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"Watch it!" Mattholomule snarled.
He almost dropped the books he was juggling. As much as he hated to admit it, he was short and easy to knock over. Not only that, but it was like he had a target on his back because it seemed like everyone wanted to pick a fight with him- Bria, Boscha, Angmar, Gavin- the list went on. Regardless, it was necessary for him to be on guard at all times. It was a eat or be eaten kind of a world.
"I'm so sorry about that!" a voice said.
"You better be! You need to watch where you're going!" Mattholomule turned around to continue to confront this person, only to be met with- "Augustus?"
"Oh, hey Mattholomule! Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. I was collecting books about how to set up self-sustaining mirages for the graveyard." Augustus set down the pile of books he was carrying to lean against as he continued on.
However, before Gus could get onwards with his explanation, his eyes landed on the books the older boy was carrying and lit up. “Wait, is that the exclusive copy of Blademage?!”
“Yeah!” Mattholomule responded excitedly, almost immediately breaking every rule he had set for himself. He was never supposed to indulge people in his real interests- that was an easy way to make bullies target him. He was always supposed to act aloof and mysterious.
“It’s the one with-” He continued on.
“The exclusive chapter and artwork!?” they said in sync.
Mattholomule looked over at the illusionist in shock. “You’re a Blademage fan?”
“Yeah, I have been reading them since they first came out! I didn’t realize this library had the exclusive copy. I have never read it before though. I’ve only heard about it on Penstagram.”
Just like that, Mattholomule was in an internal debate with himself. Should he let in Gus? At the graveyard he had seemed really sincere about being his friend, but Mattholomule had really messed it up then by doubting his own judgment. He was just so sick and tired of being bullied and used.
He glanced over and tumbled into the younger witch’s pleading black eyes that almost reflected blue in the light. It was his only weakness- cute boys.
“Do you maybe… wanna sit at a table and read it together, then?” He relented.
“Yeah!” Gus exclaimed, holding out his hand at a strange angle. Matt just shot him a confused look.
“High-five.” Gus added, giving him a look as if he was the weird one.
Not wanting to look stupid, Matt slowly raised his hand towards Gus’s, hoping whatever he was supposed to do was going to come to him on the way there. Thankfully, the illusionist reached forward and slapped his hand briefly before reaching down to pick up his stack of books.
Mattholomule looked down at his hand, still confused, but strangely satisfied as his palm slightly stung. It seemed like that was supposed to be a friendly gesture, so Mattholomule decided for once to just keep his mouth shut and follow Gus to an empty table.
“Let’s start with volume one!” Gus requested. They were sitting at a table at the very back of the library, far away from peaking eyes.
Even though Mattholomule had just finished looking over volume one by himself, he decided that he could look over it again since Gus asked so nicely. Wow, he was really good at this friendship thing and he just started.
Gus pulled volume one from the top of Mattholomule’s stack. He instantly started to flip to the back of the book for the exclusive art. It was already too late when Mattholomule realized he left his Blademage fanart in the back of the book as well. Normally, he was really careful. How could he have so many slip-ups in one day? If Bria had been here, he would have been pixie food already.
It felt like the scene was happening in slow motion as Gus pulled out his Blademage fanart. As quickly as he could, he snatched it out of Gus’s hands. He considered eating the paper so there was no way Gus could get a good look at the art’s contents, but he worked so hard his hubris got the best of him and he just held it to his chest protectively.
“Mattholomule, do you draw fanart for Blademage?” Gus looked at him with amazed eyes.
Just like that, Mattholomule felt himself flustering under Gus’s gaze and loosening his hold on the drawing. He should have known the illusionist prodigy was just like everyone else after all, because as soon as he showed weakness, the witch snatched the sheet from him.
The older witch started preemptively cringing as Gus looked over the drawing. Too resigned to his fate to try to steal it back, he just waited for the insults and teasing to start.
“You know, Matt, you’re a really amazing artist! Who is this character though? I don’t remember him.” Gus pointed to a place on the paper.
The fluster Mattholomule had before increased by tenfold. Trying to dodge the question, he quickly tried to change the topic. “Matt? Why did you call me that?”
“It’s like a cool human nickname for Mattholomule. No offense dude, but your name is kind of a mouthful. You told me not to call you Matty, so I decided to call you Matt. Is that ok?”
“Yeah.” He found himself saying, completely dazed. Was it possible that Gus was actually this nice of a witch?
Gus continued to stare at him expectantly. Sighing, Mattholomule decided he had nothing left to lose at this point. “That character is my original character. He’s best friends with the rival.”
“That’s so cool! Actually, your original character looks a lot like you, but taller and with a horn.”
“Are you calling me short?” Mattholomule demanded, and Gus had the audacity to laugh at him.
“I am calling you short, shortie.” Gus smirked while leaning close into his personal space.
Matt’s ears went red. “Well, not everyone can go through witch puberty as soon as you did!”
It really wasn’t fair one day Gus was the shortest kid in the grade and then suddenly he gained a lot of height over Mattholomule when he was a whole year older than the illusionist. It was true he originally targeted the Gus because he was the only witch in their grade shorter than him. He hadn’t realized at the time he was a prodigy. It was by pure luck he made it out of the situation of his own making, not scarred by Gus’s illusions like Bria’s gang.
“That’s ok. I think you’re cute at the height you are at right now.”
If Mattholomule wasn’t red yet, he surely was now. He pulled his hood over his head for damage control. “I am not cute! I am cool and daring like the Blademage main character!” He spat out.
“Sure buddy.” Gus ruffled his hair, pushing his hood back down.
“I am not your buddy!” he gave Gus a light shove, and the illusionist shoved him back, starting a shoving war.
“Oh yeah, then what are you? Are we rivals like the Blademage main characters?” Gus questioned.
“Maybe.” Matt replied nervously, messing with his bangs. Gus did share quite a bit of likeness to the rival character of Blademage- easy-going with a heart of gold, full of righteousness, and a natural prodigy.
“You know they end up getting together.” Gus pointed out, laughing as Mattholomule got stuck looking as red as apple blood.
“Shut up!”
They barely made it through discussing the first two volumes and their exclusive chapters and art because they had so much to talk about. Gus even made cool illusion art reenacting the scenes he told the younger witch were his favorite.
Mattholomule went back to his home, feeling happier than he had in a long time.