Prompt: “A Witch/Wizard and their Steadfast”

Pairing: Kai/Kyungsoo

Words: ~1500

Warnings: ual content

A slight breeze blows lightly through the opened window, and Kyungsoo can feel goosebumps rise along his arms, hearing the rustling of leaves. His face is gently illuminated by the soft glow cast by a solitary candle, perched atop a tower of books in the corner of the room. He thumbs his way through his spell book, waiting until the clock hand draws itself closer and closer to midnight. He shivers as the skin on his bare chest rises, and wishes he has more heating up in this room. He throws a furtive glance at the only other current occupant of the attic, and lets out a frustrated sigh.

“You should have been more careful,” he whispers into the air, to which he gains no response. The figure sits cross-legged, hardly breathing. Stoic, as he usually was, but the usual playful light in his eyes has gone. Kyungsoo glances back up at the clock, and begins his ritual.

They hadn’t lived here long; Kyungsoo made a point of always being on the move. That way, people around him would not inch themselves close enough to realise what he was, and what he was capable of. When they had found this two-storey house on the outskirts of Busan, Kyungsoo went straight to work at charming it. Each and every room of the house had been repainted, the walls traced underneath his glowing hands. He painted the ceilings of the bedrooms a lofty blue, so that they would be protected during their hours of rest. He placed hooks in the tops of the windowsills and tied up sprigs of rosemary, letting them hang and gently sway in the air as a basic protection from negative forces and energy.

All of these precautions, and still Jongin had succumbed to the shadows.

The attic had a violet roof to amplify his psychic ability, and every other wall was black as pitch, so that no evil spirits would overcome him in the midst of his magic. He had drawn a circle in the middle of the room, and this was surrounded by small jars and pots with a variety of odds and ends; some with plants sprawling over the edges, others with fine powder that Kyungsoo threw into the path of his lit candles as he cast his enchantments, which flashed different colours that danced around his circle.

Kyungsoo sits at the centre of his circle, and lights five candles of pinkish hue, placing them strategically around himself. He lights them, and watches as the flames cast an eerie glow across Jongin’s face, his jaw clenched tightly and in stark contrast to the pale whites of his eyes. Kyungsoo watches him carefully through his wide, owl eyes, as Jongin’s body shudders visibly in the candlelight. Any longer, and he will lose ties to his human spirit. It’s now or never, Kyungsoo thinks.

A jar of rose quartz sits by his side, and he draws a handful and tosses it around him, watching as it creates a spiral in the air, before fluttering gently and covering Jongin’s skin in a fine layer of dust. His steadfast trembles, and Kyungsoo bites his lip nervously. He wishes any other planet would be primary; Venus, Jupiter, even Saturn – not Mars. Mars meant danger. If his spells are unlucky today, he may just worsen Jongin’s current condition. Kyungsoo takes an extra pinch of cinnamon and tosses it into the flames, letting it fill his nostrils. For extra luck.

Jongin groans from his spot across the room as Kyungsoo begins his incantations. He finds a small bowl and pulls it towards him, crushing a mix of sage, saffron and lavender in water. He holds it above his head and closes his eyes, listening to the water boil seemingly by itself. When his chant is complete, he blesses the now slightly scented water, leaves his circle, and kneels beside Jongin.

“Drink,” he says, and his steadfast complies.

The colour slowly returns to Jongin’s pallid face. The steadfast groans, his eyes rolling back in his sockets, as his shivering body shakes wildly. Sleepy eyes look up at Kyungsoo, and a small smile graces Jongin’s full lips.

“They’re gone,” Jongin murmurs, his voice hoarse and shaky from strain. “The shadows… you seemed to have gotten rid of them.”

Kyungsoo rests his head on Jongin’s shoulder, furrowed brows relaxing with relief. He audibly sighs and lets his body slump against Jongin with his increasing tiredness, knowing that Jongin will catch him. Surely enough, strong arms encircle his tiny frame and draw him into a warm and comfortable embrace. He stays for a few moments, before picking himself back up and sitting back in his candle-strewn circle.

“You need to rest,” Jongin warns, a look of confusion and something Kyungsoo cannot define filling his eyes. Kyungsoo shakes his head and lets out a slow, weak whisper.

“If the shadows can get you, then we need to rebuild our defenses,” he argues feebly. Concern and a need to protect Jongin – for the steadfast amplifies magic but is also the first to be targeted by the shadows and their darkness – is all that is on Kyungsoo’s mind.

“There are defenses other than your protective spells,” Jongin responds simply.

Kyungsoo’s eyes flutter closed in concentration. Jongin is right, of course. One of the most ancient and powerful kinds of magic drew on human emotions and, perhaps most significantly, human love. Kyungsoo tries to steady his breathing, but his cheeks colour at what Jongin must be implying. No, he thinks to himself, shaking his head. It must be the after effects of the ritual. Saffron was well known for strengthening ual desire, but he hadn’t used all that much… , he remembers, Mars. Mars most typically meant danger, but it also meant strength and lust, and mixed with the saffron… His eyes widen in alarm.

“Rest, at least for tonight,” Jongin insists, tugging Kyungsoo out of his circle, blowing out the candles. Jongin lifts Kyungsoo up into his arms and walks towards the staircase leading down from the attic.

Jongin steps into a small bedroom on his left, and gently drops Kyungsoo down onto pure white sheets. He removes his sweat-stained shirt and climbs over Kyungsoo, fingers tugging his chin up before crashing their lips together. Jongin’s tongue presses forcefully into Kyungsoo’s mouth and he purrs, overwhelmed as he presses his body against Kyungsoo’s until only the fabric of Kyungsoo’s sweatpants remains between them. Jongin lets out a groan and trails kisses down Kyungsoo’s neck as the smaller bites back a strangled moan.

Jongin was always gentle in his lovemaking; always taking his time to make sure Kyungsoo was well prepared and comfortable. He would let Kyungsoo mumble incantations under his breath between moans of ecstasy and breathy proclamations of his name to dispel the shadows, so that it was their own private affair. It was always a long and gentle process, with Jongin almost lethargic, slow and heavy in his ministrations as Kyungsoo groaned and writhed underneath him, waiting impatiently for release.

This time, however, Jongin moves quickly, tugging the remainder of Kyungsoo’s clothing off and tossing it at the foot of the bed in a heap. There is something agitated, frantic even, in Jongin’s movements. Kyungsoo’s fingers tangle in ashen sheets as he whimpers at Jongin, his steadfast overwhelmed and under the influence of Kyungsoo’s magic. Kyungsoo lets out a startled moan as Jongin enters him without preparation, and sighs out his incantations as Jongin groans and writhes above him, his lips firmly attached to Kyungsoo’s neck, and tearing at his milky skin between his teeth.

It does not take long for Jongin to reach his , and he whines Kyungsoo’s name loudly as he fills him. Kyungsoo pants and kisses Jongin’s lips, his exhaustion overwhelming his senses. He finds his own release, and collapses against the pillows, as Jongin nips playfully at Kyungsoo’s ear. Kyungsoo’s eyes flutter closed and his breathing evens out, sleep chasing its way into his consciousness. He feels Jongin roll off of him, his arm lazily wrapping around Kyungsoo’s shoulders and tugging the shorter into his sculpted chest. He feels Jongin’s lips against his forehead and sighs, letting himself drift deeper and deeper into unconsciousness.

Kyungsoo will rebuild his defenses tomorrow, but now he must rest. They hadn’t made love in this house yet, and that’s probably why Jongin was overtaken. With ancient magic drawn from their love and Kyungsoo’s simple enchantments, Jongin will be well protected from the shadows.

But, Kyungsoo thinks to himself, maybe every once in a while, he’ll let his defenses slip on purpose, if only for Jongin to claim him with such yearning and adoration.