locking onto blobs of white and black hair. Your shoulders drop in relief.
As he nurses his drink, Olly’s eyes catch yours, widening in shock before waving a hand at you. Mindlessly walking over, you nearly jump out of your skin as you register another voice to the side of you. Turning your head, you spot four others at their own table. Agott’s already looking over at you but when you meet her eyes she jerks her head back to the others. A small smile slips onto your face.
A tug on your shoulder turns your attention back to Qifrey as he hauls your bag onto a stool next to him. Giving your muscles a small stretch, you plop next to Olly when he makes space for you.
“What are you all doing up this late?” You ask, propping your head onto your arms.
“We started the day late today, it only makes sense for a later dinner too,” Qifrey says matter-of-factly, offering some of his plate of food, which you deny. You’re sure you’re about to pass out any minute now so food probably won’t do any good.
Olruggio rests a palm against his cheek, vaguely gesturing at the other man. “And I’m pretty sure a certain someone made that excuse to get the girls to stay up since he was expecting you. They’ve been missing ya.”
“Oh really? I would’ve never guessed,” you huff. Qifrey makes no comment in response. His smug smile tells you all you need to know. You poke at Olly’s arm, “Did he also have to drag you out of your room to eat too?” Under your scrutiny, he looks awkwardly away from you, swatting at your finger.
“Not this time actually,” Qifrey fills in. “He came out at a reasonable time.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
Shortly after, Tetia catches a glimpse of your figure and immediately rushes over to your side, gushing about how much she missed you. You return her affections with a hug which attracts all the other girls over. They huddle around you like penguins. You swear you hear Agott mutter a ‘took you guys long enough,’ through their collective chattering.
Eventually, Qifrey has to shoo them all to bed, reminding them of their schedules tomorrow and your fatigue. It doesn’t do much to quell their disappointment but they comply reluctantly, promising to catch up more in the morning.
You don’t remember when you fell asleep following that. The occasional clinks of dishes and conversation between the other two sooner or later faded away and the brush of a blanket was the last thing you could recall.
Using Brushbuddy as your personal little messenger.
Pairing: Qifrey x gn! reader
Synopsis; your plan worked better than you expected
Warning; highly suggestive content ahead so minors please do not interact! Bad grammar
Giving him small pieces of paper to deliver to Qifrey, saying things you can't say out loud to tease him, making him incredibly flustered while the girls look at him confused why his face became so red out of a sudden and him leaving in a hurry to do some "urgent" matters and coming back a few minutes later much calmer but still red on the face, pretending to be okay while being extremely distracted by the unholy and shameful thoughts flooding through his head.
Later in the evening, to make sure your plan works, you promised another portion of magic ink to the little white creature if they helped you steal and hide his pens, ink or paper so he finally would drag himself to bed to you so you could enjoy his uninterrupted attention and love or shower him with kisses like you did every evening before bed while lying on top of him, holding his face in your hands.
But you did not expect your plan to backfire so spectacularly.
He did come to bed, but something was off. You expected a shy, flustered and kind of nervous Qifrey who always appeared whenever you showed him some more of the "special" attention. But he came inside strangely calm with an unreadable expression.
He quietly closed the door behind him using the key and placed a small piece of paper on them. Silencing spell: making no sounds come out outside no matter how loud someone was. You gulped nervously and looked at him. He just smiled, but the smile wasn't the usual kind smile he always gave you. It was something different, something more dark.
He approached you, and with one quick motion, he had you pinned under him on the bed. Lying on your back with your hands pinned to the bed by the wrists. You looked at him, smiling nervously. This isn't how it was supposed to go! He closed his eye and leaned down, trapping you under him his warm breath tickling your ear.
'You're really evil, my darling… teasing me like this in front of the girls. Don't you have any shame left in you, my love? I may be spoiling you too much..'
His voice quiet and filled with something that you had a hard time describing. You never saw this side of him, and you didn't know what to expect or how to react.
'Since you don't know how to act, I think I need to teach you a lesson,'
The white haired witch purred inside your ear, making you even more flustered than before and making your stomach flip with that weird, warm feeling. He placed a small kiss on your cheek, leaving his lips on you for a bit longer than necessary, and chuckled. That low and humourless laugh filled with so much desire made you wonder if he got switched with someone else or if he was such a good actor that he managed to hide this side of him for such a long time, but regardless, you were in huge trouble. But weren't you what you wanted? His pure uninterrupted attention on you and only on you.
'Since you were so eager to get me there and act all innocent after delivering such a note right in front of the girls, I think you need an appropriate punishment, don't you think?' 'But don't worry… I'll be gentle,' he added quietly and placed a soft kiss on your forehead.
(Mentally you already said bye-bye to your legs for the next few days. Because there's no way he will let you to keep your ability to walk after that.)
I do not admit to anything that possessed me to write this. (Someone hacked me and posted this)
Pairing: Orufrey x Artist!Female!reader, The qieflings x Artist!Female!Reader (platonic)
Summary: A life living with six witches that accidentally got transport in your world and so many unexpected adventures awaits.
Author's note: heres part5 hope you enjoy! excuse if some parts were repeat. my apologies since my goddamn project was a headache. Also as always SPOILER WARNING FOR ANIME WATCHERS ONLY!!! THEYRE WILL BE MENTION SOME PARTS FROM THE MANGA.
The bathroom fell silent as you and Olruggio stared at each other, only now realizing just how close the two of you were.
Olruggio reacted almost instantly, moving away.
"I'm sorry about that—"
Before he could take another step, you noticed just how soaked the bathroom floor was.
Your eyes widened.
"WAIT, OLLY—!!"
You reacted on instinct.
Just as his foot slipped, you reached out in time, managing to shield the back of his head with your hand before he could hit the edge of the bathtub, all without climbing out of the tub yourself. You hiss slightly as you used the one that had a bruise.
Olruggio quickly pushed himself back up, immediately turning his attention to you.
"Are you okay?!"
You blinked at him in confusion.
"...I'm the one who should be asking you that. You were the one who literally slipped."
For a brief moment, the two of you simply stared at each other before realizing you'd both been more worried about the other's safety than your own.
"...Don't scare me like that," Olruggio groaned, letting out a relieved sigh.
Before you could respond, he instinctively checked your shoulders and arms, making sure you hadn't bruised yourself when you reached out to catch him.
His expression softened only after he was satisfied you were unharmed.
"...You're fine."
You gave him a small, amused smile.
"I told you."
"You were the one who had me worried."
"Huh? As if I'm the one who's more worried—"
Olruggio cut you off by gently covering your mouth with his hand.
"Alright, that's enough. Continue enjoying your warm bath while I take my leave—"
"Olly? (Name)?"
Olruggio quickly turned his head at the familiar voice, and you looked up as well.
The two of you froze.
Standing at the doorway was Qifrey, his hand still resting on the slightly open door. His eyes widened in surprise as they darted between the two of you. From his angle, with Olruggio leaning so close while covering your mouth, the scene looked... incredibly suspicious.
Both of you had been caught like red-handed.
"...Am I interrupting something?" Qifrey asked after a long, awkward silence, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.
Olruggio's eyes widened. "Q-Qifrey, this isn't what it looks like—"
You quickly pulled Olruggio's hand away from your mouth, your face burning with embarrassment as you hurried to explain, knowing full well Qifrey had already misunderstood the situation.
"He slipped and fell! That's it!" you blurted out, immediately pointing an accusing finger at Olruggio.
Olruggio slowly turned to look at you, his face frozen in utter disbelief.
"...What?"
The expression he wore practically screamed, What the hell?
He blinked at you once, then glanced back at Qifrey before looking at you again, clearly wondering why you'd chosen that excuse of all things.
Qifrey simply stared at the two of you before slowly closing the door without saying a word.
Click.
"QIFREY!!"
"QIFREY!!"
---===---
After that whole fiasco in the bathroom, everything felt unbearably awkward.
You couldn't even bring yourself to look Qifrey in the eye.
Every time your gazes almost met, you'd immediately look away.
Even something as simple as talking to him suddenly felt oddly difficult, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the air whenever the two of you crossed paths.
Even during dinner, the girls happily chatted away, completely unaware of the awkward atmosphere between the three of you. You were thankful they hadn't noticed. There was no need to involve them in such an embarrassing misunderstanding.
Now, with dinner over, you found yourself lying across the edge of your bed, absentmindedly staring at the ceiling.
Qifrey sat at your study desk, quietly reading one of the books he'd bought at the mall. Every so often, he'd turn a page, the soft rustling filling the otherwise silent room.
You knew you couldn't keep avoiding the subject.
"...Qifrey?"
You called softly.
He hummed in acknowledgment, his eyes lingering on the page for another moment before he finally looked up.
"...About what happened earlier..."
"It's not what you think."
Silence.
Qifrey held your gaze before offering a small, reassuring smile.
"...I know."
"You don't have to explain."
You blinked.
"...You... do?"
He nodded gently.
"I know neither you nor Olruggio intended for that to happen."
His expression remained calm. Yet, after a brief pause, his gaze drifted toward the window.
"...Though..."
"There was a moment..."
"...when I found myself feeling a little envious."
He laughed quietly at himself, the sound almost inaudible.
"How strange."
"It caught me by surprise as well."
His fingers absentmindedly brushed the edge of the page before he looked back at you with the same warm smile.
"So please..."
"Don't trouble yourself over it."
"It was only a fleeting feeling."
The smile on his face never changed. Only someone watching very closely... Might have noticed the faint wistfulness hidden behind it. You sat there for a moment, still surprised by what Qifrey had admitted.
You hadn't expected those words to come from him. Slowly, you pushed yourself upright on the bed. Just then, the bedroom door opened.
Olruggio stepped inside, drying his hair with a towel. He glanced between you and Qifrey before raising an eyebrow.
"...Did I interrupt something?"
"Not really," you answered with a small shake of your head.
There was a brief silence before something suddenly came to mind.
"...Oh, right."
Both men turned their attention toward you.
"By the way... Qifrey, Olly."
"...Hm?" Qifrey responded.
"What is it?" Olruggio asked.
You rubbed the back of your neck.
"I have work tomorrow."
"So... I won't be home until around six in the evening."
The room fell quiet for a moment as the two of them took in what you'd said.
"...So..."
You rubbed the back of your neck, looking between the two of them.
"I'm... a little worried."
Qifrey and Olruggio waited patiently for you to continue.
"I'll be gone for almost the entire day tomorrow."
"I'm just wondering..."
"...Will you all be alright without me?"
A hint of concern lingered in your voice.
You couldn't help it.
Even though you'd already shown them how to use the appliances, where everything was kept, and what to do around the apartment...
A small part of you still worried that something unexpected might happen while you were away.
Qifrey smiled reassuringly.
"I believe we'll manage."
Olruggio nodded in agreement.
"We're not completely helpless, you know."
You let out a sheepish laugh.
"...I know."
"...I just worry."
"That's all."
With a quiet yawn, you finally decided it was time for bed.
You pulled the blanket over yourself before looking over at the two of them.
"...Goodnight, you two."
"I'll be leaving early tomorrow, so don't be surprised if I'm already gone when you wake up."
Qifrey smiled warmly.
"Sleep well."
Olruggio gave a small nod.
"...Night."
You returned their smiles before settling comfortably beneath the covers.
Closing your eyes, you let the day's exhaustion wash over you. It wasn't long before sleep gently carried you off into dreamland.
---===----===----=-==-=-=----
Before long, your breathing grew slow and steady. Fast asleep. The room fell quiet. Olruggio glanced over at your sleeping figure before turning to Qifrey.
"...So."
"She finally explained everything to you?"
As he spoke, he absentmindedly picked up the camera he'd found earlier on one of your shelves, curiously turning it over in his hands.
Qifrey didn't look up from his book.
"Of course."
"I never truly believed the two of you were up to something."
Olruggio immediately frowned.
"...Ha!? Then what was all that earlier—"
"Shh."
Qifrey gently hushed him, raising a finger before pointing toward the bed. You were curled beneath the blankets, sleeping peacefully without a care in the world. Olruggio followed his gaze.
"...Right."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Almost woke her."
Silence settled over the room once again. Olruggio glanced toward Qifrey.
He'd been unusually quiet lately.
Too quiet.
Olruggio couldn't tell whether Qifrey was still searching for a way back to their world...
Or if something else weighed on his mind.
"...Olly."
Qifrey's voice broke the silence.
"You should get some sleep."
He never turned around, his eyes remaining on the book in front of him.
Olruggio folded his arms.
"...It's still early."
Qifrey didn't respond.
The room fell silent once more.
Olruggio clicked his tongue in mild annoyance.
"...You're impossible."
With a quiet sigh, he made his way over to his sleeping bag, settling down for the night.
Before closing his eyes, he spared one last glance at Qifrey.
The older witch still hadn't turned a single page.
Once Olruggio had fallen fast asleep, Qifrey quietly lowered his book.
His hand slowly came to rest over the dark lens covering his ruined eye.
His breathing caught.
"..."
Why did it unsettle him so much again?
The silverwood tree had continue remained silence for a while.
No pain.
No warning.
Still no sign that the curse still lingered.
Had it truly disappeared now...?
Or had it merely fallen dormant, just as their magic had?
The uncertainty frightened him more than he cared to admit.
Because if one day he found the answer...
If he ever had to tell either of you the truth...
There would be no turning back.
No spell to erase what had been learned.
No way to undo it. After all...
The laws of magic that governed their world held no power here.
This world did not recognize them. And perhaps...
That was precisely what frightened him the most.
-----===----===----===-----
After your bath, you changed into your usual office uniform. It always reminded you of your high school days. You weren't exactly a fan of uniforms...
Though, admittedly, some of them did look rather nice and kinda cool.
Sitting down in front of your vanity, you slipped a hair tie between your lips before reaching for your hairbrush.
You carefully worked through the knots from the ends upward, mindful of your bandaged knuckles. Even after being patched up, they still stung.
"..."
After a few strokes, your arm began to ache.
"Allow me."
You paused, meeting your reflection in the mirror. Qifrey stood behind you with a gentle smile, already reaching for the brush.
"You know I can manage," you mumbled around the hair tie.
He only smiled, quietly taking the brush from your hand.
"I know."
"But there's no harm in letting someone help you once in a while."
You let out a quiet sigh, deciding not to argue.
His movements were gentle and careful, slowly working through each strand without tugging. For a while, neither of you spoke.
Then...
His strokes gradually slowed.
The brush lingered in your hair.
His single blue eye remained fixed on your reflection, though it was clear he wasn't truly looking at you.
His thoughts had wandered somewhere far away.
"...Qifrey?"
Your quiet voice finally pulled him back to the present.
Your voice barely reached him.
"...Qifrey?"
No response.
His gaze remained fixed, distant.
The brush had long since stopped moving.
The silverwood tree...
Could it be...
Was the curse silent because of your presence?
Or was it simply because they'd crossed into a world where magic itself had no place?
A world so foreign that even the silverwood tree could no longer take root. Its bothering too much that it wont leave.
"...Qifrey!"
Your voice came out louder than you intended.
He flinched slightly, blinking as though waking from a dream.
"...Ah."
His eye met yours through the mirror.
"My apologies."
You offered him a small, apologetic smile.
"...Sorry."
"You just seemed to be... dazing off."
Qifrey's expression softened.
"...Perhaps I was."
Though even as he answered...
The question lingering in his mind refused to leave.
Once Qifrey finished brushing your hair, he handed the brush back with a small smile.
"There."
"Thank you," you replied, slipping the hair tie around your ponytail before grabbing your work bag.
As you stepped out of your room, the smell of breakfast greeted you.
You blinked in surprise.
Olruggio stood in the kitchen, quietly plating breakfast while another lunch box sat neatly on the counter.
"...Olly?"
He glanced over his shoulder.
"Morning."
Your eyes shifted between the food and the packed lunch.
"...You made all this?"
Olruggio shrugged as though it were nothing.
"Figured you'd need something to eat before work."
"And you weren't leaving without lunch."
For a moment, you simply stood there, genuinely caught off guard.
----====-----
After breakfast, you grabbed your work bag and slipped on your shoes. Turning back toward everyone, you offered a small smile.
"...I'll see you all later."
"Be good while I'm gone, alright?"
The girls nodded enthusiastically.
"We will!" Tetia replied first.
Coco gave you a cheerful wave.
"Have a good day at work!"
Richeh quietly waved from behind her seal plush, while Agott simply gave a small nod.
"...Take care."
Qifrey smiled warmly.
"We'll be fine."
Olruggio folded his arms, giving you a confident grin.
"Don't worry so much."
You chuckled.
"...I'll try."
With one last glance at the group, you opened the apartment door.
"See you this evening."
The door clicked shut behind you as you headed off to work, leaving the apartment unusually quiet.
----====----
Making your way across the street, you headed toward the office building. The morning crowd bustled around you as you entered through the lobby's revolving doors. As usual, you greeted the reception staff.
"Morning."
"Good morning."
They smiled and greeted you back. Though... you couldn't help but notice a few lingering glances.
Ah.
Word had probably spread about what happened the last time you came here with Coco. You simply ignored it and stepped into the elevator. After pressing your floor, you waited in silence until—
Ding.
The doors slid open. You walked down the familiar hallway before pushing open the door to your office.
To no surprise...
Maddy and Luke were already there.
As always.
Maddy was the first to notice you. Her eyes lit up.
"Morning—"
"ACK—!"
You barely had time to react before Maddy launched herself at you, wrapping you in a bone-crushing hug.
"OH, HOW I'VE THOUGHT YOU WERENT COMING TO WORK!!"
"IT'S SO RARE FOR YOU TO COME!! HOW'S COCO DOING!?!?"
You let out a pained groan.
"...Maddy..."
"Can't... breathe..."
Luke looked up from his desk, taking a sip of his coffee.
"...I'm honestly surprised they haven't fired you yet."
He adjusted his glasses with a completely straight face.
"Your attendance record is... impressive, for all the wrong reasons."
You shot him an unamused look.
"...Good morning to you too."
When Maddy finally let go, you took a deep breath, relieved to be free from her iron grip. You shot her a flat glare. She simply smiled back as if she'd done nothing wrong.
With a quiet sigh, you walked over to your desk, setting your bag down before switching on your computer.
You also pulled your laptop from your bag, placing it beside the monitor as it slowly booted up.
Luke glanced over from his desk.
"...Seriously though."
"How's your hand?"
His eyes briefly landed on the bandages wrapped around your knuckles.
"It still looks pretty rough."
Before you could answer, Maddy leaned over your desk with sparkling eyes.
"Hey~! You still haven't answered my question! How's Coco doing?!"
You paused for a moment before letting out a small sigh.
"...She's doing better."
"She cried herself to sleep that time, but... she's alright now."
Maddy's shoulders immediately relaxed.
"Oh, thank goodness..."
Luke gave a small nod.
"I'm glad she's doing better."
You smiled faintly.
"...Me too."
Maddy suddenly perked up.
"Oh! By the way, if you're wondering what happened to Felicia, you won't believe what the boss did! He seriously did not—"
"I don't want to hear it, Maddy."
You cut her off before she could continue, your attention already focused on your computer as you began sorting through the day's workload without sparing her a glance.
"...Oh."
Maddy blinked before her shoulders slumped.
"...Alright."
Even Luke looked up for a brief moment, noticing the firmness in your voice. It was clear...You had no interest in hearing about Felicia.
Not today.
Maddy quietly returned to her desk, though she couldn't resist leaning toward Luke and lowering her voice.
"...Seriously."
"Do you think she's still mad at Felicia?"
Luke briefly glanced in your direction before turning his attention back to his monitor.
"...From my perspective?"
"Yes."
His blunt response earned an exaggerated groan from Maddy. She grabbed his shoulders and gave them a dramatic shake.
"Luke!"
"You were supposed to say something like, 'Oh, she must still be mad at Felicia!'"
Luke didn't even look away from his work.
"...That's... essentially what I said."
Maddy stared at him for a second before letting out a defeated huff and flopping back into her office chair.
"...Ugh."
"You're no fun."
You secretly glanced over at the two of them, a faint smile tugging at the corner of your lips as their usual bickering continued. As much as Maddy and Luke could get on your nerves...
You knew that was simply who they were. Maddy's dramatic antics and Luke's dry, blunt remarks had become an ordinary part of your workdays.
If anything...
They were the reason the office never felt dull. Their constant banter somehow filled the room with life, making the long hours feel just a little less exhausting.
"...Idiots," you muttered under your breath, though there wasn't an ounce of malice behind it.
The small smile lingering on your face said otherwise.
---====----
Around lunchtime, the three of you headed to the cafeteria as usual. You sat down at one of the tables and reached into your bag for your lunch.
But instead of your lunch box... A soft squeak greeted you.
"...?"
You looked inside. Brushbuddy.
The little brush blinked up at you innocently.
Your lunch box, however... Was nowhere to be found.
"..."
You slowly closed your eyes before letting out a long, defeated groan.
"...Great. Just great..."
The sound immediately caught Maddy and Luke's attention.
"What's wrong?" Maddy asked. "Did someone burn the food again?"
You shook your head.
"...No. I forgot my lunch."
Luke glanced up from his meal.
"Why not buy something from one of the stalls?"
"...Yeah, no."
You made a face.
"They all use the same oil, and half the food tastes terrible. I guess I'm skipping lunch today."
Maddy immediately frowned.
"Oh, no you don't."
She split her sandwich in half and held one piece out toward you.
"Here. You can have this."
You blinked.
"...What? No, Maddy. That's your lunch."
"I insist."
She smiled warmly.
"I know how often you end up skipping meals. So I don't mind sharing."
You hesitated for a moment before accepting it with a small smile.
"...Thanks."
As you did, you noticed Brushbuddy peeking out from inside your bag, quietly watching you with curious little eyes.
You couldn't help but smile. Just as you were about to take your first bite...
The cafeteria doors swung open. A coworker looked around before spotting you.
"Hey, (Name)!"
You looked up.
"Someone's looking for you in the lobby."
"...Huh?"
Maddy tilted her head curiously.
"I wonder who..."
----===----
"You know... you didn't have to come all this way just to bring me my lunch."
You scratched the back of your neck, feeling both embarrassed and touched. The entire group had come just to deliver the lunch box you'd forgotten.
Tetia and Coco giggled while Richeh carefully held out your lunch box. Agott stood quietly beside them, with Qifrey and Olruggio just behind the girls.
"The girls were the ones who suggested it," Qifrey said with a soft chuckle.
You smiled gratefully as you accepted the lunch box from Richeh.
"Thanks, Richeh."
She simply nodded, pleased to have helped.
"...Still," you said, looking between them. "How did you even know the way here?"
A grin spread across Olruggio's face as he pointed a thumb toward Coco.
"Thanks to her. Coco remembered the way."
Coco laughed shyly, rubbing the back of her neck.
You smiled... though you couldn't help noticing how tense her shoulders had become. You already knew why. Leaning down slightly, you spoke gently.
"If you're wondering whether she's here..."
"...She isn't. You don't have to worry."
Coco's shoulders visibly relaxed as she smiled up at you.
"...Thank goodness."
"Hah!? Then where is she?!" Tetia blurted out immediately.
Everyone turned to stare at her, surprised by how quickly she'd reacted.
It seemed Coco had already told them what had happened.
Qifrey smiled patiently.
"Now, now, Tetia."
"There's no need to get so worked up."
Tetia crossed her arms with a small huff but said nothing more, though it was obvious she still wasn't pleased.
"Oh, and by the way..."
A small chuckle escaped you. You made a quiet psst sound.
A moment later, Brushbuddy peeked out from inside your hair before climbing down onto your shoulder. The girls' faces instantly lit up.
"...There you are."
"This little rascal managed to sneak into my bag this morning."
You carefully lifted Brushbuddy off your shoulder and gently placed the little creature into Richeh's hands, making sure no one else in the lobby noticed.
Brushbuddy happily settled into her arms, letting out a tiny, content chirp.
Richeh's expression softened as she held the little companion close, while Coco and Tetia leaned in with bright smiles.
"So that's where you disappeared to," Coco giggled.
You let out a small laugh.
"I was wondering why my bag felt a little heavier than usual."
Even Agott couldn't hide the faint smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.
"...You guys should head home."
You held your lunch box close, smiling at the group.
"I'll be taking my lunch now."
"...And..."
"Thanks..."
"...For stopping by just to bring this to me."
A faint blush crept across your cheeks as you looked away, clearly a little embarrassed by the gesture.
Qifrey smiled warmly.
"It was our pleasure."
"We'll see you this evening."
Olruggio gave a small nod.
"Don't work too hard."
The girls waved enthusiastically.
"Bye!"
"See you later!"
"Come home safely!"
You returned the wave, watching as the group headed back toward the entrance of the building. Only after they had disappeared from sight did you let out a quiet, contented sigh.
Unbeknownst to you...
Luke and Maddy had witnessed the entire exchange from a short distance away. Neither of them said anything for a moment.
Then Maddy smiled softly.
"...Whether they're family or not..."
"...I'm just glad she has people who genuinely care about her."
Luke watched you quietly as you stood there holding your lunch box.
"...Yeah."
"I think so too."
----=====-----
Meanwhile...
Somewhere on one of the upper floors, a lone figure stood behind the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, quietly watching the group leave the building. Felicia folded her arms across her chest, her eyes following them until they disappeared from view.
"...Here I thought she'd stopped playing family after abandoning her own."
Her gaze remained sharp, like a predator watching its prey. Behind her, another voice broke the silence.
An older, gruff voice.
"I highly suggest you leave them alone."
"They have nothing to do with this."
"...Neither does she."
The man continued organizing the folders on his desk inside the CEO's office before finally looking up at his daughter.
"Why are you so fixated on her in the first place?"
Felicia bit the inside of her cheek, her fists clenching tightly at her sides as she glared at him.
"That woman had the nerve to leave me behind in high school—"
"...When she was at the lowest point in her life?"
Her father cut her off without raising his voice.
"I understand why she left."
"You can't blame someone who was barely holding on."
He sighed quietly before setting another folder aside.
"She was suffering, Felicia."
"When someone is hanging by a thread..."
"You don't condemn them for almost letting go of the rope."
The room fell silent.
Felicia said nothing.
Only the bitterness in her eyes remained.
"you love her dont you..?" his father continue.
felicia didnt answer.
"if you truly love her, then let her go.."
----====----
"...Ah..."
You let out a satisfied sigh as you finished the last bite of your lunch.
"...I'm finally full."
Leaning back in your chair, you rested a hand on your stomach with a content smile.
"Olruggio's cooking is sooo~ good~!"
You couldn't help but praise it out loud. Across the table, Maddy and Luke simply stared at you.
"...She never acts like this," Maddy whispered, blinking in disbelief.
"...Yep."
Luke nodded in agreement without taking his eyes off you.
Slowly, Maddy reached into her pocket and raised her phone, clearly tempted to capture the rare sight.
Before she could press the camera button—
Luke swiftly lowered her hand.
"...No."
"...Augh..."
Maddy let out a dramatic whine, slumping back into her seat in defeat.
"...You never let me have any fun."
"anyways.." luke stood up from his chair which caught both you and maddy's attention.
"breaktime is almost over.." he fix his glasses which earn a groan from you and maddy.
---====-----
"FINALLY!!"
The moment the workday ended, you dramatically dropped your forehead onto your desk with a loud thud.
"I can finally go home..."
Maddy couldn't help but laugh.
"Ah, ah, ah~!"
She wagged a finger at you.
"(Name), you promised you'd go shopping with Luke and me!"
Your head immediately snapped toward her in disbelief.
"...Since when!?"
"Months ago!"
"You still remember that!?"
Maddy placed both hands on her hips with a smug grin.
"Of course I do. I remember everything."
You slowly looked at Luke for help.
"...Luke?"
Luke didn't even look up from packing his things.
"...She does. You should've known better than to promise Maddy something."
You stared at the two of them for a long moment before letting out a defeated groan.
"...I'm surrounded by menaces."
Maddy proudly pointed at herself.
"Correction."
"One menace."
Luke adjusted his glasses.
"...I'm just here."
And somehow...
That was how you ended up wandering around the mall with your two rather unusual friends.
The three of you strolled from store to store, occasionally stopping to browse, grab a snack, or try whatever dessert Maddy insisted was "life-changing."
As the two of them chatted, your eyes wandered across the different shops.
...I should buy something for them before I head home.
Maddy noticed the thoughtful look on your face and immediately smirked.
"You know... You should take them somewhere fun!"
You glanced at her.
"...Like where?"
"I don't know!" she said excitedly. "The beach! Let them get some sun! Or a water park!"
She began counting on her fingers.
"Oh! The zoo!"
"The aquarium!"
"What else...?"
Your expression softened.
Now that you thought about it...
The girls—and even Qifrey and Olruggio—might actually enjoy places like that. Except qifrey with water.
Luke, who had been quietly walking beside you, finally spoke up.
"...You could also take them to a museum."
"Or the National Library."
You immediately pulled out your phone and opened your notes app, quickly typing down every suggestion.
Maddy peeked over your shoulder.
"...You're actually making a list?"
"Might as well," you replied.
Luke chuckled quietly.
"...You should probably survive buying them souvenirs first..."
"...Then you can start planning your adventures."
You let out a small laugh.
"...Fair point."
-----=====-----
It was already late. Olruggio and Qifrey were still awake, quietly waiting for you to return.
The girls had long since fallen asleep, while Brushbuddy rested peacefully in the tiny bed you had made for the little rascal.
Click.
The front door slowly opened. You stepped inside with a tired sigh, several shopping bags hanging from your arms.
"...I'm home."
"Ah. You're home."
Qifrey greeted you with a gentle smile as he walked over. Olruggio looked up from the book he'd been reading, setting it aside.
"...Sorry."
"I ended up going to the mall with my two friends after work."
You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly. Qifrey chuckled as he took a few of the heavier bags from your hands.
"Welcome back."
As you slipped off your shoes, you glanced toward the hallway.
"...By the way..."
"Are the girls still awake?"
Olruggio shook his head.
"They're asleep. It's pretty late. They all went to bed a while ago."
"...What!?"
You instinctively raised your voice before immediately covering your mouth. Realizing how loud you'd been, you quickly lowered your tone.
"...Sorry."
You glanced down at the shopping bags. Most of them were filled with snacks, little accessories, desserts...
There were even a few small things for Brushbuddy. A small smile appeared on your face.
"Oh... right."
You reached into one of the bags and carefully handed a dessert to Qifrey, then another to Olruggio.
"...These are for you two."
Both of them looked at the desserts in mild surprise.
"I just..."
"Wanted to bring you something from the mall."
A faint blush crept across your cheeks as you looked away.
"...I figured you'd like them."
Qifrey's smile softened.
"...Thank you."
Olruggio looked between the dessert and you before giving a quiet nod.
"...You didn't have to."
"...But thanks."
The warmth in the room somehow made the exhaustion from your day feel just a little lighter.
"Anyway... How were you guys while I was at work?"
You asked as you slipped off your blazer, draping it neatly over the back of the couch. Now dressed only in your blouse and work slacks, you let yourself sink into the cushions with a relieved sigh beside the two witches.
"...It's good to be home."
Qifrey smiled warmly at your words.
"We managed quite well."
"The girls spent most of the day studying the magic circles. They were rather enthusiastic about it."
Olruggio gave a small nod.
"Agott was the most focused, as expected."
"Tetia kept trying to make everyone race to see who could finish drawing a circle first."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"Coco and Richeh mostly kept her from turning it into complete chaos."
You couldn't help but laugh at the image.
"...That does sound like them."
"The apartment's still standing, so I suppose that's a success."
Olruggio smirked.
"Barely."
Qifrey let out a soft laugh.
For a brief moment...
The apartment was filled with nothing but quiet conversation and gentle laughter. After a long day at work, there was something comforting about simply sitting there with them.
It really did feel good to be home.
----====----
"...You're leaving...?"
A voice echoed through the darkness.
"I'm sorry... but I just need some time to myself—"
"W-What—?! Agh...!"
A gasp tore from your lips as someone suddenly forced you to the ground. Hands wrapped around your throat.
You clawed at them desperately, trying to pry them away.
But the grip was far too strong.
Your voice barely escaped, reduced to strained, broken sounds.
Looking up through blurred vision, you saw tears falling from the person's face.
Yet...
You couldn't make out who they were.
"...I'm sorry..."
Those were the only words they managed to say.
"You were my lily..."
"...My little lamp rose..."
Their voice trembled as their grip tightened ever so slightly, stealing what little breath you had left.
Your vision began to blur.
Then—
A voice shouted from somewhere far away.
It echoed through the darkness.
Again.
And again.
Until everything around you began to fade...
Instantly, you jolted awake.
A sharp gasp escaped your lips as you sat upright, your breathing heavy and uneven.
Cold sweat clung to your forehead, and your heart pounded violently against your chest.
It felt so real. Because... It was.
It wasn't just a nightmare.
It was a memory.
One you had buried for years.
One you had sworn never to look back on again.
You knew... You couldn't forgive her for what she had done.
And yet... It still hurt.
Slowly, your trembling hand rose to your throat, your fingertips resting where those phantom hands had once been.
The memory of that crushing grip lingered, making it difficult to breathe for just a moment.
You stared blankly at the ceiling above, your vision unfocused.
Taking a shaky breath, you forced yourself to inhale...
Then exhale.
Again.
And again.
You tried to steady your breathing, willing your racing thoughts to quiet down.
It had happened years ago.
It was over.
You had survived.
Yet somehow...
The wounds it left behind still found their way back to you in the silence of the night.
"...Little Lamp Rose..."
The old nickname slipped quietly from your lips. For a moment, the room was silent.
You let out a bitter, humorless laugh before shaking your head.
"...What a joke."
A weary sigh escaped you as you slowly sat up, resting your forehead against your palm.
Your fingers slid back through your hair while you closed your eyes for a brief moment.
That name...
It once carried warmth.
Comfort.
Affection.
Now, it was nothing more than a painful reminder of someone you no longer wished to remember.
"..."
Another quiet sigh left your lips as you forced yourself to push the memory aside.
Morning would come soon enough. And with it...
Another day to keep moving forward.
"ha... felicia.. just what happen to us..?"
----=====------
You were sitting comfortably on the living room couch, quietly doodling away in your sketchbook.
Nearby, the girls were busy practicing their magic circles with black gel pens, carefully tracing each line despite knowing no magic would activate in this world.
Their favorite plushies rested beside them, while Brushbuddy lazily sprawled across Richeh's fluffy seal plush, looking perfectly content.
Olruggio and Qifrey were nearby, each occupied with their own activities.
Every so often, however, Qifrey would glance over at the girls to check on their progress. Old habits died hard. He was, after all, still their teacher.
"...Ah, by the way."
You looked up from your sketchbook, tapping the end of your pencil against the page.
"I've been thinking about something since yesterday."
Your voice immediately caught everyone's attention. The girls looked up from their drawings, while Olruggio and Qifrey turned their eyes toward you.
"I was thinking..."
"...How about I take all of you to the aquarium this weekend?"
A chorus of confused voices filled the room.
"...Huh?"
"The aquarium?"
You smiled, closing your sketchbook.
"It's a place where all sorts of sea animals are kept in enormous tanks filled with water."
"You get to walk through the building and watch them swim right in front of you."
"There are colorful fish, sharks, rays, jellyfish...And a lot of other sea creatures."
The girls blinked, already trying to imagine such a place. The explanation finally seemed to connect the dots.
"...Ah."
Recognition spread across Qifrey's face first.
"The Great Hall..."
Olruggio gave a small nod.
"I was thinking the same thing."
The girls glanced between the two witches in confusion before realization slowly dawned on them.
Back in their world, there was the Great Hall—a place hidden beneath the sea. Naturally, they couldn't help but compare your description to it.
"So... it's like the Great Hall?" Coco asked curiously.
"...Similar, I suppose," Qifrey replied thoughtfully.
"But I imagine this world's version must be quite different."
You chuckled softly, shaking your head.
"Well.. I could explain it all day...Or I could just take you there and let you see it for yourselves."
The girls' eyes immediately sparkled with excitement.
"Really!?"
You laughed at their eager reactions.
"Really. I think it'll be much more fun if you experience it instead of me trying to describe everything."
Even Olruggio found himself curious.
"...Now you've got me interested."
Qifrey smiled quietly.
"It would certainly be an interesting opportunity to learn more about this world's oceans."
You closed your sketchbook with a satisfied smile.
"...Then it's settled.. We're going to the aquarium."
-----=====-----
"Everyone settled?"
You looked over your shoulder after finishing loading the last of the shopping bags into the van. Before setting off, you'd stopped by a few stores to pick up some essentials—snacks, bottled water, spare clothes, towels, and a few other necessities.
Better to be prepared.
Especially if your future plans included trips to the zoo, the water park, the beach...
Or wherever the next adventure happened to take you.
Thankfully, money wasn't something you had to worry about at the moment. So buying a few extra things didn't bother you in the slightest.
"All ready!"
The cheerful chorus made you smile.
"Seatbelts?"
A series of clicks answered you.
Satisfied, you climbed into the driver's seat, started the engine, and slowly pulled the van out onto the road.
The aquarium was a fair distance away.
It wasn't exactly a short drive.
Along the way, you occasionally stopped at convenience stores and rest areas—sometimes to grab something to eat, other times because someone needed to use the bathroom.
Despite the long journey...
No one seemed to mind.
If anything, the excitement of seeing the aquarium for the first time made every stop along the way feel like part of the adventure itself.
"We're still quite a ways away..."
You muttered to yourself after stopping at a gas station to refill the van's tank. While the fuel pump clicked away, you pulled out your phone and checked the map.
"...Still another hour."
You let out a quiet sigh before climbing back into the driver's seat. Once everyone was settled again, you started the engine and pulled back onto the road.
As expected... It didn't take long before another stretch of traffic slowed everything to a crawl. You lightly tapped your fingers against the steering wheel.
"...Traffic is seriously annoying."
Beside you, Qifrey let out a quiet chuckle.
"This 'traffic' seems to be quite the obstacle in your world."
"It is," you replied with another sigh.
"No matter where you go, there's almost always a traffic jam."
Olruggio leaned forward slightly from the seat behind.
"So..."
"The vehicles simply... wait?"
"Pretty much."
"They wait... And so do we."
That earned a small laugh from everyone inside the van, making the long drive feel just a little less tedious.
---====----
The drive continued peacefully.
The girls kept themselves occupied in the back of the van, each doing their own thing.
Coco and Tetia chatted excitedly, Agott quietly sketched magic circles in her notebook, while Richeh hugged her seal plush with Brushbuddy happily perched on top.
Olruggio occasionally kept an eye on them, though every now and then he'd simply look out the window, taking in the scenery passing by.
Beside you, Qifrey occasionally helped navigate whenever another turn or exit came up. After one final turn...
A familiar building came into view in the distance. A smile spread across your face.
"...We're here."
The announcement immediately caught everyone's attention.
You carefully guided the van into the aquarium's parking lot before pulling into an empty parking space. The engine shut off.
For a brief moment...
Everyone simply looked out the windows at the enormous building.
Then the doors opened one after another. As soon as you stepped out of the van, you let out a long sigh of relief.
"...Ah... I think my legs forgot what walking feels like."
You stretched your arms overhead before giving your legs a few small shakes after sitting for so long.
"That was one long drive."
Behind you, the others climbed out as well, taking in the sight of the massive aquarium with quiet curiosity and excitement.
"I'm sure you'll get plenty of walking in here," Qifrey said with a soft chuckle.
You laughed.
"I certainly hope so."
Together, the group made their way toward the entrance of the aquarium. After purchasing the tickets at the counter, you passed through the gates and stepped inside with the witches and the girls following closely behind.
The moment they entered... Everyone stopped.
The girls' eyes widened in complete awe.
Suspended high above them was the enormous model of a whale hanging from the ceiling, its size making it seem as though it were swimming through the air itself.
The entire building was decorated with an oceanic theme. Soft blue lighting reflected across the walls, while the gentle sound of waves echoed throughout the halls.
Large digital screens displayed vibrant scenes of sea turtles gliding gracefully through the water, schools of colorful fish weaving together, playful dolphins leaping through the sea, and countless other marine creatures.
"...Whoa..."
Tetia breathed, completely captivated.
"It's beautiful..."
Coco whispered, her eyes sparkling as she slowly turned in place to take everything in.
Even Agott and Richeh stood quietly, unable to hide their amazement.
Olruggio glanced around with genuine curiosity, while Qifrey looked up at the whale overhead with an appreciative smile.
"...Quite an impressive welcome."
Seeing everyone's reactions...
You couldn't help but smile.
"...We haven't even reached the exhibits yet."
"Really?!"
Coco turned toward you, her eyes sparkling with excitement. You couldn't help but chuckle.
"Really."
You gently patted her on the head.
"Come on. Let's go look around."
The girls eagerly hurried after you as the group ventured deeper into the aquarium. You passed through the gift shops first, their shelves lined with plush sea creatures, postcards, keychains, and countless ocean-themed souvenirs.
Before long, the exhibits began.
Towering glass tanks stretched from floor to ceiling, filled with vibrant schools of tropical fish that shimmered beneath the soft blue lights.
Nearby, delicate jellyfish drifted gracefully through the water, their translucent bodies glowing with every pulse.
Further ahead...
Sharks glided silently through massive tanks, their movements calm yet commanding. A beluga whale swam past the viewing window, earning delighted gasps from the girls as it seemed to smile back at them. Even thought that beluga was such a troll as it suprise them by opening its mouth unexpected. Making brushbuddy hide in richeh's hair.
Then came one of the largest exhibits.
A whale shark slowly cruised through the enormous aquarium, accompanied by rays and countless smaller fish swimming alongside it.
Everyone stood in silence, simply watching the gentle giant pass by.
"...It's huge..."
Tetia whispered.
"It feels like it's floating in the sky," Coco added quietly.
Even Olruggio and Qifrey couldn't take their eyes off the endless blue surrounding them.
One exhibit led to another.
Fish.
Corals.
Sea turtles.
Octopuses.
Eels.
Stingrays.
There was always something new waiting around the next corner.
Before any of you realized it... Hours had passed.
The soft blue glow of the aquarium had completely surrounded your little group, making it feel as though you were walking beneath the ocean itself.
As the group continued exploring the aquarium, the girls eagerly hurried ahead from one exhibit to the next, their excited voices echoing through the halls.
Olruggio followed not too far behind, making sure none of them wandered off. You slowed your pace, finding yourself walking beside Qifrey.
The two of you watched quietly as a school of fish drifted past the glass. You glanced at him with a small smile.
"...Having fun? I know you're not exactly fond of water...So I hope this isn't too much for you."
A quiet chuckle escaped you. Qifrey's gaze remained on the vast aquarium for a moment before he smiled faintly.
"...It's different."
"The sea itself has never been something I particularly enjoy."
His eye followed a sea turtle gliding effortlessly through the water.
"But observing it from here...I find it rather peaceful."
He looked over at you.
"And seeing everyone's excitement makes the trip worthwhile."
You smiled, relieved.
"I'm glad."
"I was worried bringing you here might've been a bad idea."
Qifrey gave a soft shake of his head.
"Not at all."
"If anything..."
His gaze briefly drifted toward the girls laughing together in front of the next exhibit.
"...I'm grateful you thought to share this place with us."
For a brief moment, the two of you simply stood there in comfortable silence, watching the endless blue beyond the glass before continuing after the others.
"I actually want to share more of this world with all of you..."
You smiled warmly at Qifrey as the two of you continued walking side by side.
"...The places I've seen..The things I've experienced. I want you all to experience them too."
Qifrey glanced at you for a brief moment before his expression softened.
"...Then we'll gladly see them."
Not far ahead, Olruggio and the girls had already stopped at another enormous tank, completely captivated by the variety of sea creatures swimming gracefully through the water.
Colorful fish darted between the corals while rays glided effortlessly across the sandy bottom. You and Qifrey soon caught up with them.
"Olly."
You smiled.
"Doing okay over there?"
Olruggio didn't take his eyes off the tank right away.
"...Mm."
"I was just wondering how many species are living in there."
He continue watching another school of fish swim past.
"It's... strangely mesmerizing."
Tetia immediately pointed toward a passing ray.
"Look! It looks like it's flying!"
Coco laughed.
"It's swimming, Tetia."
"...It just looks like it's flying."
You couldn't help but smile as everyone became absorbed in the beauty of the aquarium.
"...Yeah. It really does look like it's flying."
You smiled as you watched the rays glide effortlessly through the water, their graceful movements making them seem as though they were soaring through an endless blue sky.
Schools of colorful fish drifted around them, weaving together like dancers performing a silent routine. For a moment, you were completely absorbed in the beauty before you.
Unbeknownst to you...
The two witches standing beside you weren't watching the aquarium anymore.
Instead, their attention had quietly shifted elsewhere.
To you.
Qifrey's gaze lingered for only a brief moment before he looked back toward the tank, a faint smile resting on his face.
Olruggio, meanwhile, caught himself doing the very same thing.
The way your eyes lit up...
The genuine smile on your face...
For some reason, it drew their attention more than the ocean beyond the glass.
Neither of them said a word.
Neither realized the other had noticed.
And you remained blissfully unaware, still watching the fish dance through the water as though nothing else in the world existed.
---====----
"That beluga scared me when it opened its mouth out of nowhere!" Tetia whined as you and your little family continued walking through the aquarium. Coco giggled.
"The dolphin snuck up beside Agott...And I swear it laughed at her."
Agott folded her arms with an annoyed scoff.
"Forget that annoying dolphin. What else are they keeping in these tanks?"
Just then... Tetia suddenly hid behind Richeh. Coco instinctively grabbed onto her arm, while Richeh stared ahead with wide eyes. Even Brushbuddy froze atop her plush. Coco slowly raised a trembling finger, pointing behind Agott.
"...A-Agott..."
"What?" Agott replied, turning toward the three of them.
She frowned at their frightened expressions.
"...Why are you all looking at me like th—"
She stopped. Then slowly turned around.
Behind the thick glass... Looming just beyond her...
A massive Japanese spider crab stretched its impossibly long legs across the rocks, slowly making its way along the bottom of the tank.
"..."
The girls stood frozen.
Their faces had gone completely pale.
"...It's huge..."
Tetia squeaked, practically burying herself behind Richeh. Coco trembled beside her, while even Richeh couldn't tear her eyes away from the enormous crab. Agott herself took a slow step back.
"...Nope."
Without another word, you immediately walked over and gently guided the girls away, positioning yourself between them and the exhibit to block their view.
"Alright..."
You laughed softly.
"I guess that was one exhibit some of you weren't supposed to see."
Behind you, Olruggio glanced back at the crab one last time.
"...I have to admit...That is a rather unsettling creature."
Even Qifrey gave the enormous crab another thoughtful look before quietly following after the rest of you.
----====----
Stopping at another exhibit, your eyes settled on a pair of seahorses drifting gracefully through the water, their tails occasionally intertwining as they danced together with the gentle current.
You found yourself staring a little too long. A familiar tug tightened in your chest. Slowly, your hand rose to rest over your heart. That familiar ache had returned.
Heavy.
Quiet.
Without you even realizing it...
A warm hand gently covered yours. You blinked and looked over your shoulder. Qifrey had stepped close behind you.
His chest lightly brushed against your back as one hand rested reassuringly over yours, while the other settled gently at your waist to steady you.
"...Are you alright? You seemed to be... staring rather deeply at those..."
He paused, searching for the right word.
"...Uh..."
"Seahorses," you finished for him.
A small chuckle escaped Qifrey.
"Right."
"Seahorses."
His voice softened.
"...Did something about them trouble you?"
You kept your gaze on the glass, watching the tiny creatures continue their slow, graceful dance.
"...Not exactly."
"It's just..."
"They reminded me of something."
Your voice was barely above a whisper.
For a brief moment... Everything fell silent. You and Qifrey turned to look at each other at the exact same time.
"I want to tell you something—"
"I want to tell you something—"
The two of you spoke in perfect sync. You both paused. Then blinked. A second later, a laugh escaped both of you.
"...You go first."
"...No, you go first."
The words overlapped once again. You couldn't help but laugh a little harder.
"Okay, now we're just doing it on purpose."
Qifrey smiled, a quiet laugh escaping him as he lightly shook his head.
"It certainly seems that way."
Another comfortable silence settled between the two of you before you gestured toward him with a small smile.
"...Go ahead."
"I'll listen."
Qifrey looked at you for a moment, as if debating whether he truly should.
"N-No.. I-I'll..."
The words caught in your throat. You froze. Something had struck you all at once. A memory.
This... It felt far too familiar.
The moment.
The conversation.
Even the way the silence settled between the two of you. It was painfully nostalgic.
"...I..."
Your voice trembled. You couldn't finish the sentence. Before you realized it, your breathing had begun to quicken. Your thoughts spiraled faster than you could keep up.
"...I..."
Gentle hands suddenly guided your attention back. Qifrey had turned toward you, carefully cupping both sides of your face. His expression remained calm, his voice quiet and steady.
"...Breathe. You're going too fast."
His thumb brushed lightly against your cheek, grounding you in the present.
"Look at me."
"Just breathe."
You followed his voice as best you could, taking an uneven breath before letting it out again.
"...I'm... I'm sorry, Qifrey... I just..."
You lowered your gaze, your fingers curling slightly against your chest.
"...This feeling... It reminded me of something."
Your voice barely rose above a whisper.
"...Something I thought I'd already left behind."
You squeezed your eyes shut, the weight in your chest becoming almost too much to bear.
Then...
You felt a pair of arms gently wrap around your shoulders. Your eyes snapped open in surprise. Before you could react, you recognized the familiar warmth behind you.
Olruggio. He had quietly stepped over, embracing you from behind without a word.
"O-Olly...?"
Your voice caught in your throat, barely more than a whisper. He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, his hold remained gentle and reassuring, as if silently reminding you that you weren't facing the moment alone.
"...Calm yourself."
Olruggio's voice was low and gentle.
"As much as I don't want the girls to see you like this...I hate seeing you like this even more."
Your breath hitched. The way Olruggio held you from behind...
It felt far too familiar. For just a moment, you were reminded of your mother's embrace. The one she gave you after she broke down in front of you. After another day with your father.
...No.
Was it even a fight? They weren't always shouting. Were they?
Your father always wore that same gruff expression whenever your mother made the smallest mistake.
A misplaced word. A forgotten task. Something so insignificant...
Yet the air in the house would change. You had always told yourself...
They loved each other. Families stayed together. Family always came first...Right?
The thought echoed in your mind. Then, in the span of a single heartbeat... The aquarium disappeared. The soft blue light.
The gentle music. The laughter of the girls. It all blurred away.
For the briefest instant, you were standing in that old place again— The crumbling shell of a home you thought you had long since escaped.
The memories you had sealed away quietly began to crack back open.
Everything was starting to become a bit too much.
Your breathing hitched as your thoughts spiraled, the memories refusing to let go.
With trembling hands, you gently pushed Qifrey away, taking an unsteady step back.
Your footing faltered.
Before you could stumble any farther, Olruggio's arms immediately steadied you, catching you before you could lose your balance completely.
"...Easy."
His voice was quiet, keeping a gentle hold on you to make sure you wouldn't fall.
"I-I'm sorry... I just..."
The apology caught in your throat once again.
Your words came out in uneven fragments as you struggled to steady your breathing.
Then you noticed them.
The curious glances from passing visitors.
A few bystanders had begun looking in your direction, whispering quietly among themselves. You instinctively lowered your head.
You hated it.
The attention.
The feeling of being watched.
Before another thought could cross your mind, Qifrey quietly stepped in front of you.
Without saying a word, he positioned himself between you and the crowd, shielding you from their curious stares.
At the same time, Olruggio kept his gentle hold from behind, making sure you stayed on your feet.
Between the two of them, the world suddenly felt... smaller.
Quieter.
Safer.
Qifrey spoke in his usual calm voice, just loud enough for you to hear.
"...There's nothing to apologize for."
"You don't have to face everyone right now."
"Just stay here with us."
Neither of them let go.
And for a moment...
Everything finally felt peaceful. It was as if the water that had been threatening to drown you had finally begun to drain away.
You could breathe again. The tightness in your chest slowly loosened as your breathing gradually returned to a steady rhythm.
Your trembling eased. You slowly lifted your head.
Qifrey was still standing in front of you, watching you with quiet concern, while Olruggio remained behind you, his arms still gently supporting you to make sure you were steady.
Neither of them spoke. Neither of them rushed you.
They simply waited until you were ready. For the first time in what felt like forever... You finally felt like you could breathe again.
A gentle smile appeared on Qifrey's face. Without a word, he leaned forward until his forehead rested softly against yours. The simple gesture was warm and reassuring.
Behind you, Olruggio's embrace tightened ever so slightly, drawing you a little closer until your back rested comfortably against his chest.
Neither of them seemed concerned with the curious glances around you anymore. Their attention was entirely on you.
"...Now, now."
Qifrey's voice was quiet, carrying the same calm gentleness it always had.
"There's no need to shed any tears."
A faint, reassuring smile remained on his face.
"We wouldn't want you becoming a complete mess out here in front of everyone."
A soft chuckle escaped Olruggio behind you.
"...He's right."
"So take your time."
"We're not going anywhere."
For the first time since the memories resurfaced... You didn't feel alone.
----====----
Meanwhile, the girls continued exploring until Coco suddenly stopped.
"...Hey."
"Where did Master Qifrey and Master Olruggio go?"
The four of them looked around before realizing you were missing too.
"...Miss (Name)?"
"Gwee?"
Brushbuddy chirped from Richeh's shoulder.
"...Let's head back," Agott suggested.
After retracing their steps, they finally found the three of you.
You sat quietly on a bench, your head resting on Olruggio's shoulder as he gently rubbed your shoulder.
Beside you, Qifrey sat with his hand resting over yours.
Pairing: Orufrey x Artist!Female!reader, The qieflings x Artist!Female!Reader (platonic)
Summary: A life living with six witches that accidentally got transport in your world and so many unexpected adventures awaits.
Author's note: The ending felt rush cause of tumblr limits or probably this whole chapter felt rush cause i have a deadline project needed to do, anyways here part 4 hope you enjoy, stay tune for p5 and other more incoming parts. SPOILER WARNING IN QIFREYS PART!! FOR ANIME WATCHERS ONLY!!!
The streets were as lively as ever.
Cars passed by one after another, people hurried along the sidewalks, and conversations filled the air.
Coco held your hand as the two of you crossed the street.
At first, she'd thought you were going to take the van.
Instead, you simply walked.
Your office building was only a few blocks away, so there wasn't much point in driving.
Besides...
You preferred walking.
Coco looked around in fascination, taking in the busy streets and unfamiliar sights.
You smiled at her curiosity.
"Pretty busy, huh?"
She nodded.
"So many people..."
"Always," you chuckled. "Though they can be a little annoying when someone walks really slowly right in front of you."
Coco blinked.
"...Does that happen often?"
You let out a dramatic sigh.
"More often than you'd think."
She giggled as the two of you continued down the sidewalk together.
By the time the two of you reached the office building, Coco's eyes had already wandered everywhere.
The glass doors slid open automatically.
"Oh!"
She let out a small gasp, watching them move on their own.
You smiled.
"They open by themselves."
"That's amazing..."
The security guard looked up from his desk, his gaze briefly landing on Coco before recognizing you.
"Morning."
"Morning," you greeted with a wave as you walked inside.
A few of your coworkers at the reception looked up as well.
"Hey."
"Morning."
You greeted them casually while Coco quietly followed a step behind, looking around the unfamiliar building with wide, curious eyes.
More than one person glanced between you and the little girl, silently wondering whether she was your niece... your cousin...
Or perhaps even your daughter.
Neither of you noticed the curious looks as you continued toward the elevators.
Coco barely noticed the people around her.
Instead, she stared up at the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the elegant designs decorating the lobby.
"...It feels like a castle," she whispered.
You chuckled.
"It's just an office building."
"Coco."
She quickly snapped out of it and hurried after you.
The two of you stepped into the elevator, and you pressed the button for your floor.
When the doors opened, you led her down a quiet hallway before entering your office.
Inside were four desks, one in each corner.
You headed straight for yours.
"...Seriously?"
A mountain of files sat where you expected a single folder.
You let out a tired groan.
"They could've just left it on my desk..."
"Are you okay?" Coco asked, noticing the frustration on your face.
Her voice immediately pulled you back.
You smiled reassuringly.
"I'm fine."
"It'll only take a minute."
You pointed to your office chair.
"Go ahead and sit there if you want."
Coco's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Really."
She happily climbed into the surprisingly comfortable chair while you began searching through the pile of paperwork.
While you searched through the mountain of paperwork, Coco happily rolled your office chair back and forth, quietly entertaining herself.
Click.
The office door opened.
"Oh! You're here!" Maddy greeted with her usual bright smile.
Luke stepped in behind her.
"About time you left your apartment."
You didn't even look up.
"I'm not here to work."
"Just picking up these folders, then Coco and I are heading home."
"Aww..." Maddy pouted. "I was hoping you'd finally come back."
She leaned against your desk with a mischievous grin.
"Oh! Speaking of which, I met this really nice guy named Alex—"
"No."
You cut her off without hesitation.
"I'm not going on another blind date."
"But he'd be perfect for—"
"Maddy," Luke interrupted with a sigh before she could continue.
She huffed dramatically.
Luke's attention then shifted toward the little girl quietly sitting in your chair.
"...By the way."
"Who's this?"
You finally looked up.
"Oh, she's—"
"OH MY GOSH, YOU'RE SO ADORABLE!!"
Before you could finish, Maddy dashed straight toward Coco.
She gently pinched both of Coco's cheeks.
"Awww! Look at your little face!"
"W-Wah...?"
In her excitement, Maddy accidentally bumped into you.
"Ack—!"
You lost your balance and fell onto the floor with a loud thump.
"...Ow."
Luke looked down at you.
"...You alive?"
You stared blankly at the ceiling.
"...Unfortunately."
Luke let out a tired sigh.
"...Sounds about right."
"Maddy, would you please stop pinching her cheeks!"
You quickly pulled Maddy away from Coco before helping yourself back up from the cold floor.
"Aww, but she's so adorable!" Maddy whined dramatically.
Meanwhile, Luke had already settled at his desk, casually sipping his coffee while watching the chaos unfold.
"Just leave her alone!" you shot back.
Maddy placed a hand over her chest with an exaggerated gasp.
"Aww~! Someone's getting protective."
She narrowed her eyes at you.
"...Wait."
"Is she your daughter?"
Your eyes widened.
"...What?"
"Wait! Did you secretly have a child?!"
"...WHAT?!"
Maddy immediately began spiraling into her own theories.
"I knew it! That's why you've been disappearing! You got married in secret, had a kid, and never told us!"
"...Maddy."
"No wonder you kept rejecting every blind date I set up!"
"Maddy."
"You've been living a double life this whole—"
"MADDY!"
She finally stopped.
You took a deep breath.
"...She is not my daughter."
"Oh."
Maddy blinked.
"...Really?"
"...Really."
Luke didn't even look up from his paperwork.
"I told you not to jump to conclusions."
Maddy scratched her cheek sheepishly.
"...Oops."
You let out a tired sigh before noticing the papers scattered across the floor.
"...Great."
Just as you were about to crouch down...
Coco was already gathering them one by one.
"Coco, you don't have to do that."
She looked up and smiled, still carefully stacking the papers.
"I want to help."
"You've been so kind to me ever since we first met."
"I just want to do something for you, too."
Your expression softened.
"Coco..."
"You don't have to repay me."
She paused, looking at you with quiet confusion.
"But..."
You knelt beside her and gently took the stack of papers from her hands.
"You've never owed me anything."
"I helped because I wanted to."
"...Not because I expected something in return."
Coco blinked before slowly smiling again.
"...Even so."
"I'm still happy I could help."
You couldn't help but chuckle.
"...Alright."
"Then..."
"Thank you."
Her smile somehow grew even brighter.
From across the room, Maddy quietly watched the exchange.
"...Okay."
"...Now I get why she likes you so much."
Even Luke glanced up from his desk for a moment before returning to his work with the faintest smile.
"But even so..." Maddy clasped her hands together with sparkling eyes.
"It's just like a mother-and-daughter moment~!"
A vein twitched on your forehead.
"...Shut up, Maddy."
You continued stacking the papers while Coco quietly helped beside you.
Luke suddenly looked up from his desk.
"Ah, right."
"The folder you're looking for..."
He pointed beside your desk.
"It's right there."
You froze.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
You turned to look where he was pointing.
There it was.
The folder.
Sitting neatly beside your desk the entire time.
"..."
"..."
You turned back toward Luke.
"...YOU COULD'VE TOLD ME THAT!"
Luke took another calm sip of his coffee.
"...You looked determined."
Maddy burst into laughter, nearly doubling over.
"I can't believe you spent all that time searching!"
You covered your face with one hand.
"...I'm surrounded by idiots."
Luke raised an eyebrow.
"You included?"
"...Especially me."
After stacking the papers back onto your desk, you reached for the folder—
Bang!
The office door suddenly swung open.
A rookie employee rushed inside, clearly flustered.
"S-Sorry! I need your help! It's urgent!"
You paused, already feeling a headache coming.
"...Of course it is."
Before you could respond, Maddy waved you off.
"Go on. I'll organize these papers for you."
You glanced at her suspiciously.
"...You're actually helping?"
She placed a hand over her heart.
"I'm deeply offended."
"I can be responsible."
"...Sometimes."
You sighed.
"...I'll believe it when I see it."
Turning to Coco, you gave her a small smile.
"Stay here, okay?"
"I'll be right back."
Coco nodded obediently.
"I will."
The rookie shifted nervously from foot to foot.
"Um... could we hurry?"
You shot them a flat look.
"I'm coming."
There was a slight edge to your voice.
You never liked being rushed.
Especially before you even had the chance to move.
The rookie immediately straightened up.
"...S-Sorry."
With one last glance toward Coco, you followed the rookie out of the office.
The moment the office door closed behind you...
Maddy spun around.
Her eyes landed on Coco.
"..."
"..."
Before anyone could stop her, she rushed over and dropped into a crouch right in front of the little girl.
Coco jumped slightly.
"W-Wah...?"
Maddy leaned in dramatically, as if she were investigating the biggest mystery of her life.
"PLEASE TELL ME EVERYTHING!"
"How is she so nice and gentle..."
"...While looking so grumpy all the time?!"
Coco blinked in confusion.
"...Grumpy?"
"YES!"
Maddy threw her hands into the air.
"She always has that 'don't talk to me' face!"
"But then she's helping people, buying you plushies, taking care of everyone—"
"IT DOESN'T MATCH!"
Coco tilted her head.
"I think... she's really kind."
Maddy dramatically clutched her chest.
"I knew it..."
Luke looked up from his desk without missing a beat.
"...You've known her for years."
"I know!"
"But I still don't understand her!"
Luke simply took another sip of his coffee.
"...Good luck with that."
Maddy let out a defeated groan.
"I've got so many questions..."
"Well..." Coco began, fidgeting with her fingers.
"She's really kind."
"She's always there for me... and for everyone else."
"We're living with her right now, and she takes care of us."
"If there's something I don't understand, she always teaches me."
A warm smile spread across Coco's face.
"So..."
"I want to help her too."
The office fell quiet.
Maddy simply stared at Coco for a long moment.
Then she slowly placed a hand over her heart.
"...This child is an angel."
Luke looked up from his paperwork.
"...No arguments there."
Maddy wiped away an imaginary tear.
"I can't believe she found the sweetest kid on the planet."
Coco tilted her head, confused.
"...Did I say something wrong?"
"No!" Maddy answered immediately.
"You somehow made her sound even nicer than she already is."
Luke chuckled quietly.
"...Though she'll probably deny every word of it."
"Definitely," Maddy nodded.
While Maddy continued being overly dramatic in the background, Luke turned his attention to Coco.
He rested his chin against one hand, studying her for a moment.
"By the way," he began, his tone much gentler than before. "How exactly did you meet her?"
Coco blinked.
"Hm?"
Luke glanced toward the office door where you'd disappeared moments ago before looking back at her.
"She's... not exactly the type to let people get close."
"In fact, most people here would describe her as distant."
"But with you..." He smiled faintly. "She's surprisingly patient."
He paused for a moment.
"...Are you perhaps a relati—"
Click.
The office door swung open before he could finish.
Maddy immediately stopped talking and straightened up.
"...Oh."
"It's you."
Standing in the doorway was another coworker.
Felicia.
Someone who seemed to enjoy stirring up trouble whenever she had the chance.
"Hiya~." Felicia greeted with an overly sweet smile.
Luke sighed.
"Felicia."
"Have you ever considered knocking first?"
She casually twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
"With a Worker of the Month badge hanging on my desk?"
She flipped her hair dramatically.
"I don't think I need to."
Maddy visibly cringed.
"Eugh."
"That doesn't magically excuse your manners!"
Felicia simply shrugged before her gaze drifted toward Coco.
"...Hmm?"
"I don't recognize this little one."
She tilted her head.
"Are kids even allowed in this building?"
Coco instinctively shrank back a little under the attention.
"...I'm Coco," she introduced herself politely.
"Coco?" Felicia repeated.
She let out a small laugh.
"Isn't that the name of that movie?"
"You know... Coco."
"The one with all the dead people."
She tapped her chin dramatically.
"Was it about the kid's mom...?"
"...No."
"His uncle?"
"...Or something like that."
"I don't remember."
"Felicia!" Maddy snapped, already glaring at her.
"What?" Felicia replied innocently.
"I'm just trying to remember the movie."
Maddy folded her arms.
"No."
"You're being annoying."
Luke quietly took another sip of his coffee.
"...As usual."
Felicia gasped dramatically.
"I am deeply offended."
"Good," Maddy replied without missing a beat.
"Wait a second..." Felicia looked at Coco again before snapping her fingers.
"I knew it!"
"That rascal does have a kid!"
She pointed dramatically toward the door you had just walked through.
"No wonder she's been taking so much time off!"
"She was hiding her pregnancy from us!"
Luke let out a weary sigh.
"No."
"Coco isn't her daughter."
"They're not related."
Felicia waved him off.
"Oh, please."
She walked over to Coco, who was still sitting in your office chair.
Then she smiled down at her.
"Tell me, Coco..."
"...Do you miss your mommy?"
"W-What...?"
Coco froze.
The question hit harder than anyone in the room realized.
Memories she wished she could forget flashed through her mind.
Her mother.
Everything that had happened.
Felicia mistook the silence for hesitation.
"Aww..."
"Did I hit a nerve?"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
"I didn't know she would keep you away from your real mother."
She chuckled lightly, completely oblivious.
Maddy's smile vanished.
"...Felicia."
Luke quietly set his coffee down.
His expression hardened.
Neither of them missed the tears beginning to well in Coco's eyes.
"Coco..." Maddy whispered, immediately kneeling beside her.
Felicia continued anyway.
"Oh, so you do miss your mom."
"Poor thing."
"But I suppose that's just life."
"THAT'S ENOUGH, FELICIA!" Maddy shouted.
She wrapped an arm around Coco's shoulders, trying to comfort the frightened girl.
Luke slowly adjusted his glasses.
"I think..."
"...It's time for you to leave."
Felicia scoffed.
"What?"
"I was just asking if she missed her mother."
"If she's that sensitive, that's hardly my—"
She stopped.
A chill ran down her spine.
Someone was standing behind her.
You.
Silent.
Your fist was already swinging.
Felicia's eyes widened.
Instinctively, she stumbled backward.
BAM!
The entire room echoed with the impact.
Instead of her face...
Your fist slammed into the edge of the heavy desk.
Wood splintered.
A crack spread across the corner.
Blood slowly dripped from your knuckles onto the floor.
The office fell deathly silent.
You slowly lowered your hand.
Then offered Felicia a calm, almost polite smile.
"...My apologies."
"It seems there was a fly in the way."
You slowly straightened yourself, ignoring the stinging pain in your hand.
Walking over to a nearby cabinet, you grabbed a few tissues and calmly wiped the blood from your knuckles as if nothing had happened.
Felicia finally found her voice.
"Y-You...!"
"You almost hit me!"
Her shout echoed through the office, drawing curious glances from coworkers passing by.
You didn't even look at her.
Instead, you calmly wrapped another tissue around your bleeding hand.
"...Behave yourself, Felicia."
Your voice was quiet.
Yet somehow, it carried through the room.
"You're supposed to be a role model here."
"But that attitude of yours..."
"...is no better than a stray scratching at whoever walks past."
Felicia clenched her fists but couldn't find a response.
You turned away from her entirely, looking instead at Luke and Maddy.
"Coco and I are leaving."
There was no room for argument.
You picked up the folder you'd come for and slipped it into your bag before walking over to Coco.
She looked up at you with watery eyes.
Without saying a word, you gently lifted her into your arms.
Almost immediately, Coco buried her face against your shoulder, holding onto your jacket.
You lightly rested a hand on the back of her head.
"...Let's go."
Luke simply gave a quiet nod.
"...Take care."
Maddy nodded as well, gently rubbing Coco's back before stepping aside.
"We'll see you later."
Without another glance behind you, you carried Coco out of the office.
The room remained silent long after the door closed behind you.
---====----
The walk home was much quieter than before.
You carried Coco in your arms as you made your way through the busy streets, one hand supporting her while the other held your bag.
She hadn't said a word since leaving the office.
You could still feel the occasional sniffle against your shoulder.
Your heart ached.
You couldn't blame her.
Not after what had been said.
"I'm sorry, Coco..." you whispered softly.
"I shouldn't have left you alone."
There was no reply.
Only the gentle tightening of her grip on your jacket.
You didn't press her to talk.
Sometimes...
Silence was kinder.
You gently rubbed her back as you continued walking.
"...We'll be home soon."
The words were quiet.
More of a promise than a reassurance.
And for now...
That was enough.
----====----
The apartment door clicked open.
You stepped inside, still carrying Coco in your arms.
The room was quiet.
Qifrey looked up from the living room, ready to greet the two of you with his usual smile.
"Welcome ba—"
He stopped.
His eyes immediately fell to your hand.
"...You're bleeding."
Then to Coco, who remained curled against your shoulder, her face hidden in your jacket.
The smile vanished from his face.
He was beside you in an instant.
"What happened?"
His voice was filled with concern.
He gently reached for your injured hand, carefully examining your bleeding knuckles before glancing back at Coco.
"...And Coco?"
You let out a quiet sigh.
"...It's a long story."
You shifted Coco slightly in your arms, making sure she was still comfortable.
"Can we... sit down first?"
Qifrey studied your expression for a moment before giving a small nod.
"...Of course."
Without asking another question, he stepped aside, silently guiding you toward the living room.
Whatever had happened...
He could already tell it hadn't been a simple trip to the office.
----====---
"...Ah—!"
You hissed through your teeth as antiseptic touched your split knuckles.
"...That stings."
Qifrey sighed softly without looking up.
"That's because you punched something."
"I noticed."
He shot you a brief, unimpressed glance before returning to your hand.
"...Try not to move."
You grumbled under your breath but stayed still.
Coco hadn't left your side.
Even now, she sat pressed against you, quietly clutching the sleeve of your jacket as if afraid you'd disappear the moment she let go.
You gently rested your free hand on her head, absentmindedly stroking her hair.
Qifrey carefully wrapped a clean bandage around your bruised knuckles.
Back in their world, witches were forbidden from practicing medicine.
Healing belonged to another craft entirely.
But...
They weren't in their world anymore.
Here, a simple bandage and a bottle of antiseptic were harmless enough.
Once he finished tying the bandage, he looked at your hand one last time to make sure it was secure.
"...There."
"That should do."
You flexed your fingers slightly before wincing again.
"...I think I broke the desk more than my hand."
Qifrey let out the faintest sigh.
"...I'm more concerned about why your hand ended up meeting a desk in the first place."
His gaze then shifted to Coco.
She still hadn't spoken.
She simply leaned against you, her fingers lightly gripping your sleeve.
Whatever had happened...
It had shaken both of you more than either of you wanted to admit.
"...Tell me."
Qifrey's voice was quiet.
"What exactly happened?"
You let out a slow sigh, your eyes drifting down to Coco, who was still holding tightly onto your sleeve.
Your fingers gently combed through her hair in an attempt to comfort her.
"...One of my coworkers."
You paused for a moment.
"She... unknowingly hit a very sensitive subject."
"She brought up Coco's mother."
Qifrey's expression immediately softened.
"...I see."
"She didn't know what happened to Coco's mother," you continued. "But she just... kept talking."
"She wouldn't stop."
You shook your head.
"Her name's Felicia."
"She's always been the kind of person who enjoys pushing people's buttons."
"She doesn't think before she speaks."
"Whether she hurts someone or not... doesn't seem to matter to her."
Your jaw tightened slightly.
"I don't know what goes through that woman's head."
Qifrey remained silent for a moment before looking at Coco.
His expression was gentle.
"...No wonder she came home like this."
You nodded quietly.
"...I should've stayed."
"I shouldn't have left her alone."
Qifrey looked back at you.
"You couldn't have known."
He spoke calmly.
"And judging from what you've told me..."
"...The one at fault wasn't you."
His gaze briefly fell to your freshly bandaged hand.
"...Though I imagine the desk would argue otherwise."
Despite everything, a small, tired laugh escaped you.
"...Yeah."
"...The desk probably hates me now."
You continued holding Coco close until you finally broke the silence.
"...Coco."
She slowly pulled back just enough to look at you, her eyes still damp with tears.
You gently cupped her cheeks, carefully wiping away the tear tracks with your thumbs.
"I may not know everything that happened to your mother..."
"...But whatever happened..."
"It wasn't your fault."
Coco's lips trembled.
You offered her a small, reassuring smile.
"I know you miss her."
"I know you wish things had been different."
"And it's okay to miss her."
Your voice remained soft and steady.
"But..."
"Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't control."
"You were only a child."
You brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm sure your mother loved you very, very much."
"And I don't think she'd want you carrying all of that pain by yourself."
For a moment, Coco simply stared at you.
Then she slowly leaned forward again, resting her forehead against yours as fresh tears welled in her eyes.
"...Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
You smiled gently before pulling her back into another careful hug.
"...You're not alone anymore."
Beside you, Qifrey smiled gently.
Without another word, he picked up the small medical kit and quietly stood.
"I'll put this away."
You gave a small nod in return.
As he walked toward the kitchen drawers, he noticed three familiar figures standing just around the corner of the hallway.
Tetia.
Agott.
And Richeh.
The three girls had come over the moment they'd heard the front door open, excited to welcome you and Coco home.
But the moment they saw Coco crying...
And your injured hand...
They stopped.
None of them said a word.
Tetia quietly lowered her head.
Richeh gently hugged Brushbuddy a little closer.
Agott simply watched in silence, her usual calm expression tinged with concern.
They wanted to rush over.
They wanted to comfort Coco.
But they also knew...
Right now...
Coco needed this moment.
So they quietly stayed where they were, giving her the space she needed while silently hoping she'd feel better soon.
Before long, Coco's breathing became slow and steady.
She had quietly fallen asleep in your arms.
Careful not to wake her, you reached for the folder you'd brought home and began flipping through the paperwork, scanning each page while she rested against your shoulder.
The silence lasted only a few minutes.
"I take it..."
Olruggio's voice broke the quiet.
"...A simple trip to pick up some paperwork didn't exactly go as planned."
You looked up.
He was leaning against the hallway wall, arms crossed as he watched the two of you.
"...It didn't."
You answered simply, your eyes returning to the folder.
Olruggio studied your bandaged hand before letting out a quiet hum.
"...Figures."
You looked back at him.
"...Wait."
"How did you know?"
He shrugged.
"I heard the girls talking."
"They told me what happened while you were with Qifrey."
"...I see."
The room fell quiet again.
Olruggio glanced at the sleeping Coco before looking back at you.
"...Sounds like you had quite the day."
You closed the folder with a tired sigh.
"...You could say that."
Your gaze drifted down to Coco's peaceful sleeping face.
She looked much calmer now.
Carefully, you brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face.
A quiet sigh escaped your lips.
"...Why did she have to be at work today...?"
The words were barely above a whisper.
Olruggio remained silent, listening.
You lowered your eyes.
"...Of all the days..."
"...Why did it have to be today?"
Your fingers absentmindedly continued smoothing Coco's hair.
The guilt still lingered heavily in your chest.
Not because you'd gone to the office.
Not even because you'd left Coco alone for a few minutes.
But because...
When you saw her crying...
You'd almost let your anger take over.
Your bandaged hand tightened slightly.
"...I should've handled it better."
You let out a quiet, tired laugh.
"...And I didn't even hit her."
Olruggio looked at your bruised knuckles.
"...Good."
His answer was immediate.
"If you'd actually hit her..."
"You would've regretted it far more than punching a desk."
The room fell silent again.
You knew he was right.
That didn't make the guilt any lighter.
"I... I know."
Your voice cracked.
Olruggio immediately looked at you.
Only then did he notice the tears gathering in your eyes.
You lowered your head, trying to hide them.
"N-Now that I think about it..."
"...Maybe it was my fault."
"If I hadn't let Coco come with me..."
"...None of this would've happened."
Your words trailed off.
Before you could finish another thought...
You suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap gently around you from behind.
The back of the couch got in the way, making the embrace a little awkward.
Even so...
Olruggio held you carefully.
Firmly.
Silently.
You froze.
"...Olly?"
He rested his chin lightly against the top of your head.
"...No."
His voice was calm.
"You don't get to blame yourself for someone else's actions."
"You didn't make that woman say those things."
"You didn't know she'd upset Coco."
"And you certainly didn't intend for any of this to happen."
His grip tightened ever so slightly.
"You were trying to do something as simple as picking up paperwork."
"That's all."
Your shoulders trembled.
"...But I left her alone."
"For only a few minutes," Olruggio replied.
"You trusted the people you worked with."
"There was nothing unreasonable about that."
He let out a quiet sigh.
"If anyone should feel guilty..."
"It isn't you."
The room fell silent.
For the first time since coming home...
You let yourself lean back into his embrace.
Just enough to stop carrying the weight alone.
----====----
Back at the office, the workday was finally coming to an end.
The sun was beginning to set outside the windows as employees packed up and prepared to head home.
Maddy, however, was still fuming.
"I swear, if Felicia says something like that again—"
She continued ranting the entire time she gathered her things.
Luke simply listened with a quiet sigh, already used to it.
Then something caught his eye.
"...Hm?"
He stopped walking.
"What is it?" Maddy asked, noticing him suddenly crouch down.
Luke reached beneath one of the desks and picked up a small bracelet.
It looked as though it had slipped onto the floor unnoticed.
Maddy leaned over his shoulder.
"...Could that be Coco's?"
Luke turned the bracelet over in his hand.
"I'm not sure."
"But if it is..."
"We should return it."
Maddy immediately shot her hand into the air.
"Ooh!"
"I volunteer!"
Luke smiled, already expecting that answer.
"...Of course you do."
She grinned proudly as she held out her hand.
"Come on."
"Give it to me."
"I'll drop it off at their apartment."
Luke placed the bracelet into her palm before shaking his head with an amused chuckle.
"...Try not to cause another incident."
"No promises!" Maddy laughed as she hurried toward the exit.
----====----
The apartment had grown quiet again.
Qifrey stood in the kitchen, preparing dinner while a pleasant aroma slowly filled the room.
Olruggio had just finished his shower and walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel.
In the art room, Agott sat at one of the desks, quietly practicing spell circles with an ordinary black gel pen. Magic no longer answered her drawings in this world, but she practiced them anyway. Resting beside her was the small black cat plush you'd given her, keeping her silent company.
Richeh sat nearby, hugging her fluffy seal plush as Brushbuddy perched contentedly on her shoulder.
Meanwhile, Tetia had claimed the television and was happily watching Kiki's Delivery Service, completely absorbed in the movie.
The girls had spent most of the afternoon studying together, carefully drawing spell circles and reviewing what Qifrey had taught them. Even if the magic never activated here, they refused to let their skills grow rusty.
Only Agott had chosen to keep practicing after everyone else had finished.
In the living room, the couch was occupied by two sleeping figures.
Coco remained curled against you, still asleep after the exhausting afternoon.
You hadn't moved either.
The folder you'd brought home rested forgotten on the coffee table, while your bandaged hand lay loosely across Coco's back as if making sure she was still there, even in your sleep.
For the first time that day...
The apartment felt peaceful again.
Until...
Knock. Knock.
The sound of someone at the front door drew everyone's attention.
Before anyone else could react—
"I'LL GET IT!"
Tetia jumped to her feet from the carpet and hurried toward the entrance.
She unlocked the door and pulled it open.
"...Oh."
Standing outside was a woman who looked just as surprised as she was.
It was Maddy.
For a brief second, Maddy wondered if she'd come to the wrong apartment.
Then she spotted you asleep on the couch with Coco curled against your side.
"...So I did come to the right place," she murmured with a relieved smile.
"I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced."
She held up a small bracelet.
"I think your friend dropped this at the office."
Tetia's eyes lit up in recognition.
"Oh!"
"That's Coco's!"
She carefully accepted the bracelet with both hands.
"Thank you very much!"
"You're welcome."
Maddy smiled before her expression softened.
"...If you don't mind me asking..."
She glanced past Tetia toward the living room.
"...Are they doing okay?"
Tetia followed her gaze.
You and Coco were still fast asleep, neither of you stirring despite the conversation at the door.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"...Yeah."
"They're doing better now."
Maddy let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"...I'm glad."
She looked down for a moment before speaking again.
"...Could you tell her..."
"...I'm sorry about what happened today."
Tetia nodded.
"I will."
With one last glance toward the sleeping pair on the couch, Maddy offered a small smile.
"...Take care of them."
"We will," Tetia replied.
Satisfied, Maddy gave a small wave before turning to head home, quietly closing that chapter of an exhausting day behind her.
"Tetia, who was at the door?" Qifrey asked as she closed it behind her.
"I think it was her friend," Tetia replied thoughtfully.
Qifrey gave a small nod before noticing the object in her hands.
"...What's that?"
"Oh!"
Tetia held it up.
"It's Coco's bracelet! I think she forgot it at the office."
Qifrey looked at it before smiling faintly.
"I see."
"I'll go put it in our room!" Tetia announced before happily running down the hallway with the bracelet in hand.
Dinner was finally ready.
Qifrey turned off the stove before quietly making his way over to the living room.
You and Coco were still asleep on the couch, neither of you having stirred once.
A small smile crossed his face.
Leaning lightly against the back of the couch, he gently brushed a few loose strands of hair away from your face.
"..."
He lowered his head slightly, resting his forehead against the top of your head for a brief moment.
It was a quiet gesture.
One of reassurance.
Nothing more.
Unfortunately...
Someone else happened to see it.
"...Oi!"
Qifrey calmly straightened and turned toward the voice.
Olruggio stood frozen in the hallway, staring at him with wide eyes and a face that had gone noticeably red.
"...What do you think you're doing?"
Qifrey blinked once before glancing back at you, then at Olruggio.
"...Resting my forehead."
Olruggio pointed accusingly.
"It looked like you kissed her!"
Qifrey tilted his head, looking genuinely puzzled.
"...Did it?"
"YES, IT DID!"
Qifrey looked back at your sleeping figure for a moment before giving a small, thoughtful hum.
"...I can see how it might have looked that way."
Olruggio buried his face in one hand.
"...You're unbelievable."
Qifrey simply smiled, thoroughly amused by the misunderstanding.
Olruggio let out a quiet sigh before walking over to the couch as well.
His earlier embarrassment had already faded.
He looked down at the two sleeping figures.
Coco remained curled against your side, while you hadn't moved an inch.
"...Quite a day," Olruggio murmured.
"They're both exhausted."
Qifrey smiled faintly.
"Indeed."
"For them to fall asleep this quickly..."
"It couldn't have been easy."
Olruggio's gaze drifted to your bandaged hand.
He frowned.
Without wanting to wake you, he carefully took your hand into his own.
His fingers brushed lightly over the bandage as he examined the bruised knuckles beneath it.
"...You really hit it hard."
Qifrey nodded.
"The desk suffered as much as her hand."
A quiet chuckle escaped Olruggio.
"...That sounds like her."
Even while asleep, your fingers instinctively curled slightly around his hand before relaxing again.
Olruggio paused for a moment, then smiled to himself.
"...Stubborn."
He gently set your hand back onto the blanket, making sure the bandage hadn't loosened before stepping back, careful not to disturb either of you.
A quiet murmur escaped you in your sleep.
You shifted slightly beneath the blanket, instinctively pulling Coco a little closer into your embrace.
She let out a tiny sleepy hum in response but never woke.
You curled up just a little, as though trying to shield her from the rest of the world.
Qifrey and Olruggio watched the small movement in silence.
A gentle smile tugged at Qifrey's lips.
"...Even asleep."
Olruggio folded his arms, his expression softening.
"...Still making sure she's safe."
Neither of them said anything else.
They simply let the peaceful silence settle over the room, deciding it was best not to wake either of you after everything the day had put you through.
----====----
"...Hmm."
You stared at the papers spread across the table, reading the same page for what felt like the tenth time.
No matter how many times you looked over the reports...
You still couldn't find the problem.
Ever since yesterday's incident, you'd barely slept.
Falling asleep on the couch after dinner had helped a little, but it hadn't been enough.
Your thoughts had kept you awake long into the night.
With a tired groan, you let the papers fall onto your face.
"...I give up."
A quiet chuckle came from behind you.
"Not going well?"
Before you could answer, the paper covering your face was gently lifted away.
You looked up.
Qifrey stood beside you with his usual warm smile, holding the sheet between two fingers.
"...You look like you've been fighting those documents for hours."
You sighed dramatically.
"...I'm losing."
Qifrey glanced over the paperwork before looking back at you.
"Perhaps..."
"...You simply need a short break."
You rested your head against the table.
"...I'd rather fight another enchanted beast than look at these reports for another minute."
A small laugh escaped Qifrey.
"...I believe that says quite a lot about your workload."
You were about to bury your face back into the table when you felt a gentle hand beneath your chin.
It carefully guided your head back up.
"...Hm?"
Blinking in confusion, you looked forward—
Only to find Qifrey much closer than you expected.
Your eyes widened slightly.
"...Qifrey?"
You blinked once.
Then twice.
For a brief moment, neither of you spoke.
Qifrey seemed just as surprised by the sudden lack of distance between you.
"...Ah."
A small, sheepish smile crossed his face.
"I may have leaned in a little more than I intended."
His hand immediately withdrew from your chin.
"My apologies."
You let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of your neck.
"...No harm done."
Even so...
The unexpected closeness left the room feeling noticeably quieter for a moment before either of you found the words to continue.
"i'll just.. continue.." you say and went back to the papers.
"ah of course!" qifrey respond quickly.. too quickly.
As you returned your attention to the paperwork, Qifrey remained where he was.
His gaze drifted away for a moment.
"..."
Something felt... strange.
Ever since arriving in this world, he'd noticed it little by little.
Normally, whenever he allowed himself to truly relax—
Whenever his heart grew too peaceful—
The silverwood tree within him would react.
It was a curse he'd lived with for years.
A constant reminder never to let his guard down.
Never to linger in serenity for too long.
Yet...
Here...
Nothing.
No familiar stirring.
No dull ache behind the lens covering his right eye.
No faint sensation of the silverwood branches threatening to awaken.
Just...
Silence.
His fingers unconsciously brushed the frame of the dark lens hiding his ruined eye.
"...Why...?"
He couldn't understand it.
Had the tree simply gone dormant?
Or...
Was there something about this world that kept it asleep?
Whatever the answer was...
It left him both relieved...
And deeply unsettled.
......
"...Why?"
The quiet murmur slipped from Qifrey's lips before he even realized he'd spoken aloud.
You looked up from the stack of papers, tilting your head.
"...What?"
Your voice pulled him back to the present.
He blinked once before offering his usual gentle smile.
"...Ah."
"It's nothing."
You studied him for a second, unconvinced.
"...You sure?"
Qifrey adjusted the frame of the dark lens over his right eye almost absentmindedly.
"...Just an old habit of mine."
You hummed, deciding not to press the matter.
"If you say so."
He nodded appreciatively, though his thoughts still lingered on the strange silence of the silverwood tree.
For the first time in years...
Its absence felt almost as unsettling as its presence.
---====---
"...Finally, I'm done!"
You threw both of your hands into the air in triumph.
A grin spread across your face as weeks of paperwork finally came to an end.
"It almost felt like forever..."
Tetia and Coco couldn't help but laugh at your dramatic celebration.
"But you finished it!" Tetia said with a bright smile.
"You deserve a break," Coco added.
You stretched your sore shoulders with a satisfied groan.
"...I want a warm bath."
Without another word, you stood up and headed toward the bathroom.
After making sure the bathtub was clean, you adjusted the faucet until the water reached the perfect temperature.
Warm.
Comfortable.
Just the way you liked it.
A few minutes later, you slowly lowered yourself into the tub.
The warmth immediately melted away the stiffness in your shoulders and back.
You let out a long, content sigh.
"...This..."
"...This is the reward for surviving paperwork."
Your muscles finally relaxed as you leaned against the edge of the bathtub, closing your eyes.
"So nice..."
"...And warm."
For the first time in what felt like days...
You could simply breathe.
You closed your eyes, letting the warm water ease away the day's exhaustion.
Click.
"...Hm?"
You peeked past the shower curtain.
"...Olly?"
Olruggio paused, a towel halfway out of the drawer, before turning toward your voice.
"...Ah."
"Sorry."
"I didn't realize you were in here."
You glanced at the unlocked door and sighed.
"...I forgot to lock it."
"...I was just grabbing a towel."
"The second drawer."
"...Right."
As he reached for it, his foot suddenly caught on the bath mat.
"...Hm?"
He stumbled forward.
Your eyes widened.
"...Olly—"
Before either of you could react—
He caught himself on the edge of the bathtub.
Bringing the two of you far closer than either of you expected.
Pairing: Orufrey x Artist!Female!reader, The qieflings x Artist!Female!Reader (platonic)
Summary: A life living with six witches that accidentally got transport in your world and so many unexpected adventures awaits.
Author's note: Part three for this story!! I'm quite active wanting to explore more and more for their adventures that's why its fast. I've also now kinda working the part 4 now, so~ hope you enjoy this one!
After paying for everything, you were fairly certain your wallet was crying.
"...You'll recover," you muttered to it before slipping it back into your bag.
The seven of you continued strolling through the mall, taking your time exploring whatever caught your attention. The girls' curiosity hadn't faded one bit—if anything, it had only grown stronger.
Coco, especially, reminded of the first time she'd visited Kalhn.
Everything was new.
Everything was exciting.
It wasn't long before Tetia suddenly pointed toward a brightly decorated shop.
"Hey, what's that?"
You followed where she was pointing.
Rows of props, funny hats, oversized glasses, and colorful headbands decorated the entrance.
Behind them were several private photo booths.
"Oh, that's a photo booth," you explained. "You go inside with your friends or family and take pictures together."
You smiled to yourself.
"I actually did this with my friends years ago... back in senior high."
The memory made you chuckle.
You remembered celebrating one of your friend's birthdays, squeezing into one of these tiny booths and laughing over the ridiculous poses.
"Oh!" Coco's eyes sparkled.
"Can we try it?"
"I don't mind," you replied before looking at everyone else.
"What about you guys?"
Qifrey smiled gently.
"I wouldn't mind."
Olruggio shrugged.
"If everyone wants to."
Agott simply nodded.
"I'll go."
"Then it's settled."
Before either Qifrey or Olruggio could say another word, you grabbed both of their wrists.
"Come on!"
You laughed, dragging the two bewildered men toward the booth.
"H-Hey—"
"We were already coming," Olruggio protested.
Richeh quietly followed behind, while Coco happily took Agott's hand and led her over as well.
"You all wait here," you said. "I'll pay first."
After paying for the session, you returned to find everyone already browsing through the props.
"Oh, look at these!" Tetia exclaimed, placing oversized heart-shaped sunglasses over her eyes.
Coco giggled as she tried on a pair of round sunglasses.
Richeh quietly experimented with different hats before eventually pulling on a little ghost mask, causing Brushbuddy to chirp in confusion.
Even Olruggio found himself inspecting the cowboy hats and a pair of floppy bunny-ear hats.
Qifrey simply adjusted his usual glasses with a smile.
Meanwhile, Agott lingered off to the side.
Coco noticed immediately.
"Agott!"
Before she could object, Coco gently placed a small brown beret on top of her curls.
"..."
It suited her surprisingly well.
Agott looked away with a tiny huff.
"...It isn't bad."
You smiled to yourself but wisely kept the comment to yourself.
"All right!" you announced.
"Grab whatever accessories you want. One of the booths is available."
"Okay!" the girls answered in unison.
The group gathered their chosen props.
You picked a large sombrero along with a pair of bright sunglasses.
Watching everyone laugh and help each other choose accessories...
It almost looked like...
A family.
The thought lingered quietly in the back of your mind.
You quickly pushed it away.
'Don't get attached.'
You'd told yourself that before.
Still...
You couldn't deny how warm the moment felt.
You smiled softly.
"Ready?"
Everyone nodded.
One by one, you stepped into the booth, pulling the curtain closed behind you.
Shopping bags were carefully stacked in one corner while everyone placed their chosen accessories on the small shelf inside.
You picked up the remote.
"Let's see..."
Your finger pressed through the menu.
"...Two copies."
Perfect.
You slid two hundred pesos into the payment slot.
The machine beeped cheerfully.
"All right."
You looked back at the group with a grin.
"Now comes the difficult part..."
"...Trying to fit seven people into one tiny photo booth."
The booth was surprisingly spacious.
Not enough for seven people to stand comfortably, but there were small stools and steps inside to help everyone fit into the frame.
You quickly arranged everyone.
"Tetia, Coco, you two can stand on the little step."
"Richeh, stay beside them."
"Agott... maybe here?"
Qifrey and Olruggio naturally took the back while you squeezed yourself somewhere in the middle.
"There are ten shots," you explained, pointing at the screen. "Then we choose our favorite six to print."
Everyone nodded, though they still looked a little unsure.
The first photo...
Was awkward.
There were simply too many people trying to figure out where to stand.
"Ow—"
"Tetia, your elbow!"
"Sorry!"
"I can't move any farther!"
Click.
The second wasn't much better.
Everyone kept shifting around, trying not to block each other.
Click.
By the third, things finally started loosening up.
Funny glasses appeared.
Oversized hats.
Someone had somehow convinced Olruggio to wear a cowboy hat.
"...Don't."
"It's too late."
Click.
The fourth was nothing but laughter.
Tetia proudly wore heart-shaped sunglasses.
Coco somehow stacked two hats on top of each other.
Qifrey smiled behind novelty glasses.
Brushbuddy had climbed onto Richeh's head.
Click.
The fifth photo caught everyone off guard.
"...Wait."
"Is that number a countdown?"
Everyone looked up at the screen.
3...
"...It is!"
"Quick!"
People shuffled around in a panic.
"Tetia, duck!"
"My foot!"
"No, move this way!"
1...
Click.
By the sixth, everyone had mostly figured out the timing.
...Mostly.
Olruggio still looked like he was questioning every decision that had led him into this tiny booth.
Click.
For the seventh and eighth shots, the accessories came back out.
Cowboy hats.
Bunny ears.
Oversized sunglasses.
You wore the large sombrero you'd picked.
Richeh kept the ghost mask on while Brushbuddy chirped beside her.
Even Agott had forgotten to take off the little brown beret Coco had given her.
"...Don't say anything," she muttered after catching you smiling.
"I wasn't going to."
Click.
Click.
Then came the final two photos.
The countdown appeared again.
3...
"Everyone, closer!"
Without thinking, everyone instinctively leaned in.
2...
Shoulders bumped.
Someone nearly dropped their hat.
Brushbuddy fluttered excitedly.
Even Olruggio was laughing now.
Agott smiled without realizing it.
1...
You glanced around just before the flash.
No one was posing anymore.
Everyone was simply... happy.
Click.
One last flash.
One last burst of laughter.
Click.
The booth fell silent for a heartbeat.
Then everyone looked at one another...
...and burst into laughter all over again.
-----+++++-------
Choosing which photos to print turned out to be harder than taking them.
The booth displayed all ten shots on the screen, and almost immediately everyone started laughing at the results.
"Look at this one!" Tetia pointed at the screen, barely able to contain her laughter.
"My eyes were closed!" Coco protested.
Olruggio looked at one picture where his cowboy hat had slipped over one eye.
"...Delete that."
"No," you laughed. "It's staying."
In the end, you chose six.
Two of the goofy ones with everyone wearing ridiculous hats and sunglasses.
The one where everyone had burst into laughter.
The seventh shot.
And, of course, the final two.
Those were your favorites.
The machine hummed before printing two identical strips of photos.
You handed one copy to the group.
"The second one..." you smiled to yourself, quietly slipping it into your bag.
"...I'll keep."
With that, the seven of you left the photo booth, still laughing over some of the expressions captured in the pictures.
The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering from shop to shop.
Sometimes just browsing.
Sometimes trying little rides scattered throughout the mall.
By the time evening arrived, everyone was beginning to feel the day catch up to them.
You stopped by a restaurant one last time, ordering dinner as takeout so everyone could eat comfortably once you got home.
Or... at least, that had been the plan.
As you waited for the food, Richeh had already fallen asleep against Olruggio's shoulder.
By the time you left the restaurant, he was carrying her with surprising ease.
Qifrey wasn't much different.
Coco had dozed off while holding her shopping bag, and he gently lifted her into his arms without waking her.
Meanwhile, you carried the remaining shopping bags while Tetia and Agott trudged beside you, their earlier excitement replaced with tired little yawns.
"I think that's enough adventures for one day," you said with a tired laugh.
Neither of them argued.
By the time you reached the parking lot, the evening sky had begun turning shades of orange and gold as the sun slowly dipped toward the horizon.
You unlocked the van and everyone climbed inside.
The shopping bags and takeout boxes were carefully placed in the back.
You helped buckle the two sleeping girls into their seats, making sure they were comfortable before fastening Tetia's and Agott's seatbelts as well.
Olruggio settled into the back beside the girls.
Qifrey quietly took the front passenger seat.
Once everyone was ready, you climbed into the driver's seat.
The engine came to life.
You handed over the parking ticket, paid at the exit, and slowly guided the van out onto the road.
Soft music drifted from the radio as the city lights flickered to life one by one.
You smiled faintly after glancing at the rearview mirror.
"Looks like the girls are completely out."
Olruggio looked over at the sleeping apprentices before turning back toward the window.
"I guess dinner... and dessert... will have to wait until tomorrow."
You chuckled.
"I'll just heat everything up in the morning."
"They've earned the rest."
Qifrey rested his head lightly against the window.
"...They certainly enjoyed today."
"They did," you replied.
A comfortable silence settled inside the van.
After a few moments, you glanced toward the two men.
"You and Olruggio should get some sleep too."
"I'll wake you once we're home."
Qifrey smiled without opening his eyes.
"I'm all right. Don't worry about me."
"...If you say so."
When no response came from the back, you looked into the mirror.
Olruggio had already fallen asleep.
"...Well."
"One down."
A few more minutes passed.
The quiet hum of the engine blended with the music.
Then...
A soft, steady breathing came from beside you.
You glanced over for just a second.
Qifrey had drifted off as well, his head resting lightly against the window.
A small smile tugged at your lips.
"...Sleep well."
You returned your eyes to the road, the peaceful silence inside the van making the drive home feel warmer than ever.
-----+++++------
As you drove through the quiet night, the city lights flickered past like rows of tiny candles.
A familiar song played softly on the radio, and you found yourself absentmindedly humming along.
Every so often, your eyes drifted to the rearview mirror.
The girls were still fast asleep.
Even Olruggio and Qifrey hadn't stirred.
The peaceful silence made you smile.
Eventually, your apartment building came into view.
You pulled into your usual parking space before turning off the engine.
The music faded with it.
For a moment...
No one moved.
You looked over at the sleeping wizard beside you.
"Qifrey..."
You gently shook his shoulder.
"Wake up. We're home."
His eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times before focusing on you.
"...Ah."
"We're here already?"
"Mhm."
"I need your help carrying the girls... and the takeout."
Qifrey nodded sleepily before stepping out of the van with you.
You slid open the back door and walked over to Olruggio.
"Olly..."
You gave his shoulder a gentle shake.
"We're home."
Only a groan answered you.
"...Olly."
Another shake.
"...Come on."
"We need your help."
This time, he finally cracked one eye open.
"...Five more minutes..."
You sighed, trying not to laugh.
"You can sleep once we're upstairs."
With one final groan, he reluctantly sat up.
The three of you worked quietly so the girls wouldn't wake.
Qifrey carefully lifted the sleeping Coco into one arm before gently carrying Agott as well.
Olruggio picked up Tetia and Richeh with practiced ease.
Meanwhile, you gathered the takeout bags along with the girls' shopping bags.
The groceries—and your own purchases, along with Qifrey's and Olruggio's—remained safely inside the van for now.
Before closing the door, you spread a cover over the windows to keep the bags out of sight.
"Just in case," you murmured.
Satisfied, you locked the van before the three of you headed toward the apartment entrance.
The older security guard at the front desk looked up as your little group walked in.
His eyes landed on the four sleeping girls before a knowing smile appeared.
"Looks like you all had quite the day."
He chuckled softly.
"Get some good rest tonight."
You returned the smile with a small nod.
"Thanks."
"You have a good night too."
With quiet footsteps, the three of you entered the elevator.
The ride up was peaceful, broken only by the elevator's gentle hum.
When it finally reached your floor, you stepped out into the familiar hallway.
Fishing your keys from your bag, you stopped in front of your apartment door.
A soft click echoed through the hallway as you unlocked it and slowly pushed the door open, careful not to wake the sleeping girls in everyone's arms.
Once everyone was inside, you quietly closed the front door behind you.
The apartment was calm, a stark contrast to the lively mall from earlier.
You set the takeout containers and shopping bags on the kitchen counter before turning back to the two exhausted men.
"This way."
Keeping your voices low, the three of you carefully made your way to the guest room—the room that had gradually become the girls' own while they stayed with you.
One by one, you helped settle them into their beds.
Qifrey gently lowered Coco onto her mattress, making sure she was lying comfortably before pulling the blanket over her.
Olruggio did the same for Tetia and Richeh, carefully tucking them in despite grumbling under his breath.
"...They're heavier than they look."
You chuckled quietly.
"That's because you carried two at once."
"Tch."
He couldn't exactly argue with that.
Agott had only stirred slightly when Qifrey laid her down, mumbling something incomprehensible before immediately curling beneath the blanket again.
You smiled fondly.
"They really wore themselves out today."
Qifrey adjusted Coco's blanket one last time before looking around the room.
"...I don't think I've seen them sleep this soundly before."
"They had a lot of firsts today," you replied softly.
"The mall... the photo booth... all the different shops..."
"And the plushies," Olruggio added.
You laughed under your breath.
"...Especially the plushies."
The room fell quiet again.
Four peaceful, sleeping apprentices.
Safe.
Warm.
Content.
You quietly switched off the bedroom light, leaving only the soft glow from the hallway spilling through the slightly open door.
"Let's let them rest."
The two men nodded, and together, the three of you quietly stepped out of the room, gently closing the door behind you so the girls could sleep undisturbed.
Once the three of you stepped out of the girls' room, you quietly closed the door behind you.
You stretched your arms with a tired sigh.
"I'm going to take a warm shower."
Qifrey nodded.
"We'll take care of dinner."
"Thanks."
While you disappeared into the bathroom, Qifrey and Olruggio unpacked the takeout.
They set aside your meal along with theirs before placing the girls' dinners and desserts neatly into the refrigerator for tomorrow morning.
By the time you finished your shower, the apartment had become even quieter.
You stepped out, drying your damp hair with a towel draped over your shoulders.
The warm scent of food drifted through the room.
Your gaze naturally fell toward the living room.
Qifrey and Olruggio were sitting on the couch, their takeout boxes resting on the coffee table.
Neither of them had started eating yet.
They seemed to be waiting.
"You took your time," Olruggio remarked.
"I know."
You laughed softly, rubbing the towel through your hair.
"The hot water felt too nice."
Walking over, you picked up your own takeout before settling onto the couch beside them.
"Thanks for waiting."
"It wasn't much trouble," Qifrey replied with his usual gentle smile.
For a while, the three of you simply ate in comfortable silence.
The only sounds were quiet conversations from the television and the occasional clink of chopsticks against the containers.
After taking another bite, you glanced at the TV.
"...A movie doesn't sound too bad."
Qifrey looked over.
"A movie?"
"Yeah."
You smiled.
"The girls and I have movie nights sometimes."
"I figured..."
You looked toward the hallway leading to the guest room.
"...Since they're already asleep..."
"Maybe the three of us could watch something before calling it a night."
Olruggio leaned back against the couch.
"...As long as it's not another horror film."
You blinked.
"I've never made you watch one."
"I'm making sure it stays that way."
Qifrey let out a quiet chuckle.
"I don't mind watching whatever you choose."
You smiled, reaching for the remote resting on the coffee table.
"Then let's see what's on tonight."
----=====-----
After scrolling through a handful of movies, your thumb finally stopped.
"...Found one."
Qifrey and Olruggio glanced at the screen.
"You've seen this before?" Qifrey asked.
"More times than I can count," you admitted with a sheepish smile. "It's one of my favorites."
You selected The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
"I figured a fantasy movie would be fitting."
Neither of them objected.
The opening theme filled the apartment as the three of you settled into the couch, finishing your takeout while the story unfolded on screen.
Every now and then, you'd quietly point out a scene you particularly liked.
"I love this part."
"...Wait for this one."
Qifrey watched with genuine curiosity, occasionally asking small questions about your world's storytelling.
Olruggio, despite pretending not to be overly interested, found himself watching just as attentively.
By the time the movie reached its final act, the takeout containers were empty.
The apartment had fallen completely silent.
None of you noticed the clock quietly ticking past midnight.
The ending credits began to roll as the music filled the room one last time.
"..."
No one reached for the remote.
The television continued playing the credits into the quiet apartment.
Curled beneath a single blanket on the couch, the three of you had unknowingly drifted off to sleep.
Somewhere during the movie, someone had pulled the blanket over everyone.
No one remembered who.
Your head rested lightly against Qifrey's shoulder.
Qifrey had unknowingly leaned against Olruggio sometime after falling asleep.
Olruggio, too tired to complain, simply stayed where he was, one arm loosely tucked beneath the blanket.
The couch had somehow become far too small for three exhausted adults.
Yet none of you stirred.
Outside, the city lights continued to glow beyond the apartment windows.
Inside...
The television quietly played through the last of the credits.
And beneath the warmth of a shared blanket, the three of you slept peacefully, completely unaware of how closely you'd all ended up huddled together.
----====-----
The next morning, the first ones to wake up were the girls.
Still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they wandered out of their room one by one.
"...Good morning," Coco yawned.
Richeh quietly followed behind, Brushbuddy perched sleepily on her shoulder.
Agott stretched her arms before stepping into the living room.
The four of them froze.
"..."
"..."
"..."
There, on the couch, was a complete mess.
The television was still on, the movie having long since finished. It had looped back to the menu screen, its opening music quietly playing in the background.
Beneath a single blanket...
You, Qifrey, and Olruggio were all fast asleep.
Somehow, overnight, you'd all ended up unintentionally huddled together on the couch.
Tetia blinked.
Then dramatically placed both hands on her hips.
"They overslept together!" she declared, sounding like the only responsible adult in the apartment.
Coco couldn't help but giggle.
"They look really tired..."
Agott folded her arms, trying to hide the tiny smile threatening to appear.
"...Looks uncomfortable."
Richeh's attention, however, drifted elsewhere.
Her eyes landed on the coffee table.
Several empty takeout containers were neatly stacked together.
She stared at them.
Then looked around the kitchen.
Then back at the containers.
"..."
"...Master..."
She looked up at the sleeping trio.
"...Where's our dinner?"
Brushbuddy tilted its head.
"...Chirp?"
For a brief moment, everyone fell silent.
Then Tetia gasped dramatically.
"...They ate everything?!"
Coco's eyes widened.
"They wouldn't do that..."
"...Would they?"
Before anyone could jump to conclusions, Agott let out a small sigh.
"...Check the fridge first."
Richeh quietly nodded and padded over to the refrigerator.
She pulled the door open.
Inside sat four neatly packed takeout containers with their names written on sticky notes.
Next to them were the desserts you'd promised to save for breakfast.
Richeh blinked.
"...Found them."
Tetia immediately deflated.
"...Oh."
"...Never mind."
Coco laughed.
"I knew they wouldn't forget."
Brushbuddy gave an approving little chirp before happily hopping onto the counter, already eyeing the desserts.
The four girls looked back toward the couch.
The three adults were still completely asleep.
"...Should we wake them?" Coco whispered.
Tetia grinned mischievously.
"...I have an idea."
----===----
Everything felt... peaceful.
As if you were drifting beneath the ocean.
Weightless.
Silent.
Your hair floated gently around you as tiny bubbles rose toward the surface.
You reached out, absentmindedly poking one with your fingertip.
Pop.
Another drifted by.
Then another.
Until—
Something felt wrong.
Your chest tightened.
The water around you grew heavier.
You tried to breathe.
Instead—
Water rushed into your lungs.
You choked.
Your body thrashed instinctively as panic consumed the peaceful dream.
Then—
Your eyes flew open.
You gasped sharply, taking in a desperate breath.
The familiar ceiling of your apartment replaced the endless blue sea.
"..."
For a second, you simply lay there, your breathing uneven.
Beside you, Qifrey and Olruggio were still sound asleep beneath the blanket.
You were about to close your eyes again when...
Your nose twitched.
"...Smoke?"
A faint burning smell drifted through the apartment.
You frowned.
"..."
"..."
Then your brain finally caught up.
"...SMOKE!"
You shot upright so fast that the blanket tangled around your legs.
"Wah—!"
You stumbled forward.
Straight off the couch.
Dragging the blanket—
And the two sleeping wizards—
Down with you.
THUD!
The three of you crashed onto the carpet in a tangled heap.
"...Oof."
"...Ghk—"
Poor Olruggio ended up at the very bottom, crushed beneath both you and Qifrey.
He let out a muffled groan.
"...I think..."
"...My spine..."
Qifrey blinked awake in complete confusion.
"...What happened?"
"Sorry!"
You scrambled off them without another explanation and sprinted toward the kitchen.
The sight waiting for you made you freeze.
The four girls stood around the microwave.
Its interior was filled with smoke.
Coco repeatedly pressed random buttons.
Tetia was staring at the display in confusion.
Richeh had taken several cautious steps backward with Brushbuddy hiding behind her hair.
Agott looked between the smoking microwave and the others with a growing look of concern.
The takeout containers from last night...
Were inside.
Still in their plastic containers.
"..."
"...Girls."
The four of them turned toward you in unison.
"Oh!" Tetia brightened.
"We wanted to heat breakfast!"
"..."
"...Using the magic box," Coco added proudly.
You slowly covered your face with both hands.
"..."
Right.
You'd never actually taught them how to use a microwave.
Behind you, Qifrey and Olruggio finally reached the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep from their eyes.
"...What's burning?" Olruggio asked.
You let out the deepest sigh imaginable.
"..."
"...Good morning."
"...Welcome to today's disaster."
---===---
After a brief moment of panic...
Everything was finally under control.
The microwave had been switched off before anything worse could happen, and the poor takeout containers had been rescued...
Though the breakfast inside was beyond saving.
"...There goes dinner from last night," you sighed.
"Sorry..." Coco apologized, hanging her head.
"We just wanted to help," Tetia added quietly.
You gave them both a reassuring smile.
"I know."
"You didn't do anything on purpose."
"I just forgot to teach you how to use a microwave."
The girls looked a little relieved.
Meanwhile, you had every window in the apartment wide open.
Standing near one of them, you vigorously fanned the lingering smoke outside with a kitchen towel.
"Come on..."
"Go outside..."
"Before the smoke detector notices..."
You continued waving the towel like your life depended on it.
Behind you, Olruggio watched the scene with crossed arms.
"...You're declaring war against smoke."
"I'm declaring war against the fire alarm," you corrected without looking back.
"If that thing goes off, the whole building's going to think I burned the apartment down."
Qifrey couldn't help but laugh quietly.
"I suppose that would be... troublesome."
"Troublesome?"
You shot him an incredulous look while still fanning the smoke.
"It'd be embarrassing!"
The wizard simply smiled into his hand.
Brushbuddy fluttered around the room, helping in the least helpful way imaginable by flapping its tiny wings toward the window.
"...Chirp!"
"Thanks for the emotional support, Brushbuddy," you said between exhausted breaths.
Richeh looked up proudly.
"...Brushbuddy is helping."
"It absolutely is."
Whether it was actually helping the smoke leave...
Was another question entirely.
After several long minutes, the air finally began to clear.
You let out a long, relieved sigh and lowered the towel.
"...Crisis averted."
Olruggio looked at the now-useless takeout containers before glancing back at you.
"So..."
"...What's for breakfast now?"
You stared at the ruined food.
Then at the group.
Then sighed with a small smile.
"...Guess I'm cooking."
===---===----
"It's a good thing we ordered plenty of takeout last night..." you sighed, resting your cheek against your hand.
Fortunately, not all of it had been ruined.
Only the containers the girls had tried to heat up in the microwave had to be thrown away.
After giving everyone a quick lesson on what could and couldn't go inside a microwave, breakfast was finally back on track.
The girls reheated their meals properly this time—with your supervision.
Meanwhile, you decided to make a fresh breakfast for yourself, Olruggio, and Qifrey.
Soon, the dining table was filled once again.
The girls happily ate their reheated takeout from the night before, while you placed plates of freshly cooked breakfast in front of yourself, Olruggio, and Qifrey.
"Much better," you said with a satisfied nod.
Tetia sheepishly scratched her cheek.
"...We'll ask first next time."
"Please do," you laughed.
"I don't think my poor microwave can survive another lesson."
Coco nodded earnestly.
"We learned something today."
"That's all that matters."
Across the table, Olruggio took a bite of his breakfast before glancing at the slightly scorched microwave sitting on the kitchen counter.
"...Think it'll recover?"
You followed his gaze.
"...Physically?"
"Probably."
"Mentally?"
"...It'll need therapy."
Qifrey let out a quiet laugh into his cup of tea.
The girls looked between you and the microwave before giggling along.
Despite the smoky start to the morning...
Breakfast ended with laughter once again.
As you reached for the stack of dirty plates, another hand gently stopped yours.
You looked up to find Qifrey standing beside you, wearing the same warm smile he always did.
"Let me wash them."
"You've already done more than enough this morning."
You opened your mouth to protest.
"But—"
"No arguments."
His smile softened ever so slightly.
"Go and rest."
"..."
You let out a defeated sigh before smiling back.
"...Alright."
"Thanks."
Qifrey simply nodded before rolling up his sleeves and carrying the dishes over to the sink.
The sound of running water soon filled the apartment.
You, on the other hand, made your way to the living room.
The moment you reached the couch...
You collapsed face-first into the cushions.
"...I'm not moving."
Not for groceries still sitting in the van.
Not for the shopping bags.
Not for anything.
Olruggio glanced over from where he was reading.
"I believe you."
You gave nothing more than a muffled groan in response.
The groceries...
Your shopping bags...
Qifrey's books...
Olruggio's purchases...
Everything could wait.
You were perfectly content becoming one with the couch.
...
Then a thought suddenly crossed your mind.
Your eyes slowly opened.
"...Wait."
Yesterday.
The plushie store.
Tetia had spent the evening hugging the oversized bunny plush nearly half her height.
Coco refused to let go of her little fox.
Richeh had happily carried around the fluffy seal plush.
...
Agott.
You remembered buying the small black cat plush she'd insisted she wasn't interested in.
She never realized you'd secretly paid for it while she was distracted.
"...Right."
With another dramatic sigh, you forced yourself off the couch.
"...One last thing."
You quietly headed toward the girls' room.
Their shopping bags had been neatly placed on one of the shelves.
After a bit of searching, you found the one you were looking for.
Still inside...
The small black cat plush waited, untouched.
A smile tugged at your lips.
You picked up the bag before wandering through the apartment.
"...Agott?"
There was no answer.
Then you noticed the door to your messy art room slightly open.
Peeking inside, you found Agott sitting at one of the spare tables.
Several sheets of paper were spread before her.
Although there was no magic in this world, she was quietly reviewing spell diagrams and notes from memory, determined not to forget what she'd learned back at the atelier.
You leaned lightly against the doorway.
"Agott."
She blinked before looking up.
"...Hm?"
Her expression softened when she saw you standing there.
You smiled, exhaustion still evident in your face, and held out the small paper bag.
"I have something for you."
Agott tilted her head.
"...For me?"
"Mhm."
You stepped closer and gently placed the bag into her hands.
"I noticed you looking at it yesterday."
"So..."
"...It's yours."
For a moment, Agott simply stared at the bag.
"..."
"...But..."
"I said I didn't want it."
"You did."
You chuckled softly.
"But..."
"You also kept looking at it every time you thought no one was watching."
Agott's ears turned a faint shade of pink.
"..."
"...I wasn't."
"You were."
"..."
"...Maybe a little."
Your smile widened.
"Go on."
"Open it."
Slowly, almost hesitantly, Agott peeked inside the bag.
The moment she pulled out the small black cat plush...
Her eyes widened ever so slightly. She froze. For several long seconds...
She simply stared at it. Then, without saying a word, she hugged the plush tightly against her chest.
"..."
"...Thank you."
The words were barely above a whisper.
But to you...
They were more than enough.
Neither you nor Agott noticed...
The others had quietly gathered outside the art room.
Qifrey stood near the doorway, drying his hands with a kitchen towel after finishing the dishes.
Olruggio leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
Tetia and Coco peeked around the corner with unmistakably curious faces.
Richeh stood beside them, Brushbuddy perched on her shoulder.
None of them said a word.
They simply watched.
Inside the room, Agott continued holding the little black cat plush close to her chest.
She looked down at it before carefully running a hand over its soft fur.
"...It's soft."
You smiled.
"I thought you'd like it."
She was quiet for another moment.
"...I do."
Her voice was still calm as ever.
But the tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips said far more than her words did.
Outside the room, Tetia gasped dramatically before whispering as quietly as she could,
"She's smiling!"
"I know," Coco whispered back, trying not to squeal.
Richeh nodded happily.
"...Agott looks happy."
Even Brushbuddy gave a soft, approving chirp.
"...Chirp."
Olruggio watched the scene from the hallway, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.
"...She's warming up."
Qifrey nodded quietly.
"...She is."
He looked toward you.
Watching you patiently wait for Agott to accept the gift without rushing her...
Watching Agott, who normally kept everyone at arm's length, hug the little plush close as though it were something precious.
It was a small moment.
Simple.
Quiet.
Yet somehow...
It felt like watching another wall around Agott slowly begin to crumble.
Inside the room, you finally noticed the unusual silence.
"...Why does it feel like someone's watching us?"
Agott blinked and glanced toward the doorway.
The two of you froze.
Standing there...
Were six very familiar faces.
"..."
"..."
Tetia immediately pointed at the black cat plush.
"It suits you!"
Coco nodded enthusiastically.
"It's really cute!"
Richeh smiled softly.
"...Just like you."
Agott's face immediately warmed with embarrassment.
"...I..."
She instinctively hugged the plush even closer.
"...Thank you."
The girls beamed.
You, meanwhile, could only laugh, rubbing the back of your neck.
"...How long have you all been standing there?"
Olruggio answered without a shred of guilt.
"...Long enough."
Qifrey chuckled behind him.
"...It was a lovely surprise."
Agott let out the smallest sigh, clearly resigned to the fact that everyone had witnessed the moment.
"...Please forget this."
"...No promises," Tetia replied with a grin.
====----====
With the apartment finally quiet again, you clapped your hands together.
"Alright."
"One last job."
"The groceries."
Olruggio let out a tired groan.
"...I knew we forgot something."
Qifrey chuckled softly.
"They've been sitting in the van this whole time."
You nodded sheepishly.
"Yeah..."
"I may have... completely forgotten."
"...You collapsed on the couch," Olruggio reminded.
"Fair point."
The seven of you headed downstairs together.
The morning air was cool, a welcome change after the eventful start to the day.
Reaching the van, you unlocked the back door.
"...There's more than I remembered."
You stared at the mountain of grocery bags.
"...Did we buy the whole store?" Tetia asked.
"It certainly feels like it," you laughed.
One by one, you handed everyone a few bags.
"Don't carry too much," you reminded the girls.
"If it's heavy, let one of us know."
"We're strong!" Tetia declared confidently.
A few seconds later...
"...It's heavier than it looked."
Olruggio snorted.
"I was wondering how long that confidence would last."
Coco carefully hugged a lighter bag filled with snacks.
Richeh proudly carried one with bread and cereal while Brushbuddy balanced on top of it like a tiny guardian.
Agott quietly took two bags without a word.
Qifrey reached for the heavier ones before you could.
"I've got these."
"You sure?"
He smiled.
"I'm sure."
After making two trips between the van and your apartment, everything was finally inside.
The front door closed with a soft click behind the group.
"...Mission accomplished," you sighed.
"Not quite," Olruggio replied, setting another bag on the counter.
You blinked.
"...Right."
"We still have to put everything away."
Everyone naturally spread out around the kitchen.
You opened the pantry and cupboards while Qifrey carefully checked where each item belonged before handing it to you.
"Canned goods here?"
"Mhm."
"Rice?"
"Bottom cupboard."
"What about these noodles?"
"Second shelf."
Olruggio quietly stocked the refrigerator, arranging the milk, vegetables, fish, shrimp, and meat with surprising efficiency.
"...You organize your fridge better than I do," you admitted.
"I noticed."
He shut the refrigerator door with a satisfied nod.
"The girls happily joined in as well.
Tetia eagerly carried snack packs to the pantry.
Coco carefully lined up juice boxes and bottles.
Richeh quietly arranged the bread and breakfast foods.
Agott silently helped organize the shelves, making everything surprisingly neat.
By the time the last grocery bag was emptied...
The apartment kitchen looked fully stocked once again.
You leaned against the counter with a relieved sigh.
"...Now."
"I officially refuse to do anything productive for the rest of today."
Olruggio folded his arms.
"...Agreed."
Qifrey smiled warmly.
"I think we've all earned a quiet afternoon."
The girls nodded in enthusiastic agreement.
After all...
Between shopping, carrying groceries, and surviving a smoking microwave...
Everyone deserved a little rest.
Just as everyone was about to settle down, you suddenly froze.
"...Wait."
Everyone looked at you.
"I think..."
"...I forgot something."
Olruggio raised an eyebrow.
"...Again?"
You awkwardly scratched your cheek.
"I may have left our shopping bags in the van."
A beat of silence.
"...Mine."
"...Qifrey's."
"...And yours too, Olly."
Olruggio slowly pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You really were running on no sleep this morning."
"In my defense..."
You pointed toward the kitchen.
"We had a smoking microwave incident."
"...Fair enough," he sighed.
Qifrey chuckled softly.
"Shall we retrieve them?"
"Please."
The three of you headed back downstairs once more.
Sure enough, tucked neatly behind the remaining groceries were the forgotten shopping bags from yesterday.
"...At least no one stole them," you said with relief.
"That would have been unfortunate," Qifrey agreed as he picked up his books.
Olruggio grabbed his own bag before looking at you.
After another trip upstairs, the forgotten bags finally made it into the apartment.
The moment you stepped inside, you immediately carried your own purchases toward your art room.
The familiar clutter welcomed you.
Canvases leaned against the walls.
Sketchbooks were stacked on desks.
Paints, brushes, and unfinished drawings occupied nearly every available surface.
"...Home sweet home."
You carefully placed the new canvases beside the others before organizing the fresh paints, brushes, markers, and books wherever you could find space.
"...I seriously need to clean this room someday," you mumbled to yourself.
Outside, Qifrey and Olruggio unpacked the rest of their purchases.
Qifrey neatly arranged his newly bought books on one of the shelves in the living room before setting aside the notebooks and stationery he'd picked up.
Meanwhile, Olruggio sorted through the sketchbooks, pencils, and art supplies the girls had chosen, placing them together so they could easily find them later.
By the time you stepped back out of your art room, brushing a little dust from your sleeves, everything had finally found its place.
You looked around the apartment.
No more grocery bags.
No more shopping bags.
No more forgotten errands.
With a satisfied sigh, you smiled.
"...Now..."
"I think we're actually done."
Olruggio let out a quiet huff.
"...Until you remember something else."
You pretended to think for a moment.
"..."
"...Don't jinx it."
Qifrey couldn't help but laugh.
===----===
When everyone is left with their own thing. you were back inside the art room again only with your thoughts. letting the music sooth in the background as you grabbed your brushed gently guiding the way in the canvas.
You question that, what was the purpose of your art? was it to represent the reflection of yourself that you wanted to be or the person you hated?
Feelings are so confusing that it becomes your enemy, rival, love, family until you find the answer to yourself and it finally broke you.
Feels like living someone else roof, and you continue moving and moving until it felt like your were dancing with your own blood.
You knew them, but did they knew you? you knew those curse of every talentful people, you'll be the gift until your left in the wasteland and nothing to return.
Your breath hitch as you stop and look down, your hair shadowing your face. It hurts until it finally kills you.
----====----
The soft creak of the door broke the silence.
You turned your head.
"...Oh."
Agott stood in the doorway.
She seemed just as surprised to see you there as you were to see her.
For a brief second, the two of you simply stared at one another.
Then you smiled.
"Did you need something?"
Your voice was as gentle as always.
Your smile never wavered.
"I was just going to continue studying," Agott answered quietly, holding a few papers in one hand.
You nodded.
"Go ahead."
"I don't mind."
She gave a small nod in return before walking over to the study desk she'd been using earlier.
The little black cat plush was tucked securely beneath one arm.
You couldn't help but smile a little wider when you noticed it.
She'd brought it with her.
Without a word, Agott set the plush carefully on the corner of the desk, almost as though it belonged there, before spreading out her notes and returning to her work.
The room settled into a comfortable silence.
The scratch of a pencil across paper.
The occasional turn of a page.
Neither of you felt the need to fill the quiet with conversation.
It was... peaceful.
You leaned back in your chair, absentmindedly organizing a few brushes on your desk.
From the corner of your eye, you occasionally glanced toward Agott.
She was completely focused.
So focused, in fact, that she never noticed the moment your smile slowly faded.
The warmth in your expression disappeared, replaced by something quieter. More tired.
The weight you'd hidden behind your usual smile settled over your features the instant you knew no one was looking.
You closed your eyes for only a heartbeat.
Taking a slow, steady breath.
Then... Just as quickly...
The familiar smile returned.
By the time Agott happened to glance your way again, you were already sorting through your art supplies as though nothing had happened.
She simply returned to her notes.
Unaware...
That you'd made certain she never saw the face hidden beneath your smile.
---====---
You stepped out of the bathroom after washing the paint from your hands.
For a split second...
The colors were gone.
Only blood covered your hands.
Buzz.
Your phone vibrated.
The illusion disappeared.
It was just a message from a colleague.
You left your paperwork at the office. Can you pick it up?
"...Right."
You slipped your phone away and headed to your room.
Olruggio was resting on your bed while Qifrey sat at your desk, absentmindedly sketching spell circles with a black gel pen.
"...Going somewhere?" Olruggio asked.
"I forgot some paperwork at work."
As you stepped into the hallway, Coco looked up.
"Oh! Are you going out?"
"Mhm. Just to the office."
Her eyes lit up.
"Can I come with you?"
You hesitated.
"...Please?"
You sighed.
"...Fine."
"Really?!"
"But you stay beside me the whole time. No wandering."
a few weeks into her relationship with Dana Emma is approached by Princess. Her immediate first thought is ‘she found out’ but Princess didn’t have the look of glee that said she knew the new goss, instead she looked almost…. concerned. She pulled Emma off to the side and whispered, “did you and Dana break up?”
Emma was horrified, “what? Why would we break up?” She exclaimed far too loudly.
“Well for the first two weeks I thought you guys just had a fight or something but now she hasn’t touched you or done anything even remotely romantic to you at work for three weeks!” Princess seemed incredibly concerned.
“…We’ve been dating for three weeks,” Emma replied. Back to her regular demeanor Princess was now doubled over laughing,
in between wheezes she managed, “oh my god, everybody is going to be so relieved.”
emma loves flowers!!! she keeps fresh flowers in her apartment at all times that she buys from the grocery store. dana picks up on this and takes her flower picking in the spring and makes sure her flowers stay tended to at all times whenever she stays over.
Qifrey and Olruggio run a daycare center and you’re taking over drop-offs and pick-ups in place of Coco’s parents because they’re so busy at work.
wc:3.9k
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The following Tuesday, the daycare closed an hour earlier than usual. Every month, Qifrey and Olruggio stayed after for staff training, toy sanitizing, and lesson planning. Most parents had picked up their children before five. Most.
“I’m so sorry.” You hurried through the front door, still in your work clothes, your tote slipping off one shoulder. “My meeting ran over.”
Olruggio looked up from where he was stacking picture books. “It’s alright.”
“Coco?”
He pointed toward the reading corner. “Still awake.”
You followed his gaze. Coco was curled beneath a blanket on one of the beanbags, quietly listening as Qifrey finished reading a picture book about a bear looking for the moon. There weren’t any other children left.
“…And when the little bear finally looked up,” Qifrey read softly, “he realized the moon had been following him all along.” He closed the book. “The end.”
Coco yawned so widely you thought her jaw might fall off. “Again tomorrow?”
“If you’d like.”
“M’kay…”
Within seconds, she was asleep, cheek pressed against the beanbag, still hugging the stuffed rabbit she’d insisted on bringing that morning. You smile.
“She fought sleep all afternoon, didn’t she?”
Qifrey laughed under his breath. “For nearly an hour.”
“I figured.” You slipped off your shoes before walking onto the reading rug, careful not to wake Coco. “I’ll carry her.”
“I’ve got her.” His voice was quiet enough that you almost missed it.
Before you could protest, Qifrey bent down with practiced ease. One arm slid beneath Coco’s knees. The other supported her back. She barely stirred as he lifted her. Instead, she instinctively nestled closer, her tiny fingers clutching the front of his sweater.
Your heart squeezed. “…She’s gotten heavy.”
“A little.”
“But she still thinks she’s tiny.”
“I don’t think children ever notice when they grow.” He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms with a smile so gentle it almost didn’t seem real. “They just keep trusting that someone will pick them up.”
The words settled somewhere deep inside your chest. You weren’t looking at Coco anymore. You were looking at him. At the tenderness in his eyes. The patience in every careful movement. The way he instinctively adjusted his hold when Coco shifted in her sleep. It wasn’t performative. No parents were watching. No children were awake to praise him. This was simply who he was. He caught you staring.
“…What?”
You blinked, suddenly realizing you’d been watching him for far too long. Heat crept into your cheeks.
“I was just…” You laughed softly, almost embarrassed by your own honesty. “…thinking how nice.”
His expression softened. “Coco?”
“You.”
He looked genuinely surprised. “Me?”
“You make every child here feel like they’re the most important person in the world.” A quiet silence followed. “I’ve seen how exhausted you are by the end of the day. I’ve seen you stay late because one child didn’t want to go home crying. You remember everyone’s birthdays. You know whose sandwiches need to be cut into triangles and who hates crusts.”
You smiled, though there was something quieter in it now. “And somehow…you still have enough kindness left over for everyone.”
Qifrey couldn’t remember the last time someone had looked at him the way you were now. Not with admiration. Not exactly. It was warmer. More personal. His voice came out softer than intended.
“…Thank you.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The daycare was unusually quiet. Outside, rain tapped gently against the windows. The fluorescent lights had been switched off, leaving only the warm lamps in the reading corner glowing softly around you.
“You know…” Qifrey said after a while, “when I first met you…”
You groaned. “Please don’t say ‘Coco’s mother.’”
He laughed, a genuine laugh that made his shoulders shake.
“I wasn’t going to.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I was.”
You nudged his arm lightly with your shoulder. “You’re terrible.”
“I’ve been told.” He looked down at Coco, still sleeping peacefully in his arms. Then back at you. “I’m glad it was you.”
You frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”
“I’m glad…” He hesitated, searching for the right words. “…that you’re the one bringing Coco every day.”
Heat crept up your cheeks.
“Otherwise…” A small, almost shy smile crossed his face. “…I don’t think I would’ve had the chance to get to know you.”
For just a second, the world seemed to still. The rain. The humming lights. Everything. You couldn’t find a witty reply. All you managed was a quiet,
“…I’m glad too.”
Neither of you noticed Olruggio standing just outside the reading room doorway with a box of freshly sanitized toys. He took one look at the way the two of you were smiling at each other. At the fact that neither of you seemed eager to break the silence. He quietly backed away.
“…I’ll put these away later,” he muttered to himself. “They’ve earned five more minutes.”
Saturday mornings were sacred. No alarm. No work. No rushing Coco through breakfast. Just coffee. At least that had been the plan. Instead, you found yourself staring into your pantry.
"...I'm out of coffee." You sighed dramatically.
This was a tragedy. Twenty minutes later, you found yourself wandering through the neighborhood grocery store with a shopping basket hanging from your arm. Coffee. Bread. Eggs. Cat food. You paused in front of the produce section, comparing two bags of oranges.
"They're sweeter this time of year."
The familiar voice made you look up. "...Qifrey?"
He looked just as surprised. "[name]?"
For a moment, the two of you simply stared at each other. Then you both laughed.
"I didn't expect to see you here."
"I could say the same."
He held up the basket in his hand. Inside sat bread, milk, pasta...and an alarming amount of strawberries. You raised an eyebrow.
"Planning on opening a fruit stand?"
He glanced into his basket. "Oh...I may have bought more than I intended."
"How many cartons is that?"
He counted. "...Four."
"Qifrey."
"They were on sale."
You laughed. "I'll pretend that's a reasonable excuse."
"It sounded reasonable in my head."
"I'm sure it did."
He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. Without the daycare around him, he looked... different. No cardigan with finger paint on the sleeves. No children's drawings tucked into his pocket. Just a cream knit sweater with the sleeves pushed to his forearms and a pair of jeans. It was strange. You'd only ever seen him at work. Now he looked more relaxed. More like someone your own age.
"You live around here?" you asked.
"A few blocks over." He gestured vaguely toward the west. "What about you?"
"The apartment complex near the park."
"Oh." His face brightened. "That's only about a ten minute walk."
"It is."
Neither of you seemed eager to continue shopping. Instead, you drifted down the same aisle together.
"So," you said, placing a loaf of bread into your basket, "what do daycare teachers do on weekends?"
"We recover."
"I believe that."
"And lesson plan."
"Makes sense."
"And..." He hesitated. "...I read."
"What kind of books?"
"Mostly fantasy."
"I should've guessed."
"You?"
"I've been trying to get back into reading."
"Oh?"
"I keep getting distracted."
"By Coco?"
You laughed. "Mostly but I don't mind."
He smiled softly. "I didn't think you would."
The conversation flowed surprisingly easily. Without children interrupting every thirty seconds, without parents waiting behind you, without someone shouting that glitter had somehow ended up inside the fish tank...It was just easy. Comfortable. As you rounded the corner into the coffee aisle, you reached for the last bag of your favorite blend. At the exact same moment, another hand reached for it. Your fingers brushed with Qifrey's Barely for a second. Both of you froze.
"Oh."
"Sorry." You pulled your hand back immediately.
"No, you go ahead."
"No, it's okay."
"You saw it first."
"So did you."
You both laughed awkwardly. Qifrey picked up the bag and held it out to you.
"You mentioned once that mornings don't start until you've had coffee."
Your eyebrows lifted. "...You remembered that?"
He blinked. "...Of course."
The answer came so naturally that he didn't seem to realize what he'd admitted. Your heart fluttered.
"I didn't think you'd remember something so small."
His expression softened. "I remember a lot of small things."
For just a moment, neither of you spoke. You accepted the bag from him. Your fingers brushed again. Neither of you moved away quite as quickly this time.
"...Thank you."
"You're welcome."
A comfortable silence settled between you as you continued down the aisle. Then Qifrey glanced into your basket.
"You have cats."
You looked up.
"The food."
"Oh." You smiled.
"Two cats. One black one white. They actually remind me of you and Mr.Olruggio."
He laughs. "I'd like to meet them someday." The words slipped out before he could stop them. His eyes widened.
"...If..." He cleared his throat. "...if that's okay."
You couldn't help but smile. "I think they'd like you."
He smiled back.
"...I hope so."
Neither of them noticed the faint blush spreading across the other's face as they continued shopping side by side, neither in any particular hurry to reach the checkout anymore.
Monday arrived far too quickly. Qifrey had spent the entire weekend replaying your chance encounter at the grocery store.
"I'd like to meet them someday."
Why had he said that? Who said things like that? He buried his face in his hands.
"...I'm hopeless."
Across the staff room, Olruggio didn't even look up from the weekly lesson plan.
"About time you figured it out."
"I wasn't talking to you."
"You were loud enough."
Qifrey sighed. "I think I made things awkward."
"You bought four cartons of strawberries and somehow that wasn't the awkward part."
Qifrey groaned. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Olruggio finally looked up. "Ask her out."
Qifrey blinked. "...What?"
"You heard me."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
"What if she says no?"
"Then she says no."
"And if she says yes?"
Olruggio raised an eyebrow. "Then congratulations."
Qifrey stared at him. "...That sounds terrifying."
"It probably is."
The rest of the week passed in a blur. Every morning, you arrived with Coco. Every afternoon, you picked her up. Nothing changed. Except everything had changed. Now that Qifrey had decided to ask you out, he suddenly couldn't figure out how. Not while helping Coco zip up her jacket. Not while another parent waited behind you. Not while Tetia loudly announced she'd found a ladybug. The timing was never right. Friday afternoon arrived before he realized he'd run out of chances. The last child besides Coco had just gone home. Olruggio was in the back, disinfecting toys before closing. You arrived a few minutes later than usual.
"Sorry," you said, slightly out of breath. "Traffic."
"No need to apologize." Qifrey smiled. "Coco's been helping me water the plants."
You looked toward the windowsill. Half the plants looked perfectly watered. The other half looked as though they'd survived a hurricane.
"...I can see that."
"I'm helping!" Coco protested.
"You are." Qifrey laughed. "And you're doing an excellent job."
While Coco proudly showed you which plant she'd named "Sir Leafington," Qifrey felt his pulse begin to race.
*Now. *Before you leave. Just ask. You thanked Coco for her gardening expertise before helping her into her backpack.
"Ready to go?"
"Mhm!" She ran toward the front door. "I'll wait outside!"
"Coco—" The bell jingled as she disappeared onto the little fenced patio just outside the entrance.
You sighed fondly. "She'll be climbing the bench."
"I'll keep an eye on her."
For a moment, it was just the two of you. Qifrey swallowed.
"So..." You looked up.
"So?" He suddenly forgot every sentence he'd rehearsed. "I..." His fingers rubbed nervously at the back of his neck. "I was wondering...if you were free sometime."
You tilted your head. "Sometime?"
He nodded. "Outside of daycare."
There was a tiny pause. Then, very deliberately, he added,
"...As a date."
Silence. Not uncomfortable. Just unexpected. He immediately continued.
"You absolutely don't have to say yes. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable and if you'd rather we just stay—"
"I'd love to."
His words stopped. "...What?"
You smiled. "I'd love to."
"I..." He looked almost stunned. "You would?"
"I was beginning to think I'd have to ask you."
A soft laugh escaped him. "You were?"
"You've been looking like you wanted to say something all week."
"...Was I that obvious?"
You gave him a sympathetic smile. "Only a little."
He laughed again, this time at himself. "I spent three days trying to think of the perfect way to ask."
"And what did you settle on?"
He considered it. "...Panicking."
"It was very charming."
His cheeks warmed. "I'm glad you think so."
You glanced through the glass doors to where Coco was pressing her face against the fence, watching a butterfly with complete fascination.
"So...What did you have in mind?"
His expression brightened. "There's a little bookstore café a few neighborhoods over. They make wonderful tea and they have a resident cat that sleeps on the windowsill."
You smiled immediately. "You had me at 'cat.'"
He laughed. "Saturday?"
"Saturday."
"Two?"
"Two."
For a second, neither of you moved. Neither of you seemed quite ready for the conversation to end. Outside, Coco knocked gently on the glass.
"Auntie!"
You looked over. "I'm coming!" Turning back to Qifrey, you smiled.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
His smile was brighter than you'd ever seen it. "It's a date."
The words hung in the air after you left. Qifrey stood in the lobby for several seconds, staring at the closed door with an expression of complete disbelief. From somewhere in the back of the daycare, Olruggio called out,
"...She said yes, didn't she?"
Qifrey's grin only grew. "...She said yes."
"Took you long enough."
Qifrey laughed all the way to the supply room.
Saturday arrived with clear skies. Qifrey had changed his shirt three times.
"...This is ridiculous." He stared at his reflection. "It has finger paint on it," he muttered to himself before hanging it back up.
You spotted him before he spotted you. He stood outside the bookstore café with his hands tucked into his coat pockets, glancing down the street every few seconds. He looked...nervous. It was strangely endearing. You approached quietly.
"Waiting for someone?"
His head snapped up. The worry on his face vanished the instant he saw you.
"There you are."
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
"You didn't."
His smile came so effortlessly that it made your chest feel warm. "I just got here."
You looked at the clock above the café door. He had, very obviously, been there for at least fifteen minutes. You decided not to tease him. Not yet. The bookstore smelled of fresh coffee and old paper. Sunlight poured through the tall windows, illuminating towering shelves filled with novels. True to his word, a plump orange cat slept on the windowsill, completely unbothered by the customers around it.
"There he is," Qifrey whispered.
"You know him?"
"The owner calls him Marmalade."
You crouched beside the cat. "...Can I?"
"You'll receive his judgment shortly."
As though on cue, Marmalade lazily opened one eye. He looked at you. Looked at your outstretched hand. Then stood. Without hesitation, he stepped onto your lap. Qifrey laughed.
"I've never seen him do that."
"Really?"
"He usually ignores everyone."
You scratched gently beneath the cat's chin. "I think he has good taste."
"I think he does."
You looked up. "...Are you talking about me or the cat?"
"...Yes."
The answer escaped before he could stop it. His own eyes widened. You stared. Then smiled.
"I'll accept that answer."
His ears turned pink. Hours slipped by unnoticed. One conversation became another. Favorite books. Favorite movies. The worst meals either of you had ever attempted to cook. He admitted he once accidentally used salt instead of sugar while baking cookies for the daycare.
"They still ate them."
"They're children."
"They called them 'interesting.'"
You laughed so hard you had to set your teacup down. "They were trying to spare my feelings."
"I think they succeeded."
"I cried after they went home."
"You did not."
"I absolutely did not."
"Liar."
He laughed. "...Maybe a little."
It was easy. Scarily easy. Neither of you ever struggled to find something to say and when neither of you spoke... The silence wasn't awkward. It was comfortable. The kind shared between people who simply enjoyed existing in the same space. By late afternoon, you found yourselves wandering through the nearby botanical gardens. Flowers swayed gently in the breeze. Children chased butterflies across the grass. Qifrey slowed beside a small pond.
"I come here sometimes after work."
"You do?"
"When I need to think."
"It suits you."
He glanced over. "...What does?"
"This place."
"It's peaceful."
He stopped walking. "So are you."
You smiled softly. "I don't think anyone's ever called me peaceful."
"They should."
You looked away first. Not because you wanted to. Because if you kept looking at him...you were afraid he'd notice exactly what was written all over your face. As the sun dipped lower, the two of you found an empty bench overlooking the pond. For the first time all day, neither of you spoke. The silence settled around you like a warm blanket. Qifrey looked out over the water.
"...Can I tell you something?"
"Always."
He smiled faintly. "When I asked you out...I was terrified."
You laughed. "I noticed."
"I've never really..." He searched for the words. "...been good at this."
"What, dates?"
He nodded. "I was worried there'd be awkward silences."
"There weren't."
"I was worried we'd have nothing in common."
"We talked for six hours."
"I was worried..." He looked down at his hands. "...that you wouldn't like me once you got to know me outside of daycare."
Your heart clenched. You reached over before you could think better of it. Your hand rested lightly over his.
"I like you even more."
His breath stopped. You hadn't meant to say it aloud. But it was true. His fingers slowly turned beneath yours. Instead of pulling away, he gently intertwined them with your own. Tentatively. As though giving you every chance to let go. You didn't. His hand was warm. Larger than yours. It fit so naturally that it almost frightened you. He looked at your joined hands for a long moment. Then back at you.
"I think..." His voice was barely above a whisper. "...I'm starting to fall for you."
The confession hung between you, carried only by the breeze. You smiled, a smile so soft it made his heart ache.
"Starting?"
He laughed quietly. "I was trying not to scare you."
You squeezed his hand. "You won't."
You inched a little closer on the bench until your shoulders touched. The contact was featherlight and comfortable.
"I think..." you admitted, your eyes fixed on the rippling pond, "...I've been falling for you since the day I saw you carry a sleeping Coco without waking her."
He turned to look at you.
"And today..." You met his gaze. "...I realized I don't want this to be our only date."
His smile was breathtaking. "It doesn't have to be."
"No?"
He shook his head. "I'd like there to be a second."
"And a third?"
"If you'll have me."
"A fourth?"
"I was hoping for dozens."
Your eyes softened. "So was I."
Neither of you noticed the sun sinking below the trees or the families gradually leaving the gardens. All either of you could think about was how naturally your hands fit together and how, somewhere between books, tea, and six uninterrupted hours of conversation, you had both quietly fallen in love.
Monday evening found the daycare unusually quiet. The children had long since gone home. Construction paper had been put away. Tables wiped down. Tiny chairs stacked neatly against the wall. Qifrey was humming to himself as he finished locking the art cabinet. It had been two days since your date. Two days and somehow...Hhe still couldn't stop smiling.
"You've smiled at that cabinet three times."
Qifrey looked over. Olruggio was crossing the room with a box of sanitizing supplies balanced against one hip.
"I have not."
"You have."
"I was thinking."
"You looked like you were about to ask the cabinet out."
Qifrey laughed. "You're exaggerating."
"I wish I was."
Olruggio set the box down. His phone buzzed.
He pulled it from his pocket, reading the notification before letting out a quiet hum.
"Hm."
"What?"
"Alaira."
Qifrey paused. "Oh?"
"She's getting everyone together Friday."
"For drinks."
"Apparently she's tired of everyone disappearing into work."
Qifrey smiled. "That sounds like her."
Olruggio typed out a short reply. "She asked if I'd bring you."
There wasn't even a moment of hesitation. "I can't."
Olruggio looked up. "...You can't?"
Qifrey rubbed the back of his neck. "I already have plans."
"What plans?"
A smile, small but unmistakable,appeared on his face. "I'm seeing her."
Olruggio stared. "...Again?"
Qifrey nodded. "We're having dinner."
"...Dinner."
"And then she wanted to walk through the night market afterward."
Olruggio blinked once. Twice. "...You've got a second date."
"I do."
There was a beat of silence. Then another. Finally, Olruggio leaned back against the table and folded his arms. "...Well."
Qifrey laughed. "What?"
"I honestly didn't think you'd move this fast."
"I didn't either."
"It took you nearly two weeks just to ask her on the first one."
"I know."
"And now you're turning down drinks."
"I know."
"...For a woman."
Qifrey's smile softened. "...Yeah."
There was no embarrassment in his answer. No hesitation. Just quiet certainty. Olruggio noticed it immediately. Something had changed. Before, Qifrey had looked excited. Hopeful. Now he looked content. Like he'd found something worth protecting.
"...You really like her."
Qifrey was quiet for a moment. Then...
"I think..." He looked toward the daycare windows, where children's painted handprints still decorated the glass. "...I'm already past 'like.'"
Olruggio's eyebrows lifted. "...That serious?"
"I don't know what to call it." Qifrey laughed softly to himself. "I just know that whenever something happens...my first thought is that I want to tell her." He smiled to himself. "and every morning...I catch myself looking at the clock. Waiting for eight twenty eight."
The daycare fell quiet. Olruggio had known Qifrey for years. He'd seen him care deeply about countless people. About children. Friends. Neighbors. But this was different.
"...You're gone."
Qifrey blinked. "What?"
"Completely."
Qifrey opened his mouth to deny it. Then he thought about Saturday. About your laugh echoing through the bookstore. About your hand fitting into his. About the way you'd smiled when he'd asked for a second date. His denial never came.
A sheepish smile spread across his face. "...Maybe."
Olruggio let out a slow breath through his nose. "...Alaira is never going to let me hear the end of this."
Qifrey laughed. "You can tell her I'm sorry."
"I'll tell her you abandoned us."
"I have."
"You abandoned us for love."
"I don't know if I'd phrase it like that."
"I would."
The two men shared an easy laugh. Olruggio picked up the supply box again. "...Don't screw this up."
Qifrey looked genuinely offended. "I wasn't planning to."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
Olruggio studied him for a second before giving a single nod. "...Good."
Because despite all the teasing, despite the sarcasm, he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his oldest friend this happy. If anyone deserved a little happiness, it was Qifrey. As they switched off the lights and locked the daycare for the night, neither of them noticed Olruggio's phone vibrate again.
Alaira: So? Is Qifrey coming?
Olruggio glanced at the message before slipping the phone back into his pocket. A faint, amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
(Forced caretaking, omegaverse, ‘for your own good’ isms, sexual content)
I wanna talk about omega m/c getting put under the care of older pack alpha nj after passing out in public. maybe shes friends with vminkook (tae- an alpha, jk an omega, jm an alpha) who are super close with her and reassure her that nj is a good pack alpha. He won’t take liberties! They swear.
(Little does she know that the three of them have been…a little distressed about the empty state of her nest- I bet jk came home all sad about it all “she doesn’t have any scents in her nest hyung 🥺 not even her own, she smells so lonely and sad and she doesn’t know we notice, you have to fix it” and maybe nj just coos and puts jk to bed, cupping his cheek and reminding him that unless she sighs away her own custody to him there’s nothing he can do. And jk pouts but also looks and nj like “maybe we should…” and the whole pack pauses, waits. And jk just scrubs at his tired eyes and says “no it’s wrong” and even delicate mild mannered beta hobi says “but what if it’s what she needs?”
Maybe she’d been staunchly against having a pack because her last one tried to take away her autonomy. And maybe it makes her a little uncomfortable how jk always has to wear a collar when he’s out in public. Is always deferring to sj and jm when they’re ordering food. Because alpha sj is always making sure /all of his pups/ are eating enough. And maybe sometimes they hum disapprovingly when she orders for herself, making her flush and stammer and justify what she wants.
And anyway I just want her insisting it’s temporary until the government gets off her back and the others softly convincing her that being their pup is exactly what she needs.
So she moves in, into a very small room that they reassure is the perfect small nesting space for her. It’s cozy and jk has made her nest just perfect for her- a good thing- because she’s too exhausted to nest in her own anyway. The door has no lock, because her alphas should always have access to her. I’m thinking she lasts until the evening until she buries herself under her blankets and cries. And it’s jimin who finds her (the safest smallest alpha from the outside, and even if the pack knows he’s got a mean streak a mile wide). Petting over the lump she makes in the blankets and reassuring her that she’ll come to like it here in time. That they’re happy she’s safe with them now and the way that jm is talking sounds awfully permanent. But the soft clamp of his hand over the back of her neck is so soothing, she’s never been touched by an alpha like this before
I’m thinking of her coming home looking super frazzled and NJs gaze darkening when he realizes she’s not wearing her collar (she’s been taking it off when she leaves and putting it back on before she returns home.) drawing her over his lap for her first ever punishment, under the clothes because he explains to her that her omega needs to feel the touch of an alpha (not to mention that she can feel the poke of his knot against her tummy) and she’s teary eyed and squirming after her settling expecting to be sent to her room without dinner.
What she’s not expecting is for nj to continue to pet over her and soothe her after it. Her body shuddering every time he skims over the back of her neck, through her hair, her hips. And it doesn’t stop at dinner where her hands are bound infront of her in a ladder tie because if she can’t have alphas touch around her throat she’ll get it everywhere then. She will learn to depend on them- weather she likes it or not.
And maybe part of the reason she was placed into his care is because she’d started to show signs of being touch starved- an actual dangerous condition for omegas- and this is just the start- maybe they’d been toeing the line letting her adjust but now nj can’t. I also think the next collar he put her in would have to have a little lock on it- just so she knows that she can’t unlock it on her own.
And maybe to add to the humiliation he gives jk the spare key (because they’re togeather a lot and someone else other than nj needs to have a key). Maybe giving it to the others would send a clearer message- but she’s…the lowest of the low in the pack like this- that another omega is given the spare key- means she is unmistakably the packmates at the bottom of the hierarchy.
obviously- the other alphas keep their distance- aware that what their doing is right but it’s not exactly with her consent. especially yg because he’s sensitive and doesn’t want to get attached to someone who might leave, so nj puts him on nighttime cuddle duty.
I’m just imagining him coming to the side of her bed, the lights down like, her peeking up at him asking “has alpha come to touch me?” And he’s just croaks out “just cuddle” and even yg has to admit that it’s so different than cuddling jk- she feels so much littler than he did, so different he almost can’t resist scooping her up to his chest to cradle her all close and safe- he doesn’t realize his alpha has taken control until he resisters he’s pinning her to the bed and sniffing down her throat. But what he doesn’t expect is the way she melts and purrs and tilts her throat.
And if she wakes up in the morning thoroughly marked up and down that’s only something that nj marks with kind perceptive eyes, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he asks her to come close so that he can count her marks. And when she flushes and tries fo cover them he reminded her that if she’d like to cover them they can easily trade her normal collar for a posture collar, or he can easily take away her clothing privileges.
I’m thinking of them starting the next phase of her “re-education” with introducing daily knot warming into her schedule and it’s not sexual they swear! It’s just so her omega can feel claimed. I’m thinking of her watching them work themselves up to knotting before pulling her down on them to keep them safe and snug. Some of them have such big knots it makes her leak like a faucet. And they coo and tell her it’s normal but she can’t think or breathe with them streaching her out so bad. And her omega, it’s driving her crazy, the way that it’s suddenly awake after so long- and telling her to bounce on their knots and lap at their throats and let them do everything. Even her struggling is starting to feel half hearted.
Since the first part was so well received, this is Part II to »Healing hands«. Thank you sm for all your feedback! 🫶🏻
Synopsis: While Olly had intended to arrange a meeting for you and Quifrey to get to know each other, he had certainly hoped for different circumstances.
Disclaimer: I am no doctor (and I don'tknow any doctors personally). I don‘t know if this is how burns are treated. If it is inaccurate, I am sorry :')
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Quifrey could hear Olly‘s voice in the back of his mind, reprimanding him to take it slow. It had been a busy couple of weeks, the weather had brought on more unexpected outside work, the girls were slowly figuring out their own art and magic styles and he had wanted to be everywhere at the same time. Supporting his apprentices on their journeys, making sure they weren‘t burning out, helping the people with his own magic. But it was starting to take a toll on him. A visible one, as well. Deep, dark circles lined his lower eyelids and he had a hard time keeping his eyes open, especially when he was sitting and resting for a moment. Like he was now.
The girls had offered to take on breakfast duties today and prepare a picknick for them all to have outside in the sun, that‘d been so rare these past weeks. Olly, who had been complicit in their planning, had made sure Quifrey got to sleep in this morning and helped the girls prepare the food before returning to bed himself. Unfortunately Quifrey‘s sleep hadn‘t been very peaceful and despite sleeping for longer than usual, he‘d woken up even more tired than before. His eyelids heavy despite the sun, Quifrey struggled keeping track of the girls' conversation during their Picknick breakfast.
Had he been listening, he would‘ve heard them talking about a fire spell, they‘d seen Olly cast the other day to light the hearth. And he would‘ve also heard them discussing how it wasn‘t a very difficult spell. He would‘ve heard Coco cheering on Agott, who claimed, she could easily recreate it. And he would‘ve seen the botched lines, that made the fireball way larger than it was meant to be and head in his direction instead.
The girls’ screams and the heat rising up his arm woke him from his half-asleep state. He immediately tore off his burning cloak, and with the little sense he had left, managed to scribble down a water spell, that took on the shape of a water bubble bursting above his arm. He swore with relief, the water doing little to remedy the already deeply damaged skin.
The girls started crying in unison, Agott apologizing profusely, but Quifrey just waved them off,
"It‘s okay, accidents do happen. I was being inattentive, this is not your fault. We should head back to the atelier for now. Much can‘t be done about this out here." He gave them as much of smile as he could manage through the pain.
Back at the atelier, Tetia rushed inside, "I‘ll go get Master Olly, he knows ho to take care of burns."
The other girls accompanied Quifrey inside and made him sit in the kitchen. A moment later, Olly came rushing down the stairs, the tub of salve you‘d gifted him in hand.
"How bad is- Oh." He stopped in his tracks, when he saw Quifrey‘s injury.
"We‘ll have to take you to Kalhn. This cream is incredible, but it is no match for whatever happened 'ere, I‘m afraid." He turned to face the girls, their faces pale with worry,
"You‘ll have to stay here. I‘m sure we will be back before dinner. If not, I‘ll come back to check in on you around that time. You don‘t open the door to anyone and keep the windows closed. Understood?"
"Yes, Master Olly", the girls chanted.
"Good. And don‘t worry yourselves too much. Wouldn‘t be the first botched firespell he handled. I was a young and inexperienced wizard once too, you know? T’was a long time ago…" Realizing just how long ago that was, a tired expression settled on his face, making the girls smile and giggle again.
He turned back to face Quifrey and loop an arm under the other wizard‘s healthy one, "We‘ll take the window way."
•
You had just left the little kitchen reserved for the doctors to have their breakfast and lunch breaks at the clinic, when a familiar voice filled your ears,
"Is Y/N in today?" Olruggio. But he wasn‘t alone. You looked down the stairs to find him accompanied by the white haired wizard he lived with, Quifrey.
"I‘m here," You stumbled down the stairs to meet them at the entrance to the clinic, "What-"
"I‘m afraid your expertise in treating burns will be put to the test once more," Quifrey pressed through gritted teeth as he carefully lifted his injured arm.
"Oh dear," was all you managed to say. You hadn’t dealt with burns this severe in a while, "Follow me."
You brought them up to a smaller, more private treatment room, a luxury Olly had been benefitting from for a while now.
Quifrey looked around as you settled him on the single bed, that was facing your desk. The room was a bit messy, scribbled notes covering the desk, multiple pots of herbs piling on the ground in front of the large window and occupying some of the space above it in the shape of hanging planters. Mysterious little salves and creams lying around in an open cabinet, the door only held by one of its hinges.
"We‘ll have to clean this first, so I can get a better look at how deep the damage runs. Fortunately, and thanks to Olly here, we now have a contraption to make that easier." You pulled something out from behind your desk. A big tub, with a little hose and a shower handle attached to it. With some struggle you lifted the thing up onto the bed and positioned it under Quifrey‘s injured arm. The tub already had water in it.
„A replenishment spell, as well as a cleansing spell. If you press that little button, the water is pushed up through the hose to rinse the wound. The water lands back in the tub, where it is cleaned and any missing water is replaced,“ the dark haired-wizard explained, when he noticed Quifrey‘s wondering expression. Despite the pain, Quifrey couldn‘t help but smile at the invention that Olruggio's love for the little doctor had brought into existence. He offered his arm to you and you carefully took his mostly unharmed hand before pressing the shower button, „This will hurt, but you can squeeze my hand as much as you need to, okay?“
He nodded, preparing himself for the sensation. Before the water hit him, he took a second to acknowledge how soft your hand was. How right it felt, holding it in his own. Familiar, like it had always been there. He looked up at Olruggio, guilt building up in his gut. But Olly only took his other hand and gave him a gentle smile, "Breathe, it stings bad."
It did. So bad, in fact, that Quifrey had to take you up on your offer to squeeze your hand, despite trying his hardest not to. You rinsed his arm thoroughly, giving him a reassuring smile, "It doesn‘t seem to be as bad as I had assumed it would be, that’s good."
He nodded again, "Will I be able to return to the atelier in the evening?"
You turned off the water, grabbing a little metal spatula to carefully scrape off the bits of dead skin, that the shower didn‘t get off, "I‘m not sure. It is not as severe as I thought it would be, but it‘s a deep burn nonetheless. Normally I‘d keep you in for a couple of days, so I could clean it twice a day and see how the healing is progressing. But I know you have your apprentices at home, waiting for you, don‘t you?"
"Yes, and they‘re probably feeling terrible about this. I need them to understand that this wasn‘t their fault. I know Olly would take good care of them, but if we could find any other arrangement, so I could go home today, I‘d be forever grateful," Quifrey admitted, looking up at Olly, then back at you.
Olruggio was about to say something, insist Quifrey stayed here and finally got some rest probably, but you interjected another idea before he could get the first word out,
"I don‘t mean to be brash, but maybe I could talk to my superior and have my week off early, so I could join you at the atelier and take care of your arm there? Only if I‘m not intruding on any secret magic making practices, of course! But the clinic hasn‘t been too busy lately, I think they could spare me for a couple of days. I mean, I don‘t want to be rude, just inviting myself like this, but it would be the easiest way and you could look after your apprentices and-"
"That would be wonderful,“ Quifrey interrupted your more and more flusteredly brabbling self. The warmth in his smile and the way his beautiful turquoise blue eye considered your figure, sent shivers down your arms and neck. You quickly refocused on preparing salved bandages for his arm,
"I‘ll talk to my superior then, once your arm is all wrapped, that is." You dared one look at Olruggio, whose worry for Quifrey had been overtaken by a similar admiration, as the one reflected in the white haired wizard‘s eye.
"We would be beyond happy to have you, Y/N," he said.
Pairing: Orufrey x Artist!Female!reader, The qieflings x Artist!Female!Reader (platonic)
Summary: A life living with six witches that accidentally got transport in your world and so many unexpected adventures awaits.
Author's note: I thought about making a Isekai but in reverse, they're the ones who got here in our world instead. It may not be like the specific of how Isekai goes and made it my way instead. Hope you do enjoy reading, excuse for the grammar and they may be out of character. BUT HOLY SHIT THIS IS LONG
-------------
AWhen the rain gave way to the night sky, soft taps against the window kept the city company in its peaceful stillness.
Hypothetically, you were inside the messy art room of your apartment, your hand moving smoothly and carefully as you worked on another portrait for a project. Creativity had always been a part of you. You had explored countless forms of art—dancing, singing, figure skating, ballet, gymnastics, acting, tailoring, and even writing stories and poetry whenever inspiration struck.
But over time, you found yourself drawn to sketching and painting. You never really had trouble with any of the others; sometimes, you simply chose to listen to your heart, careful not to overwork yourself and burn yourself out.
As you sat in your coffee chair, completely focused, soft music played in the background. "Dancing Queen" by ABBA echoed from your phone, connected to a Bluetooth speaker.
As cozy as everything felt, the one thing you didn't expect was to hear a loud crash coming from your bedroom, just across from your messy art room.
You paused the music and quickly rose from your wooden coffee chair. Before you could even step out of the room, loud shouting erupted from outside.
"Coco! You literally dropped the vase! Now they're going to be mad at us!"
The familiar voice came from none other than Agott, who was busily scolding Coco.
"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Another voice quickly followed—Coco's, of course.
By now, scenes like this had become part of your daily routine. Ever since Coco, Agott, Richeh, Tetia, and their two masters had arrived, your apartment had rarely known a moment of complete silence. They were still trying to make sense of the modern world, and your home had become an endless source of confusion. Every unfamiliar object seemed to spark another question—or another accident.
How long had it been now? Two months, perhaps? Or was it only three weeks? You had honestly lost track of time.
The day they first appeared was still etched into your memory. Coco, Agott, Richeh, and Tetia had arrived alongside their masters, Qifrey and Olruggio,
Somehow, they had mistaken your apartment for a witch's domain, which only led to even more confusion once they encountered modern technology and everyday appliances. Smartphones, televisions, microwaves, and even the vacuum cleaner had left them utterly baffled.
It had been quite the adventure—or, more accurately, quite the headache—trying to explain how everything worked. On more than one occasion, you had to stop Coco from pressing random buttons, keep Tetia from wandering off in curiosity, or prevent someone from accidentally setting the kitchen on fire while attempting to "help" with dinner.
Needless to say, convincing them otherwise hadn't exactly gone according to plan.
And here you were now, living with a handful of unexpected roommates. You had even lent them comfortable clothes to help them blend into your world, though they still looked just a little out of place no matter what they wore.
You had to go shopping a few times for them as well, since the four little apprentices were mostly borrowing your clothes. Meanwhile, Qifrey and Olruggio relied on your brother's spare clothes whenever he stopped by your place.
You left your messy art room and headed toward your main bedroom, only to find a familiar scene of chaos. Qifrey was carefully picking up the shattered pieces of the vase, while Coco stood beside him, still looking guilty as she held the flowers that had once been inside it. Meanwhile, Agott held a rag, wiping away the water that had spilled across the floor.
"Everything okay in here?" you called out softly as you took in the scene before you.
The sudden sound of your voice seemed to startle Coco, and even Agott briefly glanced in your direction.
Qifrey, on the other hand, simply offered you an apologetic smile.
"Everything is all right," he reassured gently. "Just a little accident."
His calm tone suggested he was trying to ease the situation, perhaps thinking you would be upset over the broken vase.
"Ah, you weren't hurt, were you?" you asked, your gaze immediately finding Coco. There wasn't a trace of anger in your voice. It was only a vase. Expensive or not, you could always make another one yourself.
Coco nodded, fidgeting with her fingers as guilt lingered on her face. Meanwhile, Agott already knew that most of the blame fell on her. After all, she had been the one who accidentally barged the door open.
"It was me, actually," she admitted quietly, refusing to meet your eyes—or Qifrey's or Coco's. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, frustration and self-blame twisting in her chest.
Before Agott could say anything else, you spoke.
"It's just a vase," you said with a small shrug. "I can always make another one. Besides, it was my fault for leaving it in such a bad spot to begin with."
You offered Agott a gentle smile, hoping to ease the guilt weighing on her shoulders.
"There's no one to blame here. It was just an accident, so don't be too hard on yourself."
With that, you stepped closer and gently ruffled her curly hair.
For a brief moment, the room fell silent, the tension easing little by little, leaving behind nothing more than a broken vase and a lesson everyone would laugh about someday.
Meanwhile, Qifrey simply smiled to himself as he gathered the shattered pieces of the vase with a small broom and dustpan.
"Well, it seems everything has settled down now," he said softly, the familiar calm smile resting on his face as always.
That caught your attention. Noticing the broom and dustpan in Qifrey's hands, you instinctively reached for them, thinking it would be better if you threw the broken pieces away yourself.
"Maybe I should take those instead—"
Before you could, Qifrey simply turned slightly, keeping the dustpan just out of your reach.
"I'll have to disagree," he said with a soft chuckle. "It's all right. I already know where to put it."
His smile remained as calm and gentle as ever, leaving little room for argument.
A look of defeat crossed your face, but all you could do was sigh and nod in surrender. Once Qifrey left the room with the dustpan in hand, you turned your attention back to the two girls.
"Why don't you both go back to what you were doing?" you suggested.
The two exchanged a quick glance before nodding with a quiet hum. Moments later, Coco and Agott hurried out of the room, leaving you alone in the peaceful silence.
...Or so you thought.
A soft grunt suddenly came from your bed, making you flinch in surprise. For a brief moment, you assumed it was either Richeh or Tetia hiding beneath the blankets.
Nope.
It was Olruggio.
Curled up comfortably on your bed as though it belonged to him, he let out another sleepy grunt, seemingly having slept through the entire commotion.
'And here I thought you said you didn't want to sleep on my bed.'
You could only stare at him with a deadpan expression.
Still, you decided not to wake him. Judging by how peacefully he was sleeping, it was obvious he hadn't gotten proper rest in quite some time.
In truth, he hadn't.
You remembered how he and Qifrey had spent countless hours trying to find a way back to their own world, drawing spell after spell until the very last drop of conjuring ink had run dry. Even then, neither of them had been willing to give up.
Despite knowing next to nothing about magic or their world's customs, you did everything you could to help. Whether it was buying supplies, giving them a place to stay, or simply making sure they remembered to eat and rest, you wanted to lighten their burden, even if only a little.
In the end, they had no choice but to stay in your world until they found a way back home. As the days passed, Qifrey's four apprentices gradually began to make themselves at home in your apartment, slowly settling into their unexpected lives there.
You still remembered the first time you lent them your clothes while you planned a shopping trip to buy outfits of their own.
That was a memory you doubted you'd ever forget.
Agott had worn the grumpiest expression imaginable after being handed one of your oversized pink shirts. She looked as though wearing it was the greatest trial she'd ever faced.
You, Coco, Richeh, and even Qifrey couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Olruggio merely hid his amusement behind a quiet smile.
Although Agott complained the entire time, she eventually warmed up to the shirt's surprising comfort. That didn't stop Tetia from teasing her every chance she got, much to Agott's embarrassment.
Returning to the present, you quietly drew the curtains shut, dimming the afternoon sunlight that filtered through the windows. After switching off the lights, you spared one last glance at Olruggio's sleeping figure before silently making your way to the door.
With a gentle click, the door closed behind you.
What you didn't notice, however, was that Olruggio's eyes slowly cracked open.
He had only been pretending to sleep.
Through half-lidded eyes, he watched the door for a brief moment before letting out a quiet sigh, the room once again falling into silence.
'Just another day...'
With that thought lingering in your mind, you continued down the hallway toward the kitchen, hoping to grab yourself something to drink.
Halfway there, however, your footsteps came to an abrupt stop.
Richeh.
She was standing on top of the kitchen counter with Brushbuddy perched comfortably on her shoulder. A bag of snacks was clenched between her teeth, another was tucked under one arm, and she was currently reaching for yet another from the highest cabinet.
The two of you simply stared at each other.
You stood frozen in complete disbelief.
Meanwhile, Richeh looked at you as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
"..."
"..."
'...What the fu—?'
"Richeh! Did you get it—?!"
You snapped out of your daze when you heard a hushed whisper from around the corner. A moment later, a head cautiously peeked out.
It was Tetia.
The moment her eyes landed on you, she froze just as you had. The color seemed to drain from her face as she realized she'd been caught.
"Ah! M-Miss—! I mean..."
She stumbled over her words, nervously clasping her hands together.
You could only let out a small sigh.
"Please," you said gently, "you don't have to call me 'Miss,' dear."
Tetia blinked before offering an embarrassed smile, while Richeh remained perfectly balanced atop the counter, still clutching her collection of snacks as if nothing unusual had happened.
"You could've at least asked me. Then Richeh wouldn't have had to climb onto the counter."
You pinched the bridge of your nose, looking completely done with the situation.
Just another day... just another day...
You repeated the thought to yourself, silently trying to accept whatever chaos today had decided to throw at you.
With a quiet sigh, you looked between Richeh and Tetia.
"Anyway... whose idea was this?" you asked.
The two girls immediately fell silent.
They looked at each other.
Then they looked at you.
Then, almost in perfect sync, they quickly looked away.
"...Tetia? Richeh?" you called again, your voice remaining as gentle as ever.
Neither of them answered.
"I'm not mad," you reassured them. "I just want to know."
'...Why does everyone always think I'm angry?'
A small frown unconsciously formed on your face as you waited for an answer.
Unfortunately, that only seemed to convince the two girls that you were, in fact, upset.
The kitchen fell into an awkward silence, with Richeh still frozen on top of the counter, snacks in hand, while Tetia nervously fidgeted with the hem of her shirt.
Another defeated sigh escaped your lips as one hand came to rest on your hip.
"Listen," you began patiently, "I'm not mad. You two could've just asked me instead. That way, Richeh wouldn't have had to climb all the way up there."
Your voice remained calm, carrying more concern than frustration.
"I was only worried that one of you might get hurt."
As if to prove your point, your eyes drifted toward Richeh, who was still standing on top of the counter with snacks tucked under her arm and Brushbuddy perched on her shoulder.
"It was me," Tetia confessed, raising her hand a little. "The snacks here are just really delicious... and I wanted to have seconds."
"Richeh thinks the ice cream is nice, too," Richeh added matter-of-factly, as though that perfectly explained why she had climbed onto the counter in the first place.
"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" you said with a soft chuckle. "Now, tell me what other snacks you two want. And Richeh, come on down from there. I'll get them for you instead."
Richeh obediently climbed down from the counter while you reached up and grabbed the snacks they had been eyeing, handing them over one by one. Tetia's face lit up with a grateful smile, and even Richeh gave a small, satisfied nod as she accepted hers.
Quite an interesting day, indeed.
Then again...
Living with six witches from another world meant there was never really such a thing as an ordinary day anymore.
-------++++++-------
By the end of the day, exhaustion had settled deep into your bones.
Days like these only seemed to grow more eventful the longer they stayed with you.
You swore they were all going to be the death of you. Their endless curiosity either frightened you or left you questioning everything right alongside them.
But then again...
Who could blame them?
They weren't even from this world.
Even so, here you were once again, back in your messy art room, gently gliding your paintbrush across the canvas. Music continued to fill the room, its melody carrying your imagination wherever it pleased.
You had promised yourself that you'd finish this project today.
Yet somehow, every time you found your rhythm, one of the four girls—or one of the two men—would end up needing your help.
...
That thought lingered.
Your hand slowly came to a stop as your eyes remained fixed on the unfinished painting before you.
Was this how things always went?
A distant memory quietly resurfaced.
You remembered being a child.
Your parents were always there to help you. They guided you through everything, and by the time you reached your teenage years—almost an adult—you had grown so accustomed to their presence that it became your comfort.
Your safe place.
Without realizing it, you never stepped beyond that little shell they had built around you.
When problems came, you didn't know how to face them alone.
Then, whenever you finally asked for help, they would smile and tell you...
"You can handle it on your own."
They never meant it cruelly.
You knew that.
But somehow...
It left you feeling trapped, as though you had been standing in the same place while everyone else kept moving forward.
In the end, you forced yourself to keep swimming anyway, searching for your own answers, even if it meant stumbling, failing, or embarrassing yourself along the way.
Eventually, you learned to pour those feelings somewhere else.
Into your stories.
Into your paintings.
Into every canvas that silently carried the emotions your heart could never bring itself to say aloud.
Who were you trying to fool?
No matter how far you walked, it always felt as though you would find yourself back in that same cycle.
Yet whenever you looked at those four girls...
Your chest ached.
They reminded you so much of yourself.
Curious.
Eager to learn.
Always reaching for things they didn't understand.
Sometimes you let them figure things out on their own.
Sometimes you stepped in to help.
You wondered...
Was this what your parents had been trying to do all along?
Was it your fault?
Theirs?
Or was there no one to blame at all?
Sometimes you wished you could return to that time.
To loosen the invisible chains that still kept part of you frozen in the past.
Words remained trapped in your throat.
Fear wrapped itself around your body.
And somewhere deep inside...
You were still afraid of being left behind.
Forgotten.
"Hey... you in here?"
A soft knock pulled you back to reality.
Standing in the doorway was Olruggio.
"I thought you were asleep," you muttered.
"Well, the girls are," another voice answered.
Qifrey stepped into view beside Olruggio, wearing the same calm expression he always seemed to carry.
"But you weren't in your room."
He walked over slowly.
"Is everything all right?"
You avoided his gaze, returning your attention to the canvas.
"Yeah... I'm fine."
You forced another stroke of the brush across the painting.
"Just... trying to finish this."
Your wrist moved again.
Then it trembled.
Anxiety had returned without warning.
You didn't even know why anymore.
It had lingered for so long that it almost felt like a part of you.
Before you could continue, a gentle hand wrapped around your wrist, stopping the brush in its tracks.
Qifrey.
He didn't say anything at first.
He had already noticed the trembling.
"That's enough for today."
His voice was soft.
"Come on."
From behind him, Olruggio folded his arms.
"He's right. Off to bed."
"How about you two go ahead? I'll—"
"No."
Qifrey interrupted gently before giving your wrist the smallest tug.
"Olruggio's right."
"You're exhausted."
For a brief moment, you wanted to protest.
But the words never came.
Instead, your shoulders relaxed.
"...All right."
A faint smile appeared on Qifrey's face.
Together, the three of you returned to your bedroom. The girls had long since fallen asleep in the spare room, while Qifrey and Olruggio had settled into their sleeping bags beside your bed.
"Night, you two..."
You climbed beneath the blankets.
"Good night," Qifrey replied with his usual gentle smile.
Olruggio simply answered with a quiet grunt before closing his eyes.
The room soon fell silent.
Sleep eventually came.
But you knew better than to believe it would quiet your mind so easily.
It never really had.
Lately, though...
Exhaustion had become strong enough to drag you into sleep before your thoughts could keep you awake.
-------+++++-------
The night settled peacefully over the apartment, wrapping everything in a comforting silence.
The only ones still awake were Qifrey and Olruggio.
Qifrey slowly sat up from his sleeping bag, his eyes drifting toward your sleeping figure, curled beneath the blankets.
"She's asleep..." he murmured.
"You don't say," Olruggio replied dryly from beside him, his hands resting behind his head. "You're going to try again, aren't you?"
Qifrey lowered his gaze to his hand, absentmindedly clenching the edge of his blanket.
"There's no magic here..." he muttered in frustration. "Even our spells don't obey this world's laws."
He wasn't wrong.
The laws that governed magic in their world simply refused to function here, as though an invisible barrier surrounded this place, preventing every spell from taking shape no matter how carefully it was drawn.
"I'll still find a way back home," Qifrey said quietly, determination settling into his voice. "Even if it wears me out."
Olruggio glanced at his longtime friend before letting out a weary sigh.
"Just don't push yourself too hard."
It was all he could say.
Rolling onto his side, he turned his back toward Qifrey, though he remained awake for a few moments longer.
Without another word, Qifrey carefully slipped out of his sleeping bag. He picked up a black gel pen and a fresh sheet of paper before quietly making his way to the bedroom door.
With the gentlest click, he closed it behind him.
The living room was dark, save for the small lamp casting a warm glow across the coffee table.
There, in the quiet stillness of the night, Qifrey sat down once more and began drawing another spell.
Another attempt.
Another hope that, somehow, it would lead them back home.
Only the soft scratching of pen against paper kept him company as the darkness stretched around him.
-----++++---
The next morning, you found yourself staring down at Qifrey, who had somehow fallen asleep on the couch.
Your hands rested on your hips while an exasperated look settled across your face.
A quiet sigh escaped your lips before you turned toward Olruggio.
He simply raised one hand in surrender.
"I wasn't part of this."
"...Qifrey," you murmured, your expression softening. "Why do you keep doing this to yourself?"
Carefully, you draped a blanket over his sleeping figure before adjusting the pillow beneath his head.
The last time he'd slept on the couch, he had woken up complaining about a sore neck.
You weren't about to let that happen again.
Your fingers gently brushed a few loose strands of his white hair away from his face.
Then your gaze drifted toward the eye he always kept hidden.
Now that I think about it...
He always seemed careful to keep that eye covered.
Curiosity got the better of you for just a moment.
Slowly, you reached toward the strands of hair shielding it.
Before your fingers could move them aside—
A hand gently caught your wrist.
Your eyes widened in surprise.
Qifrey had already opened his eyes.
"Ah—! Sorry... I didn't mean to wake you," you apologized immediately, startled by his sudden movement.
For a brief second, his grip tightened instinctively before he realized what he'd done.
His hand quickly relaxed.
"No," Qifrey said softly, releasing your wrist. "I should be the one apologizing. I startled you first."
He slowly sat up on the couch, offering you the same gentle smile he always wore.
"What? But I was the one who literally—"
"Ah," he interrupted with a light chuckle, "there's no need for that. I was the one who startled you, wasn't I?"
You let out a defeated groan.
There really was no winning an argument against this man.
"Fine, fine," you sighed, throwing your hands up in surrender. "Come on. Breakfast's already waiting for you."
Qifrey's smile only grew a little warmer as he quietly rose from the couch to follow you.
----+++++----
Breakfast was lively, as always.
The four girls chatted excitedly among themselves, with Tetia somehow bringing up—yet again—the oversized pink shirt Agott had been forced to wear.
"I still think you looked adorable in it!"
"I did not," Agott muttered flatly, earning a giggle from Coco.
Meanwhile, both you and Olruggio found your attention drifting toward Qifrey.
He looked exhausted.
The dark circles beneath his eyes were impossible to miss, and despite everyone else happily eating, he hadn't even touched the breakfast sitting in front of him.
You let out a quiet sigh before standing from your chair. Your own plate was already empty.
"Anyway..." you began, carrying your mug over to the counter. "Looks like the hot water's ready. Qifrey, would you like some tea?"
You picked up the kettle and poured the steaming water into your own cup before reaching for another.
"...Qifrey?"
No answer.
You glanced over your shoulder.
"Qifrey?"
"Hm?"
He blinked, as though he'd only just returned to reality.
"W-What was that?"
A collective groan echoed around the table.
"I... might've zoned out."
He smiled sheepishly.
You could only shake your head.
"Yeah... you definitely need this."
Without waiting for another answer, you poured the hot water into his teacup.
Qifrey let out a quiet chuckle, scratching the back of his neck.
"Seriously, Master!" Tetia huffed, crossing her arms. "You need to give yourself a break!"
"Master Olly already told you that," Richeh added between bites of her noodle soup.
"All right, all right," you interrupted with a laugh as you carried the two cups back to the table. You placed one in front of Qifrey.
"Let's stop ganging up on your master."
He smiled gratefully before taking a careful sip of the tea.
Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Brushbuddy happily nibbling on a strip of bacon near the edge of the table.
...Fluffy.
You wondered, not for the first time, just how soft its fur actually was.
Clearing your throat, you looked around the table.
"It's kind of like..." you thought aloud. "What do you call the town where witches buy supplies again?"
"Kalhn," Olruggio answered.
"Right! Kalhn."
You nodded.
"So grocery shopping is pretty similar. It's where people buy food, drinks, and other things they need at home. Kind of like how you restock supplies for your atelier."
Coco's eyes lit up in understanding.
"Oh!"
"Anyway," you continued, "I thought maybe all of you could come with me. You haven't really had the chance to explore much outside the apartment, and I figured a little walk wouldn't hurt."
Tetia was the first to react.
"So we're finally going shopping—with you?!" she asked excitedly.
Beside her, Richeh had already begun wondering what the shops in your world would be like compared to Kalhn.
"If your masters allow it," you added with a small smile.
Four pairs of eyes immediately turned toward you.
"What?" you laughed. "I'm not the one making that decision."
That earned a pair of disappointed groans from Tetia and Coco.
Richeh simply continued eating.
Agott didn't seem particularly interested either, though she quietly listened.
"Well?" Olruggio asked, turning toward Qifrey.
"I don't mind," he admitted first. "I actually agree. It would probably do them some good to get outside for a while."
Qifrey remained silent.
His fingers absentmindedly curled around the warm teacup as his gaze lingered on the rising steam.
You already knew what he was thinking.
"If you're worried about what happens outside..." you said gently, "...you don't have to be."
He finally looked up.
"I've lived here my whole life. I know what to watch out for, and I'll make sure everyone stays together."
You offered him a reassuring smile.
"I'll keep them safe."
For a moment, Qifrey said nothing.
Then, after another quiet sip of his tea, the worry in his eyes softened ever so slightly.
"All right," Qifrey said at last. "We'll go with you."
The decision immediately earned excited cheers from Coco and Tetia.
"Really?!"
"Yay!"
Even Richeh looked quietly pleased, while Agott simply let out a small sigh, pretending not to be as interested as the others.
You couldn't help but smile at their reactions.
"All right, then," you said. "Finish your breakfast first. After that, take a little break and get washed up, okay?"
"Okay!" the four girls answered in unison.
The apartment was soon filled with cheerful chatter once again, making it hard not to smile as the morning carried on.
"Qifrey—"
Before you could stop him, he quietly stood from his chair.
"It's all right," he said, offering you a small, reassuring smile. "I'll be in the room."
With that, he turned and quietly walked away, leaving the lively chatter of the dining table behind.
"He's at it again," Olruggio groaned, rubbing a hand across his forehead.
You lowered your gaze, absentmindedly tracing your fingers around the warm teacup.
"I understand why he's so desperate to find a way back..." you murmured. "Anyone would be."
Your expression softened.
"But... the Brimmed Hats worry me, too."
You lifted your eyes to meet Olruggio's.
"If they're somehow involved in all of this..." you trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
"Let's leave that aside for now," Olruggio said, giving a small wave of his hand before gently patting your back.
"Don't burden yourself with problems that aren't yours to carry," he reassured you.
Even so, a quiet sense of guilt lingered in his chest. None of this was supposed to involve you in the first place.
You offered him a small, reassuring smile.
"It's okay, Olly," you said softly. "I want to help you guys, even if it's only a little."
Olruggio looked at you for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
"...You're too kind for your own good."
"You can't really blame me," you said with a soft laugh. "It just doesn't sit right with me... leaving someone behind when I know I can help."
Olruggio stared at you for a moment before clicking his tongue in quiet resignation.
"Tch..."
A faint blush dusted his cheeks, and despite his usual composed expression, he deliberately looked away, refusing to meet your eyes.
"You should go take a bath, Olruggio," you said, teasingly waving a hand in front of your nose as if he smelled terrible.
Olruggio looked at you with an expression so utterly offended it was as though you had insulted his entire existence.
"...Ha?!"
He placed a hand against his chest in mock disbelief.
"You know what? Fine!"
He spun on his heel dramatically, making for the hallway.
You couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"I'm joking!"
Olruggio paused for only a second before continuing on, grumbling something under his breath that you couldn't quite make out.
What you didn't notice, however, was the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
He had known you were joking from the very beginning.
Still...
Hearing you laugh like that somehow made the teasing worth enduring.
"But seriously, do go take a shower. After you're done, it'll be my turn," you said as you began stacking the dirty plates together.
"You do remember how to use the bathroom, right? I showed you before."
"Oh, of course I remember," Olruggio replied with a small nod. He paused for a moment, tapping his chin as he searched for the right word.
"I remember the girls accidentally splashed you with that... what was it called again? The thing attached to the shower..."
"The showerhead?" you offered.
"Right. The showerhead."
You let out an amused sigh.
"Ah... yeah, I remember that."
The memory came back almost instantly.
You had been teaching everyone how to use the bathroom when Coco had accidentally turned the showerhead toward you instead of the wall.
Before you knew it, you were completely soaked from head to toe, while the four girls had scrambled into a flurry of apologies.
It had been chaotic.
...But looking back on it now, it was actually a little funny.
"I'll take care of the dishes," you told Olruggio as he left the dining room and headed toward your bedroom to grab a towel.
Figuring he'd be in the bathroom soon, you turned your attention back to the sink, rolling up your sleeves before starting on the pile of dirty dishes.
About three minutes later, however, Olruggio walked back into the kitchen.
Without saying a word, he stepped beside you and reached for one of the plates.
You blinked in confusion.
"Olly, I said I'd handle it—"
"The girls are using the bathroom."
"..."
"...Right."
You paused for a second before letting out a small laugh.
"I probably should've seen that coming."
Olruggio only shrugged as he picked up a dish towel.
"Looks like I'm helping with the dishes after all."
-----+++++-----
Once the two of you had finished cleaning the kitchen, you made your way toward the guest room.
Peeking through the slightly open doorway, you found the four girls getting ready. They were dressed in the clothes you had bought for them not long ago, helping one another adjust collars, smooth out wrinkles, and fix the little details.
A small smile found its way onto your face.
Seeing how comfortable they had become in your world warmed your heart more than you cared to admit.
"You girls doing okay?" you asked softly as you stepped out from your hiding spot and into the room.
The four of them immediately turned toward you, bright smiles spreading across their faces.
"Need a hand drying your hair?" you asked, noticing their damp hair.
The four girls exchanged glances before Coco gave an embarrassed smile.
"Yeah... we've kind of gotten used to Master Olruggio drying our hair with his rings," she explained sheepishly.
You blinked.
"...You know, that explains a lot."
No wonder they always seemed to dry off so quickly back in their own world.
Unfortunately, magic wasn't exactly an option here.
Then, suddenly, something clicked.
"I've got it!" you exclaimed.
"I can use a hair dryer to dry your hair!"
Without another word, you spun around toward the door.
"I'll be right back!"
Before any of the girls could ask what you meant, you had already hurried down the hallway toward your bedroom.
"Sorry, coming in!"
You pushed the door open without thinking.
"...Oi—!"
Olruggio's startled voice echoed through the room.
He had only just finished his shower and was halfway through pulling on his shirt. A towel was still wrapped around his waist, and his face immediately flushed a deep shade of red.
Meanwhile, Qifrey sat quietly on your bed, a book resting in his hands.
He glanced up from the pages, then toward Olruggio, before letting out the faintest amused smile.
Fortunately...
You hadn't noticed any of it.
Your attention was already fixed on the dresser, rummaging through the drawers in search of the hair dryer.
"Where did I put it...?"
You continued searching, completely oblivious to Olruggio's flustered state.
"Would you mind knocking next time?!" Olruggio blurted out, hurriedly pulling his shirt over his head.
"Hm?"
You barely acknowledged him, too busy rummaging through your drawers in search of the hair dryer.
"I'm sure I left it in here somewhere..."
"Oi! Are you even listening to me?!"
Still no response.
You continued digging through drawer after drawer as if nothing unusual had happened.
Across the room, Qifrey quietly watched the scene unfold.
A soft chuckle escaped him before it gradually grew into gentle laughter.
Olruggio shot him an incredulous look.
"...You're laughing?"
"I can't help it," Qifrey admitted between quiet laughs. "She didn't even notice."
Olruggio could only let out an exasperated sigh.
"...Unbelievable."
At last, you let out a triumphant gasp.
"Found it!"
Holding the hair dryer high like a prized treasure, you flashed them both a bright smile.
"Oh, were you two talking about something?"
Both Olruggio and Qifrey simply stared at your bright, innocent smile.
For a brief moment, neither of them said a word.
It was almost as if they'd both been struck by lightning.
"..."
"..."
"N-Nothing!" Olruggio sputtered, his face somehow growing even redder as he hurriedly finished pulling his shirt into place.
"J-Just get out of here already! I'm still getting dressed!"
You blinked in confusion.
"...You are?"
Only then did you finally look up.
Your eyes landed on Olruggio for exactly one second before realization slowly dawned on your face.
"..."
"...Oh."
Your face immediately heated with embarrassment.
"S-Sorry!"
Clutching the hair dryer to your chest, you quickly turned on your heel and hurried out of the room, shutting the door behind you with an audible click.
The room fell silent.
Qifrey quietly covered his mouth, trying—and failing—to suppress another laugh.
Olruggio buried his face in one hand.
"...I swear she's going to be the death of me."
"You do have to admit..." Qifrey said with a quiet smile as he turned the page of his book, "her smile is rather adorable."
He paused for a moment before adding,
"And... kind."
Olruggio froze.
"..."
His ears turned a faint shade of red.
"...What's with that look?" he muttered, refusing to glance at Qifrey.
Qifrey only smiled to himself, his eyes returning to the book in his hands.
"I'm simply stating what I observed."
"...Tch."
Olruggio clicked his tongue, though he couldn't quite hide the warmth creeping across his face.
"...You're insufferable."
Qifrey let out another soft chuckle.
"So I've been told."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the bedroom door...
You stood frozen in the hallway, one hand clamped firmly over your mouth while the other tightly gripped the hair dryer.
Your face burned with embarrassment as the realization finally caught up to you.
HOLY SHIT... I DID NOT JUST DO THAT!
You silently screamed into your hand, resisting every urge to curl into a ball and disappear from existence.
Why didn't I knock?!
Why did I only realize it after he pointed it out?!
I am never going to hear the end of this...
Taking a deep breath, you gave your cheeks a couple of light pats.
"...Get yourself together."
The girls were still waiting for you.
No matter how embarrassing that had been, you still had four damp-haired apprentices to take care of.
With one final groan of defeat, you straightened your posture, tightened your grip on the hair dryer, and marched back toward the guest room as though absolutely nothing had happened.
Hopefully...
Olruggio would forget about it.
...Probably not.
"I'm back!" you announced, appearing in the doorway with the hair dryer in hand and a bright smile.
Unfortunately, your face was still noticeably flushed.
The four girls immediately noticed.
Coco tilted her head in concern.
"O-Oh! You're back! Um... are you all right?"
"Yeah," Tetia added, blinking at you. "Your face is really red."
Richeh quietly studied you for a moment.
"...Your temperature seems higher than usual."
Meanwhile, Agott crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly.
"...Did something happen?"
You froze for half a second before forcing out an awkward laugh.
"Haha...! It's nothing! Just... a little embarrassing moment."
"..."
The four girls exchanged puzzled glances.
None of them seemed entirely convinced.
You quickly cleared your throat, lifting the hair dryer with a triumphant smile.
"Anyway! I found a solution for drying your hair!"
Just like that, the topic shifted, and the girls' curiosity immediately turned toward the strange object in your hand.
You plugged the hair dryer's cord into the wall outlet before turning back to the four girls, who watched every movement with wide, curious eyes.
"What is that?" Coco asked, tilting her head.
"It kind of looks like a wand..." Tetia added.
"It doesn't have any runes," Agott pointed out, narrowing her eyes.
Richeh simply stared at the strange object in your hand.
"It's called a hair dryer," you explained, holding it up for them to see. "Instead of using magic to dry your hair, this uses warm air."
"Warm... air?" Coco repeated.
You nodded.
"Yep. Watch."
You flicked the switch on.
Fwoooosh—
The hair dryer hummed to life, sending a stream of warm air through the nozzle.
The sudden noise made all four girls jump in surprise.
"E-Eh?!" Coco squeaked.
"It talks!" Tetia exclaimed, taking an instinctive step back.
"It doesn't talk," you laughed. "That's just the motor inside."
Curious, you turned the dial to the highest setting.
"See this? It has different speeds."
You pointed to the numbers.
"One is low."
You clicked it.
The airflow softened.
"Two is medium."
Another click.
The stream of air became stronger.
"And three..." you said with a grin before switching it to the highest setting.
FWOOOOOSH—!
A much stronger blast of warm air rushed out, causing Coco's bangs to flutter wildly.
"Wah!"
Tetia burst into laughter as Coco hurriedly held down her hair.
"So powerful!" Tetia giggled.
"It feels like standing in front of a tiny wind spell," Richeh observed, fascinated.
Agott cautiously reached a hand toward the stream of air.
"...It's warm."
"It is," you said with a smile. "That's what dries your hair."
The four girls leaned in closer, their curiosity growing by the second as they watched the strange little machine work without a single drop of magic.
You couldn't help but chuckle at their reactions.
"All right," you said, setting the hair dryer to a lower setting. "Who's first?"
"Me!"
Tetia's hand shot into the air before anyone else could even answer.
"I volunteer!"
You laughed.
"I figured you'd be first."
Tetia happily skipped over before sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of you, her back facing you as she waited eagerly.
You picked up a hairbrush with one hand and the hair dryer with the other.
"Ready?"
"Mhm!"
With a gentle smile, you switched the hair dryer back on.
A warm stream of air flowed through Tetia's damp hair as you carefully brushed through the strands, taking your time to keep them from tangling.
"There we go..."
Tetia let out a content hum.
"Ooh... this feels nice."
"It doesn't hurt?" Coco asked, watching with wide eyes.
"Nope!" Tetia replied cheerfully. "It's warm!"
Curiosity quickly got the better of the others.
Coco leaned in from one side while Richeh crouched beside you, quietly observing the strange machine at work.
Agott remained where she was, arms crossed as always, though even she couldn't hide the interest in her eyes.
"So this is how people in your world dry their hair..." Coco murmured in amazement.
You nodded, gently brushing another section of Tetia's hair.
"Pretty much. No magic needed."
The three girls watched every movement carefully, fascinated by something so ordinary to you yet completely new to them.
Once Tetia's hair was completely dry, you helped tie it back into her usual two high pigtails.
"There," you said with a satisfied smile. "All done."
Tetia immediately reached up to touch her hair.
"Ooh! It's so fluffy!"
She beamed before happily hopping away to admire it, making the others giggle.
Unlike Tetia, Richeh sat perfectly still, quietly humming to herself as you brushed and dried her hair. Every so often, Brushbuddy would curiously poke at the moving strands, earning a small laugh from you.
When Richeh's hair was finished, Coco eagerly took her turn.
She couldn't stop asking questions.
"How does it make warm air?"
"Does it get tired?"
"Can it only dry hair?"
You answered each one as patiently as you could while brushing through her soft brown locks, smiling at her endless curiosity.
Finally, it was Agott's turn.
She walked over with her usual composed expression and sat down without a word.
Even so, you noticed she relaxed slightly as the warm air passed through her curls.
"...This isn't bad," she admitted quietly after a while.
You smiled to yourself.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"...Don't."
You couldn't help but laugh, earning a small huff from Agott, though she didn't seem nearly as annoyed as she pretended to be.
One by one, the four girls now had warm, dry hair, each wearing a look of quiet amazement at yet another everyday invention from your world.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
The four girls and you all turned toward it.
Standing in the doorway was Qifrey, dressed in a black turtleneck beneath his familiar white cloak, looking as composed as ever.
Beside him stood Olruggio, now fully dressed in a dark shirt, black trousers, and a jacket.
"Is everything all right in here?" Qifrey asked with his usual gentle smile.
The girls nodded enthusiastically.
"Everything's fine!"
"She dried our hair!" Tetia said proudly, patting her now-fluffy pigtails.
"And she explained how the machine works," Coco added.
Qifrey's eyes briefly shifted toward you before he smiled warmly.
"It seems you've all been busy."
Before you could reply, someone cleared their throat.
"Ahem."
You turned to Olruggio.
He gestured toward you with a raised eyebrow.
"...You're the only one who hasn't showered yet."
Silence.
"..."
"...Oh."
The realization hit you like a freight train.
"Right."
You looked down at yourself, then back at everyone else.
"...I'm literally the only one who's not ready."
Without another word, you spun around on your heel.
"I'll be right back!"
You darted out of the room, rushed into your bedroom, snatched up your towel, and disappeared toward the bathroom at full speed.
The room fell quiet for a brief moment.
Then...
"...She forgot," Olruggio muttered.
Qifrey let out a soft, amused laugh.
"I suppose she was a little too focused on everyone else."
The four girls couldn't help but giggle.
"...That's very much like her."
After your shower, you quickly dried your hair and slipped into a comfortable outfit for going out.
You were never one to overdress.
Instead, you preferred clothes that felt like you—simple, comfortable, and easy to move around in. Something you could spend the entire day wearing without a second thought.
After making a few small adjustments and giving yourself one last glance in the mirror, you nodded in satisfaction.
"That'll do."
With that, you grabbed your bag, tucked your phone and wallet inside, and headed out of your room to meet the others, who were already waiting for you.
"I'm here!" you announced as you stepped out of your room.
Crossing over to the kitchen counter, you picked up your apartment keys before grabbing your car keys from the small tray beside them.
"All right," you said, slipping both sets of keys into your pocket. "I'm all set."
The others turned toward you.
Tetia was practically bouncing with excitement, Coco's eyes sparkled with curiosity, Richeh stood quietly with Brushbuddy perched on her shoulder, and Agott waited patiently with her arms folded.
Qifrey smiled warmly.
"Then shall we?"
You returned the smile and gave a small nod.
"Yep. Let's get going."
Just as you were about to head for the door, something suddenly crossed your mind.
"Richeh."
She turned her attention toward you.
"Yes?"
"Would you mind keeping an eye on Brushbuddy for me?" you asked gently. "The place we're going is going to be pretty crowded, and I don't want the little rascal getting lost."
Your gaze shifted to the small creature perched on her shoulder.
"I know how much Brushbuddy means to all of you."
Richeh looked at Brushbuddy, who blinked back at her before giving a determined little nod, almost as if promising it would stay close.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Richeh's lips.
"I will."
You returned the smile.
"Thank you, Richeh."
Brushbuddy let out a cheerful little chirp, nuzzling against Richeh's cheek as if agreeing to the arrangement.
"All right," you said with a smile. "Let's go."
You opened the front door, waiting until everyone had stepped out into the hallway before locking the apartment behind you.
With a quiet click, you slipped the keys back into your pocket.
"This way."
The group followed you down the hallway until you stopped in front of a pair of large metal doors.
The four girls tilted their heads in confusion.
"...What's this?" Coco asked.
Qifrey and Olruggio quietly studied the strange doors as well, neither of them recognizing what they were looking at.
"It's called an elevator," you explained.
"It takes people up and down buildings much faster than using the stairs."
"So..." Tetia looked up toward the ceiling. "...it's like a moving room?"
You laughed.
"That's actually a pretty good way of describing it."
You pressed the button beside the doors.
A soft ding echoed through the hallway.
The doors slowly slid open.
The girls instinctively stepped back.
"It opened by itself!" Coco exclaimed.
"No magic..." Agott murmured, narrowing her eyes as she inspected the mechanism.
"That's because it runs on electricity instead," you explained, stepping inside first. "Come on, it's safe."
One by one, they cautiously followed you into the elevator.
The doors slid shut behind them.
Coco immediately turned around in surprise.
"It closed!"
"It'll open again when we reach the ground floor," you reassured her.
As the elevator began to descend, Tetia grabbed onto the handrail.
"It feels funny!"
"That's just because we're moving," you chuckled.
Qifrey quietly observed every detail of the elevator, while Olruggio rested a hand against one of the walls, clearly fascinated by how such a machine could function without a trace of magic.
"It's certainly faster than taking the stairs," he admitted.
"It is," you agreed. "Though elevators can still be dangerous if people don't use them properly. So it's always important to stay calm, avoid playing around inside them, and follow the safety rules."
The group nodded, taking your words seriously.
Another soft ding echoed through the cabin.
The doors slid open once more, revealing the apartment building's lobby.
"...Whoa," Tetia whispered.
Your little tour of the modern world had only just begun.
"Morning, pal," you greeted the building's security guard, who had known you for years.
The older man smiled warmly and gave you a friendly wave.
"Morning. Off somewhere today?"
"Just taking them out for a bit," you replied with a smile.
His gaze drifted toward the group gathered behind you.
The four girls politely waved back, while Qifrey and Olruggio offered courteous nods.
"Have a safe trip."
"You too."
With that, everyone continued toward the parking lot.
The moment they stepped outside, their attention was immediately captured.
Rows upon rows of vehicles filled the parking area.
"So many..." Coco whispered, her eyes sparkling.
"They're all different," Agott observed, studying the various shapes and sizes.
Tetia had already wandered a few steps ahead before stopping in front of a bright red sedan.
"So these are the... what did you call them again?"
"Cars," you answered.
"They're used to travel from one place to another much faster than walking."
Richeh quietly examined one from a distance while Brushbuddy peeked over her shoulder with equal curiosity.
Meanwhile, Qifrey and Olruggio took in the sight with interest, silently observing the strange machines that filled the lot.
You couldn't help but smile.
Thankfully, you had decided to buy a van a few years ago.
Otherwise, fitting seven passengers into a regular car would've been nearly impossible.
"There it is," you said, pointing toward your van.
The girls followed your finger, their expressions lighting up.
"...That's yours?" Coco asked.
You nodded proudly.
"Yep."
"It looks huge!" Tetia exclaimed.
"Well," you chuckled as you unlocked the doors with a press of your key fob, making the van chirp in response, "there's enough room for all of us."
The girls jumped slightly at the sudden beep.
"...It made a sound!" Coco gasped.
"Did it just recognize you?" Qifrey asked, genuinely intrigued.
You laughed.
"Something like that."
You pressed the button on your car keys.
Beep!
The van unlocked with a soft chirp.
Walking over, you slid the side door open.
"All right, everyone," you said with a smile. "Before we leave, you all need to wear your seatbelts."
The four girls tilted their heads at the exact same time.
"...Seatbelt?" Coco asked curiously.
You nodded.
"It's a safety belt. If the car suddenly stops or if an accident happens, it'll help keep you safely in your seat."
The explanation earned four thoughtful hums.
Richeh climbed in first.
"Here," you said gently. "Let me show you."
You pulled the seatbelt across her chest before clicking it into place.
Click.
"There. That's all there is to it."
Richeh looked down at the strap before tugging on it lightly.
"...It's comfortable."
"Good," you smiled. "You'll all wear one."
One by one, Coco, Tetia, and Agott climbed inside as you helped each of them fasten their seatbelts.
"But..." Tetia looked toward the front of the van. "There are two seats up there."
"Ah, those?" you replied, pointing toward the driver's seat. "I'll be driving, so I'll sit behind the steering wheel. The seat next to me is for another passenger."
The moment those words left your mouth, Tetia and Coco slowly turned to look at one another.
Agott noticed immediately.
"..."
She narrowed her eyes.
The three girls looked ready to argue over who would get the front seat.
Before a single word could leave their mouths, you raised a hand.
"Nope."
The three of them froze.
"You girls aren't riding in the front."
"Aww..." Tetia whined.
"But why?" Coco asked.
"The front passenger seat is usually for adults," you explained patiently. "Or older teens who are big enough to ride there safely. You three are still too young."
You gave them an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, girls."
Tetia dramatically slumped back into her seat.
"Aww..."
Coco pouted for a moment before nodding in understanding.
"...Okay."
Agott simply shrugged.
"I wasn't interested anyway."
"...Liar," Tetia muttered under her breath.
"I heard that."
You couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't worry. The back seats are just as comfortable."
That earned a few reluctant nods before everyone settled into their places.
"What about you two?" you asked, turning toward Qifrey and Olruggio.
The two men looked at the van for a moment, seemingly unsure where they should sit.
"I'll take the front seat—"
"I'll take the front seat—"
They both spoke at exactly the same time.
The two of them paused.
Then, almost in sync, they slowly turned to look at one another.
Silence.
"..."
"..."
You couldn't hold it in.
A snort escaped your lips before you burst into laughter.
The four girls watched the exchange with amused expressions.
"...Did they just say the exact same thing?" Coco whispered.
"I think they did," Tetia whispered back, trying not to giggle.
Olruggio clicked his tongue.
"...Tch."
"You go ahead," he sighed, gesturing toward the passenger seat. "I don't particularly care."
Qifrey smiled apologetically.
"If you're sure."
"I'm sure."
With the matter settled, Qifrey climbed into the front passenger seat while Olruggio joined the girls in the back.
"...Well," you chuckled as you climbed into the driver's seat, "that solved itself rather quickly."
Olruggio folded his arms.
"...I just didn't want to listen to you laugh any longer."
"Oh?"
You grinned mischievously.
"So you admitted I was laughing."
"...Drive."
That only made you laugh even harder.
Once everyone had settled into their seats, you reached for your own seatbelt and pulled it across your chest.
Click.
"There we go."
You slipped the key into the ignition and gave everyone one last glance through the rearview mirror.
"Everyone buckled up?"
The girls nodded eagerly.
"Yep!"
"Good."
You turned the key.
Vrrrmmm...
The engine rumbled to life.
"E-Eh?!" Coco gasped, jumping in her seat.
Brushbuddy let out a startled little chirp, puffing up its fur as it clung tightly to Richeh's shoulder.
Even Olruggio flinched slightly at the sudden sound.
"..."
Qifrey blinked in surprise as he looked around the inside of the van, quietly listening to the low hum of the engine.
"...It's alive?" Tetia asked, eyes wide with amazement.
You couldn't help but laugh.
"Nope. That's just the engine starting."
"So this is what makes it move..." Qifrey murmured, his curiosity taking over as he studied the dashboard and steering wheel.
Olruggio rested an elbow against the window, letting out a quiet breath.
"I'll admit..."
He glanced around the vehicle.
"...I'm impressed."
You smiled as you placed both hands on the steering wheel.
"All right."
Checking your mirrors one last time, you slowly shifted the van into gear.
"Next stop..."
You glanced back at everyone with a grin.
"The grocery store."
The excitement inside the van was almost immediate.
As you drove through the city, the four girls were practically glued to the windows.
Everything outside was new to them.
Rows of shops lined the streets, people walked along the sidewalks carrying shopping bags, and colorful signs hung above cafés and restaurants.
Cars passed by one after another, while motorcycles weaved carefully through traffic.
"There's so many of them..." Coco whispered, watching the endless stream of vehicles.
"And everyone seems to know exactly where they're going," Agott observed quietly.
Richeh's attention drifted to a woman walking a golden retriever.
"...Look."
Brushbuddy chirped excitedly at the sight.
"Oh!" Tetia gasped, pressing her face a little closer to the window. "That dog is huge!"
"They come in all kinds of breeds," you explained while keeping your eyes on the road. "Some are small enough to carry, while others can grow almost as tall as a person."
"There are that many?" Coco asked in amazement.
You nodded.
"Hundreds of breeds."
The girls exchanged astonished looks before returning their attention to the bustling streets outside.
Meanwhile, Qifrey quietly observed the orderly flow of traffic, occasionally glancing at the traffic lights overhead, while Olruggio watched the city pass by with thoughtful curiosity.
The world outside your apartment was proving to be far more fascinating than any of them had imagined.
With one hand on the steering wheel, you reached over and switched on the radio.
A familiar melody filled the van as your favorite playlist began to play softly through the speakers.
Not wanting it to be too cold or too warm for everyone, you adjusted the air conditioner until the temperature felt just right.
The cool air drifted through the cabin, making the drive even more comfortable.
For a little while, no one spoke.
Everyone was too busy taking in the unfamiliar sights of a world so different from their own.
After several more minutes of driving past rows of buildings, cafés, restaurants, and office towers, the familiar outline of the city's largest shopping mall came into view.
The moment it appeared through the windshield—
"...Whoa..."
The girls' eyes widened.
Even Qifrey and Olruggio looked genuinely surprised by the sheer size of the building.
"It's... enormous," Coco whispered.
"So many people gather in one place?" Agott murmured, staring up at the towering structure.
"There are multiple floors..." Qifrey observed, following the lines of the building with quiet fascination.
Olruggio let out a low whistle.
"...That's bigger than I expected."
A small smile tugged at your lips.
'Maybe I should've brought them here when I bought their clothes.'
The thought lingered for only a moment before you brushed it aside.
'Well... they're here now.'
You followed the signs leading toward the parking entrance.
As the van approached the gate, you rolled down your window.
The parking machine printed a ticket.
Beep.
You took it and slipped it into the storage compartment beside the steering wheel before the barrier slowly lifted.
"What's the ticket for?" Coco asked.
"It keeps track of how long we've parked here," you explained as you drove inside. "We'll need it later when we leave."
"Oh..."
The group watched with interest as you carefully drove through the spacious parking structure.
Rows upon rows of parked cars stretched out before them.
You slowly made your way through the aisles until an empty parking space caught your eye.
"There we go."
With a smooth turn of the steering wheel, you guided the van neatly into the space before shifting into park.
The engine fell silent.
For a brief moment, no one moved.
Then Tetia practically bounced in her seat.
"Can we go now?!"
You couldn't help but laugh.
"Easy there."
You unbuckled your seatbelt with a click before turning around to face everyone.
"First things first."
You smiled.
"Let's all get out safely."
One by one, everyone began looking down at the unfamiliar straps across their chests.
You reached over to Qifrey first.
"Here," you said. "Just press this button."
You pointed to the red release button on the buckle.
Qifrey pressed it.
Click.
The seatbelt slid smoothly away.
"I see..." he murmured, studying the mechanism with genuine interest. "A simple yet effective design."
"It is," you replied with a smile.
You stepped out from the driver's seat and walked around to the side of the van.
Sliding the door open, you were greeted by four expectant faces.
"Okay," you chuckled. "One at a time."
You leaned inside and demonstrated the buckle once more.
"Just press this red button."
Click.
"There."
Tetia's eyes lit up.
"Oh! That's easy!"
You helped her unbuckle herself before moving on to Coco.
Coco carefully copied your movements.
Click.
"I did it!"
"Good job," you praised.
Next was Richeh, who quietly watched your demonstration before unfastening her own seatbelt without any trouble.
Finally, you helped Agott.
"I could've done it myself," she mumbled, though she made no effort to stop you.
"I know," you replied with a small smile. "It's just your first time."
She looked away with a faint huff but didn't argue.
Standing nearby, Olruggio silently observed each step, paying close attention to how the seatbelt worked.
"So that's how you release it..." he muttered to himself.
You noticed him watching.
"Want to try yours?"
Olruggio gave a small nod.
He reached for the buckle, pressed the red button just as you had shown everyone else, and—
Click.
The seatbelt released.
"...Simple enough."
You smiled.
"See? You'll all be pros by the time we head home."
The girls giggled as they climbed out of the van one after another, stretching their legs after the drive.
Once everyone was outside, you slid the van's door shut and pressed the lock button on your key fob.
Beep.
The lights flashed once, letting you know the van was securely locked.
"All right," you said, slipping your keys into your pocket.
"Ready to see the mall?"
"Ready to see the mall?" you asked.
"Yes!" the four girls answered in unison, their excitement practically overflowing.
Qifrey smiled and gave a small nod.
"We're ready."
Olruggio nodded as well.
"Lead the way."
You smiled before leading everyone through the parking lot, carefully walking between the neatly parked rows of cars.
As the group admired their surroundings, you pulled out your phone and opened the Notes app.
"Hm..."
Your thumb scrolled down the grocery list.
...And down.
...And down.
"..."
"...I really let this get out of hand."
The list just kept going.
By the time you reached the bottom, you let out a long sigh.
"...Yeah."
You rubbed your forehead.
"I really need to stop putting off my restocking."
Qifrey glanced curiously at your phone.
"Is that everything we need to buy?"
"...Unfortunately."
He blinked.
"That's... quite a list."
Olruggio leaned over for a brief look before raising an eyebrow.
"...You weren't kidding."
You slipped your phone back into your pocket with a sheepish laugh.
"I may have procrastinated... just a little."
"A little?" Olruggio repeated flatly.
You looked away innocently.
"...Let's just say we're going to be here for a while."
Synopsis: you and Qifrey enter a friends with benefits relationship after he learns you’ve never had sex before. After a almost a year into this agreement, Qifrey says something that changes everything
Warnings: smut, mdni, talks of virginity, fluff, angst
A/N: FINISHED HEHE!!! I hope you all enjoy! For my fellow Olly lovers, I’ll start working on his fwb fic soon!
“You’ve never had sex?”
Immediately feeling your face warm as sets eyes staring into your soul. Trying to hide behind your glass you respond to your bearded friend, “Yes. It’s not that weird.”
He rubs the back of his head messing up his hair, “Thought you’d already have.” He then takes a look at his white haired friend, making you glare at him.
Olruggio knows your long time crush you’ve had on Qifrey. He is always trying to set you up but it seems Qifrey is just oblivious to it all.
“Olruggio, leave her alone.” Qifrey looks at you, “Don’t feel pressured. It’s different for woman than it is for men.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Then what did you mean?” Qifrey glares at him.
“Know what, never mind. I’m going to bed.” Olruggio takes his glass, putting it in the sink. “Don’t get too drunk, I do not want to be cleaning the atelier once I wake up.”
“You’re the drunk.”
Olruggio rolls his eyes at your words before disappearing off to his room.
“Well that was an eventful night.”
“You could say that again.” You curl up into blanket that you grabbed from the back of the couch earlier.
“You cold?”
You nod in response, making Qifrey slide over to wrap his arm around your shoulder, pulling you into him.
“Better?” He whispers.
Your eyes find his, face only inches apart. “Yeah.” Is all you manage to say before your gaze follows the slope of his nose before they land on his lips.
So close.
If you only lean up slightly, your lips would connect.
Looking back up to meet his gaze, he’s staring deeply at you. His chest rising slightly faster.
“May I ask you another question?”
“Go ahead.” You whisper softly, almost not recognizing your own voice.
“Have you kissed anyone?”
Your voice hitches at his question. Yet that doesn’t change his gaze, if anything he’s even more focused.
You swallow the lump in your throat, “No.”
You always wanted to be with him in every way so you kept all these moments to share with him. You know it was pretty extreme to assume that it would happen, but any time you talked to another guy in a more romantic way, it felt like you were betraying Qifrey.
“I have a proposition for you. An agreement if you will.”
“I’m listening.”
“I can help you,” he pauses slightly trying to find the words he exactly wants say. “With both of those.”
“You want to have sex with me!?” You blurt out.
Qifrey quickly covers your mouth, “Shh darling. We don’t want Olruggio to hear.”
You nod slowly making him retract his hand. “I didn’t expect you to be that loud… will have to keep that in mind.”
You blush easily once again. “Sorry…”
“No need to apologize.” He cups your cheek, “But yes, I want to have sex with you, so you can learn and understand it. I would hate for you to have a bad first time or not be pleasured by other men in this sense.”
You blink quickly at his words, you have never heard Qifrey speak like this. You didn’t know he was a little freak… have you really been missing out on this?
“I agree.”
“So quick? But we haven’t even talked about boundaries.”
“We can figure it out as we go.” You don’t add how it wouldn’t be necessary since he made it sound like it is going to be a one time thing.
“I trust you to tell me if anything is off.” He stands up holding his hand out to you.
He pulls you up and you smile at him, “I promise.”
“Good.” He laces your fingers before guiding you to his room.
Once you two are inside his room, he locks the door. Double, even triple checking to make sure it’s locked.
He turns back to you with a light smile, “Still want to do this? You can say no, I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“I want this.”
He closes the distance again, resting his hand on your cheeks. “Follow my lead.”
Qifrey leans down lightly pressing his lips against yours. You immediately press your lips against his and try to follow along with his. You also hold onto his shirt tightly to try and stabilize yourself.
It’s a bit sloppy, your teeth will knock into each others, some salvia runs down your chin, and your tongues fight against one another, not in a good way.
He pulls back, “Someone is eager.”
“Sorry…” you say not knowing what else to say.
He pulls off his glasses tossing them aside, “No need to apologize. I quite enjoy it.”
He grabs the back of your head pulling you back into another kiss. This one is more heated than the other one. Your lips dance nicely against one another as your tongues meet each other in another perfect dance.
You feel your body heat up and a wetness start to pool in your underwear. Can kissing really make you feel this way? The knots in your stomach feel like no other feeling you have felt before. This isn’t from nerves or happiness.
It’s from pure pleasure.
Qifrey guided you back until the back of your knees hit his bed. He disconnects his lips from yours.
“Still okay?”
“Yes.”
He reaches for the hem of your shirt, playing with it a bit to make you comfortable. Sliding his hands under your shirt slightly just to get you use of the feeling of his bare hands on your bare skin.
“Do you mind if I take this off?”
“Go ahead.”
With your confirmation he reaches for the hem again then pulls it slowly up. As your skins shows more and more you feel a bit nervous that he is going to see everything.
Will he like it?
Will he be disgusted?
He drops your shirt onto the ground beside his bed. He takes you in slowly, raking his eyes from your chest bound by your bra, to your stomach, to your hips that show slightly from above your skirt.
“You’re gorgeous.”
“Do- do you mean it?”
He controls himself from dropping his jaw, “Of course. I would not lie to you about this.”
You reach for the back of your bra to unlatch the hooks. It falls between you two and his voice hitches.
“Absolutely beautiful.” He tells you without hesitation.
As if he senses your nerves from being bare from your waist up, he slips off his black shirt.
His body is slender but he is still pretty built. You can see the definition of his muscles in his arms and abs. It makes your mouth water along with your underwear getting damper.
You raise your hand to run your finger tips gently from his chest to his abs. As you get lower you feel him react, making you pull back quicker than you have in your entire life.
“I am so sorry! I should have asked- I’m so sorry Qifrey.”
He laughs gently before taking your hand in his, “How I reacted is because I like your touch. Not because I didn’t.”
“But I should have asked-“
He shuts you up by kissing you harder than he has before. He guides you back so your back is on his bed and he hovers above you.
Your chests are close so when you arch when he rolls his hips into yours, your boobs press against his chest. You both moan at the feeling.
He breaks the kiss to kiss down your cheek to your neck, stopping at your chest. He takes one nipple into his mouth sucking gently at it. You weave your hand into his soft white hair, pulling his closer.
He pops off your nipple and you whine. “Like that?”
You whine again while nodding which makes his laugh lightly again. He leans down again but sucks your other nipple while playing with the one he was just sucking.
He sucks harder and harder at your nipple while playing and flicking the other bud. The feeling hits you hard and it makes your lower area ache.
“Qifrey~” you cry out.
He pops off your nipple to kiss you quickly. Pulling slightly away but not far because your breaths still mix.
“How you say my name drives me insane,” he admits.
“Qifrey, please.”
He pushes himself off the bed to rid himself of his pants and underwear in one go. You see his hard member slap against his lower abdomen. It’s pretty long and skinny. Your cunt clenches around nothing at the thought of that being inside of you.
You sit up to start to push your skirt and underwear down but he stops your hands. “This is my job. Let me take care of you.”
He pulls off your skirt slowly first so he doesn’t overwhelm you. When he goes to pull your underwear down he feels the wet spot. He internally groans as he pulls them down.
The thought of you getting that wet form kissing and some stimulation makes his dick get impossibly harder. You’re so perfect, he thinks to himself.
“Lay your head on the pillows for me pretty girl.”
You move back so you’re resting on his pillows. You’re engulfed in his scent making you feel warm, comfortable, happy, and most importantly safe.
He crawls to hover over you. His blue eye shines brightly, “Still good to keep going?”
“Yes.” You love how he keeps checking in with you, but you don’t expect anything different from him.
He runs his hand down the side of your ribs to your hip, “Can I ask you something?”
“Always.”
“Have you ever done anything yourself?”
You turn your head from his gaze, “Yes… but I never really felt that good from it.”
“When was the last time you tried?”
“Probably months ago.”
He tilts your head back to look at him, “No need to be embarrassed. I just want to make sure I don’t hurt you at all.”
“You could never.”
“This isn’t the most comfortable thing for women their first time.”
“I trust you.”
He gently kisses your forehead, “That’s good to know.”
He guides his free hand down to your aching core. Running his finger up and down your slip to get you use to this feeling. When he feels your body warm up to the feeling he place his finger at your entrance.
“Can I?”
“Yes.”
He pushes his finger in slowly, watching your face carefully. When your face only shows pleasure he pushes his finger in and out quickly, setting a pace he thinks is good for you.
You feel like you’re on cloud nine right now. His singular finger reaches deeper than your fingers ever did. How he moves them just makes the knot in your stomach get tighter and tighter. You never were able to get yourself this far while Qifrey can do it in mere moments.
You’re incredibly jealous to the girls he’s obviously done this to before. Because damn, he’s a pro at this.
He adds another finger and adjusts their positions as he curls them into you. Which ends up making him hit the spot you always tried to find but never found.
You moan louder than you have before while also arching your back off the mattress.
“Oho?” Qifrey smirks, “Guess I finally found it.”
“Qi-Qifrey-“
“Guess I need to do a bit more.” He brings his head down to your core and starts sucking on your clit.
That sends your body into over drive. You pull his hair tightly, making him moan into your cunt. The extra vibrations makes you clench on his fingers tightly.
“Qifrey, I feel-“ you let out a loud moan, throwing your head back.
“I got you. Just let go.”
As if his words were the final push to get you over the edge and make you come. It’s a feeling that never experienced before but it feels amazing and so right with Qifrey.
He guides you through your high before pulling his fingers out of you so he can position himself over you again.
“You with me?”
You nod, “I’m here.”
“Good,” he smiles.
He watches you blink slowly, “Want to keep going?”
You nod.
“Need to hear your words beautiful.”
“Yes.”
“You sure? You look tired.”
“Please Qifrey.” You beg him while wrapping your arms around his neck, “I really want this with you.”
He flushes a bit before smiling slightly. “Then we will keep going.”
Qifrey runs his dick in the mixture of your slick and cum so he will be able to enter you easier.
Positioning himself at your entrance, he looks at you once again.
“Ready?”
“More than ever.”
He takes a deep breath before slowly pushing himself in. He gets his tip along with an inch or two in before you start to tighten around him and stiffen.
“Hey, relax for me.”
“Sorry- it’s hard to-“
“Hold onto me instead. Squeeze my arms or any part of my upper body as tightly as you want.”
You dig your nails into his bicep so you don’t focus on squeezing his dick. That allows him to slide in more and more until his hips are flush with yours.
It feels a bit uncomfortable and awkward at first. But he doesn’t push or anything, he just stays there to allow you to adjust to him.
You move your hips a bit to get use of the feeling of it sliding in and out a bit. After the repeated motion, it feels good. Like really good.
“You can move now.”
“You sure?”
“Promise.”
He pulls out a few inches before pushing himself back in. He saw what you were doing earlier so he tries to get you use to the motion and feeling of the speed along with the overall feeling.
You slide your arms back up you position them around his neck.
“You can go faster and pull out more.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’ll say something if it does.”
“Okay…” he trails off before taking another deep breath.
He’s wanted to do this with you since he really learned this feeling. He’s wanted you this entire time and now he does. He’ll admit it’s not exactly how he wants you because he wants to be with you but he chickened out at the last second.
Qifrey pulls out so only the tip is left inside you then thrusts quickly so he is back inside you fully only to pull out just as quick. He sets this pace, still watching your face closely to make sure you still enjoy it.
Your face twists in pleasure. Your eyes roll back, your mouth opened with moans slipping out, your cheeks flushed, and a slight sweat coating your forehead. You’ve never looked better in Qifrey’s opinion. He wishes he could see you like this all the time.
So real.
So you.
This feels incredible. You’re so addicted to the feeling of him inside of you already. You just love it so much. You want to keep doing this with him. You want to lay yourself bare for him and only him.
That familiar feeling starts to build up quicker than it did last time.
“Qifrey-“
“I know… I’m close too.”
You pull him closer and that only eggs him on more. He starts to get sloppy once you hit your high. He’s really trying to not bust on the spot with you because he wants to focus on you. Plus he should also not be coming inside you, even though he wants to. Before he hits his peak, he pulls out and comes all over your abdomen.
You feel the warmth of his cum coat your stomach. You don’t mind it at all because it just feels so right to you.
He breaths heavily for a few seconds before kissing your cheek and pushing himself off the bed. He walks to his closet, pulling out a towel. He grabs a spell from his palmquire, making the towel wet before coming back to you.
He wipes down your stomach first, then your cunt, then himself. He tosses the towel aside to join you in bed. Pulling you to rest of his chest, he holds you tightly against him.
The warmth of him makes you sleepy especially after what you two just did. You don’t know what comes after this moment but you just want to enjoy it. It seems Qifrey is in silent agreement because he doesn’t say anything about it.
“Go ahead and sleep,” he tells you.
“Goodnight.” Your eyes finally close, allowing you to sleep.
He watches you drift off while your chest rises slowly.
“Goodnight, sleep well.”
***
You think just how crazy this whole thing started as you watch Qifrey sleep. It’s been almost a year since you two have started this arrangement. Since then Qifrey has gotten four apprentices, the fourth one just coming here a few days ago.
You two sleep with one another often, or well it started as often but the lines blur now. Most nights you don’t even have sex instead you two just sleep with one another. You two act like a couple but aren’t actually together.
Even though the girls think you are. Every time Qifrey tells them you are not together, Olruggio rolls his eyes and mumbles out something the girls should not be hearing. You know the girls are confused but you have no idea how to explain this to them so you two just say you’re close.
You go to get out of bed so you can make breakfast for the girls. You are going to try and make something special so Coco and truly feel at home. You don’t get far because an arm stops you.
“Where are you going?”
“Going to make breakfast for the girls. Go ahead and keep sleeping.”
He lets go of your arm so he can get out of bed as well. “Qifrey-“
“I am her master after all, the least I can do is help make breakfast.”
You relent before going to get ready before going to the kitchen. You try to forget about how you’re even confused by your relationship as well as you grab your clothes out of his closet.
You and Qifrey ended up making fluffy pancakes for the girls laying out different toppings they can put on theirs. As you set the plates in front of the girls, Olruggio walks into the annoyed.
“Why do you look so mad?” Tetia asks him.
Olruggio sits down next to Qifrey, “I have to go into Kahln because I need some more materials.”
“You get magic materials there too?!” Coco jumps up from her seat with sparkles in her eyes.
“Did you not show her anything when you all went?” He side eyes his white haired friend.
“We only visited Mr Nolnoa, I’m afraid.”
Olruggio looks back at Coco after getting his answer, “Would you like to join me?”
“REALLY!?” She runs around the table to stand by him jumping up and down. “DO YOU MEAN IT!?”
He flinches a bit from her excitement, “Uh yeah. That’s why I asked.”
“Can we also go?” Tetia asks.
“Sure why not. We can go when we are all done eating.” He looks at you and Qifrey, “You two coming?”
“I think we will stay here,” Qifrey winks at you which makes you try your best not to blush.
He rolls his eyes, “Don’t know why I asked.”
The girls tilt their head in confusion. “There’s lots of cleaning that needs to be done. We’ve been a bit behind recently.” You come up with a quick lie.
“I’m glad I don’t have to clean then.” Richeh states. You all laugh at her words before continuing breakfast.
The girls are all ready to go with Olruggio but Qifrey can’t help himself from waving them off. “Be good for Olly girls! We want to hear all the stories when you get back.”
You drop a little spending money in their hands, “Pick whatever you want! Can’t wait to see what you come home with.”
As soon as that door closes Qifrey is pulling you into him, “Finally. We haven’t had a moment alone in weeks.”
You wrap your arms around his neck, “Well we better make the most of it…”
Qifrey is quick to lean in, not connecting your lips quite yet. “I don’t intend to waste it.” He then presses his lips against yours.
You two don’t make it to either of your rooms, instead you two are on the couch. You on your back, looking up at the man hovering above you as he starts to slide into you.
“You’re so perfect,” he groans, burying himself into your neck.
“S-so good,” you moan into his ear.
“Damn-“ he pants into your ear, “You’re everything.”
You arch your back as he picks up his pace and before you can stop them, those three words slip out.
“I love you.”
Qifrey instantly stiffens, stopping his movements all together.
“What-what did you say?”
“Uh… I love you.”
He pulls out of you, stumbling off the couch to his clothes. Immediately putting his clothes on, keeping his back to you.
You sit up, “Qifrey-“
“Stop.”
You freeze in spot from the look he’s giving you. You feel so bare and open in front of him. It feels so different from the other times, you feel so… so cold.
“You should not feel that way. That’s not what this is.”
You clench the couch between your hands, “Then what is this.”
“I’m just teaching you-“
“That’s a lie! If you were then why has this been going on for almost a year!?”
“It doesn’t matter because I don’t love you.”
Your heart stops, stomach ties into deep uncomfortable knots, mind starts racing and your lungs are having a difficult time taking in air.
You try to breathe but you can’t. It comes out short while not taking in air. It’s making you panic. You can’t breathe.
You can’t breathe.
Qifrey notices, “Hey-“ he tries to reach out but you smack his hand away harshly.
“Don’t.” You say between breathes.
“Let me help-“
You stare at him with a serious look, “You made your stance clear.”
You grab your cape, wrapping yourself in it before leaving the living room.
Qifrey stumbles again, using the wall to hold himself up. Holding his head in the hand not holding up his body, “What have I done?”
***
Days go by and Qifrey only sees you in passing. You don’t eat dinner with them anymore or even watch the girls practice anymore. The day they came back from Kalhn, you stayed in your room saying you were sick.
He can’t stand the distance. Yet he knows that he is the reason for it. Not hearing your laugh, seeing your smile, watching you with the girls, or just being around him is ripping him apart.
You’ll talk with the girls and Olruggio, but avoid him like the plague. He gets it, he really does, yet he can’t stop yearning for you.
He sits in the living room early in the morning, looking where the whole scene took place. It plays on a constant loop as if his mind has a permanent loop button.
The wooden stairs creak as someone walks down them. He turns his head to see you walking into the room. You obviously haven’t noticed him yet, it is still dark outside as well as the atelier so it doesn’t surprise him. This is the first time it’s just been you and him.
He is not wasting his opportunity.
Rushing off the couch to cut you off from walking down into the kitchen. You instantly stop so you don’t touch him at all. He can feel the barrier you have up between you two.
“Hey-“
“Move.” You try to get around him but he sticks his arm out, stopping you.
“Let me explain-“
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Please-“
“STOP!” You look at him with tears in your eyes, “I don’t care for the excuses you’re going to make.” You jab your finger into his chest, “You hurt me. You ruined this.”
You step back forgetting about the tea you wanted to make. Qifrey’s face falls as he tries to form words to counter what you said. Yet he doesn’t say anything.
Turning on your heel you stomp back up stairs. You don’t care anymore after all you’re all packed for tonight.
This is the last cursed day you spent in this atelier with the man that shattered your heart.
Qifrey swallows thickly as he remembers the broken expression on your face. The feeling of your finger hitting him as his heart skips a beat and not in a good way. Yet the worst part was how your words struck him.
“So you really did mess it up.” Olruggio stands behind with his arms crossed.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You better fix it somehow.” Olruggio grabs an apple before heading back towards his room.
“I’ll fix this somehow.” He looks at the stairs you just walked up, “Please just give me some more time.”
***
The last day was sad for you. You spend extra time with the girls. Hugging them tightly as they celebrating a successful spell, brushing their hair for a longer time, and today you ate with them but sitting by them instead of the boys.
They had the biggest of smiles on their faces, you feel bad that those are going to be replaced with a sadder expression.
You even gave Olruggio a hug, but you played it off as a thank you for doing the dishes. You hugged him tightly but nothing that’s too long, so the others aren’t suspicious.
Standing in your room, everything is folded nicely on the bed so they don’t have to worry about cleaning it. All your stuff is in the bag you are holding.
Taking a deep breath you open the door to your room for the last time. Heading down the stairs you’re as quietly as you can since it is the middle of the night and you don’t want to wake anyone up then explain what’s going on.
You just need to leave. You can’t be in a place where the man you gave everything too said he doesn’t love you and it didn’t mean anything more than teaching.
As you get to the front door and open it, you hear a noise come from the kitchen. You pause to see if it was just the wind.
Your wish was not answered instead it’s the man you’re running from.
Qifrey brushes his hair back, “Can’t sl- why do you have a bag?”
“I-“
“Are you leaving?”
“Uh.” Is all you manage to get out.
“I-“ he steps towards you grabbing your bag, “Why are you leaving? This is your home.”
“It doesn’t feel like home anymore.” You tell his as you look away, not being able to look him in the eye. “After… after what you said, I can’t stay here anymore.”
“It doesn’t feel like home anymore.”
Your words hit Qifrey deeply. It hurts more than any injury he has gotten or the times he has almost drowned.
“You don’t mean that. I-I built this for us.”
“When you made it sure, but it’s different now.”
“Please you can’t leave-“
“Why so we can kiss and make up so you can get off again?” You snap.
“No-“
“I don’t trust you.”
His voice catches, you can’t mean that. Can you?
“Please say you’re lying.”
You finally glance at him with a sad expression, “I wish I was.”
He rips the bag out of your hands, throws it on the ground before placing his hands on your shoulders to have you fully face him. He has such a serious look in his eyes, something that you haven’t seen in a long time.
“I messed up incredibly. I have regretted every waking and sleeping second since I told you those awful words. I didn’t mean it at all. I was scared. I am scared.”
“Of me?”
“Of disappointing you.” He pulls you closer, you don’t stop him which makes him happier. “I have a lot that goes on in my head and life already, I don’t want to force you into something that could end poorly. I don’t want to give you a life I can’t promise.”
You place your hands on his forearms, squeezing them tightly, “I want everything with you, and always have. I want the good, the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly. I want it all because it wouldn’t matter what happens because I am with you.”
Qifrey hangs his head slightly, “I can’t even promise you that.” He almost says he will have to wipe your memory even more than he does but he can’t tell you. He can’t tell you anything.
“We don’t know what the future holds so we can be bound by words be say now.”
Your words make him hang his head even more. You sigh, “Qifrey. Look at me.”
He does as he’s told, you see his bright blue eye is emphasized by his red accents in his eye. He’s close to crying.
“Do you want this? Do you want us? If you do… I’ll stay but only if you don’t hide your feelings anymore.” You straighten slightly, “But if you don’t, then I leave here and now.”
You move his hands off your shoulders, taking a step back.
“Your choice.”
He doesn’t hesitate in his steps, he closes the distance pulling you into a tight hug.
“You.”
“I will always choose you.”
You let out the breath you’ve been holding, it’s shaky and uneven just because you honestly didn’t know what he was going to choose. You wrap your arms around him and bury yourself into his chest.
You missed this so much. You know you were part of the reason of the physical distance, yet it never crossed your mind that you two would be in this position again.
***
You wake up the next morning with Qifrey already awake gazing down at you.
“What?” You ask while you rub the sleepiness out of your eyes.
He waits for you to finish before having you face him, “I love you.”
Your jaw drops, “You don’t have to say it because-“
“I love you.”
“Qifrey.”
“I truly do.” He pushes himself up before helping you sit up and positioning you in his lap. “Always have, just was too nervous to say anything.”
“You mean it?”
“I promise.”
You smile down at him. You lean in to kiss his forehead, then his right cheek, then his left cheek, and landing the last one on his chin.
“You missed!” He whines.
Shaking your head, leaning in stopping a few inches away from his lips, “I love you.” You tell him before finally kissing his lips.
He smiles into the kiss as he tightens his hands on your thighs. He pulls back after a few seconds, “Thank you for staying.”
You spent so long alone you had forgotten that noises of pain are typically addressed.
You’ve been an omega for as long as you’ve been alone (…unfortunatley correlated), so every heat or sickness you’ve just had to deal with. Your typical set up once you feel the early onset of whatever ailment is to sequester away into your nest and just rot there until the problem is gone.
Is that pleasant? No. But what else could you do? Heat is all-consuming and inescapable and everyone knows omegas don’t deal with sickness well. You can barely stand let alone get yourself food or medicine. So sitting alone, curled up, whimpering away, is a very familiar feeling for you.
That is until you join the 141.
It had snuck up on you, a little twinge in the back of your head slowly spreading into a crown of pain. Slow enough that you were like a frog in boiling water, didn’t realize untill it was too late.
The fatigue threw itself on you all too quickly after that, and then the sniffles. You knew it would happen eventually, new environment and all, but you were hoping you might get away with it. Not your heat—thank god you still had some months before that was due—but a flu. Having to explain why you were down for the count to your new captain sounded like worse torture than how you currently felt, so you were more determined than usual to hide away.
As quickly and subtly as you could, you grabbed a whole box of granola bars and a jug of water, knowing that was the only way you were going to be getting sustenance, before hurrying into your room to go die for the next week. Price would just have to deal with you absence and you would explain later.
By the time you got yourself semi-set up, food and water within reach and tucked tightly into your nest, the pain was a living thing. Fever bloomed beneath your skin, causing illogical shaking and chills despite the mountain of blankets that surrounded you. The headache was pounding now, twinging your temples with every beat of your heart, and you couldn’t breathe through the sniffles anymore. Who could really blame you for the sad, keening whimper you let out?
You didn’t give it a second thought, par for the course in your mind, but you must’ve been way louder than you though because it wasn’t even a minute later when there was a pounding on your door.
It made you let out another whimper with the way the vibrations made your head pound. That wasn’t the right move, though, because it just made the pounding get more frantic.
“Sergeant?” You could barely make it out between the pounding in your head, the pile of blankets muffling your ears, and the real life pounding, but it sounded like your Captain. Or maybe Lieutenant Riley? Actually, were there multiple voices outside your door?
Whatever, it didn’t matter, you weren’t going to answer. You just burrowed yourself deeper under the warm comforter and tried to muffle your whines better. Maybe they’d leave you alone.
You were almost able to ignore the pounding and chatter, but the sound of wood cracking was a little less subtle.
“Hmmrph?” Your whimper transformed into a sound of confusion as you tried to lift your head to investigate, but the pile of blankets interrupted your view.
You understand what happened when the voices suddenly got much louder, like right outside your nest loud. They broke down the door.
“‘Mega?” A soft, sweet, Scottish voice cooed, gently pulling away the layers from your eyes.
He looked incredibly hesitant—as he should given how improper and frankly dangerous it can be to enter an omega’s space uninvited. Luckily for him, you were in no shape to fight him on his presence. You weren’t even mad. Some part of you was just incredibly happy to see him—the part of you that was aching for someone to take care of you and knew he would do a great job.
When you made eye contact and he saw your wet eyes and trembling lip he swore he could feel his heart crack.
“Ohhh, sweetheart, why didnae you say something?” He lets go of any inhibitions, his instincts overriding it all with the absolute desire to take your pain away.
His big arms sweep under you, picking you up, blankets and all, to slide under you and then plop you back down on his chest. You take a second to soak in his heat and scent, which both immediately cut through some of your pain somehow. Causing your body to relax as your mind sends out ‘safe’ signals. Only with this new angle do you see that it was not only Soap who was concerned. Rather, the rest of your team is eagerly awaiting your reaction, like it will be the go-ahead for them to join too.
You can’t form words, you just melt deeper into Soap and let out another whine, this time a more satisfied one which seems to be all the cue they need.
Suddenly, they’re all there. Swiping sweat from your forehead, speaking sweet words, climbing into the mess of blankets, bringing water for you to sip. Normally, maybe, it would make you overwhelmed or feel coddled, but it had been so long since anyone gave enough of a shit to take care of you, that you couldn’t help but preen under their care.
“Right, let’s get you fixed up, love, hmm? How’s that sound?” You’ve never heard your captain’s voice so soft, nor have you known his hands to be so gentle as he pulls your hair off your slick forehead. You immediately miss his hands when he pulls away to grab medicine, but you figure he’s doing the right thing.
Simon somehow wriggles himself next to Johnny, equally cradling you and him both and adding to the warmth of the nest. It feels like the perfect heating pad.
“Don’t hide when you’re hurt,” Simon whispers to you, sounding wounded. “Trust us to help you. Please.” You’ve never heard him ask something so desperately before.
You can’t even bring yourself to mind Kyle’s chastising.
“Thought you’d try and be tough and handle it alone, bug?” He places a cool cloth on your forehead, thumb caressing your cheek, “you don’t gotta do that with us around. Let us take care of it, alright?”
Your lip quirks up, breath finally stabilizing and allowing your eyes to close, body resting and safe for the first time in a very long time.
Thinking of vampire kings nj and sj with their darling little fledgling our m/c, who has only just started to toe the edge of the nest and contemplating full maturation as a vampire after 50 years of being coddled and dressed and doted on. And it’s not that she doesn’t love sleeping and suckling from just their throats
(please imagine her cute little night dress hiked up, their hands on the back of her head urging her close to their throats, a little bit of blood dripping down to stain the fine lace lapped up by their other watching over them patiently. Hungery red eyes hardly blinking as they drink down the intimate sight of their fledgling- /theirs/ twin bites on either side of her neck- taking her fill until she turns sleepy and blood drunk. Smacking her lips and whining for more) b
ut that simply won’t due- because most vampires take 150 years to mature. At /least/ their other fledglings hoseokie and yoongi have only just left the nest, and still regularly check in once a month or so (mere minutes to them) but she thinks She’s so strong now! So unlike how she was when she was a little human (sickly, probably saved for that reason, she already looked vamping enough)
but the world has changed so much since she turned and she wants to see it now- not later! And at first Jin and Namjoon toy with the idea of orchestrating some scary accident (perfectly controlled by them of course) that would lead to her running back into their arms- and maybe that works for a time- but their poor little fledgling is so beautiful and brave. Until they think of the perfect solution.
And there comes tiger hybrid tae the perfect solution to the m/c/ dilemma - hybrids- maybe they don’t age so long as they’re fed a compelling diet of vampire blood. And tae- as a tiger hybrid is incredibly rare. That along with being an alpha and identifying the m/c as his ‘omega’ always has him trailing after her in his big 900lb tiger form, all but pawing at her skirt or gripping it gently in his jaw and herding her back to her bedroom. Sometimes even gently nipping at her when he means business. Just thinking of his grumbles and how warm he feels compared to her undead body. So delicious and cozy.
And I bet Tae is so good, always keeping her company and right where she’s meant to be whenever her sires are away at court. I’m imagining them coming home after their first trip to find her stuck on his knot pinned to the bed, face blissed out and hiccuping as he growls over top of her- a growl that becomes a purr when he spots their sires. And nj and sj do nothing but coo and pet behind taes ears while he starts up again. Also imagining them putting him in a pretty little collar at court too.
I bet they’re so pleased with how well Tae worked the might just get her a few more pets to play with, maybe wolf hybrid jungkookie and dragon hybrid jiminie- an impossibly rare hybrid fit for a princess. Both of them equally as interested in coveting the m/c as the rest of their little coven.
Qifrey and Olruggio run a daycare center and you’re taking over drop-offs and pick-ups in place of Coco’s parents because they’re so busy at work.
wc:4.4k
next part
The first thing Qifrey noticed every morning was who walked through the front door.
Some parents rushed in with a coffee in one hand and their child’s backpack in the other. Others lingered, accepting one more hug before heading off to work. A few children arrived still half-asleep, clinging to a favorite blanket, while others burst through the doors with enough energy to wake the entire building.
He greeted every one of them with the same warm smile.
“Good morning, Tetia.”
“Agott, I see you’ve brought another rock for your collection.”
“Richeh, your dinosaur socks are different colors today.”
“They’re supposed to be.”
“Of course they are.”
The daycare erupted into cheerful laughter. Behind the reception desk, Olruggio glanced over the attendance sheet without looking up.
“You’ve got ten minutes before the paint comes out.”
“It’ll be nine.”
“You said that yesterday.”
“And was I wrong?”
“…No.”
The familiar chime above the entrance interrupted their conversation.
“Coco!” Qifrey beamed.
A little girl in bright yellow rain boots barreled through the doorway, abandoning all sense of decorum as she sprinted across the room.
“Mr. Qifrey!”
He crouched just in time for her to throw herself into his arms.
“Good morning, sunshine.”
“I brought stickers!”
“So I see.”
She proudly held up an entire sheet of glittering stars.
“For everyone.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.”
For nearly a year, Coco had been one of the first children to arrive each morning and for nearly a year, she had always come with her father. He was punctual, friendly, and never forgot to remind Coco to use her indoor voice, a reminder that never seemed to work.
Qifrey had grown used to their routine. So when the bell chimed again the following Monday, he barely looked up from the attendance clipboard.
“Good morning, Co—”
Instead of Coco’s father stood a woman he had never seen before.
She couldn’t have been much older than him, dressed neatly for work with a tote bag over one shoulder and Coco’s tiny backpack dangling from the other. She looked slightly flustered, as though she’d spent the entire drive convincing a five year old to wear matching socks.
The moment Coco spotted him, she wriggled free. “Mr. Qifrey!”
“There she is.” He laughed as he caught her effortlessly. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
“I wanted pancakes.”
“You always want pancakes.”
“They’re yummy.”
“I suppose that’s a fair argument.”
Only then did he turn his attention back to you. You smiled apologetically.
“Sorry. She gets excited.”
“I’d be worried if she didn’t.” He shifted Coco onto his hip before extending his free hand. “I’m Qifrey.”
You accepted it. “[name].”
“It’s lovely to meet you.”
There was a brief pause. Then, with his usual easy smile, he said,
“It’s nice to finally meet Coco’s mother.”
You blinked. “Oh.”
A laugh escaped you before you could stop it.
“No, I’m actu—”
Coco tugged frantically on your sleeve. “I forgot my lunch!”
You looked down. Sure enough, the little pink lunchbox was still hanging from your arm.
“Oh, goodness.”
As you knelt to hand it over, Tetia appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
“Coco! Come see my fairy drawing!”
“It needs more sparkles,” Agott declared from across the room.
“It does not!”
“It absolutely does.”
Within seconds, Coco had disappeared into the classroom, dragged away by her friends before either of you could say another word. You stood, brushing your hands together.
“Well… I should probably get going.”
Qifrey smiled. “Have a wonderful day.”
“You too.”
The front door closed behind you. For a moment, Qifrey simply watched through the window as you crossed the parking lot.
“Nice woman,” he murmured.
Olruggio snorted from behind the counter.“Who?”
“Coco’s mom.”
Olruggio glanced up for half a second before returning to the attendance forms.
“Hm.”
The conversation ended there. Neither of them noticed the emergency contact binder lying open on the desk. Under Relationship to Child, next to your neatly printed name, were two simple words.
Maternal Aunt.
By the second day, Qifrey was convinced of one thing. Coco had inherited her smile from you. It was the same kind, bright without trying, the sort that made people smile back before they even realized they were doing it.
Tuesday mornings were always busier than Mondays. One child refused to let go of their father’s leg. Another proudly marched in carrying a worm they’d found outside. Tetia had already convinced three of her classmates that today was “Princess Day,” despite nobody else receiving the memo. The daycare buzzed with the usual controlled chaos. Right on schedule, the front door chimed.
Coco burst inside first. “Mr. Qifrey!”
He barely had enough time to crouch before she wrapped her arms around his neck “Good morning.”
“I drew you something!”
She shoved a folded piece of paper into his hands before running off to find Tetia. Qifrey laughed softly before unfolding it. It was a crayon drawing. Him. Coco. A sun with sunglasses. He wasn’t entirely sure why the sun had sunglasses.
“It’s because he’s cool.” You say.
He looked up to find you smiling.
“She explained it to me all morning.”
“I should’ve known.”
You both laughed. “You’ve survived another morning?”
“Barely.” You rubbed your temple dramatically. “She insisted her stuffed brushbuddy needed breakfast before she did.”
“That’s understandable.”
“You agree with her?”
“I think the brushbuddy would’ve been quite hungry.”
You stared at him for a moment before shaking your head. “I see why she likes you so much.”
The compliment slipped out so naturally that neither of you seemed to notice.
“Well,” he replied with a small smile, “I like having her here.”
For just a second, neither of you spoke.
“MR. QIFREY!”
A shrill voice echoed from the art room. He sighed.
“…That sounded urgent.”
“It usually is.”
He excused himself with an apologetic smile before disappearing down the hallway. You watched him go. Not because he was particularly handsome
Though…he was... but that wasn’t the point.
It was the way every child instinctively reached for him. The way he knelt until he was eye level with them. The way he listened like every tiny problem was the most important thing in the world.
It wasn’t something you saw often. Most adults talked to children. Qifrey talked with them. You found yourself smiling before heading back to your car. By afternoon pickup, the daycare had settled into a calmer rhythm. The children were scattered around the room, coloring quietly while soft music played in the background.
You stepped inside just as Coco proudly held up a paper crown.
“Auntie! Look!”
“It’s beautiful.”
“I made one for Mr. Qifrey too!”
Sure enough, a matching crown sat crookedly atop Qifrey’s white hair. He looked utterly ridiculous. He wore it with complete confidence.
“It suits you,” you teased.
“I’ve been informed I’m the King of Snack Time.”
“That’s a prestigious title.”
“I worked very hard for it.”
“I can tell.”
Neither of you noticed Olruggio walking past carrying a stack of folded blankets. He looked from Qifrey to you then to the paper crowns.
“…Huh.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” He kept walking.
Qifrey frowned after him. “He’s been strange all afternoon.”
From the laundry room, Olruggio called back without missing a beat. “I always act like this.”
“…He’s right,” Qifrey admitted. “He is.”
You laughed. It was easy. Too easy. The sound lingered in the room long after it faded. For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, Qifrey hoped tomorrow morning would come quickly.
Wednesday morning arrived with a thunderstorm. Rain pattered against the daycare windows, turning the playground into a sea of puddles that had already become the subject of disappointed protests from several children.
“No outside time?” Tetia gasped.
“I’m afraid not,” Qifrey said sympathetically.
“But the puddles need us!”
“I think they’ll manage until tomorrow.”
“They’ll miss us.”
He bit back a smile. “I’ll let them know.”
The front door chimed. Qifrey looked up instinctively. There you were, balancing an umbrella in one hand while Coco happily stomped through every puddle she could find before reaching the entrance.
“Auntie, look!”
Splash.
“I saw.”
Splash.
“I jumped higher that time!”
“You certainly did.”
By the time the two of you stepped inside, the hem of Coco’s raincoat was dotted with muddy water. Qifrey chuckled as he handed her a towel.
“Looks like someone found every puddle.”
“They were calling my name.”
“Were they?”
“Mhm.”
You gave him an apologetic smile. “I tried to stop her.”
“I believe you.” He crouched, gently drying Coco’s boots before helping her out of her raincoat. “You’ve got a busy day today?”
You nodded. “Meeting after meeting.”
“I hope it goes smoothly.”
“Me too.”
Before either of you could continue, the office phone rang.
“I’ll be right back,” Qifrey said.
Olruggio wandered over from the art room just as Qifrey disappeared into the office. “You can leave Coco’s extra clothes here.”
“Thanks.”
You knelt beside Coco’s cubby, pulling out a neatly folded change of clothes.
Olruggio glanced at the label inside the backpack.
“Looks like her dad remembered the spare socks this time.”
“He almost forgot.” You laughed. “My brother would’ve driven halfway to work before realizing.”
Olruggio paused. “…Your brother?”
“Yeah.”
“Coco’s dad?”
You looked up. “Mhm.”
“Oh.” Olruggio looked toward the office where Qifrey had just disappeared. The corner of his mouth twitched. “Oh, this is going to be good.”
“…What is?”
Before he could answer, Qifrey returned, setting the phone back on its cradle.
“Everything alright? It was just one of the parents calling.”
He smiled at you. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay.”
Olruggio casually leaned against the reception desk, arms folded. “So.”
Qifrey looked at him. “So?”
“You know Coco’s aunt?”
Qifrey nodded. “Of course.”
Olruggio raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”
“…Yes.”
“You sure?”
Qifrey frowned.
“I’ve been talking to her all week.”
“No, you’ve been talking to who you thought she was.”
The room fell strangely quiet. You looked between them, confused. Qifrey blinked.
“…I’m afraid you’ve lost me.”
Olruggio looked positively delighted.
“You thought she was Coco’s mom.”
Qifrey slowly turned toward you. You offered him an awkward little smile.
“I… may have tried to tell you on Monday.”
His eyes widened. “…What?”
“But Coco interrupted.”
“I…”
“And then every other time, something happened.”
Qifrey’s ears began turning pink. He looked absolutely horrified.
“Oh…” He covered his face with one hand.“Oh, dear. I am so sorry.”
You couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped you.
“It’s alright.”
“No, it’s really not.”
“It honestly became kind of funny.”
“I called you her mother.”
“More than once.”
“I complimented your parenting.”
“You did.”
“I told another parent Coco looked like you.”
“You also did that.”
Qifrey let out the quietest groan imaginable.“I think I’d like to disappear now.”
You laughed harder, the sound bright enough to fill the lobby.
“It’s okay, Qifrey.”
He lowered his hand just enough to peek at you.
“You’ve been laughing about this?”
“A little.”
“A little?”
“Mostly because you looked so confident every time.”
His shoulders slumped in defeat. “I was, wasn’t I?”
“You really were.”
Even Olruggio couldn’t hold back anymore. A low chuckle escaped him as he shook his head.
“I figured you’d eventually read the emergency contact forms.”
Qifrey froze. “…The forms.”
“The forms.” Olruggio repeated.
“I…”
He looked toward the binder sitting innocently on the reception desk.
“…I never looked past the first page.”
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“I know you.”
You smiled at the two of them, slipping Coco’s backpack onto her cubby hook.
“For what it’s worth,” you said, “I don’t mind being mistaken for her mom.”
Qifrey looked up. “You don’t?”
“No.” You shrugged with an easy smile. “I love her like she’s my own.”
Something in his expression softened. Not because of the misunderstanding. Because of the sincerity in your voice. He’d always known Coco was a happy child. Now he understood why. She had an entire family who loved her enough to rearrange their lives for her. Including the aunt who now stood in front of him, rain speckled from the morning commute, smiling as though accidentally embarrassing him was the funniest thing to happen all week.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, he found himself smiling back. The misunderstanding had changed something. Not in an awkward way. If anything, it made everything feel lighter.
“Good morning, Coco.”
Thursday morning arrived just as every other weekday had. Coco ran straight into the classroom after a quick hug from Qifrey, proudly announcing she’d brought enough crayons “for everybody this time.” The moment she disappeared around the corner, an unusual silence settled between the two adults standing by the reception desk.
Qifrey cleared his throat. “…Good morning.”
You smiled. “Good morning.”
Olruggio, who had been reorganizing cubbies a few feet away, glanced over once.
Painful.
He went back to work.
Qifrey rubbed the back of his neck. “I realized…”
“Hm?”
“I never actually welcomed you properly.”
“You didn’t?”
“The first time I greeted you, it was as Coco’s mother.”
A laugh escaped you. “I suppose that’s true.”
“So…” He offered his hand again, though this time it was accompanied by an amused smile. “I’m Qifrey. Coco’s daycare guardian.”
You looked at his outstretched hand before taking it. “It’s nice to meet you, Qifrey.I’m [name]. Coco’s aunt.”
“Likewise.”
You both laughed.
“I think this introduction went much better.”
“I’d say so.”
Neither of you seemed in any hurry to let go. It was only when a tiny voice shouted—
“MR. QIFREY, HE ATE THE GLUE!”
—that you both realized your hands were still joined.
You let go first. “I should…”
“Yes.”
“I’ll see you this afternoon.”
“I’ll be here.”
As you walked out the door, Qifrey caught himself watching you through the front window. Again.
“…”
He sighed to himself.
Pull yourself together.
“You’re staring.”
Qifrey nearly jumped. Olruggio was standing beside him, holding a roll of paper towels.
“I wasn’t.”
“You watched her drive away.”
“I was looking outside.”
“You smiled.”
“I smile all the time.”
“Not like that.”
Qifrey busied himself straightening a stack of coloring books. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hm.” Olruggio wasn’t convinced.
Not even a little. That afternoon, pickup was unusually quiet. Most of the children had already gone home, leaving only Coco and Agott sitting at a small table with a thousand-piece puzzle that absolutely did not have a thousand pieces. You stepped through the door just as Qifrey was helping Coco zip up her little cardigan.
“There you are.”
“Sorry I’m a few minutes late.”
“You made excellent time.”
“You don’t have to be nice.”
“I wasn’t.” He smiled. “I was honest.”
Coco looked between the two of you. Then, with all the subtlety of a five year old, she grinned.
“Mr. Qifrey!”
“Yes?”
“You and Auntie are talking lots now.”
The room fell silent. You felt your face warm. Qifrey blinked.
“We… are.”
“I think that’s nice.” Coco beamed.
“So do I,” Tetia announced from under the reading table.
Agott looked up from the puzzle. “I thought everyone knew.”
“Knew what?” you asked.
Tetia crawled out, dusting imaginary dirt from her knees. “Mr. Qifrey always smiles when Coco’s Auntie comes!”
“I smile all the time. ” Qifrey replied a touch too quickly.
She looked him dead in the eye. “It’s actually much worse.”
Olruggio chose that exact moment to walk through the doorway carrying a box of art supplies. He took one look at Qifrey’s increasingly pink face, the three children staring at him expectantly, and you trying very hard not to laugh.
“…What’d I miss?”
Without missing a beat, Agott answered, “Mr. Qifrey has a crush.”
The box slipped from Olruggio’s hands. Markers scattered across the floor. Silence. Absolute, crushing silence.
Qifrey’s eyes widened. “I—I do not—I mean—”
Words failed him completely. You bit your lip, trying and failing to hide your smile. Olruggio slowly crouched to pick up the markers.
“…Kids really do say the funniest things.”
There was just enough amusement in his voice that Qifrey shot him a pleading look.
Don’t.
Olruggio only smirked. He wasn’t about to rescue him. Not this time. The children forgot about it by the next morning. Qifrey did not. Every time he thought about Agott’s declaration,
“Mr. Qifrey has a crush.”
he felt the tips of his ears warm all over again.
Objectively, it was ridiculous. Children made things up all the time…right?
“Mr. Qifrey?”
He blinked. Coco was standing in front of him, lunchbox in hand.
“You forgot my sticker.”
“I did, didn’t I?”
He smiled apologetically before reaching into the desk drawer. Every child received a sticker at drop off. It had become one of the daycare’s little traditions. Coco always chose the sparkliest one. Today, she proudly selected a glittery frog.
“Excellent choice.”
“Thank you!”
She beamed before skipping off toward the reading corner. The bell above the entrance chimed. Qifrey looked up. There you were.
“Morning.”
“Good morning.”
You stepped inside carrying an insulated lunch bag and a travel mug.
“I think someone forgot this.” You held up a navy blue thermos.
Qifrey stared. “…That’s mine.”
“It was sitting on top of Coco’s cubby.”
He accepted it with both hands. “I didn’t even realize I’d left it.”
“I figured.” You smiled. “You strike me as the type who remembers everyone else’s things before your own.”
He laughed softly. “…You’ve only known me for a week.”
“And am I wrong?”
He glanced down at the thermos before shaking his head. “…No.”
“You would’ve probably noticed by lunchtime.”
“Probably.”
“But then you wouldn’t have had any coffee.”
“…That would’ve been tragic.”
“It would’ve.”
For a brief moment, neither of you moved. It was nice. Comfortably quiet. The kind of silence that didn’t feel like it needed filling.
“You know,” you said eventually, “Coco talks about you a lot.”
His expression softened. “Does she?”
“Mhm.”
“Should I be worried?”
You laughed. “Mostly she tells me about the games you make up.”
“The pirate treasure hunt?”
“Apparently it lasted three days.”
“It was a very difficult treasure to find.”
“She came home insisting our living room was haunted by sea monsters.”
“…That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“I don’t think she minded.”
“I hope not.”
“Actually…” You smiled fondly. “I haven’t seen her this excited about daycare before.”
He looked toward the classroom, where Coco was helping Tetia build an impossibly tall tower from wooden blocks.
“I’m glad.”
“No.” Your voice grew quieter. “I’m grateful.”
He turned back to you.
“My brother’s promotion has him leaving before sunrise. My sister gets home after dinner most nights. So…” You shrugged. “I worried Coco would feel…forgotten.”
The words hung gently between you.
“But every evening…she tells me a new story.”
“‘Mr. Qifrey read us a dragon book.’”
“‘Mr. Qifrey helped me paint a rainbow.’”
“‘Mr. Qifrey said I was brave because I tried broccoli.’”
A smile tugged at your lips. “I don’t think she realizes it yet…but you’ve made this transition so much easier for her.”
Qifrey wasn’t sure what to say. Compliments from parents happened often. They thanked him. Brought homemade cookies. Wrote holiday cards, but hearing it from you…Somehow, it settled differently. He looked down with a sheepish smile.
“I just want the children to feel safe here.”
“I know, and they do.” Your answer came without hesitation. “They really do.”
The bell over the door jingled again as Agott arrived with her older sister. Duty called.
“I should—”
“Of course.”
He gave you an apologetic smile. “I’ll see you this afternoon?”
“You will.”
You started toward the door before stopping.“Oh.”
“Hm?”
“I almost forgot.”
From your tote bag, you pulled out a small paper bag. “My brother baked too many blueberry muffins yesterday.”
“I don’t believe that’s possible.”
“I said the same thing.” You held the bag out. “He insisted I bring these for everyone here.”
Qifrey accepted it carefully. The warmth still lingered through the paper.
“You’ll have to thank him for us.”
“I will.”
“And…” He looked up. “…thank you.”
Your smile returned. “It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t.”
For a heartbeat, neither of you looked away. Then Coco’s voice rang through the daycare.
“Auntie!”
You both got startled before laughing at the same time.
“I really should go now,” you said.
“I suppose you should.”
You gave a little wave.
“Bye, Qifrey.”
“…Bye [name].”
The door closed behind you. Qifrey remained where he stood, the warm paper bag still in his hands. Olruggio appeared beside him a moment later, carrying a basket of clean towels, he had already helped with Agott since Qifrey was taking a while.
“…You gonna stand there all morning?”
Qifrey blinked. “What?”
“You’ve been smiling at a bag of muffins for a solid thirty seconds.”
Qifrey immediately looked down. “…I have not.”
“You absolutely have.” Olruggio peeked into the bag. “Blueberry?”
“Yeah…she remembered my favorite.” Qifrey froze. “I…I never told her that.”
Olruggio slowly looked up at him. Then toward the front door. Then back at him.
“Huh.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
By Friday, your morning routine had become second nature. Wake Coco up. Convince her that, yes, she really did have to brush her teeth. Pack her lunch. Double check her backpack. Leave the apartment before she remembered the stuffed rabbit she’d inevitably forgotten.
“You have brushbuddy?”
Coco patted her backpack proudly. “Mhm!”
“And your lunch?”
“Mhm!”
“Water bottle?”
“…”
“Coco.”
She gasped dramatically. “I forgot!”
You laughed as you retrieved the bottle from the kitchen counter.
“I thought so.”
The bell above the daycare door chimed. Qifrey looked up almost immediately. He told himself it was because he always greeted families as they arrived. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it was almost eight thirty or that you usually arrived at eight twenty eight.
“Good morning,” he greeted.
“Morning.” You smiled as Coco wriggled out of your grasp.
She didn’t even make it three steps before she tripped over absolutely nothing.
“Oh!”
Qifrey caught her before she could hit the floor.
“There we go.”
Coco looked up at him sheepishly. “I meant to do that.”
“I’m sure you did.”
“I was practicing.”
“For the Olympics?”
“The Running Olympics.”
“I’ll be cheering for you.”
She giggled before taking off again, this time at a slightly safer speed. You let out a quiet sigh.
“I swear she has endless energy.”
“It tends to rub off on everyone else.”
Qifrey’s eyes drifted toward the classroom, where Tetia was already trying to organize a game involving scarves, stuffed animals, and a cardboard box.
“…Case in point.”
You laughed. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“Do what?”
“Keep up with all of them.”
He considered the question. “I don’t think about keeping up.”
“No?”
“I just join them.”
You tilted your head. “What do you mean?”
“If they’re pretending the playground is a pirate ship…it becomes a pirate ship. If we’re reading about dragons…there are dragons.”
“No wonder Coco adores you.”
His heart gave an embarrassing little skip. He was saved from answering by Olruggio, who emerged from the supply room carrying a folded play mat.
“You left your coffee in the microwave.”
Qifrey blinked. “Again?”
“Again.”
He looked at you with a sheepish grin. “I’ve been doing that a lot lately.”
“You have.” Olruggio didn’t even look up. “Three times this week.”
“I’ve just been busy.”
“Hm.”
Olruggio’s reply was so unconvinced that you had to bite the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from laughing.
That afternoon, rain forced everyone inside again. The children had turned the dramatic play corner into a pretend grocery store. Tetia was the cashier. Agott insisted on being “quality control.” Coco had somehow become the manager. When you arrived, you found Qifrey standing at the tiny plastic checkout counter while Coco scanned a toy banana across a wooden block.
“That’ll be… um…” She frowned in concentration. “…seventy two dollars.”
Qifrey nodded solemnly. “That explains the price.”
You covered your mouth, trying not to laugh. Qifrey noticed you first.
“Ah, perfect timing.”
He reached into the tiny shopping basket beside him and held up a plush carrot.
“I was just about to buy dinner.”
“That’s an expensive carrot,” you teased.
“It is if Coco’s in charge.”
“I heard that!” Coco called. “It’s premium!”
“I stand corrected.”
You wandered closer, crouching beside the play counter. “I’d like to buy an apple.”
Coco’s face lit up. “Okay!”
She immediately abandoned Qifrey in favor of helping you. He stepped aside with a laugh, making room. As the children busied themselves ringing up imaginary groceries, you found yourself standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Neither of you spoke. There wasn’t much room behind the tiny counter. Your sleeves brushed. Just barely.
Neither of you moved away.
“You know…” you murmured, watching Coco carefully wrap a wooden apple in tissue paper, “I was nervous about bringing her.”
Qifrey glanced at you.
“My brother found this daycare before his promotion. I was worried she wouldn’t adjust to me doing the drop offs instead.”
He listened quietly.
“But every morning…” You smiled to yourself.
“…she can’t wait to get here.”
“That’s because she knows someone’s excited to see her.” His words were gentle.
As though it were the simplest thing in the world.
You looked at him. “And she’s right.”
Your eyes met. The laughter of the children faded into the background. For just a moment, it felt as though the two of you were the only adults in the room.
“…Mr. Qifrey?”
The spell broke. He turned.
“Yes, Coco?”
She held up two pieces of construction paper taped together.
“Look!”
Across the front, in enormous, uneven crayon letters, she had written:
MR. QIFREY + AUNTIE = BEST FRIENDS
Decorated with far more hearts than either of you thought necessary. The room went completely silent. You stared at the sign. Qifrey stared at the sign. Then, very slowly, both of you looked at Coco. She smiled proudly.
“I made it because you’re always happy when Auntie comes.”
Before either of you could recover, Olruggio walked in carrying a fresh box of crayons. He glanced at the sign. Then at the two of you. Then back at the sign.
“…Best friends, huh?” A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I think the kids are being pretty conservative.”
Qifrey let out the longest, most defeated sigh of his life. “…Olruggio.”
“What?”
“I’m just reading the artwork.”
a/n: this is happening simultaneously with the Olruggio one. I thought it would be fun if they were in the same timeline 😋 and yes Easthies will have his turn too
