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Qifrey SFW & NSFW Relationship Headcannons

🍓This is the fastest turnaround I have ever had for a request. I genuinely locked in and wrote for six hours straight for him. I also apologize in advance for pretty much implying Orufrey all the time. I also apologize for how I spell Olruggio's name. I've seen a billion different spellings. I think it's right, but if it's wrong, please don't tell me. Anyway, I really fucking love Qifrey so much, I hope that shows, and I hope that the fandom will accept my humble offerings as a simple fledgling in the community.

TW: Allusions to Qifrey's past (it's so non-specific and vague, no point in a spoiler warning); It's a little angsty here and there; NSFW below cut; Blindfolding, sensory play, temperature play, breeding mention, roleplay; Some toxic behaviors (understandable with the context of his backstory, whatever); Qifrey and Olruggio gay(?); You have to understand that there are a lot of references to Orufrey, you have to let me have my yaoi

Word Count: 5k

SFW

-It’s hard to define Qifrey as a person. You could say he’s gentle, soft spoken, warm, and a bit silly at times. Yet, you could also call him conniving, distrustful, cold, and isolative. He’s a collection of rather difficult things that clash and fight all the time, but at his core, Qifrey is someone who tries.

-Despite his negativities, he loves the people he loves with his entire heart, painful as that can be. He also wants nothing more than to live with said people, a good, long, full life. To grow with them and create precious memories worth keeping. Obviously… easier said than done in his case, but he tries his best.

-There's a numbness he puts out into the world; he disconnects from his own feelings, because he knows what is inevitable and what is not. While he comes off as welcoming, he’s incredibly closed off from even his closest friends, for everyone's well-being.

-He slips into his impassiveness so easily, refusing himself the ability to have deep friendships. He cannot talk about the horrific things he’s struggling with, because that alone is a risk. What else can he do but close off and pretend?

-That doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel. 

-He feels everything like an ache in his bones, and he won’t let anyone see the strong effect it has on him. He’s taught himself to be strong, and habit is not so easily unlearned.

-So, romance? He’d laugh. Not because he’s incapable of it, or because he doesn’t desire a romantic partner, simply because: in what world? The level of emotional intimacy, trust, and dedication would be his undoing. Besides, he wouldn’t be a very good partner, so obsessed with his personal life, not to mention the apprentices, and Olruggio wouldn’t like the change in routine – oh, and the Atelier is so far from any main town, no one would want to–

-We get it, bud.

-Excuses, excuses, excuses. He’s terrible with coming up with bullshit no one cares about. It’s like he misses the whole point of the word ‘compatibility.’

-For Qifrey to fall in love, it takes a lot of dedication and patience. He will deny, deny, deny until he’s backed into a corner. Even then, he might try to pretend he’s unable to see anything at all, but he knows. He’s known the whole time; he just doesn’t know how to handle knowing.

-He’s also not the type to fall in love at first sight, “crush” isn’t in his vocabulary, he’s very all or nothing. 

-It’s a budding love, like a blossom growing on the branch of a tree. Small and green at first, enough to notice when you look, but you don’t pay it any mind until the pretty white petals break through and decorate the bark. Then, as soon as you’ve gotten used to it, the leaves grow in, and you understand the flowers were seeking a more permanent growth.

-So, he notices you when you first come around. He thinks you’re interesting, then he thinks you’re enchanting, and finally, he believes that you’ve dug your roots too deep into his life to remove now.

-The thing that gets him most is your persistence in just being there. You always say hello on the rare chance he comes to town, you visit when he allows you, and you create bonds with Olruggio and his apprentices. You sew the seed in his garden long before he notices, and when he does, it’s already too late.

-I doubt that he would ever make a move himself. He entertains some playful back and forth, doesn’t mind physical contact (though it makes him jump), and he won’t say a word when he catches you staring at him… but he won’t make anything happen himself.

-It’s up to you to say anything, and he finds your insistence – even at his passivity – so endearing. You like him so much, huh? Well, he likes you, too.

-He’s taken by you, even if you can’t tell on his face. He was never going to deny you, despite it being a bad idea, despite his inexperience, despite his situation… he’s not so cruel. He just has to be careful, more careful than he is with Olruggio and the girls, because this is a level of trust not even he could handle breaking.

-To his credit, he’s forthcoming about his shortcomings and equally forward about what he’s looking for long term. He wouldn’t call any relationship he has a waste of time, but he doesn’t want either of you to be years down the line and realize your paths don’t align.

-He’s not very experienced in the ways of romance, but he’s really good at it anyway. He’s just naturally accommodating, and he’s very good at drawing clear boundaries with people. It’s kind of effortless for him to be a good partner; his patience (in most areas) is unmatched by anyone else, and it’s nearly doubled with people he cares for. He wouldn’t be able to be a professor if that weren’t the case.

-Maybe he respects them a little too much, though…

-He literally never makes a move unless prompted. Sweet as it is, the guy won’t ever hug or kiss or cuddle unless you initiate. Hell, he only ever says “I love you” after you say it. Makes you feel like he doesn’t really love you.

-Of course, he does; he just fell into the people pleaser trap. He’s even confused when you tell him, why would his respect for you be a bad thing? He takes in the information, but he doesn’t know how to apply it. Genius.

-Thank god for Olruggio.

-Now, Olly isn’t all that educated in romance either, social recluse he can be, but even he gets exhausted watching Qifrey fumble.

-Olly likes you, thinks you’re great for Qifrey, which is why he’s so willing to step in and tell Qifrey he’s gotta stop thinking so damn hard. You are the best thing he’s gonna get (meant positively, he swears), just initiate when you want to, moron. 

-Qifrey doesn’t seem to understand that you’re just as capable of saying no as he is, so he needs a good smack upside the head for that big brain of his to start working.

-On the other hand, Olly also tells you to just continue your patience. He’ll get it eventually; he just gets stuck on himself sometimes, and the last thing Qifrey wants is for you to be unhappy or uncomfortable because of him. 

-You gotta celebrate the little things with him, 'cause they’re pretty big coming from a guy like Qifrey.

-His fondness for you is probably more obvious than Qifrey’s, which is why he wants this thing to work out for both of you. He has to worry less about his best friend, and he has another adult around whom he likes talking to.

-(And, maybe, there’s a little more than platonic affection for both you and Qifrey there, but that’s for another time).

-Qifrey, of course, takes both your words and Olruggio’s advice to heart. Very carefully, he’ll start initiating affection on his own. Mostly little things, like holding your hand or pressing a kiss to your temple when he thinks you look particularly good.

-His favorite has to be holding you from behind, though. He loves how warm you are when he cradles you to his chest, and how he can rest his face on your head or in the crook of your neck while you continue to work on your own things.

-Same goes for you, as well. Please come up and hug him from behind while he works; he loves it more than you’d be able to tell.

-Ah, and to expand further on Olly, Qifrey is overjoyed that the two of you get along so well. Olly is, inarguably, the most important person in Qifrey’s life; it’s pertinent that you get along. The fact that you do – so effortlessly at that – is a sign to Qifrey that he’s made a good choice.

-The second thing that is a must, which should be obvious, is that you’re able to foster a good relationship with his apprentices.

-Two of the four girls are easy to impress, Richeh can be won over through easy means, and Aggot can even be bought with a good display of respect and magical know-how. However, that’s simply not enough; you must have a good, developed relationship with them. Of course, these things take time, and Qifrey isn’t going to force it, but if none of them can connect with you… That’s a bad sign.

-Lucky you, the girls tend to like the people their master likes easily.

-You become like a third professor (counting Olruggio, of course) to them. They look to you for guidance wherever you’re able to provide it, and they trust you as much as they trust Qifrey.

-If they can, they like to play with your hair (particularly Richeh and Tetia), and like to have “girls nights” (even if you’re not a girl) without the other two adults in the house. It’s like having your own little family trailing around after you; they love you like a parent, it’s quite sweet.

-Since you check both of those boxes, congratulations, you’ve found yourself a place for life.

-Now I must circle back to the start, because it is important to understand that Qifrey will never truly open up about what he is. No matter how much he loves you, no matter how much trust he pours into you, he cannot do it.

-It’s so difficult to understand why he remains closed off on certain things and why he won’t let you in, but he is uncompromising. He can only assure you that it’s not something you should be burdened with, but it still stings.

-He only hopes that you will come to understand someday, and if you don’t, he won’t blame you. How could he? It must hurt you to not know, just as much as it hurts him to keep it. But it’s because you don’t know you can keep up this pretty life together.

-Gods, does he wish he could tell you.

-It’s not done out of malice or hatred or a lack of trust, only because it would bring too much heartache to both of you, and in part because he’s so endlessly selfish he wants to keep things as they are.

-If you can forgive him for all of this, then, even with his own guilt, he knows that he has found someone who truly loves him.

-Now, depressing things aside, shall we talk about his love languages?

-Qifrey has a very intellectual love language. He’s very smart, and he’s very passionate about the things he does. Sharing that passion and intellect with you is important to him. He enjoys sharing his magic with you and learning more about yours with him. Even if your magic is lackluster, he enjoys hearing you talk about it. He’d never make you feel stupid or less than him.

-Outside of magic, he also loves to share the things he does with you. Reading, cooking, teaching, all of it, and more. He insists you share your hobbies with him as well, just as he does with magic.

-Despite his original fumbles, he actually enjoys physical affection initiated by either of you.

-He isn’t often touched by others, except his pupils, so the fact that he feels so comfortable being cuddly with you is a show of how much he trusts you.

-He just melts at your fingertips, helpless to your whims, soaking in all the touch you give him like it might be the last he ever receives.

-Forgive him if it's uncooth, he just can’t help himself.

-He tastes like mint when you kiss him? Not sure why, he just has a very sharp undertone, but it’s pleasant! It’ll fluster him if you comment on it at all, so please have fun with that!

-He’s easy to fluster, actually, all you have to do is gush a little over him, and he gets embarrassed. Not in the over-the-top way, but a subtle little blush and a cough into his hand, because he doesn’t know how to handle this kind of attention.

-It’s the genuineness of your admiration that gets him, leaves him a little stunned, because he can’t imagine someone seeing him so fondly. His students, of course, look up to him because he is a guiding light in the world for them… but he’s not that for you. You just admire him as himself, and it warms his heart more than he expects.

-Speaking of students, Qifrey has a difficult time “turning off” teaching mode. He’s subconsciously herding you, telling you how you should do things, worrying about you getting yourself hurt. He doesn’t mean to be overbearing; it’s just in his nature to worry.

-Along the same lines, he’s very attentive to you. He remembers nearly everything you say, even the smallest, most unimportant details you share absently.

-Memory is important, is his response, so he wants to remember everything he can about you.

-He’s always got what you want when you need it. He knows your favorite foods and can cook them expertly. Massages the tension from your shoulders before it starts bothering you. Redirects you to rest when you’ve been working for too long.

-Qifrey is also very protective of you, which should come as no surprise given everything else we’ve discussed. Not only are you his partner, not only are you important to the people he loves most, but you are also one of the only people who’ve gotten so close as to know him as he is.

-Your happy memories of him are precious, something he holds close to his heart, to lose or taint those would be a sin worse than anything any individual could commit.

-He has built up this happy little world with you in it, and he’d like to keep it happy.

-This leads to him being a bit “out of character” in times that concern your well-being. More quiet, more angry, more narrow-minded, because he cannot rest until he ensures that you are safe and well.

-And when you finally are, he relaxes in your arms, knowing that you are well and safe there.

-In part, this extends to his shows of jealousy.

-They aren’t all that common, not at the Atelier or Kalhn, because Qifrey knows everyone there (for the most part). He feels no need to worry about anyone's behavior; the people you both interact with respect your relationship.

-Besides, you mostly spend time with the girls or with Olruggio. And even if Olruggio was interested, that wouldn’t bother Qifrey all that much; he knows his friend would have a civil conversation with both of you about it.

-The issue appears when you go literally anywhere else, lol.

-See, sweet and soft as Qifrey can be, he’s still a person. People get annoyed, especially when their partner is being chatted up by some random person they’ve never met. Qifrey is not unique in this regard.

-His jealousy is a quiet thing, creeps up behind him before he can shake it off, and then it creeps up behind you like a shadow.

-He won’t explicitly deny you the ability to talk to any one person; he’s not the kind to deny you that freedom, but he’s definitely the type to assert himself.

-Comes up to your side with a passive smile and lets his presence be known. The weight of his hand on your hip is enough to let the other party know just what he is to you.

-It’s such a subtle thing, you won’t even notice that he’s been upset at all. Your only tell is if Olly or one of the more observant girls makes fun of him.

-Even then, he just smiles and dismisses their claims, saying he was only curious and being friendly. Everyone knows he’s lying, but there's nothing more to be said now that it's passed.

-If your new friend is insistent on pestering you, though, he can be a little more heavy-handed in denying them access to you.

-Depending on the situation, he might try to subtly urge you away. Something like “Coco is looking for you,” or “Olruggio is getting antsy to leave.”

-If it’s bad, though, and they are persistent, then he’s not afraid to just say “Mm, no thank you.”

-Of course, this is if you don’t already deal with it yourself, but Qifrey is more than willing to be the sharp sword of your defense if he needs to be.

-So long as the two of you can laugh about it after the fact, he knows he’s done well.

-Going back to his apprentices, as a final note, they love your relationship with their professor. While they already love you, they love to play cupid to put the two of you in various romantic situations.

-One time, they’d decorated the kitchen for an intimate date for the two of you, though ‘intimate’ is debatable. Considering they were watching the two of you around a corner. It’s the thought that counts!

-Or when they set up a scavenger hunt for both of you to go on to encourage you to “build your trust in one another.”

-They always giggle whenever you do anything cute together, and you have to shoo them away when they gawk at you.

-Again, it’s hard not to feel like a family with all of them surrounding you. You have a home at Qifrey’s side, and he has one at yours.

-While he has his issues, at his core, Qifrey wants nothing more than to make his world a place where you can exist at peace. Even if he has to hide some things to make sure that happens.

NSFW (MDNI Beyond this point)

"Kindness, forbidden books, flowers... Whatever you want, White Lily Cookie, I’ll get for you."

A comic redraw of a scene from my friend's fic 🥺Please read it because it hurt me.