ATEEZ Imagines

Wooyoung ✦ Gremlin Problem | Fantasy AU

Word count: 9,250

DO NOT read or interact if you're under 14

Wooyoung meandered through the village, passing by various shops and small eateries that lined the street. His plans for the day were unclear and he chose to bide his time by seeing what there was to do, waiting patiently for something to grab his attention. His leisurely stroll came to a momentary halt when he spotted an interesting sign for a magic shop. Wooyoung's eyes glimmered, his body turning towards the small business and strolling right inside.

You were stood behind the front counter as you did every day, setting bottles of various powders and herbs that were all neatly labeled onto a shelf. The sound of the door opening altered you to a customer, so you turned away from your current task to greet the newcomer. A gremlin. He had lengthy glossy black hair that went to his shoulders, the ends curling in under his pointed ears. They were adorned with many silver hoops and his grayish skin was on display due to the laces of his white shirt being mostly undone, the sleeves rolled up to reveal a tattoo on his right forearm—a rose. Gremlins were usually unsightly creatures with ugly features, but this one was handsome and it was difficult for you to tear your eyes away from him.

"Hello." You acknowledged the man.
He returned the greeting with a small smile, striding further into the shop.
Wooyoung's eyes glimmered with excitement as he saw the various powders, herbs, and potions, imagining all the trouble he could stir up, his clawed fingers twitching at his sides, itching to get them on something.
His attention was pulled away from the shelves when he spotted a plethora of shimmery items along the back wall where various crystals and other magical items were. His feet carried him to his destination, his brown eyes lighting up when they landed on a piece of gold jewelry.

He snatched up the medallion on display, watching the natural lighting from the windows glinting off the metal, highlighting the intricate details carved into it.
"If this real?" He asked you, not waiting for a response before he brought it to his mouth and started gnawing on it.
"H-hey! You can't eat that!" You exclaimed, scrambling out from behind the front counter.
He pulled the medallion away. "I wasn't eating it, just seeing if it was real or not."
"It's real." You huffed, swiping the jewelry from him while muttering under your breath, "I'm gonna have to polish this again."
"I couldn't help myself." He shrugged. "It's shiny."
You narrowed your eyes at the troublesome gremlin before walking off, deciding to keep an eye on him.

He followed you back towards the front counter, watching you fretfully inspect the piece of jewelry, grumbling under your breath about having to clean it.
"You're free to browse, but don't put anything in your mouth." You told him, grabbing a polishing cloth.
He let out a little huff of amusement, shoving his hands into his pockets before strolling towards another area of the shop.
Every so often you'd glance up to see what he was up to. You didn't trust gremlins.

As Wooyoung meandered around the shop, his eyes drifted around the room, taking in the various potions, ingredients, and trinkets that lined the many shelves covering the walls and floor. He found himself gravitating towards a book on a low table in the corner, crouching down to flip through the pages. The book was bound in dark purple leather and filled with spells and recipes. Wooyoung felt a familiar itch of curiosity rising in his blood, a sly smile playing at his lips. He thumbed through the pages until he came across one that caught his attention. His clawed fingers traced over the image sketched inside along with the ingredients listed. It was too tempting.