Burn The Witch {5}
pairing: yoongi x reader (f.)
genre: supernatural; angst; mystery; magical society AU; magicals!AU
rating: PG-15
warnings: violence; emotional abuse; blood; bullying; mentions of murder; mature language; sexual themes
words: 4.2k
summary:
↠ {a boy who keeps running away, a girl who can’t seem to no matter how much she tries and a series of murders caught all in between of the cracks spread through what appears as a quiet little town…} ↞
or alternatively, not everything is always what it seems
previous part: {4}
.
.
It’s another few days before you move on with your plan.
It’s already weird enough to visit Xefoto’s only club on a Tuesday night, even more so when you and Yoongi aren’t even remotely dressed for the occasion.
This is the place Dean usually hangs around and strikes his “business deals”, so you’re bound to run into him here tonight. Eventually.
As to how you know this is Dean’s spot... well, that’s another story.
“Okay, it’s been more than an hour and a half and still no sign of this... “Dean” guy. Just say you wanted to take me out for a drink and be done with it!” Yoongi’s eyes are full of mirth, as he rests sideways at the bar.
You turn on your stool to face him. “I told you, he’s really discreet about these things, you can’t just expect him to barge in and start asking around if someone wants to cut a deal with him,” you explain, ignoring his teasing attempt, before your eyes scan the room for the millionth time. “We got to wait, make sure he’s up for a conversation.”
Yoongi’s chill demeanour dissipates, and he groans, leaning his upper body on the bar. “And how legit is this... werewolf guy?” he utters the word with great difficulty, and you can’t help but look at him disapprovingly.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those vampires that still believe in that “mortal enemies” bullshit...” Yoongi groans at the obvious disdain in your voice.
“Well, no but still... they’re werewolves,” he continues, though his voice contains significantly less confidence than before.
“So?” you raise an eyebrow.
“So, they’re beasts,” he shrugs his shoulders, turning his gaze away in what seems like an avoidance tactic, but you have none of it.
“Once a month,” you observe, and Yoongi rolls his eyes at your persistence to not drop the subject.
“Still, they’re dangerous...”
“To whom? Humans? In that case we’re all dangerous to humans,” you retaliate, taking a sip from your drink, and Yoongi presses his lips in a thin line, clearly not having put that much thought to it before.
“Yes, but none of us loses control like werewolves do. You must admit, a werewolf out of control isn’t just dangerous to humans but to magicals too...” he casts a glance your way, certain that would be the thing that makes you reconsider but you shake your head.
“Are you telling me that when a vampire goes into bloodlust he’s not as dangerous and catastrophic to humans and magicals?” you answer back defiantly and Yoongi groans tiredly.
“Oh, come on that’s different... A vampire going into bloodlust isn’t happening every month...” he explains, rubbing the base of his taut neck and you have to remind yourself to redirect your gaze.
“No, it may not, but it’s effects are just as severe, or worse, than a werewolf transforming. Plus, werewolves know their transformation is coming so they take the appropriate measures each full moon, to not harm anyone. Can you say the same for vampires going into bloodlust?” you reply calmly and when his eyes widen, you know you have him.
“I... No, I can’t, but still, it’s not the same...” he struggles to justify his reasoning but even in his ears, his retaliation is weak.
“Why? Because one doesn’t get a say in their transformation while the other feeds on human blood to survive? That analogy isn’t doing your species any justice now, is it?” this time your words leave him shocked and confused, failing to give you an answer.
Something finally shifts in his gaze, and you wonder if you managed to at least make him see things from a different point of view.
Yoongi swallows, still taken aback before he turns to face the bar and takes a sip from his drink. You watch with mild interest as he seems to ponder over your words, eyebrows knitted together, surely struggling to digest something himself mustn’t have thought of before.
“I...” he begins, his eyes stuck at the bottom of his glass, “I guess I’ve never thought about it like that... Wow, I sound like a douchebag,” he chuckles in disbelief at the end, his voice lowered in contemplation and almost shame. You didn’t expect him to change his mind immediately of course, but the fact that he even accepted your words for what they are, says an awful lot about his character. People tend to deny whatever doesn’t agree with their beliefs. He didn’t.
Which makes you want to know more about him. As if you didn’t already.
“You do...” you agree calmly, and he looks at you stunned for a moment. Before he sighs and turns to look at his drink with barely concealed disappointment.
“But” you startle him once more, and his eyes find you again, black hair falling just above his eyes, framing them in a soft, innocent kind of way, “You’re aware about it. Which is the most I can say about other people, so that’s a start. It’s not even close to doing better but at least now you have a starting point. And you can do something about it.”
Your words seem to shake something in him, and he hums in understanding. A soft, sheepish smile takes over his lips, showing his gratitude in a simple, discreet way.
And then his smile turns into a teasing smirk. “You should be a professional life coach, that speech was very Tedtalk of you,” he teases with glinting eyes. You find yourself smiling at him, even though your groan.
“I’m never saying anything to you, ever again...” you grumble, returning to your drink.
Yoongi does the same. “Good luck with that...” he winks at you, and a groan breaks free from you throat just as your heart misses a beat.
“Ugh, as soon as Dean arrives, I’m out of here.”
“Isn’t he treating you right, doll?”
The voice sounds right next to your ear, and you jump around.
Only to see the man you came here looking for, staring at you with interest and a sinful smirk to match.
Damn, you forgot how hot he was.
Still, Dean’s arrival doesn’t faze you. Not like it does Yoongi (who almost spits out his drink from the heaviness of the newcomer’s voice). Instead, you look at the werewolf boy who looks like he enjoys what’s in front of him a little too much.
“I’ll take care of you and maybe I’ll teach handsome here a thing or two if he’d like. I’m feeling naughty tonight...” Dean’s eyes are soon upon Yoongi, drinking him in with appreciation, as one would look at a painting. Or dessert.
Then he winks at him with all the confidence in the world and Yoongi sputters something that sound like he’s swearing.
Although you’re sure his ears are turning red.
“Actually, we’re here for something else-” you get interrupted by Dean, leaning over you. His face hovers above yours and one strand of hair falls across his forehead.
“And here I thought you were back for seconds...” he whispers lowly, the timbre of his voice cascading down your spine, reminding you of things which are not appropriate for this particular conversation.
You catch Yoongi faltering with the corner of your eye. But you don’t have your wits gathered to comment on his behaviour, too preoccupied with the man staring at you like he stared at Yoongi a moment earlier.
You swallow the lump in your throat, ignoring his flaming eyes, trying to focus on the issue at hand. Yoongi keeps looking at you with caution, true to his promise of letting you do the talking, as his finger taps against his drink.
“Nope. Not here for that...” you repeat, as if trying to convince yourself as well. You shake your head, trying to escape your sudden stupor and level Dean with a serious gaze.
The werewolf boy raises an eyebrow. “None of you?”
Yoongi coughs loudly and you put your question of it aside, to give Dean a negative shake of your head.
He sighs dramatically as he drops his body against the bar, leisurely staring up at the ceiling. “Fine, I guess I’ll have to entertain myself differently... So, what’s it you’re really here for...?” he comments as he beckons the bartender over.
Yoongi’s scrutinizing eyes keep following the other man, as he finishes the last of his drink.
“We’re here because-” you begin to answer, but Dean interrupts you when the bartender arrives.
“Ah, there you are. I’ll have a White Russian and- what were you drinking pretty boy?”
It takes you a minute to realise he’s talking at Yoongi. You belatedly turn your attention to the vampire boy on the other side of you and you can’t help but notice the way his eyes remain stuck forward.
Like if he stays still enough maybe Dean won’t see him.
“It’s on me...” the werewolf boy says instead, very much seeing Yoongi through half-lidded eyes. Yoongi dares cast him a glance, only to see Dean biting his lip appreciatively.
Yoongi grows redder than a bloody mary, returning his focus forward and you can’t help but feel curious.
“No response? Well, then...” Dean shrugs as the bartender walks away with his order.
You roll your eyes before attempting to, again, pick up his interest.
“We’re here because we need you to find something for us...” you announce with a steady voice, and Dean looks at you. He looks somewhat bored now that he’s come to term with not having any of the two of you on his bed at the end of the night.
“Doesn’t anyone, love?” he replies impassively, as his eyes wonder the now almost-full bar. But it seems his nonchalance has struck a chord in Yoongi’s demeanour. With a tired sigh, the vampire boy turns to at last talk to Dean.
“We’re not talking about your “relaxing substances”. What we’re looking for is something a bit more arcane, and basically “forbidden” in this shitty town,” Yoongi hisses, his irritation palpable in the atmosphere and Dean raises an eyebrow at his sudden outburst.
“Ah, so he speaks...” he comments dryly just as his drink arrives. Yoongi blinks before shaking his head and resuming his previous position, trying to appear as relaxed and calm as possible.
Dean stares at him for another moment before, “Okay, I admit, you’ve piqued my interest. So, what is that “forbidden by Xefoto’s standards” thing you’re looking for?”. Then he takes a sip from his drink.
“A book,” you reply instantly.
Dean’s gaze meets your own this time. “I’m assuming it cannot be found in the public library...”
You shake your head, and he sighs.
“What kind of book are we talking about?” He inquiries.
“A witch’s book,” you say, and he chuckles almost immediately.
“Figured that much. What kind of a witch’s book?”
What kind? There’s a lot?!
Of course, there’s a lot! You can’t expect a witch to go around her life with only one book!
“I...” you mumble, clearly unprepared for that type of question. The truth is you don’t know the answer. You never knew there were more than one book, so whatever you say now is bound to be wrong.
Shame creeps up again, crawling up your spine. What kind of witch are you, not knowing there is more than one book?!
“The apprentice’s guide.”
Shock floods you and you turn at Yoongi, who’s just risen from his stool to look at Dean again. Dean honestly looks like his favourite dessert just arrived.
You release a heavy breath, thankful that at least Yoongi knew what you were looking for. Though now it seems the two boys are locked into a starring match.
Dean looks at Yoongi as if he’s ready to devour him, all heavy-lidded eyes and promising grins and you have to remind yourself to stay focused.
Yoongi on the other hand looks at Dean with the air of calm confidence you’ve learned to pick up whenever he means business. His gaze is made of steel, staring at the werewolf boy perfectly still, willing him to challenge him just to see how far he can go.
“Alright,” Dean replies after a while, setting his drink on the counter. “I’ll see what I can do...”
Your eyes light up, and you jump out of your stool. “Really?”
Dean sighs dramatically. “A deal’s a deal. I assume you’re prepared for the financial compensation...” he looks over at you with a raised eyebrow.
You swallow your nervousness but nod either way. Truth is this will put a dump in your savings but it’s nothing they can’t handle.
Dean hums, satisfied. “Alright. I’m gonna do my research, but you should expect it somewhere in the next two weeks.”
“Great, thank you for helping,” Yoongi says, getting out of his stool to stand next to you. He levels his eyes with Dean in what seems to you only as a silent threat.
Dean regards this only with a knowing smile. “I never back out of an interesting deal. Although...” he pauses to once again check out both of you. “My other offer still stands...” he continues as he leans over you once more.
“I wouldn’t mind repeating that night sweetheart. Great things shouldn’t be done only once...” his eyes fall to your lips, and you have to remind yourself to breathe. His words wake up memories from this very bar from a year ago with stunning detail.
Your cheeks redden, your pulse quickens and you’re pretty sure you feel something between your legs. As if merely his voice managed to remind you of the feeling his hands left on your skin.
A cough brings you back to reality and you look towards the noise. Only to see Yoongi covering his mouth with his fist and looking over the crowd.
Dean, of course, doesn’t miss the sound, the same lustful intention hiding in his eyes as he regards the vampire boy. “Of course, you’re invited as well pretty boy. We three would paint a stunning picture...”
You want the ground to swallow you whole, trying to think of anything other than what Dean is insinuating. “We’re good, thank you,” you reply swiftly, trying to push a very stunned Yoongi backwards toward the exit.
Dean’s smirk only grows at both of your flustered reactions. Then he raises his drink in a departing salute.
And with that mental image in your head, you leave the bar.
.
.
As you make your way back to “Selkie’s Place” for a rundown of your visit and a much-needed breather, you can’t help but think of how Yoongi reacted to Dean’s shameless behaviour. One might say the vampire boy wasn’t just angry at his advances.
You can’t help but feel curious.
You steal a look at his pensive figure, his eyes stuck at the road in front of him, just as the bar comes into view.
“So...” you begin cautiously, causing Yoongi’s eyes to meet your own. “What do you think?”
Yoongi takes in your question before, “He seemed legit. Willing to help and pretty cooperative,” he recounts in thought. “But I wouldn’t put it past him to go back on his word. We should tread lightly,” he finishes just as you pass the front gate.
“Uh huh...” you nod dubiously, “but that’s not really what I’m asking about...” you reply calmly, opening the door to the pub. You try to tread the subject lightly, not really sure if Yoongi is up for that conversation with you.
Yoongi stills for a second, eyes wide before, “then what are you asking about?”. His words are cautious but that same glint of mischievousness you’re used to, rises up from his voice.
A wave of relief washes over you quickly, before you roll your eyes playfully. “Come on, you grew redder than a tomato back there...”
“Was it that noticeable?” he muses as you reach the bar stools.
“I’d say...” you climb up the seat, while waiting for his reply but it never comes. He has fallen silent, and you dare take a peek at him.
He’s staring at his joined hands at the top of the counter, dark hair falling at the sides of his face and while he looks like a painting sitting like this, you realize your question must have put him in a tough spot after all.
“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable...” your voice is soft, remorse evident in it as Yoongi finally turns to look at you, lost in thought.
But then he shakes his head, smiling earnestly at you. “No, you didn’t, I just...” he stops, as if recollecting whatever he was about to say to mull it over. You patiently wait, letting him say whatever he wants, in his own pace.
“I’m... bi,” he responds finally, eyes cautiously searching for your reaction.
Even though you suspected as much, the words still startle you. It’s another thing to believe that something is true and another thing to know it is.
Yoongi’s eyes still look wary of you, and you realise you must have shown no reaction at all.
You smile immediately, wanting to put him at ease. Revealing something like that is never easy. You should know.
“Thank you for telling me,” you say softly, and Yoongi’s shoulders visibly relax. A breathless chuckle escapes him.
He nods at you with a small smile, but his gaze turns curious, almost... expectant.
But you say nothing as you turn to wave at Mona, coming from the kitchen.
A moment passes where Yoongi is silent, and you refuse to look at whatever expression might be on his face.
Instead, he clears his throat, getting rid of the sudden awkwardness. “So, about that book...”
You almost sag down in relief. “What about it?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.
“Have you really never seen one before?”
You blink, unsure of how to answer. “I...” you begin, taken aback, before you sigh. “No... I mean my mom had one of her own when she was younger, but I’ve never seen it....”
Yoongi frowns. “Is it not around your home?”
You shake your head. “She only needed it when she was still learning, at her childhood home. She didn’t have any use for it when she got older. She already knew everything by heart...”
Like all the times she used to practice spells back at home. Of simple ones and hexes to get through every day's chores, or just cute rhymes to make your toys float, simply because you asked her to.
A bittersweet smile takes over your lips. Until you remember of the boy sitting next to you and you shake the memories away.
Yoongi still looks at you intently. His eyes give away nothing of what he’s thinking but for some reason you feel... assured. Understood. Not a peck of judgement or pity resides in his eyes, and you know you can allow yourself to feel safe around him.
You take a breath, willing yourself to get back on track. “Anyways, since you’ve seen one before, I bet it won’t take us long to find the spell now, will it?” you joke, and Yoongi gives you half a chuckle that instantly chases away your melancholy.
But as an impromptu smile almost takes over your lips, a tall figure stumbles into the bar and your eyes go wide. You’d know this clumsiness with feet everywhere.
Namjoon’s wide shoulders bump into someone and as he turns to apologize, you quickly redirect your gaze to Yoongi.
It takes a second to register he was about to tease you back, but when he meets your gaze, he realizes something is wrong.
All you can think right now is that you don’t want Namjoon tangled in all this mess. You can’t have your friend dragged into all this, no matter how much he wants to help.
So, you signal Yoongi to stop talking before Namjoon overhears anything he isn’t supposed to. Cause if he does, there’s no stopping him in helping you.
Yoongi’s mouth shuts immediately. His eyebrows scrunch in and his gaze turns to whoever your frantic smile is directed at, as said stranger approaches your company.
“Heyyy, what’s up guys?” Namjoon steps up to the two of you with his signature smile, although it’s not often you see it come out so forced. You haven’t told him anything about Yoongi, so you guess his reaction is kind of warranted.
“Hi! We were just...” you start though all possible excuses evade you and you’re left staring at your friend like a deer in headlights.
“We were partnered for a project in the “interspecies rights” lectures,” comes Yoongi answer to once again save you from embarrassment. You are thankful for his lie, but you can’t help but wonder how he knows you’re enrolled in those classes.
Namjoon turns to you. He doesn’t look convinced.
He sighs.
“Ah, I see. Well, good luck, I hear Professor Argenal is tough as nails...” he replies as he takes a seat next to Yoongi, the picture of nonchalance.
You can tell though he doesn’t believe you, not really. He’s just letting it go for the time being.
“I’m Namjoon by the way,” he gives out his hand to the vampire boy, who takes it warmly and introduces himself.
“So, I didn’t know you guys hang out here!” the elf boy tries at a conversation opening and your nerves ease for the second time tonight.
“Ah yeah, we figured it’d be easier with Y/N working, and it’s a pretty good space for studying it seems,” Yoongi replies calmly and Namjoon nods.
“What about the campus’s library?” he inquiries.
Yoongi startles at that, and instinctively his gaze turns to you. “I...” he begins, at loss of words.
Why haven’t you visited the library? Ah, yeah, cause Yoongi thought it wiser to remain as under the radar as possible.
You know the sane reaction to this question would be to try and find a reasonable enough excuse of why you can’t go to the library. But truth be told, it seems his attitude towards you two being seen together, bothers you more than you once thought.
So, you cannot help the heated words escaping your mouth.
“Too crowded to work,” you reply, when you see Mona beckoning you over and you stand up to go to her. “People might actually see us.”
You only catch a glimpse of Yoongi’s bewildered gaze, before you leave the two boys alone.
.
.
Yoongi watches you go to Mona with perplexity. He took your words for the jab that they were, but he couldn’t understand what the jab was about.
“Uh, did you know what that was about?” he turns to Namjoon.
The blond man looks at him warily before he sighs. “How much do you know about Y/N?”
“Mostly what everyone does, with the small difference of actually knowing she’s innocent,” Yoongi replies quickly, somehow offended by Namjoon’s inquiry.
A tired sigh escapes Namjoon. “Look, I didn’t mean to offend you or whatever. All I wanted to know is how comfortable you are with one another.”
“Oh...” Yoongi deflates. “Sorry...”
Namjoon shakes his apology off. “It’s alright. So, you already know she grew up mostly alone, with basically no friends, right?” The elf boy questions him kindly and Yoongi nods.
“So, you should also be aware of the fact she doesn’t trust people easily. Hell, when we first started hanging out, she constantly tried to bail on me. She thought I was pulling a prank on her or something...”
Yoongi frowns at the thought of a young you, being so hurt you couldn’t believe someone wanted to be friends. “Okay...?”
“What I’m saying is...” Namjoon stops to rethink his words. He turns his focus completely on Yoongi before he speaks again. “I don’t know what it is you’re really doing, and I won’t ask since it’s clear she doesn’t want me to know. But what I’m getting is you don’t want to be seen on campus together?”
Yoongi nods.
“Why is that?” comes Namjoon’s curious question and Yoongi bites his tongue. If he tells him why, then he’ll have to tell him about helping you. And for some strange reason you don’t want that. So, he keeps his mouth shut.
Namjoon exhales once more. “You can’t talk about that either, huh?”. He stops for a second to recollect his thoughts. Yoongi has an inkling the boy tends to do that a lot whenever its concerning Y/N.
The elf boy finally takes a deep breath and sits up straight.
“Your reluctance to be seen together on campus could make her think you’re ashamed to be seen with her at all.”
Yoongi’s eyes widen and his mouth drops open. “What?! That’s definitely not it and she knows that!”
Namjoon’s somber eyes meet the vampire boy. “I didn’t say it makes sense. I’m just telling you what might be going on.”
Yoongi falls silent after that. It never even crossed his mind you’d perceive it as such. He thought it was a pretty smart decision on his part to avoid raising suspicion. But now after everything Namjoon told him, he knows he has to do something about it.
He doesn’t want you thinking he’s ashamed of you. Something inside irks him at the thought.
His eyes find you across the room, talking to Mona about something and already he tries to think of ways to make it up to you.
“Why are you telling me this?” Yoongi asks Namjoon, his eyes still on you.
“Cause she’s my friend. And I want her to be happy,” Namjoon admits as his gaze follows Yoongi’s.
And Yoongi can’t help but agree with his words.
