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Changbin is quite happy with his life at the moment. Sure, he has to work a lot and has little to none time for his hobbies, but so far, it’s going ok.
His life is not really full of surprises, but a couple things keep him up at night.
First thing first is his job, stressing enough to consume his days. And the second and apparently more important is his roommate. And his three cats.
Minho is a good friend, he’s more than ok with everything they share in that space together, but he’s a little weird. More than Changbin’s witchy ass and he doesn’t even try, he’s like that.
He has entire conversations with his cats, blows on the food he’s cooking – the most delicious dishes are prepared by him by the way, Changbin’s quite sure he’s chef material – and gives other stray animals food.
Minho isn’t a witch, he just cannot be. Changbin looks through his things regularly to see if there are grimoires hidden in his closets, he dresses like a normal human and his cats definitely don’t speak, else Changbin’s delicate ears could hear them clearly by now.
But Minho doesn’t know Changbin is indeed one. And it’s getting difficult to hide things from him many days, so much that he has to execute the rituals at night mostly of times. Changbin has to do his job, the plants need him but it’s so difficult to make them grow at night, especially the cacti.
If Minho brought his cats with him, Changbin invaded the balcony, the living room and his bedroom with plants. For some reason the cats never really try to eat them, but Dori sneaked in his room one night to mouth at his lavender so now he bought them catnip and placed the lavender in the kitchen with the other herbs. Dori seems to adore them, but doesn’t really hurt the plants so it’s fine. Soonie instead is the most uninterested creature he’s ever seen, he never once moves when he’s told to and sleeps on everything remotely close to a piece of cloth, he’s very similar to Minho in some ways.
Changbin likes Dori, the youngest of the three follows him around the house a lot and sometimes Changbin leaves him come in his room to sleep. It may be that Changbin needs a familiar, but he doesn’t really want one right now, although if Dori chooses him, he cannot do much to stop the cat from linking his experience with Changbin’s.
Making the flowers grow seems an impossible task when Minho is at home, especially these days that he’s on a break from teaching – dear god humans really need a three months break from school? – and he sleeps till late in the morning and almost never leaves the house.
It must be exhausting to teach teenagers something they don’t like, but Minho doesn’t complain often about his job, not as much at Changbin at least. Changbin hates to work in an agency, he’s sick of staying put for six up to ten hours a day and be too tired on weekends, but they need to pay rent and bills and he’s got a pretty good income.
The first time he came to the human world, more than seven years ago, his first job was a florist, then he started working as a cashier and now he’s assistant manager. He learnt how jobs work pretty quickly, but sometimes he misses spending time with flowers every day and finding them new homes. How they kept screaming at him for water… he misses that a little less.
And anyways he has his own plants now and dear mother nature they act entitled, especially the herbs. It might be because Minho always uses them – and he swears he saw Minho sing to them once and they almost moved to the song – and when Changbin compliments the food, they always scream it’s thanks to them.
Minho is the type you’d fall in love with for real. When Changbin’s sad, when he needs company, comfort, someone to speak to or even to be left alone, Minho is always of help. He has this habit of taking his hand all the time, hold it a little bit and Changbin’s always grateful. He’s very sweet and caring, has a nice aura and it’s been more than three years since they’ve met and he’s still the same person. Fact that Changbin found a little suspect at first, he knows humans change a lot but again, Minho is not like any other person he met.
The things Changbin doesn’t really like of him are especially that he’s everywhere and–
“Binnie, have you seen my phone?”
–he loses things all the time.
But he has good memory for other stuff.
“Check in the kitchen.”
Like for example where Changbin places the pots.
He has to move them all the time because sometimes he makes flowers grow too much – and also cacti shouldn’t blossom in the night at all and he probably used the wrong spell of sunlight because it works too well – and he has to hide them from him, but Minho stares at them like he knows something is wrong but doesn’t even suspect Changbin changes their place.
“You’re right, thank you!”
Changbin’s hope that Minho will go out for the rest of the night pulverizes when Minho tells him he’ll stay in so now he has to – yet again – wait for him to fall asleep and give some plants the attention only witches can.
He’ll probably spend all day in the kitchen, working his miracle dishes and sing and be his cute self and… Changbin likes him a lot, he really does. Minho is such a sunshine, such a soft piece of art with his periwinkle cardigan and dangly earring and sweet voice calling for him to taste the food. He’s such a beautiful and kind man, Changbin can’t help but fall for him, even if he consumes too much hot water in the morning.
Changbin laughs at the thought and every little detail of him. From his adorable mole on his nostril, to the soft hands they usually grip his sides or hands, and the teeth that peek from his parted lips while he focuses on cooking. And then again, his voice when he sings is adorable as his laugh and the frustrated puff of air he lets out when one of his cats does something he shouldn’t.
“Changbin, help me please.”
And help Minho prepare food is probably his favorite thing to do with him.
“Can you please pass me the thyme from the table?”
Changbin does as he’s instructed and for a moment, staying next to Minho and watching him add ingredients to the soup, he feels like he’s in the company of another witch. Minho knows a lot about comestible stuff, especially fruits and he likes to chew peppers while he cuts them. He’s also a big fan of rosemary in everything he prepares, although this time he only adds basil – which he apparently isn’t a big fan of – in the sauce for the pasta, and garlic and spicy things. He cooks such delicious meals, the nights Changbin’s alone in their apartment he wants to cry because he never makes such delicacies.
“I will add a little bit of dill, it’s ok for you?”
Changbin nods, looking at the soup boiling as Minho stirs it slowly.
Then he scoops a little bit in the big wood spoon to offer Changbin and it tastes so good already.
“My mother likes lentils but I don’t enjoy them much so I used her recipe but added chickpeas instead and some red beans.”
It tastes comforting, warm and delicious, probably like Minho’s lips right now.
“I love it.” Changbin looks away a little.
“Thank you,” Minho’s smile is too bright for sure, “do you prefer spaghetti or penne?”
“Spaghetti.”
“Great.”
Minho drops the pasta in the salty boiling water.
The soup is ready so Changbin moves to the table to arrange it and only then he notices the flowers in the middle of it.
Minho turns to him and laughs softly.
“I saw them on my way home from grocery shopping, I love sunflowers.”
Of course he does.
Minho is like the sun sometimes.
“I also bought some orange juice and added some lemon to it, do you want?”
Changbin hums, placing the cutlery on the table and taking two glasses from the counter to arrange the table in the way Minho likes it. He’s pretty ritual with food, he always does it and Changbin likes it a lot, it gives him the vibes of a real home.
He then calls the cats to eat as well and when the food is ready, they eat in a shared silence.
Minho hears nothing at least, because Changbin has to hear the sunflowers lament the lack of water at the shop, the scissors that cut them that weren’t sharp enough and how terrible misplaced they feel with red roses, that of course start to fight the sunflowers and Changbin wants some peace but he cannot say a thing with his favorite human there.
At least they eat pretty quickly and the food is excellent as always but Minho is pretty slow to clear the table. Luckily the flowers stop arguing when Minho gives them more water and places them on the counter near the sink, humming to himself while doing the dishes.
“There is a movie on tv, but I feel so tired I don’t think I will watch it.”
“Yes Minho, go to your room, play with your cats, I need to work for fucks sake!”
“Oh, I see.” He fakes a pout.
“You want me to stay up with you?” Minho asks turning off the tap and facing him.
“Actually, I need to organize some files so it’s fine, I hope you aren’t getting sick, though.”
He’s a little worried, Minho usually goes out to drink with his friends every Saturday night so it’s pretty strange he doesn’t take advantage of the warmer nights of summer. And it’s already been two weeks.
“I’m fine, I just don’t feel like getting wasted these days.”
Changbin eyes him, Minho is acting suspicious, but he won’t investigate further.
Minho finishes cleaning the table with Changbin’s help and ends up calling his cats to disappear right after in his room and close the door.
Changbin has two hours till Minho falls asleep, he gets tired after eating that much so it means he should go prepare the stuff for the plants’ meals.
Usually he needs light for them but he’ll use enchanted crystals and some other glass beads to help the light cast around. He also needs to do that in the living room, because else the plants in his bedroom get jealous. It’s pretty strange to have almost fifty different mouths that speak to you, but he has to prove himself he can make it. All his life has been about plants, since he was a kid and his mother used to teach him stuff before getting in school and learning it from older mages.
The clock signals it’s almost time so he tiptoes past Minho’s room to check that he’s sleeping. He’s always tempted to leave a sigil and make him sleep more so he doesn’t wake up, but he feels bad using magic on him.
He walks to the couch, first inspecting the plants that need more care – aloe vera is in such a good state these days, he’s happy he could bring it back to life – and of course the succulents still don’t manage to bloom correctly. Changbin tried everything: leaving them up in the sun, moon water, water of every temperature, speaking to them, but nothing seems to work. Those buds keep staying close. It’s time to take care of that, the euphorbia can wait as well.
He takes the pot with the slightly purple succulent carefully and places it down on the carpet. Then he sits crossed legs with his grimoire and some ingredients to prepare something for the plant, maybe the buds don’t like direct solar light or the earth has something wrong, he doesn’t know where to start but he’s decided to find out what makes this plant so shy to open up or even speak to him.
So he tries and tries, till something seems to move and Changbin can’t believe his eyes. The succulent has a little infestation and some tiny bugs are hidden in the buds, probably to protect themselves. He manages to extract them and make them go away, offering them a couple buds carefully cut off and the tiny creatures follow them in the glass jar placed on the carpet. He should have used ants because those always take care of succulents and never eat plants up, but it’s better not have ants in the apartment.
He claps at himself happily when the succulent starts moving and he places the crystal next to it to cast some light from his magic on them just enough for some flowers to blossom. The plant starts singing and moving the thick leaves around and Changbin sighs relieved he finally made it.
“Won’t you look at that…”
Fuck.
Changbin yelps, turning to face Minho leaning on the doorframe with a smug grin on his face.
“I thought I was wrong but I’m glad to find out I’m not.”
Changbin looks at him with wide eyes.
Does he know what is he doing or he’s about to say something silly?
“I’m glad you solved the problem, I bet that one really was a nuisance.”
No, he definitely knows what Changbin’s been doing.
“How did you even–”
“Doongie actually found out and told me.” Minho’s smile only grows when Changbin gapes to find words to speak.
“Told?”
Minho nods amused and Changbin wants for the whole world to swallow him.
Minho is not human.
“Well, both Doongie and Dori keep following you around, it’s not difficult to understand.”
Dori’s at his feet indeed just now, mouthing at the tissue on the floor and probably planning to steal it when no one’s watching.
What is Minho exactly?
A demon?
A witch like him?
But it cannot be, he doesn’t have a grimoire, Changbin looked everywhere.
Minho moves to reach for the cat trying to drag the tissue around and take it from his mouth, then pats his head softly but with a firm hand that makes Dori mew at him and go to the other two cats sitting in the doorway.
Minho kneels down, looking at Changbin’s pale face with a soft smile.
“You do appreciate my craft, I enjoy yours too.” Minho whispers like it’s some sort of secret.
Changbin’s eyes are about to pop off his skull but he’s finally connecting the dots.
Food.
Of course, Minho’s food is out of this world, quite literally.
Changbin sits on his knees as well, forgetting everything around as he looks at the other, eyebrows kneaded together.
“How much did the cats tell you?”
Minho smirks at the question, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that says a lot. Changbin remembers he kind of told Dori he likes Minho, he can guess the cat let him know.
“You like me, Binnie?” Minho’s hands cup his cheeks, softly rubbing his reddened skin.
Changbin bites his lower lip hard, looking away. Minho thumbing at the sides of his face makes him fell all over the places, even nervous, he can’t even look him in the eyes.
“Well I already know you do,” Minho winks and Changbin’s heart jumps in his throat, “it’s fine though, I like you too.”
Oh.
Minho does?
“You do?” Changbin mutters, pouty lips in display and squeezing his eyes shut, still not daring meeting his.
“Yes, of course!” Minho’s fingers touch his ears and smiles when he feels them getting hot.
Changbin peeks from the corner of his eyes and Minho’s glow in the dark of the room. He gasps loud at it and the pretty color of them, dark pools that hide billion of stars.
Minho is a witch indeed.
“Please look at me.”
Changbin does finally, a little unsure.
“You’re the cutest, you know that?” Minho coos at him, pressing the forehead on his as he closes his eyes.
Fuck it, Minho is the cutest, the most adorable, the best person he knows, he likes him so much.
“Minho, can I kiss you?”
The other witch nods, not even leaving him time to move that he already presses their mouth together.
Minho tastes like warm food and his lips are soft like rose petals, but the kiss gets so messy quickly and Changbin falls backwards, dragging Minho with him but never stopping kissing him at all. It’s getting hot so quickly and his hands go past Minho’s chest and up to hold him closer, fingers digging in his back’s flesh underneath the fuzzy sweater he wears. But at some point they detach for air – and because the succulent keeps screaming at Changbin for water.
“I like you so much, Changbin.”
Somehow, feeling every word on his lips makes a bigger effect and Changbin’s face grows aflame, making Minho giggle and pecking his lips again and again.
"I like you too."
He wants to lose himself in Minho’s sweet scent and soft touch, staying there with the flowers blooming in the night and the adorable tone of Minho’s laugh on his skin.
“When I’ll have to go back, I want to keep being with you.” Minho speaks again, interlacing their fingers together and Changbin brings those hands to his lips to kiss them tenderly.
“You are a different level, I can tell.” Changbin murmurs.
“My grimoire is here.” Minho points at the pearl pendant of his earring.
“Can we stay together now?” Changbin’s a little scared to ask, but he doesn’t want to risk anything and neither let go of him.
“Yes, I don’t have to go now but when the time comes, I want to still be with you.”
“I want it too.”
Changbin leans up to take his lips again and Minho’s soft puff of air on his mouth tickles in a way that makes his insides all mush.
Home.
Minho likes him.
It feels like a dream but it’s the truth now.
Dori pats Minho’s leg at some point, demanding attention and they both sigh, getting up from the floor and putting all the things back from where they belong.
“Want to sleep in my room?” Changbin says at the door of the living room and Minho’s eyes sparkle, nodding enthusiast as their hands find each other again.
Maybe they were meant to fit together in the night, to hold each other with the moon watching over them and the soft perfume of the night buds in his room.