Chapter Text
His cell phone told him it was nearing five in the morning. Far too early to be awake. Still, the more he tossed and turned the less sleep appealed to him. Jaemin sighed, running a hand through his dark locks of hair and sitting up in his bed. Staring into the darkness he waited for his eyes to adjust. Once he could make out the familiarity of his bedroom, he pushed out of bed and headed out into the living room to cross over to the kitchen.
Jaemin had successfully made it about four steps out into the open when he froze. There was someone in the living room. He could make out the figure lingering in the corner, the distinctive outline of a tall man facing toward his way. Every instinct in Jaemin’s body told him to cease all movement, to remain perfectly still as though that would help him stay undetected. Renjun had warned him about this a month ago when they had finished cleansing his older brother Jaehyun’s house from the demons that Jaemin had accidentally summoned. He warned him that participating in such events could often lead to negative attachments forever tainting the spiritual connection. Still, Jaemin was not fully sold on the world of spirituality and ghosts and demons despite a few terrifying experiences he couldn’t fully explain. Not even standing in the dark in a face-off between….well...whatever was in the living room could convince him. He thought the shadow had taken a step forward when the living room light switch turned on flooding the apartment.
Nothing was there.
Blinking against the harsh lighting, he squinted across the way toward the other bedroom. Jeno stood there, rubbing his bare chest and squinting back at him in confusion.
“Jaemin? What are you doing up?” Jeno’s groggy voice asked him.
“Uh, I wanted water.” His own deep and sleepy voice replied.
“Then why were you just standing there?”
He hesitated to respond, instead choosing to ask his own set of questions.
“Why are you awake?”
“I don’t know. I just...felt like I should get up?” Jeno shrugged.
Jaemin hummed to himself, padding across the room toward the kitchen. Jeno stayed in the doorway of his bedroom near the living room light switch, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. He watched Jaemin get a glass of water in silence.
“Go back to bed, Jeno. You need sleep. You’ve been working a lot lately.” Jaemin told him.
“Are you sure you’re okay? I can’t shake the feeling that you’re a bit...I don’t know. Are you sure everything is alright, Nana?” Jeno softly asked.
“Yes, Jeno. I’m doing alright. Go back to sleep!” He smiled at him.
He didn’t wait for a response. He hurried back across to his bedroom while the lights were still on and Jeno was still watching him. He didn’t want to admit he was slowly growing afraid of the dark.
The next morning, Jaemin and Jeno were dressed in their barista attire going about their usual tasks of the day. Jaemin was drawing a ton of hearts all around a cup for one of their favorite regular customers while Jeno took care of the order. When he was finished covering the cup with hearts, kissy faces, and a few compliments he got to work on preparing the drink. Café 7 Dream had seen a surge of business again thanks to Jisung adding a delightful amount of charms and crystals back into the store. Chenle was pleased to have a successful business and the staff was happy to work in such a happy environment. Mark and Haechan were giggling at their workstation as they baked and decorated and tried to think of new items to add to the menu next month. Jeno had managed to get a laugh out of their current customer and Jaemin was smiling at his completed beverage with all of the doodles.
“Don’t forget the cake.” Jeno lightly reminded.
“Of course.” He smiled, heading over to the display window.
He had just finished cutting a decent size of the pretty pastel dessert when the chimes above the door signaled their favorite customer had arrived. Jaemin smiled to himself as he carried over the premade order. He slid over the items as a beautiful silver ring came into view. The familiar twisting of vines with little diamonds for flowers with a moonstone in the very center.
“Good morning, Angel!” Jaemin winked.
“Ew.” Renjun immediately snorted.
“Hi, Renjunnie.” Jeno smiled gently.
“Good morning!” He replied easier to the taller of the two baristas.
“I made your order today!” Jaemin blinked at him.
“I never would have known!” Renjun sarcastically responded, eyeing all of the hearts and kissy faces that were drawn on his cup.
The Angel Sorcerer had brought his usual study material with him for the day. A book on Archangels, another on the history of manifestation, and his leather journal where he wrote all his magical findings and information. The ring on his right-hand ring finger wasn’t just a beautiful piece of jewelry worn for accessory, it was a symbolization that Renjun had progressed into a new phase of his life and an indication as to which coven of magical practitioners he belonged to, the Limitless Coven. It had taken some time for Jeno and Jaemin to get used to Renjun’s life as a Sorcerer where he studied natural magic found in the properties of elements and energies of the universe, but they had grown more comfortable around it by now.
“Planning on having a study session here today?” Jeno asked, taking one of the books to glance over at it.
“Yeah. I think Sungchan and Shotaro might stop by for a bit.” He answered, taking a happy sip at his drink.
“We’ll keep you company during our breaks!”
“I would hope!” He rolled his eyes but kept smiling, soft strands of blonde hair falling into his face.
His hair was getting a bit longer but it was a nice look on him. It was pretty, much like the rest of his features, and Jaemin didn’t fight the urge to reach out and move the strand out of his eyes. Renjun blushed at the action, swatting his hand away, and retreated to his table in the café. Mark and Haechan waved at him, calling out his name and soon Jisung poked his head out of Chenle’s office space at the mention of him. He walked over to Renjun, smiling widely, and joined him at the table. The sunlight gleamed on the ruby crystal of the ring while he slid into a seat next to him.
“Oh, studying your angels?” Jisung picked up the book.
“Can’t be an Angel Sorcerer and not know a thing about the mythology and Archangels.” He snickered.
“Well, while you channel your Earth Angel abilities I am close to losing my mind with Chenle.” Jisung rolled his eyes.
“Uh oh. What did he do?” Renjun laughed.
“I bought a cauldron recently and he had the nerve to clean it!” He hissed.
“Oh, god forbid he take on cleaning!”
“No! Renjun, he emptied it out! Took all the crystals and shit and just moved it!”
“Oh.” Renjun raised an eyebrow.
“It’s not his fault. Not completely. He doesn’t know how to maintain these things but you would think he would know better. He has a Sorcerer for a brother and another for a roommate!” He huffed.
“It’s okay. He didn’t know any better. I bet if he knew it was considered a bad omen to leave a cauldron empty he wouldn’t have touched a single thing.”
“I know! Hey, I’m supposed to invite you to movie night at Johnny and Ten’s house. It’s on Saturday.” Jisung informed him.
“Really? Who all is going?”
“Well, Johnny, Ten, Yuta, and Jaehyun are going to be there.”
“I would hope. It’s their house!” He scoffed.
Jisung shoved him lightly as a joke.
“Taeyong is going-”
“Taeyong?”
“Jaehyun invited him.”
“Ah, I should have known.”
“I think Jaemin and Jeno were going to wait to see what you would say before making a choice themselves. Chenle and I are going. Mark and Haechan.” He listed off.
“So, basically everyone?”
“No, not everyone! Doyoung agreed to go.” He continued.
“I’ll think about it! What movie are they watching?” Renjun questioned.
“No idea!” He shrugged.
Jaemin glanced over at the two Sorcerer’s whispering at Renjun’s usual table. A few giggles coming from them every once in a while.
“Do you ever wonder what they gossip about?” He asked Jeno.
“Hm? Jisung and Renjun? Probably the same things we do. The embarrassing things our friends do, who likes who, and the daily struggles of adulthood.” He shrugged.
“Do you think Witches have like...magical tea?”
“Jaemin.” Jeno sounded disappointed.
“What?” He asked caught off guard by the tone.
“Remember what Renjun taught us about the term Witch.” He crossed his arms.
“Right! Sorry! It’s a term for women to reclaim since it was villainized, often by men.” He recited.
“And?” Jeno prompted.
“And male magical practitioners often use Sorcerer or Warlock.” He nodded.
“Good boy.”
“I love praise!” He winked.
“Jaemin!” He used a warning tone.
“You never answered my question! Do you think they have magical tea?”
“You’ve seen Renjun’s tea cabinet. It’s full of-”
“No! I meant metaphorical! Magical gossip, Jen! Do you think they have like gossip about other covens?” He giggled.
“Oh! I mean...nothing malicious! I’m sure they do get information about other covens in passing but I highly doubt it’s about anything actually hurtful.”
“I’m just curious! Do you think when covens get together it’s like a family reunion? Like do they share spells the way aunts share recipes?” He tilted his head, sipping his own drink behind the counter.
“I don’t know.” Jeno hummed.
“How do you not know? You’ve been engaging a lot more in Renjun’s practices than I have.” He eyed the other.
“I have not! I just go to meditate with him!” Jeno denied.
“Jeno.” Jaemin deadpanned.
Ever since they had accepted Renjun for who he was, they had made a few compromises. Renjun never tried to get them to follow his ways but they had started showing their support in subtle ways. Jaemin would hand him ingredients when he would make potions or follow him to the bookstore, Eternally, where he would carry Renjun’s piles of reading material. Jeno joined Renjun on some of his meditations, drank his special teas with him, and sometimes helped write manifestations for their friend group. He even started wearing crystal necklaces the Sorcerer made. Jaemin wouldn’t wear the crystal necklaces but he did take a keychain that was crafted for him.
“I’m not engaging in magic.” Jeno rolled his eyes.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Jaemin sighed.
“At least I am sleeping at night! How many times have I caught you waking up at odd hours in the week?”
Renjun walked up to them, drumming his hands on the countertop.
“Dumb and Dumber! Are you going to the movie night?” He asked.
“We call him Angel and he calls us stupid.” Jaemin pointed.
“You call him Angel and that’s why he calls you stupid.” Jeno stuck his tongue out.
“Pay attention to me.” Renjun demanded.
“We always do.” Jeno smiled.
“Did you want to go to my brother’s movie night?” Jaemin leaned forward.
“It might be fun.” He tried to sound disinterested.
“We’ll pick you up at seven.” Jeno told him.
“You can even ride in the front!” Jaemin faked amazement.
“Deal! Now, if you excuse me, Sungchan and Shotaro have arrived!” Renjun beamed, his back facing the entrance.
Jaemin was about to argue until the sound of the door opening caught his attention. Sure enough, Sungchan and Shotaro strolled in together with their own collection of books and journals in hand. Jaemin’s mouth fell open and Jeno’s eyes widened. Renjun giggled, spinning around and giggling as he skipped over to greet his coven mates.
“I hate how he does that.” Jaemin whispered in awe.
“I think it’s a little cool.” Jeno whispered back.
“I think both of you should get back to work.” Haechan whispered behind them causing them to jump.
“Not funny, Donghyuck!” Jaemin glared at him.
The baker only laughed, hurrying back to the safety of his station near Mark. The oldest looking up at them and joining in on the laughter. Things were pretty much normal.