Primrose's Chronicles

You attempt to sit up but are pulled back down by a pair of equally sweaty and hot arms. Your slightly hungover brain slowly registers that the weight pulling you down is none other than both of your lovely partners, whom you would love nothing more than to get away from because of the unbearable heat you all collectively generate.

“My dears… please…” you plead, your arms straining against their hold as they lovingly try to pull you back into their embrace. “It’s so hot and sweaty… and it’s still too early.”

While actively trying to escape their strong hold, you look back at Qifrey. “Aren’t you supposed to be preparing something for the girls?”

“They aren’t usually—” Qifrey grunts, trying with all his might to reel you back in. “—awake during this hour.”

Olruggio groans, attempting to pull you down further. “Jus’ come back to bed.”

“And… respectfully, it’s not like this isn’t our first time being hot and sweaty together,” Qifrey says smoothly, followed by Olruggio’s deep laugh that shakes the hanging bed, each tremble echoing throughout your very being.

As quickly as it came, that flustered state is cut short when another bead of sweat pulls you out of the lovely bubble you had been in.

“Okay— seriously, let’s get uUP—!”

You are quickly interrupted as Qifrey locks his arms around your waist and forcibly drags you back down.

Olruggio snuggles closer, his nose buried into the crook of your neck as he inhales contentedly at your scent, no matter how sweaty you may be. “Just stay. It’s rare that we get a quiet moment like this.”

Your own body betrays you as it starts to relax into their hold, your muscles seemingly melting into theirs like puzzle pieces.

…sssnap!

Your eyebrows furrow at the sound. You look around, eyes narrowing as you try to find the source of the noise. You spot it. One of the many ropes responsible for keeping the hanging bed well… hanging.

Your previously tipsy state vanishes as realization sobers you up.

“Um… guys?”

They both hum at the same time and at the same pitch before laughing at their synchronization. Moments like these always catch you a little off guard. The ease between them is effortless, years of history woven into tiny habits you aren’t always quick enough to follow.

From their heavy laughter, the bed shakes again and your eyes widen as the rope begins to…

…sssnap!

“Both of you stop moving, the bed is going to break,” you say hurriedly, desperately trying to get them to notice.

You’d think Olruggio, out of the three of you, would be the one noticing that his own bed was literally hanging on by a thread, but instead his tipsy state gives him the courage to make a joke.

“It’s not our first time breaking a bed.”

They both laugh and wheeze at the joke before a concerningly loud SNAP bounces off the walls.

Their laughter quickly dies down as their eyes snap toward the noise. You look up and a breath of relief escapes you as you realize you all have not fallen. One rope has snapped and landed on your torso while the remaining ropes still cling to the metal hooks nailed into the brick wall.

“Okay, now you guys notice? C’mon, what if we were actually in danger?”

Qifrey, ever the charmer, presses a chaste kiss onto your cheek. “We’re sorry, love.”

From your neck, Olruggio gives you a small kiss as well.

“Should we be worried about the other suspenders?” you ask as you point toward the remaining three intact ropes.

Suddenly, all three nails keeping the ropes secured snap from the wall, sending the three of you crashing onto the stairs below.

Olruggio lands flat against the stairs, you falling on top of him and cushioning yourself, while Qifrey desperately grabs onto the wooden frame of the bed in an attempt to steady himself, his legs sprawled across your body.

Qifrey, dazed from the fall, mutters, “Well… you’re out of bed now.”

You and Olruggio can only groan in response.

Olruggio lays on the couch, fingers pressed to his temple as he attempts to soothe the avalanche of a headache plaguing him.

In the kitchen, you and Qifrey prepare breakfast for the entire atelier.

You walk toward your hungover lover to try and soothe him, but he swats your hand away.

“I’m fine… dun’ worry ‘bout me,” he mumbles unconvincingly, his words slurring with every consonant.

You playfully roll your eyes. “We both know that’s not true. Now let us help you. You never accept me or Qifrey’s help!”

His brows knit together, one raised higher than the other. “As if you and Qifrey are any different!”

You laugh. It’s true. All three of you have a difficult time accepting help, but that refusal comes from not wanting to make life difficult for others. So the fact that he refuses for that reason only makes you want to help him more.

“You too! You are actively refusing our help in this very moment!”

Qifrey joins the two of you, hangover cure in hand. “Here, my star. Drink.”

Olruggio takes one good look at the cure and immediately turns away. “No. Is that the raw egg and milk cure????”

“The very same.”

“You’re trying to kill me.”

You and Qifrey laugh, Qifrey hiding his giggles behind his hand.

Your laughter softens as you watch them bicker so naturally. They move around each other with such ease that sometimes you feel a step behind without meaning to.

“I’m joking. It’s water. It’s important to stay hydrated when you’re hungover.”

Olruggio carefully inspects the contents of the glass, making sure it truly is water. After concluding that it is, he drinks it.

You notice the shift in his eyes after the first gulp, his Adam’s apple bouncing rapidly before he exhales in satisfaction.

“Wow,” you say, slightly surprised. “You must be really thirsty.”

“Of course I am! That drinking game was—”

“Did someone say game?!” a high-pitched voice exclaims.

All three of you look up to see Qifrey’s apprentices, all donning their in-house uniforms.

Richeh sticks her chin over the stair railing. “I want to play too.”

Qifrey’s eyes light up at the sight of his beloved students. “Good morning, girls!”

“Good morning, Professor Qifrey,” they all say in unison, though with varying levels of enthusiasm.

Qifrey notices the lack thereof from Coco and Agott and makes a mental note.

Sometimes it amazes you how quickly Qifrey and Olruggio notice changes in the people around them. You still feel like you are learning how to keep up with that quiet attentiveness.

“What happened to Master Olruggio?”

“He’s just feeling a little sick,” Qifrey explains as he stands up. “Now, who wants breakfast?”

Coco approaches Olruggio with genuine concern, asking what she can do to help him recover. Judging by the worried expression on her face, she seems to believe he has come down with an actual illness.

Meanwhile, Agott, Richeh, and Tetia exchange knowing looks amongst themselves, the true cause of Olruggio’s condition painfully obvious to the three apprentices who are already more than accustomed to their masters’ antics.

Olruggio is somewhat conscious on the kitchen table, still nursing his better-than-before hangover, his forehead resting against the hard wood.

Qifrey watches your figure as you silently hover over Olruggio’s somewhat conscious body. He sees you hesitate and carefully measure your actions as if even a small mistake could mean catastrophe, though he doubts you could do anything of that nature.

You slowly lift Olruggio’s head and place a folded towel where his forehead meets the table.

You glance back at Qifrey, whose hands are occupied with preparing lunch, though his attention seems elsewhere. “A pretty penny for your thoughts?” you ask.

“You don't need a pretty penny, you simply need to ask,” he replies. “I’m just thinking about how lucky I am.”

His hands skillfully continue preparing the lunch for today’s outing while his gaze drifts toward Olruggio.

You smile softly. “He’s such a lovely person. We are both lucky to have him as our partner.”

“Not just him.” He pauses as he caresses your cheek, forcing you to look at him. “You as well.”

You flush instantly. “O-of course! I knew that… you meant me too.”

You smile awkwardly at him. “I knew that,” you blurt again, more to convince yourself than him.

But alas, his all-seeing eye notices everything.

He gives you a look that clearly says he doesn’t believe you before continuing to pack the lunches into baskets.

“What, pray tell, is the reason for your…” He pauses, searching for the right word. “Apprehension.”

You shake your head while placing the prepared lunches into the basket. “I… perhaps I feel a bit insecure. You and Olruggio have known each other since you were children, I—”

You look down, your hands lightly gripping the table. “I just feel out of place sometimes, like I’m getting in the way of something.”

He moves closer to you, his head leaning against your shoulder while his hand slips around your arm before resting within your palm.

“You are not getting in the way. Me and Olruggio knowing each other for years does not make our relationship with you any lesser or insignificant.”

“In fact…” he murmurs against your ear, effectively sending a chill down your spine, “I find it quite nice. While we know so much about each other already, me and Olruggio really love getting to know more about you.”

His eyes drift around, searching for an object to compare the situation to.

“To us, you are like a magic textbook. Something thrilling to explore and study.”

“Your mind, the people you know, the magic you cast… every bit of it, we love to learn.”

He steps away, still close enough for you to feel his warmth but far enough for you to fully see his face.

“But…” A teasing smile tugs at his lips. “There are other things we enjoy exploring as well.”

His gaze slowly trails over you, affectionate and unbearably knowing.

Your eyebrows raise in surprise. You quickly shove the finished basket into his arms before running toward your personal chambers in a fit of flustered embarrassment.

You hear him chuckle behind you.

You and Olruggio sit shoulder to shoulder on the picnic blanket, eating the lunch you and Qifrey lovingly prepared.

As you lean into Olruggio, you admire the peaceful scene before you: Qifrey and his students practicing magic.

It’s really nice watching this, seeing both Qifrey and Olruggio so deeply in their element.

“I heard your conversation. With Qifrey.”

He starts suddenly, and you feel yourself figuratively shrink.

“And…?”

“Well— I agree with Qifrey, though I can’t explain it as eloquently as him,” he admits, scratching the back of his neck.

A long stretch of silence falls between you before he finally asks:

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I… I don’t really know. I just didn’t want to be a burden. I didn’t want you and Qifrey to have to change to accommodate me.”

He exhales softly, the hand that had been scratching his neck now wrapping around your shoulders.

“You are never a burden, alright? And—”

“Then maybe you should do it yourself!”

You and Olruggio immediately look toward the source of the argument and see Coco and Agott bickering while Qifrey attempts to de-escalate the situation.

Your feet instinctively carry you toward the trio.

“What’s wrong?” you ask as you kneel down to meet Coco and Agott eye to eye.

“Every time I try casting it, Agott keeps correcting me before I can even finish!” Coco exclaims, tears already welling in her eyes.

Agott immediately fires back, sparks practically flying from her mouth. “I was trying to help you fix it before it became dangerous!”

“See?! You always do that!”

You place a comforting hand on each of their shoulders.

“Both of you, breathe. We are letting our negative emotions get the better of us.”

You demonstrate by taking a slow deep breath, and eventually they follow.

You turn toward Coco first.

“Now, Coco, why don’t you tell Agott how her words felt to you?”

“Um…” She fidgets nervously with her wand. “I know you were trying to help… but every correction made me panic more.”

Her eyes squeeze shut.

“It makes me feel like I’m doing everything wrong.”

“But if I don’t point it out, the spell could fail completely,” Agott insists, looking toward Coco.

“But you always sound so annoyed when you talk to me!”

“I’m not annoyed at you! I’m frustrated because you keep doubting yourself!”

Your eyes flicker between them.

It’s clear Agott truly just wants to be helpful; she simply struggles to communicate it properly.

And Coco… hears the criticism louder because of her own insecurities.

Agott’s words only deepen those fears.

You look directly into Coco’s eyes, desperate for your words to truly reach her.

“Coco, being corrected does not mean people are disappointed in you. Agott was only trying to help you improve.”

Then you turn toward Agott, gently brushing her curls away from her face.

“And Agott, being helpful also means considering how your words affect others emotionally. I know you more than anyone understand how hard Coco works to catch up. So try being a bit gentler, okay?”

Slowly, Coco and Agott pull each other into a soft embrace, silently exchanging apologies.

Tetia immediately joins the hug while Richeh quietly tugs at both their sleeves, pulling them even closer together.

Coco lets out a tiny sniffle as Agott blushes furiously beneath the affection.

You stand back up, smiling softly at the sight of their reconciliation.

Qifrey walks up beside you, whispering a quiet “Thank you” before pressing a kiss against your cheek.

Before returning to his students, his eyes drift past you.

When you glance behind yourself, you notice Olruggio staring back at him.

For a moment, you feel a step behind them.

Did you miss something? Why were they sharing that look? What did you miss?

Olruggio walks toward you, his expression both serious and soft.

But his affectionate gaze goes entirely unnoticed as your thoughts spiral violently in your head.

What if you stepped in where you weren’t needed? What if you never truly fixed the rift between them? What if—

“Hey.”

Your head snaps toward him.

His hand rests gently against your shoulder, concern clear within his eyes.

“Are you okay?”

You quickly look away, blinking your tears back. “Yes.”

He pulls you closer immediately.

“You can’t hide from me.”

You say nothing.

“Did it look like he didn’t want you there?”

You still don’t answer.

What could you even say to that?

“[Name], listen to me.”

“You add so much to us, to our relationship with Qifrey and…” He glances toward the scene before him. It resembles the one he saw earlier with you. But it’s different now.

Because it has been touched by you.

He nods his head to point at the apprentices. “To the kids.” 

You are then enveloped into a tight embrace. “You aren’t a burden, you never will be.”

“Now, like I said, I’m not as well spoken as Qifrey but–” He pulls away, staring deep into your eyes, much like you did with Coco. “Us adjusting to your needs, your wants, your life style? is the easiest thing we have ever done.”

You look into his tired eyes, eyes heavy from endless deadlines and late night work sessions. What you find isn’t exhaustion but the eyes of a man who loves you.

Just as the atelier is full of life in the early hours of the day, the atelier goes to sleep at the early hours of the night. (Due to Olruggio’s strict rules on the importance of a good sleep schedule.)

The girls had been sent off to bed together with their respective roommate, though not without complaints from Tetia, one last question from Coco, and Richeh nearly falling asleep at the dinner table from her food baby before Qifrey carried her upstairs himself.

Now only the three of you remained awake. 

This has become an unofficial tradition for you three, to let go of the stress from deadlines, teaching and insecurity.

The golden magical light illuminated the room as you and Olly diligently work on washing the dirty dishes.

You dried dishes while Qifrey stacked them inside the cupboard specifically for kitchen appliances, and Olruggio stood at the sink washing the last few cups.

The rhythm between the three of you was quiet and practiced.

Comfortable.

“Agott pretended not to care about dessert again,” Qifrey mused absentmindedly.

Olruggio snorted softly. “And then took the biggest slice after everyone else grabbed theirs.”

“She thought nobody noticed,” you added with a laugh.

“She gets that from you,” Olruggio muttered toward Qifrey.

Qifrey gasped dramatically. “Excuse you? I am very emotionally transparent.”

Both you and Olruggio looked at him in silence. A look that read 'Come on now, look who’s talking.'

“…Cruel,” Qifrey sighed.

Your laughter filled the kitchen before slowly fading back into comfortable quiet.

You handed Olruggio another plate to dry, only for him to catch your wrist instead.

“Hm?” you blinked.

He brought your knuckles to his lips absentmindedly before letting go like it was second nature.

And maybe it was now.

For a moment, you simply watched them.

Qifrey humming softly to himself, Olruggio’s sleeves rolled past his elbows.

The soft clinking of dishes.

The occasional splash of water.

The familiar feeling of being gently bumped into whenever one of them passed by.

You smile, you could live the rest of your life like this.

Within the familiar walls of Qifrey’s room sits the three of you.

Olruggio spoons you from behind, your back pressed firmly against his chest, while Qifrey lies in front of you.

All three pairs of legs tangle together beneath the comfortable softness of Qifrey’s blanket.

“Today was perfect,” you sigh contentedly. “Nothing went wrong today.”

You pause thoughtfully.

“Well— other than our incident this morning and Olruggio being hungover.”

You hear a grunt from Olruggio and a chuckle from Qifrey.

Olruggio takes your hand within his and presses a soft kiss against it.

At the same time, Qifrey adjusts the blanket higher around the three of you, only for Olruggio to immediately tug it back down.

“You’re gonna overheat them again.”

“I control water, not body temperature.”

“Clearly not well enough.”

Their familiar back-and-forth makes warmth bloom within your chest before either of them notices your smile.

Sandwiched between your lovers beneath the blanket, you finally feel warm in a way that has nothing to do with the sticky heat from earlier that morning.

You exhale softly, the exhaustion of the day dissolving beneath Olruggio’s steady warmth and Qifrey’s calm, flowing presence, as though the two of them together could melt every worry away.

You close your eyes and simply exist within the moment.

No overthinking.

No comparing.

No wondering whether you belonged here.

You feel them shift around you occasionally, absentminded touches tracing along your arms and hands.

Olruggio reaches over your shoulder to steal one of Qifrey’s kisses meant for you, earning an offended gasp from him.

“That was for dearest here, how greedy of you, Olly!” Qifrey teases.

“Mhm. Don’t care. Shared resources,” Olruggio mutters sleepily against your shoulder.

Qifrey narrows his eyes before leaning forward and pressing another kiss against your forehead anyway, purely out of spite.

Caught between their quiet bickering, you can’t help the laugh that escapes you.

Their touches are soft and thoughtless now, the kind of intimacy born from habit, from love, from knowing exactly where to find one another even in silence.

At some point, without realizing it, you had stopped feeling like a guest in their lives.

You had become part of the routine.

Part of the home.

Held safely between them, you finally let yourself rest.

A/N: I cant believe this fic took me like 11 days... sorry! I was preoccupied preparing for college adjhwkjdha here is the other request btw, i decided to combine them bcuz why not

‘What would Qifrey like…’ you thought, the question constantly ringing in your head, what do you cook for a man whose cooking could rival a trained chef? 

You let out a really, really, really long breath as if to dispel the frustration, confusion, and even more frustration and what's left in your body is… love. Love for him, love for what he does. But it's this love where you find yourself picking the parts that you yourself are a bit ashamed of. You want to be the best for him, to be the best partner so why not improve?

Unfortunately, you aren’t the type to just lay out your most vulnerable feelings on the table for the whole world to see, you and Qifrey are similar in this aspect (much to Olruggio’s and Alaria’s dismay) so this dish is the next best thing… showing love through action.  has to embody your appreciation and love for him as a person, friend and more importantly, a lover. 

An omelet with a heart drawn with ketchup on it?... no, too obvious. 

A heart shaped pizza…? No! That's practically the same as the last one, and can we even cook a pizza here?

A heart shape– enough with the hearts!

You groan loudly, these ideas are too… out there too… childish than what you want to go. 

“Professor [Name]?” You jump, startled by the sudden intrusion and end up accidentally dropping your pencil and notebook.

“Ah–!” the young witch—which you conclude is Tetia due to the sound of her voice scrambles to pick up the things you dropped and hand them back to you. “Professor Name! I'm so sorry for startling you, are you alright?”

“No… I’m alright Tetia, Thank you for picking those up for me.” You smile at her as you gratefully take the pencil and notepad from her hands.

“Thank you for thanking me, Professor!... but…” She tilts her head, curiosity practically pouring out from her body, “What are you thinking so hard about? We already know what we’re having for dinner, what's that for?” She asks as she points to the notepad.

You scratch the back of your neck. “Well…”

You find yourself, sitting with the rest of Qifrey’s apprentices, Agott to your left and Coco and Richeh in front of you.

“Whats with the sudden apprentice meeting Tetia? I was just about to have a breakthrough!” Agott exclaimed.

Tetia raises both of her arms gesturing towards you. “Professor Name needs our help!”

Coco tilts her head to the side with her pointer finger beside her mouth. “Help..? with what professor?”

“I’m having a bit of difficulty wit–” “PROFESSOR [NAME] HAS LOVE PROBLEMS!!”

…

“WHAT??” All three students quickly rise up from their seats, which is surprising on Agott’s because you didn’t think that she would be the type to be interested in this kind of thing.

“L-love problems?!?!! I thought you were with Master Qifre–”

“Of course it's Master Qifrey, Coco! Professor [Name] would never–”

“What happened???”

“I-its just–” You attempt to clear the air but then Tetia steps forward, “Fret not my sister apprentices! For I will explain the situation to all of you!” 

 “What are you thinking so hard about? We already know what we’re having for dinner, what's that for?” 

“Well…” I can tell Tetia about this right? Maybe she can help you! Tetia is a clever and observant girl after all. It's totally not weird that you’re confiding in a tween right?

“Well??” Tetia asks, pushing for you to continue. “I’m sure you noticed that I am not a very vocal witch.. And um…” “So you’re asking for advice on what to make for Professor Qifrey because you want him to feel appreciated and loved but you’re having a hard time because Professor Qifrey is a really good chef and you don’t know what to make for him?”

…Qifrey’s right, she is really observant. You blink, not knowing what to do now that your insecurity is out on the table.

“...aaaaand that's what they told me!” Tetia says.

All three students at the table think and reflect on the situation presented to them.

“Something Professor Qifrey would like…”

“...That would show Professor [Name]’s love…”

“...That is totally new to Professor Qifrey…”

Their eyebrows furrow with concentration, their minds going over every recipe they know.

“Ah!” Agott’s concentration breaks as she realizes… “What about some cake? We have some ingredients that the Master wanted to get rid of!” Richeh inspects the mentioned ingredients. “But why would the Master get rid of perfectly good cheese?” 

To answer her question, the ravenette carefully lifts the block of cheese. “Because it's near its expiry date.”

“Another smart thought, from Agott!” 

“Agotto agree…” 

“Enough with the puns!”

“But we also have this entire bag of flour, if we use it we would have so much dough left over…” Coco says.

Tetia’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “Then how about we all have cake for dessert? And spaghetti for dinner! We can save the flour for tomorrow!”

Agott’s brow raises at Tetia’s suggestion. “If I didn’t know any better Tetia, I'd think you asked for spaghetti for supper because you couldn't take any more curry." That's right… We've been having curry for 2 nights straight… honestly you wanted something different tonight too so you can't really blame Tetia if that were the case. 

A long uncomfortable silence builds as Tetia, Richeh and Coco stare at Agott. “Wh-what..? Did I say something wrong?”

“Agott… did you just…” the pink haired pigtailed witch suddenly grabs her fellow apprentice on their shoulders. “Did you just tease me?!  Wow, I never thought I’d be able to experience Agott teasing me!”

“W-well you all tease me all the time! I don’t see why I can't return the same energy?” Agott explained in her embarrassed state.

Time seems to slow down as you watch the girls talking with each other, but you can't lie to yourself—Cake feels like all the other possibilities are crossed away back in your notepad. It isn’t what you originally planned but… 

“Alright, let us make the cake!” You stiffly exclaim, the strained smile on your face completely contradicting the positive attitude you reverberated. You walk towards the kitchen, gathering the necessary ingredients to create cake (and spaghetti). 

“Wait, you're actually making the cake?” Agott asked. “It was just a suggestion Professor [Name], you don't have to go through with it….” 

You reach down and pat Agott on the head. “I think cake is perfect, I know Qifrey likes it.” but is it enough?

“But does it truly communicate your point across?” Richeh asks, looking up at you as she attempts to fully close her arms around your figure. “A-and!” Tetia adds, “It’s not new to professor Qifrey! It only passes 1 out of the 3 guidelines we set!”

You can only manage a steady smile as worry flickers across their faces. The truth is… you still aren’t entirely sure whether a few small touches on a meal could ever carry everything you want to say.

Still, you gently shake your head as if to ease their concern. “I’m sure your Professor will like it no matter what. Even just the fact that you’re all thinking of him and putting in this effort… I think that alone would make him happy.”

You clap your hands lightly, as though to settle the moment before it can spiral any further. “Alright…let’s get started.”

They all nod in unison, determination burning behind their eyes as they take on the heavy (and tasty!) responsibility of saying “I love you.” 

After thinking about it for a bit the 5 of you decided it was best to make a classic cheesecake, since there was a lack of flour. 

You roll up your sleeves and grab the recipe from the designated area on the shelves and you soften at the sight of the little notes written on the margin of the recipe. It’s Qifrey’s personal notes. He was always such a caring man.

~Cheese Cake Recipe!~

Two packs of plain crackers

^ Make sure to crush into fine powder.

     (Make sure to leave some crackers for Richeh)

90 g of Butter

^ Melt into a liquid consistency

> Then combine the crushed crackers with the liquid butter

> Grab a flat pan with high walls and press the mix flat onto the pan

> Bake in an oven for 7- 8 mins in medium heat

    (It does not need to be 7-8 mins, Agott prefers it to be softer)

Mix four cups (900g) of cream cheese with 1 cup (200g) Sugar and mix into a smooth consistency.

    (Maybe more sugar… Tetia loves sweets)

Then add 4 eggs, mix each egg 1 by 1

    (Do not over beat) 

Add 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

    (use 2 Teaspoons, Coco says 1 isn’t enough)

Add lemon zest

Add ½ teaspoons of cornstarch

Then a pinch of Salt

Mix everything until it's all incorporated.

Place the pan containing the cracker mixture onto a large sheet of foil and fold the foil up the sides of the pan, then pour the filling over the crust.

Place the pan into the upper shelf of the oven then place a roasting pan containing hot water underneath it.

Bake it in medium heat for 45-50 mins

   (make sure the edges are set but the middle is slightly jiggly)

Once finished baking, turn off the fire then leave it in the oven for another hour.

Then allow the cheese cake to cool off to room temperature.

~End of Recipe, Have fun!~

You didn’t necessarily fail… its more like the whole kitchen is a mess and Qifrey hates messes. You would hate to be the cause of added pressure onto his shoulders.

Holding a cleaning cloth, you run it over the unclean kitchen surfaces. Making cake with his trainees, especially when it's something you're passionate about, makes you feel more connected. You were afraid that you wouldn't get along with his apprentices when you first walked into the atelier, but you wanted to because he values his students.

You are thankful to Tetia’s observant eye, if it wasn't for her taking initiative, you probably would be stuck in your previous state.

Creaaakkk…..

You flinch at the sound of the door opening, No! The kitchen isn’t clean yet–!

“Um… what happened here?” A certain white haired witch asks.

“Ah! Hello dear… we were just–”

“AHH!! PROFESSOR QIFREY IS HERE!”

"Keep the gift hidden!" “Present...?” Tetia puts her hands on her mouth as she realizes she let the secret slip. "Not a gift!” In an effort to rescue the day, Agott intervenes, saying, as she pushes Qifrey to a more secluded spot. "Professor, I have a spell I'd like you to review a spell I was just working on.”

The kitchen is filled with warm laughter and chatter from the atelier. You laugh along with them; honestly, you could live like this for the rest of your days. You sneak a glance at Qifrey, to see if he is enjoying the atmosphere, and see him with his chin resting on his hand, his eye already pointed directly at you.

Your cheeks warm at the realization that he is staring—very shamelessly. But that warmth is quickly replaced with a sense of dread. You avert your eyes, fearing that even one look might reveal what is truly behind the reasoning for that cake. What if he doesn’t like what you prepared? What if—

“Master!! Stop staring at Professor [Name] and let’s cut the cake!” Tetia exclaims, interrupting your thoughts.

You move to grab the knife, but then out of your peripheral vision you see Qifrey’s familiar silhouette approaching. He places his hand over yours, which is slightly shaking from anticipation and mild fear. As if noticing, he gently strokes your knuckles, attempting to soothe you in a subtle manner, then guides your hand with the knife and cuts the cake with you.

Across from you, the girls are wide-eyed, their faces red from the romantic display.

After distributing the slices, Qifrey is given the first bite, and he takes it.

All of his students, and especially you, watch intensely and expectantly.

“Hm?” he asks after realizing he is being watched. “Oh yes, I love it. Hearing about your lovely adventure with my partner fills me with so much joy. It pleases me to know that you all went above and beyond to help my partner in their time of need.” At that, all of his students beam with satisfaction.

Beneath the table, he takes your hand again. “I noticed that you followed my personal notes written in the recipe. Without that, I don’t think the cake would’ve turned out this way. You did wonderfully, my dear.”

“However, why spaghetti? We still have some curry left over,” he asks. Tetia responds bluntly, “Master, please don’t make us eat the same dinner for three days in a row.”

As you clean the soiled dishes, the sounds of clanking plates and running water echo through the kitchen. Normally, the apprentices would handle the dishwashing, but because of their help today, you chose to do it yourself to give them time to rest.

Suddenly, soft arms wrap slowly around your waist, and a cloud of white hair fills your peripheral vision. For a split second, you stiffen in his hold, but once you hear his soothing voice, you melt into his chest.

“Darling, I’m simply over the moon that you bonded with my apprentices.”

“It was certainly a welcome surprise,” you begin. “They are all such wonderful children.”

You bite your lip; you are never the one to initiate romantic gestures first, so this whole thing is a bit nerve-wracking. “How did you like the cake?”

“It was beautiful, just as beautiful as the witches who made it—especially the one in front of me.”

You giggle, suspecting that Qifrey had sensed your worry even before this whole event. In an attempt to soothe him in return, you take one of his hands and kiss the back of it. “So corny… perhaps you’re losing your charm?” You hear him gasp behind you.

“Losing my charm? Dear, your partner is the very definition of charm!”

But then his tone softens. “To be truthful, I really appreciated the care you put into it.” His arms tighten as he buries his face into the crook of your neck. “Seeing and tasting the details I wrote in the margins really showed me that you care for me—and for my students. Thank you, my love.”

He then places his hands on your waist, turning you to face him. Suddenly, the ambient sound of the atelier fades as your full attention locks onto him. He rests his forehead against yours and looks into your eyes.

“The surprise was wonderful, I loved it. But you need not give me anything to show your love for me.” He says in a soft manner before his lips press onto the soft mounds of your cheek.  “Qifrey–?” “Your presence, your caring nature.” He kisses your nose, at that your breath hitches. “What are you–?” “Or just you being yourself.” His lips leave yours just as fast as they met, but from that one short instance you can feel what he wants to say.

“You don’t need to prove your love for me. You are enough.” 

He pulls you into a deep hug, his calloused hands gently pressing your head against his neck. “I know those words alone aren’t enough to undo those feelings of yours.”

“But…” He steps back, the light of the magical lamp illuminating his determined expression. “I’ll spend every second we have together reminding you of that fact.”