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Yoongi's hands were pretty. They were veiny, pale, and very nice to look at in Namjoon’s opinion. His fingers were thick and long, his palms calloused, his knuckles pink. They moved quickly and easily as they ground up herbs and measured and poured and reached for vials and unscrewed corks and waved away smoke and stirred. He probably should have been paying attention to how the healing potion was being made, but Namjoon often got distracted by Yoongi's pretty hands as he sat with the older man while he worked. In fact, if it wasn’t for the pain he felt with every breath, this would seem like a typical evening for them. Yoongi attempting to teach through demonstration, and Namjoon getting too absorbed in his delicate details to really focus.
It wasn’t fair. Everything about Min Yoongi was pretty. Everything about him was distracting so, no, it really wasn’t Namjoon’s fault if he zoned out for a few steps of the potion making process.
Do you think The Witch has him under some sort of spell?
Well, obviously. Why else would he do all of The Witch’s bidding? Why else would he always go back there? He’d have to be a fucking moron to keep putting himself in danger like that willingly.
That was something Namjoon heard earlier that day, before the incident, while he was at the market picking up some ingredients Yoongi asked him to get. A conversation about him between two whispering women. It was such a ridiculous assumption. Yoongi hated love spells with a passion, or any spell for that matter that took away a person's free will. He refused to cast any. Though in a way, they were right; Namjoon was enchanted by him, completely enamored. He always returned to Yoongi because he couldn't think of a single person he'd rather spend all of his time with. Sometimes, it felt like Namjoon was under a love spell, but loving Yoongi was a privilege and he'd choose this path again and again.
It wasn't unusual to overhear people talking about him when he went out. The man who consorts with The Witch. It took Namjoon a while to get used to and even now, it felt odd to be the reason so many heads turned and so many voices carried. Whatever the people said about him though, it was nothing next to things they said about Yoongi. How they treated Namjoon was nothing compared to the way they treated Yoongi.
Namjoon found what the women said to be ironic. Yoongi wasn’t dangerous. Yoongi wasn’t the one that had kicked him in the street and left him with two broken ribs, dark bruises, a bloody nose, and black eye.
This was the very first time they’d ever harmed Namjoon physically, but he’d still gotten off pretty lucky. He knew Yoongi had experienced much worse.
People in town only referred to Yoongi as The Witch. Women shot him icy glares as he walked past, spat and cursed at him, hid their children behind their legs. Yoongi said the men got violent - formed small gangs and beat him until he was bloody and barely breathing. It was the reason that he rarely went out any more unless it was absolutely necessary, why Yoongi sent Namjoon to run his errands for him. The poor man was terrified to leave his shop where he was safe and protected. He avoided people when he could, had become something of a recluse and a shut-in since Namjoon started working for him. Namjoon didn't blame him one bit.
Once, before he really knew Yoongi, Namjoon asked him why he’d never defended himself. He was powerful enough to keep his name out of their mouths, to make sure they never thought of placing their filthy hands on him again. Yoongi told him it was because if he did, he would be just as bad as they say he is, and then they would have real reasons to hate him. So he always turned the other cheek because Min Yoongi was good and hoped to someday be liked, accepted.
Namjoon knew this about Yoongi, though the older pretended not to care that people thought so poorly of him. He tried to ignore what harmful rumors were still being spread about him beyond the doors of his shop and minded his own business. He kept to himself and instead of realizing that they’d been the ones to drive him into isolation, people assumed the reason he kept his practices so secret was because they weren't moral, bordering on evil.
Witchcraft was something they didn't understand,0 so they feared and hated it. They didn't understand Yoongi, so they feared and hated him too. They just didn’t know the Yoongi Namjoon knew - the gentle, big-hearted witch that did snow rituals when the children in town got excited for winter, who drew protection sigils on farmers’ fences and blessed their livestock and crops, who enjoyed sitting outside to feed the chirping birds those sunflower seeds they loved so much because they’d been his only company for a long time before Namjoon came along.
They didn’t know any of this about The Witch, and they despised him.
Well, they despised sweet Yoongi and his magic right up until they needed something from him - a remedy for their sickness; a curse lifted; a spell to make them more attractive, smarter, stronger, luckier, happier, whatever. Namjoon didn't think that the people in this town deserved to benefit from Yoongi's magic after all the abuse they put him through. Yoongi was forgiving and generous though; he gave them his magic anyways. Namjoon really wished people knew just how wonderful the witch was. He wished they knew just how much Yoongi actually did for them.
But they would never fully appreciate Min Yoongi. The second they got what they wanted from him, they left and forgot Yoongi was ever helpful to them. They went right back to talking shit about him, went right back to hating him and blaming him for every bad thing that ever happened to them, because it was so much easier for them to use The Witch as a scapegoat for their problems than to take responsibility for themselves.
People are like that, Yoongi commented. It infuriated Namjoon, but Yoongi never got angry the way he should have been. He was always even tempered. I don’t mind.
After a few years together though, Namjoon knew Yoongi better than this. He knew that being the most hated person in town got to him, knew he was lonely.
Because Yoongi didn't have many friends on his side. He had his chirping birds and Namjoon, a silly, nonmagical human who he paid - with food and room - to sit around his shop all day to marvel over his skills, because he liked feeling admired and having his work be praised for a change. Yoongi needed someone around to listen to him verbally walk through his processes, otherwise he'd be talking to himself all day and that wasn't any fun.
The arrangement worked out well, because silly, nonmagical human Namjoon enjoyed listening to Yoongi going on and on about the spells he did and loved watching Yoongi work his magic. He liked admiring and praising him. He liked the way the older acted bashful and the way he blushed whenever he was complimented. He liked the way Yoongi smiled shyly into the potion he was brewing, which would cause its shade to darken along with his cheeks and make it gurgle happily.
The people in town often gossiped about his and Yoongi's relationship, theorized about them, because no one got close to The Witch (No one tried to get close to him! No one gave Yoongi the chance and the kindness he deserved, Namjoon wanted to scream at them). What makes Kim Namjoon so special? Why did The Witch take him in? Maybe they’re, you know...?
There was always that tiny shred of truth to what people said when it came to Namjoon. He and Yoongi kind of were, you know. They slept together sometimes. Sex magic is strong, Yoongi said. Stronger when love is involved. But being intimate by itself meant nothing when it came to their relationship, when it came to Yoongi. There was something a little more there between them than the occasional energy exchange, though it wasn’t exactly what people always assumed was there.
It wasn’t a secret to Yoongi that Namjoon loved him. Because yeah, of course he knew. Very few things got past the perceptive witch and Namjoon had been nothing if not always much too painfully obvious about his feelings. He tended to wear his heart on his sleeve, leaving it open there for Yoongi to see and to do what he wanted with.
And Yoongi? He trusted Namjoon. He told Namjoon that was as deep as his feelings could run. That was fine. In that way, it was like Yoongi had handed Namjoon his own heart and left it in his clumsy care. The younger was just as touched and honored as he would be if Yoongi returned his romantic feelings.
Just as Namjoon was fine with Yoongi not reciprocating his feelings, Yoongi was fine with Namjoon showing him his affection, was fine with indulging the poor, lovesick human. Namjoon reminded him frequently of his love, and Yoongi always responded with that small hum of acknowledgement.
There were times that Namjoon might think Yoongi shared these feelings for him too, if he didn’t already know better. Like when Yoongi first showed him how he worked spells when he’d never before let anyone else see how the magic was done. Like when Yoongi let Namjoon add ingredients to his potions when he never would have let anyone else touch his work. Namjoon felt special in these moments.
When Yoongi would have Namjoon brew for him so he could multitask (deosil to promote and widdershins to dispel, he reminded him every time, even though Namjoon committed everything the other told him to memory). He’d place his hand firmly over Namjoon's on the ladle as he stirred to set a different pace for him.
When Namjoon was reading one of the thousands of books Yoongi had, trying to absorb all the information he possibly could, and he’d look up from its pages when the words started to swim in his vision, only to catch Yoongi watching him fondly before the witch had the chance to look away.
Whenever Namjoon asked for a kiss as they closed up shop for the day, and Yoongi's sharp eyes softened as he gave in, pecking his lips quickly, cheeks scarlet.
But Namjoon did know better and knew that Yoongi didn’t love him. Though that didn’t bother him in the least. Because he knew Yoongi still cared for him deeply, and that felt just as good.
Actually, Namjoon’s feelings were the reason he dropped everything to apprentice under Yoongi those years ago. Of course, that was back when his love was only a crush, an infatuation with someone veiled in so much mystery. He'd come into Yoongi's shop once. Someone recommended that he see The Witch when he came down with a bout of bad fortune that made him unbelievably clumsy and caused him to break everything he touched. He thought he was cursed, but Yoongi had only laughed at him. You're not cursed, kid. You're just a mess. He gave Namjoon some hand mixed tea though, said it was meant to bring him a little more awareness to his surroundings. He hadn't even charged Namjoon for it, but Namjoon was so taken by the witch's lovely laugh and gummy smile, had been so put under his spell that he didn't realize this until later.
So Namjoon was back the very next day with payment. Yoongi declined, said his tea wasn't really worth much in comparison to his other services, and sent him on his way. Namjoon came back after that with lunch to repay him with anyways. And he brought Yoongi food again the day after that, because he liked the way gratitude shone on Yoongi's face, despite the older's attempt to hide it and the irritated act he tried to keep up. It became a thing.
Yoongi was hard to crack at first. Namjoon used to ask him questions about himself, tried to get to know him, but was answered with short, vague responses for weeks. So Namjoon talked about himself instead. He was a student then, studying botany, and he noticed Yoongi's eyes light up when he mentioned this. So then he talked about plants and Yoongi finally became more talkative, telling Namjoon the plants' magical properties and what he could do with them. And one day, he offered to show Namjoon.
Namjoon was impressed, but that was an understatement. More than that, Yoongi blew his mind, fascinated him so much more than any of his classes ever had. He went on about how amazing Yoongi really was. The witch bloomed this gorgeous shade of pink for the first time and, woah, Namjoon loved that. So when Yoongi asked if he'd like to see more, to help him around the shop, Namjoon was beyond eager. He dropped out of school and began learning from Yoongi instead. The rest was history.
“Joon-ah,” Yoongi’s soft voice took him out of his thoughts. The witch was crouched in front of him where he sat now, handing him a small, glass vial filled with something viscous and deep blue. “Drink this.”
No, Namjoon wasn’t at all paying attention to what Yoongi had put into this potion, but he knew it could only do him good, so he took it gratefully and downed it without a single question. It surprisingly tasted a lot like maple syrup and vanilla. Not all of Yoongi’s potions tasted as sugary and nice.
Yoongi left the room and returned with a damp cloth. “Here. Let me clean you up while that takes effect.”
Namjoon sat still for the older while Yoongi dabbed his face with the warm cloth, wiping away the dried blood from where it had run earlier from his nose down to his chin. It felt nice, was good to be cared for after the day he had. Yoongi ran a thumb over his black eye and it stopped throbbing. Already, Namjoon was feeling a little better, could breathe easier, and his torso wasn’t so sore and tight where he’d been kicked.
Yoongi lifted his shirt to inspect the damage and Namjoon let him gently touch the places purples and greens had darkened on his skin. The witch frowned, even as he watched Namjoon’s bruising starting to fade under his fingertips thanks to the potion that was healing Namjoon from the inside out. “It’s my fault this happened to you,” he mumbled and Namjoon could see the worry and guilt that swirled in his eyes. He saw something else there too, something he wasn’t used to seeing in Yoongi, who always turned the other cheek and was nothing but sweet.
Anger. Hatred.
Why now? Why would Yoongi get angry now over something minor like this that he could easily fix when he himself had been hurt so much more in the past? Why had he never hated the others before, even when they’d been nothing but cruel to him? “Hyung, I’m okay. It wasn’t your fault.”
“It was yours, right?” He smirked teasingly, but there was sadness behind the show of playfulness, a lot of remorse, and still that boiling anger and hatred. “That’s what you get for consorting with that evil Witch.”
That was very close to what the man who hurt Namjoon spat when he was finished, finally content with the damage he’d done. Yoongi knew this because nothing was ever lost on him. and as much as he tried to ignore the things said about him outside the confining walls of his small shop, he always knew how the people felt about him. He blamed himself for what happened to Namjoon and nothing the younger could say would alleviate his guilt. That wouldn’t stop him from trying.
“You’re not evil.” Namjoon assured him.
Yoongi hummed noncommittally as he felt to make sure that Namjoon’s ribs were healing the way they should be. Namjoon sucked in a deep and thankfully much less painful breath at the careful touch. He always did like how those nimble hands felt even more than he liked the way they looked.
“We all are sometimes.”
Namjoon thought maybe he got it in that moment. Perhaps Yoongi wasn’t nearly as angry with the others as he was with himself for letting Namjoon get hurt. Namjoon knew that when you hear things about yourself over and over again, you begin to internalize them. He wondered if Yoongi really took these words to heart, if a part of him actually believed he was in fact evil. If he’d learned to hate himself as much as the others hated him.
“You’re not.” Namjoon emphasized. “You’re kind and caring, even when you’d have every excuse not to be. I have no idea how you haven’t snapped after everything you’ve been through. You’re just so good.”
The witch scoffed. “If I was really good, I wouldn’t have ever let you get close to me. I made you a target too, but I enjoyed your company too much and was selfish. Wanted to keep you close.” He sighed, watching the last bit of purple and green disappear from Namjoon’s body. “I probably should have kept pushing, huh?”
“Like I ever would have given up trying to get you to open up to me.” Namjoon rolled his eyes. “I, for one, am very glad you were selfish. I really love being with you, really love you, hyung.” He sat up a bit, leaned towards Yoongi and tapped his pouted lips as a way to ask for a kiss.
Yoongi met him halfway, easily giving into his request. He was smiling when he pulled away and rested his forehead against Namjoon’s. “You always see something good in me when no one else can.”
“It’s easy.” Namjoon said and he meant it.
Yoongi stood and helped Namjoon up, even though Namjoon was feeling a lot better and didn’t think he needed the assistance. “We should probably get you to bed. It’s only a matter of time until the final effects of the potion kicks in. Soon, you’re gonna get incredibly drowsy and pass out. I won’t be able to carry you upstairs when you do.”
Fair. Yoongi was much smaller than Namjoon was, so he lugged himself upstairs, Yoongi walking behind him, gripping the railing tightly just in case the potion’s final effects kicked in earlier than expected and Namjoon needed someone to break his fall. And then Namjoon put himself in pajamas (because Yoongi informed him that he’d probably be out for the rest of the night while his ribs fully healed themselves) and got into bed.
Yoongi said he’d lay with him while he fell asleep, and then started talking to him about the ingredients he’d used in his healing potion because he knew Namjoon wasn’t paying attention earlier. He let Namjoon cuddle him and pepper the top of his head with a bunch of tiny, loving kisses. And then the drowsiness hit like a ton of bricks. The last thing Namjoon remembered hearing before he lost consciousness was, “I’ll do a better job of protecting you. I promise. This will never happen again.”
It was strange. In the course of the next couple of days, there was talk about the disappearance of the man who hurt Namjoon. His family worried about him. There were whispers suggesting Yoongi had something to do with it, because everyone by then had heard that the man messed with The Witch’s lover. Everyone was too scared to accuse him outright though, fearing that they would be the next to disappear. The accusations would be absurd anyways. Yoongi wouldn’t hurt even a fly.
A few days after the rumors started going around, the man’s body was discovered by a hunter at the edge of the forest. It was a gruesome scene. They found that his stomach and lungs were full of sunflower seeds. He’d been pecked to death by birds, eyes missing, chest torn open by sharp beaks so the seeds, along with the man’s internal organs, could be eaten.
Namjoon no longer believed the accusations were absurd. He never would have thought it was something Yoongi was capable of, but apparently the witch’s snapping point was his closest and only friend getting hurt. Min Yoongi killed someone because of him, for him. He became what the others wanted him to be all along. Dangerous. Evil.
Yoongi was packing and Namjoon helped him. Yoongi would leave and he would go with. Of course he would, because Namjoon still loved him, knew who he was when he wasn’t pushed to his limits. Besides, Namjoon had given up everything he knew before to apprentice under the witch years ago, even when everyone told him to be careful and stay away from Yoongi. This was the life he’d chosen. He found that he didn’t regret it. Not one bit.
They moved towns before the fear and shock of what happened wore off and people got brave enough to retaliate. They never spoke about the murder. Instead, they opened another magic shop, warded it, and went about their lives as they did before, the two of them. They brewed potions, sold charms, performed spells. They called on snow for children anticipating sledding and snowball fights. They protected farmer’s crops and animals from parasites and predators. They fed seeds to the chirping birds. And Namjoon, even after what happened, still thought Min Yoongi was good.