Where there is love there is magic

Chapter 2

It seems that Kyungsoo has taken the invitation to Jongin's apartment with enthusiastic vigor.

It's a Friday night and Jongin has managed to escape the hellhole that is his office before six in the evening. He has sacrificed Sehun's happiness for it but the younger can deal in the name of Jongin's sanity. He's in front of the television, lounging lazily in his sweatpants and bare skin while watching drama reruns. The male lead is about to be spectacularly beaten up by the second lead when the doorbell rings.

Jongin groans and he's reminded of the buzzing headache he has. He drags his ass off of the couch, debating whether to go put on a shirt. The cognitive and analytical part of his brain think, fuck it, before he just goes to the front door. He peeks at the tiny screen embedded on the wall and he's surprised to see Kyungsoo outside, Mongshil securely in his arms.

He feels his face split with the width of his grin and he fumbles with the locks on his door in his haste.

"Hey," he greets. His smile goes wider when he sees Kyungsoo and Mongshil wearing matching pajamas, a baby blue set with printed cartoon penguins. Kyungsoo, wearing soft indoor slippers, stands outside and Jongin wonders, "Uh—why are you not coming in?"

Kyungsoo sighs, put upon, "You have to invite me."

"Oh," Jongin exclaims. Maybe it's a witch thing. If this is Sehun or Chanyeol, the two would have already barged inside with loud noises and heavy footfalls. Instead, Kyungsoo is standing with a neutral face, waiting to be explicitly invited. Jongin, not liking how Kyungsoo is still not in his home, says, "Come in then."

Kyungsoo's face forms a small smile and he steps inside the threshold of Jongin's apartment. "Thanks."

He walks with tentative steps, eyes darting around, and Jongin hovers after the man. What if Kyungsoo doesn't like hardwood floors? What if he thinks the abstract painting on the wall to be too ugly and pretentious? Maybe Jongin should have bought that artwork of clustered sunflowers instead or—

"Nice place," Kyungsoo says after a moment. Jongin feels himself release a breath of relief and watches as the witch sets Mongshil down. The familiar skitters around before it leaps—and, wow, that's impressive for a tiny dog though Jongin supposes it's the magic in the creature doing the work—towards the couch, bumping its nose to one of the throw pillows before resting there.

The witch follows what Mongshil has done, plopping on the couch. Jongin snickers. For someone so adamant on being invited inside a home first, Kyungsoo has made himself easily comfortable on the cushions. Jongin feels endearment bubble low in his gut and he feels little thrums inside his stomach. He doesn't dwell on it much, not liking the process of overthinking and overanalyzing every single thing. Maybe Jongin's just hungry.

As if on cue, Kyungsoo turns to him and asks, "Have you had dinner yet?"

Jongin, still standing dumbly in the middle of his apartment, shakes his head. "Not yet. I was planning on getting take out before you arrived."

Kyungsoo clicks his tongue the way Jongin's mother has done when Jongin's still in middle school and forgetting to eat in favor of playing video games or reading comics. It's a little bit funny and a lot nostalgic so he walks to the back of the couch, bending in half and resting on the back of the seat. His head tilted towards Kyungsoo, he grins.

"Cook for me?" Jongin whispers closely, softly. His breath fans on Kyungsoo's face and he's thankful for that mint tea he has drunk not ten minutes ago. He sees Kyungsoo's nose twitch and something in his wide eyes changes slightly. Jongin cannot pinpoint what it is but he wonders if goosebumps rise underneath the cotton of the witch's long-sleeved top the way Jongin's naked skin feels like it's rising in temperature. He remembers he's still not wearing a shirt.