Chapter Text
It was the first time the girls ever saw Qifrey with his arms bare.
Which was apparently quite the occasion, exciting enough that the commotion it caused woke Olruggio from a dead sleep on the sofa.
He yawned, rubbing at his eyes.
“Trying a new look, Master Qifrey?” Tetia asked, giving a light tug to the sleeveless tunic Qifrey wore over loose linen shorts. “I like it, it suits you!”
He turned to her with a smile, small and tentative, like he was unsure of himself.
It didn’t look right on him.
“Thank you, Tetia,” Qifrey said softly, setting the kettle to the side and adjusting his collar. “But it’s only due to...”
He trailed off, blinking a few times before shifting his gaze around them all. He scratched at his neck, murmuring, “Well, it’s quite hot today, isn’t it?”
It wasn’t.
Tetia’s head tilted. “You think so?”
Olruggio stood.
“Is it not?” Qifrey asked awkwardly, taking a small step back when Olruggio came to a stop directly in front of him.
“You’re all red,” he said sternly, looking Qifrey up and down. He pulled a face. “And you’re sweating.”
Qifrey held his hands in front of him, a clear request not to come closer. “Olly, I can assure you that I’m-”
“Go get some rest.”
Qifrey huffed. “I appreciate the concern, but-”
“Girls,” Olruggio interrupted again, staring Qifrey dead in the eye. “What do we do when we’re sick?”
Their immediate recital of, “Rest and recover!” made Olruggio’s point better than pitching a fit ever could.
Qifrey relented once he saw their worried looks, but only barely.
After Olruggio herded him up the stairs and into his room, Qifrey took a slow seat on the edge of his bed, rubbing at his flushed neck and mumbling, “I promise I don’t feel sick.”
He sighed, curling up a bit as his hand fisted in the front of his tunic. “I just... I don’t feel much like myself today.”
“Do you have another explanation?” Olruggio asked, gesturing for Qifrey’s glasses then setting them to the side. He reached a hand out. “Have you checked for a fever?”
Qifrey jumped away like Olruggio slapped him.
“P-please don’t touch me right now.”
He sounded urgent, looking downright mortified as he stared at Olruggio in alarm.
Ouch.
It’d be a lie for Olruggio to say it didn’t sting.
Olruggio nodded his head, swallowing his hurt. “Yeah, okay,” he said softly. “Sorry about that.”
He never got the chance to step away, because there was a hand fisted in his shirt, holding him in place before hurriedly yanking him back onto the bed.
A hand was on Olruggio’s chest, and he smoothed his own over it to quietly ask, “What is it?”
Heavy, careful breathing with Qifrey’s gaze locked onto their small point of contact.
“Qifrey?”
He immediately pulled away, opening and closing his hand with worry creasing his brow. “It’s nothing,” he concluded softly, slumping onto his side and curling up tight.
It was a lie.
“Nothing else is bothering you?”
Qifrey shifted his gaze away. “Not at all, I’m...” He trailed off, turning his face into the pillow to mumble, “Just a bit warm.”
It was so obviously a lie, which was extremely concerning because Qifrey’s a fantastic liar.
There was sweat beading on his forehead, Olruggio could hear him breathing and see how uncomfortable he was as he squirmed around on the mattress.
Olruggio reached out again, and then he hesitated with his hand hovering an inch over Qifrey’s hair.
“Shout if you need something, okay?”
A small smile on Qifrey’s face, pinched and awkward.
“But the girls-”
“Will be just fine with me,” Olruggio interrupted, tossing the covers over him. He walked to the doorway, giving Qifrey a pointed look. “You need rest, Qifrey.”
Qifrey pushed his flushed face back into the pillow, wrapping himself around it as he gave a hushed and breathless, “Yes, Olly.”
Then Olruggio pulled the door shut, and he heard Qifrey quietly grumbling to himself from the other side of it.
Olruggio couldn’t make out what he was saying, only that he sounded as frazzled and stressed as Olruggio suddenly felt himself.
He sighed, rubbing at his neck as he walked down the stairs, preparing to field the girls’ many worried questions.
“He just needs some rest,” Olruggio told them. “He’ll feel better in the morning.”
Olruggio just hoped it was actually true.
There was a small, tentative knock at his door.
Olruggio was hurled back into consciousness to stare bleary-eyed at the ceiling.
“Read the sign!” he called weakly, voice rough as he turned onto his stomach and shoved his face into the pillow.
Another knock, more insistent than the first.
He bit down a groan. “Go ask Qifrey!”
It was Agott’s voice that muffled from the other side.
“He hasn’t come out of his room yet,” she said. “He’s not answering when we knock.”
Olruggio’s brow furrowed, and then he looked up at the sunlight pouring in from the windows.
It had to be almost noon, Qifrey should be well awake by now.
He felt a small, sharp pang of worry.
Olruggio sighed, calling a gruff, “Give me a minute,” as he painstakingly stood from his bed and pulled a shirt on.
He jogged down the stairs, slipping his feet into his shoes before tugging the door open.
It wasn’t only Agott, but all four of the girls lined up in a row, staring up at him with their big, big eyes.
They looked worried, too.
He crouched down to eye-level with them, same as he’s seen Qifrey do hundreds of times before.
What’s most important to say in a situation like this? Where were a master’s priorities supposed to lie?
“What’d you girls have for breakfast?”
Richeh was first to speak up, saying, “We made sandwiches from stuff in the icebox.”
Then Tetia’s hand shot into the air. “We cleaned up, too!”
Olruggio pulled a face. “Thanks for handling that,” he said, walking forwards to pat each of their heads as he passed. “I’ll check on Qifrey, you all go and... study, or something.”
“Or something?” Agott voiced, raising a brow.
He waved them off, cracking a grin he hoped was believable.
Olruggio didn’t bother with knocking, merely pushing the door open and letting it quietly close behind him.
Qifrey appeared asleep, sprawled on his mattress with his blankets kicked half-onto the floor and his tunic left balled-up and forgotten beside him.
There was an empty mug on the nightstand, making it apparent that Qifrey didn’t sleep well enough to stave off his constant desire for tea.
“Qifrey?” he said quietly, stepping further into the room. “It’s getting pretty late, even for me.”
Nothing.
Olruggio sat on the edge of the bed, hesitating with his hand over Qifrey’s shoulder.
“Hey, Qifrey.”
His hairline was damp with sweat, his skin flushed dark and his breathing ragged, sounding rough in his lungs.
Olruggio took a steadying breath, leaning close to firmly say, “Qifrey, I really need you to wake up for me,” as he swept a hand through the man’s bangs.
It was like a spell being cast, or perhaps one being broken.
Qifrey’s eye opened.
Then he bolted upright, startling Olruggio immensely when he grabbed him by the back of the neck and yanked him on top.
Their foreheads smacked together, and Olruggio’s skin tingled as Qifrey’s fingers smoothed into the hairs at his nape.
“W-we definitely need to get you to a hospital,” he stuttered, feeling Qifrey’s panting fan over his mouth.
Qifrey’s head tilted, their noses brushed together, then he smirked.
“Do we?”
There was a wicked look in his eye, and that dubious way he said it, like this was all a fun game to him and not Olruggio’s greatest weakness come to life.
“We’ll take the windowway to Kalhn,” Olruggio said in lieu of a real response. He quickly pulled himself out of reach, gesturing at the tunic on the bed. “Get dressed.”
“Must I?”
What was a weak man like Olruggio expected to do in such a situation?
One where Qifrey was staring right at him with that playful grin on his face, saying all these cryptic things and acting so...
He swallowed heavily.
“Yes, you must,” he said firmly, taking Qifrey’s hand in his. He pressed his forehead to his knuckles, raising his eyes. “Please do this for me, Qifrey.”
That harsh smirk softened considerably.
“Will it make you happy?”
Olruggio awkwardly cleared his throat, dropping Qifrey’s hand. “Yeah, the happiest.”
There was a light tap to his neck.
“I can tell you’re lying,” Qifrey murmured, leaning close enough to brush his nose against Olruggio’s ear and whisper, “But I like the way you said it.”
It was nearly unbearable, the heat radiating from being so close.
In an act of pure self-preservation, Olruggio reached around Qifrey to grab the tunic and shove it directly into the man’s face.
“Just put your damn clothes on!” he barked, face hot as he quickly stood from the bed and took a few safe steps away.
Qifrey smiled. “Yes, Master Olly,” he said in amusement, shaking out the tunic and tugging it over his head.
“Quit with the teasing,” Olruggio grumbled in response, scuffing his shoe against the floor. “It’s not the time for it.”
A brow raised.
“Oh?” Qifrey voiced. “It's not?” He quickly stood, taking a rushed step closer. “Are you certain, Olly?”
Olruggio had to remove himself from this situation now, before Qifrey’s erratic behavior took its toll on him.
“We’re leaving in ten minutes!” he shouted, voice cracking as he stalked through the door and slammed it shut behind him.
To his further torture, the girls were all waiting for him right outside, clearly having tried to listen in by how quickly they jumped back at his appearance.
Olruggio sighed.
“We’re taking a fieldtrip,” he informed roughly, rubbing at his heated neck. “You all go pack an overnight bag.”
Worried looks were exchanged between them, with Coco suddenly tugging on his robe to get his attention.
“What’s wrong with Master Qifrey?” she asked. “Will he be okay?”
His face softened.
“Of course,” he said sternly, crouching to ruffle a hand through her hair. “Don’t you girls worry, I’ll see that he’s taken care of.”
It’d be mere hours before Olruggio discovered just how right he was.
It was a small mercy that Qifrey was still capable of walking on his own, though he was unsteady on his feet and extremely distracted, running into people and tripping over things so many times that Olruggio was forced to wind a hand in the back of his cloak like a leash.
Besides the flush to his skin and the constant stumbling, Qifrey appeared completely normal, even going so far as to dress in his usual clothes.
Olruggio knew better, making his own movements rushed and urgent as he led them through the city crowds.
They made a stop at The Starry Sword to drop the girls off with Nolnoa, rushing through plans to pick them up the following day.
Once whatever was making Qifrey act like this was dealt with.
When they made it to the hospital and half the damn staff instantly recognized Qifrey, they were ushered into a private room for triage.
Qifrey’s very eloquent explanation when asked why he was there was a simple, “I just feel a bit warm,” that nearly drove Olruggio to commit a capital crime.
That was barely scratching the surface of whatever this was.
“I’ll have to draw some blood,” the nurse said, uncapping a syringe and gesturing for Qifrey to roll up his sleeve and give his arm.
But Qifrey hesitated, looking the woman up and down before his gaze shifted to Olruggio with a brow raised in question.
Olruggio sighed, making a show of sticking his arm out, yanking up his sleeve, and making a tight fist.
He didn’t know what was going on, whether Qifrey was actually sick or if he ate some mysterious ‘torture my best friend’ berry that had him heavily side-eyeing the nurse as his blood was drawn.
“She’s touching me,” Qifrey said aloud, right to her face. He glanced at Olruggio. “Is that okay?”
Olruggio couldn’t stomach the thoroughly creeped out look the nurse shot him, as if this was all coming from him and not the apparent lobotomy Qifrey suffered in the past few hours.
He rubbed his hands over his face. “I promise I have no idea where he’s getting this,” he grumbled, looking to the nurse. “Please just ignore him.”
She hummed, capping the filled vial and turning to mark more notes on Qifrey’s chart.
A lot of notes.
“S-seriously,” Olruggio added, awkwardly determined to prove his innocence. “He’s not usually like this, that’s why we’re here.”
The nurse didn’t deem him worth addressing, only turning to Qifrey and asking, “How’ve you felt the past few days?”
It was a never-ending torment, because the moment the words left her mouth Qifrey turned to him, all curious brows and happy smiles.
“W-why do you keep looking at me?” Olruggio groaned. “You’re a grown man, answer for yourself!”
There was a beat of silence.
Qifrey pouted.
He fucking pouted and turned away, and now the nurse was looking at him like he’s some damn monster and Olruggio had no idea what’s going on!
“I’m leaving the door open,” she said quietly, right to Qifrey. “Just call if you need any…” She trailed off, her eyes flicking to Olruggio. “Help.”
“What the hell do you think I’m gonna do?” Olruggio demanded, holding a hand to his chest. “We’re here because I’m worried, I don’t-”
“Olly,” Qifrey interrupted, tugging on his sleeve. “Please don’t be upset, she only-”
“Gods, Qifrey, not now!” he snapped, shoving Qifrey’s hand away. “Don’t you realize how this looks?”
Qifrey didn’t pout this time, which would’ve been a small mercy had he not looked so horribly fucking crestfallen by Olruggio’s refusal of him.
It’s not the first time he’s seen that look on Qifrey’s face, but it was the very first time Olruggio’s been the cause of it.
Olruggio slumped into a chair beside the bed before dropping his face into his hands.
He knew he wasn’t helping the situation, that he was making it worse and making himself look bad.
The nurse exchanged a few hushed words with Qifrey in the quiet that followed, and Olruggio didn’t bother with trying to listen in.
He didn’t want to know.
Olruggio kept his head down long after the nurse left the room, and he watched Qifrey’s shadow crouch down in front of his chair.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Qifrey whispered, all small and hesitant. He pointedly caught Olruggio’s eye. “I simply value your opinion, Olly.”
Olruggio wanted to bash his head against the wall.
How did he manage to earn such fine-tuned karma? Why was Olruggio being subjected to this?
It seemed to be tailored special just for him, to poke and prod at all the shameful parts of him that lit up from Qifrey’s attention.
“I’m not upset with you,” he said with a huff, leaning away. “I just don’t know why you’re acting like this.” His hands twisted in his lap, and his chest started to ache. “Qifrey, I’m worried.”
Qifrey’s head tilted, and then his hands lightly gripped Olruggio’s knees, guiding them to sway at his sides.
“She offered a sedative, to put me asleep for a few hours,” he said, meeting Olruggio’s eye. “Do you want me to take it?”
Olruggio hated the way it was phrased, as if it was his decision to make.
“You should decide for yourself,” he said sternly, having to look away when Qifrey’s face dropped at his refusal. Olruggio cleared his throat. “But if you want my opinion...”
He trailed off, because he suspected this Qifrey would do whatever he said, and the risk of provoking the wrong choice was making his head hurt.
His eyes found Qifrey, now kneeling on the floor directly in front of him, watching him with a bright eye and so much patience that Olruggio gave up entirely.
“I think you should,” he concluded softly. “Give your brain some time to calm from...” He hesitated, awkwardly gesturing between them. “This.”
Qifrey nodded, rising to his feet.
“I’ll let the nurse know.”
His gaze swept over Olruggio, then he leaned closer to smooth a fingertip up his throat.
He lifted Olruggio’s chin, and their eyes met.
“Wait for me,” Qifrey whispered, pressing one soft kiss to his lips.
Then he pulled away, grinning all lopsided and charming before offering a small wave and jogging from the room.
Olruggio felt faint, he might pass out.
He might tear his lips off his face.
What the actual fuck just happened?
Qifrey returned a few minutes later with his nurse in tow, proudly gesturing at the teacup in her hands before he walked right up to Olruggio and ruffled both hands through his hair.
Then he turned away as if he hadn’t just done that, sitting cross-legged on the bed and taking the cup when offered to him.
Qifrey, the established gentleman that he is, made a face so disgusted at the flavor that it only baffled Olruggio more.
It was such a rude, childish thing to do.
Not like Qifrey at all.
“It’s medicine,” the nurse offered in explanation, taking the cup once empty. She gave Qifrey a small grin, assuring, “It’s not supposed to taste good.”
Qifrey, the established gentleman that he is, completely ignored her to turn in place and just…
Stare at Olruggio.
He didn’t speak, or move, he only… stared.
The nurse looked just as creeped out as Olruggio felt.
“He’ll be asleep soon,” she said, finally looking Olruggio in the eye. She turned from the room. “I’ll come back later.”
Olruggio nodded, feeling the burn of Qifrey’s gaze on him for so long he almost wanted to leave.
It was making him feel awful.
“You should lay down,” he murmured, standing to push on Qifrey’s forehead. “Get some rest.”
Qifrey’s hand gripped around his wrist. “I rested plenty yesterday,” he said softly, lacing their fingers together. “You took such good care of me, just as you're doing now.”
His voice was so small, filled to the brim with appreciation and affection and-
Ugh.
Maybe Olruggio was a monster.
He grabbed the chair, dragging it closer to the bed’s side and taking a heavy seat in it.
“What would you want to do instead?”
A smile, small and charmed.
Happy and content.
“Give me your hand?”
Olruggio relented instantly, because he wasn’t a monster.
“Yeah, okay,” he murmured, setting his hand in Qifrey’s and then having to scoot forwards when his entire arm was grabbed.
Qifrey plopped onto his side, both arms coiled around Olruggio’s as he breathed out a soft sigh.
The only thing Olruggio could do was sit as still as possible, body tense as Qifrey gently nuzzled his face into Olruggio’s open palm.
It’s not something that’s never happened before, but there was usually too much alcohol involved and too many shared looks between them.
This wasn’t that.
This wasn’t anything close to that.
His suffering was short-lived, because it was only a few minutes later when Qifrey’s eye fell shut and his breathing finally slowed.
The nurse returned not long after with a much thicker chart in her hands.
Olruggio gave an awkward chuckle. “Stuff works quick,” he said, gently slipping his arm from Qifrey’s grasp.
She pointedly ignored his desperate attempt at salvation.
“The fever isn’t a concern for now, it’s only slight,” she started, eyes on the chart. “The biggest issue is his blood pressure.
“It’s intermittent, but it’s periodically spiking very high along with his heartrate,” she explained, going on to add, “The sedative will keep him out until sundown at the earliest.” Her raised eyes to Olruggio’s. “He should be calmer when he wakes.”
Qifrey must’ve spoken to her, she was being much nicer to him now.
“And until then?”
She shrugged. “The sample will be tested for toxins.”
“Toxins?” Olruggio whispered, returning his hand to Qifrey’s. “You think he was drugged?”
She tilted her head this way and that, as if in debate.
“It’s possible,” she decided on, looking to him. “Or he took something himself.”
“He wouldn’t do that,” Olruggio said sternly, shaking his head. “He’s got four apprentices waiting for him.”
“That sounds very stressful.”
His eyes narrowed. “Whatever it is you’re trying to imply,” he started lowly, meeting her eye. “I suggest you keep it to yourself.”
She looked to Qifrey, she opened her mouth, then she hesitated.
“I’ll go drop this off,” she said awkwardly, holding up the chart before quickly leaving the room.
Olruggio’s mouth twisted.
This was not Qifrey’s fault, he wouldn’t do something like this to himself. It was irresponsible, and careless, and a thousand other things that Qifrey wasn’t.
Olruggio dropped his face into his hands, rubbing at his eyes as his heart raced in his chest.
Dammit.
“Qifrey, what did you do?” he whispered, softly pressing his knuckles to Qifrey’s cheek.
Qifrey smiled in his sleep, turning his face to press a lazy, open-mouth kiss to the heel of Olruggio’s hand.
It had to be instinctive, and it made Olruggio wonder if he’s done it to someone before.
Would Qifrey act this way with other people? How bad could this have been if he’d been away, on his own and without his Watchful Eye to hold him steady?
It terrified him, it made him feel sick.
Olruggio had no idea what to do.