nobetterpicture: Do you only want to dance? (2/2)
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“Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.”
Yoochun rolled his eyes as he walked up the steps, carrying an unconscious Changmin on his back.
“Not exactly the best time for jokes, Junsu.” He replied as he kicked off a stack of books from the couch across from the fireplace and laid Changmin down.
“Why not? I mean it only took you…Oh. Oooohhh. Neeeevermind.” Yoochun didn’t have to turn around to see the devilish smirk on the fire demon’s face. Instead he waved his hand over Changmin’s body and watched as a blue blanket covered the other’s body. Slowly, Yoochun tucked a piece of Changmin’s hair behind his ear and frowned as he noticed the blood stains on Changmin’s clothes. He gripped his own neck and glared at his blood-stained fingers. Sighing, he replaced his hand on his neck, wincing a bit at the sting, and turned to face Junsu.
The fire demon looked like any other normal human wearing a black tunic and gray pants, but then there were the flames that continuously licked around his body and the fact that one touch of his skin would cause a third degree burn. He also lived in Yoochun’s rather large fireplace and liked to crack extremely inappropriate jokes. And maybe perhaps the bright red hair and orange eyes made him stand out as well.
“I need you to make us invisible.” Yoochun asked as he shrugged off his jacket and kicked it over the pile of books. He walked over to the sink next to the fireplace and filled a pot of water before placing it next to Junsu. “And to boil this too.”
“I don’t know, I just finished making that door to your boy toy’s bakery, I’m not sure if I have the energy…” Junsu replied, rolling onto his stomach with his face in his hands. “Maybe if I had some motivation~”
“Junsu…,”
“Micky,”
“Junsu, unless you want blood all over your fireplace, you’ll do as I askednow. I already told you this isn’t the best time for jokes.” He glanced back to Changmin on the couch and sighed. “Please.”
Junsu grinned and sat up. “All you had to do was ask nicely~”
Rolling his eyes, Yoochun turned away as he heard the water start to boil in the pot. He pulled out a cloth and some bottles from the cabinet next to the fireplace and started to mix them into the boiling water. He could feel Junsu’s stare as he dipped the cloth into the now-purple mixture and placed it against the cut on his neck.
“What?” He finally asked and Junsu just shrugged and looked at his nails innocently. “Come on, Junsu. Out with it. What do you want to ask?”
“Nothingggg, except maybe, oh, I don’t know. Why the baker is passed out on your couch right now when he’s probably supposed to be living happily ever after with that General guy you mentioned~” Junsu stretched his body over to the couch, feet staying connected to the edge of the fireplace, to get a better look at Changmin. “At least he’s cuter than that other one you brought last time.”
“Hey! Joongki was cute okay, he was just…”
“Weird? Different? Awkward? Endearing? Cuter than you that it annoyed you and you dumped his ass in the middle of another country?”
Yoochun smacked his forehead at the memory. Everyone had their bad moments; he just had one and accidentally used his magic to leave his ex in another country. But he returned Joongki to his hometown...eventually.
“ANYWAY, Changmin…was supposed to be in his town but, just as I cast the spell to transport me here, he grabbed my coat and it seemed to have some strange effect on him.” Yoochun looked over at Changmin, who was still peacefully sleeping on the couch. “I’m still not sure exactly what’s wrong, but I added another spell to him so that when he does wake up, he’ll think that everything related to me was a dream. The same thing to the people in his town.
“After the fiasco that that General caused by trying to catch me, it was the least I could do. Especially after ruining the end of their fall festival. Plus, I’ve caused Changmin enough stress alone by working in his bakery, so I had to make it right.”
“Hmmmm, I see,” Junsu responded as he sat back down in the fireplace, legs crossed and leaning back on his arms. “So you’re going that route.”
“What do you mean that route?”
“That route. The one where you become the noble one who dramatically takes the fall for his own mistakes, even though they are ones that could probably be easily fixed if you maybe, perhaps, talked about them to the people involved?” Junsu said, staring right at Yoochun. “In this plan that you thought, did you ever consider that maybe Changmin still wants you in his life because you’re his friend? Why else would he have tried to stop you from leaving and become like that?” He gestured over to the couch and then pointed at Yoochun.
“In my own honest demonly opinion, you’re taking the coward’s way out. You’re simply using your powers to your advantage and not caring about a single person BUT yourself. Hell, I don’t even know this Changmin that well, but the fact that he cared enough about you to try and stop you shows that he obviously didn’t want you to leave, despite what you’re trying to tell yourself. Think about it, for once.”
Junsu stopped and grabbed a twig from the large pile of wood on the side of the fireplace to chew on as Yoochun took in his words. Everything that he had said was true; he was taking the coward’s way out. And this wasn’t the first time that he had done it either; Yoochun had done it countless times before just to avoid going back into the army. Hell, he had even struck up a deal with Junsu, a fire demon of all things, to gain more power in protecting himself so that he could live his life as he chose to. Not the way that other people thought that someone with his power and skill should.
Yoochun pulled off the cloth from his neck and felt the cut, happy to find it fully healed. He threw the cloth into the sink and walked over to the couch, sitting by Changmin’s head. He couldn’t deny the feelings he had for the baker, from his smile to his snark, he’d enchanted Yoochun hook, line, and sinker.
However, Yoochun should have known that he time at the bakery wouldn’t be long or permanent. Honestly, he was surprised that he had lasted three months there. It was the longest that he had stayed in a place and he was beginning to think that maybe, he could’ve made a home there. Yoochun had even put the effort and energy in with Junsu to create a new gateway from his real home to the back room of the bakery for easy access. It was too bad that the moment they had finished it, he had been discovered.
The General was a smart man; Yoochun knew that from his observations before they’d met in the bakery. So it wasn’t a surprise when he confronted Yoochun on the street as he was on his way to the festival. The group of soldiers and the witch he’d brought along with him, however, were a surprise and the following fight lasted longer than expected.
It was funny, though, the way the General took the fact that Yoochun, the new worker who had hung all over his old boyfriend, was the wizard that would be the ticket to a much better and freer life. He was so determined to capture him that Yoochun almost let himself be captured. Almost.
*~*\\\\\*~*
(“I just want to give Changmin a better…happier life.” Jaejoong said he aimed his gun down at Yoochun’s face. “I don’t want to hurt you, but if I have to do that so that dream can become a reality, then I will.”
It was then that Yoochun felt the witch’s holds on him weaken and he smiled sadly at Jaejoong. “As much as I would love to give that to you, I’m sorry.” He watched as Jaejoong’s eyes widened, probably surprised by the golden glow of his own. Then there was a BANG and a cloud of smoke surrounded them all.
The bullet had luckily just grazed the side of Yoochun’s neck and was a small enough injury to let him escape to say goodbye to Changmin.)
*~*\\\\\*~*
The original plan was to go to the festival and, hopefully, woo Changmin away from the General, but those plans had quickly changed. The new plan was to go and make sure that Changmin and the other townspeople were okay and then sneak out of town while casting a spell to remove him from their memories; as he’d done countless times before. But then he saw Changmin.
The baker looked even better in the clothes Yoochun had picked out then he originally thought when he got them and it was then he knew there was no way that he could go without saying a real goodbye. So, as usual, he was selfish and took the one promised dance from Changmin, though really it was more of a one-sided dance as he controlled all of Changmin’s movements. He planned his escape as they danced under the lanterns and away from the other people. He would slowly release the holds on Changmin as he backed away, and by the time he was far away enough, he’d let go of them all to disorient the other and leave him with an opportunity to disappear.
Perhaps he never gave Changmin enough credit, but the baker did always seem immune to his charms, literal and magical.
The first time they met, he was surprised when Changmin’s mind resisted the small spell he’d cast to get him hired and was shocked that he got the job regardless. Changmin also resisted all the other times that Yoochun tested other charms and spells as they worked together, weaving them into the questions he asked and casting them on the clothes he wore. But not a single one went through. Granted, he hadn’t put much power behind them, but it was still curious about it and maybe that’s why he fell even harder for Changmin; he was a challenge that Yoochun never had.
Still, he never expected that Changmin would become as attached to him and he would try and stop him from leaving. And it shocked him even more that Changmin had been affected so much by the transport spell. He’d used it on other normal people before (like Joongki) and it had never had this effect. Maybe he had used more energy on the simple spell like he had to do for the ones he used to control Changmin’s body and that’s what caused this strange effect. But honestly, Yoochun had no idea why Changmin was still asleep. He ran a hand through Changmin’s hair and smiled down at the smile he received. He must be having some good dreams.
“Have you tried kissing him?”
Junsu’s words broke Yoochun out of his thoughts and he looked up at the fire demon (who was now munching on some wood chips). “Excuse me, what?”
“Kiss him. As in place your lips on top of his. As in sealing your affections with a peck like all those old fairytales. It’s one thing that you probably haven’t thought of.”
“Fairytales are fairytales for a reason, Junsu,” Yoochun muttered, but he turned back and stared down at Changmin’s face anyway.
“Fairytales are based on some real life facts and, in my honest demonly opinion, I think that in some ways, real life is pretty close to a fairytale.” Junsu munched on a few more wood chips. “Besides,” he spoke in between chews, “What do you have to lose?”
The fire demon had a point. Yoochun had nothing to lose, and besides, a kiss was just a kiss… He started to lean down when Junsu shouted out-
“WAIT!”
“What??” he responded as he hovered the last few inches above Changmin’s face. The baker looked so peaceful as he slept, compared how he was when he was awake.
“If this works, what are you going to do if he wakes up? Are you going to go with your original plan and just wipe yourself from his memory? Or are you going to own up to your choices and tell him the truth about everything?” Junsu’s tone was accusing, but Yoochun didn’t let it faze him as he continued to stare at Changmin’s face.
“I don’t know.” Yoochun replied honestly. Junsu’s words had made him think a bit and maybe it was time he stopped taking the coward’s way out. That way, maybe he’d be able to pick Changmin’s brain a bit more and figure out why he resisted certain charms. And maybe they’d get to dance once more. “I don’t know, but I guess we’ll see what happens first.”
And with that, he closed his own eyes and the distance between their lips. As they touched, Changmin’s eyes slowly opened.
/////
It was a normal day at Howon Pastries.
Changmin tended to his regulars in the morning, made more éclairs around noon, and cleaned out the espresso machine at four. It was a little hard doing all the work himself, but after he developed a nice system, he found that it made his day go faster.
Jaejoong had left town on another mission from the army over a month ago and Changmin found that the separation was the easiest that it had ever been. Maybe he was just getting used to being anyway from the real Jaejoong and only dealing with the invisible one he wrote letters to.
As he closed the bakery for the day, Changmin found that his life had become extremely mundane lately. There was something missing, something that he couldn’t put his finger on exactly, which made it bother him even more. He loved his bakery and creating his pastries day in and day out, but in the past few weeks, they had lost their charm. They were just the same thing every day.
He found himself staring at the door at the back of the storage room with a bag of flour in his arms when the front bells jingled, signaling a customer. Sighing, he turned and walked back out to the front.
“I’m sorry, but I’m closed for the- Minho?!”
The younger man smiled as he leaned against the glass display case.
“Surprise?”
Changmin quickly walked around the counter and tightly hugged the other. “I’ve missed you so much, how are things, how’s school?”
Minho just laughed and hugged him back. “Good. Things are good. And I guess I missed you too. Besides your pastries of course.” He laughed again as he pulled away from Changmin’s smack. He glanced around the shop with a fond look on his face. “I really have missed this place, but more importantly, where’s my crazy replacement at?”
“What replacement? It’s been just me since you’ve left! Which hasn’t been the easiest thing,” Changmin teased as he shoved Minho’s shoulder.
“You’re joking, right? What happened to that Yoochun guy you complained to me about in the letter you sent? Was he just a joke?”
“Yoochun?” Changmin repeated the name and was confused by the familiar way it rolled off his tongue. Yoochun. He’d never known a Yoochun in his life, at least that he remembered, but now. “I…I don’t remember hiring any Yoochun, or writing any letters to you about him…,”
Frowning, Minho held his hand against Changmin’s forehead. “Are you feeling okay? Have you been working yourself too hard that you’ve forgotten someone you hired a few months ago? I have the letters in my bag if you just give me a second-”
Changmin wasn’t sure how to feel as he watched Minho dig through his bag. Did he really forget someone that he had worked with, let alone write to Minho about? He’d never had memory problems before but-
He suddenly cringed as his head began to throb. The more he thought of the name Yoochun, the stronger the throbbing became.
“Ah, here!” Minho stood up and held out the letters. “These are the ones that you mentioned him the most in. To be honest, I feel like you were developing a sort of crush on him, even if you didn’t realize it yourself.”
Changmin took a second to stare at the letters. Yoochun, he thought and winced at the pain that came. He grabbed the letters and began to scan them, reading his own words about a strange man with a bright smile and interesting personality. Yoochun.
Yoochun
/////
(“Y- Yoochun?”
The man smiled down at him. “Changmin, you’re awake.”
“What happened?” Changmin asked as he sat up on the couch and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. “Where am I?”
“Where you are or what happened isn’t important at the moment, but what is important is that you’re awake…and that I have some explaining to do.” Yoochun responded as he stood up from the couch, walking over to the fireplace and sitting on the edge next to a strange man with red hair who was frowning.
“Wait, what? I’m so confused…and…before, are you the wizard Jaejoong was looking for??”
“All will be explained, I promise. I have things I need to do right now, but I will be back. Junsu, here,” he nodded to the red haired man next to him, “will fill you in on the smaller details and I’ll explain more when I get back.”
“I’m…I’m still confused, but...okay.” Changmin said again looking back and forth between Yoochun and this Junsu.
Yoochun smiled. “Good. I’m glad you’re awake and that I actually have the chance to explain everything to you. But when I get back.” He walked back over to the couch and placed a kiss on Changmin’s head, causing the man to blush. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Yoochun whispered, and then he was gone.
Sitting up, Changmin eyed Junsu before the fire demon grinned. “So, what dirt would you like to know first, Baker?”)
/////
Changmin’s head pounded as his knees gave out and another memory surfaced in his mind.
/////
(“So this place, what is it exactly?” Changmin asked as he stared out the windows at the sun and clouds, the scenery completely different from the other window next to it showing the moon and stars. It’d been three days since he’d woken up and Yoochun had told him mostly everything. Who he was, why he came to Changmin’s town, why he worked at the bakery; but there still seemed to be something that he was holding back.
“It’s…my home. I created it on my own. It leads to many different places, but only I can dictate where it’s stationed at one time.” Yoochun replied.
“WITH MY HELP!” Junsu shouted at the two from the floor below them and Changmin couldn’t help but laugh.
“I like him.” Changmin grinned as he pressed his hand against the glass, enjoying the coolness. “And I like…you. Being honest with me, that is. And well. Maybe just you in general too, a bit. Perhaps.” He’d been struggling with his feelings since Junsu had blurted out the first day that Yoochun had a huge crush on him. It…actually explained a lot of things for Changmin, really. Although His own feelings for Yoochun were sudden, this just seemed like the perfect moment to share them.
However, instead of Yoochun confessing his own feelings right back, as Changmin thought, the wizard only put his arms around Changmin and sighed.
“I hoped you would never say that.”
Slightly offended and more than embarrassed about being rejected, Changmin struggled in Yoochun’s arms. “Sorry to bother you with my feelings, then.” He spat and Yoochun sighed into Changmin’s neck again.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I like you too, Changmin. In fact, I like you a lot. But the thing is, you’re not ready for this, for my world. And I, I’m not ready for you to be in my life” Yoochun mumbled into Changmin’s neck before pulling away, leaving only his hands on Changmin’s waist. “I have a few things to make up for before I feel like I can actually be worthy of being with you. Truly.”
“IDIOT.”
Yoochun slammed his boot down on the ground at Junsu’s comment and a chuckle vibrated through the house.
“And there’s no way I can change your mind about this? I mean, I’m happy here, I like it here.” Changmin stated.
“But you’re lying to yourself to make me happy.”
“I am not-”
“Yes,” Yoochun replied, “You are. I can see the way you’ve been itching to bake something or the way you glance out the windows, this…This world, hell, even this house alone is a shock to your system and a shock to your life. You just don’t want to admit you’re uncomfortable because you finally found someone better than the general that you truly and honestly like.”
Changmin pulled his hand back from the window and placed it on one of Yoochun’s hands. He had a point, as much as he like this place, as he liked Yoochun and Junsu, this change was too much for him to handle. But if he had to choose between stomaching this change and losing Yoochun-
“You won’t lose me, I promise. When you’re ready to find me again, you’ll find me and hopefully, by then, I’ll be ready for you. But until then don’t forget the door in the storage room. You’ll know what I mean when the time is right. Also, I’m sorry and…try not to hate me when you remember?” Yoochun asked as he turned Changmin around and smiled sadly.
“When I remember?” Changmin asked and Yoochun nodded.
“Yes. And until then, I’m sorry.”
With that, Yoochun leaned in and as their lips touched, for the second time in Changmin’s life, everything went black)
/////
“-min? Changmin?”
Minho’s voice dragged Changmin out of his memories and he looked around to find himself on the floor.
“Are you okay? You collapsed and were muttering things, I was worried there for a second…,”
“I’m…fine.” Changmin said, pushing away Minho’s hands and slowly standing back up. That was a lot to take in, but now that Changmin knew…It was time. “I’m fine. But I have a question for you.”
“A question?” Minho asked, like that was the last thing he was expecting.
Changmin smiled and nodded, thinking back to the door in the storage room. “Could you look after my bakery for a couple months?”