#i have another longer one i'm working on that showcases toby's inability to be chill about his rival

[perennialsoft]

Fit in the Archives

New OCs! Tobias and Edmund are rival students at a magic university of vague setting. They're both in their early-to-mid twenties. Toby suffers a good deal in this first fic, but don't worry, he absolutely deserves it.

DNI if you are a non-kink blog and/or a minor.

Tobias’ demeanor changes as soon as they open their books. His shoulders stiffen, his hands curl, he grimaces–Edmund is immediately entranced. He spares half an eye for one of the dust-laden texts their professor sent them to investigate and the other half on his rival. 

Tobias turns the pages of his book with two pinched fingers, leaning away while he does. He looks like he’s terrified the grime will infect him, as if showers don’t exist. It’s hilarious.

“You do realize you can clean your clothes, right?” Ed asks.

Tobias looks at him strangely. “What?”

“You’re acting like something terrible will happen if you get a little dusty. We’ll never finish if you treat every book like it’s a bomb.”

“Says the man who hasn’t flipped past the first page of yours,” Tobias drawls. Ed has to concede the point. He flips the page casually, knowing the strengthening charms will keep the book whole no matter how rough he is with them. A cloud of dust drifts up as he disturbs the text, and Tobias literally recoils. 

Finally, the realization hits. “You’re allergic to the dust,” Ed says, delighted. 

“I am not,” Tobias says immediately. 

“You are,” Ed insists. “This is wonderful. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“You haven’t noticed anything,” Tobias insists. “Would you focus on the books?”

“Why? Are you eager to get out of here quickly? The professor will give us as much time as we need for this. No need to rush,” he says. Tobias glares, and Ed laughs. “This is wonderful,” he repeats. “Your eyes and nose are all red. You look ridiculous.”

Tobias clenches his fist. “Regardless of the time afforded, I would rather not be here all day. Is it so much to ask that you do the task we were assigned?”

“Is it so much to ask that you admit you’re allergic?”

“I’m not allergic.”

Ed considers him. “This won’t bother you then, right?” Ed does something to send some dust floating. Tobias clenches his jaw and glares. His nostrils flare. “Or this?” He does something else, and even more dust flies up. 

“Doesn’t bother me at all,” Tobias says through his teeth. Despite his clenched teeth, he sounds breathless.

Ed smiles. “Then this won’t bother you at all.” Ed flicks his hand, and wind whirls around their table. Clouds of dust heavy enough to darken the air lift up around them. Tobias makes a choked sound. "The archivists will probably thank me for cleaning up their books a little.” He manipulates the dust into an oblong shape floating between them. Tobias’ face is white. 

“You’re not meant to use magic in the archive,” Tobias says, a little desperately. 

Ed tilts his head. “Huh, I guess you’re right. Well, nothing for it.”

Tobias’ eyes widen. “Don’t–” he starts, but Ed has already released his hold on the magic, dropping the dust into the center of their table. 

For a moment, the cloud is so thick Ed can’t see his rival at all. Then, as it clears, he catches sight of Tobias bent over, head in his hands, shuddering. 

“All right there?” Ed asks. 

A moment of quiet, and then–

Ktchh! Nnch! Nkch! Ktch! Ktch! Nkch! Nngch!

Ed smiles broadly. With another flick of his hand, the dust is swept aside and away so he can better see the reaction he wrought. 

He-he-k’shkt! K’eshh! Ekshew! EKshew! EKshew! Ktch! Knck! EK’sheww! 

Tobias stumbles to his feet, knocking his chair to the ground. Before he can run, Ed sticks his feet to the ground. 

“You–” Tobias gasps when he realizes, then ducks back into his palms. EK’SHEW! KE’SHEW! KE’SHEW! He-He-HEK’SHEW! 

“Admit you’re allergic to dust, and I’ll undo the spell,” Edmund says. 

Tobias looks at him with pure hatred. Ed readies a shielding spell, just in case, but his rival is clearly too caught up in his fit to cast anything. He might be too caught up to really talk. 

“You–K’tchew! KESHEW! EK’SHH! EK’SHEWW! Gods–KEW’SHEW! KK’SHEW! I–HEK-SHEW!--I’m all–HEK’SHEW! KE’SHEW! I’m allergic–HESHKEW!

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Ed concentrates, and all the dust stuck near them whirls away. He coughs a little at the sudden excessively clean air. He undoes the spell binding Tobias’ feet, and in the same moment pushes his chair up into his knees, knocking him back into a sitting position. Even as this happens, Toby continues to sneeze. HESHEW! H’SHEW! SHEW! Ed glues his legs to the chair. “But we’ve still got work to do. I’ll keep going while you… calm down.”

Tobias looks at him incredulously with streaming eyes. His fit shows no sign of slowing, but Ed is sure it will eventually now that the dust is gone. 

“This is payback for the asthma attack,” he adds casually. Tobias continues to sneeze.