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For all the course of his life - or at least the part he could remember - Qifrey tried to avoid dealing with his second gender as much as he could. He’d known he was an omega ever since Beldaruit rescued him and he had to spend a week in the medical spire. If he was being honest, until he presented, it wasn’t even a problem. Barely a thought passing through his mind every now and then.
When he did present, though, it felt like hell. It had hurt so bad, forcing him to be bedridden, and as soon as it was over he begged his master and guardian if there was any way he could not go through that again. That’s how, since age fourteen, he had been on suppressants, and that problem was taken care of.
Being the host of a Silverwood seed meant he could not find comfort in anything, so the only part of being an omega he could enjoy had been ripped from him, meaning Qifrey had never nested once in his life.
Now he was twenty-nine and that seed was gone, and he was once again in the medical spire of the Great Hall. Sinocia had just run some tests on him, and found his body all out of balance.
“Have you ever experienced a heat before?” she asked, looking at her papers.
Qifrey was sitting on the bed in a private room, with Olruggio standing next to him. The girls were left in Beldaruit’s care for the moment.
“Only once, when I presented. After that I started taking suppressants.”
Sinocia hummed. She explained to him how going all these years without a single heat pulled a strain on his system, which was essentially wack, and he needed to stop taking the suppressants and let his body regulate itself and go back - or start, really - to functioning properly.
With that, Sinocia discharged him, and together with Olruggio they went to get his students back. When they arrived at Beldaruit’s atelier Qifrey was led by his smoke sculpture to his private room, where he found his apprentices too, minus Richeh.
“She’s with her brother.” Beldaruit reassured him. “They don’t get to see each other very often, so I gave them permission to spend some time together. Don’t worry, they’ll be back shortly.” he added when he saw Qifrey open his mouth to complain. He would’ve liked a headsup, that’s all.
“Master, are you okay?” Agate asked first, with worry in her eyes.
Qifrey reassured her and the other two girls, explaining to them what the doctors said. They knew what suppressants were and what they were used for, he had made a point once in setting aside a lesson to explain what second genders were and how being an alpha or an omega would affect their bodies, and that they would always have a choice when it came down in how to deal with them. They were around the age where first heats and ruts happened, and didn’t want his girls to find themselves unprepared.
“Is that all?” Beldaruit inquired, not fully convinced.
“Well, pretty much, yeah.”
“I see. Girls, why don’t you go to the other room? This old man would like a word with your teacher.” he said with a smile.
Olruggio started to follow behind the girls, but Beldaruit stopped him, telling him he wanted him in there too. Qifrey was confused, and the growing smirk on his former master’s face didn’t bode well. At all.
“So!” He started. “No more suppressants, huh? This means you will have heats again?”
“... I suppose. My body will have to adapt after fifteen years, but I think eventually I will have them again. Why?”
“Is there any reason to believe you’ll grace me with a little grand-apprentice all of your own?” Beldaruit asked, and Qifrey could see little sparkles and flowers forming around him. He didn’t know if he was hallucinating or if it was an actual spell.
Olruggio shrieked out a WHAT?! and his face turned as red as a poisonous mountain apple, and Qifrey was so shocked and embarrassed he froze on the spot. There was no way the man, who would be considered his father by some, had asked that. Just no way.
“What is your problem?!” He managed to yell at last, and he was pretty sure he was red, too, if the heat he felt on his cheeks was any indicator. He quickly pulled out his palm quire, drew a circle and pointed it towards his former teacher, making a jet of water splash in his face. He immediately left after that, gathering his students, with the addition of Richeh who had just returned, and ushered them to the windowway that led to his atelier. Olruggio joined them soon after, having stayed behind to dry off the Wise with his rings.
“Forget he ever said anything.” was all Qifrey told him. Olruggio nodded, looking away.
Back at the atelier, Qifrey gave the girls the rest of the day off from lessons, locking himself up in his room, only coming out when it was time to start preparing dinner. Olruggio didn’t join them that night, and the next morning he acted as if nothing had happened, just like Qifrey asked.
—
A month had passed, and the side effects of being off suppressants had started to show: Qifrey felt restless, not quite knowing what to do with himself. He had tried busying himself by cleaning the entirety of the atelier, but when it was the third day in a row doing so and the feeling still lingered, he knew he had to change tactics. So, he went and tried to rearrange the furniture in their living area.
His apprentices looked at him appalled by the stairs, and even attempted asking if everything was all right and if he needed any help, but Qifrey quickly dismissed them, telling them they didn’t have to worry and he was just in the mood for some changes.
Everything ended up back to their usual spots after none of the repositionings satisfied him enough, and Qifrey slumped on the couch, exhausted and frustrated. There was an itch under his skin he couldn't scratch, and it was starting to get annoying.
“Uhm, Master Qifrey…?”
Qifrey turned around, spotting Coco in a corner. It was evening already, and the atelier had grown darker, the only illumination in the common area being the fireplace currently, and it took him a while to make out the girl’s shape as she stood in the shade.
“Yes, Coco? Are you hungry? I will start on dinner right away-”
“Ah, no, this wasn’t what I wanted to talk about!”
Qifrey stared at her, giving her a nod to encourage her to go on.
“You’ve seemed… tense, the last few days. And I was wondering if maybe it was because you were feeling the need to nest.”
Huh.
That was. An interesting thought.
It hadn’t crossed his mind.
Qifrey smiled at her sweetly. “Thank you, Coco, you always worry so much for me. However, I don’t need you to worry about all this adult stuff, okay?”
“It’s just because- my mom used to get all jittery too when she had the urge to nest, so I thought maybe the same was happening to you, too.”
Ah, Coco. Cute, sweet Coco. She was so kind, always thinking about everyone’s wellbeing. It made Qifrey want to squeeze her in a tight hug. He had to mentally refrain himself from doing so, though. Coco excused herself after that, retreating to her room.
Qifrey took a deep breath, thinking about what she had just said. Could it really be that what he needed to calm this itch inside was to nest? He had never nested before, and didn’t know where to start. He didn’t know the first thing about nesting. He knew it had to be comfortable, and he was working on making his bed cozier for himself: he even added a second pillow and a comforter!
He nodded to himself, surely he just had to adjust things a bit and the uneasy feeling would go away!
—
It did not go well.
Qifrey had plumped up his two pillows, tucked his brand new bedsheets and comforter in the corners of his bed, it was a perfectly made and comfortable bed if you asked him, and still it did nothing to quell the restlessness inside him.
Whisking the batter faster, he didn’t realise someone else had joined him in the kitchen, jumping when Olruggio greeted him, saving the bowl’s content by a second. He greeted Olruggio back, returning to his ministrations without lingering too much on him. Beldaruit’s words still hadn’t left his mind, and for the past few weeks looking at his friend had been. Difficult, to say the least.
As if on cue, Olruggio took his place on his left side, leaning against the counter and looking at him, almost studying the way he moved and how he avoided turning to look at him.
“You’ve been… on edge, lately.” he said.
“Well it’s not exactly easy.” Qifrey bit back, putting down the bowl harshly and moving to grab a pan.
“I would like to talk.” Olruggio posed it as a request, but it felt more like an imposition.
“I don’t have time. I’m making breakfast.”
“Which is exactly why I chose this moment, so you could not run away.”
“I told you to forget what Beldaruit said, and-” before he could add anything else, four sets of feet waltzed inside the kitchen, who with an excited skip in her steps, who slower than the others, still not fully awake.
Olruggio gave him a look that held a we’re not done here in it, and started to set the table so they could all eat their breakfast. After they were done, Qifrey gave him a smile, asking if he could take care of the dishes right in front of the girls, so he could not refuse. He walked with the girls in the common area, instructing them to gather their books and materials, when Coco took him aside.
“Master, how did it go?” she asked, with a glint in her eyes.
“Oh, Coco… I recall to have told you not to worry about this matter…” he said, a little exasperated.
Coco looked at him, the excitement in her eyes having vanished a bit.
“Did it not work?”
Qifrey sighed. “Maybe it’s because I’m in a transition, a period of adjustment, so it will take time. Now come on, it’s time to study!”
—
If there was one thing Qifrey knew, it was that Coco was stubborn. She hadn't let go of the matter, and for days had pestered him about possible solutions for his problem. It came to a point where Qifrey gave in to her insistence, and let the girl in his room so she could assess the situation.
To say she was rendered speechless by the conditions of his room was an understatement. She looked around, and Qifrey could see the pity in her eyes, although she tried not to show it. Admittedly, his room was more… frugal than the average person’s. The main reason being the curse he was subjected to for almost all his life. The walls were bare, his bed only had one cover and two pillows, and in a corner was his desk with his personal materials for spellcasting.
“Is this… all?” Coco asked, dejected.
Qifrey's silence was in itself an answer, and Coco sighed, demoralised but not defeated.
“Okay. This will be… a lot of work to do, but we can do this, master!”
“‘We’? Coco, there’s no need to-”
“There is!” She exclaimed. “You deserve a nice and warm and cozy space for yourself, too! We will go to Kalhn on our resting day, and will get you all the stuff you need for a proper nest!”
Coco turned around, leaving Qifrey stunned as she made her way to her room. Everything happened so fast, he didn’t even have the time to react in time with Coco’s ideas.
As agreed (or more like, as ordered by his twelve years old student), the next resting day Qifrey was in Kalhn, and he brought along Agate, Tetia and Richeh, too. He gave them permission to roam freely among the stalls of the market, handing them a bag of money so they could buy something, if needed.
Coco took his hand, guiding him through the stalls that were selling home articles, pointing at this and that.
“My mom always made the best nests! I felt so safe in there, snuggled in her arms…” Coco paused, and Qifrey saw a hint of sadness at the memory. “She would use all kinds of blankets and pillows! Really, it never seemed enough!”
With that, Coco started grabbing blankets of all materials and colours, knitted ones, stuffed ones to give the nest extra coziness, light ones to fill eventual gaps.
“We also need pillows!”
His arms soon were filled with pillows of all shapes; square, round, long ones, big and small. He kind of regretted not bringing Olruggio along to help, instead he had told him to stay home and keep working on his commissions.
“Coco, wait! I don’t know where to put all this stuff!”
Luckily, the vendor at the stall was kind enough to put her two sons to work and help him carry everything as Coco grabbed more and more things, even going as far as to help deliver all the items to the atelier once they were done.
She looked proudly at the pile of pillows and blankets standing almost as tall as her in Qifrey’s room, turning to look at him.
“My mom used to include personal things, too, in her nests. Like clothes that belonged to my father, or my baby blankets. Things that still smelled like the people she cared about. You could try doing the same for a more effective result!”
Qifrey was amused by Coco’s enthusiasm, thanking her sincerely for the help she provided.
That night, after dinner, he began his quest to make a proper nest on his nest; rearranging the long pillows at the edges and wrapping cotton sheets around and under them so they stayed in place, then placing the rest of the blankets and pillows how he saw fit. By the end of it he was tired, but satisfied: his nest now looked like a pillow fort, but it was easy to find his way inside it, being engulfed by the warmth.
He woke up feeling rested the next morning, and his mood had greatly improved. Qifrey felt as if something was still missing, though, and he spent the rest of the day musing about what Coco had said about objects that smelled like loved ones.
Qifrey was familiar with the concept of scenting but, for obvious reasons, he never engaged in it, and the suppressants also made so he didn’t need to. It had happened twice that he was given scented items: the first time was about two months after Beldaruit had taken him in. The man thought it would make him feel safer if he owned something with the scent of a trusted one, and so he had gifted him a dragon plushie Qifrey had eyed once while they were taking a stroll in the Great Hall.
He had liked that plushie very much, but whenever he held it close an uncomfortable feeling creeped under his skin, and a migraine would hit him, so he started to believe he was somehow incompatible with Beldaruit’s scent, despite his good intentions. A couple of years later he would discover the real reason.
The second time was something Olruggio had given him. They were older, by then, about fifteen years of age, and they had spent another night out, sneaking with the help of the dark out of the Great Hall. They had slept next to each other on a thin blanket under the vast sky filled with bright stars and, the next day, Olruggio had packed it among Qifrey’s stuff. When asked about it, the young boy nonchalantly said he could keep it, and Qifrey knew it was so he would not make a big deal out of it.
The blanket was steeped in his scent after a night spent sleeping on it. Qifrey still had it.
He opened his drawer to fish it out, giving into his instinct and giving it a sniff. The scent of charcoal he associated with Olruggio was very faint, but it was there. He walked to his nest and put the old blanket in a small cranny next to his pillow.
Something snapped inside him, and suddenly the “Olruggio-scented-articles” weren't enough. And that's how he was now in Olruggio's room, downstairs from his workshop. Qifrey was silently thankful the man wasn't home that day, busy working with a client. He had been avoiding him since the day in Beldaruit’s room, and escaped every attempt the other witch had made to talk to him.
The strong scent of Olruggio permeating the air around him in every corner of the room was driving him crazy, and against his better judgement he was rummaging through his stuff, gathering as many clothes as he could. It was a total invasion of privacy, Qifrey knew this very well, but the thought went to the back of his mind as soon as another shirt smelling so unmistakably of Olruggio was in his hands.
Once he had about five of each of Olruggio's garments between his shirts and gowns, Qifrey stealthily made his way to his bedroom, trying to not get caught by the girls, who were focused studying. He positioned each item in a spot that looked a little too empty, still making sure to distribute them evenly in his nest.
He looked at the nest, proud of his creation, letting out a happy noise. He only hoped Olruggio would find out as late as possible about the stolen clothes.
—
When Olruggio got back it was already dark outside, the girls already had eaten their dinner, and Qifrey was waiting for him in the kitchen.
“Olly!” He called, with way more enthusiasm he had shown the man the past weeks.
Olruggio was by his side in an instant, never able to ignore his childhood friend, no matter how rude he could be. Qifrey smiled at him, welcoming him back home and grabbing a plate for him, setting in on the table and taking his seat, motioning Olruggio to do the same.
“You're in good spirits.” Olruggio noticed, filling his plate with a portion of meat stew.
“That I am! How was your day?”
They chitchatted about their daily activities, with Olruggio complaining about the client always having something to say and not letting Olruggio just install the contraption he had to bring himself all the way there. But at least the pay was good.
“We can bring the girls to buy some new clothes, the new season is approaching and they're growing fast.”
Qifrey chuckled. “You know I get a stipend to take care of stuff like that, right?”
“Yeah, but I also know you spent quite the sum for yourself, the other day.” Olruggio said, crudely.
“Oh…” Qifrey said, and suddenly his mood had soured and his appetite had disappeared.
Olruggio must have noticed, because he quickly added: “I'm not saying it's a bad thing, Qifrey. I'm saying you're low on money. Plus, I enjoy getting out of here if it means spending time with you.”
Ah, crap. Olruggio had said that without thinking, and his face turned a dark shade of red, feeling himself burning. Qifrey blushed, too, his lips turning upwards in a small smile. He got up, grabbing Olruggio by the arm and dragging him to his room, showing him his nest.
“What do you think?” He asked, excitedly.
Olruggio took in the pile of pillows and blankets, examining it. They all varied in shape, size and colour, some plain one in contrast with more elaborated ones, although Olruggio noticed an abundance of star patterned ones.
His eyes darkened with something Qifrey couldn't make out when he spotted a few familiar items badly hidden here and there in the nest. Olruggio's hand found his own, squeezing it tight.
“It looks perfect.”
Qifrey beamed with enthusiasm, and then shyly asked Olruggio if he wanted to lay down in the nest with him. When he nodded, Qifrey walked to his bed, bringing him along by their still conjoined hands. He climbed in the nest, fluffing up some pillows and patting down the spot next to him for his friend. Olruggio removed his heavy belt before joining Qifrey, to be more comfortable as he settled next to him, laying on his side, facing the other.
“It smells like you.” Olruggio said, causing the healthy pink on Qifrey's cheeks to darken. “C'mere.”
Qifrey complied, snuggling closer and into Olruggio's open arms, and suddenly all the stress he had felt the past few weeks washed off of him. He was engulfed in that warm scent, Olruggio's body heat making it difficult to keep his eye open, and tightening his arms around the other's torso and nuzzling his face against his chest, he slipped off to sleep.
The next morning Qifrey woke up from what he considered the best sleep he’d ever had up to that point. Olruggio was still in the nest with him, his chest rising and falling in soft breaths. Qifrey didn’t move, staring at the man slumbering and taking in his features: the dark bags under his eyes ran deep and his beard was more unkempt than usual, but he was still handsome. Olruggio had always been.
Even now, at twenty-nine, he still could pass for someone at least ten years younger, if he shaved his beard. Qifrey hoped he never had to, because he really, really liked Olruggio with his beard. He couldn’t see the blue of his eyes, as they were now closed, so he focused on his eyelashes. The bottom ones were long, long enough to be the first thing Qifrey looked at every time he talked to Olruggio.
If he were to wear makeup, Qifrey thought, they would look even prettier.
With a hand, he caressed his cheek, and Olruggio frowned and groaned, letting out a deep sigh. Qifrey wondered what he was dreaming of, if even in his sleep the burden of commissions was plaguing him.
“I know you’re staring.”
Qifrey squeaked, taken by surprise, immediately retreating the hand that had been resting on Olruggio’s face. He hadn’t even noticed he was awake. Had he been all this time? Or had he woken him up without realising? Qifrey started moving back, he really just wanted to give Olruggio more room to move, but apparently he wasn’t of the same idea because as soon as he started his retreat, Olruggio captured him by locking his arms around him, pulling him back in.
“Nooo!” Olruggio lamented, “Don’t run away from me.”
“I’m not running away from you, Olly. I was just scooting a little back so you could move.”
“You know what I meant.” Olruggio breathed out, low, and Qifrey closed his eye because he really didn’t want to deal with that right now, he just wanted to hug and lay in the nest together. But a part of him knew Olruggio deserved at least an apology.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been unbearably rude to you lately.” he mumbled in Olruggio’s shirt.
Olruggio hummed, squeezing him harder until Qifrey started to struggle out of his grasp for lack of oxygen. Olruggio didn’t relent, forcing his grasp and complaining when Qifrey’s hand hit his face, and what followed was a wrestle that ended with Olruggio pinning Qifrey down by his wrists, sitting on his hips to keep him from moving.
Olruggio grinned at him, victorious, taking Qifrey in: they were both out of breath, and he was looking everywhere except at him, wriggling and trying to free himself. Olruggio basked in the scent surrounding him: it had changed since the Silverwood removal, the inkish smell that stained his natural, flowery one now gone.
Leaning down, Olruggio hid his face in the crevice of Qifrey's neck, his nose nuzzling his scent gland and making Qifrey let out a cute gasp. He inhaled deeply his scent, and for a second his mind clouded, instinct taking the best of him as he released one of Qifrey's hands to undo the stupid neck of his shirt, and gave one long lick to the creamy expanse of Qifrey's neck.
A soft moan escaped Qifrey's lips, and he immediately slammed his free hand against his mouth, ashamed. Olruggio came back to his senses, pulling himself away and feeling Qifrey’s other hand, dismounting him.
“Qifrey, I'm so sorry-”
“It's okay.” Qifrey said, turning on his side and facing away from Olruggio. “We should probably get up and start breakfast.”
Olruggio nodded, getting out of the nest and grabbing his discarded belt, silently leaving the room to go to the kitchen. Stopping by the door, Olruggio asked him if he was coming, and Qifrey told him he would follow him in a bit. After a few seconds, Olruggio left.
Qifrey knew he gave the man the wrong impression, but usually by now the seed in his eye would've sprouted already, roots crawling underneath his skin searching for a way out, and yet the only thing Qifrey could feel right now was his heart beating so loudly in his chest he feared Olruggio would hear it if he was any closer.
After calming a bit, he joined Olruggio in the kitchen. He had already started taking out the ingredients for today's breakfast, when Qifrey came in.
“By the way,” He started, “I didn't dislike what you did earlier. I was just caught by surprise. You're welcome in my nest anytime, Olly.”
The spoon fell from Olruggio's hands, hitting the counter, the noise echoing in the kitchen.
“You can't say that and expect me to do nothing.”
Qifrey smiled. “I never forbade you from doing anything, did I?”
Olruggio closed the distance between them, taking Qifrey's hands in his, placing a gentle kiss on his knuckles. Then, he cupped Qifrey's cheek, brushing his thumb against the soft skin. He leaned in, eyes locked on those pink lips, mere inches separating them now. Qifrey placed his hand on the back of Olruggio's neck, pushing there and meeting his mouth in a kiss.
They both sighed, eyes closing and lips moving against each other, inexperienced. Olruggio placed both his hands on Qifrey's hips, pulling him closer; Qifrey circled Olruggio's neck with his arms. He couldn't help the small smile forming, thinking that finally he could give into his desires, something he couldn't even dream of or else he would set off the curse.
Olruggio deepened the kiss, sneaking his tongue past Qifrey's lips, exploring his mouth. It was a weird feeling, weird and also wet, and Qifrey furrowed his brows as he tried to mimick Olruggio's movements with his own tongue.
Cheerful voices from the other room made them separate instantly, a string of saliva falling down Qifrey's chin. He wiped it with his sleeve, regretting it instantly when he remembered he had to handle food, but just in time before the four girls that lived with them entered the kitchen, blissfully unaware of what was going on.
Coco did ask if everything was alright, noticing the red tint in their cheeks, but Olruggio dismissed her without an actual explanation, turning his back to her and grabbing the spoon that had fallen earlier, resuming to mix the various fruits in the bowl.
—
Things were going well. Now that he had a nest, Qifrey felt way calmer, and now that the dam had broken between him and Olruggio, he couldn't be happier. Now, at night, when the girls retired to their rooms, they waited, occupying themselves with a few chores before rushing to Qifrey's room, in his nest, and starting their makeout session. They had gotten better at it, and Qifrey felt like a mischievous teenager hiding his boyfriend from his parents every time.
Other than that, he really liked having a nest. He would rearrange stuff every now and then, based on his mood, but he was glad he had a safe space where he could relax and decompress on stressful days.
That's why he decided to buy a base for another nest to place in the common area. It was his opinion that the girls could benefit from it too: they were still pups after all, young and far from home, and Qifrey was their caretaker, at least until they graduated. It was only obvious that having a place with familiar scents where they could find comfort would be an improvement to their living situation.
When he gave the girls the news, showing the big, round mattress waiting to be decorated, they were ecstatic, and when Qifrey presented them a big bag full of pillows, Coco, Tetia and Richeh rushed to grab as many as they could, scenting them. Agate stood still in her spot, watching her friends. Qifrey could tell she wanted to join them, too, the sparkle in her eyes as bright as the sun, yet she shied away from it.
“Agate, this is for you, too.” handing her one pillow, Qifrey smiled, encouraging her. Tentatively, the young girl wrapped her hands around the cushion, walking to where her friends had already started filling the nest. Coco grabbed her hand, including her in the activity with a bright smile. It was a cute picture, and once they were done they tried it out, testing its softness and giving it the finishing touches.
“Master Qifrey, come here with us!”
Tetia rushed to his side, Coco right behind her, and each took one of his hands, dragging him to the nest. After some initial protest, Qifrey let them, and he sank into the fluffiness of the pillows, relaxing into it. The girls cuddled up to him and soft vibrations rose from deep within his chest, lulling them into a deep sleep.
That’s how Olruggio found them when he came back home. For a moment, he was weirded out: he had been away since the day before, and had no idea what was going on. Still, the little scene was heartwarming, and he grabbed a spare blanket they left on the sofa to cover them up.
“Olly…?”
Qifrey was looking at him, his spectacles askew, and he removed them to rub his eye. Carefully, he got up, being mindful not to wake up the girls.
“What time is it?” he asked.
“Late. It’s almost dinnertime.”
Olruggio welcomed Qifrey in his arms, his warmth making up for the loss of the blanket’s. Qifrey nuzzled his face into chest, releasing his scent. Olruggio’s nose scrunched up, and he looked at Qifrey, who was looking back at him with adoration in his eye, and how his cheeks looked a little too bright. He told himself it must’ve been the light of the fireplace.
He cupped Qifrey’s cheek, giving his lips a long peck.
“Are you okay, love?”
“Never been better, why?”
Olruggio shook his head, saying it was nothing, and released Qifrey from his hold, informing him he’d be right back after changing. The hint of honey mixed with the flowers of Qifery’s scent still lingered on his clothes.
—
The next couple days things got weirder. Olruggio had started giving extra attention to how Qifrey acted, noticing how he seemed to have gotten more territorial over the girls. It had started small, from simply hugging them during lessons when they did something correctly - which was already out of character for someone like Qifrey, who was still adjusting to more intimate shows of affection - to straight up showing possessiveness over his apprentices.
Coco had asked Olruggio for help with a spell, seeing as Qifrey was momentarily busy with Richeh’s own progress, and when she managed to overcome her difficulty, Olruggio had patted her on the head. The gesture didn’t escape Qifrey’s eye, and with a smile on his face that Olruggio would define as the fakest the man had ever worn, he pulled Coco away from the alpha, giving her a tight hug and complimenting her, scenting her in the process.
It was as if he was marking his territory, telling Olruggio to stay away from his pup. It wasn’t a matter of Master Qifrey and Watchful Eye Olruggio, no, it came down to something primal that viewed them as just an omega and the alpha that was currently trespassing the imaginary confine of his territory.
The stronger, sweeter scent, the overprotectiveness for the pups in his care, the excessive nesting. That was all that Olruggio needed to realise what was going on and take action.
One morning, Qifrey woke up feeling more tired than when he went to bed the night before. His body felt heavy and hot, and he was pretty sure he was running a fever. The sun in the sky was high, meaning it was late already and Qifrey had to get up and make breakfast already.
The atelier was eerily silent, despite Qifrey expecting his students to be up and ready for the new day. In the kitchen, he found Olruggio, waiting for him with two plates full of food ready.
“... What’s going on?” he asked, suspicious. “Where are the girls?”
Olruggio waved in the direction of the chair, inviting him to sit down first.
“They’re at the Great Hall, they’re staying with the Sage in Teachings for a few days.”
“What?!” Qifrey yelled, walking out of the kitchen and towards the atelier’s windowway. “You can’t just do as you please with my apprentices, Olruggio!”
“Qifrey!” Olruggio called, right on his heels. “Have you not realised what’s going on?!”
Qifrey stopped, turning to give his best friend? Boyfriend? He didn’t know, a dirty look.
“You’re undermining my role as a teacher is what’s happening.” he spat out.
“Please, stop and reason with me for a minute. Remember what happened when you had your first heat?”
Of course Qifrey remembered. It had caught him unprepared and it had hurt for days. He told Olruggio as much.
“Well, yes, but I’m talking more about the before. You clung to me and bared your fangs to any omega who dared to even look at me.”
Oh.
Oh.
Now that Qifrey thought about it, he had shown an uncharacteristic possessiveness over his childhood friend. He connected the points, thinking back at how he had acted very similarly, if not worse, with his students.
“Oh.” he said, dumbfounded.
Olruggio sighed. “Yeah. That’s why I sent the girls away. I am still your Watchful Eye, and even though I’m your partner, too, I still have a duty to make sure your apprentices are safe. It was the best course of action.”
Qifrey blushed at the word. It was the first time either of them outwardly addressed what they were, and he found that he quite liked being called Olruggio’s partner. “Boyfriend” felt too juvenile, “husband” was an official title that he hoped to hold one day, but for now “partner” felt just right. He took a step towards Olruggio, face red.
“Will you share my nest?” he asked. “Once my heat comes, will you take care of me as my alpha?”
My alpha. The words had more effect on Olruggio than he was willing to admit.
“Of course. How could I ever refuse you, mh?” he emphasised it with a brush of his thumb against Qifrey’s burning cheek. It was clear his heat was coming any moment now, and he was glad he caught it in time to send the girls away. “I’m here to take care of you too, after all.”
—
Qifrey held tight on Olruggio as they laid together in the nest, bodies hot and sweaty, begging him not to leave him. Olruggio kissed him.
—
Qifrey's heat came and went in just a couple of days. Olruggio had never left the nest, except during moments of clarity after bliss where he had to provide both of them with food. Qifrey was happy to stay in bed, munching on the bite-sized portions of food Olruggio had prepared, only getting up when strictly necessary.
The shortness of the heat surprised him; he remembered his first (and so far only) heat to be longer and more intense. He figured that, now that he had a partner to share it with, his body had adapted. It was better this way: he could make the girls come home sooner than expected and get back to their daily routines.
When Qifrey and Olruggio showed up at Beldaruit’s atelier, his former master had the same glint in his eyes as the last time they were there together, asking if his heat had been bearable this time around. Despite Qifrey's positive response and the implications behind it, Beldaruit still complained about the absence of a mating bite adorning his neck, and Qifrey threatened him to not letting him see his grand-apprentices ever again if he kept the act up.
Back at the atelier, the girls were glad their teacher was back to his usual self, and their days resumed as they usually would.
The following month, Qifrey expected his heat to come again, but when it failed to do so he simply attributed it to his body still assessing itself to a natural flow, and didn't think too much of it. The weird thing, now, had been Olruggio.
The alpha roamed around him with more frequency, not that he complained, but it did make his brow raise in question. So he asked him if his rut was nearing and if they had to prepare accordingly, and it did leave Qifrey with more questions than answers when Olruggio said that no, his rut wasn't supposed to come anytime soon.
Qifrey suspected Olruggio was waiting for something, from him specifically, given the expectant looks he sometimes threw his way when Qifrey took a deep breath to make an announcement. The disappointment was evident on his face when the words leaving Qifrey's mouth were about a new outdoor trip or recipe he wanted to try.
It all came to a point one day during lunch. They were sitting down, enjoying their meal, and the girls were acting weird, too. Coco was fidgeting with her fork, stealing glances at him. Tetia was practically vibrating in her seat, Agate nudging her with her elbow with a reprimanding glare in her eyes. The one to actually speak up, though, was Richeh.
“Master Qifrey, are you going to have a pup?”
That, Qifrey did not expect.
“Say what?” He replied on instinct, giving the small girl a smile. At his side, Olruggio choked.
“You smell like milk. Richeh's aunt smelled like milk, too, before she had her baby.”
Qifrey wanted to scream. Why was his student, his twelve-year-old student, asking if he was expecting a pup? First of all, he would know if he was, and second of all, he didn’t think this was really an appropriate matter to discuss with his apprentices. As much as he liked when they worried for his wellbeing, he thought there was still a line not to cross when it came to his personal life.
Not that he would keep it from them if he ever was to be with child, but the whens and hows of it happening didn’t concern them.
“No, Richeh. I'm not having a pup, sweetheart.”
Olruggio let out a snort. “I mean…”
His head turned so fast his vision doubled for a second, and Qifrey stared at Olruggio, deep into his dark-blue eyes. They were engaging in a silent conversation, the girls looking at them none the wiser. When Olruggio slightly moved his index finger to point at his stomach, an action so imperceptible but that was caught by Qifrey's eye, he got up, refusing to acknowledge further the thought.
He retired to his nest, cuddling to what was once Olruggio's pillow and that had quickly become his favourite among the pile in the nest. He felt fine. If he was really with child - Olruggio's child - there would be signs, right? Didn't expecting omegas and betas have those annoying morning sickness, aches in their bodies, tenderness in their chest, and things of the sort?
No, it wasn't possible. There was simply no way he actually was, and that everyone around him had known before him. He would make a trip to the medical spire the next day, and prove them wrong.