love you later | yeonbin ✓

020

"Okay so," Yeonjun says and pushes up the sleeves of his shirt. He looks sharper now, the glasses gone, much closer to the Yeonjun Soobin first met all those months ago. "I've got this incantation here that should make the string visible. The scissors have been soaking overnight so they're sterile and ready to go. And this," he lifts up a glass with a ruby-colored thick liquid and swirls it around, "is for you."

"That looks gross," Soobin deadpans. He's not exactly keen on drinking whatever it is that Yeonjun has been working on over the past week or so, but it earns him a soft giggle so he can't really be mad.

"Yeah, I'm not sure you wanna know what's inside, honestly. But it's supposed to help you open up to the magic and make it easier to manifest the string."

Soobin's eyes skitter around the room, but he averts his gaze when he spots a vial sitting on Yeonjun's desk that says something with mucus on it. It's definitely the reason the liquid is so gooey and Soobin is certain he'd rather not know what is responsible for the dark red color.

To distract himself, he asks, "Do you have that drink you made last time? To recharge?"

When he looks back up at Yeonjun, the frown on his forehead smoothes out, the hint of a smile pulling at his lips. "Yeah, I already brought it upstairs to my room. Don't worry."

"Mhh. Is this it, then? Are we good to go?"

"Yeah, I think we are." Yeonjun blows out a deep breath. "Now we just have to wait until the sun is highest in the sky."

Soobin hates waiting. He isn't an impatient person per se, but when his nerves are coiling tightly in his belly and he can barely keep his hands and legs still, it feels like each second drags into hours. He suggests going into the greenhouse just to have something to do, and Yeonjun's relief is so intense, he can almost taste it. The silence growing between them had been deafening, making the tension feel unbearable, and when they step through the door of the greenhouse it suddenly feels easier to breathe despite the humidity.

It's nice to get lost in between the rows of plants, the quiet between them no longer feeling as heavy. It gives Soobin something else to focus on, doesn't make him rub at his pinky the entire time as his hands are checking on the plants, watering them, or adding fertilizer. He enjoys this more than he would have ever thought, and when the alarm on Yeonjun's phone goes off, his heart drops a little.

He finishes watering the plant he's currently looking at, puts down the watering can, and raises up from his crouched position on the floor with a sigh. The look on Yeonjun's face is serious and he doesn't have to say anything to let Soobin know it's time. He nods, wipes his hands off on a rag hanging on the side of one of the shelves, and follows Yeonjun back outside and into the cottage.

They slip out of their shoes, wash their hands, and when he's no longer able to prolong the moment, he steps into the study. Yeonjun's already there, a few steps ahead. He's busy slipping his rings off of his fingers, sliding down the bracelets stacked on his wrists. Despite his anxiety, Soobin doesn't miss the fact that the ring on his pinky stays put.

"Why are you doing that?" His voice is raspy from hours of disuse, but Yeonjun doesn't startle.

"I don't like wearing jewelry when I'm performing spells. It feels constrictive and I've heard that it can actually interfere with the flow of the magic. I don't know if that's just a baseless rumor, but I'd rather not risk it."

Soobin hums. "Makes sense."

Yeonjun's lips twitch slightly, and then he steps away from the desk, checking the time once more. He stands in the middle of the room, and there is something intense in his gaze that sets Soobin's whole body on fire.