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Tonight, Olruggio would be having a sleepover at Qifrey's atelier. The idea was that if they had a real sleepover, it would be easier to cover for each other if they snuck out. They could just say that Olruggio was staying at Qifrey's and forget to tell his professor, or vis versus.
Olruggio was excited. He hadn't had any close friends back with Ghodrey, and was encouraged by his teachers to study magic instead of playing, so he never really got to do something like this. It would be nice to do something so normal for once.
They were staying at Qifrey's, since he had his Qifrey's room was lacking the sort of knickknacks one would slowly build up during childhood. It was barren aside from a few things that Olruggio and presumbly Beldaruit had given him. He couldn't help but feel a bit sad whenever he was in it.
"Beldaruit told me to put that blanket on the floor for you." Qifrey gestured towards a thick gray blanket, which was laid out on the rug alongside a pillow. "But I don't sleep, Olruggio. You can have the bed."
"You sleep," said Olruggio. "Everybody sleeps"
"Not really..."
"I'm not going to kick out of your own bed, Qifrey. Besides, you aren't supposed to sleep at a sleepover."
Or at the very least, Olruggio was hoping that they wouldn't sleep. He woke up from a nightmare more often that not ever since that night. It was one of the reasons why they had decided to send him to the Great Hall. He wasn't getting nearly as much sleep as he needed to focus.
"You aren't supposed to sleep at a sleepover? What are you supposed to do then?" asked Qifrey.
"Sleepover things."
"Like?"
Good question. Olruggio ran his fingers across the bed. "Do you have any games?"
"No..."
Of course he wouldn't. He hardly had anything.
"Is there something you want to do?"
"Go outside."
"That would ruin the point of this."
Qifrey sighed. "You're right... Maybe..."
Qifrey inspected his mostly bare bookshelf and pulled out one of the few books that was on it.
"You want to read?" Olruggio asked him.
"Beldaruit gave me a couple of books," said Qifrey. "To read for fun. He says they're fairy tales, and everyone knows them."
"It's true... Since most of then have lessons to them, they're good stories to tell young children."
"Reading's too slow, though. You should read it to me, like you do with the books at the library..."
"You would like that?"
Qifrey nodded.
Qifrey gave him a vague answer when Olruggio had asked him if reading was a thing he remembered. He wondered if the answer was 'no' and Qifrey was embarrassed. It could be he never learned reading in the first place. Some poorer outsiders didn't get the opportunity to learn much outside of their family's profession. While he could read now, he was slow at it, and often slowed down even more by words and ideas that he was unfamiliar with. Olruggio also often remembered what that one boy had said about Qifrey. Since he had one eye, it would tire more easily. He wasn't sure how true that was, since Qifrey never complained of an eye ache. If Olruggio's eyes got tired reading sometimes though, it made sense that Qifrey's might faster.
Due to this, Olruggio would often read out loud to him. He hadn't realized that Qifrey had liked this enough that he consider it a fun activity.
"Is it okay? It might not be fun for you, I suppose—"
"I don't mind. I can read it to you."
Qifrey perked up with excitement.
The two of them sat on Qifrey's bed together.
The first fairy tale in the book was one which was intended to teach outsiders not to play with magical contraptions. Some, if one broke, would open it, which would either reveal the spell or make it dangerous. In this one, it turned the person who poked too much at the contraption into a brushbuddy. Maybe Brimhats could do that, but of course, witches couldn't. It was a dull tale meant to teach a lesson, after all. In the end, the boy went to a witch for help. They turned him back into a human, and instead of having his memories erased, was simply scolded.
Beldaruit should've given him a more exciting book about adventures instead of something intended for children. Olruggio could just tell him a historical tale. He closed the book and intended to tell Qifrey this idea. Then he noticed.
At a point during the tale, Qifrey moved from sitting to laying down. Olruggio hadn't thought of it at the moment, but Qifrey didn't react at all when Olruggio gave him a book.
The boy who claimed to not sleep was fast asleep.
Olruggio sighed and gently closed the book. He looked down at Qifrey. He had curled up slightly onto himself, face scrunched up.
He's cute like this. The thought made Olruggio uncomfortable for some reason, so he pushed it to the side. Finally, Qifrey was at peace, even if it would only be for a bit. The problem was, if Qifrey was asleep, that meant it was time for Olruggio to go to sleep too.
Olruggio carefully placed the book on Qifrey's bedside table and slowly slunked off of Qifrey's bed. Qifrey shuffled slightly as he did so, but remained asleep by the time Olruggio hit the floor. He closed the light.
It was still a bit early, wasn't it? Qifrey didn't keep a clock in any obvious place in his room that Olruggio could see. Well. Qifrey didn’t get much sleep. It was probably good for him to go to bed early.
It was probably good for Olruggio to go to bed early, too.
It was fine. He wouldn't have a nightmare. Not with Qifrey so close to him. He couldn't show him that sort of weakness. It would be fine. He was perfectly safe here, with his best friend by his side. There was no need to worry...
He had a nightmare nearly every night. There was need to worry.
He just wouldn't fall asleep, that was it. It was always hard sleeping in a place where you weren't used to, anyways. That alone would keep Olruggio awake. It would be fine. He could just lay here for eight hours. Qifrey, who claimed to never sleep might even wake up sooner.
It was a shame he couldn't even get out of bed and find something to do to amuse himself. This was Qifrey's room. He couldn't snope around. Olruggio didn't like being left alone to his own thoughts for too long. Maybe he could read the book of fairy tales... That would require turning back on the light though, wouldn't it?
He could hear Qifrey's soft breath in the bed above him. In and out, in and out. Before he knew it, his breath had synced up to his, and his thoughts began to drift away.
There he was, back in Noz.
Bodies littered the snow wherever he looked, bodies that were there because he was not good enough of a witch, bodies that were there because he had panicked and was unable to think up a spell.
Some were the bodies of his teachers from Ghodrey. Some were villagers from Noz. Many older than him. Some younger than him.
His white cloak was covered with enough blood it should've been hard to recognize him. But somehow, instinctively, Olruggio knew this was Qifrey.
Qifrey, no. What are you doing here? I told you not to go outside on your own. He tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. Qifrey. I'm sorry I didn't see you. I would’ve rushed over to save you.
Olruggio, Olruggio. Qifrey's voice came from him, even though his lips weren't moving. What was he trying to say? Olruggio strained his ears to hear him. Was he angry with him? It would make sense if he were. I'm sorry, Qifrey. Qifrey.
"Olruggio!"
Olruggio heard Qifrey's voice shout out to him, louder than before.
"Olruggio," Qifrey repeated.
In the darkness, Olruggio could see Qifrey's face, peering over him. Olruggio reached towards it. His hand met it. A jolt went up Olruggio's body. He could hardly breathe. He sat up in a flash, bumping into Qifrey as he did. Where was he? Noz? No. He was in Qifrey's bedroom. Qifrey had woken up at a point, and had moved to the ground by Olruggio.
"Olruggio," Qifrey repeated again.
Olruggio quickly pulled back his hand and covered himself with the blanket. He could feel tears on his face, tears which were still flowing. He was crying. He quickly rubbed at his eyes.
Qifrey moved above him. Through the blanket, Olruggio could tell that Qifrey had turned on the light. Why? He didn't want to be seen.
He had a nightmare. Of course he did. It was probably how he had woken Qifrey up. Had he let out a scream? Or was him rolling around enough? He probably terrified him, too. Olruggio took a few breaths to try to calm himself down, but it didn't work. It was a familiar dream, but why oh why had Qifrey been added to it? His mind had come up with an eerily realistic deception of his dead body. Just the image made him sick. The tears wouldn't stop.
Qifrey was right here, and he was alive. Olruggio told himself that. The other bodies there, though...
"Olruggio—"
"I'm fine! I just had a bad dream. It was— It was over something stupid. Go back to sleep."
He pulled the blanket closer around him. He didn't want Qifrey to see him like this. He wanted to stay hidden under here forever. What could he even say? He hadn't told Qifrey anything about what had happened to him before he got in the Great Hall. His problems which came from his own failings were miniscule compared to Qifrey having his entire childhood erased and being maimed and buried.
"Hey..." Olruggio could sense Qifrey hovering above him. Olruggio could feel him giving him an awkward pat on the back. Olruggio moved away from it.
"Go back to bed..."
"You were saying my name."
Was he? Oh...
"It was a stupid dream. That's all. Shut the light back off."
"Was I hurt?"
Olruggio ignored him.
"Is that bad?"
"Of course is it!"
"... Right."
Even through the blanket, Olruggio could feel Qifrey give him the gentlest pat on the back.
"Turn off the light."
"It's better when it's on, isn't it?"
Olruggio peered out of the blanket. It was true. Without any shadows, there was less chance Olruggio would be reminded of that awful night.
A weight suddenly landed on him. Olruggio pushed his way out of his blanket, or should he say, blankets. Qifrey had dumped all of the ones on his own bed onto Olruggio.
"What are you doing? I don't need your blankets."
"Aren't you cold?"
He was, actually. That dream always brought back the chill of your day. "I don't need every single one of them, though. How are you going to sleep?"
"I'm not going to sleep anymore," Qifrey told him. He sat back down by Olruggio.
It would've been easier for Olruggio to sleep on Qifrey's bed. He looked at Qifrey, who was staring at him. Olruggio realized he had stopped crying at a point. There were likely still tear tracks on his face, though. He turned away again.
To be fair, while Olruggio wanted nothing more than to fall back asleep and push this behind him once morning came, he was too high strung now. He always struggled going back to sleep after a dream like that.
Qifrey gave him another pat on the shoulder, quickly retreating his arm away.
"There's another thing I can try..." Qifrey muttered to himself.
What was he even trying? Olruggio turned towards him. Qifrey reached under his bed and pulled out a stuffed animal that could've been a bear with a long nose or a brown mouse with a short nose.
"Beldaruit tried to give it to me because he said it would help me sleep." He glared at the stuffed animal. "It didn't. You can have it."
"No... Beldaruit gave it to you."
"You can have it," Qifrey repeated.
"Let me see." Olruggio took it from him.
The stuffed animal was soft, but upon closer inspection, one of its button eyes plucked off at a point in time. A small hole was still present on its face. Olruggio didn't want to dwell on that too much. He was already feeling bad.
"What's its name?"
"... It's called a stuffing animal, isn't it?"
He was going to start crying again,
"Do you think it would help you?"
"No... I haven't had a stuffed animal since I was a five."
"That means I'm too old for this, too. Why'd he give me this?" Qifrey kneeled to put the sad bearmouse back underneath the bed.
"Wait!" Olruggio said.
"What?"
"You can't keep it there. Put it on a shelf or something."
"Why?"
"Because, it's. It's too cute to put under the bed."
"Is it?"
"Your room doesn't have many things in it. This will make it look better. Give it to me."
Olruggio was careful to handle the poor thing, not wanting any of the stuffing to come out of its eyehole. He would have to sow it back up. He placed it on Qifrey's bookshelf.
"Doesn't it make this place look better?"
Qifrey looked at the bookshelf. "I don't know."
It really didn't make that much difference. "It's small steps..."
Standing here felt awkward. Olruggio retreated back to his blankets. The extra weight of the ones Qifrey gave him really did
"Let's just go to sleep..."
"Do you want tea?" Qifrey asked suddenly.
"No... Why?"
"Willowgrape tea is supposed to help you sleep, though. That's what Beldaruit says."
"Oh..." He's probably given it to Qifrey before to try to get him to rest. "Does it help?"
Qifrey sighed. "No... It does taste good, though."
"I don't like tea much."
"No? Why not?"
"It tastes weird..."
"Does it?"
"Look, Qifrey..." Olruggio scratched the back of his neck. "I'll be fine. Really. I'm sorry for waking you up. You... Do you want me to read to you again, so you can fall back to sleep?"
"I'm not going back to sleep," said Qifrey. "You shouldn't, either. Whenever you go back to sleep too soon after having a bad dream, you go right back there."
"I suppose..." That was true on the rare occassions where Olruggio could go back to sleep after having a bad dream... For Qifrey to know that...
"Do you have nightmares often, too?"
"When I sleep. Which is why I don't."
"You just were."
"That was an accident."
Blankets and stuffed animals and tea. Qifrey was going through the steps which he went through when comforting himself after a nightmare, wasn't he? Or at least the steps that Beldaruit taught him to go through, considering they didn't seem to work on himself.
Olruggio lifted the blanket up, inviting Qifrey to join him. Qifrey slunk in. The two of them shared the pillow.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Why?" Olruggio asked.
"Nothing works, does it?"
"... That's not true. It is working. You're distracting me, Qifrey."
"... Am I?"
"I feel better than I did when I woke up."
"I see..."
"You're doing a good job. Thank you."
It was Qifrey's turn to burrow under the blankets now. Olruggio gave him a pat on the head anyway.
"Stop that. Hey. Why's somebody like you having bad dreams?" Qifrey asked him.
"It's over something silly."
"Like what?"
"Turn off the light."
"I don't want to."
Olruggio reached over and turned it off.
"Are we really trying to go back to sleep?" asked Qifrey.
"It'll be fine." For some reason he felt that with Qifrey this close, he wouldn't have a nightmare.
Qifrey was squirming besides him. Olruggio gave him a gentle kick.
"If we're going to sleep so close, stay still."
Qifrey laid still, but Olruggio could sense that he wasn't relaxed. To be fair, Olruggio wasn't either.
"I don't think I can fall back asleep," said Olruggio.
" You know," said Qifrey. "Beldaruit says, that even if you don't sleep, lying in bed still rests your body."
"Does he?"
"Yes. What do you think?"
Olruggio considered. "I suppose it'll at least rest your body."
"So does sitting," said Qifrey.
"Maybe if you're relaxed, it'll rest your mind. but... But whenever I lie in bed without falling asleep for too long, I... I start thinking, and then."
"Then it gets even harder to sleep, doesn't it?"
"You're right."
"Beldaruit's a liar."
"He's not a liar. Maybe it works for him. He probably has less things to worry about."
"What do you worry about?" Qifrey asked him.
Mostly Qifrey, these days. "There's a few things..."
Qifrey suddenly sat up. "Laying here is boring. Do you want to go outside?"
"... Yeah."
Everything was so much easier under a sea of stars.