Prompt: Vkook, counting stars

In which black cats are too mainstream for a witch named Taehyung.

Sort of based on Kiki's Delivery Service

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It had been raining that day.

A continuous downpour that drained down the streets, a blessing for the whithered grass, but a nuisance for the drivers and cyclists trying to finish their commute.

Jungkook remembered this because he was one of those unfortunate cyclists.

He was a poor soul powering through the rain, having the water spray all around him, on his way to make a delivery to the apartment complex across town.

But his clothes were soaked through, his shoes heavy, the thick water droplets blocked his vision. He admitted defeat and swerved under the cover of a bus stop, balanced his bike as he sat on a bench and and waited.

The rhythmic pounding against the metal roof, like a melody, a harmony for the melancholy, a lullaby for the weary. Jungkook's eyelids felt heavy, his head lolled to the side, he sat upright, only to be slouching again minutes later.

“Are you tired?”

Jungkook stood up.

There was someone else in the bus stop, someone with golden eyes and purple hair clutching a broom to his chest. He smiled.

“I’m a little tired,” Jungkook felt shy, he wiped his damps bang, “but I still have to deliver this,” Jungkook tapped the crate on the back of his bicycle.

The stranger nodded, his gaze dropped to the ground. Jungkook looked over the straw broom in his hands, and the dark purple cape, and the gemstoned ring on his right hand. “Are you a witch?” Jungkook asked.

He blinked, then answered “Yes, we just got here,” he nodded to his bag where two green eyes peered through the seam.

Jungkook waved unsure, "I'm Jungkook."

"I'm Taehyung," the purple haired boy replied, "and this is scaredy cat is Yoongi."

The rain slowed, the pounding light against the concrete.

Jungkook stepped out from under the bus stop. He waved to the witch, “Good luck.”

“You too, be careful.”

The witch was still there after Jungkook finished his delivery. The rain relentlessly beat against Jungkook as he made his way back to the restaurant. He stopped when he saw Taehyung shivering on the bench.

Jungkook stopped, “I'm going back to the restaurant where I work, maybe you can stay there for the night,” he offered.

Taehyung hesitated, eyeing Jungkook's bike, but when the rain lightened he hopped onto the back. He had an iron grip around Jungkook's waist, his nose buried between Jungkook's shoulder blades. Jungkook pedalled quickly through the roads, his calves strained going uphill, and just as the rain thickened the familiar sign came into view.

Requim for a Dream restaurant.

It was closed, but the lights were brilliant on the upper floors. Jungkook pedaled to the side door and rang the bell.

The door was opened by a girl with a long red  braid and soft cheeks. Seokjin. She ushered them inside “Oh you poor boys are soaked to the bone,” Seokjin pressed a hand to Jungkook’s cheek, “I should never have sent you on that last delivery.”

“Can I spend the night here? “ Junkook trembled.

“Of course you can,” Seokjin said with a fond smile, “Your friend can stay here too.”

“I just met him…”

“Do you want him to get sick outside,” she pinched Jungkook’s cheek, Taehyung laughed, Jungkook pouted, she grabbed two warm towels from a hallway closet. “The boiler is on, get in the shower before you get sick,” she handed one towel to Jungkook and wrapped the other around Taehyung, “I’ll take care of this one.”

Taehyung looked at her as if she were an angel.

When Jungkook got out of the shower, Taehyung and Seokjin each had a warm cup in their hands, Seokjin had a blanket on her lap, Taehyung curled up in her recliner, and they were deep in conversation as if they had known each other for years. Taehyung didn’t have a place to stay, and Seokjin had an empty room upstairs, and needed a new waiter.

“Thank you,” Taehyung said gratefully, his eyes were on his white cat asleep in front of the fire place, “It feels like my life is falling in to place.”

~~

There was a crowd gathered in the plaza.

Jungkook looked at the clock tower, he had time before the lunch rush. He hopped off his bike and made his way through the crowd.

The crowd was watching a young man performing tricks on a flying broomstick. Taehyung, of course it was Taehyung.

He hung upside down from his broom soaring through the air, the audience cheered. Yoongi, his white cat, held a hat in his mouth and collected coins from the crowd.

Taehyung saw Jungkook in the crowd. He smiled, Jungkook smiled back.

He stood up right on the broom, scaring some young mothers in the audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you’ve been a wonderful audience but I’m afraid this is my final trick.”

The crowd pouted.

Taehyung pulled a balloon from his pocket, blew until it was bigger than his face, and tied it off. He held it in one hand, and slapped it with the other, releasing a flock of wild doves into the air and white feathers and broken stretched out pieces of plastic in the air. There were shouts, there were cheers, even Jungkook stared slack jawed at the flying birds.

He felt a weight on his bike, he turned to see Taehyung, smile stretched across his face, “Quick while they’re distracted.”

Jungkook took off down the street in the direction of the restaurant. Taehyung wrapped his arms around Jungkook’s waist, his face buried in Jungkook’s back. Jungkook could hear Yoongi hissing in Taehyung’s backpack.

“Are you scared?”

Taehyung mumbled, “Nope, just too happy to open my eyes,” Jungkook felt every word tickle his skin.

“That was some impressive magic back there," Jungkook complimented.

"That was performance magic, it’s nothing."

"Making people happy isn’t nothing.”

“I make people happy at the restaurant,” Taehyung moved so that his chin was resting on Jungkook’s shoulder, “I want to do something more useful with my magic

“Like heal people?”

“Maybe...” Taehyung trailed off.

Taehyung’s chest was warm against Jungkook’s back, his breathing was soft against Jungkook’s ear, his grip tight against Jungkook’s waist. And maybe Jungkook was too aware of Taehyung. And maybe Taehyung moved in closer and maybe Jungkook’s pulse beat faster. But by then they were at the restaurant, and Yoongi hopped out of Taehyung’s backpack to sit by the cashier and wait for customers to pet him, and the lunch rush was about to start so Taehyung thanked Jungkook for the ride before running to the his room to change into his waiter’s uniform. Jungkook parked his bike outside, and walked into the kitchen to see if he was needed.

Hoseok was there, slacks wrinkle free, bowtie straightened, and hair cropped.

“You cut off all your hair?” Jungkook asked.

Hoseok beamed, “I look handsome, don’t I?”

“Men look handsome, women are supposed to look pretty,” Jungkook sighed, “Hasn’t this ruse gone on long enough?”

“Patrons give bigger tips to waiters, especially ones as charming as me,” Hoseok carried a plate on each hand as she walked out of the kitchen.

Jungkook turned to Seokjin chopping vegetables, “And you’re okay with this?”

Seokjin shrugged, “It doesn’t bother me if the customers say miss or mister. But when addressed as sir Hoseok gets the biggest smile, do you really want to ruin that?”

Taehyung walked in at that moment, fumbling with the ends on his bowtie.

“Are you okay with this?” Jungkook asked.

“With what?” Seokjin walked up to Taehyung and began knotting the bowtie.

“Hoseok dressing like a boy.”

Seokjin smoothed down Taehyung’s uniform, then returned to the chopping board. “But Hoseok is a boy,” Taehyung said carefully, “so shouldn’t he dress like a boy?”

“No, Hoseok’s a girl.”

Taehyung’s brows furrowed together, “Are you sure?”

“She was born a girl.”

“But when I first met him, he shook my hand and introduced himself as the waiter,” Taehyung smoothed his hair back, “Honestly Jungkook, you should learn more about your coworkers,” he walked out of the kitchen, into the restaurant.

Jungkook’s cheeks burned. Seokjin laughed. Jungkook glared. Seokjin shrugged.

“Nam Joon is in one of the corner tables,” Jungkook said, “he said the cheesecake today was good or something like that.”

Seokjin’s own face turned red, “You’re just saying that.”

Hoseok walked in with a broken plate, “Nam Joon broke another one,” she left with the broom and dustpan.

Jungkook smiled cheekily, “Told you.”

Seokjin huffed. She handed Jungkook a basket full of sandwhiches, “Get out of my kitchen, deliver these to city hall at once.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jungkook saluted her as he left.

~~

On Sundays the restaurant was closed.

Jungkook still made his way uphill in his bicycle only to catch the witch in action. Today Taehyung was walking, broomstick in hand for balance, across Seokjin’s laundry lines in the backyard.

“Are all witches this weird?” Jungkook looked at Yoongi curled up in the patch of sunlight, “No witches have black cats, you’re not a witch you’re an alien.”

“Maybe I did come from the stars,” Taehyung joked.

Jungkook laughed.

Taehyung dropped down from the laundry lines, he lightly whacked Jungkook in the back as he walked into the house. He came back balancing two glasses in one hand and a bowl in the other. He handed one glass to Jungkook and dropped the bowl on the ground. They watched Yoongi slowly stand up and duck his head in the water bowl.

The silence bothered Jungkook, “What town are you from?”

“You don’t know it. It’s a small one in the northern mountains made famous for its lanterns,” Taehyung said in a daze, entranced by his own words, “they say it’s where all stars come from.”

Stars are celestial, they don’t touch the ground. But still Taehyung creates his own light, and his skin is warm. Jungkook was caught, entranced by the way Taehyung's hair rested on his head, and the shadow of his eyelashes on his cheek. He was staring for too long. Jungkook coughed, Taehyung looked up.

“You really are from the stars,” Jungkook teased.

“Told you,” Taehyung laughed.

“Why did you leave?”

“All witches leave home for a year,” Taehyung sat down on the ground to pet Yoongi, “it’s one of our oldest traditions.”

Jungkook added, “Why?”

“It’s so we can learn, magic can’t be taught it’s all instinctive,” Taehyung stated as if it were obvious, “So if we leave home we are forced to find it ourselves.”

“Most things are learned through apprenticeship.

“Not magic, it’s all in here,” Taehyung patted his chest. Yoongi jumped on top of his chest, Taehyung pouted, Yoongi his paw, “And then we can choose a focus without our parents influencing us.”

Sounds difficult, too difficult for Jungkook, who had enough trouble balancing a job, school, and piano lessons. He couldn’t imagine not having a teacher or a tutor or a bus to show him what to do, to let him know when he’s done something incorrectly. But Taehyung took life with a smile. A smile that warmed Jungkook.

Seokjin came out at that time, a shout of dinner. Taehyung stood up abruptly, dropping Yoongi in the process. The white cat glared, but Taehyung ignored him, he tugged Jungkook’s wrist and lead them inside.

~~

Nam Joon walked fast up the hill, bouquet in his hands, determination on his face, and pushed through the restaurant doors.

Taehyung ran out the side door and crouched down to peek through the window. Jungkook parked his bike next to Taehyung. “What’s going on?”

“Shh,” Taehyung pulled him down, “be quiet and watch.”

So Jungkook did. He peeked over the flowerbeds and through the window to see Nam Joon standing in front of the counter. Seokjin came out from the kitchen to stand behind the cash register. And there was talking, Nam Joon ing the bouquet in her face, Seokjin cautiously taking the flowers, Nam Joon talking while waving his hands wildly in the air. And then he stopped. He ran a hand through his hair, looked Seokjin in the eye, and spoke again. Seokjin’s cheeks turned red. She looked down at the bouquet in her hands, mumbled something to the flowers. Nam Joon’s shoulders loosened. Seokjin smiled as she spoke. Nam Joon threw his fists in the air, and shouted in joy.

“I snuck a confidence charm in his pocket earlier today,” Taehyung said with a smile.

Jungkook blinked, “Did he ask her…”

“I don’t know, but it’s the most I’ve seen him say to her, and he’s happy."

Nam Joon was leaning over the counter talking to Seokjin, her smile grew wider.

“This is it, my talent!" Taehyung grabbed Jungkook's arm..

“Matchmaker?"

Taehyung shook his head, "Charms! For confidence, love, health, any charms, to help everyone."

Jungkook could see it. He could see Taehyung glowing as he helped other people solve their problems, pray for miracles, apply for a job, he could do it.

“That sounds perfect for you," Jungkook said.

Taehyung beamed.

Hoseok arrived then, not in her work uniform but in slacks and a button up, messenger bag slung around her shoulder. They stopped her from entering, they pulled her down and watched Seokjin and Nam Joon talk.

“Man all of our dishes are going to break,” Hoseok mocked, “whatever shall we do.”

“Shut up, they’re cute," Taehyung pouted.

Hoseok smirked, “Yeah they are,” Jungkook watched Hoseok ruffle Taehyung's hair. An act of familiarity, and for once Jungkook was envious of Hoseok.

~~

Jungkook parked his bike outside and walked into the kitchen.

“Where’s Taehyung?” he asked.

“In the marketplace with Yoongi,” Hoseok explained. Hoseok was elbow deep in a sink full of dirty dishes, “Their charm booth is very popular.”

“He is the town’s first witch in three generations,” Seokjin said. She took a spoonful of beef stew, blew off the steam, and brought it to Jungkook, “Try this and tell me what you think?”

Jungkook ate it, “It’s perfect.”

Seokjin smiled in content, “I’m playing around with salt free dishes for poor Mrs. Jung.”

“You’re too nice,” Jungkook complimented.

Seokjin hid a smile behind her hand.

The bell by the cash register rang, “I’ll get it.” Seokjin said as she walked out of the kitchen.

Jungkook helped Hoseok with the dishes, Hoseok washed, Jungkook dried.

"Hey Kookie, I have a favor to ask you?" Hoseok spoke in a serious tone.

"Sure," Jungkook put down the bowl he was drying, "What is it?"

Hoseok took a deep breath, "Can you call me sir, and he?"

Jungkook had been expecting this. Had seen it in the easy interactions between Taehyung and Hoseok, but the tense ones when it was just he and Hoseok alone in a room. In all honesty, Jungkook deserved that tension. But that was wrong of him, wrong of him to make those statements only months ago.

Jungkook smiled, "Of course, Sir Hoseok."

Hoseok looked at him with an expression of relief? Gratitude? Jungkook couldn’t place it but it had Hoseok tearing up, “Thanks brat.”

Jungkook leaned into him.

Hoseok hugged back.

It was easy as that.

~~

Nam Joon stepped out of Taehyung’s room, he waved to Jungkook before walking down the street.

Jungkook ran to Taehyung’s room, where Yoongi was sleeping on the windowsill and Taehyung was organizing his potions and charms.

“Was that Nam Joon?”

“Yes,” Taehyung beamed, “he said he needed a love charm, for the falling star festival next week”

“Do you think he’s going to propose to Seokjin?”

“I hope so, she adores him,” Taehyung said in a daze, “she needs a man in the house after I leave.”

Something shattered in Jungkook, he choked out “You’re leaving?”

“My one year training is almost finished,” Taehyung said wistfully.

“The festival was cancelled last year on account of rain, the storm you arrived in,” Jungkook half laughed, “You really did come from stars.”

Taehyung laughed, more remorseful than amused.

Jungkook scratched the back of his head, “You’ll write, won’t you?”

“Of course,I’ll be back after I finish my training.”

That’s too long, too many years spent waiting for Taehyung’s touch, Jungkook’s bones already ache when he’s not in the room. Jungkook opened his mouth to speak, but before he could speak Seokjin shouted, “Jungkook, I have a food order for you.”

“Coming,” Jungkook shouted in response. He turned back to Taehyung. Jungkook's voice caught in his throat.

Taehyung waved him off, “You better go, we can't leave the customer waiting.”

“Yeah," Jungkook said numbly. He went to the kitchen, fitted the crate filled with food on his bike. Taehyung was walking back to the kitchen in his waiter’s uniform.

Jungkook waited. “Taehyung, can you make me a love charm, or one for confidence,” Jungkook asked.

Taehyung frowned, “What for?”

“Well you see there’s someone, I’ve only known them for a short time but now I can’t imagine a life without them,” Jungkook mumbled as he spoke.

Taehyung smiled, “I don’t think you need the charm.”

“No?”

You should deliver the food,” Taehyung poked Jungkook’s cheek, “Then tell that friend how you feel."

Jungkook grabbed Taehyung's hand, "Will they feel the same?"

"Maybe," Taehyung swung their hands as he spoke, "you have to ask."

Jungkook smiled.

Taehyung smiled back, and waved him off. Jungkook wasn’t a witch, but on the delivery he felt like he was flying through the city.

 

 

AN: since this story is told from Jungkook's pers[ective, Hoseok's pronouns changed when Jungkook's opinion changed,