a higher place
fandom: witch hat atelier pairing: qifrey x olruggio rating: g tags: hurt/comfort, sickfic, whump chapter: ½ summary: Qifrey is tasked with helping to extinguish an unnatural wildfire on the surface. It would be a lot easier if he didn’t have the compounding hardships of a misunderstanding with his best friend and the incessant, piercing pain in his head to contend with.
preview: “Hey, water witch—” a hand drops on his shoulder—“you’re needed topside.”
Qifrey jerks his hand from his face and upends the inkwell at his elbow. “Olly,” he gasps, scooting back from his desk before the ink can drip onto his robes.
Oluriggio stumbles out of the way, nearly tripping over a stack of twine-wrapped books. “Wasn’t tryin’ to startle you,” he laughs, pushing his pointed cap back into place.
Any other day, Qifrey would be happy to see him, but today his presence twists his stomach like bedding after a restless sleep. He looks to the ceiling, waiting for his breathing to steady—for the sharp, piercing pain pulsing in time with his heartbeat to recede. “You know, most people find it customary to knock before entering someone else’s home,” he says when he’s gathered himself enough to speak.
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