I'm Head Over Tails For You, Meow!

SUMMARY:

Chris needs a special potion to better the places he visits as a Nomad. When Felix, who's the creator of these potions meets him, he quickly falls head over tails for him. Minho is a Hearth Witch who's very protective of Felix - with hilarious results.

31 Days Of Halloween (Stray Kids): October 2023

Story Seventeen:

I'm Head Over Tails For You, Meow!

Chris was having a bad day.
Or maybe the magic community was changing for the worse. He opened his van's sliding door and got in. Home sweet home. He let the bug screen unroll and settled on his cot. He sighed and closed his eyes. He'd pushed himself too hard this time and he needed rest. Resting didn't mean falling asleep though. Not for him. Sleep had eluded him for years. He sighed and sat up.
He was having a bad day and had happened to find a few bad eggs in the magical community.
He would know the difference because he was part of it. His magic took time to heal things and time didn't always allow him to stick around long enough. There'd been a rumor that a cat-hybrid witch had the ability to create the exact potion he needed.

Felix skipped into Minho's store an hour after sunrise. He barely reached his knees in height and his purple cat ears and tail were twitching in excitement.
"Good morning, Lixie," Minho said.
"Good morning. I'm ready to make my potions Meow." He did a little cheer and started assembling his own workspace.
"More love potions?" Minho used a long wooden spoon to stir the soup he'd been working on. He was a Hearth Witch, skilled in healing the home, and that included the owners - with soup.
Felix huffed. "It's not love potions. It's potions full of love." He smiled adoringly at his cauldron. The glittery purple sparkled from the light. "They can heal most things. A broken heart-"
"Temporarily."
He glared. "Yes, but sometimes it's a balm people need. And it's not addictive. Also, dying plants, repairing broken glasses, and things. It's wonderful."
He'd been working for an hour when Minh stopped in front of him. "There's someone asking about your potions."
"Really?"
"He's a traveler."
"Even better. I guess words getting around. That's great. I'll go see him." He turned the fire under the cauldron to simmer and went to the front. A... He scented the air. "You're a shifter wolf?"
The man... (Young man?) looked down at him. He'd been browsing the books by the counter as he waited. "I am," he said and he sounded nice.
"My name is Felix and you can say yours Meow!"
The guy blinked and smiled with hearts in his eyes.
"I'm a Hearth Witch," Minho warned. "Don't make me curse your home."
The guy huffed shyly. "All I have is my van. Why would you do that/"
"Most people fall for our Felix here and some even try to steal him away. Literally."
"Minho," Felix cried, embarrassed.
"What's your name, pretty boy?"
Felix's ears lowered to his head. "That's a bad way to talk to customers."
The guy didn't seem bothered. He ruffled the back of his hair and said, "My name's Chris and I'm not here to steal... people. Just..." He let out another cute huff in shyness. "I heard someone in the area could make potions with love in them, which can speed up healing properties in nature."
"What will you do with these potions, Chris," Minho asked.
Felix nodded, excited to hear the answer. Even some nature witches only did the bare minimum these days.
"Well, there's a rule among people like myself, Nomads. Leave a campsite- or place you visit, better than it was when you got there. I thought I'd kick it up a notch. I don't want to just pick up paper and garbage and stuff. I want to heal bald patches in the grass, heal trees... the brush."
"Whatever looks like it needs a helping hand after being negatively affected by visitors."
That's wonderful," Felix said. "Do you have pictures of some of these places? I'd love to see what you're talking about."

Within the next few days, Felix had made the potions and rattled on him for having such a messy van. Minho insisted that organizing his space would be one key to getting optimal sleep - doubtful - and had set about the task of getting him bags and boxes to organize it for him.

"Don't you want to make more potions," Minho asked. Felix had been moping for days. "Chris said he'll be back in about a week."
He took a sip of his milkshake, which was made even more cute because it was twice his size. He had to stand on a foot ladder to reach the top of the straw. "I just... I never expected to like someone so much... and now he's gone."
"He's a traveler. He going to be gone a lot."
He scoffed. "You know, you don't always have to tell me how you really feel about a situation. Lie to me. Tell me anything but the truth."
Minho cackled. "Never. I love you too much to lie to you. However..." He sat beside him on the floor. "Have you thought about traveling with him? He's part of a caravan too. You could make more friends and you have your own car. Which makes me feel a little better about your safety."
"Wouldn't it be a little crazy for me to consider that yet? I just met him."
"And yet you already want to have his babies."
"Minho! Hyung?" He covered his face.
"Sorry sorry. It's true though."
"I can't have babies."
"Doesn't change the fact you would if you could."
He sighed. "I'm a mess, aren't I, meow?"
"Come here."
He curled up in his arms and let him rock him for comfort.

A Year Later...

"Where have you been?" Minho's voice had come out loud and clear from Chris's phone. "You were supposed to call me two days ago. I swear-"
"Minho Hyung," Felix said, crawling into Chris's lap so he could see the screen. "We had no reception and then it rained and we had to pull over because of the mud. Well, there's still mud but we're being extra careful. There's new tires on the van, meow."
"I'm really not liking this no reception crap. Get better service."
Chris winced. "I'm working on it. Stop being so bossy."
"What? Why I ought to-"
"Minho Hyung, did you get the pictures I sent of how my potions helped the campgrounds?" He melted when Crhis nuzzled the top of his head.
"You two cut that out. I saw the photos. Keep that up and you may be able to gain access to places that have been closed off to the public for years. Because... of people's disrespect of the land.
"Hey, Hyung, who's that? I heard someone call you baby?"
His eyes widened. "Uh- What?"
"I clearly heard-"
Nothing." He gave an awkward laugh.
"Did you meet someone?"
"Call me later. I have work to do. The shop's not going to run itself. Bye." The screen went black.
"Strange," Felix said. "Well, are you ready to eat?"
"Yes. I'm starving. Are you ready for the view?" He slid the door open and let the bug screen roll down.
Felix came over with their food pouches and gasped. The mountains were turning from spring to autumn colors, the sky was something out of a dream.
And he couldn't wait to explore them by Chris's side.