Chapter Text
sippin' on starlight
"I once thought that your eyes held the entire universe in them. It was simply impossible not to hold such a feeling when you smiled with the intensity of a million, brightly-burning stars."
Kun had told him about a mysterious café first when he mentioned that he had sleeping problems for the past two months.
All he wanted was to get more than 3 hours of continuous sleep every night and not have eye bags that were reminiscent of the raccoons that crept into their garbage at night. For reasons beyond him, the universe decided to plague him sleepless nights and horrible dreams he couldn’t even remember. He must’ve been cursed gravely, considering how long the problem had been going long.
He’d tried almost every activity there was to help him sleep. Exercise, drink warm milk, read, meditate, listen to music, invest in drug-store melatonin, and more. He was very close to asking Kunhang to punch him hard enough to knock him out for a good few hours. That, or ask Chenle to enchant him to sleep for a week without repercussions. Though he thoroughly doubted that the last part of that statement would be taken into account.
“Ge, I’m so tired. I seriously can’t sleep properly at all, no matter what I do!” He whined, thoroughly ruffling his blonde locks to emphasize his point.
“So breathing isn’t working anymore?” The elder snorted, busy with making enough food to feed a small troop. Or in their case, Yukhei and Kunhang, for approximately 2 days. “I thought that it solved all your problems.”
Yukhei threw him a weak glare, huffing as he spoke. “Breathing helps! But introspection and inhales can only bring you so far, I guess. Besides, I don’t even know why I wake up all the time. I just want to have a restful night for once.”
“Right.” He replied dryly. Kun didn’t make an effort to reply any more than that.
There was a slightly awkward silence between them, but the older boy seemed to not care. He was too preoccupied with making alfredo and other dishes to even notice Yukhei shifting in his barstool in distress.
“Don’t you have any advice, ge?”
“What?”
“Like… stuff I should try out. I don’t know, any advice, oh great and mighty Kun-ge. You always know what’s right.”
Kun eyed him tiredly. There was a dry smile etched on his face; something that made him feel a little pitiful for the other boy and very guilty. “Do I look like Google? And since when have you actively valued my advice?”
More silence ensued, the stirring of pasta sauce filling the space.
Yukhei frowned. He scratched his chin absentmindedly, trying to think of other explanations for his insomnia. “Maybe I’m cursed after all. Someone at school could’ve hexed me without knowing, and I ended up here.”
“You’re not cursed, or anything along those lines. I of all people would be able to tell so.” Kun said, exasperation dripping in his tone.
“How would you know?”
He sprinkled more salt and pepper into the white sauce, back turned to Yukhei. “I bless and hex objects for a living. I think I would know if someone was cursed.”
The younger grinned to that, much to Kun’s dismay. Even without looking, he could see it on the other boy’s face, which in itself, was also a problem. “So that means you’re more than qualified to find me a solution! Get creative ge, because it’s gonna be a little hard.”
“Is it really that bad?” He asked. “Just how much is it affecting you?”
He stopped cooking for a moment to take in Yukhei’s complexion. Somehow, his cheeks had definitely thinned out, and his eyes held a certain tiredness hidden behind his usual cheerfulness. To add, his eyebags made his handsome face look grim, expression much more exhausted than youthful. Kun winced, internally slapped himself for not noticing earlier.
“That’s pretty bad,” Kun grimaced, giving him another once over.
“Well, thank you for noticing.” Yukhei laughed. “The situation has taken a turn for the worst, as you can see.”
“That much is obvious, yes.” The elder quickly pulled out a pad of sticky notes and pen, jotting down a nearly illegible address on the small paper. Yukhei had to wince in order to understand the writing enough to make sense.
“Go to this tea shop,” His friend told him, magicking a small map on another piece of paper, “and ask for Dong Sicheng, or Ten. Or just look around, I don’t know. Either way, they probably have something that can help you get better rest.”
-
Yukhei was frankly, very apprehensive that a tea shop would help solve his problems. He of course, had tried tea before. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect on him; even the strongest brews of chamomile had done nothing and instead, made him even more awake. It was an endless cycle.
But his love and trust for Kun were much greater than he usually admitted to himself, so he found himself going to the small tea shop anyway. If the tea actually worked as much as Kun implied, then hurrah. If not, the desperation and yelling at Kun part could wait until after his visit.
Kun’s small map directed him to a small shop at a less familiar part of the city. Though Yukhei had never seen the building before, he wondered how; the white-washed brick caught his eye almost immediately, followed by the strings of fairy lights that hung from the store’s windows. Inside he could see a tremendous amount of plants lined along the walls and empty spaces.
Yukhei wondered how long he stood there gaping at the store like a fish before someone bumped into him on their way out.
He forced himself out of his awe and pushed open the glass doors, unprepared for the aromatic-floral scent of the shop to hit so hard. It was pleasant in a much different way than he expected. Fruity, yet sweet and flowery, but not overpowering—almost entrancing. Yukhei figured that any smell that wasn’t Kunhang’s godforsaken axe spray was probably more than okay. Welcomed, even.
“Hello?” The blonde called out, still struck with wonder inside the store. There was a wall dedicated to shelves upon shelves of glass jars and tin containers, filled with all sorts of herbs and flowers. His vision was filled with even more lush green plant-life and he was momentarily more interested in the décor inside than the tea.
When he was met with no response, he turned towards the counter area at the side of the store. It was empty, save for the giant blackboard on one of the white walls, and a neon sign on top of a hedge wall that spelled out nuit d’étoiles. Yukhei wasn’t a huge sucker for languages. Much less Italian. Was that Italian?
The whole store looked more akin to a nursery or florist of sorts than a specialist tea shop. He fixed his attention on a small pink plant, whose leaves seemed to wave hello to him in joy. The curled and twisted the more he stared him. Yukhei briefly wondered if he was going insane.
He then turned towards a plant with heart-shaped leaves. Yukhei gently skimmed the surface of it with his knuckles, knitting his eyebrows in confusion when it leaned into his touch. Then the plant purred, scaring the shit out of him. Last time he checked plants didn’t make noises. God, the sleep deprivation was getting to him, wasn’t it?
“Can I help you?” A voice called out from the other side. He spun around once more, towards a door hidden in thick foliage.
“Yeah I’m just—wow—” Yukhei found himself blurting out before he could even process his thoughts correctly because really, wow, that person was stunning. He started choking on his words before he could even introduce himself, and the gorgeous being merely smiled awkwardly at him. But oh god, his smile, his eyes, his lips, his nose, his beautifully proportioned body and fashion sense, his everything. The light from outside shifted to hit his face, bringing an almost ethereal glow to his amber eyes.
He swallowed thickly. If rich, lavish angels existed, Yukhei thought that he was it. All the confidence in his body dissipated like smoke in the wind.
The angel raised his eyebrow, looking somewhat worried at his state. He would be more embarrassed if he wasn’t too busy gawking openly at the other boy. Art, after all, was meant to be admired, he reasoned. "Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” He somehow managed to say before clearing his throat. It felt like his tongue had become as dry as the Sahara in the few seconds they’d interacted. “I--uh, need some help with some tea?”
“Of course.” The boy laughed.
It was probably what he would hear in heaven. He could loop it on for eternity without ever getting tired of it. It sounded like beautifully gentle chimes in the wind, blowing in harmony. Or sweet honey, dripping straight from the comb.
Then his salvation smiled again, gentle footsteps walking towards him. If it was physically possible, his heart would’ve fallen out his ass.
“I’m Sicheng, the owner of this place. We have all sorts of teas that can soothe whatever ailments or moods you may be having. Or you may just be looking for some delicious blends. We have many of those as well.”
When Yukhei thought of tea makers, he thought of wrinkled grandmothers who wore floral patterns and generic hiking sandals. He thought of baggy pants and kimono-style sweaters, and maybe someone who smelled like catnip. A little musty in a robustly endearing way.
He certainly didn’t imagine a scantily dressed masterpiece with formfitting clothes that left little to the imagination and a fur-coat large enough to drag on the ground. Hadn’t expected leather and lace, for one. And of course, he smelled wonderful. Probably the best scent he’d ever smelled in his life.
But then again, Yukhei had never been to a tea shop before, much less a seemingly magically-involved one. He liked to think Sicheng was an exception. Especially when the way he dressed greatly juxtaposed the soft demeanour he seemed to have.
“Do you have anything you’re looking for in particular...” Sicheng asked, pulling him out his pretty boy-induced stupor.
“Yukhei.”
“... Yukhei?” His name sounded amazing in the other boy’s voice. But he had more important things to attend to, like his insomnia. Not the pretty boy saying his name like it was a beautiful word. Yet those thoughts escaped him with the blink of an eye, and Sicheng eyed him worriedly for a moment again.
“Sleep,” He provided, almost unhelpfully.
Amidst his momentary mental block, he was quickly beckoned by slim, pretty fingers adorned with silver rings that glinted in the sun. He heard a quiet sigh come from Sicheng. “Come with me for a second, please.”
Yukhei scratched his head awkwardly, following the other boy as he sauntered towards the wall with the vast collection of tea ingredients beside him. He hung towards the back like a lost little puppy. “I mean, I’m looking for something to help me sleep? Preferably for a very long time. A very, very long time.”
Sicheng chuckled. He looked at the collection quickly then turned around to face Yukhei in all his expensively elegant glory. “From the way you put it, it sounds like you’re looking for something to induce a coma.”
He immediately waved his hands in panic, cheeks turning slightly pink. “No, no, no definitely not that! I just have some sleeping problems, and it’s gotten kind of out of hand? Much more than I would’ve liked, and I’m a little desperate now.”
“Did you seek medical attention? Any doctor’s note at all?”
Yukhei shook his head. “No. I thought I could solve this by myself. Maybe not resort to more clinically produced things yet. Hopefully at least one of them would be fulfilled today.”
“Mhm. And what made you think that this shop was perfect for that?” The tea-maker hummed. He plucked random jars with ease, tiptoeing to reach a tin towards the edge of a shelf. Yukhei resisted the urge to offer to help him.
“My friend Kun told me about you, and your um, very wonderfully decorated shop. And did say you have blends for every ailment, so here I am.”
“Kun? I haven’t seen him in ages.” He huffed cutely as he finally gathered all the containers into his arms, depositing them on a nearby table. “Tell him to come by and actually talk to me, not just flirt with my cousin.”
Yukhei was quite lost but he said yes anyway, storing in the back of his mind that oh wow, Kun-ge had a secret boyfriend. Sicheng caught his confusion and smiled reassuringly. He gestured to a small, worn out stool opposite him before they continued. “Have a seat.”
“Sorry for that. Anyway, I know a blend that can help relax you enough to sleep well for at least eight hours. Do you have nightmares?” Sicheng opened some of the jars he took, tossing springs and crushed leaves into a quartz bowl.
He nodded. Somehow, he still felt the sheer terror of them even after he woke up, no recollection of what happened. It was completely exasperating.
The brunette gently spoke, as if he sensed the frustration in his form. His heart inadvertently did a somersault in his chest. “Jasmine can really help bring clarity to your senses and prevent bad dreams. Hopefully, you’ll only have good dreams from now on.”
They continued in relative quietness, the atmosphere much less awkward and intense than before.
Yukhei’s mind wandered off towards the plants earlier as Sicheng weighed out some other ingredients. The weird, oddly animate plants that seemed to crave his affection and attention. Yukhei was no stranger to magic as a half-witch himself, but it was just bizarre. He’d seen griffons and oversized wolves, but definitely not foliage that made noise.
“I have a question.”
Sicheng bagged some of the mixture into a pretty silk pouch. He slipped in a paper with random scribbles on it. Yukhei would probably keep that paper and frame it for the rest of his life. Maybe make a family heirloom out of it. “Sure. What’s up?”
“Do you happen to have plants that, sorry if it sounds weird, purr?” He asked, some of the disbelief he felt seeping into his voice. The question sounded much better in his head.
The tea maker looked up at him quizzically before bursting out in laughter. “I see you’ve met my philodendron and echeveria. They’re usually a lot more reserved, but I guess your presence excited them. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten another magical being, who wasn’t a regular.”
“I mean, you are a magical being right?” Sicheng paused, adding the comment as an afterthought.
“I’m a half-witch so yes? And I’m guessing you’re a full-time... plant witch?” If the overflow of foliage weren’t enough to go by, the general aura of the store was plenty enough evidence of Sicheng’s magic. Perhaps to normal humans, he was simply a flamboyantly dressed tea maker with a penchant for greenery.
“Plant witch. Hmm, I like the sound of that. But yes, I’m a ‘plant witch’.” As he spoke, he lifted his finger and willed delicately intricate vines to wrap themselves around his jewelry. But as soon as they reached his knuckles he dropped his hand back into his lap, vines retreating from his rings as quickly as they grew.
“Interesting, right?”
“Very.”
“I promise that they won’t hurt you at all if that’s what you’re worried about." Sicheng gave him a small pout and god, Yukhei would give him his left kidney if he asked. Not the right one, because he sort of needed to live, but he would likely do it anyway if he asked.
“I was just curious! They looked. Uh, friendly?” Yukhei winced at the choice of words, but the witch seemed very amused. Good enough.
“Not many people take the whole plant thing as well as you do. There's a lot more screaming and threats of burning, usually.”
Yukhei decided to omit the fact that he was quite close to screaming as well. “I think they’re cool despite the whole purring part. A little off-putting, but cool. I like them.”
“I’m glad.”
They both looked at each other for a quiet moment, an almost electric buzz hanging in the air. But Sicheng blinked and turned away first, quickly shoving the silk pouch into his hands before Yukhei could even begin to make sense of it.
He almost swore that Sicheng looked as enamoured as he, for the briefest of seconds.
“Thank you for visiting today.” The brunette said, trying to clean up some of the mess on the table. “This is free of charge, since you’re Kun’s friend and because you somehow managed to appease my little plants.”
“I—what—” He sputtered, ready to take out his wallet. Sicheng swatted his hands away.
“It’s my shop, so my rules. Besides, I won’t suffer great losses just from allowing one person to have a free blend. That’s not why I ran this store in the first place.” Money obviously wasn’t an issue considering the amount of wealth and power and elegance the witch exuded from his outfit alone, but he still felt obligated to pay.
With nothing else to do, Yukhei clutched the pouch tightly in his hands, further protests dying on his tongue. He didn’t have a chance to refute the offer more as Sicheng quickly ushered him to the front of the quaint little store again. Somehow, the heart-shaped leaves from earlier taunted him from their spot on a wire rack. Yukhei felt ridiculous for being threatened by a plant. He didn’t even know what for.
But as Sicheng leaned in close, fur coat hanging off his slim shoulders, Yukhei momentarily understood why. “Sweet dreams, Yukhei. Come back soon.”
Once he dazedly managed to waltz out the shop, he noticed that there was a single white carnation in his back pocket.