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Chapter Text

Taehyung nearly goes home the moment it starts snowing, his light cloak not enough to protect him from harsher elements. But he’s still a little short on spell supplies, the harvest of Calla Lilys slight this year.  He’s deeper into the woods than normal– the encroaching winter forcing him to search further and further beyond his cabin.

He could always go into town and purchase his supplies like other sorcerers do, but the thought makes Taehyung wrinkle his nose.  He takes pride in sourcing his own ingredients, in knowing the quality of the quartz that he uses as a focus for his spell. So Taehyung pulls the hood of his cloak over his head, and keeps trudging into the forest. 

It’s as he’s scanning the forest floor that he spots it– a small black shape, curled up against the base of a tree Taehyung frowns. The surface doesn’t seem harsh like stone, or smooth like a plant. 

As Taehyung approaches, he realizes he’s looking at fur. A small panther cub, eyes closed and tail wrapped around itself. White snow dusts the cub, but the poor creature seems to have made no move to shake it off. 

Taehyung instinctively looks around to see if the parent is stalking him, but deep down he knows he’ll find nothing. The cub’s not well, otherwise they would have made some attempt to shield themselves from the elements. And no present parent would abandon a sick cub. 

Taehyung’s heart twists painfully, and there’s no question as to what he should do. 

The cub doesn’t stir as Taehyung carries them home, tightly bundled underneath the thick wool of his cloak. But they’re still breathing, and that’s enough to give Taehyung hope.  He enters the cabin and commands fire to life with a wave of his hand, ever grateful for the stones in the fireplace he enchanted. Taehyung sets the cub down in front of the fire, keeping them carefully wrapped in his cloak. 

They’re so small, what should be onyx-glossy fur dull from illness. Malnourished, too, ribs visible underneath the slow rise and fall of their chest.  “You poor thing,” Taehyung coos. “What happened to you?” 

He doesn’t hesitate to reach out with magic, despite the fact that he already feels fatigued from the amount of energy he’s used today. But Taehyung draws upon his enchanted jewelry, channeling the magical energy stored in the gems.  He gently rests his hand on the panther’s little head, and lets an intent to heal course through him. The moment he does so a shimmer washes over the cub, a faint spark of red, and then– the cub grows. 

Not much. But enough to be noticeable, as if they’ve aged a couple weeks before Taehyung’s very eyes. The sorcerer jerks his hand back, eyes wide with understanding. 

They’re not a panther– or at the very least, they’re one only in physical form. But the weak creature curled up in front of Taehyung’s fireplace is a spirit, a being of pure magical energy that inhabits another plane.

The only time spirits walk among the human world is when they’re called down by a Summoner, providing them a tether to the human world in exchange to access to the spirit’s raw power. It’s the ultimate goal of every sorcerer to be able to successfully forge a Bond with a spirt.  Doing so shows more than just magical prowess– for spirits can always turn down a prospective summoner no matter how expertly the ritual is cast. But it’s the very soul of a sorcerer that a spirit responds to, searching for companionship. An emotional bond. 

In the tragic situations where a sorcerer passes, their Bond releases at the moment of death, allowing the Familiar to return to the spirit plane. But for a Familiar to still be physically present, but weakened, their physical form barely hanging on– their Bond hasn’t been released. 

It’s been severed.

Taehyung can only stare in horror. Whatever food or water the Familiar consumed wouldn’t nourish them, their raw magical energy unstable in the human world without a sorcerer to serve as a filter. The poor spirit is withering away from their own magic, and has been for a while if their small form is any indication. Letting a familiar get to this state… it’s the ultimate form of cruelty from a Summoner. 

Taehyung feels sick. An amalgamation of emotion courses through him– disgust, sorrow, fury. But above all else, there’s the desire– no, the need- to do something. 

He reaches out to the cub again, now putting both hands on the petite form. He again lets his magic course into the spirit, healing, but now Taehyung feels the spirit’s own energy. Like static electricity in the air, volatile and uncontained. 

Taehyung lets himself serve as a sieve, tempering the spirit’s unstable energy. He’s never worked with a spirit before, but the principle should remain the same as when he draws energy from magic materials. 

But the spirit’s energy is like grasping a sphere covered in oil, resisting Taehyung’s attempts to ground it. He grits his teeth together, forcing himself to dig deeper despite the weariness in his bones.  After a few more seconds he finally relents, dropping his head and letting out a deep exhale. He’s clearly underestimated how complex spirits are– he’s clearly got a way to go with his own magical practice. 

Yet Taehyung can tell that he’s managed to relieve the spirit at least a little bit, their magic no longer eating away at them quite so voraciously. The cub even seems a bit larger than before, fur no longer quite as dull. 

They still sleep and Taehyung is loath to wake them, not wanting to think about just how long the spirit spent out in the cold. So he makes sure the panther is tucked into his cloak, and leaves a plate of bread and meat and a cup of water on the floor. 

Taehyung casts one last glance at the little cub, head still resting on top of their paws. Then he drags his tired body to his room, nearly collapsing onto bed from magical exertion. His eyes close, and he’s asleep within seconds. 

***

The first thing Jeongguk feels when he wakes up is warmth. Encasing him for the first time in what feels like ages, even reaching out to his ears and paws. Then he realizes his body no longer feels quite as heavy, the sharp pang of hunger in his stomach now dulled. 

Jeongguk opens his eyes. He sees a wooden ceiling he doesn’t recognize, and stone walls. A humble but well-kept cottage. But quickly he lays eyes on the objects scattered around the room– various semi-precious stones, drying herbs, various liquids in glass bottles. Sorcerer’s accouterments. 

His head swims at the effort but Jeongguk somehow manages to jolt to his feet, scampering backwards. A hiss rises in his throat. In another room he hears a thud, and then the sound of footsteps quickly approaching. 

Jeongguk’s got his body crouched and ears lowered as a man enters the room. A young sorcerer with dark hair and sharp features enters the room, his hands landed with enchanted rings. His eyes are wide when they spot Jeongguk.  He takes a step closer and Jeongguk lets out another hiss, crouching down even further.

The man freezes in place, and then swallows. “...I’m not going to hurt you,” he says softly. “You’re a spirit, yes?”

Jeongguk doesn’t reply. He feels his limbs shaking with the effort of just holding himself up, and the fact doesn’t seem to have escaped the sorcerer’s attention. 

“I know you don’t trust me, but you’re not well right now,” the sorcerer continues. He slowly bends his knees until he’s kneeling down to Jeongguk’s level. “You need a sorcerer to channel your energy. Otherwise, it’ll consume you.” 

Like Jeongguk doesn’t know. He’s been wasting away for months. But he doesn’t see the man in front of him as a savior, no– there’s only anger running through him, just enough to cover the fear that truly lies at Jeongguk’s core. 

“I’m Taehyung,” the sorcerer says. “I just want to help. Nothing else. If there’s somebody else out there that you trust, I can send a message…"

He trails off at the end, like Taehyung already knows that Jeongguk has no name to offer. If Jeongguk did then he wouldn’t be in a strange sorcerer’s home, reduced to the size of a kitten. Maybe Jeongguk can stay, just for a little bit. Just long enough to get himself stable, enough to survive on his own once more. As long as Jeongguk’s careful, Taehyung shouldn’t learn the truth….

There aren’t many choices in front of him. Jeongguk takes the best one he has. 

He finally releases his crouch, still tensed but letting his body lower to the ground. He slowly blinks his amber eyes.

Taehyung’s own eyes widen. “Is– is that a yes?”

Jeongguk lets out a brief yowl, impatient. Taehyung seems to quickly get the message, scrambling over. There are dark circles under his eyes, but it doesn’t stop him from carefully placing a hand on Jeongguk’s side. 

Jeongguk feels the moment Taehyung redirects some of his energy, the ache in his bones easing slightly. It still feels like he’s carrying a boulder, but as the seconds pass some of the weight slowly eases.  He nearly whimpers when Taehyung pulls away, already desperate for further relief. But Jeongguk manages to control himself, curling his tail around himself. A small smile lights up the sorcerer’s face. 

“Do you want some food? I know it won’t help you heal, but I promise it’ll at least taste good,” Taehyung says softly.

Jeongguk tries not to think about how long it’s been since he’s eaten, but his stomach's growl quickly gives him away. He yawns, little fangs flashing and eager to tear into a piece of meat. This time Taehyung quickly seems to get the message, standing back up. 

“Make yourself at home,” he says brightly. And Jeongguk has to remind himself not to believe it.

***

Taehyung gets used to the spirit’s presence quicker than he expected. Over the next week he settles into a routine– channeling some of the panther’s energy in the morning, leaving for the day to gather supplies and practice spells, and then helping the spirit again in the evening. 

The panther– they can no longer be properly called a cub, now the size of a small lynx– still doesn’t interact with Taehyung much. They prefer the corners of Taehyung’s cottage, and so the sorcerer leaves blankets there to burrow into. 

Taehyung suspects that the spirits sleeps most of the time when Taehyung’s not there, body slowly recovering after so long spend on their own. But when Taehyung’s home he’s watched by bright amber eyes, tracking his every move. 

The spirit doesn’t trust Taehyung, and… the sorcerer can’t blame him. Just the thought alone of severing a Familiar’s Bond feels antithetical to everything Taehyung knows– any sorcerer capable of summoning a Familiar would understand severing to be a death sentence.  It seems near-impossible, too, that this could have happened in the first place; not when a spirit examines a sorcerer’s very soul through the Summoning process. Did the sorcerer manage to deceive the panther? Is that even possible?

Those thoughts (and others) swim around in Taehyung’s mind, all questions he has no answers to. He writes a lengthy letter to his friend Yoongi, the only sorcerer he’s close with that’s managed to summon a Familiar. 

Taehyung seals the envelope with an enchanted seal, and then watches as it dissipates into a quickly-fading cloud of red dust. Hopefully Yoongi will get back to him soon. 

In the meantime, though, Taehyung’s determined to do the best by the panther that he can. So he chatters to the spirit, even though there’s no verbal reply, talking about the kinds of magic he practices, his favorite places in the forest, the upcoming winter festivals. 

And the spirit listens, Taehyung knows. His ears and tail flicker, eyes always locked onto Taehyung like they’re watching for something. It’s enough to compel Taehyung to continue, filling up the quiet space in the cottage with his own voice. 

On the fifth day, however, things start to shift. 

A torrential downpour starts while Taehyung is out gathering mushrooms, prompting him to rush back home. He’s soaked to the bone when he gets back to his cottage, and so are his dried ingredients– the ones he set out in the morning to back in the sun. Taehyung’s cursing up a blue storm when he enters the cottage, tossing his drenched cloak to the side. His white shirt clings to his skin, as do his previously-fluffy curls. Even after he changes into dry clothes, he still feels chilled. 

He nearly overlooks the panther’s presence as he plops down in front of the fireplace. Taehyung’s mood is far too soured to consider cooking anything, so he settles for a couple loaves of bed and dried meat. He haphazardly places a plate on the floor, wishing he would warm up faster.

A yowl breaks through the silence. 

Taehyung looks down. The panther is glaring up at Taehyung, his a little higher than the rickety chair the sorcerer sits on. He frowns. “What is it?”

The spirit’s eyes narrow. They look down at the plate in front of them, and then back up at Taehyung. Then they meow, loudly. 

“It’s food, you should eat it,” Taehyung says wearily. “It’ll help you feel better.” 

He receives only a silent stare in response. Then the panther raises their paw, and swats the plate away. 

“Hey!” Taehyung squawks. “What are you–?”

The panther looks over to the cabinets where Taehyung stores his cooking ingredients, still meowing loudly. And then it clicks for Taehyung, and the same time irritations sparks within him. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he scoffs. “Are tonight’s accommodations not to your liking?”

“Mrow!”

“I don’t see you offering to get in the kitchen.”

“MROW.”

The panther swats at the plate again, sending it even further away. Then they look at Taehyung once more, but something in their gaze seems to shift. Their amber eyes turn wide and pleading, and the spirt sets their head down on neatly folded paws. 

Taehyung feels his heart clench. “Oh, that’s not fair,” he forces out. But the longer he looks as the panther’s enormous eyes, the more he feels his resolve trickle away. Little… by… little….

He stands up abruptly, the chair screeching back as he does so. “You know, spirits don’t technically need to eat,” he mumbles, making his way into the kitchen.

“Mrrraw.” 

“Yes, I know I was just telling you to have food, and what is your point?”

He grumbles the entire time he prepares a meal, his ranting punctuated by incessant and loud meows. But when he sits back down nearly an hour later, he can’t deny that the smell of fresh soup and sizzling chicken is far more enticing than stale bread. 

He places a plate on the floor for the spirit, their fangs quickly tearing through meat. As they eat, a new noise rises amongst the cottage, quieter than the ones before. A soft rumble coming from deep in the panther’s throat. 

Taehyung looks down at his food, and tries to hide his smile as he takes a bite. He could get used to this. And that’s dangerous. 

***

A few days later Taehyung wakes up in the middle of the night. His eyes flutter open to darkness, groggy mind trying to figure out what awoke him. 

A noise comes from the main room, a soft thump. Sleep quickly drains away. 

Taehyung sits up and throws his blanket to the side, summoning a small spark of light into the lantern by his bedside. He can’t help the way his heart jackrabbits as he throws on a robe– if someone is breaking in, or there’s an animal– the spirit–

Taehyung throws open his bedroom door, making his way into the living room with a few quick steps. “Is someone–?”

He freezes in place, his lantern casting a dim light upon the room. “....there.”

There’s a man kneeling in Taehyung’s home, right in front of the fireplace. He’s wearing simple dark clothes with a mop of black hair covering most of his face, as if scissors haven’t touched the locks for months. 

But his eyes are still visible, burning bright amber. Taehyung knows who the man is. 

He looks somewhere between scared and guarded, hands braced on the ground as if to help himself stand. Taehyung swallows. “....hello,” he breathes softly. 

The spirit doesn’t say anything in reply, only looking at Taehyung with wide eyes. Taehyung continues, making sure to keep his voice soft. “I see you’re well enough to shift now.” 

He only gets a nod in reply. The spirit’s body is still tensed, as if ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. Taehyung wonders if that’s what he was trying to do before Taehyung woke up. 

Taehyung takes a seat on the chair by the fireplace, trying to seem casual. He’s all-to-aware of the bright eyes that track his every move. “Well. Now that you have a human tongue, do you mind telling me your name?”

The spirit’s jaw clenches, as if considering. But he finally breaks as his eyes drop back down to the floor. “...Jeongguk.” 

Taehyung offers him a soft smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Jeongguk.” 

No response. Taehyung shakes his head, still smiling. “You had so much to say earlier this week. What, cat got your tongue?” He pauses, and then his grin widens. “Literally.”

Something flickers across Jeongguk’s face, half annoyance and have amusement. But it’s the first sign of true emotion that Taehyung’s seen from the spirit, and so he presses on. His eyes take in Jeongguk’s smooth skin, round noise, pink lips contrasted with piercing eyes. 

“You’re very beautiful,” Taehyung says casually. “Is that spirit magic? Are you choosing to take this form?” 

Jeongguk blinks in surprise, head jerking back a bit. The motion reads more animal than human, and Taehyung vaguely wonders if many of his reactions are feline despite his form. “This– this is just how I look.”

“So you’re naturally handsome, then?”

“I–” Jeongguk looks away, pressing his lips together in a thin line. Taehyung feels the walls going back up, despite his best efforts. If Jeongguk had fur right now, it would be standing on end.

“Can I leave?”

Taehyung stills, taking in the words. “You… you want to leave?” He licks his lips. “Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I’ll be fine,” Jeongguk mumbles, and it doesn’t go unnoticed how he dodges the question. Taehyung’s heart aches. 

“As long as you’re in the human world, you’ll need a sorcerer to help channel your magic,” Taehyung says quietly. “You might feel better now, but you’ll start to degrade again without a sorcerer around.” 

Jeongguk drops his head, shoulders curling into himself. Taehyung wants to ask so, so badly. But he knows he can’t. 

“You can stay here as long as you like,” is what he says instead. “Besides, you’re doing me a favor by helping me learn more about spirits. I’ve only ever encountered a few. All I ask is that you help me wash the blankets every once in a while.” 

Jeongguk opens his mouth, then closes it again. A muscle in his jaw tics. “You don’t know much about spirits?”

Taehyung winces. “No. But– I’m trying to learn, so I can help you more. My friend is sending me some books. If you want to find another sorcerer, I understand. I can ask–”

Jeongguk suddenly shakes his head. His shaggy hair flies out around his head. “No. No other sorcerers.” His voice is harsh, shaking. 

“Okay, okay.” Taehyung quickly soothes. “No other sorcerers. I’ll keep learning how to heal you better, I promise.”

Jeongguk’s eyes flicker up to his own, just for a moment. There’s something Taehyung can’t decipher within them– too hesitant to be hope, like the forest defrosting after a deep winter. And then the curtain falls again, and Jeongguk looks back down. 

Taehyung sighs. “Look, it’s the middle of the night. We can go over anything else you need in the morning. For now though, we both need our sleep.” 

He goes to stand, but then pauses when Jeongguk makes no effort to move. His ears flush as realization hits him. “Oh, do you– do you want someplace else to sleep? I have–” He pauses. “I.. don’t have another bed. But you can take mine.” 

Taehyung watches as Jeongguk tries to clamp down his interest, but it’s not fast enough. “I’m fine here. I can shift back.” 

“I really don’t mind. Not to be rude, but it’s been a while since you’ve slept in a bed, right?” Jeongguk’s thin press of his lips together serves as an answer. “I can go without for one night if you’ve gone this long.”

Jeongguk hesitates for a few more seconds, and Taehyung fears that he’s about to be turned down. But then the spirit stands, picking up the blanket on the floor as he does so. “You’re sure?” 

“I am. Please, it would make me feel better.”

Jeongguk bites his lip, and for a second he looks so young, swallowed in too-large clothing despite his strong frame. 

But then he mutters a final ‘thank you,’ and passes Taehyung, the bedroom door closing behind him. Taehyung looks after him for a moment, and then smiles. 

He barely gets any sleep that night, trying to make himself comfortable atop a pile of blankets on his cold wooden floors. But the feeling in his chest, a new connection tenderly blooming, is a comfort that can’t be replaced. 

Chapter Text

“You want… to go into town?” 

Taehyung nods cheerily. “You only have the clothes you’re wearing, right? As much as I don’t mind lending you some, I figure it would just be easier for you to have your own.”

Jeongguk looks down at himself, as if considering the threadbare state of his black sweater and pants. “I don’t mind.” 

“Jeongguk, the snow’s hit the ground and it’s not melting until spring. I’m not having you walk around with a sweater with holes in it.”

The spirit doesn’t say anything, biting his lip. It’s at times like these when Taehyung wonders what happened to make Jeongguk so hesitant of even the most simple acts of kindness. Like if the panther accepts, the olive branch will turn into an adder’s bite.

None of his suspicions have been concerned, but Taehyung’s feels increasingly murderous towards Jeongguk’s past Summoner. He has a hunch it’s for a good reason. 

“Alright,” Jeongguk acquiesces. “But– but I don’t have any money–”

“You think I expect a spirit to have human currency?” Taehyung teases. “Just help me recharge some of the crystals in the house and we’ll call it even.”

Jeongguk’s charistically quiet as they start down the path to the nearest town, giving Taehyung plenty of space for his thoughts to wander. In the two weeks since he first shifted Jeongguk still hasn’t said much, although that doesn’t mean that Taehyung can’t see some of the walls crumbling.

If anything Jeongguk’s more expressive in panther form– his eyes huge, ears and tail flickering at every ounce of displeasure, yowling loudly at Taehyung when he rouses the panther for the morning chores. Taehyung’s noticed other things, too. 

Like how he sits closer to Taehyung at nights, head laying on his paws while the sorcerer reads by the fireplace. Sometimes Taehyung feels like there’s an amber gaze on his own, on his hand as he flips through a page. But every time he looks at Jeongguk, the panther’s eyes are closed.

He shuffles closer to Taehyung’s side as they reach the village. Taehyung’s a little surprised, but the spirit seems to watch every person that passes by them carefully, eyes scanning the crowds. “You okay?” the sorcerer asks softly. 

Jeongguk’s gaze darts to him for a moment. “It’s been a while since I was around so many people. I’m not used to it.”

Taehyung pauses for a moment, considering. Then he offers his arm to Jeongguk. “Do you want to hold on? Just so you know you won’t lose me.”

He doesn’t expect the spirit to accept. But then Taehyung feels fingers gently pinch at the fabric of his coat, right by the inside of his elbow. Taehyung hides a smile in his scarf.

It’s been a while since he visited the town. The smell of hot drinks and cooking stew permeates the air, and the shopper’s ally is littered with merchants shouting out their wares. Jeongguk stays close to him as they duck into the tailor’s shop. 

Taehyung asks if there’s anything in particular Jeongguk wants, but only gets a quick shake of his head in return. So the sorcerer tries to choose as best he can– dark like what Jeongguk’s currently wearing, oversized, comfortable. Hardy enough to last a while.

He’s collecting his selection to pay when he realizes that Jeongguk has drifted from his side. Taehyung looks over his shoulder to see the spirit standing in the corner of the shop, eyes fixed upon the mannequin situated there. 

The mannequin is wearing a long black cloak, dark as the night with a simple silver clasp. Taehyung walks closer as Jeongguk holds the fabric between thumb and forefinger. “It’s soft,” the panther breathes, almost to himself. 

“It suits you,” Taehyung says quietly. Jeongguk jolts slightly as he notices Taehyung behind him. 

“It does?”

“Mhmmm. Dark and brooding, just like you.”

Jeongguk’s nose scrunches into an endearing pout. “I’m not dark and brooding.” 

“And yet you insist on being a grumpy little black pit in my living room.”

Jeongguk’s face only deepens in indignation, and Taehyung can’t help but grin. He turns around, motioning to the tailor. 

“We’ll take the cloak as well.” 

Taehyung flits through the rest of his errands in town, picking up ingredients and a couple new books. Jeongguk stays as his side, carrying the package containing all of his new clothing. It’s as Taehyung’s leaving the market with fresh flour in his sack that something catches his eye.

He looks over at Jeongguk, happily munching on a loaf of bread, package tucked underneath an arm. “Did you want to get your hair cut?” Taehyung asks. “It’s fine if you don’t, I just noticed it gets in your face….”

Jeongguk pauses, The spirit instinctually reaches up to his hair. “It hasn’t been cut in a while….”

Taehyung tries not to clench his jaw. “Do you want to cut it?” 

Jeongguk breathes out, the air cold enough to color his exhale into condensation. “Maybe a little bit.” 

Taehyung smiles. “Then let’s go.”

He does the talking for Jeongguk, and thankfully the barber seems to have no questions about the man standing like a shadow at Taehyung’s back. Jeongguk hesitantly takes a seat in the leather chair, his eyes flicking over to the window.

Taehyung follows his gaze and sees that fat snowflakes have started to drift down from the sky. “Damn, I’d hoped we’d beat the snowfall,” he breathes. “Although now I’m tempted to grab some hot chocolate.” 

“I’ve never had it.” 

Taehyung whirls to look at Jeongguk. “You’re not serious? That decides it, we’ll grab a couple mugs for the walk back.” 

Jeongguk blinks, and then the corner of his mouth twitch. “Alright.” 

Both of them look back outside as the barber prepares his shears, the snow already falling faster. “If… if you want to go, I can meet you.” Jeongguk says softly. “So we don’t have to wait.”

Taehyung frowns. “Are you sure? I can stay, if you want.”

“But that would inconvenience you.”

“I don’t mind.” 

Jeongguk blinks back at him. His amber eyes are huge, burning, and there’s something in them that Taehyung doesn’t understand. 

And then he looks away. “It’s alright. I’ll find you when I’ve been trimmed, Taehyung.” 

He sees sure enough that Taehyung believes him, quickly hastening over to the hot chocolate stand and pulling his hood over his head. There’s a predictable line, others searching for a reprieve from the cold. 

It’s only as Taehyung’s standing there that he realizes it’s the first time Jeongguk’s used his name. He’s not quite sure what to make of that. 

Taehyung knows that he can look for the best in things, hopeful until he hurts his own heart. But he can’t help but think that maybe the wall of ice around Jeongguk’s heart is defrosting. 

He finally makes it to the front of the line, passing a couple coins over in exchange for two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. He reaches out to grab them both when a voice interrupts Taehyung. 

“Let me help with that.” 

Taehyung turns. Jeongguk’s wearing his new cloak, tall and dark as pitch. His hair’s been combed back out of his face, still long but pulled back into a neat ponytail with the sides shaved down. He looks… stunning. Taehyung’s mouth goes dry. 

“Taehyung?” he asks, and only then Taehyung realizes that he’s been frozen in line. He ducks his head to hide the furious blush on his cheeks as they hasten away. He feels warm, even as the snow piles up around them. 

He cups his hand around the cheap clay mug, the heat inside seeming through to his skin. Beside him, Jeongguk suddenly lets out an excited noise, almost like a cat’s chirp. 

He looks over at Taehyung as he lowers the mug, quickly swallowing some of the hot chocolate. “This is delicious.” He licks his lips, and then smiles. It lights up on his face like a sunbeam, eyes sparking and lips parting pretty and pink. 

Taehyung doesn’t want to admit it, not even to himself. But in that moment is when he knows that he’s already lost the battle, that it’s too late to shield his heart. 

He’s falling.

***

Jeongguk lets out a deep sigh as he feels the weight of his magic loosen off of his shoulders. He opens his eyes to see Taehyung leaning back, lowering his hands. He gives Jeongguk a boxy grin. “Better?”

“Yes,” Jeongguk says honestly, enjoying the feeling of being able to take a full breath. His magic is no longer eating him away after having spent a month with Taehyung, but he still needs the sorcerer’s assistance to help manage it.

Always will, without the Bond to help naturally direct the flow of a spirit’s magic. But that’s something Jeongguk’s trying not to think about. 

“I need to collect some more willow root today,” Taehyung says, straightening his knees. Their breakfast remains on the table, bread that Taehyung rose with some quick spells and eggs that Jeongguk whipped up. 

They’ve fallen into a routine of sorts, one that snuck up on Jeongguk before he realized the comfort of its domesticity. Morning are spent preparing spells and doing chores, and at night Jeongguk shifts to sit by the fire while Taehyung reads. And sometimes Taehyung sings, softly to himself, and Jeongguk finds his eyes slipping closed before he realizes it. He always wakes up in the bed though, covers drawn over him while Taehyung sleeps on the little cot they put together.

There’s been a lot of little things. Things like Taehyung’s soft and nimble hands, or his blinding smile, or his deep, soothing voice. Things sneaking up on Jeongguk. 

“Jeongguk?” Taehyung asks. He’s looking expectantly at the familiar. 

Jeongguk shakes his head. “Sorry. I’ll come with.” 

There’s a fresh layer of snow on the ground as they leave the cabin, both of them tightly wrapped up in their cloaks. It’s quiet and peaceful, the woods blanketed with an undisturbed layer of white. 

At least it is, until Taehyung accidentally brushes against a branch, and a pile of snow falls right on his head. 

Jeongguk burst into giggles, the sound peeling through the forest. Taehyung brushes the snow off of his head like a disgruntled puppy. 

“Watch your step,” Jeongguk says, grinning. Taehyung glances at him with a murderous glare, snow still nestled in his dark curls. 

And then he kicks his foot, snow flying up from the ground. Jeongguk flinches and goes to cover himself, but snow still lands under his cloak. “COLD,” he shrieks, “COLD AND WET–”

“You seemed to find it quite amusing only moments ago,” Taehyung snips. Jeongguk narrows his eyes, a hiss rising in his throat. 

Seconds later his clothes fall to the ground as he pounces onto Taehyung. Taehyung squeaks as he falls down under the weight of the panther, the spirit’s length now matching his own. 

“Not- not fair–” he gasps out, in between trying to avoid Jeongguk’s playful nips. Taehyung manages to wiggle out from underneath, pushing the panther to the side. Jeongguk faceplants directly into a snow bank. 

He sticks his head back up, trying to shake the snow from his furry face and whiskers. Taehyung guffaws from somewhere behind him, laughing even harder when Jeongguk turns to look at him with a growl. 

But then the smile fades from Taehyung’s face, eyes drifting up to the sky. Jeongguk turns to follow his gaze. Grey smoke rises to the sky from a small distance away. 

“The village,” Taehyung breathes. “I have to–”

Jeongguk growls, and then jumps over to Taehyung in a single bound. He turns, offering his back. 

He can’t see the sorcerer, but Jeongguk nearly senses Taehyung’s confusion. “What–?”

Jeongguk yowls, indicating with his head towards his back. Taehyung pauses for one more moment, but then he climbs onto Jeongguk’s back. Hesitant at first, but then he leans forward to press his chest against the panther’s back, hands carding through his fur. 

The spirit takes off, his large paws easily crossing the snowy ground. Taehyung isn’t light, but Jeongguk’s been getting stronger. He carries the sorcerer, the man’s unsteady breaths right next to his ear. 

As they approach the village the smell of smoke gets stronger. And then they can hear shouting, and screaming, and Jeongguk increases his pace even though his lungs are already burning. The village isn’t far, and yet it feels like too great a distance. 

He slows too a stop right outside of the village, and finds the source of the smoke– homes and merchant’s shops set on fire, flames dancing off of the thatched roofs. Taehyung slides off of his back, fury in his voice.  “Raiders,” he hisses. 

Jenogguk’s frozen. But Taehyung darts forward, muttering something as he passes a hand over one of his jeweled rings. A second later a ball of red energy appears in his hand, swirling with power. 

A woman’s scream draws attention to a raider dragging her through the dirt, hand knotted in her hair. Jeongguk sees rage on Taehyung’s face, and then he releases the ball of energy to the raider. He goes down with no time to even shout, dropping lifeless to the ground. 

Jeongguk doesn’t think. He just sees the next man catch sight of Taehyung, raising his sword, and then he too pounces. Dimly he’s aware of Taehyung’s voice somewhere behind him, urging the villagers to run. Saying he’ll drive the raiders back. 

A mere man is no match for a beast like Jeongguk, but many men– many men armed with swords and knives, mean and hardened by battle– that poses a challenge. Jeongguk feels himself falter when a dagger swipes alongside his flank. 

He jumps back, yowling in pain. His attacker raises his sword to strike again– but then a dagger sticks out through his chest, and then a wave of red magic releases through the raider. His eyes roll back, and then he drops to the ground. 

Taehyung leans down towards him with a bloodied knife. “Are you okay?” he breathes, a bruise on his cheek. Jeongguk licks on his jawline quickly in reply. “We have to go, there’s more than I thought–”

A tremendous crack interrupts them, and they both look up to see a nearby house collapsing as fire consumes it. Jeongguk forces his tired body to run, hearing the heavy songs of Taehyung’s breath. 

But then it’s interrupted by a pained shout, and suddenly Taehyung’s footsteps aren’t beside his own. Jeongguk turns to see Taehyung crumbled on the ground, one hand pressed around an arrow bolt in his thigh. Some 30 feet behind him, a raider stands holding crossbow.

Jeongguk sprints, darting back to Taehyung. But even as he does so he sees more men surrounding them, caging them into the quickly-burning village. He lets out a snarl, protectively crouched down in front of Taehyung, but Jeongguk knows it’s not enough. 

“Jeongguk,” Taehyung grits out, voice tight with pain. “Run.” 

A raider starts approaching them, blood already tainting his blade. If Jeongguk is going to escape, he has to flee now.  And leave behind the man that saved his life. That showed him that life was still worth living.

Jeongguk makes his decision in a heartbeat. 

He draws on the well of magic within him for the first time in ages, since it ate away at him with nowhere else to go. It’s not fully replenished but it’s enough– coursing through Jeongguk, flooding the spirit with raw power.

He feels his panther form grow bigger, and bigger, until he matches even a lion or a direwolf in size. A red tinge takes over his fur and eyes, magic radiating off of him like an aura. It’s been so long since he was at his full strength. 

He roars and releases the magic like a wave, striking the first bandit and radiating to the others. The snow melts away from his feet as he leaps towards the next victim, elongated fangs sinking into flesh. 

But there’s still the fire, still threatening to destroy the entire village. Jeongguk turns and pulls energy from his very core, thinking of the snow on the ground. It makes his legs shake but he calls for ice to crawl up the burning buildings, extinguishing the flames. 

By the time he’s done he feels weak– he hasn’t used his true power in so long. He manages to limp back over to Taehyung, collapses in the snow. 

The man stirs weakly as Jeongguk grabs the scruff of his clothes, dragging him away from the wreckage. But then Jeongguk falters, legs giving out– and he can’t stand up. He lets out a whimper, a final plea for Taehyung to answer, and then succumbs to the darkness. 

***

When Jeongguk opens his eyes again, his entire body is throbbing. He lets out a groan, instinctively going to sit up. 

“Hey, hey, take it easy,” an unfamiliar voice says. Jeongguk blinks his eyes to focus, and then looks to the right. 

A man is sitting in a chair beside him, with auburn hair and a sharp face. But Jeongguk can tell from the way his own magic prickles under his skin that the human form he sees is only a vessel– he’s another spirit, just like Jeongguk. 

Another spirit in Taehyung’s house, with no Taehyung in sight. Jeongguk forces his body to sit up, lips pulling back into a snarl. 

“Easy, easy,” the other spirit says, holding a hand up. “I’m a friend. Taehyung is fine, promise.” 

Jeongguk doesn’t untense, and so the spirit continues. “I’m Hoseok, Yoongi’s familiar. We’re friends of Taehyung, we got alerted through a charm that goes off when Taehyung falls injured. He’s just resting in the bedroom with Yoongi.”

Jeongguk recognizes the names, and so he finally relaxes a bit. He tries to peer around Hoseok from where he’s laid out on blankets to look at the bedroom door. “Is Taehyung alright? Can I see him?”

Hoseok glances over his shoulder. “I think he’s still resting– Yoongi hit him with a lot of healing magic. But–”

“I’m fine,” a deep voice calls out from the bedroom, hoarse but present. Jeongguk’s eyes widen. 

He goes to bolt to his feet but his limbs seem to not want to obey, causing him to nearly crash onto the floor. “Oh god, easy there,” Hoseok mutters, helping Jeongguk to his feet. It’s fortunate that the bedroom is only a few feet away. 

Jeongguk pushes in and sees Taehyung sitting up in bed, pale but conscious. A petite blonde man in a sorcerer’s attire looks between the two of them, and then catches Hoseok’s eye. “I should prepare some more tea,” he says, to no one in particular. 

He and his familiar see themselves out, and the door closes behind them. Jeongguk gingerly lowers himself onto the bed, his body still bone-dep exhausted. “You’re okay?” he asks uncertainly. 

Taehyung nods, but his gaze doesn’t fully meet Jeongguk’s. “I guess it was a good thing that I gave Yoongi those charms,” he mutters. “I’m sorry, I… I dragged us into a mess.” 

Jeongguk firmly shakes his head. “No, you– you wanted to help.” He thinks about how he was a tiny cub, half-frozen to death in the woods, and Taehyung was the only hand that reached out to him. “It’s what you do.” 

Taehyung doesn’t respond, looking out into the distance. When he speaks, his voice is hesitant. “Jeongguk, you… you managed to drive off all those raiders. And stop the fires.” He pauses, and Jeongguk feels sick to his stomach. “That’s a lot of magical energy.” 

Jeongguk looks down. His hands are shaking on his lap, and he curls them into fists. “Your point?” 

“Most spirits aren’t capable of something like that.” 

Jeongguk still says nothing. Taehyung scoots a little closer in bed to him. “You have a lot of power, don’t you? Far more than you let on. You’re not just a regular spirit.” He continues when Jeongguk doesn’t protest. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“To what end?” Jeongguk says, his voice sharp. He doesn’t want it to be, Taehyung doesn’t deserve his fear, but– “Just so you could take advantage of me?”

He hears Taehyung suck in a sharp breath, and then he’s silent. “...is that what happened before?” 

It’s the first time Taehyung has ever asked, and Jeongguk knows he should consider himself lucky that he was given this long. Still, it stings.  “Yes,” he breathes. Wonders if he’ll feel winter’s chill yet again. “I didn’t know I was stronger than the others when he summoned me. I just did as he asked, because I thought it was my job. I– I wanted to make my Summoner happy.” 

He shakes his head. “Turning tin into gold, raising a ship from the ocean, calling down a waterfall, I just– I did as he wanted. It’s so lonely in the Spirit Plane, and humans are– you’re so bright. I just wanted some of that light, that emotion–” Jeongguk takes a deep breath, and knows he can no longer hide his hands from shaking. “So I just did it. But then he started asking for more, and more, and– he wanted to prove himself beyond his other sorcerers, he wanted to be a king. He wanted to bend cities to his will.”

The spirit ducks his head shamefully. “I didn’t wake up until he was asking me to burn down a squadron of soldiers that opposed us, that had been sent to protect the village from us. I begged him, I told him I’d do anything he asked, as long as he didn’t ask me to hurt anyone.”

Something wet rolls down his cheek. Jeongguk’s crying. “He told me if I didn’t do as he asked, he’d sever the Bond. I-I thought he was lying.” He sniffs, and quickly scrubs at his eyes. “And then he cut me off.” 

“Jeongguk,” Taehyung breathes, and then he’s moving. 

The spirit’s head knocks against Taehyung’s shoulder as he’s pulled into a crushing embrace. Taehyung feels warm, and solid. 

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” Taehyung murmurs, his voice shaking. “That bastard. If we ever see him again, he’s a dead man walking.” 

Jeongguk blinks, frozen in place. “W-what?”

“He took advantage of you,” Taehyung replies, black fury in his voice. “Spirits are dependent upon their Summoners for emotional connection and stability. All of our power is borrowed, that’s drilled into the mind of every single sorcerer.” 

“You’re– you’re not mad?”

At that Taehyung finally jerks back, cupping Jeongguk’s face in in his hands. It makes Jeongguk’s cheeks turn hot. 

“Why would I be mad?”

“I hid the truth from you.” 

“You didn’t–” Taehyung swallows, and something in his eyes looks terribly sad. “You didn’t hide anything. You just weren’t ready to tell me. And that’s okay.”

Jeongguk still feels unsure, like he’s standing on the thinnest ice of hope. “Please don’t– please don’t ask me to do anything new now, I don’t want–”

“God, Jeongguk, darling–” It’s the first time Taehyung’s used the pet name, and it sends a jolt of electricity down his spine. “Never. What you do with your power is your choice, alright? I wouldn’t take that away from you even if I could.” 

Jeongguk finally sags, his chest bumping against Taehyung’s. “And don’t– don’t tell anyone else? I don’t want–”

“Of course not,” Taehyung replies, before Jeongguk can even beg. “What your Summoner did was so, so wrong. I hope you know that.”

Jeongguk does. He thinks. But it still feels like such a relief to hear Taehyung say so, when Jeongguk feared he’d never be able to go near a sorcerer again. He hears Taehyung sigh, and then they’re tipping back to lie on the bed. 

“Let’s just rest, okay?”Taehyung says, his arms still curled around Jeongguk. “We’ve both done enough for a while.” 

That, Jeongguk can agree with. He lets himself curl into Taehyung’s embrace, the first time he’s done so in human form and not animal. And then he closes his eyes, and pretends that his heart isn’t singing for Taehyung. 

Chapter Text

It’s hard for Taehyung to hold back a laugh as he watches Jeongguk and Hoseok circle each other in the snow. The panther’s twice the size of the auburn fox, but Hoseok’s speed is blinding.  Jeongguk pounces forward but Hoseok darts away in the blink of an eye, and the spirits give way to a chase. Taehyung smiles down at the mug in front of him, dropping his gaze from the window. It’s snowing, but it’s warm in the cabin. 

“Hoseok’s said he misses being around other spirits,” Yoongi says thoughtfully, sitting across the table from Taehyung. “Maybe we should come visit more often.” 

“Jeonggukie’s still warming up to people,” Taehyung mutters, as if the panther spirit hasn’t been pouncing through the snow in delight, ears and tail alert. “Your familiar might get eaten.” 

Yoongi shrugs. “I think Hoseok could be a good influence. Besides, he’s humans that he’s scared of, right?”

Taehyung’s lips quirk into a frown. It still makes a fire burn in his gut to think of the way that Jeongguk’s been treated, one far less pleasant than the flame burning in the fireplace. “With good reason.”

“I never said there wasn’t,” Yoongi says softly. He yawns, leaning back in his chair. “I’d like to stay longer, but we should likely take our leave when the snow ends. Both of you seem recovered, and I can’t shirk being a professor for that much longer.” 

Taehyung grins. He’s lost track of Jeongguk and Hoseok outside, but he’s sure that they’re having fun. “That little enthusiasm for teaching the next generation of sorcerers?”

Something dark passes over Yoongi’s face. “To be honest… I feared it was only a matter of time before I heard a story like Jeongguk. Each class feels like they have less and less respect for spirits. They don’t care that spirits want companionship, they just want… power.” 

Yoongi shakes his head in disgust. “I’ve denied more summoning ritual applications that I can count. And those are just the ones that bother to ask.” His eyes meet Taehyung’s again, curious. “Speaking of. When am I going to see your application?” 

It takes a moment for Taehyung to process, looking at Yoongi in alarm. “My application? For a spirit summoning?”

“Aren’t you planning on taking Jeongguk as your familiar?” 

“I–” Taehyung looks back down. His jaw clenches. “I’d never ask him to be Bonded to a sorcerer, not after everything he’s been through.”

Yoongi raises an eyebrow, and Taehyung tries not to think too deeply of his incredulous expression. “Last night he had his head in your lap as you read to him. He might be wary of sorcerers, but he’s certainly not wary of you.”

“I won’t have him thinking I want anything from him,” Taehyung snapped. “I don’t need to draw from his power to be his friend.”

“He’ll still need a sorcerer to ground his magic.” 

“And I’ll be happy to help him as long as he’ll have me.” Taehyung’s grip tightens on his mug, and it feels colder in the cottage than before. “But I won’t have him thinking my aid is transactional.” 

He doesn’t like the way Yoongi is looking at him, like he’s seeing something Taehyung hasn’t realized he’s exposed. But then he shrugs, the older sorcerer’s expression as calm as always. “If you say so. But there’s nothing saying you can’t still summon a familiar.”

“What? Even taking Jeongguk out of the equation, I’m not strong enough–” 

“You are. Your magic has grown a lot of late, I can feel it. Without a familiar, you’ll soon hit a limit to how much energy you can channel through yourself alone.” 

Taehyung doesn’t know why it makes him feel sick to his stomach that Yoongi is speaking so casually. “I think you’re ready to attempt the ritual. After all the sorcerers I see trying to bind some poor spirit to them, I’d rather at least one of them be you.” 

The younger man’s eyes fall back to the table. He had been alone for so long, solely focusing on his craft, that the thought of a familiar had always seemed… distant. Something for later, when he was stronger, wiser. 

He didn’t feel any stronger or wiser, but Taehyung’s magic did respond more easily to him. He knew every component the woods had to offer, wrung every ounce of energy out of his crystals and gems. Taehyung had mastered his own magic.  A familiar could open the next door for him– and provide a companion. Someone to disrupt Taehyung’s solitary lifestyle. 

But hadn’t he already found someone who did that? 

“I’ll think about it,” Taehyung breathed, his head swimming like it was in a thick cloud. “I don’t know– it’s not that– I want a familiar, it’s just–”

He snapped his mouth shut, suddenly realizing that he had been speaking out loud. His body burned as he thought of the words he had nearly let free. 

I want a familiar, but I don’t want anyone other than Jeongguk.

The front door creaked, as if being pulled from the other side, and then Taehyung heard snow-crunched footsteps retreating from the cabin. He shared a glance with Yoongi, then quickly got up and started walking to the door. 

He never made it. The door swung open, letting a chill in. Hoseok stood there, brow furrowed and snowflakes still nestled in his hair. “I lost track of Jeongguk for a bit, but he just passed me bolting into the woods. Did something happen?”

A chill gripped Taehyung’s heart, one that had nothing to do with the cold. “No,” he breathed. “He heard–” He dropped his head, one hand gripping at his hair. “He must have heard us, he thinks that I want to make him my familiar–” 

He whirled around to Yoongi, uncaring if his eyes looked a bit wild. “We have to find him,” he begged. “I know he’s stronger now, but if he doesn’t come back– in time, he’ll just wither away again. He needs a sorcerer, and there’s no one that he trusts.”

“He trusts you,” Yoongi protested, but he was already reaching for his cloak. 

A bitter laugh rose to Taehyung’s throat. He felt his heart cracking like ice under pressure. “Not right now, he doesn’t.”

***

The cold feels familiar. 

It settles on Jeongguk’s fur, but the spirit makes no attempt to brush it off. Instead he lets the chill creep into his bones, hoping it will numb the pain. 

He should have braced himself for this. Taehyung’s warmth and affection felt too good to be true, and it was – but Jeongguk let himself fall, anyway. He has no one to blame but himself. 

It would be easier if Taehyung was like him. If he had been cruel to Jeongguk, or sought to drink from his power when he had learned the truth. That Jeongguk had been half-ready for, for Taehyung to offer to bond with him when he woke up and found the village saved. 

But he didn’t. Instead he settled Jeongguk with comforting words, a force as grounding as the roots of an oak tree. Murmuring words into Jeongguk’s ears, the thoughts behind them one that the spirit had yearned for. 

That wasn’t okay. It’s not your fault. I won’t do that to you.

Jeongguk had told himself, after his Bond was broken, that if he survived this he would never make the same mistake again. He would never again give a sorcerer the power over his heart and soul. 

He hadn’t truly realized his mind had changed, until the same moment Jeongguk knew he had lost his chance. Words that weren’t meant for his ears, and now hearing them broke him. 

“Even taking Jeongguk out of the equation….”

“I want a familiar, it’s just….”

It’s just that Jeongguk was in the way. 

Jeongguk finally lets his pace slow to a stop. He looks around the wooded landscape, a blanket of snow covering what might have been recognizable figures. Little breaths of condensation come out from between his fangs, labored. 

Admittedly, running off might not have been the best idea. Now Jeongguk doesn’t know where he is. 

But does it matter, when his heart feels so broken?

It probably would be best if he stayed out here. After all, he’s only in Taehyung’s way. (A whimper rose to his throat at that thought, unbidden.) He’s taken enough advantage of Taehyung’s generosity, and now… it was time to leave. 

Jeongguk pushes aside the knowledge that without a sorcerer’s aid he would waste away just like before. Maybe that was just his fate. Once his bond was severed, he never truly stood a chance. 

“--Jeongguk!”

The spirit freezes, tail stilling in the air. He looks behind him and feels his heart sink when he sees a black-coated figure making his way towards Jeongguk. 

“Jeongguk, wait!” Taehyung calls out, trudging through the snow, and Jeongguk can’t help but listen. He turns around, a whimper leaving his throat as his ears flatten down to his head. Even now, he doesn’t deserve Taehyung. 

Taehyung finally comes to a stop a few feet ahead of him, his cheeks flushed underneath his cloak. The sorcerer’s lips part as he looks at Jeongguk. “You’re covered in snow,” he murmurs, almost under his breath. His expression turns heartbreaking. “Aren’t you cold?” 

Jeongguk shakes his head, yowling. Taehyung swallows harshly. “Please don’t leave,” he breathes. “I know what you thought you heard, but I won’t– Jeongguk, I would never Bond you to me. I’m not doing all of this so that you can be my familiar.” 

A pained noise leaves Jeongguk, lowering himself down defensively. He had assumed as much, but– it hurts to hear the words falling from Taehyung’s lips. When it shrinks back defensively, Taehyung’s eyes grow wide. 

“I swear it!” he cries out. “I won’t do anything that you don’t want–” 

Jeongguk can’t take any more. He lets his fur fall away, changing shapes until he’s kneeling in the snow. The cold is much more biting like this, but it hardly matters. “Why are you being so cruel?” he asks, and he sees Taehyung’s face freeze. To Jeongguk’s horror, he feels his throat closing up. “You’re not – you’re not normally like this, you don’t need to remind me of how much I’m unwanted–”

“Unwanted– what?” Taehyung gapes. “Jeongguk, what are you–”

“You’ve made it perfectly clear that you don’t want me as your familiar,” Jeongguk says. The words burn his throat. “You don’t need to keep reminding me–”

“I don’t want? Jeongguk, why– why would you ever want a Summoner again–”

“I don’t!” Jeongguk hisses, a tear rolling down his cheek. “I least I thought so until YOU!”

His words burst out, hanging in the air like a falling snowflake. When Jeongguk realizes what he’s said he sucks in a harsh breath– but it doesn’t take back his admission. 

Taehyung’s still so beautiful even as he gazes at Jeongguk in shock. “...what?” 

Jeongguk drops his head, sniffing as another tear falls. “Don’t… don’t sound like that. You helped me, you respect me, you– you’re so warm, Taehyung, how could I not–” His throat closes around a sob, and he squeezes his eyes shut. He can’t bear to look at Taehyung. 

Jeongguk hears the crunch of snow approaching him. His muscles tense, bracing himself; for what, he doesn’t know. 

But then something warm settles over his shoulders, shielding him from the chill. Jeongguk’s eyes fly open to find Taehyung kneeling in front of him, adjusting Jeongguk’s cloak so that it wraps around his body.

Jeongguk finally meets Taehyung’s eyes, and finds his tears reflected. “You deserve to be warm, too,” Taehyung breathes. “You’re too precious to stay in the cold.”

Jeongguk’s cloak smells like the herbs in Taehyung’s cottage. Unconsciously, he pulls it closer to himself. “My darling Jeongguk,” Taehyung continues, his eyes locked onto Jeongguk. “Why would I ever want for a familiar when I have you?”

Hope flutters in Jeongguk’s chest, fragile and dangerous. “Does that mean…?”

Taehyung smiles, teary but brilliant. “You’re all I want. Have been for some time now. And if you choose to Bond to me, I’d– I’d be honored. But I’d be just as honored to call you mine.”

Jeongguk stares. The last of his tears falls into the snow, mixing with the frozen ground. 

Then he surges forward, his arms wrapping around Taehyung’s neck. Their chests knock together as Jeongguk buries his face into Taehyung’s neck, trembling.  “Oh, thank you,” Taehyung mumbles, soft but still audible to Jeongguk’s ears. “I’ve got you, I’ve got you, dearheart.”

“I’m right here,” Jeongguk replies. “I’ll never leave your side.” 

***

“The moon’s almost full,” Taehyung says. He looks up at the shining circle, nearly perfectly round as she climbs the night sky. “It’s almost time.” 

He hears a soft puff a breath behind him, and turns to see Jeongguk smiling. The spirit is barefoot on the soft grass, wearing a pair of trousers and one of Taehyung’s loose robes. He’s looking even healthier than he was a few months ago, now fully filling out his strong frame. 

His smile wanes, however, when his eyes meet Taehyung’s. “Is everything alright?”

Taehyung bites his lip. “Do you think I’ve prepared everything correctly? I’ve drawn the circle, I soaked the rope in star-shone water, I–”

“Taehyung.” Jeongguk’s hand finds his shoulder blade, comfortingly trailing down the man’s arm. “You’re the most capable sorcerer I’ve ever seen. Everything is perfect. I trust you.”

Taehyung lets out a breath. He looks over at the ritual circle he had carefully prepared, lit with candles flickering in the early spring breeze and necessary ingredients. “I suppose.” 

A furrow appeared between Jeongguk’s brows. “Are you… nervous?” We don’t have to–” The spirit cuts himself off, a pained expression briefly crossing his face. “If you’re having second thoughts, we can wait–”

“No!” Taehyung’s eyes widen in alarm, turning around to face Jeongguk fully. His hand finds Jeongguk’s. “I’m not having second thoughts about you darling, never. I’m– I can’t believe that you’re willing to take as your Summoner.” 

“Then what’s the matter? I know when you’re upset, Tae.” 

A smile couldn’t help but tug on Taehyung’s lips, endeared. “I suppose you do,” he murmurs. “It’s not you that I’m unsure of, Gukkie. It’s me.” 

Jeongguk tilts his head. “What do you mean?”

“During the bonding, you’ll see my soul,” Taehyung explains. “What if… what if you don’t like what you see? What if I’m not what you want?”

“Oh, Taehyung.” Jeongguk squeezes the sorcerer’s hand, something soft settling over the spirit’s features. “I’ve already seen your soul. I’ve seen the kind of person you are when you found me in the woods, when you ran to save the village. I know who you are,” he continues. “How could I not? It’s what I lo– it’s the most beautiful thing about you.” 

Taehyung finds his eyes growing wet, and he quickly huffs out a shaky laugh as he blinks his tears away. “I don’t deserve you.” 

“You do,” Jeongguk reassures. “And you’re about to have me forever.”

They both look up. The full moon shines above them, high and brilliant in the sky. “It’s time,” Taehyung breathes. 

Jeongguk glances at him with a beaming smile, lighting up his handsome features. “I’m ready.” 

They both step into the circle that Taehyung had prepared. As they did so the candles shift to a red flame, already responding to Jeongguk’s power. Taehyung reaches down into the stone bowls he had set aside, smearing red paint on Jeongguk’s palm and blue on his own. 

Then he and Jeongguk clasp hands as Taehyung pulls out the rope he had prepared. Taehyung’s heart flutters in his chest, but his grip is sure. He begins tying the rope around their hands as he speaks. 

“Answer me, oh spirit,” he breathes. He feels a rush of magic flow through him, raising goosebumps on his arms as the spell begins. “Heed my call, and see my soul. Lend me your power, and let us walk as one.” 

Jeongguk’s eyes turns pitch black. A wind kicked up around them, ruffling Taehyung’s hair. He gripped onto Jeongguk ever tighter, his heart in his throat. “Jeongguk,” he murmurs, soft. Abandoning the spell and speaking from his heart. “Let me be yours.” 

The rope binding their hands shines with a brilliant light, and then dissipates as it burns into the air. Jeongguk’s eyes roll to the back of his head, falling to his knees as the candles blow out. Taehyung keeps Jeongguk from crashing to the ground, leveraging their intertwined hands.

“Jeongguk!” He reaches out to steady the spirit with a hand on his shoulder. A million thoughts race through Taehyung’s mind, all of them heart-stopping. Had he messed up the ritual? Had he somehow hurt Jeongguk? Was Jeongguk so repulsed by what he saw in Taehyung’s soul?

His frantic thoughts come to a halt as Jeongguk slowly raises his head. His eyes are clear once more. Taehyung can’t bring himself to say anything as he waits for Jeongguk’s reaction. 

And then the sorcerer feels it– a deep well of magic that calls out to him. A different flavor than his own, but familiar, like a song Taehyung heard as a child. His eyes widen and a tear slips down Taehyung’s cheek as the realization hits him. 

“My love,” Jeongguk chokes out– and then his hands are reaching for Taehyung’s shirt, pulling him closer as their lips crash together. Taehyung responds in a daze, eyes slipping closed and mind clear of any thoughts except him.

They’ve been dancing around this for a long time, Taehyung knows, but he doesn’t mind that they took their time. Because kissing Jeongguk now is so much sweeter with the knowledge that he is Jeongguk and Jeongguk is his, that from this point on they walk as one. 

He tastes salt on his tongue when the kiss finally breaks, resting his forehead against Jeongguk’s. “I love you,” Taehyung murmurs. “I’ll forever be thankful that Fate brought you into my life. You know that, right?”

“I do,” Jeongguk replies simply. “Everything I endured, all the pain– I would go through it again if I knew you were waiting for me at the end. My heart is yours.” 

“As is mine.” 

Jeongguk’s eyes meet his own, brimming with emotion. He licks his lips, and Taehyung’s cheeks flush as he leans in for another kiss. 

Only for the sorcerer to find himself knocked to the ground, a panther on top of him as Jeongguk licks at his face. “Stop–” Taehyung forces out between giggles, eyes scrunching in delight. “You trick-”

Jeongguk pushes his face into Taehyung’s neck with a contented purr, using his weight to keep Taehyung pinned to the ground. The sorcerer lets out a sigh as he stops squirming, and brings a hand up to burrow into his familiar’s fur. 

“Forever,” he whispers.