Depending on how you see it, the black holds all the colours at once, or no one at all. At home the forest turned pitch black at night, hiding every pretty flower, unless the moon shone bright. Chanyeol had not spent many days at this side, and it was one of the biggest mysteries he had discovered this far. Day or night, it was hard to tell, every part of the forest had their colours, their rhythm and it never seemed to get dark.

The two lovers had rested their back against the stem of a large three for what felt like hours. Both having longed for days like this. Baekhyun’s tail liked it between Chanyeol’s long fingers and Chanyeol had to admit the drizzle of stars on him was quite pretty.

“Are all parts of your forest equally bright and colourful?” he asked while he let the pads of his finger slide along the length of the tail. It took the hulder some time to register the question, his body lax and brain soft from Chanyeol’s gentle touches.

“No, there’s a part where the ground absorbs all the colours, not many goes there unless they have to.”

“And why would anyone have to?” He had so many questions, everything about this world was so very different. If he had to stay, if he chose to, then he wanted to know all the secrets.

“Sometimes you’re in need of black magic” Baekhyun quickly flicked his eyes to the side, as if he was afraid anyone was there.

“Why would you need that? Have you been there?” One answer only gave him five new questions and this one really poked the curious part of his brain. Baekhyun retreated his tail and stood up, clutched his tummy dramatically. “I’m really hungry. We should head back to eat before every bowl is empty” Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders. He could get more answers later and besides, maybe Kai or Lay or someone was more talkative.

It was a quiet walk back, both of them satisfied and feeling warm in their bones. As soon as they stepped inside the big hall, they were surrounded by music, the smell of warm spices and so many people. It impressed him how the forest seemed empty wherever they walked, while this place was crowded.

The first time it had been overwhelming, now Chanyeol felt welcomed on another level. His blonde boy dragged him across the room until familiar faces came into view. People shuffled sideways to make room for them, plates coming from somewhere above their head as soon as they were seated. Jongin nudged his side and pointed at Baekhyun.

“What did you do to him? His eyes are sparkling” Chanyeol felt the tip of his ears turn pink and every gem on his body tingled. Jongin only laughed.

As he stuffed his mouth with delicious food and slowly moulded into a member of the group, a thought began to grow. It had been a plan with this day. It had worked, oh yes it had worked, just not the way he had wanted it to. There’s no chance he can go back and risk living a life without Baekhyun. Home felt far, far away. When was home happy anyway. It was long days of work and cold winters and he just couldn’t live without his hulder. If Baekhyun couldn’t go back, he wouldn’t either.

Chanyeol slammed his mug onto the table and quickly stood up. He had to tell Baekhyun. He was staying, they were going to be together forever. A soft hand gripped his left wrist, pulled at it to get attention. Baekhyun had disappeared in the crowd but a familiar pretty girl smiled brightly at him as he turned his head. Astrid held a new mug up in front of him.

“For you!”

Chanyeol looked at her sceptically, then eyed the drink she was offering him. Her bright laugher rolled over her tongue as she noticed his restraint. “It’s a special drink for family only”.  She lifted the mug and sipped at the golden liquid, her beautiful smile never fading. “Family?” Chanyeol asked between chuckles, her bright mood doing stuff to his brain.

“Yes! We’re going to be family and it’s a wonderful day, don’t you think?”

Chanyeol felt himself blushing again and accepted the drink to have something to do. Astrid was a relative of Baekhyun, hulder like him. He hadn’t told anyone yet about how he had decided to stay, but when it came to her, he wouldn’t be surprised if she could read minds.

When he lowered his hand again, she threw her hands around his neck and hugged him. “Keep the mug. I’ll go get me another one” And just like that she swirled around and blended into the background. How did she do that? Another thing to ask about later.

While having another sip of the drink, he let his gaze travel along the walls in search for a special blonde boy. Instead his gaze met at pair of brown ones, the musician coming up to him. Lay greeted him happily and pulled him with him to sit down next to his Jongin. Chanyeol knew what he wanted to know, it had been his plan after all. With a soft blush on his skin, he shared the more innocent details with his new friend. It had been a good day after all.

“What’s with people today?” Chanyeol asked, faking annoyed the best he knew at someone pulling at him again. His strict face fell as soon as he saw who it was and a smile spread from his heart. The most beautiful boy with the brightest eyes was looking down at him. When he looked closely, Jongin had been right. Baekhyun’s eyes were glowing in a way he had never seen before. Usually they were ice blue, now they had a bright yellow glow, hypnotizing beautiful.

Baekhyun gripped his hand tightly and pulled harshly. “You have to come with me. Now!” Chanyeol couldn’t look away, and he slowly stood up. He swallowed as he felt his body react to the tone in Baekhyun’s voice. , he was so gone for that hulder.

Whistles were heard from around the table, and Jongin’s voice cut through the bubble. “That eager B?” Then laughter spread. Baekhyun didn’t answer, his gaze never leaving Chanyeol.

Of course he followed, like an obedient puppy, let the smaller pull him between bodies and tables until they were out in fresh air. Then they started running.

At first it was all fun, desire pooling in his veins, excitement making him giggly and running felt like floating. Then he realised they weren’t running in the direction of Baekhyun’s home. The forest was dimmed, shadows long and this was not blue or purple at all. In Baekhyun’s part of the forest the ground was drizzled with stars, here they were running on dirt.

“What the hell is going on?” Chanyeol sank his heels in the mud and pulled his lover to a halt. “Where are we going?”

Baekhyun let go of him, used his hands to massage his temple on both sides, then he looked up at his human. “You had a chat with Astrid today, didn’t you?” The smaller sighed.

“Yes, I did” Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders. “She was just cute, welcoming me to your family. I don’t know how she knew I had decided to stay, but it’s nice of her”

“You WHAT?”

Oh… Chanyeol actually never told Baekhyun, he remembered now and he started rambling “Yeah, you know, staying with you if you want me to. And you are family so then she and I are sort of family too and she offered me a drink. That’s all”

Baekhyun’s eyes had started glowing again, just this time it didn’t ignite good feelings and Chanyeol swallowed.

“And you drank it” It wasn’t a question. Baekhyun clearly knew already.

They had started walking again, side by side, no more running. As the forest darkened around them, their talk from earlier popped up. “Why are we heading into the dark forest?” He could tell Baekhyun didn’t know how to respond at first, how he was opening and closing his mouth a couple of times, his lips. “You gave her a short route to get to Sehun. That drink was a potion” Chanyeol’s blood froze, drops of golden liquid dancing in front of his eyes.

“When Sehun sees her next time, he’s hers. He’s your brother, the potion follows your bloodline. That’s what Astrid meant about you two becoming family. It had nothing to do with me.”

His legs still moved. He could tell because his surroundings were changing, he didn’t feel them though. His voice was weak when he finally asked, “Where are we going?”

Baekhyun’s tail came up to rest on his neck, the soft tip on his skin grounding him some. “We are going to see Luhan. He’s a witch. I have a hope he might have a way of fixing this.” The hulder’s delicate hand slipped into Chanyeol’s and gave it a good squeeze.

“He’s like a wizard?” Baekhyun’s touches made it easier to think and talk. “No, he’s a witch” Baekhyun giggled. ”You’ll see when we get there.”

As the forest closed up on them and shadows disappeared in the dark, he was glad he had Baekhyun by his side. No chance he would have dared coming here on his own. They stopped under a majestic oak, probably hundreds of years old. It rested on top of a small hill and a small stripe of light was all that revealed a door in front of them.

Tre powerful knocks on the door was all it took for Chanyeol’s heartbeat to triple. His eyes started to get used to the dark and he could tell the doorframe was decorated in beautiful, hieroglyphic signs. Baekhyun clearly understood what he was looking at and gave filled him in on it. “They are all the powers of the universe, see, there’s mine, light. And there’s Jongin’s, teleportation.” Chanyeol tilted his head and had a closer look. The patterns painted in gold, neatly carved out in the wood.

Just as he was about to ask about the other signs, the door opened. A person covered in a dark cape, his face hidden in the shadow of a big hood stepped outside.

“Baekhyun! Nice seeing you here. I have been waiting” His voice was bright and pretty, not hoarse or old.

“Luhan, this is Chanyeol. Chanyeol, meet Luhan” Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol a step closer and Chanyeol politely bowed for the witch.

“Nice to finally meet you Chanyeol. I think I can help you” The boy stepped to the side and held open the door, inviting them inside. The was place filled with glasses, bottles and jars with all kinds of stuff from floor to roof, dried mushrooms hang from the roof and shelfs were filled with books and weird stuff Chanyeol had never seen before. The boy had pushed off his hood and a pretty face smiled at them. “Now? What do you want me to do? The tea is already boiling, I just need a couple of details.

While Baekhyun explained all the sides of the situation, Luhan was already plucking stuff from drawers and boxes. One by one he dropped the items in a big teapot on his oven. Soon a sweet smell spread in the room, unlike anything he had ever smelled, but delicate and inviting.

“How did he know?” Chanyeol leaned close to the hulder, whispered in his ear.

“I read minds. Didn’t Baekhyun tell you anything?” Luhan nudged Baekhyun on his way over to the oven. “Now, let’s talk about payment.”

Chanyeol sent Baekhyun a quick glance, what? How did you pay for witchcraft? Baekhyun seemed just as lost. Nervously he stuck his hands in his pockets and a lightbulb went off. Filled with new hope he took a step closer and held out his hand, a pair of amulets resting in his palm. “These are holding memories from the other side. They make anyone remember what’s important”

Luhan narrowed his eyes. “And why would you give up on them if they’re that valuable?”

A familiar long limb curled around his left leg. “Chanyeol… what are you doing?” his hulder asked.

“I don’t need them anymore. I decided to stay here with you” He swallowed, his mouth dry and the tail moved up higher, squeezed his hips. “If I know Sehun is safe I’ll gladly give up on my memories of my past.”

“You want to stay? For real?” Baekhyun’s voice was weak, surprised. Luhan shut him off though. “Okay! Those might come in handy one day. I am accepting them. No let go on to the potion and the spell. We don’t have much time” He grabbed the stones from Chanyeol’s hand and dropped them into a small box. Then he reached for a mug and poured hot tea into it. “When you drink this, you’ll protect all of your family, parents, siblings. They’re becoming unreachable by creatures of the underworld. Means Astrid will never win your brother over, she can’t bring him here no matter how hard she’ll try.”

Chanyeol nodded and had a tentatively sip of the hot liquid. It wasn’t too bad, he could do this. Luhan led him to a chair in the corner of the room and had him sit down. “Now drink it all while I sing”

A voice just as beautiful as Astird’s and Baekhyun’s filled the room and his brain. It tingled in his limbs, blood running faster and the world wasn’t dark, it was bright and lively. For a moment he saw his family members, like in a dream and then the song stopped, the mug empty and his surroundings just as dark. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to magic.

Baekhyun and Luhan had been talking for a while, letting Chanyeol take his time coming back down from the trip he had experienced, eventually they were on their way out. Baekhyun held his hand all the way, served him soft smiles from time to time, his eyes crisp and blue.

“Now what?” asked Chanyeol. Baekhyun curled his free hand around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “Now we go home” he smiled against his lips.