✩ yumi !!

The wind weakened the previously apparent firmness of your uniform's fabric; you clung to your master’s shoulders—avoiding looking down and, when tempted, burying your face on the crook of his neck.

“Because it’s a very long journey, and I don’t want to risk an iota of fatigue on you, my dear…” he pressed his lips against the top of your head, it could've been on your face, but it was hidden on his neck.

In reality, he just wanted to be close to you. Physical affection was never too much for your master, but he didn’t want to display such vulnerability at the moment.

Upon landing, you distanced yourself from the clouds, which were now mere blurs, though they had been highly detailed swirls of white smoke just seconds ago.

“Alright, dear!” Qifrey set you on the ground, patting down every undesirable fold of your uniform. “All we need now is a pen for you! Do you already know how you want it…?”

Despite having minutely imagined every detail, at the most important moment, you weren’t very sure. A few seconds of silence were enough to make Qifrey understand it.

“Right, right. It’s alright, dear. I need to buy other materials, so you can take your time thinking. No rush, alright? We can always come back!”

“Are you sure, Master Qif…?”

“Oh, but of course! I would love to bring you here again! It would be a pleasure. In fact, how about you don't even decide today, my love?” he teased, albeit with a grain of truth that went unnoticed by you.

You followed Qifrey obediently, almost stepping on the back of your master’s shoes due to how close you kept yourself.

When he stopped abruptly, you couldn’t help but collide your nose against the witch’s back.

He massaged the area between his index and middle finger. “Dear, when I tell you to stay close, I don’t mean that close… oh, heavens…”

This was embarrassing; it hadn't even hurt that much, anyway…

“Qifrey? Another one? Seriously? This is already the fifth!” Nolnoa proclaimed, carrying a bag of apparent uselessness.

“Oh, but this one isn't just anyone…” holding you by the shoulders, Qifrey turned you around to face the old man. The elderly adjusted his glasses, staring at you for a shamefully long time.

Then…

“This apprentice needs a pen, but let’s leave that for later! I have my own demands.” stated your Master.

Nolnoa agreed, and right behind Qifrey, you entered the shop.

Every time Qifrey sighed in high spirits, you imitated him; if he frowned at the origin of some product, you hummed in agreement; should Qifrey tilt his head, you tilted your entire torso.

Whether this was purposeful—a child mimicking as a form of play—Nolnoa couldn’t quite tell. It didn’t look very funny, so perhaps it was subconscious?

Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree… does it…?

“Qifrey…?” Nolnoa asked, which made your master’s ears twitch, just like yours.

“This little being…” Nolnoa leaned in, his nose almost touching yours—shouldn't it be painful for an old man to strike such a pose…?

“Are they your child?”

Out of pure curiosity, you didn’t answer this inquiry, eager to know what your Master would say, what kind of confused look he'd show. Nonetheless…

“Yes!”

“Yes?!” you questioned.

“Oh, but of course they are!” Qifrey pulled you by the shoulder. “Aren't they just like me?” Qifrey said in sheer delight, kissing your forehead.

Hadn't Master Nolnoa known Qifrey for years? Had old age made him let go of any suspension of disbelief? Nevertheless, Master Qifrey was so mysterious and reclusive that if he claimed to have a biological child lost out there, it would take you a while to decide whether to believe it or not.

“Qifrey, my lad!” Nolnoa said, patting your teacher’s back. “Who was the lucky lady who broke that icy barrier of yours?” Qifrey smiled, bending more with each tap.

“Oh, I don’t know…” he said, scratching his chin.

“You don’t know? Don’t tell me you went around breaking so many hearts that you can’t even remember anymore! You’re good-looking, so it's not surprising either way!”

While the two babbled stupidities, that “yes” echoed in your skull. Were the adults messing with you?

“Master Qifrey—”

“Oh, my love. Nolnoa already knows, you can call me daddy, or papa, or really anything…”

What?!

“You know, Nolnoa… I’m afraid people will say I’m favoring them just because they’re my child. Isn’t that right, sweetheart…?” Qifrey gave you a quick wink. You cleared your throat, agreeing mechanically.

“Y-yes… that’s right, Mr. Nolnoa…” you stuttered. “Papa… yes, papa wants to keep it private… papa is very… hmm… secretive about it…?”

You earned to focus more on the blushing settling at the tip of Qifrey’s ears, but Nolnoa spoke again.

“Oh, I see… but why did they only become your apprentice now…? I’ve never seen them before!”

“Oh, well… I… their mom is an outsider.”

It couldn't get worse.

“But you just said you didn’t remember exactly who the mother was?!”

“I lied!”

“First you get an outsider as an apprentice! Then you show up with a fifth one, just for them to be your child and also another outsider!”

You waited to see how long this lie would last… in the end, so much time was taken up by this conversation that there was no room left for your pen. Not that it bothered you much; after all, the day had already been quite interesting.

“See you later, Nolnoa… come, dear, daddy is heading back.” you obeyed, waving goodbye to the shop owner and looking up at Qifrey.

“Did you really need to do all that, Master Qifrey?” you asked, he gave a muffled laugh.

“Master Qifrey…?”

“Papa…”

He smiled, lifting you up by the waist.

“Let’s fly back, sweetie… next time papa will buy you some pastries to make up for your postponed pen…”

It was a joy to watch him. With shimmering spells, spitting a massive flame of fire that melted the world into soot; the frantic choreography of a phoenix came to mind—ready to ignite any dark trace in the whole world.

In the crowd, you watched him, proud to be the apprentice of Olruggio of the Torch.

It was a title you carried as if you were the brilliant mind behind the contraptions he displayed, rather than a mere apprentice taking animated leaps and clapping at his every breath.

“Are you a fan of his…?” a wizard in the audience asked you.

The Silver Eve had gathered a swarm of indistinguishable faces, but the lilac robes of that stranger made him stand out.

You nodded, trying to create suspense, thinking about how surprised he would be when Olruggio came to fetch you and he found out you were none other than the apprentice of Olly himself.

Heavens, if you hadn't decided to dress up exquisitely for the festival, your daily uniform would be enough for the stranger to link your attire to Olly’s.

“He’s a pretty cool wizard, isn’t he?” you said with childish enthusiasm before you noticed the stranger staring at something behind you.

You turned around, then…

“Didn’t I already tell ‘ya’ not to talk to strangers? You said you’d stay put!” Olruggio whispered in your ear while you blushed.

“But…”

“No buts…” with his index erect and his remaining fingers stiff against his palm, Olruggio delivered words of command and shelter, complaining about how you had wandered a few meters away from the spot you had agreed to meet when his showcase was over.

You imagined yourself like a dog with tail between its legs, even more humiliated by the long moment that stranger stared at you while you were berated.

Olly sighed.

“Frankly, what am I going to do with you…” rumpling your hair with a caress, his attention was drawn by the lilac wizard, who proceeded to praise the displayed contraption and, amidst tedious adult conversation, cast a curious observation:

“They’re your child, aren't they? They were so happy watching you.”

The stranger hadn't stared at your misery out of morbid curiosity, but because the way Olruggio was lecturing you for your own good held an undeniable parental tenderness.

Olruggio looked at you, then at that wizard, then at you again…

“You’re quite cute together, I didn’t expect this from Olruggio of the Torch. You always seemed pretty… hmm… reserved to me.”

“Well, about that…”

“Who is the mother…?”

You listened to the unfolding conversation intently. For some reason, Olly didn’t deny that stupid inquiry (if he did, it'd have avoided this essay); he stammered words that didn't begin with an “n” or give any sign of conclusion.

“The mother, she…”

“Oh, divorced…?”

He nodded. Amid muffled laughter, the wizard in lilac robes distanced himself.

“I was teasing. I supposed they would just be an apprentice, but it was a great surprise…! Not your divorce, it's a bit expected. Why did you never show them around here?”

“I… you know… maybe they… would receive too much unwanted attention…?”

“But Master Olly—” Olruggio covered your mouth.

“Shh, it’s alright, muffin, you can use ‘papa’ now…”

This was going too far.

The whole situation was so odd that Olly didn't even fight back that annoyingly put comment about how his divorce was expected.

Heading back to the Atelier, neither of you gave signs of initiating a new dialogue.

Sometimes you gave hints of being about to murmur a syllable, but Olly did the same, so you fell silent and waited for him—but he ended up taking the same stance, extending the prevailing silence.

Then…

“Master Olly, what was that?!”

“Quiet! They might still hear you!”

“What…?”

“Use ‘papa’ for now! I don’t want to come off as a liar!”

“But you lied!”

“Can't you just cooperate a little bit, you pest?” He sighed, placing his hands on your shoulders to steady himself.

“Alright… sorry, papa…” you blushed, but not as much as Olly did.

Holding the top of your head, he forcefully turned it so that you would look forward and not at the humiliatingly crimson expression he displayed.

“How long do I have to call you that…?”

“Whenever that witch shows up or while we’re outside the Atelier… Gosh, what did I get myself into…”

“Do you happen to know him? That witch who jokes about your divorce…?”

“I guess I know him from the Great Hall…”

“You guess…?”

“Oh, be quiet.”

In the distance, Qifrey waved a hello, eager to know how Olly did, for the silver one was too busy with his own apprentices to attend Olly’s showcase.

“Oh, what's with that expression? Tell me, dear, did Master Olly embarrass himself this time?” Qifrey inquired to you, bowing to your level.

“Papa is red because he…”

“Papa…?” Qifrey tilted his head, blinking.

Olly really needed a long exile.

How could he fault them? He too was enamored by you.

But still, he couldn’t help the slow heat curdling in his stomach at the sight of just how close the pair of you were. 

Perhaps it was the way you were responding to the man just as passionately, laying a hand over his arm in your own excitement. Or maybe, it was the way your head would tip back in delight at a joke he had said. Not Qifrey, him.

Qifrey leaned against the stone pillar, arms crossed tightly in front of him. He felt his lip curl at the sight of the man leaning in to whisper something in your ear.

Truthfully, Qifrey had no right to be upset. It wasn’t as if the pair of you were exclusive. 

He shook his head.

It wasn’t even as if the man you were talking to was making any advances towards you. He was just an Unknowing, infatuated with the idea of magic. How could he blame him for that?

Qifrey breathed deeply in attempts to compose his firing thoughts. 

Regardless, Qifrey was only here in town to support you. The girls had run off to replenish their supplies with Olruggio and how could he leave you all alone? What would you do if you found yourself stuck in a dreadful conversation with no one to save you?

The sound of your bright laugh pulled Qifrey out of his thoughts. He couldn’t help the slow smile that spread onto his face at the sound before he remembered who had drawn that sound from you.

Perhaps it was him that needed saving.

You laughed again, a tinkling sound as you looked away from the man, bashfully. The man grinned at the sight pointing back to your latest invention. 

Qifrey wondered what he was saying to make you so shy. Presumably complimenting the sheer brilliance of your mind.

He snorted, childishly.

He knew you were brilliant far before any Unknowing did. Is that what you wanted to hear from him? Because he would tell you day in and day out just how brilliant he found you if it meant you would look at him as sweetly as you were to him.

He shook his head, looking down towards his slightly scruffed Sylph shoes. 

Qifrey was being unfair and he knew it. 

He wasn’t going to say that there was nothing between the two of you because that would be a blatant lie. But had the two of you ever talked about the buzzing tension between you? Had anything been acknowledged? 

If you asked any of the other inhabitants of the Atelier you would get a resounding no. Honestly, Qifrey was starting to think that your little back and forth dance might be entirely too much tension for poor Tetia.

Still, an embarrassingly large part of Qifrey couldn’t help but revel in the feeling of your fleeting gaze meeting his teasingly, or your lingering touches, or your waggling brows when you whisper a slightly sexual innuendo to him, so close to prying ears.

But officially, the pair of you were nothing more than house-mates– co-workers, even.

Qifrey looked up from his idle feet to find your eyes already trained on him. 

He blinked. 

Almost as if you had read his mind you gazed across the courtyard at him through narrowed eyes and a sly grin. The man from before was still talking spiritedly to you, seemingly undeterred by your lack of attention.

Qifrey smiled back, cautiously. He knew that grin. That was the face that greeted him right before he found a broken vase or children running wild in the Atelier.

That was the smile he saw when you were about to tease him.

You turned away from him to look back at the tall man in front of you, though this time, Qifrey could tell you held no interest for what it was he was saying, spurred by a new task.

You nodded, idly, smiling with mock shyness as your hands moved to rest at the curve of his bicep. 

The man almost inflated under the heat of your affection, puffing out his chest as he kept talking, face resting in a ridiculous smirk that Qifrey would love to just wipe off.

“You’re really not going to do anything about that?” 

Qifrey jumped at the sound of Olruggio’s drawl to the left of the pillar he was leaned on. 

He clutched his chest, in shock, “Where did you come from?”

Olruggio shrugged, still staring at you and the man, amused. “The Starry Sword.”

Qifrey looked down, scanning the ground for four busy-bodied girls.

“They ran off somewhere.” Olruggio supplied, simply. 

He nodded his head back to you, casting a sidelong glance at Qifrey, “Now, what are you going to do about that?”

Qifrey leveled him with an unimpressed look, turning back to face you. In the absence of his attention, the man’s hand had traveled to rest at the junction of your hip and waist. 

Qifrey felt his teeth grit together. 

“They’re a grown witch.” Qifrey grumbled, almost against his will.

“They’re your grown witch.” 

Qifrey’s eyes widened, cheeks flushing as he rounded on Olruggio.

“They’re not my anything!” He spluttered, face reddening.

It was true. You weren’t his. But gosh did he wish you were. 

His flush deepened at his own accusatory thoughts. 

Qifrey could practically feel Olruggio’s blasé look aimed at him as he allowed a low, annoyed groan to escape him.

“The two of you are hopeless.” He deadpanned, turning to walk back towards the market, “Come find me when you finally come to your senses.”

He paused before turning back to glance at Qifrey once more, “And Qifrey? There’s something special about them. Make sure you act fast before someone else beats you to it.” 

Qifrey stared at the back of Olruggio’s retreating form, contemplatively.

The two of you were nothing, right? 

 “Nothing!” Coco squeaked. Tetia stood with her back to the player and her arms spread like she was hiding a secret.

“Are you sure?” You asked.

“We were trying to fix it.” Richeh said, still poking at the wood.

“And did you?” 

“No…we can’t figure it out.” 

“That’s alright.” You couldn’t ether. They were charming, the four of them. They knew how important the thing was to you and they were always so eager to help that they’d try and meld their minds together to come up with a solution. A trait you were so happy they continued to nurture. They’d need each other, even when they thought they wouldn't. They would. Always. 

But right now, there were other pressing matters to attend to. Like feeding a small herd of children and two grown men.

“Let’s focus on that later, hm? How about breakfast?” 

Tetia bounced on her toes and skipped to the kitchen, the others followed. They went to their respective stations, moving around one another like a song, melodically weaving under arms to reach low cabinets, spinning to avoid crashes. It’s practiced. 

You’re used to this and, well, you loved it. To be able to do anything with them was an honor and you cherished every moment they chose to spend time with you. Even if it was as simple as cooking breakfast in the morning.

“Girls, did any of you lose your palm quire?” You asked as you cracked eggs into a bowl for Coco to whisk. Richeh, elbow deep in a bowl of dough and Agott with flour on her cheeks, shook their heads no.

Coco popped up for a second, thinking, but paused, “ah, no, I don’t think so?” You could see her racking her brain for where she last left it. Honestly, if anyone was going to lose theirs she was the likely culprit. Too much excitement left her scatterbrained.

“Yours is on your desk, Coco.” Agott said casually. Coco beamed, “oh, you’re right! So, it wasn’t me.” She went back to whisking, you casually added spices to the mixture. 

“Tetia?” The girl was facing away from you, dividing fruit amongst 7 bowls. She stiffened and turned, cheeks filled with fresh strawberries. She wasn’t supposed to be eating them yet. You playfully glared at her, placing one hand on your hip.

“Ah—um,” she gulped, “no?” Her fingers were stained red from the juices.

“Tetia!” Agott said.

“I’m sorry but they smelled so yummy!” 

“No more Tetia, we need to make sure everyone gets some.” You said, chuckling. 

“Yes, ma’am…” She dropped the strawberry into a bowl, counting to make sure each one had an equal amount.

“Is the palm quire Master Qifrey’s?” Coco asked, “He was looking for it the other day.” 

“I found it,” Richeh said. She took the dough that Agott had rolled and slowly pushed it into the oven. The bottom of it was glowing from a soft flame. A contraption Olruggio had made to make managing the temperature easier. You watched her hands, ready to say something just in case.

“Ah, okay, nevermind then.” Coco said. 

The girls didn’t pry into your inquiry so you let it die naturally. When Coco was done with her eggs she waddled over to the stove top and poured them into a pan. Richech watched her and they spoke quietly as Coco scrambled the mixture. 

You tried to push down the unsettling fact that the palm quire was none of theirs so you moved to set out the plates. Yes, keep your hands busy so they don’t start to tremble. 

Typically, a palm quire will have a name or a symbol stitched into the back cover to help identify the witch it belonged to. Like a cap was a calling, so was a quire. It was common for a witch to customize it and you knew the girls loved to cover theirs in embellishments. The palm quire Senaka gave you negated any personal touch but at the root the lack of personalization was not the issue. The problem with Senaka’s delivery was that the last page of the book had a complex spell that none of your children would have or should've known. 

They were symbols you were even unfamiliar with and you hoped, somewhere deep down, that it was just a misplaced drawing. You’d have to show Qifrey and Olruggio. Coco was already toeing the line. When Qifrey brought her to you, you’d at first been on Olruggio’s side. Sending her to the Knights was the only option, but when you saw her, terrified and confused, you knew you were going to have to fight tooth and nail to keep her safe. 

BUt, if this was another forbidden spell, you couldn’t risk it. They’d take her away, even if she technically wasn’t involved.

You heard the door to Qifrey’s study open swiftly and Olruggio’s step soon echoed his. When had he snuck into the room with him? He was usually comatose at this hour. They both came scrambling into the kitchen. They pawed for toast and pieces of sausage, popping a few bites of fruit in their mouths as they simultaneously tried to secure their cloaks around their shoulders. 

“Woah, where are you two off too.” You asked. Breakfast together was a tradition. 

“Great hall called,” Olruggio said, pouring himself a glass of orange juice to wash down his frantic meal. “Oxen trampled a village. We’re the closest.” 

You followed them as they descended the stairs. Qifrey was placing his cap on his head when his eyes caught your worried face. “It’s alright, no one is hurt, but a farm house collapsed and there are people trapped inside.” 

“Girls!” Qifrey called. The four of them popped up, heads floating above the stone divide. “Personal lessons today, work on your lines and keep a steady hand.” They saluted him. 

“We’ll be back by lunch,” he said gently. He pressed a hand to your cheek and pulled you in for a kiss. The gesture was soft and reassuring.

“You better be,” you said. 

“Ready, Olly?” The dark haired man grunted, swinging a satchel of supplies over his shoulder. 

“Lead the way,” he said. Qifrey stepped out first, waving goodbye. You grabbed his wrist and brought close for another peck to the cheek. Habit, really.

As Olruggio passed you, however, you also grabbed him. He jolted, “Oi—!”

You pressed your lips to his cheek in the same way you did to Qifrey. You both froze. Your lips tingled from the scruff that decorated his face. Your eyes searched his. 

Olruggio broke the awkwardness first, clearing his throat. “Right, well, see you later.” He said before he scurried out the door like his ass was on fire.

“Bye, be safe…” The words fall from your lips slowly. What was that? Qifrey was far ahead and Olruggio caught up to him swiftly. You watched as he immediately started a conversation but you caught his eye when he glanced back at you. You looked away, face warm. 

You closed the door with a quick, ‘click’ and tried to ignore how girls scrambled back to their stations. By the stars, why did you do that? 

They don't make it back by lunch but you’re not worried.

The girls finished their practice for the day so you now found yourself relaxing in the field outside the atelier. The sky was clear and vast and three of the girls were playing down by the trees. Richeh's reflective ribbons catching your eye every so often. You had a book in your lap but you were using it as a shield, the palm quire tucked between the binding. You stared intently at the seal that covered the last page. A water sigil? Maybe? No, not fluid enough. Earth, it looked like. Despite its complexity it'd been drawn quickly, the ink lines weren’t even and the weight of the sigils together leaned more to the left. There was an inch long gap that kept it from activating. 

The grass swayed hypnotically, the wind was low and sweet, but did nothing to ease the tension in your neck. You sighed and slipped the palm quire into your front dress pocket, buttoning it closed to ensure it stayed on you. 

You reached down at your side and ran your fingers through Tetia’s hair while she napped. Her body was curled against your hip, soaking in the warm afternoon sun. The contact settled her and every time she shifted you would repeat it. 

The laughter from the others suddenlt fell off and the silence made you look out in the distance. Your breath hitched and you yanked your hand away from Tetia. She blinked blearily at the sudden disturbance, “Wha?”

You weren’t, generally, a fearful person. Raising four girls instilled a specific level of calm in you, whether you wanted it or not. When you panicked, they panicked, so you learned quickly that controlling any form of fear or anxiety was crucial. 

Right now though, you couldn’t hide that fear as you watched the new body in the field approach your girls.

Senaka was towering over Coco, talking to her. She had her arms tucked close to her chest, shrinking in on herself as the man stepped close. He's trying to hand her something but she’s vehemently declining. 

You stumbled to your feet and bolted down the small hill to your child. 

“Hey!” you yelled. They turned to you. Coco’s shoulders shook as she shifted. She felt so far away, and your legs were so slow. She fought through the grass like it was pushing back at her before she anchored herself to your side, swinging around your hip to hide behind you. Her shaking hands grasping your waist. Senaka straightened. 

“Hello, again.” 

“You need to leave,” you said. You don’t care why he’s here, you don’t care what he wanted or how he kept finding his way back. He just needed to get off your property. 

“Coco, get the others and go inside.” You said, not looking down at her. You felt her nod, reluctant to release you, before turning heel and rushing to find the girls.

You waited until their trails fell silent, the grass no longer disturbed by their movements. It's a stand off with Senaka and you're the one to fire first. “I won’t repeat myself.” 

“I was simply passing through.” He said casually.

Your first interaction was strange, yes, but easily brushed aside, the palm quire was a warning, and this was a threat. 

“You stay away from me and my children, do you understand?” He looked like he was going to say something else, but you don’t give him the chance. You knew you wouldn’t be able to handle him on your own. You needed Qifrey and Olruggio. Your best bet was to get away. 

So you did.

You turned your back to him, you knew you shouldn’t have but you weren’t going to entertain whatever sick thing he was doing. The march home felt longer than it was, and you wanted to look back after each unsteady step but you didn’t.

“You think you can replace them, don’t you?” Senaka called. The wind picked up and dark heavy clouds started rolling in. “Their mothers.” Your march lost its rhythm, but you continued on. 

Thick droplets of water hit the top of your head and rolled down your neck. You glanced up, the sun was engulfed by a sudden storm and there were cracks of lightning in the distance. 

“That girl is worth more than you know!” He sounded like he was right next to you even though you were steps away from your front door. You were drenched to the bone, hair plastered to your cheeks and skirts dipped in mud. 

Right as your hand reached for the door, there was a heavy whisper in your ear, “Give her my gift, will you?”

When you touched the knob the voice faded and only the storm rumbled up above.

The girls didn't question you when you stumbled back inside. They didn’t ask where the picnic blanket was or where your book had gone. You left that in the field, abandoned, to be consumed by the storm or taken by Senaka. You didn’t care what happened to it. 

You sat on the couch, hands trembling. From the cold or your fear you don’t know. Maybe it was both.

"Um..." Coco said your name. Your head jerked up, your eyes like saucers. It took you a moment to realize that Coco was speaking to you. She’s holding a towel in her hand, with a twisted look of concern and confusion on her face. “Here…” she held the towel out to you, encouraging you to take it. “Master Olly’s door is locked, I couldn’t get the link rings…”

You reached out with jerky fingers, pulling her into your chest, the towel caught between you. Your cheek rested on the top of her head. “Are you hurt?” you asked. 

“N-no,” she stuttered. You heard her sniff, “who was that?” 

“I…I don’t know, Coco.” You let her pull away from you, she brought the towel to her face to stop the tears that bubbled just below the surface. The front of her clothes are damp and you pressed a hand to her cheek, “What did he say to you?” 

“He had a palm quire,” she whispered, “he tried to give it to me. B-but I kept thinking about when I got the book the first time, and something felt wrong. So wrong. I-I didn’t take it I swear!” 

“Oh, sweetheart…” You cooed, “I know you didn’t.” 

You took the towel from her, “nothing is going to take you from us. Do you understand? Nothing.” Coco nodded, whimpering and rubbing at her eyes. Your heart sank. The three of you had been trying so hard to keep her from spiraling. With the Knights Moralis constantly checking in, Olruggio’s status as a watchful eye, and the Brimcaps chasing her, Coco was living life in a state of anxiety induced limbo. 

“Do you understand?” 

“Y-yes.” She nodded again, sniffing. You pat at your neck with the towel and stand, unsticking yourself from the fabric of your seat. The other girls were watching you from the opposite of the atelier. You opened your arms to them and the three barrel into your embrace. Your heart clenched at their unease. 

“Let’s get ready for bed, yeah? How about that?” You said it for them, but you needed it just as much. A bath, a cup of tea and to curl up in your bed and go to sleep. You looked at the door, the rumbling of the storm low and vibrating. The door rattled with the wind. Where were Qifrey and Olruggio? You needed them here.

You should have told them earlier. You were such a fool.

When baths were done and everyone was a little more calm, you’d corralled the girls into the living room where you all curled up against each other. You were closest to the door, your body a shield to whatever may enter. Sleep was a liberal word to use in this situation. Every time you dozed off, you’d jolt awake from something. One of the girls is turning in their sleep, the brush buddy rummaging in the sheets, an ember popping too loudly in the hearth. You couldn’t relax, but, god, who could blame you? 

Just as you had fallen into another semi-lucid rest you were startled awake at a particularly loud crash of lightning. You jolted up and immediately eyed the entrance to the atelier. What time was it? The magic lanterns burned soothingly, casting a soft glow. The girls were still asleep. 

The knob shook and you froze. The wind rattled the kitchen windows and the brush buddy that slept curled in Richeh’s arms popped its head up at the sound. The knob shook again and your heart skipped. Had he come back? You scrabbled to find something to hold him off. Would you have time to get to the kitchen, a knife would work? You couldn’t remember any offensive spells and it wouldn’t matter since your palm quire was soaked and you didn’t have the energy to dry it. 

The hinges on the door squeaked. You’d have to think fast. Quick. What was there to grab, what could you get? 

The door opened and the figure behind it stepped inside. They knocked their muddy shoes against the door trim, a small flash of light zapping away the debris. You heard rustling as they removed their outerwear before taking a step into the space. You kept a hard face and a stiff figure, intimidating. You hoped.

“Darling, what are you still doing up?” 

Your lip quivered and all of the tension expelled itself from your body when you realized who it was, “Q-qifrey?” Your voice was unsteady, the adrenaline of what could have been rushed through you, but your relief was flooding. You’d never been happier. He was dry, unsurprisingly, despite the raging storm and his eyes were filled with worry as he took off his cap and cloak. He hung them on the hook next to the door. You caught sight of Olruggio stepping in behind him, shaking off his shoes. When he looked up, he paused, brows furrowing in confusion. “What’s wrong? Why are the girls out here?”

You stumbled to your feet and Qifrey dove for you, “What happened?” he asked. He steadied you under the elbows. You tried not to step on the children. Your knees wobbled and Qifrey guided you to sit.

“Help me get the girls to bed,” you said, “...please.” You knew this conversation would go on for a while and the girls couldn’t stay out here all night. They’d wake with crooked necks and aching backs. 

Qifrey and Olruggio don’t question you as they move to gather the children. You fall onto the couch watching them closely. 

“Richeh, come on kid, let’s get yuh to bed.” Olruggio muttered. She mumbled something tiredly before standing, leaning heavily into Olruggio's side. When Tetia responded to the same command with a swat of her hand and a quiet, “Go away,” Olruggio picked her up effortlessly. With her head against his chest and arms secured behind her neck and knees he cradled her close and slowly marched them to their room. Every few seconds checking to make sure that a half asleep Richeh still clung to his pant leg. 

Qifrey did the same with Coco and Agott, both girls coherent enough to stumble their way through the darkness to their room. The brush buddy was close on their heels.

You were left alone, with the cracklingly hearth and the heavy rains your only company. It only took a few minutes for Qifrey and Olruggio to get them settled but the time dragged. Every creak of the atelier left you questioning where the sound was coming from and who was causing it. 

You were so hyper focused that you didn't realize both men had returned. Olruggio fell into the seat next to you, the shift from his weight doing little to catch your attention. It took Qifrey, kneeling at your feet with his hand pressed against your knee, for you to be pulled from your trance. 

“My love,” he rubbed his palm up your thigh and back, repeating the motion as he spoke, “what happened?” Olruggio shifted, his knee knocking gently into yours as he placed his arm along the back of the couch. He tilted forward and you subconsciously leaned closer to him.

You licked your parched lips. Qifrey’s eyes never left your face, even when you couldn’t look at him. 

“The man at the market,” the air chilled when you started, “he talked to Coco today.” 

“What?” Olruggio hissed. Qifrey held up his other hand, stopping his friend from speaking further. Olruggio bit his tongue. He prompted you to continue, removing his hand from your thigh and grabbing your fingers. You’d been pulling at them, they were rubbed red from the friction and ached some but you didn’t care. He let you pull at his instead. 

“Start at the beginning,” he said. You cupped your hands around his and squeezed. He always spoke so gently when others were panicking. He never rushed but he made sure to kept you speaking when it was needed. 

“His name is Senaka.” you said, “when we were at market he was flirting and he was creepy but you both ran him off. I didn’t think we’d see him again.” 

“Was he the one who was at the door last week?” Olruggio asked. You nodded. 

“He gave me a palm quire. Said he thought it was one of the girls.” You stood slowly, Qifrey was reluctant to let you go but allowed you to do what you needed. You shuffled to the kitchen, tapping a lantern awake before moving to the locked tea cabinet. You pulled a tin box from the top shelf and unearthed the mysterious palm quire.

“I asked the girls if they had lost theirs this morning and they said no.” You handed it to Qifrey, who flipped through the pages.

“Last one,” you said as you sat back down, settling between them. “I thought it was blank but the last page—” 

Qifrey let out a defeated sigh. “Forbidden magic.” 

“Shit,” Olruggio cursed. He rubbed at his brows. You felt awful, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, I was going to but he—he showed up again.” 

Qifrey snapped the book shut. “When?” 

“After lunch? The girls and I were outside. Tetia was taking a nap, I was reading, and when I looked up he was just…there. He was trying to hand Coco another palm quire. She refused to take it.” You shuddered, “and when I confronted him he said things that no normal person would know.”

Olruggio’s hand fell to the center of your back as he encouraged you to speak, “What was it?” 

"That girl is worth more than you know. Give her my gift.’” you could hear him in your ears, taste the water of the storm on your tongue. “I think I heard him on the day of the picnic too. Whispers on the wind, but I didn’t want to believe it.”

“That’s why you were—why didn’t you tell me?” Qifrey asked. Why didn’t you tell him? You don’t know. There was no sense of entitlement or desire to prove yourself by solving this mystery on your own. 

“I was going to tell you both today, but you left so I was waiting until you got back.” This had become bigger than you ever thought it would be.

Olruggio said, in frustration, “We have to report this Qifrey.”

“No!” both of you cried but you’re the one who continued speaking, “Please, Coco is terrified. She didn’t take anything from him, I swear.” 

You knew Olruggio had a job to do. Being a Watchful Eye gave him a unique position in the atelier but he had bent the rules before and you hoped he would again. 

“We’re just goin' to let a brimcap wander around out there?” Olruggio asked. Both men wanted to help solve the problem but they had vastly different ways of doing it. “Let whatever that thing is harass our family.”

“I will figure something out,” Qifrey said. 

Olruggio rolled his eyes, “Yeah an’ if I leave it to you, you’re goin’ to come back hurt. O’ worse.” 

“Please don’t leave, not now.” Your voice painfully cut through their conversation. You couldn’t fathom the idea of either of them walking out, the atelier was vulnerable. If Senaka really was a brimcap that meant they knew where you lived, where your home was. Tainting the sanctity of your life with their poisoned ink and cursed hands.

Qifrey sighed, “give me a few days. I’ll make a plan.” 

“We’ll make a plan,” Olruggio emphasized. 

“Right, we’ll make a plan.” He smiled at you gently, reaching up and brushing your hair from your forehead. He was on his knees, arms supporting himself on the couch, taking his weight, as he leaned over your lap. He pushed up, kissing you reassuringly. You whimpered but immediately kissed him back, your shaking hands cupping his face as you accepted his touch. It was more grounding than anything else. I’m right here, it said, I’m not going anywhere. He pulled away first and you smiled gently as you rested your forehead against his. 

“Let’s turn in for the night,” he encouraged, your eyes weren’t open to see but Qifrey’s gaze cut up to Olruggio after he said it. The dark haired man was watching the hearth in front of him, trying to ignore your exchange. 

“Okay…” You whispered. You sighed and let Qifrey guide you to your feet. You wrapped your arms around his and leaned into his side, resting your head against his shoulder as he stepped towards the exit.

“Is Olly going to join us?” you whispered. You don’t know why you said it, but the idea of him being away from the two of you made you anxious.

When Qifrey turned to inquire he was shocked to see that Olruggio had already gone back to his room. The soft click of his bedroom door echoing in the distnace. Qifrey’s chest clenched, he wouldn’t have minded if the man had joined him. “Qifrey?” 

you gripped the sheets below you as he spit degrading words into your face. as much as you hated to be that person, hearing his usually gentle voice speak such belittling terms only brought you closer to your climax. “fuck, raf—ngh”, your clit throbbed with each grind against the hairs on his pelvis, slick leaking from your cunt as the coil in your belly tightened. “please can i cum? need it so bad, raf please—”

his hands released your middle and tightened around your throat to cut you off, words lost on your tongue as he spit into your open mouth. “you wanna cream on this dick then you address me properly”

he gripped the underside of your thighs and folded them against you, putting you into a mean mating press while shoving his cock impossibly deeper. tears streaked down your face with every brutal thrust, a shiny ring of white circling the base of his cock. “p-please daddy, wanna cum for you, wan’ feel you fill me up”

he smirked at your fucked out cries, finally bringing a hand to circle your swollen bundle of nerves. “go on then, show me how good it feels”

the rasp in his voice pushed you over the edge, cunt throbbing around his length as he fucked you through your high, leading to him following soon after. he collapsed above you as his cock twitched inside your hole, cum filling you up. pressing gentle kisses along your collarbone, rafayel slowly pulled out with a wince, immediately moving to grab a warm rag to clean you with. you spread your legs for easier access, giggling when he leaned down and whispered what a ‘good girl your pussy has been’ for him.

“was it too much today?” he murmured, throwing the towel to the side before pulling you into a hug and wrapping the two of you in a blanket. you shook your head, nuzzling against his chest and pressing a tender kiss on his ribs.

“felt perfect”

he sighed contentedly, holding you close for a few minutes before grabbing his phone. you watched him scroll and tap away while responding to messages, clearing his throat after a while and tapping your shoulder.

“you should use the washroom before heading out baby”

your chest ached as he began to pull away like usual, nodding and walking to the bathroom while he giggled at messages on his phone.

“hey could you pick up your laundry from last time since you’re here? just easier than me having to bring it over.” he shouted from the bed, going silent once more as you finished cleaning yourself up.

you scoffed at his request, washing your hands and immediately walking out of the room. he finally spoke once more as you zipped up your jeans, patting yourself down to ensure you had everything with you.

“you upset or something?”

your eyes burned with tears at the ignorant question, wondering if he even knew how shitty he was being. “no, raf. i’m fine.”

he called out your name as you practically ran out of the house, nearly gasping for air the second you reached your car. you sat behind the steering wheel for a few minutes, contemplating whether it was worth it to continue this ‘relationship’ just as another girl walked to his door, her features similar to yours being highlighted by the moonlight.

filled with rage, you opened your chat with rafayel and typed out a paragraph saying how unfair he was, calling him selfish and a dick before deleting it and simply saying:

we’re done.

hours passed before he finally read the message, not even dignifying you with a response. at first his indifference had only caused more strife, your mind hating how long you let him disrespect you until you realized he likely hadn’t spared a second thought on what you two had (or more what you didn’t have).

in an attempt to get over him, you downloaded one of the many dating apps your friends raved about, swiping for hours before meeting a match that actually felt real. just as you were getting ready for your first date, your phone began to buzz with a call.

rafayel.

you let it go to voicemail before he called again…and again, and again, finally prompting you to pick up.

“hey cutie” he spoke in his relaxed demeanour, completely disregarding your last text and his blatant lack of response.

you scoffed before responding, deciding to tell him through voice that you were over it. “what, raf. i’m not gonna give you any more time to play me so just say what you want and leave me the fuck alone.”

“fuck is up your ass? i didn’t even say shit, just calling to see how you’re doing” he replied, tone incredulous as if he couldn’t possibly fathom your words.

“really? that’s what this is? you’re not just calling for a hookup?”

a beat of silence passed before he answered, a seductive lilt now lacing his voice. “is that what you want it to be?”

you laughed at his sheer audacity, picking up the phone and gesturing wildly as you spoke, imagining you were in front of him. “since you don’t seem to have gotten the message, we’re done. i’m tired of letting you fuck me like all the other whores you use. i’ve already moved on, so you should too.”

just as he began to respond, you hung up, not allowing for any of the bullshit excuses he could give you. he called several times after, forcing you to put your phone on silent.

another 20 minutes passed while you put the finishing touches on your makeup, opening the dating app to text your date before seeing they had unmatched you.

a cold wave of reality washed over you, your heart beginning to ache as you questioned if you were the problem.

before you knew it, tears streaked down your face along with mascara, sobs tearing from your throat right as the sound of your doorbell rang. you considered ignoring it until the beeping went on relentlessly, your figure stomping to the entrance and ripping the door open only to find rafayel standing ahead of you with a rolled up canvas in his hands.

“listen baby, i’m—hey, hey, what’s wrong?”

the gentle sound of his unfortunately comforting voice had your tears starting up again, streaming down your face as you walked towards him, throwing yourself into his arms. “t-tried to g-go on a date and stop thinking of you, but they unmatched me j-just before we were gonna meet up.”

your makeup smeared on his linen top, staining it with mascara and the rest of your hopeless effort of seeing someone who put you first. rafayels hands immediately wrapped around you, throwing the wrapped up paper into your house and walking you backwards so he could step inside. he locked the door before walking to you once more, wiping your endless flow of tears as each drop fell while tenderly shushing you, saying how sweet and pretty you were, and what a dickhead that person was.

when your cries finally eased into little sniffles, rafayel lead you to the couch before going to the sink and filling a cup of water, placing it before you and sitting in front of you. “okay?”

you nodded while gulping down the water, occasional sniffles coming out while you stared at him, noting how good he looked even in a (now) dirty shirt.

“first off, i’m so sorry, baby. they’re a fucking loser and you look so gorgeous. i’m glad i got to see it even if it wasn’t for me.” you laughed and rolled your eyes at the comment, leaning your head on one hand as he continued.

“second…i know you said we’re done. i know—listen, i fucked up. i was scared of how much i liked you and i just—so much stuff has been temporary and i wasn’t sure if you would be permanent so i thought if i pretended to not care then it wouldn’t hurt if you left but fuck, baby it hurts. it hurts so fucking bad.”

your eyes widened at the sincerity in his voice, throat drying when he looked up with his sweet puppydog eyes, revealing bags under his usually well-rested lids. “i-i can’t even sleep without you, angel. you mean so much and…h-here look”

you watched as he scrambled to grab the rolled up canvas, unwrapping it to reveal a painting of you. sleeping.

“i hope you don’t think it’s weird, i just remember the first time we…y’know. um, i woke up and the sun was shining on your face and you looked so fucking pretty, like more than usual which is already a lot.”

a blush creeped up his neck with each word, ears tinging pink when he looked to see you already staring at him. “i…i don’t know. i don’t have anything else i guess. i just ran over here because the thought of you moving on from me hurt and i don’t want anyone else to see you like this.”

he gestured towards the painting with his final words, eyes staring down at the ground while waiting for your response.

you sat for a few seconds, simply taking in his monologue and the genuine action from the man you thought didn’t care for you. “then what about that girl? last time i was over i saw a girl walk to your door?”

confusion covered rafayels features before his eyebrows raised in realization, words immediately tumbling from his mouth to correct the mistake. “oh-oh god no. baby that was thomas’ sister—she came to ask if i would paint for her wedding.”

you nodded at his explanation, realizing your mistake but still being stuck on the way he had previously acted with you.

he shuffled his feet while standing before you, looking up when you stood and walked towards him, staring into his eyes as you took in the tired features adorning his face. “fine. i’m giving you one chance.”, rafayel immediately beamed at your words, dropping the painting to wrap his arms around you. you yelped when he picked you up, spinning around with you in his arms.

“raf! listen!” you shouted, looking at him sternly. “we can try again but you have to let me in. i can’t keep being a stranger in your life.”

he nodded at your words, a hand on his chest to show how dedicated he was to working on lowering his walls. finally, he knelt down and wrapped his arms around your thighs, nearly purring as you ruffled his hair with a hand. “thank you, baby. thank you, thank you, thank you” he murmured, pressing gentle kisses to your bare legs. you smiled down at him until he continued to kiss your thighs, nudging his nose against the apex between them. “can i make it up to you?”

your skin buzzed as he stared up in wanton need, biting your lip before giving him the go ahead. slowly, rafayel licked a stripe from your inner thigh to your cunt, dampening your panties with his spit as he gently pried your legs open. “can’t believe someone else almost got this” he spoke between kisses, inhaling your scent deeply.

you moaned at his eager behaviour, already dripping before he pulled the flimsy cloth to the side, immediately dipping his tongue between your lips with a groan. “fuck, you have no idea how much i thought of this angel. couldn’t stop jerking off just thinking of your taste.”

a shaky exhale left you as he began to lick and suck your cunt with fervour, focusing on your clit and moving down to tongue your hole every so often. the rapid stimulation had you bucking against his face, already close to your climax in just a few minutes. “cmon angel, know my cutie wants to cum for me, lemme see it, yeah?” he spoke against your pussy, the vibrations from his words adding to the building pleaseure of your high, the sight of him palming his cock through his pants finally pushing you over the edge. “yeah that’s right, fuck-taste so good” he moaned, a trembling hand grabbing your foot to step on his bulge while he slurped every drop of your cum eagerly.

you watched him spasm below you as his own hips twitched, a damp spot forming on his pants where he had been humping against your foot. the two of you caught your breath as he slowly stood up, pressing a kiss to your lips.

“wanna put the painting up then go again?”