Chapter Text
Yoongi runs his hand over the books on the shelf, their hardbound spines electric to the touch. Namjoon's words echo in his head about how everything in the spirit world has a soul. Because of the Gold King's ban on reading, these books must have felt so isolated and forgotten.
Don't worry, he tells them in his head. You'll all be read again soon enough.
He continues down the aisle, his fingers tracing the different textures of the materials used to make the books. That's when he chances upon a spine that looks more unique than the rest, it's actually too different. He pulls the book from the shelf, sees the title, and realizes he's read this book before. Back in the mortal world.
"Hey, Seokjin!" he calls out to the warlock who soon pokes his head out from the end of the aisle.
"Does the spirit world circulate books published in the mortal world?"
"Oh!" Seokjin utters in a delightedly knowing way, quickly crossing from the end of the aisle to until right beside Yoongi.
As always, Yoongi is quick to hush his beating heart which always goes goo-goo-ga-ga when the warlock is near. No time for that nonsense when he's trying to save an entire world, thank you very much. Seokjin, as per usual, is none the wiser, taking the book from Yoongi's hands before brushing his thumb over the embossed lettering on the cover.
"'Stories From The Moon'," he sighs fondly. "The young prince had been fond of this book when he was a child."
When he doesn’t continue--
"That doesn't answer my question," Yoongi deadpans.
"Ah, sorry!" The warlock smiles apologetically and Yoongi mentally has to scream Shut up! to his heart this time.
Seokjin continues, "The book is from the mortal world, yes. But the stories are ours. From a time when the moon still visited the sky. Hence, the title. The author, like you, had gotten spirited away into our portals once upon a time, and during her visit she spent most of it with a storyteller who told her the stories.
"When she went back to the mortal world, she decided to write them so as not to forget. The book ended up getting published and the rest, as they say, is history," Seokjin finishes with a flourish of the hand.
Yoongi nods, lips poised in understanding before he presses them into a straight line. "That still doesn't answer my question."
Seokjin's eyes crinkle at the corners as he laughs. Yoongi considers getting tested for tachycardia.
"I truly am sorry, Yoongi," Seokjin shakes his head. "The late queen (bless her soul) chanced upon it in a book shop during her annual visit to the mortal world and bought fifty copies for the kingdom. This is one of those copies."
Oh.
"I see." Yoongi takes back the book from Seokjin, his turn to brush a thumb over the title. Feeling a sense of curiosity go over him, he motions to open the book but hesitates just before doing so, reminded of the urgency of their task.
"Go on," Seokjin nudges him gently, however. "We have time. They are quite short stories anyway. I will look around for the spellbook while you read."
Seokjin walks back the way he came, leaving Yoongi to read the story book in peace. Before he disappears around the end of the shelf though, he looks back one last time.
"My favorite is the last one."