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“Olruggio, I wanted to say… that I’m sorry. I know you might not forgive me…”
He was fidgeting with his fingers, uneasiness written all over his face.
“I hope we can still be friends, since we found the solution and…”
“Since you know everything now, I know you must be angry at me. Of course you should be angry…”
Qifrey looked down, not having the courage to meet the deep blue eyes staring at him.
He was sure Olruggio was angry. He could feel the stare on his skin.
Qifrey fidgeted even more and took a step back.
The cave was not narrow but there was a river behind Qifrey.
“Master Qifrey, Master Olly, I think we found the way out—”
She stopped mid-sentence as she saw Olruggio pulling Qifrey into his arms.
Olruggio noticed Coco and waved at her, mouthing “go away” and “give us a moment.”
Coco immediately turned around and started pushing the others back before they could see.
“Oh, I think we need to go there ourselves. To make sure it’s the right way!”
She pushed Tetia forward. Agott and Richeh stopped, noticing the sudden commotion.
“But we’re sure! The crystals showed us the way.”
Coco blinked rapidly.
“Master Olly said he needs to take care of something before we go out. Let’s go first.”
“Really? What does he need to—”
“Hey, I think this is a rare crystal.”
“Which one?”
Tetia was instantly distracted by Agott.
Agott nodded to Coco.
Coco smiled and nodded back.
Richeh simply followed everyone without wasting energy on talking.
***
Back in the passage where Qifrey and Olruggio stood near the cave river, Olruggio pulled him into his arms. He stroked Qifrey’s spine. Qifrey hadn’t even noticed Coco—he was too focused on Olruggio. His vision was also blocked by Olruggio’s body.
Olruggio said softly:
“It’s okay.”
Qifrey couldn’t hug him back yet.
Even though the curse had been lifted, he felt like he couldn’t move. He just stood there like a tree.
“I…”
“Shhh…”
Olruggio soothed.
“Stop blaming yourself, silly.”
Olruggio spoke with his low, kind voice—the one that always made something flutter in Qifrey’s heart.
It was as if invisible strings were playing a melody only for him. Just Olruggio’s voice was enough, he always sounded like this when he was trying to comfort someone; as though every word was meant to be a safe place to land.
But Qifrey remained tense and uncomfortable, still unable to move. He waited for Olruggio to pull away.
For him to say it had all been too much.
That he couldn't forgive him.
That he couldn't stay.
Qifrey was always waiting for this moment to happen one day. He wanted it to happen, because it would free Olruggio from their bound, but now it's different, the curse has been lifted.
Yet, the uncertainty stayed and grew louder with each passing second.
Olruggio noticed how completely frozen he was. Qifrey sometimes became like this when he was too shocked or afraid to move—or even speak. He simply watched the ground in silence.
Olruggio pulled back, went down on one knee, and asked:
“Do you really think I could blame you?”
Qifrey startled.
Olruggio took his hand carefully, as if it were made of glass that might shatter without tenderness and care.
“I love you, Qifrey.”
He held Qifrey’s hand between both of his.
“Do you understand?”
“I love you…”
Qifrey started to tremble. The warmth from Olruggio’s hands woke him from the nightmare of his own thoughts—from the constant anxiety, self-blame for his poor choices, the lack of solutions, and the grief he felt for bringing such cruelty upon the person he loved most.
Tears fell down his cheeks. He tried to wipe them away, but he couldn’t control them. They kept falling, like a flood of emotions had finally broken free.
“Olly… I…”
He sobbed hard, his face a mess. Olruggio watched him gently and wiped his tears with his sleeve.
“You’re like this river right now!”
Olruggio tried to lighten the mood and smiled the way he did when they were younger. It was still the same—the kindest smile Qifrey had ever seen. His favorite smile. His home. The place he had always wanted to return to.
His hope and his life were right here, holding him close and safe, even if he had blocked out any feeling of safety for years.
The truth was… what he had felt all this time was…
“Olly…”
“Don’t cry. Your eyes are all red—the girls are going to worry, you know…”
“Hah…”
Qifrey chuckled. His face was still a mess, but he was slowly calming down. He breathed in and out, trying to steady himself. To make it right. To allow himself to say it.
This overwhelming fear…
Qifrey opened and closed his mouth, but the words wouldn’t come out. His anxiety had lived there for so long. It was incredibly hard to voice something hidden so deeply in his heart.
“I…”
He grabbed Olruggio’s sleeve, which was already wet with his tears.
“I…”
Olruggio waited patiently. He was nervous too, but seeing Qifrey trying so hard made him stare intently, which only made it harder for Qifrey to speak.
He covered Olruggio’s eyes and whispered.
“I love you.”
Olruggio felt as if he had waited for this moment his whole life. He took his hand away from his eyes.
Qifrey still avoided eye contact. It felt too dangerous.
Olruggio knew, but after the confession, he cupped Qifrey’s cheeks. Qifrey was taller, but he was already looking down, so Olruggio easily reached his lips.
Qifrey felt the soft warmth of his lips and suddenly relaxed. He slowly clutched the fabric of Olruggio’s sleeves.
Qifrey stepped back, but there was a cave river just a few steps away. Olruggio turned him around in a smooth, dance-like move.
Their capes fluttered in the air like birds taking flight.
“Remember when we danced like this when we were younger? Back when I made my most popular contraption?”
“Y-yes, I remember. I erased your memory a week later… but I’m happy you remember that we danced.”
“Oh, good.”
“Good?”
“You’re alive.”
Qifrey was blushing and felt lightheaded.
Olruggio pressed his forehead against his.
Their fingers intertwined.
They stood like that for a moment.
The only sound was the occasional drip of water falling into the river below.
"Let's go, the girls must be waiting."
"Yeah, you're right."
They held hands and both felt light on their feet.
Until they heard noises from the other side.
“Ouch.”
“Ah! I told you to move a little closer!”
Tetia whispered loudly.
“They’ll notice us.”
Coco struggled.
“Don’t crush me, you’re too heavy.”
Agott hissed.
“But you fell onto me.”
Richeh sighed.
“No, you fell onto me.”
Agott corrected.
Qifrey and Olruggio turned to look at them. It took them a few moments to realize the girls had been eavesdropping.
Their hearts were pounding. Their faces burned hot.
“Oh, Masters!”
“Master Qifrey! Master Olly!”
The girls looked at them and saw them holding hands.
They froze for a second before exploding with excitement.
Tetia jumped around them repeatedly.
“Please live happily ever after!”
“Yay! Let’s celebrate!”
Coco smiled. She'd suspected it for a long time.
“Masters, don’t forget about us and food.”
Richeh commented.
Agott looked carefully at their embarrassed faces and sighed with a relaxed smile.
Tetia hugged Qifrey. Everyone else ran over and joined in, hugging him all at once.
They shook him right and left until they all ended up collapsing onto Olruggio, who was standing behind them.
“Gah—”
Perfect chaos.
That’s what you could call it.