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Bitty smiled as he put the last piece of crust on the top of the pie, finishing the lattice design. Then he murmured soft foreign words and moved his hands slowly above the it, the air around his fingers gaining a purple hue. He grinned as the pie shimmered for a moment, then watched as the crust browned and the filling bubbled. He slipped on his oven mitts and picked up the now finished pie and turned around to put it on a cooling rack, only to come face to face with Jack, whose eyes were wider than Bitty had ever seen before, and one hand was over his mouth. Bitty stiffened as the smile fell from his face, meeting his boyfriends eyes.
"Jack I- there's a perfectly reasonable explanation!" Bitty squeaked as he put the pie on the counter and pulled off his oven mitts.
"How- Bitty how did you even- what?" Jack was frozen in place.
Bitty opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again, his shoulders slumping.
"Jack, I- I have something to tell you." Bitty looked down at his socked feet, wringing his hands.
Just just blinked.
"I'm-" Bitty hesitated, his stature shrinking even lower. He took a deep breath and lifted his head slowly to meet Jack's eyes. Tears were already forming in his. "Jack, I'm a witch."
Jack blinked, lowered his hand from his mouth and opened it, but no words came out. Instead he just looked confused. Bitty kept talking.
"The Phelps', my mama's maiden name, are a family of Witches dating back to the Witch Trials of Salem. My family was almost scared when they found out I was going to school so close to Salem, actually. Anyway, I uh- have powers an' stuff? I was going to tell you eventually but then I got too scared that-" Bitty felt a tear hit his cheek and he sniffled. "I got scared it'd freak you out and you'd break up with me." Bitty looked down at his hands, which were glowing a bit blue. He shoved them in his pockets.
He jumped a bit when he felt a pair of arms encircling him, but he sunk into Jack's touch and buried his face in his chest as Jack pulled Bitty against him. Jack kissed his temple and rested his cheek against his hair. They stood there for a while in the middle of Jack's Providence apartment, Bitty crying into Jack's chest, and Jack trying to make sense of things in his head.
Bitty eventually pulled out of Jack's embrace and looked up to meet his eyes. Jack kept his hands on the small of Bitty's back.
"Can we talk about this, Bits? If not right now I can wait, if you want." Jack looked at Bitty softly, and he wasn't afraid in slightest. Bitty nodded.
Jack led them to the couch and pulled Bitty down next to him, practically on top of him. Bitty looked at his hands in his lap and Jack just examined his profile. Jack cleared his throat and Bitty looked up through watery eyes.
"I'm not breaking up with you." Jack stated softly, taking one of Bitty's hands. He could see some of the tension release from Bitty's shoulders. "So uh-" Jack smiled crookedly, "you said something about powers?"
Bitty barked out a wet laugh.
"Yeah, powers. They can be pretty helpful when needed, but not so much when my hands just kinda glow." He raised his glowing right hand for emphasis.
"How have I never noticed that?" Jack shook his head, laughing softly.
"Sweetheart, you're pretty oblivious." Bitty smiled. "And there's a reason I like sweaters with sleeves that are too long."
"God, I must miss you using your powers all the time!" Bitty nodded. "Give me an example? Of some times I've missed it?"
Bitty rolled his eyes fondly.
"For a week after I realized I liked you there was a blue aura around me. After you kissed me at your graduation I was levitating a bit? I still don't know how you didn't notice that! I may or may not have mentally pushed players on the ice away from me so I wouldn't get checked? That last one can't be proven! Also, I learned French in like two weeks, honey."
Jack pulled his eyebrows together, shaking his head again.
"Show me something?" Jack cocked his head to the right, his eyes meeting Bitty's again. Bitty chuckled.
"Like what, sweetheart?"
"I don't know, anything. Something, witchy?"
Bitty nodded and took his left hand away from Jack.
"Watch that candle right there." Bitty gestured to the candle on the coffee table. Jack nodded and watched.
Bitty pointed to it, his hands glowing soft orange now, and suddenly the wick lit, a steady flame burning bright. Jack turned back to Bitty and jumped a bit at the small flame dancing on the end of his pointer finger. Bitty smiled apologetically and extinguished the flame by brushing his thumb over the tip of his finger. Jack reached out and took Bitty's hand again. It wasn't even hot from the flame.
"You're amazing." Jack said, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against Bitty's. Bitty grinned and Jack kissed him softly. He put his free hand against the side of Jack's face as Jack kissed him dizzy.
Bitty pulled away with a quiet smack.
"I love you." Bitty's thumb rubbed soft circles into Jack's cheek. "Thank you for taking this so well."
Jack held Bitty's hand to his lips and kissed it.
"I'll always love you, Bitty, no matter who, or what, you are. Thank you for sharing this with me. I will admit I am a little surprised, but that doesn't sway my feelings for you. Ever. I'm so proud of you."
Bitty kissed him, his whole body glowing a soft pale yellow.