Put A Spell On Me - Taegyu

Broken Heater, Broken Heart (sort of)

Beomgyu didn’t show up at the next coven meeting, or the one after that. The empty spot beside Taehyun didn’t go unnoticed.

Kai had given him a questioning look once, but besides that, the others hadn’t said much.

Taehyun was afraid he had fucked up somehow. He didn’t know how, but he couldn’t think of any other reason besides that.

Joshua had been the first to mention it late one evening after a meeting. It was a full moon night, and the ritual had taken them hours. Taehyun had arrived halfway through setting up the altar for the Esbat, and then followed as they went through the regular details: purifying the circle, singing the spells, and then passing around a chalice of wine and plates of shortbread. Usually full moon rituals, though tiring, were Taehyun’s favorite because of how peaceful they were, but he had found it hard to enjoy that night.

By midnight, it was over, and the others had dispersed slightly, and the few who were left in the den were having quiet conversations to themselves, not paying much attention to Taehyun or Joshua as one approached the other.

“Hey,” the older said in his usual soft manner. It always put a sense of comfort into Taehyun's mind. “How was the Esbat?”

“It was good,” Taehyun replied, trying his best to put on a reassuring face.

“Yeah, I’m glad Seungcheol picked me to lead the binding spells tonight. He did a decent job handing out tasks to everyone, even with one person missing.”

Taehyun winced involuntarily, which Joshua noticed but pretended not to. Instead he asked, “You doing alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Taehyun said, though he knew that Joshua could tell it was a lie.

“If you insist,” Joshua replied nonchalantly. “Were you heading back to the shop now?” “I guess so, yeah.”

“Do you mind if I join you? I’m heading the same way.”

Taehyun didn’t think he’d want to ask why Joshua needed to go to that side of town in the middle of the night, especially considering he lived with Seungcheol here in the covenstead.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind the company,” Taehyun smiled.

The air was chilly as they made their trip down to Taehyun’s shop, but there was no harsh wind, and so the night was quiet.

“I attempted an invisibility charm yesterday,” Joshua said, making light conversation, “but I mispronounced the word mote and then no one recognized me the rest of the day. I don’t know which witch thought it was a good idea to use the word mote in a spell. Maybe I’ll just leave the obscurity to Soonyoung. It was a bit weird watching your best friends try and figure out what you’re doing in their house because you look like a complete stranger to them.”

Taehyun gave Joshua a polite laugh, but his mind had immediately wandered to the night at Beomgyu ’s house, where he had seemed to forget who Taehyun was. He had tried to convince himself that it was only because he was intoxicated, but he still couldn’t wrap his head around how Beomgyu had avoided him earlier that day but then clung onto him the entire night.

“Taehyun,” Joshua said, giving Taehyun a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re doing alright?” “Yeah,” Taehyun replied, “why?”

“You just seemed a bit tired today. You almost forgot your lines during the ritual for a moment. On the altar tonight I lay, all of my cares and woes– ”

“Tonight I become one with the light, and let all my burdens go,” Taehyun ended. “I remembered them.”

“You were just distracted,” Joshua acknowledged. “You got the right lines though.” “Is Seungcheol upset? That I nearly messed up?” Taehyun asked.